Craft Show Survey Results (All in one Place)

It is a pain to search through a blog looking for a specific post, so I thought I would take the results of my recent survey and put them in one central place. I am planning on linking this to my blog so that it will be permanently accessible to anyone looking for it.

For those who have not seen this before, I put together a survey of the top ten craft show habits that may be costing you (the seller) money and sells. So here are the results listed from number 10 to number 1.

So here are all the links you we looking for.
Results: Part 1 ( Numbers 9 and 10)
Results: Part 2 (Number 8)
Results: Part 3 (Numbers 6 and 7)
Results: Part 4 (Number 5)
Results: Part 5 (Number 3 and 4)
Results: Part 6 (Number 2)
Results: Part 7 (Number 1)

Tuesday Tech

Some people have asked me in the past how I get my blog to post to Facebook and Twitter. I thought I would take a few minutes to show you.

How to automatically update you Facebook Fan page with your blog.

• From your Facebook fan page admin site, locate your Notes application.
• Click on this application and proceed to your Notes Screen.
• One the right hand side, you will find your Notes settings. There will be a link that says "Import blog." Click this link to proceed.
• A new form will pop up asking for a URL. Simply enter your blog web address into the form and click the button that says "Start Importing." It is that simple!

This feature may also be used to import your Etsy or Artfire RSS feed. However you can only import one feed per page.

How to automatically import your blog or Etsy feed into Twitter.

• Go to Twitterfeed.com and create a new account.
• Create a new feed and login with your twitter ID.
• The next step is to name your feed and input your RSS feed address. Make sure to test the feed so you will know if there are any problems.
• Now click on Advance settings to determine frequency of tweets, tweet tags, ect.
• Click the create feed button. Now you are up and running.

I hope you enjoyed the Tuesday Tech. Have a Great Day and Don't forget to Stop by the Etsy Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Extravaganza. Find me here on Etsy!

Monday Business

This week in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving. This holiday marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season here. Many people typically spend the Friday after Thanksgiving in one store after another looking for the perfect deal on a day known as Black Friday.

In recent years online merchants have decided to get on board the band wagon. It has been reported that the Monday after Thanksgiving is the largest online shopping day of the year.

So why am I giving you this background? To announce my store's participation in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday Etsy Extravaganza. I will be offering Free Shipping on all of my products during this time.

So how can you shop the Etsy Extravaganza? Simply search for the tags, "ETSYFREESHIPPING" or "ETSYHOLIDAYSALE".

Do you still want to do some Etsy Christmas Shopping, but perfer to keep it local? Have you ever used Etsy's shop local feature?

http://www.etsy.com/shop_local.php?ref=fp_nav_local

Simply type in your town and start shopping. Each shop is listed in the order of their last shop update or listing.

Hope you have a great Monday.

Wishlist Wednesday

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the day after BLACK FRIDAY. So here are a few thoughts to get you started on your Christmas Shopping.

Looking for earrings for a special someone?

Treasures, teeth, and rocks.

I wanted to let you in on some good news. Today (11-05-09) I found out that I have been featured in 5 treasuries. Some of them may be gone by the time your read this, so I have take pictures for you to see.

On a slightly happy/sour note, I just found out that my 15 month old is cutting two of his molars. Happy because he will have more teeth to eat with, sour because teething sucks for a little one! He does not seem to be in alot of pain, but he has been fighting sleep. I guess that is because he has been in pain with no way to really let me know.

Ok on to the Rocks! In an effort to fight the angst from my show last weekend, I took sometime last night to cut some new stones. Here are some pictures of the stones I cut.

This one I have already wrapped. It will be raffled off as part of a fundraiser to raise funds for a needy family. We adopt a needy family and buy christmas gifts for them to try to brighten their holidays. Last year we created cookbooks and raised alot of money. Since we are trying to top last year's fund raiser, we have decided to hold a raffle with handmade items to be raffled off and this one will be on the prize list.

There are some days, you will just have to fall.

Everyone of use has one of those days. No matter how much we want to have a good craft show, something in the universe prevents it. Be it weather, traffic, or money, sometimes no matter how much you prepare, it will happen.

I had that happen to me this weekend. I had a great setup planned (knowing the preferred setup of this show), yet when I got there, the setup had been changed. This threw all of my setup off. I went from an L-shaped setup that allows for plenty of display, to a front table setup with little display room.

The rain and drizzle also helped to start the morning. I actually checked the radar before we left the house to decide whether to take my sidewalls or not. Since it was a localized shower, I assumed it would be gone by the time I started setting up displays. Wrong again! That drizzle stayed over the show for three hours.

So needless to say, I was in a damp mood by the time the show started. Then came the worst of it! The guy in the tent next to me was selling those annoying yippee dogs you find in toy stores at the mall. The ones the walk and go yip-yip-yip until they are cut off or the batteries die. You know the ones. He had ten of those things going ALL DAY LONG!

So I realize that my body language drove my few customers away. I was extremely annoyed. So much so that I actually called the promoter this morning and left a complaint. I rarely do that, as I am not really the type to complain to those in charge so much as I am the type growl about it and walk away.

The guy beside me was there to make money just like I was. However, I do believe that there was poor planning involved to stick handmade arts and crafts beside commercial junk like that.
I know in the past I have said check out the show before you do it. The sad thing is this was not my first time at this show. Sometimes someone new comes in and re-arranges a show and you don’t find out thing changed, until you get to the show.

So what do you do in this situation? I really wanted to pack up and go home, but I stayed. I did not complain at the show, but I did tell the promoter I will double check there setup plan from now own before I submit an application. (You can ask if the promoter plans to inter-space non arts & crafts with the handmade booths, or if they are separate.) In this case, if they are not in separate areas, I will probably not do this show again.

Getting Ready

I have not posted much on my blog lately. I am busy getting ready for two art shows I have coming up. In the meantime though I wanted to let you know about some current happenings.

First off let me tell you about this wonderful thread I found in the promotion forums on Etsy. It is called “Enyaeire's I buy you buy and let’s help one another!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” There are a lot of great shops on the thread. Plus the thread changes daily so you never know who will pop in. I have met a lot of really nice people on the thread and everyone is super supportive. Come check it out. Here is the link for today: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6321346&page=12

Now I wanted to let you in on my newest YAY moment. I received a convo yesterday that I was in a treasury. On a whim I went to Craftopolis.com and checked to see. Turns out I was featured in not one but three treasuries. Feel free to check them out!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=88658http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=88768http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=72346

Just a quick note! My store will be closed for the next two weekends (it should be open during the week) since I will be selling at a couple of local art shows.

From Cleaning to Creations

Ever have one of those days when clutter is the only thing on your mind. That was me yesterday. I have been feeling claustrophobic in my house due to the clutter that has accumulated. So yesterday I cleaned. For six straight hours, I did nothing but clean. Although I still have more to do, by the time I was done yesterday, I felt much better. I even felt like creating some new listings for my Etsy store last night.

Here are my newest creations.
Labradorite Morning Dew Necklace $25.00 A beautiful hammered sterling silver pendant set with a blue flash Labradorite briolette. The pendant is suspended from an 18 inch sterling silver chain.

Crystal Quartz Morning Dew Necklace $25.00

A beautiful hammered sterling silver pendant set with a crystal quartz briolette. The pendant is suspended from an 18 inch sterling silver chain.

Moonstone Morning Dew Necklace $25.00 A beautiful hammered sterling silver pendant set with a blue flash moonstone briolette. The pendant is suspended from an 18 inch sterling silver chain.

Designers Downtown Market

This past Saturday was the Designers Downtown Market September show. I spent the last week getting packing and getting ready for the show. My husband helped me at the show and it was our best show yet from this promoter. So I thought I would share a few photos of my setup from the show.

The setup still needs a bit of work, but it worked very well at the show. I also wanted to point out my new banner (seen in the third picture.) One of my friends worked hard for the past two weeks to get this banner made from my show.

Anyway, I know this is a quick post. Hopefully I will have more to post later.

Earring Cards and Earring Displays

Since these go hand in hand, I decided to blog about them together.

I am currently getting ready for an upcoming show, so I thought I would share my latest earring displays with you.

I started making these earring cards several shows back. I got the idea for them from The Beading Gems blog posting: Making your own earring cards. They stand up well even in a light breeze. Here is a photo of my earring cards.

I used a business card template in Microsoft Word to create these cards. I have a design on the front and background information on the back of the card. I also include the URL of my Etsy store on the back of the card. Here are some examples:

After I print and cut the cards, I then fold the ends to stablize the card.
I have used these cards on my tabletop in previous shows, but I decided to hang them for my upcoming show. I like the idea of hanging the cards, because hanging invites more touching. I bet you are wondering what I am going to hang the earring cards on.

Several weeks ago my husband and I purchased two sets of louvered shutters like these. I attached the louvered shutters together with a pair of hinges. Not very hard to do, I simply drill piolot holes in the shutters and screwed them together.

These shutters will make the perfect display for my earring cards.

Hope you enjoyed todays craft show tip.

A Quick Idea to Create In Your Face Marketing at Craft Shows

Ever been in a craft booth looking at merchandise? Did you have to stoop or bend over to see what the crafter was selling? It is not a nice feeling and it does not help your sells. If a customer has to stoop to see your products, they may weary quickly and leave your booth before you get a chance to sell your products.

We need to make our customers comfortable in our booths. A good way to accomplish this is to raise the height of our tables. Our products should meet our customers at or near eye level to best accomplish sales.

If you are like me, you have purchased a standard folding table to display your products on. The height of a standard table is around 29 inches tall. For best viewing, our tables should measure 36 to 40 inches tall.

So here is my quick tip of the day: Raise your table’s height for your best marketing chances.

A quick and easy (DIY) way to raise the height of your table is to use leg extensions. There are commercially available extenders on the web.

However I decided to make my own. I simply measured the diameter of my table’s foot. Then, with measurements in hand, I went to the hardware store and purchase PVC pipe that was slightly larger than my table’s foot. My husband cut them into eight inch lengths (add a little more than you need in height) and filed down the edges so they were level. Once they were cut and finished, I simply slid the extender over my table leg. Viola, instant leg extenders. The entire project cost me less than $10 and a little elbow grease (okay so it was my husband’s grease :})

Just two quick notes:

1. The extenders will slip off and on, so I usually apply them while I am setting up at a show.
2. If you have more than one table, be sure to measure each, since tables vary in size.

Here is a quick website that showed me how to make the extenders.

http://www.jankrentz.com/displaypage.php?ID=43

Hope you liked the article today and find it useful. Have a great day!

TOP TEN THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR YOUR OUTDOOR CRAFT SHOW

1. Money – I have forgotten to get money and gone scrambling the night before a show to find small bills for my show. That is a nightmare! Remember to get money from the bank before you have a show. I usually get about $100 in small bills. So far that has been plenty for my shows.

2. Credit Card Machine - If you take credit cards they are a must. If you are using an electronic processor, be sure you can get a signal at your show. I have been to some shows as a customer where I could not purchase what I wanted because they were unable to get a signal and had no backup.

3. Tents/Tables/Chairs – Tables and shelves, you need something to display your work on.

Chairs: Chairs are optional. Some people feel that sitting down in a booth gives the wrong impression. Others could care less one way or another. I do bring chairs with me since I sometimes create new items while at a show.

Tents: I love my tent. Most people who work in outdoor craft shows will tell you a tent is a must. It provides protection for you and your product from the elements. You can get even more protection if you invest in walls for your tent as well. Be careful with walls though, on hot summer days they will bake you by not allowing a breeze through.

4. Displays – Laying your items flat on a table will not bring in customers as well as displaying your products on shelves or displays will. Prop your items up with displays to catch the eye of your customers.

5. Packaging – Customers want to easily transport their purchases home. Make sure you have some bags and boxes available if your customers ask. You may also wish to consider gift wrap or gift boxes during the holiday seasons.

6. Signs and Business Cards – Always have plenty of business cards available for your customers. Also make sure all your signs are typed in large print to make it easy for your customer to read.

7. Promotional Items – Any promotional items you have that will advertise your business like pens, key chains, bookmarks, notepads, ect.

8. Products – No products, no show. Nuff said.

9. Snacks and Drinks – I have attended a few shows where there were not any food vendors, so I always pack a cooler with snacks and drinks. Be careful to only pack items that are mess free (like goldfish crackers), you don’t want to wear a mustard stain on your outfit during a show. It will not look good to your customers.

10. Misc Items: Any items you may need to set up and keep up your booth. Items like
A.Tape,
B.Velcro (a biggie),
C. String,
D. Weights to tie down your displays (I prefer fishing weights)
E. Pens
F. Tags (Price tags or promo tags)
G. Camera (Especially if you have updated your booth look lately)
H. Calculator
And any other items you may need to run your booth during the day.

I needed a laugh this morning!

So I thought I would share!

Children's Science Exam Questions and Answers

Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get inter-continental.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.

Q: What is artificial insemination?
A: When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.go., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts--- the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean?
A: Nearby.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section"
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

I heard this on my local radio station this morning, and found the posting at this site: http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/34248

I hope you enjoyed the laugh today :)

Ever had this happen?

I applied to a show in mid July and have still not heard anything from the promoters. The deadline has passed for them to let me know whether I was accepted or not (it was stated on the application). What have you done in this situation?

I asked for my application to be withdrawn. I don’t know how comfortable I feel with a show that does not get back to me when they say they will. I sent the withdraw email several days ago, and have still not heard a peep from them. It just feels very unprofessional.

On other notes, I have been making loads of my Reversi Hoops. I am getting ready for three or four other shows I have coming up. I make these hoops in several sizes; extra small, small, medium, and large. They range in price from $8.00 USD to $23.00 USD (depending on size, style, and the metal used.) So far these hoops are my best seller. Stop by and take a quick look!

As far a promotions go, a friend of mine is working on a new banner for me. It will be 2.5 ft tall by 6 ft wide and it will include photos of my work. Yippee! I am so excited! I hope the banner will attract more people to my booth at craft shows.

Two new ideas for promoting your shop while at craft shows

We have all heard the mantra: Business cards, Business Cards, BUSINESS CARDS.
They are a must to promote your business. But lets face it, what do we really do when someone gives us a business card. If you are anything like me, they probably end up in the trash sooner or later. So here are two great ideas to put your name in your customer’s hands and not head for the trashcan.

Matchbook notepads

I just bought these great customized notepads from CardsandNotes on Etsy. They are wonderful! Plus since they are designed like a matchbook, most people will slip them into their purse for future use. It is a great practical item to get your name in your customer’s hands and keep it there.

Bookmarks

Quick, inexpensive to make, and highly practical. I just got through creating a promotional bookmark for my Etsy store. Not only does it have pictures of my work, but it also has my store address. I placed the address on the back of my bookmark with an address label. The label says “Don’t forget to bookmark. www.Elunajewelry.etsy.com.”

Hopefully I will be able to find some more cool ideas to post soon!

Two Comments that Drive Every Artist Batty!

If you have ever done a craft show, I am sure at one point or another you have heard these.

“WHO would wear that (or pay that price, ect)”

This phrase or variation of this phrase pops up at every craft show. I sure all of us, at one point or another, has even thought it. Hopefully we, as artists, have had the tact not to say this out loud.

But it does get said, and if it is said about your work, how should you deal with it.

Well you have a couple of options.

You can ignore the comment, and hope the patron goes away. But keep in mind, if you heard the comment, someone else may have as well. Your bad patron’s judgment of your work, could cost you a sale if it was overheard.

You other option is to deal with the patron up front. I do not mean to be confrontational, but instead politely point out to the patron, how well that type of item sales in your booth, or reasons you prefer that item over other types of similar items (without calling out, that would be unprofessional). In Bruce Baker’s CD “Dynamic Sales”, he suggests using one-liners in this type of situation. Perhaps make a comment like, “This item is one of my best sellers, but it’s not for everyone.”

Ok now the comment that makes every artist want to scream!

“ I could make that.”

Ok, we have all thought it. One or two of us has probably even said it. Before I started selling my work, I know I uttered it once or twice, but I did try to be discreet and only whisper it to my pal (insert shameful blushing here.)

I know I have heard it once or twice in my booth since I have been selling. So what is the best way to handle this problem?

Ask when and where their show is (politely) because you would love to see their work as well. 90% of the people making this comment with have no comment to your request, silently killing the comment where other patrons are concerned. For that other 10%, you may make a new crafting buddy or learn about new shows.

What other comments drive you batty at craft shows?

WOW!!!/New Listings!

It has been a great weekend! Saturday, we had a birthday party for my son. He turned 1 last Thursday. We had a great time, even got to watch him tear apart a cupcake.

Saturday night I recieved an email that I made it into a treasury. I decided to head out to craftcult to look at item hearts. (If you have not checked out Craftcult.com please do, I have found it to be a great resource for keeping check of favorites!) While I was there, on a whim, I decided to check out the featured section. I found out I had made it onto the Weekend Discount Gift Guide. OMG!!!!! I was sooooo happy.

On Sunday I finished working on photos for my new listings. Since the photos were done, I went ahead and listed my items. Within an hour, I had a sale! Wow what a weekend!

Here are my new listings so you can see them too!

Textured Sterling Silver Reversi Hoops:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29054662

Medium Sterling Silver Reversi Hoops
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29036657

Large Sterling Silver Reversi Hoops
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29036839

Small Gold Fill Reversi Hoops
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29037681

Small Sterling Silver Reversi Hoops
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29035983

Thanks for taking a peek at my new listings.

Have a great week!

Gift Guides

Just a quick weekend update: Today we had my son's birthday party (he turned one last Thursday.) He was inudated with lots of toys and clothes. My parents even managed to find him a John Deer Sit and Scoot ATV. Lots of lights and noise, of course. Right now my inlaws have him, they are keeping him for the night so my husband and I can catch our breath.

Other news:
I was surfing earlier and decided the take a quick peek at Craftcult (great website if you have not see it.) While I was there I checked the gift guide database. Lo and behold, I made it into the weekend discount gift guide. You can view the listing that made it in here!

Needless to say I have dancing around tonight :) Sometimes when you are at a low point, the clouds open up, and the sun shines right on you. I think this is one of those times for me :)

Have a great weekend!

Saying No to “Can I Help You?”

First a quick piece of good news before I start. My son Connor is a year old today. Connor is my first baby and this past year has definitely been a learning experience. Anywho, just wanted to share that brightness today :)

Ok Monday we talked about Saying No to Thank You. Today I want to look at how saying “Can I help you?” may harm your sales.

When a customer first walks into your booth, what is the first thing you say to them? For the longest time I would say “Can I help you?” After listening to Bruce Baker, I realized that I was being a bit presumptuous. By using the phrase “Can I help you?” or “How can I help you today?” we are making ourselves more important than our customers. Think about it for a sec “can I help you?” It sounds like our customers are not capable of helping themselves so obviously they NEED our help.

We all know this is not true, and it is not what we are trying to convey. How often have you asked a customer if you can help them only to hear “No thank you, I am just looking.” By asking if we can help, we have turned a potential customer into a browser. How often do you get a sale after hearing “I am just looking?”

So how can we get our message across without looking like we are more important? According to Bruce Baker, it takes only two small letters. You heard me right, letters. So what are these magic letters? I and F….

IF.

Think about it. Which is a friendlier approach, which one gives you (as a customer) a better feeling? Which phrase makes the customer dominant? “Can I help you?” or “If I can help you?”
IF provides us with a respectful distance in conversation. Our customers do not feel like we are trying to cram our products down their throats. Instead they feel welcome and relaxed. We have made them the center of our conversation; we are there for them IF they need anything.

This little technique is much easier than saying No to Thank you, and it does work wonders. I hope my ramblings are coherent today for you. Anyway, have a great day filled with sunshine.

Say No to Thank You?

I have been reviewing some of my selling manuals and tapes over the past few weeks. One reference that I have been looking at is my Bruce Baker CDs. In his Sales CD, he suggests that an artist NEVER says thank you when someone compliments their work, unless a sale is underway.

That sounds really counterintuitive to me. But if you think about it, it does make sense. If you have done any craft shows, think back at what happens when you say thank you to a compliment. Does that person typically pick up some of your work to purchase, or do they walk off to the next booth?

On rare occasions, I have had someone compliment my work and then buy something after I accepted their compliment. Most times however, I have seen a customer compliment me, I said thank you, and they went to the next booth down the line.

Bruce Baker suggests that instead of saying thank you, that we use that opportunity to sell our work. It might go something like this:

Customer: This is such a great design.

Artist: I am so glad you like my work, let me tell you what makes this unique…..

By saying No to the Thank you, we now have a chance to create a more intriguing conversation about our work. We have a chance to tell the story behind our creations.

Just some food for thought. Enjoy your day!

I got a treasury!!/ SHARK WEEK

I actually managed to grab a treasury last night. Please stop by and click the treasury :)
Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63036

Also just to let you know I am having a sale for Shark Week! I am offering Free Shipping on all of my Reclaimed Stained Glass Pendants. Plus the following five items have free shipping and are 20% off their original price!

Evening in the Desert

One of a Kind - White Moonstone Pendant Necklace

Exqusite Red and Blue African Pietersite Pendant Necklace

Topsail Island Emerald Green Sea Glass Necklace

Katherine's Cross

Katherine's Cross

This is my newest listing! Inspired by Showtime’s series the Tudors; this necklace has a distinct Renaissance feel to it. I also think that the filigree cross brings a Spanish feel to this treasure. In my mind I could easily see Queen Katherine of Aragon wearing such a work of art.

This necklace has a wearable length of 16.5 inches and contains 110 cultured potato pearls. The necklace is finished off with a sterling silver wire wrapped filigree cross. Truly this necklace was made for a queen!

Would you like to purchase this necklace? You can buy it here!

Time to stop and smell the roses

Sorry I have not posted much in the last week, life has been hectic. Last Tuesday, one of my cats had to have surgery to remove a tumor on her leg. On Thursday the biopsy came back positive for cancer. I have been spending time with her, working on getting her leg to heal. Logically I know that the cancer is probably still there and will likely kill her, but at least we (my husband and I) have made her life a bit more comfortable by removing the tumor.

On a happier note, my son will turn one in two weeks. I have been working on the plans for his birthday party. We also have been shopping for him. Lucky for us there was a hugh kids consignment sale this past weekend. Although we did not like the crowd, we did get some good deals.

Ok on to Etsy and marketing. To keep my mind off of the melencoly of my kitty's surgery I have been working on a new piece. I hope to load it on Etsy this week. I am going to call it Katharine's Cross. Here is a quick image of it, what do you think?

4 Quick Tips: Editing Photos in Photoshop for Etsy

If you have been following my blog, you will know that I have been working on my photo formats a bit lately. I thought it might be nice to create a quick post on editing your pictures in Photoshop. So here we go! Keep in mind, that I am in no way a professional photographer; these are just quick tips I use when editing my photos.

Tip 1: Using a color balance card
I don’t know about you, but I have a devil of a time getting my photos to echo the colors I see with my eyes. Even when I change the light balance, I still have red or blue overtones on my pictures. So I have found this quick little tip allows me to fix that problem.

When I take a photo now I place a tiny card on the edge of the photo display; I keep it barely visible in my viewfinder. This is my own version of a color balance card. It contains one stripe of black and one stripe of white. I also continue to set the white balance based on the lighting that I am using (I do have a light tent with professional grade high intensity daylight bulbs.)
Once I take the photo, I can use the card to set the true colors when I edit it later.

Tip 2: Using the levels tool.
This is one of my favorite tools to using in Photoshop. Once I import the photo into Photoshop, the first thing I do is hit the ctrl – L (cmd-L in Macs). This will bring up your levels tool. This tool allows you to specify what color is black, mid-point gray, and what color is white. Your tools should look something like this when you pull it up.

The areas I have circled in red are the samplers I use to adjust my photo colors. This is where the color balance card from tip one comes into play. I simply use the white dropper on the white stripe, and the black dropper on the black stripe. This tells Photoshop to use those colors as the set points, ie this is what white looks like and this is what black looks like.

Look at these before and after to see the difference.

Tip 3: Know when to crop it.
When I am done adjusting my color balance, I then proceed to zoom in a little more with my photo. How do I zoom in you might ask. Well I simply crop the photo. Yes this does actually make the photo smaller, but it discards all the unwanted parts of the photo, so you can center on the work in question. You will find your crop tool on the left hand palette. It looks something like this:

Again here is a photo after cropping.
Tip 4: Healing Brush Tool
If you have read my blog in the past, you will know that I recently rediscovered this wonderful tool. You use it in much the same manner as you would use the clone stamp tool. Unlike the clone stamp tool, the Healing Brush tool merges the textures, colors, and luminosity of both your sampled area and your working area. You can find your Healing Brush tool just below your crop icon. It looks like a Band-Aid.

You can remove scratches and blemishes with ease using this tool. Just be careful to choose a sample area nearby your working area. This will help to prevent noticeable smudges in the picture.

Here are a couple of photos before and after I repaired using the Healing Brush tool.

I hope you have found some interesting ideas in this blog post. Have a great day!

Figured it out!!!

Most of the people I asked yesterday preferred the old format. I do too. The only complaints I have heard about the old format is the reflections. I knew there was a way to get rid of them with Photoshop, but for some reason I could only come up with using the clone stamp tool to fix it. The problem with using the clone stamp tool is that it would leave a blurry mess in the photo.

I had forgotten about the healing brush tool in Photoshop. Unlike the clone stamp which simply clones your sample area and replaces it in the destination area; the healing brush clones the sample area and then merges it with the destination area. It creates a seamless looking repair without all the blurriness.

Here is the original picture.

And here is the repaired photo

Yeah, I think I finally figured it out.

Playing with photos

I am trying a new format with some of my photos. Here is the new format.

Here is the old format.

Just added a new option.What do you think?

Hello Sales Fairy/ Dynomite That Mountain

I think I found the dynamite to move that mountain.

After looking at all the suggestions I recieved yesterday, I decided to rename the collection "Reclaimed Stained Glass." I went into my Etsy store last night and removed all of my "Sea Glass" into the inactive listing. I then proceeded to create new listings for some of my collection, under the title of "Reclaimed Sea Glass." Afterwards I deleted the old listings. I realize that I am going to be charged for the new listing, but I figure that it is ok since I can get new feedback on the items.

Anyway, within 10 minutes of relisting my Aqua Blue Pendant as "Aqua Blue Reclaimed Stained Glass Pendant" it sold. I was also able to sell my Aquamarine Reclaimed Stained Glass Earrings that I relisted last night.

Thanks for all of your help and suggestions. Lets hope that I can keep moving those mountains. It sure does feel great when you do!

A quick aside, if you are on twitter and use twittermail. I have noticed that twittermail has not been working and have not seen an update as to what is going on. I hope it returns soon, since I send tweets via email while I am at work.

Time to Shake Things Up?

I have been posting new necklaces on Etsy a lot lately, but have not had a great many views. Even fewer sales (only 1 so far.)  To try to get more attention on my work, I have visited the Chat rooms the past few nights.

Last night I got brave and decided to ask the room why they thought my jewelry was not selling, specifically the "SEA GLASS" collection. I have been curious since I always sell out at my craft shows, but on Etsy I feel like the crickets are chirping.

One of my fellow chatters pointed out that they look like tumbled stained glass.  In fact that is exactly what they are, and I make note of that in my descriptions that they are reproduction sea glass.  He pointed out that not having it noted in the title may be why I have not had any sales. It makes me look like I trying to pull a fast one.

I was slightly affronted when I read that, but then I set back and thought about it for a second and realized that he was right. Even though I was being honest in the description, the title was a bit misleading. So I changed the title to reflect that it is reproduction sea glass. But now I have a feeling that there has to be a better marketing title for this collection. I just need to find it.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them J

Wish me luck, I have some homework ahead of me.

More New Jewelry!!

I decided to list some new items last night and thought you guys might like to take a look. These are listed in my Christmas in July special. Each one is only $6.00 and shipping is included! What a great deal.

Evening in the Desert is not new, but beautiful none the less. :)

XMAS in July: New Listings 7-14-09

In honor of Christmas in July, I have decided to add some stocking stuffers to my shop. I listed two of these fabulous necklaces last night. At $6.00 each AND FREE SHIPPING, there is no excuse why these beauties should not end up in your stocking this month! Look for more of these wonderful stocking stuffers to be listed soon. Buy them while supplies last, in my experience, they sell out fast!

Aqua Blue Sea Glass Pendant!

Cherry Red Sea Glass Pendant!

Craft Show Etiquette?

I had the opportunity to visit a friend who was particpating in a new craft show. As I understand it, the promoter has only put on one or two other shows before this one. I had heard about this show, had even been contacted about participating myself, but I wanted to check it out first.

My husband and I took off on Saturday and drove about 3/4 hour to attend this show. It was located at a sports and fun center in Wake Forest, NC called the "Factory". The venue definately has great potential for foot traffic, if the show is presented at the right time. Saturday was not the right time, some of the business were closed for holiday (no idea why), so there was not a great amount of foot traffic.

What bothered me about the show was not the traffic or the advertising (not great), it was some of the vendors themselves. My husband and I arrived in the last two hours of the show, and we got to view the wrath of several unhappy vendors. They were fussing the promoter out in public view over the lack of traffic and advertising. That really rubbed me the wrong way.

As crafter and a vendor, I always try to get to know a show before I participate. If I jump into a show without confirming advertising, show potential, cost/benefit, ect; then whose fault is it if I do not make the type of cash I want (notice I did not say expect)? Even if I needed to speak to the promoter about an issue, I think it is very unprofessional to do so in a public space with raised voices so everyone can hear.

Not all of our shows are going to be winners. Sometimes it is the venue, sometimes advertising, sometimes it is other factors. As vendors, we are responsible to determine if a show will fit our crafts, not the promoter. If we did not research the show, its following and the proceeding advertsising, the promoter is not responisble for that either. I am not saying the promotor is always blameless, however what I saw Saturday appeared to be more of a case that the vendors did not do their homework and took it out on the promoter.

When you are participating in a craft show, be considerate of your fellow vendors and your customers, take your issues to a private venue, do not yell them to the world.

A run down of my MIA..

I have not been a very good blogger the past week. I have not posted once. So here is a quick run down as to what I have been up to:

My son just broke through two new teeth, which has (of course) resulted in my husband I being very sleep deprived. The night before the teeth broke through, he was so restless that I was sure my son had an ear infection. So on Wendsday I took him to the doctor, just to discover that his new teeth had just broken the surface.

With a teething baby comes a clingy baby, so I had not been able to get alot done until the past day or so. I am finally back creating jewelry. I have created 15 or 20 new sea glass necklaces. I hope to get pictures of them and have them posted sometimes soon.

I have also secured a new wholesale supplier and drawn up some new designs. I am delving into the idea of wholesaleing some of my work. So I guess my next step is to order supplies for my wholesale line and create some prototypes. I think I need to create a jewelry line sheet with those prototypes.

Here is hoping that I am moving in the right direction.

Also a quick note: Monika Rose has posted her feature of my etsy store on her blog here.

Happy July 4th!!

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy fourth of July. I am enjoying my holiday by relaxing with my family.

I also wanted to share some good news with you. I have my first consignement agreement. One of my local stores has agreed to sell my sea glass earrings on consignement.

Last week, I bought two louvered shutters and have redesigned my earring cards to work with those shutters. So now I am working on re-carding my sterling silver earrings on new cards. I hope this new display will be more eye catching during my upcoming craft shows. Wish me luck!
I will post pictures and updates involving my consignment and the new show displays at a later date.

I recieved a conversation from MonikaRose last night that she is planning on featuring my etsy store on her blog next week. Stay tuned for more information.

My New Cards!!!

I have talked alot about marketing lately. I am looking for new ways to be seen, both online and off. I want to drive traffic to my website. Research suggests that we need business cards to give out everywhere we go.

When I first started my business, I created a logo and a business card. I have done little to update those, even though my business has changed somewhat since that time. Here is a picture of my old business card. (I have changed the email address in these pictures to prevent spam.)

^THE OLD ONE ^

As you can tell it is a little tired and plain. The colors are also a little hard to see. So yesterday I got a bee in my bonet and decided to create a new business card. Here is the new look!

^THE NEW ONE^

I am also creating a tear-off flyer to hang on local pin boards around town. If I am lucky, they will bring some new attention to my business!

So do you like the new business card's look? You can vote with the poll on the right hand side to let me know!

Do you have the right tool for your job?

Having the right tool is essential to any job. From fixing a car to creating art, without the right tool the job can become a frustrating mess.

 

The check engine light in my car is on at the moment.  I was told to check the light flickers and compare codes to find out what was causing it. I did so and I thought it indicated that the O2 sensor had gone bad. So my husband replaced my O2 sensor. Light went off and came right back on! So, last night I took the car to a friend of mine who use to work on cars like mine. He hooked his tools up and read the code. I found out that I was right, it was the O2 sensor. I replaced the wrong one. Had I taken then time to get the right tool and have the OBD code checked, I may have found out that it was indicating the second O2 sensor, not the first. We are scheduled to fix it later this week.

 

So what does that have to do with crafting and selling? Everything! We need the right tools to create our designs. From pliers to needles, hooks, and paintbrushes; without the proper tool we would be lost. So why do we think marketing our products can be done without the right tools. We all have a tendancy to believe (at one point or another) that our work will sell itself. But our work will not sell itself, we need to market it.  

 

For us to properly market and sell our items, we need displays, photography, business cards, websites, blogs, social networking. All these things are tools that we can use to sell. However, if you don't use the tool properly, it can harm you.

 

 If you are constantly pitching your items, people will walk away very fast. On the other hand, if your sales pitch is interspersed between talking about life, goals, ideas, likes/dislikes, ect; people will tune in for more. It is a lot harder than it looks!

 

I have found that right now in my life (both as an individual and as a crafter) my best tool is research. So at this moment, I am reading a new book about selling crafts. I am also mentally taking inventory of the tools I have for marketing. I am looking at where I need to invest in new tools (ie new signs, cards, ect) and where I have exactly the right tool for the job I am trying to accomplish.

 

Do you have the right tool for your job?

New Sea Glass Earrings Listed Yesterday!!

Here they are:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27077180
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27076621
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27077913
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27068653
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27077498
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27076926
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27069018
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27078054
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27078190
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27077697

Comments and thoughts welcome!

 

I am also in the Storque Showcase today!! You can view it here.

Thanks for all your support and pep talks.

New Listings Today

My new listings today! All under $20.00

Aquamarine Sea Glass Earringshttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27077697

Berries and Cream Sea Glass Earringshttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27078190

Confetti Sea Glass Earringshttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27078054

Golden Sea Glass Earringshttp://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27069018

Enjoy your walk on the beach!

Ahh the Joys of Family

We had my husbands annual family reunion yesterday. There were probably over a hundred and fifty people at the reunion. This was my son's first attendance, and boy it was like flies to honey. We were all exhausted by the time we got home. In fact my little one did not wake up from the time we left last night until about 2 am this morning. Poor little guy was tuckered out.

I do have some good news as far as my store is concerned. I had my first sell yesterday. YAY! SALES FAIRY!!!!

I am also in the Storque Showcase tomorrow. Wish me luck! Hopefully I will be able to get some more sales tomorrow.

Marketing tip. Carry lots of business cards to your family reunion. I had several requests for my jewelry yesterday ( I typically bring some with me, but decided not to yesterday.) Since I did not have any jewelry with me, we gave out business cards. Several people wanted multiple cards so that they could give out to their friends. So always carry business cards with you, even to family functions.

Have a great Sunday!

Been Featured!

Been featured in Jewelry Business Success Newsletter today!

Finally!

I spent yesterday at home with a minor stomach bug. I think that is the first time I have been home alone, for more than an hour, in about seven months. Boy was I able to get some stuff done! Even feeling sick, I was able to photograph 10 pairs of sea glass earring. I will be posting them next week at my Etsy store. I was also able to create another 22 pairs of reproduction sea glass to create into earrings. Plus 6 pieces that I will turn into pendants.

 

Since my son was born, I have been lucky to get an hour a week of free time to work on creating jewelry. Just being able to grab a couple of hours yesterday felt great! One more way to help move that mountain I guess.

Constantly Climbing

I am currently at my day job listening to my MP3 player, when I hear "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. WOW! That song could be my anthem as of late.

She starts off talking about visualizing her dreams but that voice inside keeps telling her that she does not have what it takes to make it. Boy do I know that feeling. We all have dreams that we don't feel like we can accomplish. However, when we continue to chip away towards our goal, we wake up one morning and we have reached it. It is only when we give up that we lose our chance.

We all have mountians we want to move. Right now my mountain is the big 0 sales on my etsy store. Every day I am taking steps to move that mountain. Some are small, some are giant leaps, but I have faith that each step is taking me closer to my goal. And once I reach that goal, I will create another goal with bigger mountains to move!

In my life I have found that when I am constantly working towards a goal, I am a more content person. I wake up with something to look forward too. Something I am going to make happen. However, when I spend my time in aimless abyss, I find myself down emotionally and grouchy alot of the time.

So maybe always having another mountain to move is not a bad thing. You always have the surprise of what is on the journey and what you may find on the other side of that mountain. If you are lucky you might just find a treasure chest on the other side of that mountain!

New Jewelry in my Store!!!!

I decided to put some new items up for sell on my etsy store last night. Here they are if you want to take a look.

 

Three Tigers - Tri-Color Tigerseye Necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26798356
Sodalite and pearls
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26800556
Sodalite Pendant
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26799662
Kyanite and Pearls
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26798793
Fossils and Carnelian
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26800176
Chunky Carnelian
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26797740
Silver Needle (Bamboo leaf) Agate
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26799167
 

Thanks for stopping by guys.

An Award!!!!

OMG, I've received an award!This award was given to me by Shelby of Pink Lily Creations. Pink Lily Creations has a wonderful Etsy store that sells cute baby items and accessories!

What a wonderful treat to have received this great award, especially after blogging for only a week! You can find Pink Lily Creations’ store here and her wonderfully fresh blog here.

I'm passing this award along to the following blogs:

1. JeByJa

2. All Things Tangled

3. Arts Afire

4. Bee Inspired

5. Cyncontemporary

6. greciangoldsmith

7. lilacPOP

8. My love affair with silver and gemstone

9. Pat’s Encaustics

10. Pretty {much} art

11. Rocki’s Rock’n Blog

12. Southern Girl Florals

13. The Artsy Crafter

14. The Lone Beader

15. Whimsical Angus

DIY Marketing

I have been on a marketing blitz lately. Everywhere I go, I try to figure out new ways to advertise my business. I am on the Etsy boards promoting, blogging, tweeting, ect.

So I have decided to try car magnets. You see them everywhere! They are advertising gyms, resorts, activity groups, causes, sports teams, ect. You see one on the car in front of you and your first reaction is to read it. It is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to get seen in your local market while you go about your day to day business.

You can find manufacturers online at relatively low costs. However, I am a DIY type of person. If I think I can do it, I will at least try. So, I stopped by my local Office Max and picked up a pack of Avery Magnet Paper for under $15.00.

Once I got home, I used my favorite graphic design program to create a design. I decided that 8 by 5 would be the optimal size. Besides that means I can print two per sheet :)

I printed out my two magnets and cut them out. I then sprayed them down with paint lacquer. Once they dried, I placed one on my car and one on my husband’s car.

Do you have any DIY promotion tips?

How Cool!!!

I saw the coolest thing last night! My husband and I were out running errands, so we decided to pick up some fast food on the way home. Next to the restaurant in an open grassy area, I spotted a white deer.

How cool is that!

 

Ok, I got a little geeky and decide to look up the symbolic significance of a white deer. Here is what I found: The site of a white deer is an indication from the creator that you are on the right path. If you continue to follow the path, the growth and expansion you experience will lead you beyond your wildest dreams.

 

I guess between all the support from you guys yesterday, and the white deer sighting last night, the universe (and you) is telling me to stay the course with my art and Etsy.

 

Also a quick note: Since yesterday was my four year wedding anniversary, I am offering free shipping worldwide on all items in my store until Sunday 6/21/09.

 

See you guys on the flip side.

Forgot to mention!

 

Today is my fourth wedding anniversary!!!!

So Many Stores Closing/Marketing

I was looking at the Etsy promo forum, and noticed that there are a lot of stores closing. Someone mentioned so much competition as a reason. There are a lot of vendors on Etsy and it is easy to get lost in the fray. Maybe this seller just got lost in the traffic.

 

Or maybe it is the tone that was used. Some of the posts seem almost a "woe is me, I can't hack it here" feeling. I know that reading it, I just wanted to leave.

 

Am I discouraged that I have not seen a sell yet? Yes. But I am new and times are hard. I understand this and I know that my work is good. If it wasn't I would not do as well in the local shows as I do. So I have faith that a sell will come soon.

 

My biggest obstacle at the moment is to find a following on-line. That is why I have begun a marketing campaign. I spend time each day, researching methods to be seen and to get my name out there. How will anyone buy from you, if they don't know you exist?

 

Now back to that research. 

 

Crafting bust!!!

 

Well so far this week has been a crafting bust. I intended to get to work making some new sea glass earrings but my husband has come down with a stomach bug. That means I cannot get away to spend a few hours in my studio. Instead I have spent that time with my little boy and on new marketing endeavors.

I have also taken some of that time to redesign my old website.  I like the way it looks now, before it was way too wordy. I have also added links to my blog, facebook fan page, and my twitter page. My thinking is that if the website and blog link back, then anyone who stumbles on one may decide to become a follower.

I do have one positive spin though. Yesterday one of my co-workers came back to work from her vacation on the North Carolina coast. She brought me back five pieces of beer bottle brown sea glass she picked up. I have already envisioned the necklace I intend on making with those chunks of glass, now I just need to set aside five minutes to draw the design out.

Sigh, I think I need more time in the day!

Well Ta-Ta for now :) See you next blog!

Blogging... Lets Give This A Try

Sometimes it feels like everywhere I go on the net, people are blogging. Etsy, facebook, twitter, my mommy forum, my jewelry forum, my gaming forum; everywhere! I have tried to blog before, but it fell through. I stopped, mainly because I felt like I did not really have anything to blog about. I realize blogging should not consume my time; it should only take a few minutes a week to blog. But I guess like everything, in the beginning it can feel a bit overwhelming.
I feel like I have found something I can blog about; my journey into the world of Etsy.
I joined Etsy in January of this year. Around the second week of May, I finally started posting items for sell. I thought the process would be easy peasy, one, two, three. Boy, it is anything but. Getting noticed on Etsy takes time and work if you are new.
Here are the things I have done to get seen on Etsy. Hopefully this hard work will lead to sells soon!
I have started posting on the Etsy forums to promote my work.
I created my first (and so far only) Treasury on Etsy.
I have started a new Facebook fan page for my work. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Eluna-Jewelry/211497655485
I joined Twitter and started tweeting! Twitter name: Elunajewelry
And now I am starting a blog so all of you can follow me as I am learning the ropes of Etsy.
As of last night I listed two new items. I have been told that it is beneficial to list a couple of items a day to get exposure. So here are the two items I listed last night and a link to my store.
Link to my Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6759659
New items:
Artist Earrings :
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26479571



Mother and Child Earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26480231