This video cracked me up. I hope you get a chuckle too. 
Archive for February, 2009
Feb
Feb
If very well crafted, colorful handmade jewelry is up your alley, you really need to check out Catie’s Blue on etsy and artfire. Brandi, who I’ve profiled previously, is a fellow member of the Etsy Artisan Beader’s Street Team.
Brandi creates colorful, wearable GORGEOUS pieces of art, pairing lampwork and gemstone beads. Her jewelry is a wonderful integration of color and clean lines. I was trying to come up with a word that succinctly describes her style, and I think effervescent probably fits best.
And, for those of you lucky enough to get to know her, she’s funny and irreverent and likes to challenge the status quo. I think these qualities are well represented in her jewelry. Don’t you? 
For more info about Catie’s Blue, visit Brandi’s website, www.catiesblue.com.
Her blog is: brandi-girl.blogspot.com
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Feb
It doesn’t matter how many times I watch this, it always makes me smile.
Happy Friday everyone.
Feb
Have you heard? Handmade selling venue Artfire is enabling shopping checkout functionality that will allow a buyer to purchase an item without having to create an account on the site. According to the Artfire blog:
“Kyle has been tweaking the No Account Checkout for buyers and is pushing to have it fully functional on the site by this evening. This feature will allow new shoppers to successful purchase any item on the site without having to set up an account first. All they’ll have to do is enter in their shipping and billing address and proceed with their payment method. This is great for people who are unfamiliar with the site and don’t wish to set up an account just to make a purchase. However, members should keep in mind that since these shoppers will not be setting up an account, they will be unable to send or receive Karma and Kudos for an order. ”
FABULOUS!
Artfire is enabling shopping functionality that should make the check out process much much easier for the casual shopper. Of course, creating a shopping account on the site will give buyers more functionality (like hotlisting items and ranking sales transactions), but functionality to make the shopping process easier is a great enhancement.
Edited on 2-23/2003 to add: It’s live! Here’s a forum post about no account required check out on Artfire
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Feb
I’ve been creating round sterling silver hoop earrings for a while now. But until recently, never thought to try square or rectangular shaped ones. Hoops are a wardrobe staple, aren’t they?
I’ve lost count of how many pairs I own. What about you?
The rectangular shaped ones are perfect for adding that one special bead or dangle too. I love the look. These are extra long, but just as comfortable to wear as the traditional circular shaped hoops.
I make most out of 20 guage or smaller sterling silver. They are hammered for texture, and then filed and tumbled for comfort. This particular rectangular shaped pair was oxidized for an antiqued look and is about 2 3/8 inches (6 cm) long x 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.
ShinyAdornments on etsy
ShinyAdornments on artfire
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Feb
It’s cold, dry and this winter weather is making my skin suffer. It’s a perfect time to stock up on handmade soap, lotions, lip balm, etc.
Over the last several weeks, I’ve profiled several handmade bath and body makers from Artfire and Etsy. Today’s profile belongs to Christine from RachelRene. I discovered Christine’s etsy shop when I followed an ad link she’d posted to my blog.
SPECIAL DEAL: Christine is offering a 15% discount to Simply Shiny Readers. (YAY!!) Just type “Shiny” in the notes to seller box during checkout and I will either send you a revised invoice as soon as possible or if you pay using Paypal I will refund the discount back to you.
Christine says that she’s “a wife to 1 and mother of 2 who lives in a quiet town in Illinois. When she is not creating amazing products in her soap room, she is taking care of the numerous animals that are on their farm, gardening, horseback riding, and spending quality time with her family. ”
Etsy shop name: http://RachelRene.etsy.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RachelRene
Blog: http://RachelReneBathNBody.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachelrene/
Location: Tiskilwa, Illinois
Where did you start and how did you learn to make the products you are creating today?
I started creating soaps in my kitchen after reading on the about how much better they are for your skin than commercial soaps. I had read that they were less drying to the skin because they not only retained all of their natural glycerin but that they did not strip the skin of it’s natural oils. This was extremely important to me since my daughter (Rachel Rene) has had severe eczema since birth. So I did a ton of research and than decided to get some ingredients and give it a shot. My first batch was made in my mother’s kitchen and it actually turned out wonderfully. We both noticed a difference in the appearance and feel of the soap in the first use and within a week noticed a difference in the feel of our skin after showering. I haven’t looked back since!
Why do you choose the ingredients you use and/or the colors/scents you use?
When formulating a product, I look for quality ingredients that will be beneficial to the skin and to the product. My Cold Process Soaps, for instance, are formulated to create a rich and creamy lather while maintaining a hard bar that will last a long time in the shower and be mildly cleansing. I choose the scents based on what I think my customers would enjoy and what inspires my creativity. I like to make soaps that not only smell good but also look good and unique.
What are your favorite products to make?
My number one passion is soap. I enjoy formulating a new cold process recipe and watching it take shape from melting my oils to cutting the bars and then using it after it’s been cured. But I also love the instant gratification of my melt and pour soaps. Having said that, when I make Bath Bombs I find myself relaxing so those are almost theraputic for me to make. I like making all my products but those are my two favorites to make, however, I love *using* all my products! :0)
What was your favorite custom project for buyer?
I love making gift baskets and one day I had a women order a special gift basket for her sister who had just had a baby and she wanted her to pamper herself. Being a mom I know how it feels to have those sleepless nights and not always having time to take care of yourself so it felt good that I was creating something that would be sent to someone else from someone that cared about them enough to say ‘take some time for yourself and relax’. Made me wish I had a sister!
What inspires you? Any artists that influence you?
I’m inspired by everything really. nature, food, colors, scents, names, music, just about anything I see I think, “I can make that a soap”. I’m not influenced by other artists as much as I am inspired by others. Soapers have a wonderful camaraderie and I have been fortunate to be involved in some wonderful forum communities and made great friends with other very talented soapers who are supportive and inspire me to try new things and give me that little nudge I need when things don’t look so great.
What was your biggest handmade oops?
My biggest blunder would have to be the day I was soaping without any goggles on (which any soaper will tell you is a huge No No) and while glopping the rapidly seizing batch into the mold a chunk of extremely hot soap landed in my eye. It burned and I flopped around on the floor until my husband grabbed me and forced my face under the kitchen sink and flushed out my eye for 10 minutes. It was pretty red and burned for a day or so but eventually it was fine and I did save the batch of soap which I kept for my own personal use.
How do you spend time when you are NOT creating?
I was born and raised a city girl but have quickly become a cowgirl over the last 5 years. I live on a farm with my husband, 2 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 5 horses, 3 cows, 11 chickens, and 2 ducks so I’m pretty busy when I’m not working. Mostly though I enjoy reading, horseback riding and sitting down on a log near our pond with my kids watching our horses graze on the grass and the ducks swimming. It’s peaceful and simple and makes all the hard work worth it.
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out? What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started selling online?
My only piece of advice to someone starting out who really believes in what they are doing is don’t give up but don’t expect it to be easy. You are the only one who has the power to make your craft business successful. You have to work hard and it will pay off.
I wish someone had told me something about marketing because I have no idea how to successfully advertise or market my shop. Still trying to figure it out.
Do you have a newsletter for potential customers to join? Where can they sign up?
I do have a monthly newsletter that I send out when there are new products arriving or sales or specials I want to give my members. You can sign up either on my blog, by e-mailing me at ShopRachelRene@aol.com or by sending me a convo through Etsy with your e-mail address.You can use any of the images in my shop if you like. I’m fond of these two but really feel free to choose any of them!
THANKS Christine!
Stay tuned over the next weeks as I will be profiling more artisan sellers, including special deals and giveaways from the studio owners.
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Feb
In a previous post, I provided a list of venues for artists, artisans and artisan crafters.
This week I’m profiling another of those sites. I asked Mathew, from Coriandr, to tell us a bit more about the venue.
What is the site name and where can artisan sellers find you?
The site is called Coriandr. You can find us in a few places:
http://www.coriandr.com
http://blog.coriandr.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38703352126
Also, I’ve recently become a twitterer so feel free to say hi! http://twitter.com/matw
Tell us a little about your site’s history. What are its origins?
What seems like a long, long time ago, I was trying to find a place to sell a range of vinyl toys I had started designing. I couldn’t find anywhere to sell them except eBay, and the idea of trying to sell something creative and handmade amongst all those second-hand electrical goods left me completely cold!
Originally, Coriandr was going to be a marketplace solely for vinyl toys, but the more time I spent developing it the more sense it made to open it up to anything handmade. It took roughly a year to build the site and get everything ready, and has been entirely self-funded to date. It’s probably the biggest thing I’ve done, so I’m incredibly excited and a little terrified all at once!
Tell us about the site’s staff.
At the moment Coriandr is just me (Mathew). I used to be a character artist for computer games so I love illustration, vinyl toys, paper art and sculpture; anything that has some character to it and a sense of fun. I’d love to say I spend most of my time drawing or coming up with paper monsters (http://www.coriandr.com/free_stuff) for Coriandr, but I actually spend most of my time programming these days. Not that I don’t enjoy that side of things too, but I have to admit that I’m more than a little sad my HB pencil is starting to get dusty!
What is your plan for the site? What are your goals?
From the start the plan has been to give crafters an easy-to-use, accessible way to sell their handmade creations to rest of the world, and build a great community in the process. I love creating and admiring other people creativity, so I can’t imagine that plan ever changing.
As for goals; the handmade movement has been enjoying a rebirth over the last few years, which is fantastic, but I think that handmade marketplaces such as Coriandr are still further from the forefront of most shopper’s minds than they deserve to be. I talk to so many people who haven’t heard of any of the handmade marketplaces, but can’t stop raving about how great buying handmade is once they see them! That’s why Coriandr’s main goal this year is to convert everyone to buying handmade and most importantly, convert people who aren’t already connected to the crafting scene.
Also, towards the middle of this year we will be launching a more community-focused craft project which will be entirely separate from Coriandr. It’s main focus will be sharing information and ideas, and basically inspiring each other, but there are some significant (and fun) additions that should make it a really great site to use!
Who is your target seller audience?
Anyone who likes what we’re doing, can make something beautiful, owns a camera, and can access the internet! There is definitely a female bias in the crafting world, but I didn’t want to build a “seller profile” then aim Coriandr at that profile in the traditional marketing sense. I think the most important thing to do is to build a good service and a develop a strong relationship with a community; the sellers you end up with as a result are your target audience!
Who is your target buyer audience?How will you drive buyers to your venue?
Everyone! It sounds a little cheesy I know, but I really think that everyone can find something in a site like Coriandr. I’m a big believer in inbound marketing; attracting buyers (and sellers) by blogging, getting involved in the larger crafting community, and utilising the ever-popular social media sites (Digg, Technorati, etc). Doing things this way means that momentum builds more slowly compared to traditional advertising / marketing methods, but it builds a stronger community and most importantly is much more productive in the long-run.
Is this an international, domestic US, Far East or European focused site?
Coriandr is an international site, but English language only. There are plans to open things up across different languages, but that’s more of a long term aim due to the tremendous customer support issues that would create.
What differentiates this venue from other online selling venues?Why should artisan sellers consider utilizing this site as a resource instead of other, older sites or their own sites?
For buyers we’ve got an secure, quick checkout process, and what is probably the most flexible item search of any handmade marketplace. Most marketplaces only let you browse categories or search for keywords within a chosen category. With Coriandr you can search price bands, shipping destinations, seller locations, keywords and payment methods at the same time, all whilst moving back and forth across categories. For sellers we’ve got drag-n-drop shop management features, Paypal bill payment and a one page listing process. One seller (http://alibalijewellery.coriandr.com)
How have your structured your seller pricing?
We’ve kept Coriandr away from complicated fee structures found on other marketplaces. It simply costs 20p for each quantity of one listed, and a 2.5% commission when a sale is made.
Thanks Mathew!
Stay tuned over the next weeks as I will be profiling more artisan handmade selling venues with interviews from the site owners. You can find this site’s traffic rank according to Alexa here
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Feb
Have you met Patty from Broken Tee Pee Designs? If you haven’t, you really need to check out her shop on etsy. Patty is a fellow member of the Etsy Artisan Beader’s Street Team.
She creates the most fabulous handmade gemstone jewelry – including robust and vibrant bejeweled necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Based on the sophistication of her work, you’d think she was a city girl. Well, NOT. Patty lives in Big Sky Country – Montana, with her very own herd of goats. Her goat pals assist in making a little bit of soap, but that’s another story.
Patty says she is ”inspired by the stunning scenery I see everyday when I look out my windows. I love combining unusual beads and striking colors to make something special and unique. ”
Isn’t this a stunning necklace? The combination of oranges, reds, rubies, gold and green is breath taking.
This particular fabulous handmade necklace is part of Patty’s” Big Sky Collection - luxurious, higher end gemstones in artisan jewelry you will enjoy wearing for a lifetime. ”
Indeed.
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Feb
I’m a seasonal purse purchaser. Although I tend to gravitate toward bright colors all year round, I do carry darker hued bags during the winter. So, as Spring is right around the corner (YAY!!!), and I’m going to be in the market for a new bag, baby, I thought it would be fun to profile a few handmade purse, tote and bag designers from Artfire. Some are even offering special deals for you, dear constant reader.
Today’s profile belongs to Krystal from Solsisters. Solsister’s ”handbags, purses, totes and accessories are crafted by Las Vegas artisan Krystal Hosmer, with a love to design and an appreciation for self-expression. Funky, flashy and downright wild, her purses are one-of-a-kind wearable artworks. Get ready to be complimented and turn heads wherever you may journey.
Krystal creates each purse, handbag, tote or accessory using high quality fabrics, many of them handmade. Many of her purses are hand-embellished with buttons, ribbons, and beads. Like all fine works of art, her purses each have a name and a unique personality.”
She’s also offering a special deal for Simply Shiny blog readers: $5 off any order over $10!! (Offer does not include shipping.) All you need to do is add the code SHINESOL in the message section when you check out. NICE!
ArtFire shop: http://www.solsisters.artfire.com
Etsy shop: http://www.solsisters.etsy.com
Website: http://www.solsistershandbags.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/solsisters
Blog: http://www.solsisters.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/solsisters/
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Where did you start and how did you learn to make the products you are creating today?
I’ve been a quilter for many years, but like every other quilter I know, my UFOs were piling higher and higher. No, my sewing room is not a landing base for aliens looking to conduct embarrassing probes on unsuspecting humans! In quilting, UFO means “Unfinished Object.” So about two years ago I started to make handbags. They are much smaller and can be finished in a day. They also provide a wonderful canvas to try out new techniques or explore new ways to use old techniques. Well, and I really have to do SOMETHING with all this fabric I just can’t resist buying. I made several bags for a fine artist friend of mine and she encouraged me to turn this hobby into a business by landing me my first gallery show. Soon after I stumbled upon etsy and now I make so many bags, I barely have time to quilt. Thank you, Laura!
Why do you choose the fabrics you use and/or the colors you use?
I am drawn to bright jewel tones and exotic or unusual fabrics. I love hand painted, marbled or dyed fabrics especially. I figure you can buy a plain black, brown, navy or what have you reserved everyday bag from any place, so I make bags that will force people to take notice of the bag and the woman carrying it. At the same time, because of my background in graphic design, they are not just a riot of color and shapes for the sake of being loud. Each one is individually designed with balance and color harmony. Nor are they a hand made manufacturing process where I make the same patterns in the same trendy fabrics continously. I’d get bored of that in about 25 seconds. My mind flits all over and so my style tends to wander as well. I purposely buy only small amounts of unusual fabrics (1/2 yard or less) so that I can’t repeat designs. Just about every bag I make is unique.
What are your favorite products to make?
I like bags that are versatile and functional but at the same time are pretty basic in construction. The fun for me is in the design process, building the panels and adding embellishments. The actual sewing of the bag, while I take care to put quality first, is much more mechanical. In general, I tend to avoid overly fussy, complicated patterns. My current favorite bags to construct are two from Ottobre Designs in Finland, Dotted Dream and Furry Bag. The patterns are easy to sew, but endless for design possibilities. I have altered them both to create different size bags for the same basic pattern.
What was your favorite custom project for buyer?
I did this amazing tote for fellow etsy seller Bell. It was a trade for some wrist watch cufflinks for a good friend of mine who is always giving his time to others and a time necklace. My friend Charles did the illustration and it turned out that Death from the Sandman is Bell’s favorite comic book character. I love the graphic punch to the bag.
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out? What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started selling online?
Focus on PICTURES!!!! Take the time to learn how to use your camera and photo editing software. People cannot see or touch your items. The photos have to sing to sell it.
Where have you been published or profiled?
My bags were featured in the Threadbanger newsletter and video a few months back. That was hugely exciting.
What inspires you? Any artists that influence you?
I’m fortunate enough to have a great friendship withseveralLas Vegas fine artists who let me use their paintings or drawings on my handbags. Gina paints cats, skulls and other gothic art and Charles and Holly do everything comics. I love to design bags around their work. I also like to try new techniques and often have an idea but no real firm plan for how a bag will turn out until I turn it inside out at the end.
THANKS Krystal!
Stay tuned over the next weeks as I will be profiling more artisan sellers, including special deals and giveaways from the studio owners.
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Feb
I’ve added a line of handmade hairsticks to my ArtFire studio. I love the way the beads look against the wood, don’t you?
Until a couple of months ago, I could wear lovely handmade sticks like this. They make getting ready in the morning a breeze. Much faster than blow drying my very much shorter hair now.
All are made with sterling silver findings, 6 inch wood hair sticks, and assorted stone and lampwork beads. Pretty, huh?
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