12 Steps to a Better Shop!

Everyone wants an individual shop critique, but there are a few basic things that will apply to almost every shop. Here is my list of the main things to consider.

1) Banner and Avatar - do they relate to your products in some way? Is the text clear and easy to read? Your avatar can be used very effectively as part of your ‘brand’, so select it wisely. I’ve kept the same avatar as long as I’ve been online.. people recognize me by my avatar. Others like to change theirs on a regular basis. There is no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way to do it. You just have to do what works best for you. I personally like to see an avatar that reflects in some way the product(s) that you sell, but that is my personal opinion.

2) Shop Title - This appears directly below your banner and is updated in the ‘appearance’(insert link here) section of Your Etsy. The shop title is also known as your ‘tag line’. Use it effectively but keep it short.

3) Shop announcement - Please don’t tell me your life history here.. I don’t want to know. I do like to see a short (few lines ) about your shop and any current ‘specials’ you may have. Also, be absolutely sure that any links that are on your shop announcement are not broken. And be aware that if you do have an active link here that I just may follow it and get distracted elsewhere. Don’t tell me about every team that you belong to here... unless you don’t want me to look at your product.

4) Featured Items - A great place to show off your different styles of work. Use items from your earlier pages (people can already see what’s on your first page). A variety of items and prices is always nice. Remember, that when people ‘heart’ your shop, these three items are their reminder! Keep them fresh.

5) Profile - Tell me about yourself. How did you get started in your art form, what inspires you, etc.


6) Shop Policies - This is one of the most overlooked sections by Etsians and is by far (in my opinion) the most important. Having good shop policies in place can help to avoid situations down the road. It is strongly recommended that every shop have policies in place for payment , shipping and returns/exchanges.

7) Location - Another very useful piece of information. Etsy is an international site, so please list your town (or the nearest larger town) , your state, and your country. I’ve been to Paris but not to France, I love Melbourne but I’ve never been to Australia. Sydney is a beautiful stop in Nova Scotia (Canada) . By putting your complete information in your location it makes it much easier for others to use the ‘geolocator’ to find you! And you are looking to be found are you not?

8) Shop Sections - Shop sections are a great way to organize your shop. Use them to your advantage! You have complete freedom to choose how you want your sections to be set up so have some fun!

9) Photos - everyone wants a critique of their photos. Make sure that the photo is clear and crisp, and use as many photos as you can of the item. Inside, outside, upside down, you get the idea. Unless you are selling a rug, please don’t put your item on the floor. Natural light is best, and avoid a cluttered background. If you are unsure of a particular photo, have someone look at it and tell you what caught their eye in it. If its not the item for sale, its not a good photo.

10) Tags - One of the most misused and abused features (in my opinion) on Etsy. When selecting tags, try to pick keywords that you would use to describe the item to someone who cannot see it. IE paint a visual picture. Don’t forget to include the colour! Please make sure that the tags are relevant though. Everything can be a gift, so ‘gift’ is not a relevant tag. ‘Stocking Stuffer’ is a tag that gets used during the holidays. As soon as someone can define accurately exactly what a ‘stocking stuffer’ is then it will be able to be used. But until then let’s just leave it off.

11) Materials - This is one of the most overlooked sections in a listing. Be as detailed as you can in your materials listing. There are 13 tags available for materials so don’t be afraid! Also, people can search by material so keep that in mind..

12) Feedback - Some sellers are concerned because they don’t have any feedback. Personally I enjoy buying from an ‘undiscovered’ shop. However, if you are concerned about not having any feedback, I strongly suggest that you make a small purchase from a fellow Etsian. Besides the feedback, you will also get to experience the thrill of making a purchase (and the steps involved).

Other places for information:

There are some absolutely wonderful reference sites right on Etsy. All are accessible from the ‘help’ tab at the top of any Etsy page.

Etsy Do’s and Don’ts - learn what you can and cannot do

Terms of Use (TOU) - the basic rules for using Etsy

The Etsy 'Sellers Handbook' - a great reference for all sellers


And of course, there is the Storque, Etsy’s mega blog. I think that just about every topic on Etsy is covered at least once in the Storque!



Please note that the opinions expressed here are the opinions of the writer and are NOT necessarily the opinions of Etsy.

What is it?? - giveaway!!

I started 'playing' with some bits (I won't call it yarn because it isn't) and this was the result.

I'm really not sure what to call it though so here's where you come in. Give it an interesting name and a short blurb (if you are so inclined) . All of the responses will be reviewed and one will be selected at random to win something from my Etsy shop!

So, let your imaginations run wild! I can't wait to see what ideas you have.

Entries will close on Easter Sunday at Midnight!

Irish Soda Bread

Our family has always had the traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage with potatoes and onions not only for St. Patrick's Day but throughout the year. Here is our easy recipe for Irish Soda Bread that can be made with basic ingredients from the pantry!


Irish Soda Bread

A simple bread not only for sandwiches but for just eating fresh from the oven!
2-1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
1-1/2 - 1-3/4 cup buttermilk, sour milk or fresh milk
1 tsp. salt
If using fresh milk add 1 tsp. of cream of tartar to dry ingredients

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add enough milk to make a thick dough. Stir with a spoon. The pouring should be done in large quantities. The mixture should be slack, not wet. Mix dough lightly with floured hands. Put into a well greased loaf pan and make a large cross over it with a floured knife (the cross keeps the loaf from splitting while baking). Bake in a moderate oven for 40 min. at 375F. To keep the bread soft, wrap it in a clean tea towel.

Afghans... a wonderful way to spend sometime!

I don't like to sell my afghans, rather I would much rather give them away. That's one of the main reasons that I'm a Blanketeer for Project Linus. I try to make at least one afghan each month for the local Project Linus chapter..



A very good friend of mine (another crafter), just became a Great grandmother!! She knows my body of work quite well and knew that I loved to do afghans. Even so, I was really quite surprised when she asked me to make a blanket for her great grandson. I was even more surprised when she told me that she needed to have it in the post by the end of the week. With time to buy yarn, did a quick 'stash dive' and came up with some shades of Caron Simply Soft. With no real pattern to go by, I decided that a 'Mile a Minute' would be the easiest method. The resulting afghan is 7 panels wide and each strip is 50 rows long. I just hope the baby will love it as much as I did making it.

A yearlong project finished...

I fell in love with Moda Dea Fashionista yarn as soon as I saw it. With its amazing sheen and glorious colour selection I knew I had to make something with it.. but what?

I finally decided that this yarn would be absolutely perfect for a fisherman's sweater. It was a medium weight, was wonderfully soft, and the colours were vibrant. So, in January of 2008 the yarn was ordered.

Fisherman sweaters are a labour of love. I don't use a pattern for them, rather I look at the many varieties of cables and bauble stitches and design the sweater around how I feel. Before the yarn had arrived, I knew basically what my sweater was going to look like. The only decision left was the neckline. Usually I do a standard round neck on a 'winter' sweater, but because our climate really doesn't get that cold I figured that a V-style neckline might be more appropriate.

The yarn arrived in late January and I immediately dove into the project. Unfortunately because work for others must come first in my life (yes, I need to eat), the sweater didn't get as much attention as I really wanted it to. By the end of February I had the front and back completed. But, before I could even think about starting the sleeves, the Arizona weather turned warm on me.. and warm it was. The daytime temps were in the high 70s with nights in the 40s. Even if I did finish the sweater, when was I to wear it? So, the completed front, back and the rest of the yarn were packed into a tote. I would work on it during the summer..

Fast forward to January 2009.. I ran across the tote with this beautiful, partially completed sweater in it and just had to finish it! I pulled out my notebook to tackle the sleeves. But alas! There were no notes for the sleeves... just for the body. And no notes or even ideas written down about the neckline... Time to do some 'creative' designing... By the end of January, the sweater was completed! It fits perfectly and I absolutely love it. Now if only the temperatures would cooperate...

More photos are here

Hyperbolic crochet

One of the acknowledged wonders of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches along the coast of Australia. But, global warming and polutants are threatening this marvel. As homage to the reef, Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute for Figuring have instigated a project to crochet a woolen reef - an enterprise that in involving hundreds of people all around the world. Over the past few years, the Crochet Reef has grown into a vast installation involving many thousands of models and dozens of 'sub-reefs'. The Crochet Reef has been shown in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh and in London.

In April 2009 the installation will be on exhibit in Scottsdale Arizona, as well has facilitating the creation of the Scottsdale Reef, constructed by community members.

On January 22, I had the pleasure of taking part in a workshop on the creation of Scottsdale's own Coral Reef project. What a pleasure that was. Taking bits of 'yarn' in all weights and working on some 'scrumbling' (freeform crochet) with the master herself, Prudence Mapstone. It was a true pleasure to meet Prudence as I've been admiring her work and method for years.

Hookinosis!

HOOKINOSIS

by Ima Nutt

This disease affects women of all ages, races and religions. However, it has now started to afflict men as well. The most distressing part of having one of your loved ones catch Hookinosis, is that there is no know cure. Recently a group of men have formed the S.P.C.W. (Society of Prevention of Crocheting by Women) and have started a fund drive in hopes that, with more research, a cure may be found within the next few years.
Hookinosis has just recently come to the attention of the medical profession, since it has always been considered a hobby, but after some extensive testing, it has been found that women who crochet go through actual withdrawal symptoms, when their yarn supply has been cut off.
Some of these symptoms are:
1. Irritability.
. Nervousness.
3. Extreme craving for yarn and crochet hooks.
4. Inability to concentrate.

Since I am listing some of the withdrawal symptoms, I may as well make a list of symptoms to watch for if you feel your loved one may be catching Hookinosis:
1. Yarn and crochet hooks lying all over.
2. Sleeps with yarn under her pillow.
3. Crochets matching booties for your cat and dog.
4. Gets extremely agitated if her yarn supply runs low.

If you feel your loved one fits any of these symptoms listed above, try to get her to join Yarnaholics Anonymous. Even tho there is no cure as yet, the organization may be able to help your family cope better with this affliction. Those of you who have not yet been stricken with this disease, please keep your family safe. Crocheting is very contagious, and the best way to prevent it's ravages is to keep your females completely away from yarn, thread and crochet hooks or anyone who already has Hookinosis.

Its all about the soap!

About four years ago, a local soap maker approached my partner about making wooden soap decks. For some reason, she was not able to buy them locally. So after some experimentation we came up with these.

They are handcrafted from carefully selected hardwoods and measure 4" long by 2 1/2" wide and are 3/4" thick. The edges are rounded and each dish is lightly sanded. The dishes are cut in a manner that allows the water to drain completely through the dish and away from the soap.

In the fall of 2008, we started selling these on Etsy and they have been a big hit. Who would have known that a little piece of wood would be so useful?

They are available in single units or in wholesale quantites ranging from 10 to 50 units.

And much to my surprise, they appeared on the front page of Etsy on November 21, 2008!

Its getting out of hand....

I'm finding more and more people who are yarnaholics like myself!! Unfortunately, I can't help myself... I just love to buy yarn. I found this wonderful shop on Etsy called JuliaEileen that has the most wonderful yarns that she is destashing. And the prices!! Wow!! Talk about bargains. This is the place to find some wonderful yarns.

I've also set up a yarnaholics group on Yahoo where other yarnaholics can meet and discuss their obsessions with yarn. Come and join us!!

Etsy Front Page

What a surprise when I checked my Etsy shop yesterday afternoon and found that I had been on the front page of Etsy earlier on that day. I had never been on the front page and really never thought I would be.

Although our soapdishes have been selling well, they have been selling even better since being on the front page of Etsy!

Thanks to a wonderul Etsian, Yaelfran for including me in her beautiful treasury. Please check out Yaelfran's shop.