Hanging my head and hoping for the best......

by MaryAnn Carroll

For those of you that know me, you know that I am a resource teacher and do my jewelry and bead making part time. Four and a half years ago I stopped selling beads online after a tragic event sent my life into a tail spin. I won't launch into that story here because I couldn't possibly cover it in a paragraph or two. Once things started to slow down from that a year later, I just didn't have it in me to list anything anymore.

There was a time that I did very well selling beads and so so selling jewelry. I opened an Indiemade shop, but get virtually no business from it. It wasn't the site, it was me. I just didn't want to promote, take pictures, list, write descriptions, etc. to sell. The time has come for me to stop avoiding what I remember being a lot of work and get back into the bead business. I've probably written about this exact same topic before, but this time I am feeling the push to do so.

My goal is to retire at the end of the 2018 school year. I will be 58.  I am in my 31st year right now. I have been lucky to have a job that I like for the most part. It's a little scary to think about not having the same income. I have all of these thoughts running through my head.....

What is something happens to my children or grandchildren and I cannot help? Are they going to be okay? What if this? What if that?

I need to STOP!!! and remember the advice that I always offer others. Most things in life are out of our control and it is rarely the things that we try to control that end up being something that we are faced with.

So, with my retirement goal in mind, I need to get ahead financially. I thought Handmade at Amazon was going to be the boost that I needed to start selling again. I do want to do this full time when I retire from teaching.

So, I signed up and was accepted. Well, it turns out since I sold a half dozen things on Amazon in 10 years, I have a seller account. It would not let me set up shop. I spent way too many hours on the phone and on the internet trying to take care of this glitch.....

.....only to find out from my friend Staci Lousie Smith, who, if you know her, you know that she knows the ins and outs of online anything, that they aren't taking beads and components at this time. Why the heck did they accept me?

They launched yesterday and sure enough I didn't see beads and components. I did see the number 43,000 or something close to that next to jewelry and I was like..... NO WAY!  I cannot compete with that. Hopefully, I will be over all of my frustrations by the time Amazon decides to include components.

So today, I am hanging my head when I say that I am going to give in and start my Etsy store back up. I left Etsy as soon as they included manufactured items, and in all honesty, when I searched for ceramic beads just the other day I was a little appalled at what I was up against, but I am going to give it a shot again.

So, Etsy, here I come..... for a while anyhow. I will wait to see what happens on Amazon and maybe I will make the switch. But for now, I am motivated to start selling again.

assorted porcelain beads

wood-fired stoneware beads

porcelain beads with shino glaze

porcelan beads pistachio shino glaze

I also checked out examples of what you will see when I get started back up!

I hope that ceramic beads are still in style......

Messy Studio and Etsy Thoughts

Somehow it is July. And almost mid-July at that.

Seems like I just got back from Bead & Button and right around the corner is Bead Fest Philadelphia. 

Things go non-stop at times, and right now I have family visiting until next week.

So my studio will remain a mess...

 And I am going to have to get a good purging in the next couple of weeks. 

In the meantime, my brain gets a bit stressed with making sure I can keep family entertained and have some income trickling in (the bills sure don't stop).

And as far as that goes, I am constantly thinking about how to market my items, and with changes in social media, technology, and how people shop, it gets a bit overwhelming to try to keep up with.

I don't even want to get started with my frustration with Etsy and what is being sold there, and how they have dropped the artisan base. Personally, I still think that if they created "Etsy Handmade" the way they have created "Etsy Wholesale" and take it back to their origins, they could be salvaged.

And now Amazon is getting into the program with "Amazon Handmade" so I am very curious to see how that platform runs and effects Etsy.

Yesterday I got an email from Etsy saying that they have been putting a bit more effort into their Etsy Teams platform through the Sell on Etsy App.

As a captain of two teams, and members of many, this was a surprise and a bit exciting.
Although there is much room for improvement, I am pretty impressed they are doing anything for the teams.

If you have a smart phone (iPhone or Android) you can get the Sell on Etsy App.
You may need to refresh your app if you already have it on your phone to get the teams section to show up.

And as a team captain, I also received an email that gives details that one of the long requested things: for the captain to be able to address the whole team via email is now available. People can opt out of receiving the emails - especially if the captain steps over limits with this and sends out way too many emails.
Having the capability of shooting out an email to the whole team to remind them of an upcoming event, or even a monthly reminder to check the Etsy threads will hopefully allow for more activity and interaction to the Etsy Team Platform.

All of this is pretty exciting to me from the marketing end, because being able to stand together and help promote each others work is a huge part of having a successful Etsy shop.
And honestly, the only reason why I am still maintaining my shop on Etsy.com and I really hope that they will be seriously considering Etsy Handmade to leave the current Etsy as it stands in the dust.

If you have an Etsy shop where you sell your handmade, vintage or supplies to make handmade, you should consider joining the AWETeam (Art Walk Etsy Team).
We host a virtual First Friday every month, and all you have to do is add up to 4 of your shop listings and help promote the event through social media, and other creative ways.

I am curious to see if these tools will help to market artists shops more through the Etsy Teams platform.
Efforts must be made by all involved though, and on a regular basis.
If not, it all just stalls - and that is quite disappointing.

So I'm off to go update my Etsy shop with some new listings, and tags, then add some new items to my teams and then promote.

Spiral Lentil Bead Sets Marsha Neal Studio

It's the new kind of "marketing work" that I am hoping works for todays technology.

Just a Thought....by Karen McGovern

If you are at all keyed in to the online arts and crafts world, either as a creator or a collector, you know the epic, fit for the big screen story of the rise of Etsy.  Etsy, in a very short time, exploded online as the ultimate source for handmade crafts.  Artisans from around the WORLD became Etsy-ites, including myself, opening online shops to sell our handmade goods including fine art, jewelry, gourmet foods, textiles, pottery and SO MUCH MORE. For many of us who opened shops, Etsy gave us a wonderful platform to sell our stuff, and they MARKETED THE CRAP out of themselves.  Since launching in 2005, Etsy has become a household name, the go-to online source for endless shops filled with GUARANTEED HAND MADE ITEMS.  It was great—while it lasted.  Slowly but surely mass produced goods popped up in shops all over Etsy.  The hipster staff we all imagined running the ship could not, and would not police itself.  Founding shops discovered their goods, and ideas copied, sold for half price, and the site became a quagmire of garbage.  HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SHOPS. Those of us that jumped on the Etsy boat from the beginning were capsized under a wave of Chinese imports and resellers.  THAT WAS A GREAT METAPHOR!

Many, many founding artists jumped ship, myself included. There are chat rooms, blogs, forums and endless articles filled with angry artists voicing how betrayed we all feel and how DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED we are that Etsy sold out.  THEY SOLD OUT.  There are websites dedicated to the subject, like the over-the-top How Etsy Raped America. The millions and millions of dollars they make from all the shops; good, bad or indifferent, far outweigh any losses from artists who left Etsy because WE ACTUALLY HAVE ETHICS AND GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE HANDMADE COMMUNITY. I suspended my Etsy shop well over a year ago, and have moved on to sell through Facebook and my own online website.

Notice I said I “suspended” my shop.  Did I close it?  No.  I wrote a huge, heartfelt message on my home page explaining why I thought Etsy was betraying its original artists and suspended all my listings.  Why didn’t I close my shop?  BECAUSE, THE SAD TRUTH IS I SHOP ON ETSY ALL THE TIME, and you have to be an active member to use the site. So, does that make me the biggest hypocrite of all time?  Maybe. I’ve been thinking a lot about this.

Not every great, original artist left Etsy when they went to the dark side.  If you are an artist with a big following, are well known, and have an active client base, you had no reason to leave Etsy.  The resellers and crap shops don't affect you.  The ruined small artists just starting out, artists that didn’t and don’t have a recognizable name, artists that aren’t blessed with a huge following.  There are MANY, MANY WONDERFUL artists on Etsy—some of my all-time favorite artists have successful shops there.  Some of my favorite suppliers sell on Etsy, and many sell ONLY ON ETSY.  So I shop there.  And, I’m considering re-opening my shop. WHAT? GASP? HAVE I LOST MY MIND? DO I NOT CARE ABOUT THE ETHICS ANYMORE?  Damn right I do.

Here’s what I am thinking.  Original artists who really want to make a living selling their ORIGINAL work need to take back Etsy. I will suggest a scenario here….Love My Art Jewelry is made up of a group of really talented and amazing artists. All of us struggle with the Etsy dilemma, and some have shops there and some have closed shops there. What if we all re-opened our shops, with a “Handmade Manifesto” of sorts on our homepages? What if we used the LMAJ blog and our personal blogs to support each other and other original artists that need Etsy as a selling platform?  Let’s face it, no other online retail portal has been able to get the same attention Etsy has. Whether you love or hate them, they are well known and HUGELY SUCCESSFUL. Even the recent bad press Etsy has gotten hasn’t done any real damage. Etsy, I believe, is here to stay. So, let’s USE IT and USE IT WISELY. Be vocal, say what you feel in your shop.  Call out the resellers. Name names and make a fuss. SELL YOUR WORK. Blog, post on Facebook, join forums and start your own handmade support groups online to direct traffic to Etsy shops that are run by independent artists creating and selling original handmade goods. What if other arts groups did this, over and over all over the WORLD? WHAT IF WE TAKE BACK THE SITE WE HELPED BUILD AND MAKE FAMOUS?!?

It’s just a thought, and I may change my mind….but I’d love to hear what you think.

Now, GO MAKE SOMETHING AMAZING!

Handmade Artists on Etsy Part 2

It gets more and more difficult for me to find a clear path in todays technological world to be able to navigate through social media and websites.

Do you ever feel like that?

Just overwhelmed. Ready to shut it down and focus elsewhere?

Going back to what I started to mention about being a handmade artist and selling on Etsy Part 1, it is getting more and more difficult and frustrating to get your items found through the default searches and categories that Etsy has set up.

Even this last week, getting ready for this post - I've been disappointed at what comes up in the default clickable searches from the front page.

But somewhere inside there is this little glimmer of light down deep inside that burns.

I think it is that little light that glimmers when a person has a sense of being part of a community.

Part of something that is special and unique and helps you rise above the ordinary and mundane...

And even though it seems impossible to be found through Etsy Search, or ever make the front page, or get Etsy to make a handmade seller section (that is actually handmade), and I would rather go to Pinterest and find items, then click through to find them on a website or Etsy shop...
I still find that glimmer of light inside for the Etsy community.

Previously I mentioned using Etsy as a marketing tool.

Through changes in their website platform in the last couple of years, it is easier now to get your items from your shop to show up higher through Google searches (all that SEO stuff) if you use the right tags and key words in your listing title.

Talk about a marketing tool that I appreciate someone else taking care of because my brain just comes to a halt when it sees technology terms such as SEO.

Wonderful Handmade Gifts Treasury Collection

Being part of the Etsy community by having a shop open there or through Etsy Teams: via discussion threads, through Treasuries that team mates include your item in, by favoring, by pinning items via their Pin It button, new items from your favorite shop in the updated activity feed, etc, makes that glimmer just that much brighter.

It always feels great to feature beautiful items in treasury collections.

And that some of my items in return get featured.

I just love that.

And we all have those days where just being included in something like that can really be uplifting - and make you feel that sense of community.

Especially for those of us that work alone or are a bit reclusive.

So I created this then used TreasuryPin.com to pin that treasury collection of wonderful handmade items that I quick found on Etsy (by clicking on links on blogs to the artist Etsy page) and pinned it, then shared via social media (FaceBook and Twitter).
Just like that - a few clicks and reaching out to a broad audience visually...

Sure you can communicate with others through other social media sites and blogs, but it's not quite the same.
Not to me it isn't.
The tools just aren't quite there and as easy to use.
People and small businesses are coming up with cool tools to use the Etsy platform.

I personally like being part of a group (a team) that likes to help promote each others work.

Having a common focus: a theme, an event, a deadline, and a goal is always key.

If there is no focus or deadline then efforts seem to fizzle and people move on.
And this marketing style is not for everyone.

But when it comes down to it - with marketing your work in any way - you get out of it what you put into it - regardless of where you sell your work.

I love being part of a handmade community of artists that like to support each other.

I want to market my work in a way that is easy and FUN and reaches new people all the time.
This is why I am writing this post. To let you know about what I find enjoying with marketing.

And I have to agree with Brigid Ashwood, host of the Google+ Podcast: Art-Share.org when it comes to social media, Etsy, website, etc and if what you should do for your artistic business:

Try as much as you can! If it works for you, great!

At least you've tried it and see if it is a good fit.

See the Art Share Episode 14, around 27 minutes when they start to talk about selling online - her small business online marketing hat goes on around 30 minutes.
They have many great posts to listen to on Art-Share.org - especially when working in the studio or in transit (car, bus, airplane, train...)

I look forward to working with many of you to help promote your work if you are interested in testing out some of these team events.

Here are some links:
Join an Etsy Team
Search for a topic you are interested in and see if it is a fit for you.
What is an Etsy Team?

AWETeam (Art Walk Etsy Team).
Every First Friday of the month, we hold a virtual Etsy shop tour of items from our team member shops through a "Event" discussion thread and a blog post.
This team gives you a deadline and a focus for getting new work into your shop, and getting your work out to a broad audience on a regular basis.

This AWETeam is extra special to me. I stepped into the Captain position in early 2013 and have enjoyed trying to figure out how to update the team event and all the new technology to promote our team shops.

Love My Art Jewelry on Pinterest
You can find items from our LMAJ Blog contributors as well as tutorials.
By clicking through on the item pins that you will like, Pinterest automatically will give you other options of items that are similar (selected by how they are pinned to other boards).
Lots of fantastic handmade jewelry and supplier resources can be found that way.

And remember, if you want to help promote your work through our post that will go live on Black Friday (for sales, promotions, etc through Cyber Monday), link up your website or other online shop HERE.

You can choose to run a promotion, a sale, whatever you want during that time.

It does not mean you have to put your work out there on sale, and feel like you are cheapening yourself or running in the rat race.

Get creative.

Think up a fun giveaway (a tutorial, maybe some extra supplies you have lying around - who couldn't use more beads or supplies?!)

And get yourself set up now - so you can sit back and actually enjoy the long holiday weekend, and see about getting some shopping done yourself if you so choose to do so.

To me - an event like this touches back into being part of a community and marketing your work on that level (which is definitely not for everyone).

When you have a specific date in mind, goals, and a focus - that is an open door to get your work out there in front of a larger audience.

The link up for the event itself will be archived in these blog posts and through links in social media sites.

That is why we ask that you link to your shop or website home page - and not to a specific "Sale Page" that will be expired once Tuesday hits.

And every person that signs up, and helps promote handmade through those crazy shopping days helps to bring a bit more light to the handmade community as it exists.

And with those little bits of handmade goodness and insight streaming through social media when the majority of people are out there in the shopping madness, and we (for the most part) will be avoiding it like the plague, we can try to tap into that marketing and be a part of a handmade community trying to educate those consumers and get them to appreciate items made by individuals.

So get creative when it comes to your marketing of your work.

Look at the tools that are available to you.

Figure out what makes you happy with marketing your work, and expressing your voice.

There are many options out there (and we would love to hear about them as you have had good or bad experiences - and what you have learned from them). 

Handmade Artists on Etsy Part 1

If you are a regular reader of this blog, it is very likely you have a good understanding or are at least learning how to tell what is "handmade" when it comes to jewelry and jewelry making materials.

If not, click around, follow us through social media and you'll soon have a clue about the current handmade jewelry making movement.

But if you search on the internet for "handmade" jewelry, beads, anything...

How can you, the consumer tell that something is made by an artist?

It gets frustrating and disheartening when you really start to think hard about if something is purely handmade or not.

All handmade artists use some sort of material for their work that was produced by an outside source: mother nature, industry manufactured or mined materials, artist components, and so on.

So let's throw away that purist "handmade" attitude and move on to a "handmade" attitude that includes items of good taste, original artistic expression, uses quality materials, and of high craftsmanship.

There used to be this awesome handmade website called Etsy where you could go and find items that were handmade, supplies to make your handmade, or vintage items.

But it is getting harder and harder to navigate through their search to actually find their "handmade goods" because that term "handmade" has become diluted with mass produced items.

November 2013 Explosion of Etsy Treasuries of "Handmade" items.

With how huge Etsy is, it is practically impossible to sort through all of the items that are on there that show up through the front page clickable searches to find items that you are looking for. Forget trying to find anything handmade through those default searches.

AND as an artist listing items, to try figure out how to label items so that they show up from those clickable searches is beyond frustrating and seemingly impossible.

Then you have to compete with people severely underpricing their work which undervalues the entire handmade artist industry...

No wonder why people and the handmade community in general are in an uproar!

It's a puzzle by Joe on Etsy

I searched: Etsy.com ~ Jewelry ~ Necklace ~ Statement ~ All Items

and this is what came up:

Etsy.com - Jewelry - Necklace - Statement - All Items

I then noticed an extra button and clicked from "All Items" to "Handmade" thinking

"Ah, ok! That will get rid of all that - in my opinion - trending junky cheap jewelry - and will bring up actual handmade artist items".

Talk about disappointment...

Most of that crap was still there!

Etsy.com - Jewelry - Necklace - Statement - Handmade

So I question - Why is that happening?

The simple answer: it's in the background settings and the way computers work (based upon decisions made by Etsy and the way they want their Search to work).

Know what I would love to see?

Etsy Marketplace which would be the Etsy as it exists now.

And Etsy Handmade the Etsy of yesteryear.

It would mean an overhaul and re-sorting of what exists there now.

And that shops on the Etsy Handmade site should need to prove their level of handmade.

A huge undertaking technologically speaking, but very much worth the effort.

And with all this technology and updates to how they are doing things -
Really - would it be that hard to do?

They have done it before.

They will surely do it again as technology moves forward.

My question is WHY would a company as well known as Etsy and as powerful as Etsy not want to embrace such a strong and passionate community of artists to give them their online selling home back again. 

Why not give the consumer a clear place on the Etsy home page to click and find individual artist handmade without having to go crazy and give up on searching for unique items flooded with crap?
Heck - make the handmade version of Etsy the default and make the marketplace the "clickable" link. Put handmade above all else!

You may be thinking: Marsha. Why do you care? What is the point?

Isn't Etsy just some big company trying to make money and that doesn't care about individual artists?

Well, I'll tell you why I care so much.

Etsy to me is an awesome marketing tool.

Pure and simple.

WE - the handmade community - have done a great job at getting their name out there, getting people to shop their site, and I want those customers to find my work, feel something about my work, and hopefully - buy something.

I love being part of Etsy Teams and the camaraderie that comes with promoting work with like minded shop owners (for the most part).

And the way you can share your work or treasuries through social media via Etsy has helped promote individual items, and through teams - a bunch of items from many shops.

It feeds that need that some people feel of being part of something more, outside of your own little world.

Yes - some things DO need to change if they want to save their company.

Please - Etsy - Make the right changes to help support "handmade" once again!

And as people that love to use, make, wear, handmade items, it is up to us to help educate the public to be able to find "handmade" that includes items of good taste, original artistic expression, uses quality materials, and of high craftsmanship.

More to come from me next week on this topic of "Handmade Artists on Etsy".
Part 2 HERE.

Please post your creative thoughts and comments on ways that Etsy could be improved.

How do you market your work?

Are you on any Etsy Teams?
What things do you really enjoy using on Etsy and to make your selling and marketing experience better?

We all know how "bad" it has become, and don't need negativity, so please avoid straight out bashing as that does nothing to improve the current situation.

Find the positive twist to what your negative feelings are saying and find a solution.

Want to check out a few more "handmade bead and jewelry artist" groups that helping lead this current handmade artist bead and jewelry movement?
Art Bead Scene
Art Jewelry Elements
Creative Bead Chat and Artisan Whimsy
And of course - us - Love My Art Jewelry

Here are a few images you can use on your site, shop, blog, etc to help get the word out:

Thank YOU for supporting and caring about handmade!

I'm Homeless--Virtually By Karen McGovern

Sorry, this is going to be a bit of a serious post, but I'll throw in some photos of pretty jewelry, art and stuff to make it bearable...

 

If you follow me on Facebook or on my blog, you know that recently I made the decision to close my Etsy shop until further notice.  I've been an Etsy seller for over seven years.  I'm sure you have seen the news, it's all over the Internet, how Etsy has gone from a handmade market place to a source for mass produced goods, mixed with handmade.  Why does this drive me so crazy?  Why is it reason enough to close my shop? 

 

I'm working on a LIMITED number of new leather cuffs to offer on Facebook.
STAY TUNED....

Well, I did it for several reasons.  For one, Etsy rocketed to fame on a platform of selling truly handmade goods.  It was a welcoming community supporting artists creating everything from stunning works of museum quality artwork to crochet toaster covers (which are FREAKING AWESOME AS WELL).  It was, and still is, an affordable venue for artists to sell online.  But then, it changed.  Over the years re-sellers crept in, marketing mass produced works as handmade.  Artists have been totally ripped off by "clone" shops that lift photos of work and offer the goods under another name.  Mass produced "tchotchkes" were (and still are) making the front page of Etsy offered as handmade.  Artists struggling to get noticed and make a sale were being out-competed by these re-sellers offering imported goods for pennies, compared to original artwork offered at reasonable prices.  Small artists who don't have a huge following, like me and hundreds more, simply cannot compete with this and SHOULDN'T HAVE TO on a site built upon the sales produced by original artists creating handmade work. 

 

THIS IS POLYMER CLAY!  Breathtaking vessel by
Emily Squire Levin

When this all started coming to a head, shop owners innundated Etsy with letters of complaint and calls to shut down the fraudulant shops.  Etsy responded by hiring a new CEO who has notified all Etsy sellers that re-selling mass produced goods would now be allowed on the site, you just have to "note the origin of the work".  CRAP ON TOAST.  Pardon my French...In my opinion this is betrayal, period.

 

So, I closed my shop until further notice, and this decision has directly impacted me financially.  But, I simply can't roll over and take it.  This is just how I feel and I certainly don't fault any other Etsy seller out there.  I'm thrilled that artists I personally know and support have healthy, successful Etsy shops, and STRONGLY encourage everyone to continue to support handmade shops and independent artists wherever you find them.  This is my decision alone and it really sucks.

 

Did you know I also make weird assemblage creations?
This is my Beetle God in a burned shadowbox.

So, I am virtually homeless--or shop-less, I guess.  I have set up an independent e-commerce page on my website (with Shopify--give it a look...) that allows sales directly, and hope that this will somehow be noticed in the churning sea of the Internet.  Without a big name and storefront like Etsy, I doubt I will be able to do a fraction of the sales I had previously.  Sigh...

 

I also make these three-dimensional figures I call "Butterfly Keepers".
Real butterfly wings in laminate and stuff....

There are new storefronts supporting handmade popping up out there, and I am tracking as many as I can to see if they can compete with Etsy and support handmade like Etsy once did.  I've tried Artfire, Copious, StorEnvy, Big Cartel and most recently Goodsmiths.  I have yet to make a sale anywhere other than Facebook, which is turning out to be a great selling platform--and fun too!  It eliminates the "middle man". I can direclty interact with my friends and clients, offer "Facebook specials", and have actually sold a bit.  I hope this means I'll be able to sell some work this holiday season...cross your fingers, toes, whatever body parts you can for me!

 

For the holidays I'll also be offering custom made pendants featuring old family photos.
This pendant is mine, featuring a photo of my Grandfather holding my Dad. 
Copper, silver, optic lens, gears and more....EMAIL ME FOR DETAILS!

I mean it when I say that I support handmade art and independent artists.  It's a commitment I take very seriously, and felt I needed to reflect that in my shop as well.  I applaud all you working artists out there that continue to amaze me with your works.  I wish us all a prolific and profitable future so we can continue to do what we love.

 

If you know of new handmade storefronts, please let us know!!!  See you on the Internet....

 

by Staci L. Smith

Well, it's the second day of spring, and it snowed again.  I want to start seeing some green when I look outside.  So, I made a treasury instead, enjoy!

Oh Spring Where Art Thou

• 
  Terrarium Miniature Garden Art Ceramic Mushroom Sculptures For Indoor ...
  

  MarshaNealStudio

  $24.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  5 Handmade Artisan Textured Tribal Ethnic Patterned Hand Painted Clay ...
  

  RaggedRobyn

  $15.53 USD
  favorite
• 
  Petal Tank
  

  sarahclemensclothing

  $119.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Electric Lime Stone- Rainbows and Threads- Handmade lampwork glass hea...
  

  Genea

  $32.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Set of 4 carved round nuggets - Erudite Collection - Watercolor MEADOW
  

  secondsurfstudio

  $18.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Sea Glass Swirls Necklace in Shades of Green
  

  stacilouise

  $75.00 USD
• 
  Antique Dogwood Blossom Pendant
  

  humblebeads

  $12.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Break Through.... enameled copper bead
  

  artisanbeadsplus

  $6.50 USD
  favorite
• 
  Ancient Rustic Green Skeleton Heart Focal
  

  SLArtisanAccents

  $14.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Sterling Silver Teardrop Freshwater Pearl Peacock Post Earrings
  

  SoultoSubstance

  $42.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  sakura flourish - cherry blossoms - simple truths pendant - MADE TO O...
  

  TesoriTrovati

  $16.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Earrings Copper and glass dangles in Green
  

  skyejewels

  $27.56 USD
  favorite
• 
  Color Wheel 7
  

  Temi

  $260.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Coldwork Disk
  

  LibbyLeu

  $125.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Gyspy Coin Pendant - Large Colorful Bohemian Pendant
  

  secondsurfstudio

  $10.00 USD
  favorite
• 
  Trinidad Batik Tree Fabric Print Patch
  

  Batikwalla

  $12.00 USD

Online Communities and What I Have Learned

Being online, whether blogging, or facebook, etsy or pinterest, has opened up a whole new world to me.  I have made new friends, I have been able to promote my shops, I have found support, encouragement and advice, and have found some artists that I really admire, not only as artists, but as plain old wonderful folks.

One of the places I have found some very close friends is facebook, through groups.  There is one particular group, that is kinda small, which I love, because I feel like I really know those gals.  Its all beady ladies, one way or the other, and it’s a private group, so its always a party.  It shall remain nameless too, because I am selfish that way. (wink wink)

Here are some beady friends I got to meet in person- friends I first met online

Anyhow, I have learned a lot since I began my online journey.  I'd like to share a few of them.

1.        What I do is no secret.  So why not share what I know.  

I have learned almost everything I know because someone took the time to share a tip, or technique with me.   Who am I to not pay it forward?   I am forever thankful to everyone who has ever helped me to get to where I am today.  Whether it be splitting early bead orders with me, teaching me to solder or tips and tricks in business, I am soooo very thankful.  You all know who you are!  (gosh- each and everyone of you has probably helped me in some way or another)

2.       Put yourself out there.  The good will outweigh the bad.

Yes, I know putting your work online (like on etsy, flickr or facebook) puts you at risk for copying.  It may very well happen.  You can deal with it if it does.  People may try to make what you do, but may only do it once or twice while they try to find who they are as a designer or master a technique.  Yet there are those dreaded people who try to imitate what you make and undersell you, but they are NOT the majority.  Overall, the good that comes from sharing your work and pictures online outweighs the bad.  So don’t hold back out of FEAR.  Be confident in who you are as an artist, and do your thing.

3.       Do not compare yourself to others.

Oh my word.  This is one I struggle with.  Whether I am seeing a design I wish I had thought of first, or know of someone selling more then me, my first instinct is to compare and wonder what I am doing wrong.  DO NOT DO THIS.  I have learned to just say no to comparing.  Concentrate on my work, my goals, my direction, or I will be pulled all over the place, doing this and that and the other thing trying to keep up.

4.       Take care of your friends.  Be encouraging.  If there’s something of theirs you love, share it with the world.

This has been one of the most amazing things I have learned.  There is such a great community out there willing to give a shout out to other artists, a link, a facebook post, its just amazing.  So, be nice to your friends, the artists you admire, give them some “press” and share the love.  Encourage them, celebrate with them.  The relationships I have made with my like minded beady friends are like none anywhere else.  I value them, and hope I take care of them as much as they take care of me.

These are just a few of the things I have learned along the way.  I am sooo very thankful for the amazing people who are always there for me, behind the scenes.

What have you learned from your online adventures?