Art Up To Your Eyeballs - by Karen McGovern

Well, how was your Thanksgiving?  Are you still wearing your elastic waist fleece pants?  Are you stuck to the couch?  Have you managed to get the gravy stains out of...well....everything?  I hope you all had a peaceful, joyful, delicious, self-indulgent Thanksgiving with family and friends.  I know I did! 

 

Now, on to the important stuff.  WHAT ARE YOU BUYING FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS?  Not....I hope you'll give yourself a breather before diving into the next holiday.  Yesterday was Black Friday, and I stayed home, just like I do every year.  I'm still working on the turducken, and will be well into the first quarter of 2014. AND, I had some family to care for...

An orphaned grey squirrel...

An orphaned bongo antelope newborn.

Ninita, a baby pygmy marmoset.

Among about a thousand other critters that need my attention. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (day after tomorrow) are burned into our brains via the Gods of Advertising.  Yes, you can get some good deals a few things you might actually want, and end up with a TON OF GARBAGE YOU DON'T.  Here's my take....

 

If you follow this blog, you know that there are thousands of incredibly talented artists and independent vendors sweating it out to make a living, hoping like HELL they will be noticed in the coming days and weeks leading up to Christmas.  You've been asked and pleaded with to shop small and local.  What you actually do is up to you.  I'm not going to try to shame you into forgoing the mall--its pull is almost hypnotic.  SO MANY SPARKLY LIGHTS.  So, I'm just going to ask you to look to the right and left of this post for links to artists and vendors I hope you will at least consider clicking on and taking a look at.  One of them is me.
 

 I am not holding a sale right now.  I just had one to celebrate the launch of my own independent website with my very own online shop.  Not through Etsy, Artfire, BigCartel or anything else.  That's right folks--if you visit my website and make a purchase, you deal directly with ME.  I KNOW--CRAZY, RIGHT???  Well, it is.  And it's also a gamble.  No big storefront that is recognized by millions.  No advertizing other than what I can generate on my own.  No middleman (except for PayPal...can't get around that).  But, let's get back to the first sentence of this paragraph.  I'm not holding a sale right now.  WHAT???  I know, I seem to be Hell-bent on shooting myself in the foot, right?  Well, to be honest, I simply can't afford a sale now.  My desire as a jewelry designer and artist has always been to create AFFORDABLE work.  I donate most of my proceeds to support wildlife conservation.  My goal is to use my work to build a bridge between art and nature, cover my costs, and be able to give a significant portion in support of something I deeply believe in.  So, my work is already priced about as low as I can go and still be able to continue creating it.  Why am I telling you this?  Well, obviously, I hope you'll visit my site and consider making a purchase.  But also, I would like you to consider when you purchase from me or any of the artists you can find here, you have an opportunity you can't get anywhere else.  You actually get to know the artists you buy from.  So many have a really unique, wonderful story to tell.  When you purchase from an independent artist, like those listed here and all over this blog, you have the opportunity to create a personal connection, and I find that so interesting, rare and special!  Artists like us put it all on the table.  If you follow us or connect via our shops and Facebook pages you'll get a glimpse into a REAL LIVE HUMAN LIFE!  How cool is that?  If you go even further and read our blogs and personal posts, you'll get to see Staci build her dream studio, get to cheer as MaryAnn is able to  raise and direct funds from her work to purchase awesome cat condos for a rescue organization, get to read Mary Jane's stunning poems and insights into her jaw-dropping work, and get to hear me go on and on and on about wildlife conservation, among other things. That's just three of the MANY fantastic artists here!  You'll hear about our art shows, our amazing screw ups (sometimes with PICTURES) as well as our triumphs and joys.  WE LIVE THIS STUFF, PEOPLE!
 

 

So, what does this have to do with me not holding a sale?  Well, I guess I just wanted you to know that you have many, many more reasons to shop with me and the aritsts you see here beyond the enticement of a sale.  AND, by the way, that sale isn't easy for anyone to offer.  None of the artists here (in my opinion) should have to have a sale, yet they are, becuase this is their LIVLEYHOOD and they need your support, and because we seem to have become a nation that MUST HAVE A SALE AFTER THANKSGIVING ON EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE OR WE WILL DIE.  Or something like that....

 

I know it may not be in my best interests to forgo this weekend in terms of sales, etc.  But, it is in the best interest of my conscience.  So, I'll go with that.

So, show us independent artists some love this season....pretty please!!

Happy Holidays to all, I wish you Peace, Joy, and Prosperity!! 

Black Friday Cyber Monday Handmade Specials

Welcome to our Black Friday through Cyber Monday Post where you can start to shop for unique Handmade Art Items!

Holiday Shopping by Rejetta Sellers on Etsy

The point of this post is to give you one place to start your holiday shopping and possibly pick up something on sale - however, a "SALE" is not guaranteed - and some may be just running a promotion or giveaway.

Please check with each individual artist shop to see if there is a coupon code to use and when their sale is happening.

And if you want to help promote these artists, you can share a link to this post and the image below.
Check out our Love My Art Jewelry Pinterest Board for Handmade for the Holidays where you can help share items from these talented artists!

Other Black Friday artisan blog links: Art Bead Scene and Art Jewelry Elements

Marketing and Handmade Gift Giving in the Age of Technology

In todays world of technology and social media we are exposed to so many images so quickly.

Ancient Treasures Ammonite Ceramic Ocean Jasper Bracelet by StaciLouise 

And for many of us "in" this handmade community of DIY, craft, art, jewelry designer, bead maker, component specialist, etc., we are practicing how to fine tune our eyes to see through the fog of mass produced to be able to quickly pick out the most interesting to us, which tends to be the artist made handmade items.

And it is that skill of visual refinement for handmade high quality items that we as artists and art appreciators should be trying to just ever so delicately get in front of "the general public".

THINK ABOUT YOUR ART STORY:
When you think about how people shop and look at online content it may help your marketing your work, and make your social media efforts more fruitful.
1. VISUAL. You see an image and immediately know if you want to click on it or pass it by. This is why your photography is SO important.
2. CLICKABLE. Make sure you title your photo when you can, have your name on it, make it link to somewhere that makes sense.
3. INTEREST. Title your work. A brief glance is all you may need.
4. INSIGHT. Inspiration and the creative process. Interested people often love to see where and how artwork is created.
5. CONNECTION. As customers learn about your art and they learn a little about you. This helps make a human connection to your work.
6. EASILY FOUND. Make sure your customers are able to remember where they found your work. Have Email newsletter links, follow buttons, pinterest links, share buttons, etc., all easily clickable.

Take a look at Karen McGovern's newly updated website where you can find all of her wonderful creations. Look at the photo, the description, the story behind it, and the clickable links!

Karen McGovern BeadKeepers.com Butterfly Keepers

A lot of thought goes into creating a site like this, but once you know what you want and how you want your customers to interact - you'll just run with it and make it your own! Great Job Karen!

PINTEREST AND SOCIAL MEDIA:
There are many ways for you to share that work with others through social media and help educate others about artist made handmade - just ever so much that they begin to see and make a connection.

Handmade for the Holidays Love My Art Jewelry Pinterest Board

One of my personal favorites is making a collection through a Pinterest board that expresses my interest in the work and what I would do with it in my life. Always keeping in mind that the original source - the artist or owner of the image should be the final clickable link in that pin.

If a pin does not go back to the originating source, I try to find that source or I do not re-pin it (there are exceptions of course - but the effort is always present).

For Love My Art Jewelry on Pinterest - we are hoping that having a Handmade for the Holidays board - that we can help promote some great handmade findings, supplies, finished jewelry, art and the related for individual artists. We can easily grab images from our link-up events for handmade items, our Flickr group, and similar social media to help promote handmade. Always being mindful that the intent on a Pinterest board like this is to try to get someone to purchase your item, not copy it...

PS - you should follow our LoveArtJewelry boards for updated info!
And just FYI it would have been LoveMyArtJewelry, but that had too many characters.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT:
And as an artist, I highly recommend to every other artist out there to get your name on your photograph.
Here is a website called PicMonkey I use from my computer:

PicMonkey.com for collage and editing photos (adding text too)

And an app called OVER for my iPhone:

MadeWithOver.com or just "OVER" in the app store.

Once your image is out there on the internet - it's out there.
You might as well have your name on it for proper credit and for legal protection.

HANDMADE SHOPPING BLISS:
When you create collections of your favorite things - through Pinterest, through Etsy.com favorites and your shop activity feed page you can blissfully look and see all of the wonderful handmade items that are out there and pretty much ignore all those mass produced items being posted to the "handmade" sections where they should not be allowed.

Shamefully though - with mentioning the way of searching sites as big as Etsy.com - finding artist made handmade through their clickable links on their home page is practically impossible. And in turn disappointing because when the general public lands there, that is what they have to start their search.

So keep in mind that these other social media based - artist handmade collections that you can make and share, are an excellent way to promote handmade at no cost other than your time and visual skill at making a collection.

Use things like #handmade #makermade #artistmade to put your social media efforts into the right category.
And communicate with us by using @LoveArtJewelry.

Both the # and @ should be followed by words strung together as all one word to file properly.

What are your favorite ways to help promote handmade?
Your blog? Flickr? Tumblr?
And what apps or websites are useful to you?

Don't forget to join up with our Black Friday through Cyber Monday post if you make handmade and are planning on running a sale or promotion at any point over that weekend (11/29/13 to 12/2/13).
The Link Up Tool closes on 11/28/13 EST.

Happy Holidays and may you get many sales this season to help support your family and your creative obsessions habits outlets!

Shopping Small, the David and Goliath Battle of the Holidays

The Shop Small movement began a few years ago.  All over the ‘Net Shop Small logos began popping up along with websites encouraging folks to buy from local shops and independent vendors during the holidays (and beyond) instead of supporting chain, “big box” stores. 

 

As an independent artist, I support this wholeheartedly (Shop Small Saturday is Nov 30), but I have to say that in the contest between independent vendors and big box, we independents are getting our asses whipped.

 

Holiday shopping has become a professional sport.  Multi-million dollar budgets dedicated to promoting chain stores that shower the nation with constant ads featuring giddy holiday shoppers laden with bulging bags bearing their logo is—shall we say—difficult to compete with.  News outlets started talking about Black Friday well before Halloween.

 

Black Friday—oh, how I hate you.  I would rather chew off my own arm and beat myself over the head with it than join the sea of chaos that is Black Friday.  Yet, I know people (some in my own family) that prepare for Black Friday with military precision.  Elaborate plans and schedules are devised.  Teams of shoppers are given specific destinations and specific items to acquire.  Track suits are washed, fluffed and set beside comfy sneakers the day before.  This is shopping WAR, people.

 

Doesn't this look like FUN?!?!?

Blarf.  I mean, seriously, BLARF.  How are we little craftspeople supposed to compete with mega-malls and SUPERSAVINGSLAYAWAYDEALOFTHECENTURYGOTTAGETITNOW?  We are the hippies sticking handmade flowers in the gun barrels of Wal-Mart.

 

How do we get our voices heard and our shops noticed?  Social media is our go-to virtual billboard, and we have to use it wisely and consistently.  I like working in groups, like Love My Art Jewelry, that have a steady following and membership.  We need to encourage and support fellow artists, cross post and share links.  I strongly encourage every member of this group, and every person that reads these posts to take it one step further, and share links to your favorite small shops and independent artists on your own personal pages.  When asked “What do you want for Christmas?” please answer, “Something handmade!” and then give links to artists and local shops.  We can’t do this alone and so appreciate any support that can be thrown our way.

 

Also, and this is just my opinion, I don’t believe independent artists and small shops should feel obligated to buy into the I HAVE TO HAVE A SALE stuff associated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  This may be the carrot that attracts shoppers to the mega-stores that can afford to reduce the prices on mass produced goods purchased in bulk and marked up 300% in the first place.  That discount was built in from the beginning.  Individual artists creating one of a kind works should not feel obligated to discount their work to meet some arbitrary shopping date on a national shopping calendar.  I guess I am just repulsed by the near hysteria associated with this time of year with regards to shopping.  Maybe I'm naïve, but I want folks to buy my work because they love it and want it, not because it's on sale the day after Thanksgiving.  Yes, I am naïve....sigh.  For all of you hard working artist that are planning Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, I applaud you and hope your clients understand that this is a sacrifice for you all, not a given. 

 

I’d like to see the message presented by the Shop Small movement remain true.  Support local shops and independent artists because what you are getting is BETTER than anything you could ever find in a mall or big box store.  When you buy local and shop small, you support not only the individual, but the COMMUNITY.  Our work is WORTH THE FULL PRICE…PERIOD.  So, when a small shop or independent artist does offer discounts and sales to entice you to buy, know that this is coming at a much larger cost to them than you probably realize--seriously.

 

Imagine, work created by REAL HUMAN HANDS!!  Now, that's a gift.

I hope many of you refrain from diving into the sea of chaos that is Black Friday.  I hope you stay home and have another turkey sandwich.  Enjoy the groove you have dug into the couch and revel in the tryptophan high with your family.  Then visit your local arts district and come home with something truly magical and original, without the slightest trace of a “Made in China” sticker anywhere.  You have no idea how great the power of the psychic ripples you will create from one purchase supporting an independent artist.   That purchase will help ensure small vendors like us can continue to create, continue to support ourselves and our families.  When you buy from us you sort of become a member of our extended family, and we need, love and appreciate you.

 

I doubt Wal-Mart can say the same.

 

I’ve listed below some of my favorite independent shops and vendors that I go to for holiday gifts.  Many are food related—who doesn’t love artisan or homemade treats?  Check them out, perfect for everyone on your list, INCLUDING YOU.  All ship nationwide based on availability.

 

Mincing Mockingbird --Stunning prints, books, cards and paintings of birds and more with hilarious and thought provoking titles.  By artists Matt Adrian and Kim Bagwill.

 

Tiny Confessions – Wonderful sketches of pets and animals complete with deep thoughts and true confessions, by artist Christopher Rozzi.

 

Das Foods – Artisan handmade caramels and more that will BLOW YOUR MIND!  Pistachio ginger!!!!

 

Pascale’s Artisan Jams and Preserves – I am addicted to the Apricot Lavender, but the entire line is DELICIOUS and handmade.

 

Glarus Chocolates – OMG, that’s all you need to know.

 

Farmhouse Tomatoes — Heirloom tomatoes grown in Lake Worth, Florida.  By the case, SPECTACULAR!

 

Rare Species Conservatory Foundation — A non-profit wildlife organization close to my heart.  A donation in a loved one’s name will support vital wildlife conservation programs around the globe.

 

Of course, for handmade jewelry, look no further than this blog page for links to INCREDIBLE ARTISTS!!!

 

Thanks, and I wish everyone a blessed and peaceful holiday season.

Handmade Black Friday Preparation and Link Up

This post is our way of helping to prepare handmade artisans (people that make handmade jewelry, art items, or handmade components for making art jewelry) to link up to their website or store where are planning on running a Black Friday and or Cyber Monday sale.

Please use this image to promote our event.
Please link back up to our blog (see code below).

On Black Friday, we have scheduled a post to go live at 12:01am EST where the "Inlinkz" Gadget below will appear so shoppers can simply click on your link and visit your shop.
Add your shop link NOW if you want to be included!

With that being said, PLEASE plan ahead NOW:

1. Link up via Inlinkz below directly to your shopping page (Etsy shop, website, Art Fire, etc).

2. Write up blog posts about the event ahead of time - start talking it up now!

     - Use the square image above to help promote this event!

     - Add a link on your blog post to the "Black Friday Cyber Monday" Post (permalink is below).

     - Schedule a blog post for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and or Cyber Monday now so you are not stressed last minute. Give your sale details, coupon codes, run promotional giveaways for shoppers, have your email sign up easily available, etc.
     - Make sure you have the DATES of your promotion/sale clearly listed:

     - Black Friday Only.
     - Small Business Saturday.

     - Cyber Monday Only.

     - Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale. Etc - Whatever you choose!

3. If you are running a Promotion or Sale - your customer wants to know immediately what that is. The link you provide below is your Black Friday/Cyber Monday landing page. It should have a place where you can CLEARLY STATE your sale and sale date! Remember - on Black Friday, the link below will be where people click to shop. 

     - Do you have a coupon code to use at checkout?

     - Are your items already marked down (use Craftopolis.com)
     - Are you having a giveaway for shoppers on that particular day?
     - Make it fun and inviting! Give people reasons to support handmade artists!

*Your link can be to your website, your Etsy shop, your Art Fire shop, etc.
*This is a Handmade Artist Promotion!

Helpful links for preparing your Etsy shops:

*Craftopolis.com (free editing of your shop listings - price, title, etc).

*EtsyOnSale.com (paid service for editing your Shop).

*Update your "Info and Appearance" section with coupon codes, sale dates, etc.

     - Click HERE to learn how to customize your shop.

     - Etsy banner size is 760 pixels x 100 pixels.

*Online easy photo editing site: PicMonkey.com
*Make sure to fill out your "About" page so that people can see more about your creative process.
*Update your "Message to buyers" under "Info and Appearance" to include any details about your event, and to link back here for shopping for more handmade, giveaway info, coupon codes for future purchases, etc.

Here are helpful permalinks and html codes for you to use in your blog posts to link back here so you can help promote other handmade artists:

UPDATED 11/30/13:
1. The Black Friday through Cyber Monday blog post:
http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/11/black-friday-cyber-monday-handmade.html

2. If you want to share the entire InLinkz gadget on your blog post for the Black Friday through Cyber Monday you may copy and paste this HTML code into the body of your blog post:

get the InLinkz code

3. Copy and paste the HTML code that appears below this square image into your blog post or as a gadget on your sidebar so that when people click the image, it takes them right here to our most recent blog post for "Black Friday". If the image shows up too large find the s1600 in the code below, and change it to s200 (or whatever size pixel will work for you) when you are copy and pasting the code into your blog html box.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/search/label/Black%20Friday" title="Love My Art Jewelry Black Friday Sale"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLBhxB0dk9r7PU19CKYmreqFqeVekcv7XZR_tf26ZI3KafVcJsQfAGnbtVQJv8ikHVzgxTUmKtZf7vShO3SWGBuppXujBny8EcKNcP5v9BjO8sm2XbO1htWY6-OxcePnw1adS3jqVRDVk/s1600/Handmade+Black+Friday+to+Cyber+Monday.jpg" alt="Love My Art Jewelry Black Friday Sale" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

If anyone has any further tips they would like to share, please add comments and links into the comment section of this post for others to read.

The success of running a promotion like this will be for everyone involved to help share and promote this event together!

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!