The obsessing begins.....

Thank-you to everyone who shared information with me about my Etsy vs. Amazon. I have not totally ruled out another way to sell, but for now I started my listings on Etsy. I haven't had a ton of time, so it is only up to about 19 or 20 at this point. I have a ways to go.

And it begins...... first came the picture taking. Yup.... memories!! I took out my old heavy camera to discover my batteries weren't charged. After digging through ONE of my junk drawers I found some AA's that worked temporarily and gave me about 5 minutes of power before having to rotate them with another set buried in the junk drawer..... ughhhh!

By the time I had my other batteries charged I had already decided I would try using my I-phone. Another problem..... I have 5 grandchildren and my phone was FULL of pictures..... ughhhh #2!!! There goes another couple of hours trying to clean that out (something that needed to be done a year ago). FINALLY..... I have room on my phone and squeeze in a little time for picture taking. I decided that my Iphone was much easier than my big camera.

Next comes the listing.... I did that easy enough, but then obsessively looked back and looked back and looked back to continuously see ZERO views. Oh no, this is why I left to begin with.... the memories are coming back. What to do, what do do...

Well, I have to face the inevitable... promoting myself! I HATE THAT!!!! I hate it whether it is online, at a show, a gallery or anywhere else. I was just not born to be a sales person and that is what you need to be to get sales. Now what? I just have to suck it up and do it. I start checking out other Etsy shops to find differences that might have happened after leaving. There were definitely some. I used to add a cutesy name to each of my products and from what I was seeing, that was not a good idea. So, first change.... the cutesy names.... replace them with dull boring names like "handmade ceramic beads". I don't know about you, but sometimes I have so much going on I literally feel like....

..... my head is dizzy.... I think I forget to breathe and since breathing is essential to life, I need to work on being able to do that at the same time as listing. ughhhhhh #3

Now breathe.... I switch the names and still nothing. I obsessively checked again and again and again..... nothing. I then do a search for handmade ceramic beads and I do see that they came up. Why so few views? It's a big world, isn't it? Maybe I am just not up for this anymore. ughhhh #4

I decide to research even further and look for forums or tips about how to get your work noticed on Etsy. I find that not only should I change my cutesy heading, but I need to add all of my descriptors in the title. Are you kidding me? The head goes dizzy. Don't forget to breathe......  Back to Etsy and back to my listings to change everything once again.

I research more. I found blog posts about using Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and whatever the heck else is out there! Are you kidding me? Yup..... dizzy!

I decide I am going to succumb to the new ways of doing this and put a post on our Twitter page. There were a few more views after that, so that's good. I put one up on my own Facebook page too. I'm not sure that did much. I am at a temporary dead end. It is just too much to figure all of this out, teach full time and make time for my family. 

Is there something easier to do? What do you do to get your work noticed or if you don't sell online, how do you search? I could use some advice!

Thanks for sharing what you have to offer...

MaryAnn

Happy Independence Day!

by Sherri Stokey

Looking around for some Independence Day inspiration, I ran across this vintage add for Hand Made "torpedoes".  I'm a big fan of hand made.  Quilts made by hand are family heirlooms and hand made furniture can be around for generations. Handmade ice cream beats the store-bought stuff every time.  But hand made fireworks just sounds like a bad plan.  Luckily, I also found some handmade inspiration that won't give me nightmares, like this patriotic wire wrapped pendant:

Rachael's Wire Garden

Isn't that fun?  I love how she incorporated the Tree of Life symbolism within the flag and gives the impression of stripes with just a few "branches".  These lamp work glass pieces also caught my eye with great use of color and movement:

Cat's Meow Art

Karla Eames Classy Sassy Glass

I found eagles done in several different mediums, including hand painted  porcelain, glass and deer antler:

Top: Loco Lobo Designs, Bottom left:  Joy Munshower, Bottom right:  Spirit Wind Studios

These metal end caps, charms and large hole beads all feature a rustic star motif:

Cathy Dailey

Inviciti

The Happy Jewel

I am so impressed with what some folks can do with a coin:

Left:  Saw Artist, Right: Hamilton Custom Cast

There were some great pieces of patriotic handcrafted jewelry, too.  The stars and stripes design really stands out in the Western Cedar laser cut cuff, and the use of color blocking in the beaded wrap bracelet really struck a cord with me. 

John Leslie Studios

Boulder Beads

DGierat Leather

I love the worn look of the wide leather cuff and the vintage picture in the pendant below.

My Sweet September

This etched bullet pendant has a secret:  there's a casing fitted up inside it that you can remove and add your own little treasure:

Dazzlez

The riveted on star is what caught my eye in this next pendant.  It's a nice little touch that really makes this one stand out:

Little Bits o' Faith

And last, but not least, this charming wax seal charm:

Gilded Lily Charms

All in all, I think I'll stick with jewelry components for my handmade fix.  Nobody wants to look like this on July 5th:

Many thanks to all of the lovely artists who agreed to let me use their photos here.  I hope you'll spend a minute or two and visit some of their shops.  Have a Happy 4th!

 

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!