Slow times...

Admittedly, I have been seriously neglecting my Etsy shop. There are a number of reasons such as a full time job (which is not longer an issue), lack of motivation, lack of interest.

I love the experience I've had on Etsy up until now - but there is just SO MUCH stuff on there that I have to renew an item every day just to get noticed (not even get a sale). I love numbers and stats (must be the librarian in me) so I've decided to compare the sales numbers and they definitely show the neglect and lack of interest/motivation.

2010                                         2011
January: 3 sales                      January: 9 sales
February: 1 sale                      February: 1 sale
March: 2 sales                        March: 4 sales
April: 5 sales                          April: 6 sales
May: 15 sales                         May: 0 sales
June: 9 sales                           June: 4 sales
July: 8 sales
August: 12 sales
September: 9 sales
October: 39 sales
November: 25 sales
December: 21 sales

I've been wanting to sew some cute dolls with a pattern I bought from Dolls and Daydreams. I've altered the face a bit and am just working on the first doll to see how the pattern works out. If I like the results then I am considering opening another Etsy shop to sell my dolls or opening a shop on another site entirely. So far I'm happy with what I've completed and I can't wait to see the finished product.

Big Plans

I've been in the process of getting things in order for an exciting new project. I pretty much have my business plan finished and I've contacted a Canadian distributor. I've found a website provider and most exciting of all, I've purchased a graphic for my logo. What is all of this planning for, you might ask? I'm going to open an online yarn shop! I've yet to register the name so I won't say what it is until I register it. I can show you my lovely sheep logo (above). Still deciding on the font but I've narrowed it down to a few. I'm getting all graphics and fonts through Veer - not only because my husband works for Veer, but because they have a great selection at affordable prices. Stay tuned as my business endeavor develops.

Spring Colour Blast

I've been on the lookout for a fun bright leather clutch and thought I'd share a few Etsy shops I've had my eye on. Now to decide which one to buy!

Love this green cutie from JennyDesign

Another one I love that probably won't last long from The Leather Store

These are also fabulous and come in so many colours it's a good thing they aren't very expensive as I may need to get a couple of them! Fantastic find from Bambina

To Grandmother's House We Go

My latest treasury was inspired by the fantastic artwork of Little Black Apple. I love their Etsy shop and their book is on my wish list!

'Through the woods' by SlitelyAskew

Little Red and Wolfboy ... theblackapple $14.00	Little Red Riding Hood ... papernoodle $20.00
Red riding hood - 6x8 c... atpalicis $10.00	Little Red Riding Hood. elsita $7.00
Little Red Riding Hood ... inkyeverafter $2.80	Print - Wolf & Little R... fashionfucsia $12.00
Mini Red and Tan Little... DayDreamerDoll... $15.00	Vintage Little Red Ridi... thevintagesupp... $50.00
Big, Bad Wolf Journal StoneburnerBoo... $20.00	Little Red Riding Hood ... malam $102.00
Small Zipper Pouch--Lit... mintlane $8.50	Vintage Red Riding Hood... TheRitzyMeow $14.00
Little Red Riding Hood ... CABfayre $25.00	Wooden Hair Stick - Hai... OutNumberedNov... $36.00
Werewolf Wolf cuff link... grigio $15.00	RESERVED for Dottie - M... EnlightenedPla... $588.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Sew Wonderful

Santa brought me some fantastic sewing books and a superb sewing machine! I wanted to get a head start on supplies knowing that I would soon have my very own sewing machine so I did some pre-Christmas Etsy purchasing and got this great doll pattern from Dolls and Daydreams.

Then I purchased some adorable fabric from Fabric Shoppe I can't wait for it to arrive so I can start sewing!

Success by the number

In mid-January my Etsy shop will celebrate one year! It started slowly and I definitely still need a day job but I'm pretty proud of the momentum I was able to gain.

Here is my success in number form:
January: 3 sales
February: 1 sale
March: 2 sales
April: 5 sales
May: 15 sales
June: 9 sales
July: 8 sales
August: 12 sales
September: 9 sales
October: 39 sales
November: 25 sales

In there was a wholesale order for 50 argyle cozies, a bulk order for 45 argyle cozies, and a bulk order for 12 argyle cozies.

Needless to say, I'm running low on stock and looking forward to creating some new designs. I'm also playing with the idea of buying locally sourced hand spun wool and dyeing it myself without harsh chemical dyes. If I could replace commercial yarn with this then I'd be really happy. Just trying to figure out if the added expense of high quality local wool will pay off in terms of sales.

I'm looking forward to what the next year holds and I'll definitely be better prepared for next year's holiday season. This year I was invited to about 6 different local holiday craft shows that I had to turn down because I didn't have enough stock and am trying to work full time in addition to running my etsy shop. I participated in one online holiday craft show but it yielded only a few sales. Honestly, I was just glad to get some more exposure and wasn't looking for a mass amount of sales. This past week I was contacted by RealSimple.com asking me to submit a couple cozies for an upcoming web feature on their site. Sadly, I couldn't get my cozies shipped to New York in time for the deadline and I'm missing out on that opportunity. Either way, I'm super happy with my first year and looking forward to the next one!

Thanks to all who have supported my shop either through browsing or buying or "following" or "hearting". Each and every visitor to my shop has made a difference!

Treasured

One feature I love on Etsy is the treasuries! They are a great way to discover new shops, show appreciation for great crafts and help get more people to notice your own work when you are lucky enough to be included in a treasury. I just wanted to give a shout out to Postscripted for curating a lovely rustic themed treasury featuring my newly listed fox button coffee cozies.

*My laptop screen is small so I couldn't get a screen shot of the full treasury. Make sure you visit the link to get a look at all the beauties featured here!

Link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c632fa743776d91184fccb7/rustic

Back in the Frey

After a couple of months away, I have rejoined the world of Facebook and I have started my shop page once again. Check it out when you have a moment!

Get Crafty!

There are a few crafty sites that I visit EVERY day! If you have an Etsy shop and you haven't visited Craft Cult then you are seriously missing out! I reluctantly admit that I visit their "heart-o-matic" multiple times a day to see how my shop is doing. It is very addicting!

I've also applied to become a member of the Crafting in Color Street Team. Even if I don't get a membership, it is a great blog to check out some wonderfully colourful Etsy items!

If you're not having the sales you'd like on Etsy there are a number of other online market places that you could check out.
- I don't have any personal experience with Artfire but a lot of etsy sellers also sell there.
- I just opened a store at Cargoh and I love the layout and how integrated it is with Twitter. I've been getting a lot of exposure. More so than Esty because it isn't as saturated. I haven't had a sale yet, but I've only had my shop set up for a few days. Also, it's based in Vancouver, Canada!
- Another that I don't have personal experience with but hear is great is Storenvy. It seems really well integrated with social media. The one thing I find really interesting is their custom merchandising. They offer screen printing of your merchandise. Everything from business cards and buttons to t-shirts and hoodies.
- I stumbled upon Cartizan accidentally and I don't know too much about it except that it's in the start-up phase and was established in Winnipeg, Manitoba to promote local crafts and artizans. If you're looking to support local marketplaces, then this could be worth looking into.

Well that's my two cents...happy shopping, crafting, and selling!

Go to Cargoh!

I finally decided to start a Cargoh store! For those who are saying "what the *&%$ is a Cargoh?" Visit the site and you'll see that it's a rockin' artsy crafty online marketplace. Sure there are lots of other marketplaces out there like Etsy, Artfire, Storenvy....and I could go on....but I really like that this one has an edgy look and was started right here in Vancouver, BC.  I also really like how well integrated it is with Twitter AND check out the mixtape feature! I haven't added any music yet but I plan to. Anyway, I've decided to sell some of my knit wear on there that didn't seem to get any attention on Etsy. Check out my store and give my items a fist bump of support! Thanks!

Wonderful Knit items from Etsy shops

I've collected some really wonderful knit items from Etsy shops with fewer than 50 sales. Check them out!

The Artful Yarn (dish clothes)
Warm Me Up (pink cowl)
Wintergarden (bangles)
Scarf Knitter (beach glass scarf)
Magenta Sky Studio (fingerless gloves)
Friendly Brown (phone cozy)

Neo Blythe "Nicky Lad"

Final Design for Neo Blythe Nicky Lad 
I just love her pink glasses and boots! Love the side part in her hair too...I don't think I have one with a side part. Hmmm....my birthday is in July...*nudge *wink

I love getting mail!

Today the super cute Blythe dress I bought from Jolie Doll arrived! I think the Blythe lounging on the sofa in her pjs wants one too! Check out her website and her Etsy shop for your very own stylish dress!

Slowly but surely...

I listed my first item in my Etsy shop on January 18, 2010. I wasn't at all sure what to expect. Items that I thought would be popular ended up being ignored for the most part and items that I wasn't too sure about became my best sellers. I have to say that I have loved every item I have made and I think I'm improving every week. I've improved my photos but still think I could improve more. I've improved my networking and marketing and I think it is paying off. I knew I'd never be able to live off of knit coffee cozy and bookmark sales but I love making them and even before I had an Etsy store I was always making something. Now I can't imagine not having Etsy as my creative outlet.

May has been my best month yet for sales and I hope it says something that each month my sales increase.
January: 3 sales
February: 1 sale
March: 2 sales
April: 5 sales
May: 15 sales

Now you can see why I say I can't live off of this but I'm hoping May wasn't a fluke and June will see at least double digit sales.

Now back to knitting!

Shopping for Blythe on Etsy

These are a few of my favourite Etsy shops to browse for Blythe fashion

Heavenly Blythe Adorable dresses in fun prints!
Naughty Pixie Love everything!
Blythe Love The detailed jackets are my favourite!
Susa The cute little knit sweaters are my favourite!
Moshi Moshi I especially like the cute pants in this store!
Jolie Doll Just bought an adorable dress from this shop. Looking forward to its arrival!

Next Purchase?

I have loved Natalie Dee's cartoon-y stylings for a few years now and I just discovered that my favorite drawing is available in t-shirt form. Love it!

Check out the Will Knit for Tattoos tee and many more!!

Tulips!

Yay! My felt tulip iphone cozy is featured in the May 25 blog post of the Found Handmade Blog. Thanks so much!

BTW I just became a member and listed 10 items on their website for free. Any place I can promote and reach new buyers and I'm there!

Treasuries

I love making Etsy treasuries. For those of you not wise in the ways of Etsy, a treasury is a collection of items on Etsy that reflect a theme, colour, scent, etc. that strikes your fancy. it's a great way to discover new shops and get in touch with other sellers. Check out my treasuries on Etsy. One of my most favorite collections is partially shown above.

My Next Blythe?

I haven't purchased a Blythe doll in quite some time but I love this new one even if she is petite!

Petite Blythe "Torra Unpappa"

A few of my favourite Etsy shops...

Here are a few links to my recent favourites:

Sister Butterfly
From Earth To Sky
Zoe Chen
Poor Robin

Enjoy!