Handmade felted jewelry in my Etsy shop once again!

 

After more than 3 years of being away from Etsy and my blog, I'm finally back and slowly getting things going once again online. Oh, how I've missed it! 

My last post was way, way back in 2010 when my family went through a transition and big move across states for my new job as Craft Editor for Reader's Digest Association's Milwaukee branch. It is hard for me to believe that it has been that long ago since time flew by, but I'm thrilled to have made my way right back here to being an independent crafter. In future posts, I'll go into a little more detail about by absence online, what I've been up to and why I am thankful to be blogging about and selling my creations again, but for now, I just wanted to pass along that I've reopened my Etsy shop and will also be blogging regularly soon. (Yippee! Well, at least that's how I feel when I type that last sentence!)

For all of you who knew my felting blog in the past, I hope for it to be much the same as before with crafts, fiber and felting information, tutorials, tips, reviews, features and some personal tidbits and photos. It will take me a while to get rooted again and back to blogging so I appreciate your patience. I am looking forward to doing it all again though!

If you'd like to know what in the world I have been up to for the past few years (witness protection, extended Caribbean vacation, top secret spy mission...hmmm, nope), visit my personal portfolio site and feel free to snoop around a bit. As I said before, I will eventually post about it, just not this particular day.

P.s., the felt flower will be listed in my Etsy shop soon. I also hope to do a tutorial on how to make these in the near future. It was created through a combination of needle and wet felting techniques.

Not one, but TWO artsy craftsy events going on this weekend in the Kansas City area!

If you live in the Kansas City area there are two great events going on this coming weekend!

On Saturday, March 20th, Gypsy Emporium will be at the Madrid Theatre in Westport.  It is free to attend, and there will be fun for the whole family including artists, crafters, music, and activities throughout the day.  Click here for complete details and directions.

There is also the MOPACA Invitational Alpaca Show this weekend at the American Royal.  Stephen and I went last year and had a blast!  There are more alpacas than I've ever seen in one place before.  It also has alpaca shows and other events throughout the weekend as well as some alpaca and other fiber vendors.  It is very family friendly too with many kids of all ages attending.

For wool roving, spinning fiber and equipment, hand spun yarns, and classes in the Kansas City area, check out the Woolgathering in Lexington, Missouri

Even though I live near Kansas City, it is still difficult to find local sources of wool roving, spinning equipment, and fiber classes.  There are several yarn shops and chain hobby stores that carry a wide variety of ready-made yarns, but there are very, very few places to find actual wool roving and spinning supplies as well as classes.

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 On facebook the other day, I happened upon just such a shop in Lexington, Missouri, called Woolgathering.  My husband was very sweet to take me and the baby girl for a little Saturday afternoon drive to check it out.  I was extremely happy with what I found.  It is an awesome fiber shop!  The shop carries all kinds of fiber arts supplies and equipment and even offers classes on spinning, knitting, and crochet.   It also has very reasonable prices.  I left there with a bag full of roving and know that I'll be back for more.  Also, Lexington is really a sweet little town with oodles of charm.  I could see making a day trip of it to explore the downtown area and eat there.  (Although, it isn't too far for a quick trip for supplies either.)  When you get the chance, I highly recommend that you go check out Woolgathering for yourself.  If you are a fiber artist or fiber junkie of any kind local to the Kansas City area, I think it is well worth your drive time.

A Cruel (and Expensive) Lesson Learned: Why I will never Consign again!

After having one minor bad experience consigning to an arts and crafts shop out of state, I decided to amend my personal consignment rules to only include local Kansas City area shops.  I thought that this way I would be able to keep an eye on things and make sure that my items were taken care of, displayed well, and that the payment checks were on time.  In hindsight, I realize that it was wishful thinking on my part.

It is an understatement to say that for the past year, I have been busy.  Let's see... I had a baby (life changing!), opened a new Etsy shop for my stamp designs, opened a new ArtFire shop, and added fiber supplies and kits to my line of products.  That is just hitting the highlights too.  It doesn't even include the day to day events of life that can sometimes be overwhelming.  Why am I bringing this up?  Well, it is just to say that my mind has been preoccupied.  I hadn't really thought much about my locally consigned items.  That brings me to my recent horror story of local consignment.

A while ago, I got an Etsy conversations message from a fellow local artisan and friend of mine asking if I knew that a local consignment shop had closed its doors.  My fellow artisan also asked if I had gotten any of my items back or payment for them.  Honestly, I hadn't thought much about this local shop.  I was "friends" with the owner on facebook, and she posted quite often to her page there - never mentioning closing up shop once that I remember, but rather talking a lot about traveling, going to the gym, and losing weight.  Well, she not only closed up shop, but she apparently liquidated all her consignor's items and pocketed all the money from what I can gather.  My fellow artisan and myself have lost hundreds of dollars in merchandise and display items.  Not to mention what her other consignors might have lost.  It is angering and frustrating to say the least.

How convenient that the store owner can not be reached!  My fellow artisan had no luck at all in contacting the store owner.  The store owner responded to one of my emails stating that she'd return my items and the monetary value of the merchandise that wasn't accounted for, but I never heard from her after that one email and never received anything in the mail.  It has been a few weeks now with no response on her part and no merchandise or payment.  It is just shameful too that her store's website is still up with my stolen merchandise and display items pictured for sale on the "gifts" page.  I also believe that she is still may be doing business as a balloon artist in the Kansas City area.  She's even had articles written about her as if she is reputable.  It is all quite disgusting if you are seeing it from my my point of view.

Where does that leave me you might ask?  Plainly spoken, up a creek without a paddle.

I have a signed consignment agreement and merchandise list, but that really does me no good at all if I can not contact the store owner.  And, it really doesn't help if the store owner is dishonest as in this case.  You might wonder why not seek legal action.  There are two main reasons: expense and time.  I have a good case to collect from the fraudulent shop owner, but the court costs and other fees involved would probably be more than the actual cost of my items.  The entire situation seems very unjust to me.  It is not fair that someone who represents themselves as a reputable local business person in reality is nothing more than a thief and criminal.  Ah, but no one said that life was fair...

Now what can I do?  I can learn a valuable lesson and make wiser business decisions in the future.  Therefore, I personally will never consign again.  This is not to discourage others from consigning or to say that all consignment will end badly because I know that there are honest business owners out there.  I recommend doing what works well for you and your arts and crafts business.  It obviously does not work well for me to consign so I will focus my time and resources elsewhere.  I just wanted to share my experience to hopefully benefit others.

Organizing my wall of wool

 

We had good intentions of going to church on Sunday morning, but the weather thought otherwise.  Since we woke up to freezing ice pellets falling from the sky, we decided it would be best to just stay in.  Most of the day we lounged around, ate, and watched movies.  I even got to sleep in to a shamefully late hour thanks to my husband who played Mr. Mom to our baby.

In the evening, I decided to accomplish one thing for the day - organizing my wall of wool and studio/office.  For some of you fiber artists out there, my collection of wool roving and other fibers probably seems meager.  I estimate over 20 pounds there that I've gathered over the last few years which is quite a lot to me, yet it never seems enough at times.  And, I had another 5 pound box that I didn't have enough room on my wall for.  Not only did my piles and piles of wool get a makeover, but I also cleaned up my entire studio/office space which was quite a chore.  I'm glad that I took the time on Sunday to straighten things up.  I always feel much better when my work space is organized with everything in its place.

This makes me wonder how others organize there own wool roving, fibers, yarns, etc.  If you'd like to share, please post a link in the comments to a photo of your own "wall of wool" or otherwise studio or office space.

How spending just $5 can make Photos of your Handmade Arts and Crafts items look Professional

Quite a while ago, I built a home made light box to use with the help of my dad and husband.  Thus far, it has served me well and allowed for some great amateur photos of my handmade products.  Recently, I wanted to create more professional looking, polished photos of my hand felted fashion accessories for submission to an upcoming publication.  After doing a little research online, I came across a super cheap way to achieve that lovely black to white gradient background that is often seen in the photographs of art pieces and fine crafts.  If you buy a professionally produced graduated photography background it can cost upwards of $50 or more depending on the size, but I've found a way to achieve the same effect for just $5.

As a small arts and crafts home business owner, my budget is tight (actually slim to none most days!) so I always seek out inexpensive alternatives when possible.  While researching this topic online, I came across a forum discussion that suggested creating a printable file in a program like Photoshop with a simple black to white gradient and having it printed at a local print shop.  In the discussion, this link is provided to an already prepared file, size 24 x 36 inches.  I saved that file to my flash drive (right click and "save image as"), took it to my local Kinkos, and had it printed in black and white on their large format printer for less than five bucks!  And, it works!  I've been using it in my home made light and as a background for my dress form with wonderful results.  Granted, it probably will not last a long time because the paper is a standard printer weight, but it is easy to cheaply replace when it rips or creases.

I just thought that I'd pass along the information to those who might want to give it a try.  You do need a decent light box setup or good light source to work with.  In the images on this post, you can see a couple of examples of my new "professional" photography style.  If you'd like to see more of the photos that I've taken with my new (cheap) background, check out my flickr photo stream for a variety of my handmade felted wares.

5 Super Cheap Things to Help Brand Your Small Arts & Crafts Business and Make It Look Big!

At one point in time (seemingly eons ago now), I was an actual graphic designer.  I must admit that has helped me tremendously with developing an online arts and crafts business.  I can make all my own graphics, packaging, and other branding materials.  You don't have to be a graphic designer though or even dabble in it that much to make your small indie business look very professional and run with the big boys.  Over the years, I have learned some very inexpensive ways to put up a good front and make my business look professional on a budget.  I thought that I'd share my top five cheap things with you.  I hope you find it helpful.  (FYI - Most of these tips assume that you have a computer and printer and a basic level skill at using them.)

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Brand Yourself on a Budget!

1. Get a logo!  You need to have one consistent name and/or image (even if it is just your name in fancy lettering) to represent your business.  This can seem daunting I know if you aren't that computer savvy.  Well, my advice is... if you aren't a graphic designer or up on the latest graphic software, hire someone to make it for you.  You might be thinking "Isn't that a load of cash to have done?"  The answer is.... NO!  Check on Etsy, ArtFire, and other handmade type websites for some great deals on logo design.  There are some talented designers offering their services very cheaply on the side at these places.  Take advantage of it if you need to.  And, if you aren't a designer, please don't try to whip one up for yourself.  A bad logo image can do more harm for your brand than you probably realize.  Do what you do best and pay a little to have others do the rest.  Trust me on this one.  It is worth it!
2. Get packaged!  If you are an online business, you still need to represent your product well with its packaging and labeling.  You also need to be somewhat consistent in colors and style.  Here's some cheap ideas to get you started...  Buy a pre-made stamp(s) or have a custom stamp(s) made with your logo on it to use for making hang tags, clothing labels, return address labels, stickers, bookmarks, etc., etc., etc.,  The possibilities with a stamp are really endless.  (Click here for a post on custom stamps and branding.) I also offer tagging and labeling stamps in my new Etsy shop.  Another option is to once again check out Etsy, ArtFire, or another handmade type website for some great deals on tags and paper goods for packaging.  Your local hobby shop also carries great paper goods as well as decorative scissors and paper punches to make your own tags and labels.  If you are a little computer savvy, you can easily use it to print some labels to cut out.  Then, of course, you can always make your business cards do double duty by punching a hole in the corner and attaching it to your items with a cute ribbon.  That brings me to my third point...
3. Get some business cards!  There are several places online that offer a dandy little tool to help you design your own business cards quickly and easily.  I personally like OvernightPrints and have used their services for a couple of years now and always been satisfied.  I highly recommend signing up for their promotional emails too.  It is totally worth getting a little spam for the great deals that they offer on a regular basis.  You can often get a discount or 100 business cards for free with their promos.  Another option is to have a business card size custom stamp made.  You can simply stamp several new cards at once when you run low.  Finally, if you are a little computer savvy, you can print your own business card designs on card stock paper.  Be careful doing this though because they can look cheap and be flimsy, and you don't want your business represented as cheap.  You just want to be cheap with your business budget.
4. Get a domain name!  To this one, I know that you might say "Yikes!" because it seems a bit advanced and costly, but it really isn't.  You have options for this that are inexpensive and don't require any graphic design skills on your part.  First of all, it can be as cheap as $5 per year to register your domain business domain name.  I highly recommend that you visit a site like GoDaddy or another registry site and pay the small registry fee to at least own your own domain.  If you don't buy it someone else will eventually!  This actually happened to me with the domain name "funkyfelter" when a real shister bought the name and emailed me relentlessly to purchase it for an outrageous amount of money.  Fortunately, I like my current domain name ("thefunkyfelter") and did not need to own the other one.  It is a good lesson to learn though so purchase your domain business name, or something similar to it if it is taken, for future use.  Your own domain name also gives you credibility as well as allows you to be found more easily when searched for online.  Now on to the website...
5. Get a website!  This is the part that may really blow your mind.  Take a deep breath!  It is really not that complicated.  You have a few options, some of which are even free.  First of all, you can use your existing domain name to point to another location like your blog or your Etsy shop.  If you plan to open up any other shops, like an ArtFire shop or etc., I don't recommend pointing the domain directly to your shop.  A blog is a good alternative though.  You can register one for free at blogger and other places.  You can also easily design and modify your blog with side bar content and article posts.  You can have links to all your other online shops and networking like Twitter and Facebook Fan pages.  A blog can be a good home base that costs you nothing.  Another upside to having a blog is that they are highly indexed by Google searches (especially blogger which is part of Google) and, therefore, you will be more easily found by others searching online.  This is especially true for those who post regularly and use their titles and label keywords well.  Another cheap option to a blog is a one page website that can be used as a home base.  You will probably need to pay a little more with your domain registry though for actual web hosting if you go this route.  If you check (um, you guessed it!) Etsy, ArtFire, or another handmade type site, you can find one page web designs for fairly inexpensive to purchase considering what an ad agency or freelance professional would charge you.  If you go this route, do ask for references or examples of their work if they don't have it readily available.  Also, ask them if they know about "SEO" and how to optimize your site so it is found easily in searches.  Depending on what domain register you used, sometimes they offer free design templates for one page websites with your registry; therefore, you wouldn't necessarily have to pay for web hosting.  And, although I am not very familiar with them, there are some free online design templates available if you search for them.  I think that these would require some computer knowledge though as well as some design instincts to make them look professional and appealing.  Unfortunately, I have seen arts and crafts websites that used free templates, and it has not enhanced their brand.  Quite the opposite!  So be picky about going that route.

There you have it.  From several years of selling online, that is the basic things that I recommend to get you started when you are also considering a tight budget and developing your brand.  (A tight budget is usually all that I have to work with anyway!)  I also recommend doing steps 1 - 5 as closely together as possible.  If you do one little thing at a time, then decide to revamp your brand later on, it can be time consuming, costly, and difficult to transition.  Think ahead and know how you'd like your small arts and crafts business to represent itself to the public.

As an aside, there is one more thing that is totally free and invaluable in developing your brand.  Time.  If you are serious about making your small indie business self-supporting, you must be willing to spend quality time on it daily.

What are your most and least favorite Artsy Craftsy Forums out there in Cyberland?

There are a LOT of forum venues out there on the world wide web.  It really seems endless.  I do find forums to be helpful though.  Let me clarify: if you know where to go and have a good question or keywords to search, you can really find wonderful information and wonderful people to communicate with.  On the flip side, some forums are not worth my time any more, and sometimes there are forums which can be a little hostile in nature no matter what you post and who responds.

So.... I am asking you, yes Y-O-U, what forums do you like most and frequent, and perhaps, if you are brave enough to share, what forums do you like least or find least helpful?  Please leave a comment with your answer or post it to your own blog and leave a link in the comments.  (You might even ask your own readers what they think.)  Inquiring minds (okay so maybe just me) want to know.

Here's my answer for ya...
Bestest ever forums that I either frequent often or find very helpful...
www.feltingforum.com - just love it for all kinds of great fiber info and swell people too.
www.theswitchboards.com - although I don't frequent it very often anymore, it is a great resource for small arts/crafts businesses and women in business.
www.kcetsy.ning.com - this one is private because it is my local Kansas City area Etsy team, but I really love the forum that we have and the group itself.

Then there's....

www.etsy.com/forums_main.php - Etsy's forum... uh, well, I use to absolutely love it.  I still find it quite useful to search for great information, but I don't post there like I use to.  I find the atmosphere to be mean-spirited now, and I often feel like I am being picked on.  It makes me sad.  I am not putting it on my "least" list because I really don't have any forums that I feel are a complete waste of time, but I would put it on my "be cautious" list for others.

and...

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=forums - ArtFire's forum... like the rest of ArtFire, it has great features and is very easy to participate in.  I honestly haven't been there that long so I don't have a strong opinion either way, but so far so good...


There you have my list...  What about yours?

Is there such a thing as Question Etiquette? What to ask and not to ask the Handmade Artist and Crafter about Techniques, Supplies, and Business Practices

This is a subject that I have been pondering for a while now.  What is the etiquette for asking an artist or crafter about their handmade items, techniques, suppliers, and business in general.  I actually get quite a few questions on a weekly basis on a wide range of subjects.  I don't mind the questions.  I love to communicate with fellow fiber artists and the public in general.  But...(of course there is a "but" here!) Some of the questions that I get asked can be a little, um, forward and even strange at times.

So my question is... What is okay to ask a professional artist or crafter and what is just taboo?

Here's my take on the subject...
I usually answer questions pertaining to my felting techniques.  It is all on a question-by-question basis of course.  And, unfortunately, no, I don't have time to type out detailed written instructions for you on how to make something.  I get this question once in a while - "Could you give me detailed instructions on how you make (fill in the blank here)?"  I'm happy to give you some pointers, but I feel like there are enough online resources and books out there to adequately teach you about in-depth felting techniques.  If I get this kind of question, I usually point the individual to free online felting resources and tutorials.

I usually don't answer questions about where I buy my supplies or get my materials.  Ordinarily, it is a competitor asking the question.  I personally do not feel obligated to share my well researched sources with the competition.  Call me crazy, but I feel that is just bad business practice - no matter how nicely you might ask or if we've crossed paths before.  I try to be gracious about my knowledge and not stupid.  I've decided that you have to draw the line somewhere.

It is a toss up whether or not I answer questions pertaining specifically to my business and business practices.  I usually share this kind of information and resources on my blog in posts like this one if I feel it is something that will help the arts and crafts community as a whole.  If I feel a business oriented question is too prying into the personal realm, then I politely decline the question and usually give some online resources for the person to research on their own.

Well, that is the sum of how I currently handle questions.  How do you dish out answers to questions pertaining to your art/craft, technique, suppliers, and business in general?  Do you have an established etiquette or do you take it as it comes?  I'd love to know!  (Oh, there I go asking you questions... Ha!)

Kansas City Etsy Street Team Blog Giveaways = a chance to win fabulous contest goodies!!

The KCEtsy Team is proud and excited to feature COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS - 18 weeks of wonderful blog giveaways from now until December! Don't miss your chance to win some fabulous free items from this very talented team!

Although I've been a bit absent in participating with my local team due to the birth of dear baby Rowynn, I am still very happy to be considered a part of it. Please check out the KCEtsy Team Blog for a chance to win some wonderful items each week from my fellow team members.

Come see me and my handmade felted goodies at the No Coast Craft-o-rama this weekend in Minneapolis! Shop, browse, and buy!

If you live in the Minneapolis area or just happen to be there this weekend, don't miss out on the No Coast Craft-o-rama. It is an extravaganza of top notch handmade arts and crafts. I will be a vendor this year, and I'm thrilled about it! I'll be selling a wide range of my felted goodies from hats to scarves to wrist cuffs to needle felted jewelry to brooches to wallets to . . . and the list goes on and on. I'll literally have hundreds of items displayed for sale. Some of them you can see in the photo above, and there are some brand new items that are not listed in my Etsy shop too. Besides my felted goodies, there will also be dozens of other vendors with handmade items from soaps to screen prints to jewelry to . . . well, the list goes on and on.

I will be in booth number C-4 (right by an entrance area). If you plan to go, please look me up on the vendor map and stop by. I'd love to meet you! Be sure to introduce yourself and let me know that you read my blog. And, as far as my blog goes, this will probably be the last post that I make until early next week because I am knee deep in handmade felted goodies in preparation for the big event. I will also be putting my Etsy shop in vacation mode later today or tomorrow until sometime early next week. If you've had your eye on anything there, I'd suggest that you snatch it up now. With over 10,000 visitors expected at the two day show, I don't know what I'll have left when I return (hopefully not much!). You can find more info about the No Coast Craft-o-rama below or visit the website for complete details. I sincerely hope to see you there!


When: Friday, December 5, from 3 PM to 8PM and Saturday, December 6 from 9 AM to 5 PM
Where: Midtown Global Market on Lake Street in Minneapolis
Who: Anyone and Everyone who loves crafty and artsy things! (It is a great place for Christmas and Holiday gift shopping!)
How much: It is free to get in, but I know that you'll be tempted by all the handmade goodies there so bring some cash!
What else: There are many great places to eat at the Midtown Global Market.

Great Advertising Opportunity: The Funky Felter's Holiday Shopping Guide for Handmade Arts and Crafts

I've decided to do a Holiday Shopping Guide to go along with my main website. It is an inexpensive advertising opportunity with the potential for good exposure. Between my blog and main website, I receive over 4,500 visitors a month. That's a possibility of over 12,000 new potential buyers finding you! Ad spots are only $28 for the 3 month long featured shopping guide. Compared to other indie advertising spots and guides, it is quite an inexpensive investment. After much research and purchasing of advertising on my own, I decided to host the holiday shopping guide to offer my fellow artists and crafters an affordable option. I'm also opening up the opportunity for you to grab the attention of my many loyal visitors.

If you are interested in participating, please go to my website for all the details. Please feel free to contact me or leave a comment with any questions.

Without further delay.... My nominees for the Brillante Weblog Award!

Since I've been nominated for this twice now, by Chrysti and by JeweledRabbit, I think it is about time that I got around to nominating some others for it. Granted, it is not a real deal blog award, but rather a hoax. According to JeweledRabbit's post, you can even find the award listed at the Museum of Hoaxes. Even though nobody is winning a prize with this fake award, I still think it is a fun way to give admiration to a few fellow bloggers who's posts I enjoy reading. At the end of my "nominations" below, you'll find a list of the rules for participating. And, for those ten featured bloggers, if you don't want to participate, it is not a big deal to me personally. I simply hope that you are pleased at being featured and being (fake) nominated for this (fake) award. After all, it is an honor just to be nominated as all big stars say.

Drum role please . . . The Funky Felter's Brillante Weblog Award Nominees!

Zenabu - oh, how I love your blog with its wonderful variety of content and great business insight to boot! It is definitely worth a read.

Woolies - your blog is full of great giveaway contests as well as interesting personal tidbits. Thank you for sharing through your blog!

Daily Felt - I always find the most beautiful photos of both felted items and outdoor scenery on your blog. And, you are very generous to share your felting techniques too!

Twenty Pound Tabby - You are one of my more recent blog finds, but I'm so glad that I came across your blog. It has such great variety of posts with wonderful photos and commentary.

The Kansas City Etsy Street Team - I must give props to my peeps! This blog highlights our local area Etsy sellers as well as many other things to do with arts, crafts, and handmade.

Felting in Fibrespace - You are such a feltmaking inspiration and very encouraging as well! I thoroughly enjoy looking through your superb postings.

Sand Fibers - I've always admired your intricate bead work as well as your savvy business insight. Your blog is just more eye candy with all the great photos and features.

Crafts of Texture - Your blog is full of all kinds of fiber art related tips and advice. It is a great overall resource for those interested in textiles of any kind.

Felting at CraftGossip - I am so grateful for all the features of my own blog and felt work that you've graciously posted. Your blog is one of the most informative places to go for felt of all kinds. Thank you!

Alpaca Granny - You have been welcoming and an inspiration for me since day one on Etsy. And, your blog is full of sincerely written articles about your alpaca farm and family. It is a joy to read!


For those nominated who want to participate, here are the rules for participating in this game:

1. Add the logo of the "award" to your blog;

2. Add a link to the blog of the person who "awarded" it to you to your blog list;

3. "Nominate" at least seven other blogs;

4. Add links to those blogs on your blog;

5. Leave a message for each of the "nominees" on his or her blog.


I hope that my readers will find my nominations to be interesting and worthy. As for the nominees, I do really enjoy everyone of your blogs for different reasons. Best wishes to all of you and your blogging adventures!

How to increase traffic to your blog: things that I've found helpful and suggestions from you too!

So how do you get more visitors to your blog?  High traffic in the blogosphere is always desired.  It is not like in the real world where you usually can't wait to get away from the busy, overcrowded city streets and sidewalks.  Any traffic to your blog is considered good traffic.  Yes, "good" traffic - seems like a paradox if you consider the real world applications, doesn't it?  But here on the internet pipeline, especially for the small business owner, you want as many visitors and as much traffic to your blog and websites as possible.

There's a list of things below that I've found to be helpful in increasing my blog traffic.  This is kind of a "show and tell" post though so please follow up by leaving a comment with your own blog address and at least one way you've found helpful in increasing your own number of visitors.  

Ways that I've found to be helpful in gaining more visitors:

• I started posting more information on indie business topics and fiber art topics along with some personal tidbits here and there.  This provides a useful resource to my fellow small business owners as well as attracts new readers through search engines.  It is always appreciated and helpful to share relevant information about your area of expertise and life lessons so I recommend that you incorporate it into your blog.
  
• I use my tags and titles more wisely now.  I fill them with recognizable keywords so that search engines will find my posts.  I also try to use good keywords throughout my article posts themselves.  For example, if you google the phrase "handmade labels" my blog article on the subject is in the first few listed on the topic.  It has gotten quite a lot of viewers because of that high page ranking.
• I submit my blog to top search engines so that they will be certain to find me.  I also submit my etsy shop url and other websites to search engines.  Try looking at the site FreeWebSubmission.com for a listing of where to submit your own sites.
• When I post a topic that I think is particularly useful concerning indie business or fiber arts, I make it known by posting in forums that I belong to.  I try to be discerning about this and only post about my most useful topics so that I don't get spammy about it and annoy others in the forum.
• I join blog catalogs and other blog promotional sites like Scoutle which all help in driving traffic to your site and increasing your internet search engine page ranking.  If you look at the right side bar on my blog toward the bottom, you can see a list of a lot of the blog catalogs and other promotional sites that I am a member of.  Just click on the icon links to sign up yourself.

That's the basics of what I've been doing to increase my blog traffic.  And, of course, post regularly and enjoy writing about what you are posting because it shows through in your articles.

As far as my blog traffic goes, it is steadily increasing.  The most daily views that I have had recently was just over 600 - yay!  I regularly have anywhere from 50 - 200 views per day on average.  It is exciting to see your blog's readership grow along with its subscriptions.  Happy blogging to all of you out in the blogosphere, and please share your suggestions and your own blog link in a comment!

Handmade Artists and Crafters, do you have your own website? Here's some handy dandy internet tools for search engine optimization and etc.

Hey artists and crafters out there, do you have your own website? I know that there are a lot of Etsy sellers that just use their Etsy shop as their website, but I'm talking about your very own registered domain name (a .com or .net address). I personally like having my own website outside of my Etsy shop and blog. I feel like it is very helpful for integrating all of my online venues and providing information and resources that don't belong elsewhere. I admit that I'm not that web design savvy, but I did manage to build my own site, and I'm constantly looking for little ways to improve it. For instance, I spent some of this morning updating my meta tags which I'll probably be updating again. I thought that I'd pass along some useful links in analyzing and improving your personal websites. Some of these tools also work on your Etsy shop and blogs. If you have a great online tool to share that will help improve our websites, shops, and/or blogs, please leave a short description and link to the tool in a comment. Also, if you'd just like to share your personal website link, I'd like to see those as well.

RESOURCE LIST

Page Rank Tool
http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php

Meta Tag Analyzer
http://www.seocentro.com/tools/search-engines/metatag-analyzer.html

Link Popularity Check
http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop

Backlink Checker
http://www.iwebtool.com/backlink_checker

An Explanation of How Search Engines Work
http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/keyword-basics-part-1-how-search-engines-work

Improving Search Engine Results: Using Meta Tags
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/chap15.shtml

Major Search Engines and Directories
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156221

A List of Search Engine Submission Pages
http://www.freewebsubmission.com

A little peak at my home based fiber art studio and some organization tips for your own arts and crafts work space

I thought it would be interesting to share this photo today. It is of my wool stash along with some of my other felting supplies. It is just a portion of one of my walls in my home-based fiber art studio. Last December, my parents helped my husband and I renovate our basement into a work area for my felting obsession. (All paid for by my Etsy shop earnings! Yay!) We converted about one-third of our basement area into a comfortable space for all my fiber art and other craft supplies. I also have plenty of room to create and leave ongoing projects out as I work on them. Before I had my basement studio, I used a tiny dining room area on our main level. Needless to say, I feel very blessed to have a much larger space now with room for everything and room to work too.

In the photo, you can see how I've organized most of my wool roving and yarns. I actually use closet organizers that hang from a rod which is fastened to the ceiling. The square bin closet organizers float freely a few feet away from a side wall. This way, there is room behind them to walk, clean, and store other things. Also, I think using the cloth and plastic closet organizers are ideal for storing roving and yarn as well as other lightweight arts and crafts supplies. I can easily see what colors and kinds of wool that I have in stock, and I can clean and rearrange very easily with the open faced cubbies.

You can't really see it very well in the photo, but I have a four foot work table sitting in front of the right two closet organizers. This way, I can sit and work on designs with ready access to all my roving choices. Behind the work table, I have shelving to store beads, jewelry findings, tools, etc., that I need access to easily when creating. With my roving storage, work table, and additional shelving all in one central location, I have access to almost everything that I need when designing and creating. As a feltmaker, you do need a water area as well. For this, I have a wet area set up in a separate section of my basement studio along with a large six foot table to work on. I keep my wet felting area apart from my dry studio area, but it is just on the other side of a wall so it is not very far to go. I also have one other sectioned off area for picture taking and storage. Technically, my studio space has three segments, each with walls separating them. There are still many things that I'd like to do for my work area to be completely to my satisfaction, but I am very thankful to have a nice area of my very own to work and conduct business.

Perhaps you also have a well organized area for your arts and crafts endeavors. Or, maybe your "studio" space is merely the kitchen table or a desk with some storage space. I think the key to utilizing and enjoying your work space is in organization. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping it clean and tidy, but rather setting it up in a systematic way for your purposes. Below are some (hopefully) helpful tips to get you on the right path to organization for your work space.

Organizing Your Studio Space

1. Keep in mind what your purpose is. When designing the layout for your arts and crafts work area, no matter what its size, always remember your purpose. Hopefully, your purpose is to create. With this in mind, think about the placement of your most important supplies and tools. Can you easily access them? Are they where you can see your choices of materials?

2. Make all things important easily accessible. You must admit that there are some supplies, tools, etc., that just aren't as important as others. Perhaps there are supplies that you don't need access to every day, but there are going to be supplies that you do need access to on a daily basis or each time you create. Be sure to make these supplies clearly available to you. It will save you time and effort searching for them later.

3. Be sure to have a clear work space. When my work space was our tiny dining room area, I never seemed to have one open place to work. All the table tops and shelving were full of stuff. I often times ended up taking my project to our living room and taking over in there as well. Now that I have definite clear work table, I see its great value! Don't set up an obstacle for your creativity by not having an open place to comfortably create. Even if your space is terribly limited, make it a priority to have a small area that is always clear and open for you to begin a new project or continue an old one. Designate a work space area for yourself.

4. Store your supplies with care and thoughtfulness. My mother is an extremely organized and clean person. She always taught me to care for my belongings so that they would last a life time. I hope that I've taken this attitude into my crafting as well. Many of you, as I do myself, spend quite a lot on supplies and tools for your arts and crafts. Therefore, it is important to store and care for you supplies properly. Choose the right type of storage for your chosen art or craft. Then regularly check on your supplies to clean, organize, and care for them.

5. Put a personal touch on your studio. Regardless of how well organized your work space is, if it doesn't feel like your little artistic safe haven where you can be free to create, then you will probably not accomplish much. This is why you should put a personal touch on it! In my own studio space, I have things that make it feel comfortable and inspirational. For instance, I keep a rocking chair in it. It is not just any rocking chair, but it is the 30+ year old rocking chair that my mom and dad rocked me in as a baby. I know it is very sentimental, but it is really the only very personal item that I have in my studio space. I like to sit in it and rock when I'm feeling uninspired.

Do you need some visual motivation and ideas for your studio?
Visit these Flickr groups for photos of craft rooms and studio spaces:
Craft Rooms
My Crafting Room (private - must join to see photos)
Art Studio
Artist's Studios

Persistence is free but invaluable: the single most important trait (besides talent) for the handmade artist or crafter

I have been frequenting the Etsy forums lately - probably much more than I should. With so many like-minded artists and crafters to chat with and a never-ending stream of crafty information it is very hard for me to stay away. While surfing through the endless posts there, it seems that I've noticed one distinct theme among many Etsy sellers' discussions, especially in the Business Topics section. And, as usual, it has to do with selling, in particular, how to sell more. Whether it is a new seller discouraged because they haven't had a sale yet or a seasoned seller discouraged because of the lagging economy and thus lull in sales or a question of how to promote or market more in order to sell more, it all falls in the same category of wanting to sell, sell, sell! Don't get me wrong, I am not putting down this behavior - hey, on Etsy, there are many shops to compete with, not to mention the entire world of internet shopping. It is only natural for a business person (large or small) to be concerned with how to boost their selling. All the chatter about it has made me think what is at the core of success in this area.

Although successful online selling in the realm of handmade arts and crafts has a lot to do with the product your offering and the talent of the artisan, I think that ultimately it is persistence that can define overall success. I know that mentality probably seems simplistic, believe me, I know! I, like many others, spend most of my day on small tasks that add up to improve my business. Whether it is about making the product itself or finding new ways to promote that product, there is a huge amount of effort that goes into running a small indie business. Yet, it is the dedication and willingness to repeat those necessary tasks that ultimately grow a successful business.

And yes, I have seen some sellers on Etsy who appear to have overnight success, but what does that mean, other than that their persistence can be focused in other places than marketing efforts. A successful seller still has to have the stamina to remain persistent in their task of delivering a good product, or they may not be successful for long. Then there are sellers who want that kind of success or another kind of success, depending on how they choose to define the word, and have other tasks to be persistent with so that they can achieve what they're after. All-in-all, what it boils down to, is the willingness to keep on going - creating, promoting, selling, and repeat. I have found that the longer I do this, the more "successful" I become.

Here are some of my suggestions to remain persistent..........................

1. Develop a routine. Yes, you artsy fartsy artist, keep track of your time. I'm sure that there are some of you that are already list makers and note takers, but for those of you that aren't, try to develop some rhyme and reason to your day so that you can be the most productive all-around with creating, promoting, and selling. If you aren't a full-time artisan, this can be tricky, but even if you are a part-time, weekend, or evening artist or crafter, try to set some time goals for your week. Such as, you may choose to spend X amount of hours this week on your goals.

2. Set some goals. So what is your intent with your small arts and crafts business? Do you want to make it full-time someday (if it isn't)? Do you want to start consigning or wholesaling or selling online (if you aren't already)? Do you want to develop a new product line, etc.? It is easier to be persistent when you know what you are being persistent for so set some basic (non-overwhelming) goals for your indie business. You can do this yearly, monthly, or weekly, or as I do, set goals for all three time frames.

3. Get organized. This means everything, yep, everything. Organize your work space, your business papers, your online venues, etc., etc., etc. I admit it; this is the one that I probably have the most trouble with - especially the paper work part! Although, I find that when I have a nicely organized space to work in, it helps me to organize my thoughts, achieve goals more quickly, and persist in my creative and business endeavors.

4. Get legal. So if you haven't already done it, and you're serious about being a part-time or full-time money-making artist or crafter, you need to make sure that you have all the proper paperwork in order. This can vary from state to state and city to city so check with your state's government website and your city's website to see what you need to do. You may ask what this has to do with persistence. Well, if you think of your business as "the real deal" with all the necessary paperwork, you are more likely to take it seriously in my opinion and persist for its success.

5. Develop your art/craft. This comes up a lot in the design courses that I teach at a local community college - students are still trying to find their niche. I know that it took me several years to come across fiber arts and feltmaking and to realize that it was this media that I could ultimately express my style. Although I am an experienced graphic designer, the truth is that my style and talent can ultimately be best seen in my fiber art creations. Sometimes it takes much time and experimentation to find the right media and talent for you - the one that will wow people and make them think that they can't live without your creations! Be persistent in finding this as an artist or crafter.

6. Do listen to others and don't listen to others. Wow, how confusing is that statement? Let me break it down for you. Always have an open mind and heart to others suggestions, but also have self-awareness to be able to judge what information you're receiving. Not all advice will be useful to you and your chosen art or craft. Be able to discern what is necessary information that will help you and your business grow. Persist in your endeavors. You are your own boss ultimately!

7. Don't be afraid to............... You fill in the blank here. Whatever it is that you know deep, deep down will help you to move to that next step in creating or promoting or selling or whatever, but you're just too afraid to do it - Don't! Just don't think that way. There is a quote that I love, although I'll probably mess it up and I have no idea who the author is, but here it goes..........."What would you accomplish, if you knew that you could never fail?" So what would you accomplish and what are you going to accomplish?

The image is that of a billboard that has always stuck in my mind for one reason or another. You can find the full story behind it along with several other inspiring stories at The Foundation for a Better Life.


And, as usual, here are some helpful links for you. Hopefully, these will help you to be more persistent in your arts and crafts endeavors.................

Routines, Schedules, and Organization:
Organizing Your Crafts and Hobbies from suite101.com
Home Based Craft Business Tips to Work at Home Effectively
Craft Room group on flickr - see photos of how others organize

Small Business Legalities and Development:
U.S. Small Business Administration - a resource for small businesses
Canada Federation of Independent Business
United States Patent and Trademark Office

Crafty Forums for inspiration, information, and advice:
Craftster.org's Forums
Etsy's forums
The Felting Forum
The Switchboards

Yay! I've been featured on Smidge.com

Woohoo! A big thanks to Kat at Smidge.ca - a rockin'awesome blog about indie arts and crafts! I really appreciate the fabulous feature that was written about my funky felted items. You can find the entire article here.

Here's what Smidge is all about in their own words:
"Many things inspired the creation of Smidge. It seems that along with a growing appreciation for handcrafted items comes a growing dissatisfaction for mass produced corporate items. While it can sometimes be nice to slap down a Five and pick up a nice,cheap deal at the local Giganto-mart, nothing, absolutely nothing, can be as satisfying and fulfilling as the pleasure of art. Art comes in many forms and one of the goals of Smidge is to explore those forms.

Smidge began in the mind of Kat early in October 2006. Having a life-long respect and appreciation of independent artists, Kat wanted to not only share their inspiring work with others, but develop a platform on which the artists themselves could gain exposure to their work while developing a network of contacts with potential buyers and other artists.

Smidge brings you the best of the indie movement featuring independent artists who create extraordinary things. Smidge strives to introduce you to quality, unique, handcrafted items. Either for yourself, loved ones, gift giving, or simple viewing pleasure. Smidge helps you turn your ordinary into extraordinary! Be inspired, fall in love. Support independent artists."

Now go check it out!