Tips for a Tuesday - Keepin' in Touch

So you've set up your Etsy site, to which you regularly add new treasures and relist older favorites. You've created a blog, where you post every now and again to remind those 60+ subscribers that you're still hard at work. Perhaps you even have a more robust website with a news section where you list events coming up. But all of these methods rely on your customers coming to you to hear the latest and greatest.

Enter the email newsletter. "Oh, but I don't want to spam my customers!" you think to yourself. Or perhaps you haven't been keeping track of people's emails, which in all honesty, you shouldn't be doing without their owner's permission anyway. Enter Mail Chimp (or another contact/email system), a trusty spiral bound journal of sorts, and a healthy sense of propriety.

The skinny on Mail Chimp.
I like them because they're free, super easy to use, they have a monkey as their logo, and it says funny things to you. I'm on their Forever Free plan: send 12,000 emails per month to 2,000 subscribers. Holy cow, like I'm ever going to send 12,000 emails per month to anyone (this is where that sense of propriety comes in). But how nice to have the option. I'm sure there are plenty of other wonderful similar services out there, but I'm going to champion these guys for a little bit. With Mail Chimp, you can organize emails into different lists, create those fancy emails with the pretty pictures in them via a number of lovely templates, and then view data on the number of people that actually opened those emails, see which hyperlinks they joyfully clicked on, etc. They also offer a number of free training sessions if you want to become the resident expert.


Gathering emails. 
This can be done a number of legitimate ways. If you're a craft show person, bring a journal or a clipboard with pre-printed sheets where people can Join Your Mailing List. Make sure there's a pen with it, and that it's off to the side somewhat so people don't feel like they're in the way while filling in their info. I've found it's also helpful to fill in the first line to show what kind of info you're interested in. Do you just want their email address? Or perhaps their name so you can customize your mailings a bit more? Also, don't be shy about asking people if they'd like to sign up.

Mail Chimp also lets you create short and fancy online forms where people can enter their info and it gets automatically added to your list. See the little sign up box in the column of this blog? That's one example of the short form. I've added a fancier version to my own website, and have included a link to it in the message that gets automatically sent to my customers when they make a purchase through Etsy. In the fancy version, I've added a line where people can post comments of sorts. I've also added the short form to my own blog. 

Are you a facebook or twitter user? It makes sense to occasionally (and I'm thinking about once a month) to let people know you have a mailing list by posting a link to it there.

Ok, so you've gathered and organized your email lists. Now to determine what to share, and when to share it.

Enter that sense of propriety I mentioned earlier.

No one likes a spammer. Also, if you have too many people unsubscribing from your list on Mail Chimp, your account will get flagged. Personally, I'm fine with getting an email from a company once or twice a month. Any more than that and I get grumpy. I like to try and consolidate my announcements down to once a month. I'll list upcoming shows and announce new items that will be hitting my shop soon. It's also a nice place to let people know about discounts I'm offering for that month, which is another way to see how much traffic you're getting as a result of the newsletter.

Alrighty, I'm sure that's enough to get you started.

Good luck, and a happy Tuesday to you!
Maggie

Memorial Day Weekend!

Check out some Photographic Art at Photo!

This weekend, you *should* have planned yourself a little trip out of town. But, you are on a budget, here in the East Bay, looking for some arts and inspiration.

It's preview for Open Studios at Pro-Arts Gallery in Oakland. More details on what that is all about, here.

Here's something to do, totally free. Cruise Oakland and see some murals. They are all over, you just need to adjust your eyes to them. To help you tune in, check out Endless Canvas online. You will recognize some Berkeley and Oakland streets, for sure.

May 28th and 29th, the "What Will You Learn" folks are holding workshops on how to . . .

• Eat fire (3 hours, $95)
• Sequence your own DNA (1.5 hours, $39)
• Learn the basics of woodworking (2.5 hours, $28)
• Create a cast glass sculpture (3 hours, $95)
• Arduino with a Wood & Nail Breadboard (2 hours, $82)

More details here.

If you are like me, you know people who spent some time in Antarctica. Apparently, it exists, and is a place for bizarre celebrations. Royal Nonesuch is showing some Antarctica art. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Don't forget what the holiday is all about, either. I am against war, but I am not against warriors.

Wedded Bliss.

I am on a plane to New York City! as you read this post to watch a long time friend walk down the aisle to wedded bliss. I wanted to share a few tutorials I dedicated to the big event that I posted on my blog, How to Reuse it Creatively.

The first is a super easy Wedding Hairpin. If you have a blouse, button, thread and a bobby pin, you can make one too! Grab the full tutorial HERE.



The second is a funky, fantastic playing card boutonniere. If you believe life is in the details and want yours to stand out, try out this tutorial for a creative and one of a kind boutonniere. CLICK HERE to make your own.



What are your favorite upcycled and creative REuse wedding ideas?

3-2-1 Blast off!

As I approach the age and time of having my own place, house, or apartment and not with 4 other housemates, I'm constantly looking and thinking of ways and things to furnish my potential space. Regardless of the size, one thing is certain: I need lights.

Here's where funky, modern lights fly in from space ... or the kitchen. From Oakland, metalight of Etsy ships out the closest things you're going to get to UFOs and spaceships. Specializing in lamps, metalight's Sputnik series lamps are created from vintage aluminum colanders; they cast a soft, filtered light that's great for conversation, dining, listening to music, meditation, or even watching television. Measuring about a foot in diameter at its widest point, metalight's Sputnik lamps come with a 60 watt silver top bulb.

I can imagine this going well in any kind of room, especially for lovers of space, aliens, astronomy, or cool things in general. If you were the little kid who loved space and had a room with the glow-in-the-dark stars glued to your ceiling or just all over your walls, this is definitely a must-have item; kids who are fascinated with the cosmos will love having this as a dim light in their room. Just imagining its effect in an already space-themed room seems like it could be dreamlike. A glowing metal ball that casts star-like shapes on the ceiling? Yes, please!

Check out metalight's listing on Etsy now: Sputnik One star colander lantern!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

Tips for a Tuesday - Things to Bring to Your Craft Show

It happens every time. You've dragged yourself out of bed at some ungodly hour to haul yourself to a craft show. You've packed up your car, grabbed a cup of coffee and have arrived at the venue to unpack.

And then it hits you: Oh, crap, I forgot my (something entirely too necessary - a table cloth, change, business cards, sense of humor)!

Well, to help eliminate some of that stress, I've compiled a list of things that are usually pretty helpful to have. This is a culmination of other lists found all over the internet (this one has 160+ suggestions!) in addition to things I happen to find of particular use.

These are all good for both indoor & outdoor shows.

   * Your smile. People are much more willing to stop and look at your wares if you're wearing a smile. Yes, at times I want to throttle some of the people who make particularly annoying comments, but really, just kill them with kindness.

   * Tables, tablecloths and/or skirts
   * Chairs
   * Products & extra inventory - it's always better to have extra than not enough!
   * Displays & decorations
   * Price tags or lists - whatever you use, make sure it's easy to read from a bit of a distance
   * Business cards
   * Banner or sign with business name
   * Mailing list sign-up (if applicable)
   * Bags or boxes for purchases & tissue paper or protective wrapping
   * Receipts
   * Calculator
   * Pens
   * Change
   * Forms of payment sign - if you accept credit cards, you can download the logos here.
   * Cooler with water and something to keep hunger at bay.    

   * Inventory list
   * Money box or other container
   * Cell phone and/or laptop
   * Square reader for credit-card payments
   * Knucklebuster card imprinter in case there’s no wi-fi. Also, a list of things needed to process transactions.
   * Custom order forms
   * Something to work on if it’s slow
   * Fix-it tools in case damage occurs to item
   * Scissors
   * Tape
   * Extension cords, power strips, adapters
   * Lighting (always good to have your own!)
   * Any other tools you might need (hole punch, stapler, safety pins, etc.) I always find binder clips to be useful.
   * Camera


These are all good your outdoor shows.

    * Tent or canopy
    * Panels for sides
    * Concrete blocks or weights to secure tent; if you bring gallon jugs of water to drink, you can also use those as weights.
    * Rope
    * Sunscreen
    * Comfortable clothes/ extra layers/ blanket
    * Extra water
    * Sunglasses
    * Paperweights to keep business cards/promotional material from blowing away



I'm sure there are many other things that people find useful. I'd love to hear about your must-haves in the comments!
 

5 Triggers that Influence Price

We’ve all seen the pricing formulas.

They're usually some combination of materials and time. They can get a little confusing too. Should we add the cost of wasted materials? How about the time we spent marketing ourselves on social networks? As an artist I feel, why not? Our time is precious. Our materials are precious. We’re precious.

However, after a little digging, it seems like what's important to me—the artist—isn't quite as important to me, the customer...why, that insensitive twit!

While I care about the logical stuff like time, materials, and effort, the customer is guided by intuition and other nebulous triggers. Which is why the relationship between artists and customers can feel a lot like “You’re from Mars / I’m from Venus” (don’t think anyone has used a John Gray reference since the nineties).

In short, each look at pricing with a totally different lens. So what influences price in the customer’s mind? Here are five triggers I have identified:

Status

The definition of status has changed. It’s not about expensive cars and diamond studded necklaces. Today, the question is:

“If I posted this item as a status update, would it get a reaction?”

Social currency influences real world currency. And that can determine if a customer is willing to pay more. There’s no bulletproof formula for acquiring status. Sometimes, the least likely product will capture our imagination.

Here a pencil takes a stand against digital dorkery. Nobody cares that it only takes a few cents to manufacture. Since it is status worthy, people are ready to pay an unusually high markup.

Scarcity

This is one trigger we as artists address by default. There are only so many items one artist can make at their studio, which naturally creates scarcity. But if too many people start making similar stuff, then the price automatically drops in the customer’s mind irrespective of how expensive the raw materials may be. It's the same reason limited run items work better.

Relevance

What is important to people right this moment? It could be a certain style that's trending. Or a certain material. Expensive items may lose some cache during a recession. Or it's possible that items made in the US or even made locally within a 50-mile radius might be what people are looking for.

These wallets by Heathered are made from old maps. They're relevant to me as an East Bay resident. But I may also look for maps of places I've visited in the past or plan on visiting. The wallets are also very well executed.

Story

Can the product carry a three-minute conservation? The speaking points would have to extend beyond the product. What inspired it? Who made it? Why? These are bike earrings by Kendra of Girl on Bike. Clearly the artist rides a bike. The story is authentic which gives the product a lot of depth.

To top it off, they're original (never seen earrings made of bike tubes). And relevant. There's a lot to talk about. How much time went into making these and the costs of materials take a backseat (no pun intended).

Practicality

This is the most rational of all triggers. We all want something we can use. If an item covers some of the triggers mentioned above, AND it's practical then looks like you just climbed a few notches up the value curve.

So how do we set a price when most of these triggers are beyond our control?

Here are a few steps that may work.

Ask

Ask your target audience and other artists. If you ask the right audience, you will get the right answer. But you must give them permission to tell you the truth. If the price I hear from them isn’t worth my time and cost of materials, I’ll move on and make something else. However If it's an item I enjoy making, for the pure fun of it, their opinion on price doesn't matter as much.

Test it

Some artists test market their stuff at a few different price points and see what moves the product. It may take a lot of trial and error, but at least it's accurate.

Trust yourself

Whenever I am torn, I give my artist side a timeout and channel the customer in me. He's available 24/7 and can bring a refreshing amount of objectivity to the whole process.

Try it out. It may just work. And please share what works for you. Thanks!

Posted by Vinit
The Whiteout (Junk Rescue)
Kaamchor (Art from Stolen Office Supplies)

This is part of a monthly series on the touchiest of all subjects, pricing! The first post can be found here.

Young At Heart: Let Theater Thansform You

This week marks the opening of In Between, a collection of original short plays by the Ragged Wing Youth Ensemble. This inspiring group of young artists are responsible for the writing, direction and performance of this compelling show. Times, location and ticket prices are posted on the flyer.
For directions and more information on the Ragged Wing Youth Ensemble visit: http://www.raggedwing.org/youth

Get inspired by your favorite song.

Sometimes I stand in front of my studio table and my brain and hands seem to not be in communication. I can't get them to agree on what I should spend my time doing. And, everything my hands make, my mind analyzes to bits. One thing I have found lately that seems to distract me from myself is music. I am not one to listen to music while I work in my studio (no reason why, just never really thought of having music in my ears while I make stuff), but I do find that watching people perform is really inspiring. Some singers ooze emotion and passion and watching them do their magic usually gets me going!

Mick Jagger has endless amounts of energy when he performs. Watch him run around stage and see if it helps you get geared up to go create!



I have never really listened to Christina Aguilera's albums, but I caught her performance at the 2007 Grammys and was absolutely floored. Talented. Made me want to work at what I do in order to grow.



And, if you like rap and hip hop, this is a must see. Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon show us all how to have a good time, let go and be free with music. This always makes me smile.


http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif


So, what's your favorite music to listen to while you work (if you do that).

Or, is there a song you heard lately that totally revved you up to create? Send me a link, I want to hear it.

Happy Creating!
Lauren
upcycledunlimited.com

Tale As Old As Time

For a dress twice as old as me, this is lookin' good. Before I read the description, I immediately thought Beauty & the Beast, because of the beautiful golden yellow, and then I saw it described as:

"BEAUTY & THE BEAST GOLD BELLE, Size 4, Custom Made Original 50s Prom Gown"

Divelegant on Etsy has some gorgeously pictured vintage dresses in her shop, but this fairy tale dress was the one that really caught my eye, with its carefully composed photograph.

I've heard yellow is a hard color to wear, depending on your skin tone; however, I see this golden belle color fitting many different people well. I'm not particularly a girl for gowns, but just imagining getting fancy in this dress for whatever reason seems like a grand idea. I feel that if I put this dress on, I'd randomly burst into song. There's something sweet and almost kind ... this gown is most certainly refined.

Whether you're a girl who's looking for the perfect prom dress, a wedding, or something for a fancy holiday party, I don't see why this wouldn't catch your eye (besides looking for something to wear to the Black & White ball). While we generally think of dark, rich colors and longer gowns for winter occasions, since this is more of a golden color rather than bright canary yellow, I think it's a dress that would go well in any season, given the right accessories, shoes, etc. It's definitely a look that will bring warmth to your lucky date's heart or will turn heads, and perhaps catch the eye of an onlooker who may very well think to himself, "There may be something there that wasn't there before."

Come on, who doesn't like Disney?

Before I get to mushy, gushy, and lovey-dovey over this dress, divelegant can also make a 8" x 5" photograph with this dress at your request. I don't know much about vintage shopping, but to all the vintage shoppers out there, this looks like something that would be lovely to own. It's just so beautiful.

Check out divelegant's listing on Etsy now: Vintage 1950s Golden Prom Gown Size 4 for SALE as well as 8 x 5" beautiful photo for your vanity!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

Legal Stuff – New Tax Reporting

New flash – people sell stuff online! At least this seems to be news to the IRS, which suspects we are not paying income tax on these transactions.

Beginning with the current tax year, the IRS has instituted a requirement that any bank or other payment settlement company (such as Pay Pal, Pro Pay or Square) that processes credit cards, debit cards, and electronic payments such as PayPal will have to issue information returns telling the IRS the amount of the payments they process for merchants. An advance copy of the new return, Form 1099-K, can be viewed here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1099k--dft.pdf.

How does this new requirement affect you?

For many, if not most, of us the information will not be reported. There is a reporting exemption for small merchants, so processors are not required to report on any merchant for whom they process less than $20,000. in gross sales AND fewer than 200 sales. Also, there does not appear to be any mechanism for transferring data from one processor to another, so if you had $15,000 and 150 sales on square at events and $15,000 and 150 sales through PayPal online you would apparently fall below the reporting threshold.

Even if the information is reported, the IRS will have a hard time matching the amounts reported by your payment processors with the income you report, since the payment processors report gross payments, before they apply any processing fees. (I’m not advocating tax avoidance, I’m just pointing out some flaws in their process).

However, processors will still have to collect the data. Who knows, you might have a huge December and exceed the reporting exemption.

The first implication of this is that you need to provide a tax ID number. Presumably you have already provided this, but if you are a sole proprietor about to start accepting credit cards and find the idea of sharing your social security number with Square problematic you can get a tax ID number from the IRS here: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html This number is called an “Employer Identification Number”, or EIN, but you are not required to have employees to obtain one.

In addition, Form 1099K data collection and reporting is a big new burden for payment processing companies – note that the form requires them to report the revenue collected on a month by month basis. This implication is that we can expect credit card processing fees to increase. Of course, these are tax-deductible business expenses…which means the IRS may collect less income tax from those of us who have been paying our taxes all along.

Maybe it will create a few jobs….

Gabrielle

Mangosteenjewelry.etsy.com

Gabriellelessard.etsy.com

Things to See and Do

I came across this article in the East Bay Express, and the show looks really interesting!

Slow Food at Arts and Consciousness Gallery

Claudia Marseille, Jenn Shifflet, and Ellen Vogel, three graduates of John F. Kennedy University's Arts and Consciousness program, make the case for their alma mater's new-age/old-school values in Odyssey of Transformation: A Quest for the Genuine.Marseille paints "an interior terrain" populated by memory and perception. In "The Journey Home," "Foreign Lands," "I Can't Return," and "A Bit of Pink," she creates richly textured abstractions in translucent encaustic that invoke geology, archaeology, and anthropology — apt allusions for an artist who went on digs in her youth and sees culture as embodied psychology. The works also contain hints of her travels to "the souks, the spice markets, old peeling stucco walls, fabrics, ruins of past civilizations, and the multicolored reflections found in ponds and lakes" in Mexico, India, and Morocco.

I said it last time, and I will say it again--I STILL really want to go to this Gallery and get inside that gorgeous building! I have a terrible confession to make. I keep posting to these events, but then I only get to the Art Murmur, where I am happy as all get out to chat with customers (so blessed with positive feedback so far). Then I miss getting my inspiration batteries charged up with seeing other people's work.

Let's all do it together? Message me if you want to be my travel companion to one of these places, and I will try to pry myself away from the yarn.

I DID get to a recent gallery exhibit though, and I will link here again when the post is up.

Mark your calendars for May 21, 2011, and Murmurama! More details here.
It's going to be in Downtown Oakland, CA, Between 23rd and 26th Streets, between Telegraph Ave. & Broadway. Lots of galleries in one place.


Another great event from California Lawyers for the Arts:

Financial Planning for Creative People During Volatile Times

May 18, 2011 at 7:00 PM at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 50 Fremont Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-2228

How to make a Fabric Scrap Ring.

Most crafters have a pile of fabric scraps laying around. I discovered mine again the other day while I was organizing my studio. There are a great many things you can do with a fabric scrap. I thought today I would show you how to turn your fabric scraps into a brand new ring!

How to make a Fabric Scrap Ring:

1. Measure around the finger you would like to make the ring fit snuggly onto. Add 1/4 to that measurement.



2. Cut a piece of fabric so one side equals the measurement you calculated in step 1. Make the other side measure 2 inches.



3. Fold and iron down the edges of all 4 sides of the fabric.



4. Fold the fabric in half along the long side. Iron and sew the edge.



5. Cut two other fabric scraps into circles, one being larger than the other.



6. Place the circles on top of one another in the center of the fabric and then place button on top of that.



7. Sew your button and circles onto the ring fabric.



8. Fold your ring inside out and sew the edges together.



YAY! You have a new bright, festive, fresh and unique ring to wear around town.



Happy Creating!
Lauren
upcycledunlimited.com

I'm a peacock, you gotta let me fly!

With a store name like "Heavy Metal Vomit Party", what do you really expect to see? I wasn't too sure I wanted to find out, but the name was interesting enough for me to venture in. I'm pretty dang glad I did.

Kaiti Fink (also known as heavymetalvomitparty on Etsy) roams around the country selling her stuff. Among that stuff are pretty cool treasures, including handmade suede boots and jewelry made with real animal bones. Her items are crafted from found objects collected from her ventures, and the ones that really caught my eye were her Green Feather Earrings made from duck and peacock feathers. I have a thing for earrings and color theory, so you can imagine how wide my eyes got upon seeing the image of these peacock feathers ridiculously rich with color.

Each earring has one of each feather (duck and peacock), silver wire wrapped, and attached to a close backed earring finding. If you love cool colors, earthy tones, or just rich colors in general, this would be a desirable pair of earrings to have in a treasured jewelry box or hanging somewhere in your room for easy access to put on every morning or on a night out with friends. I've seen a lot of "feather" earrings from various retail stores whenever I'm out shopping, but ditch the synthetic materials for this! The beautiful eye-catching teal mixed with shades of green and brown on top of the dark duck feathers are definitely something to admire and is so much more worth it than the cheap pairs you might score at the mall.

Check out heavymetalvomitparty's listing on Etsy now: Green Feather Earrings!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

A Positive Dose : Be Yourself

"Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.” - John Jakes

Get Crafting! Long lists of Tutorials.

I was inspired by a link that Kendra of Girl on Bike sent me of a list of 25 different craft tutorials. I thought, hey, why not find other lists so that we could all have a bunch to choose from? Who doesn't like a little variety?

Here is the first list (25 tutorials) including lampshades, slippers, magnets and wallets.

Dollar Store Crafts gives us 52! more craft ideas including a

cushion cover,



a book page necklace,


and so much more.

Wow! That's 77 craft ideas! Let's find some more.

The Long Thread is one of my favorite blogs, and they have a compilation of 50 craft ideas just in time for spring.

The list includes a flower pinwheel,



a bird feeder,



and a bicycle bucket



That should keep you busy for a while.

Do you have any favorite craft tutorial lists? Share them here!

And, Happy Creating!

Lauren
www.upcycledunlimited.com

Spring on a playmat

Spring is here! I know this, because my allergies make me sneeze 3 to 10 times in a row while walking to work. But seeing bright, colorful images is a wonderful part of spring. Stacey Sharman (also known as PeppermintPinwheels on Etsy) creates handmade quilts and homemade accessories; the items that my eyes really love going back to are the baby mats and blankets.

Of all her padded baby mats, Stacey's "Padded Baby Play Mat with Rabbits and a Squirrel" is my favorite, probably because of bright mix of colors (green being my favorite). There's something about the combination of green, pink, white, rabbits, a deer, and a squirrel that shouts "SPRING" at my eyes; the best part is that my eyes don't get puffy and watery and my nose doesn't run when I see this image. Spring without the allergies? Yes, please!

Handmade using canvas-weight cotton on one side, and a soft heavy brown cotton on the other wise, the comfortability of these play mats is safe enough for your baby or toddlers to crawl around on and have fun with. The quilting is done in a diamond pattern with a lime green thread and the edges have been double stitched for added stability, so these bundles of love will last through constant play time and laundry days!

At approximately 24" by 38", this is the perfect item to take to the park, beach, or any outing to let your little one play on; here's yet another item to keep in mind for new moms! Many of Stacey's items are also customizable, so your baby can grow up with a personalized play mat with big, bold letters.

To top off this cute play mat, 5% of proceeds from Stacey's shop are donated to Kiva, an organization that provides small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries. To find out more, visit: www.kiva.org.

Check out PeppermintPinwheels's listing on Etsy now: Padded Baby Play Mat with Rabbits and a Squirrel!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene