3 years on Etsy!

I couldn't believe it when I checked the date this weekend.  Jan 12.  That's my 3 year Etsy anniversary!  I'm amazed.

To really drive home to me what I've learned, I've been putting together a presentation to my art guild about Etsy.  Going back to the beginning of how to get started setting up a shop has really brought back memories.  From the initial confirmation email to choosing a shop name and user name(which were the same thing when I started) to listing, shipping profiles and rates, uploading, policies and on and on. Honestly, I can't believe I actually did all that!  I guess I was motivated!

I have learned how to take a pretty good picture.  Good lighting and staging are key.  I've learned about the dreaded SEO.  Search Engine Optimization.  My things get found in search and on Google but I'm still learning.  I've learned how to make a treasury.  Time consuming but fun.  I learned quickly how to pack and ship.  Bubble wrap and peanuts for me and strong boxes.  Only 1 breakage in 3 years. I think the most important thing to learn is good customer service.  Answering convoes ASAP, working with buyers on custom orders, going to the extra effort to get things shipped quickly(within 24 hours in most cases) are all good practices.

I've become much more "social" on line.  I do have a Facebook page.  I have on line friends.  If you had told me 3 years ago that would be the case, I would have said you were nuts!

I get a lot more custom orders now and quite a few returning customers.  That makes me happy.  I'm currently working on a canister set, a bathroom accessory set and an 82 piece wine stopper order.  Not all for the same person!  I like to start off the year with a project and I have 3.  I did a wedding ceremony salt cellar last year that was fun and I learned a new technique for stamping onto thrown pots. I can't wait to try this again!

So my goal for this year is to surpass last year's sales  Every year has gotten better.  I'm as busy as I want to be without being crazy.  Temporary craziness is OK for a short term like around Christmas but slow and steady is really fine.  I'll keep learning.  And keep creating.

Home made Santa bag

I've been going to the post office with lots of boxes the past few weeks(YAY) and been feeling like Santa.  One lady at the post office even commented on how many boxes I had.  I've been using big black trash can bags( how attractive!) but could only get a few boxes in them at a time.  And they get holes torn in them, too.  So I decided to make a Santa bag!

I'm not very good at sewing but I can sew a straight seam, sort of. ;-)  I bought 2 flannel throws, stitched the bottom with 2 seams just for strength, stitched up each side, and folded over the top into a flap to run some cording through for a draw string.  I used an old drapery tie back in purple.  I tried to sew some black satin ribbon along the top but that didn't work.  I just had to rip that out.

flannel throw bought at the dollar store

I set up in my daughter's old room to spread out

this is the bottom

this is up the side

5 boxes, one 12 x 12 x 8, four 10 x 8 x 8

ready to go to the PO

I'm heading to the post office right now.  Then we go get our Christmas tree this afternoon. HO HO HO!!! 

Christmas in July!!

Gold star ceramic ornaments

If it's July, it must be Christmas in July on Etsy!  My sale is running July 2-29. I'm using Etsy on Sale this year to automatically give my sale section a 15% discount.
http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/WillowTreePottery

I've got a variety of items in my CIJ section, some holiday themed but most are just good pots that want to go home with someone else.  I'm hoping to clear out some shelves for more stuff!  You know I make a lot of stuff!

And you know, Christmas will be here before we know it!

I'm still here!

I'm so woefully behind on blogging.  I always feel if I don't have any good pictures to add then it's really not a blog.

Well, this is just me talking.  Random thoughts about my life at this moment.

I just turned 55.  I embrace every single birthday because for me every one after my 34th is a gift.  The car accident that almost took my life and changed my life forever is long past, 21 years to be exact.  Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday(especially when my bones are talking to me) and sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago.  Which it was...that was a different life.

This life I have now, I'm pretty happy with.  I love that I can play in the clay making what makes me happy.  I've been recently telling people my philosophy...that is, love what you make and make what you love.  I am thrilled that the things that I make are being enjoyed by people all over the world   Yes, I'm officially international with several overseas shipments to Japan, France, UK and Australia.

I far exceeded my goals for last year in my Etsy shop.  I had hoped to double my sales.  I actually tripled my sales.  And the new year is already starting off with 4 sales.  My husband has also decided at to get into the act with his own shop of wood turnings and soon, metal art. http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeirloomCreator  I guess he didn't want me to have all the fun! :-)

I've been blessed with a wonderful family and now my precious grand daughter.  Good friends, too.  Both in real life and virtually.  Now that is something I never thought I would say!  I have virtual friends!  Team mates on Etsy that are so supportive, blogging buddies and even facebook friends.  So I guess I have finally come into the 21st century.  It only took me 10 years, LOL!!

So I have rambled on enough now.  I promise I'll try to do better.  Just wait til Spring and I'll have lots to blog about.

Peace

Treasury for Tuesday

I put this together yesterday evening. Things pulled from my favorites list. It's always fun to see all the things Etsy artists come up with.

New kind of ring holder

I was playing around with some left over clay the other day and I had this inspiration for a ring holder.  I know other people hand build them but I usually do them on the wheel(easier).  So I  started pinching the saucer and decided it needed some stamps.  My first choice is always something with stars.  Yea, I'm that kind of person, ;)

I rolled out a little cone and then attached the two together. It's glazed in a pretty, speckled blue with darker blue on the cone.  I love the way it turned out and made several more with different textures, glazes, and stamps.

This one is in brown clay with butterfly stamps and a little butterfly cutout.

This one has butterflies stamped around the cone in a pretty  blueish gray over tan speckled clay.

They will eventually all be in my Etsy shop.  Some may make the trip to the mountains but not much is selling there.  I'm not sure what to think of all the changes made in the Etsy search.  I hope it will mean more views and sales.  I had to go in change quite a few titles to have the most pertinent words at the beginning of each title.  Just when I thought I was hitting my stride with sales.  Not so many that I can't keep up but enough to keep me busy.  I look at some shops that have 10 or 15 sales in a day and I think, wow, that would be awesome.  But then I think wow, that's a lot of WORK!!. So we'll see how this all shakes out and I know Christmas shoppers are just waiting in the wings!!!

What new things are you making?