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6/28/2010

Marketing Monday: Promo Swap

Skeleton PATCHes FIVE Pieces and Parts PATCH
zJayne

The Etsy Trashion team is going to do a promo swap!
What is a promo swap, you ask?

Think Again Matchbooks
remaker

According to Kimmy of bellavioletta, our Swap Coordinator,
A promo swap is to help our members promote one another.
Swap participants will send their promos/samples to the Swap Host,
& will receive back a mixture of promos & samples from all the other
swap participants.

London Underground map pin
maram

Items received should be included in outgoing sales packages,
handed out at craft shows / markets, or home shows / parties.
Team members should be creative in how they share the promos
and samples received!

Recycled Gift Card Ring
junck

Promos can be anything that represents a team member and his
or her work.
The purpose of a promo swap is to get our shop names
out to
customers we would not normally be able to reach. Some
examples of swap items: matchbook note pads, small thank you
cards, charms, yarn samples, soap samples, sachets. Anything
that shows off our talent and has our shop names will work.

Glass Tie Tack
taintbosh

So if you are an Etsy Trashion team member & wish to participate,
please visit our Yahoo group to sign up by July 12th!

Blue Heart Button Hairpin Set
kelliechristie

6/25/2010

Feature Me Friday: Taintbosh

This week for Feature Me Friday, we have Marie of Taintbosh
from Lafayette, Louisiana.

Who is Taintbosh?
I sell accessories and jewelry that are affordable and green.

Musical Notes Glass Pendant

What’s the first thing you remember making?
Painting a picture in pre-school.

Why work with recycled materials?
I think it forces more creativity and it is also a great way to
re-purpose all of the neat things I see while shopping at thrift stores.

Where do you work?
Kitchen table (photos would scare people).

Metallic Medallion

How do you get from A to Z?
I'm not sure. I start from what I have on hand and work from there.

What are your favorite tools?
Paint.

What music do you listen to while you’re working?
I watch TV, usually Netflix.

Owl Gift Tags/Bookmarks--10 Count

What are the five best things you’ve purchased on etsy and
where did you find them?

I love this Antique Silver Camera Pendant Necklace that I bought
from ninexmuse, plus she was very nice and shipped fast.

Read any good books lately?
I just finished Matthew Lewis' The Monk. Creepy but a classic of
Gothic literature.

Been to any great exhibits?
Not for a long time.

Who inspires you?
My Mom.

Dictionary Pendant Egg Beaters

What do you do for fun?
Craft.

Besides Etsy, where can we find you work?
I have been selling at one local shop. She is great.

How do you promote your work?
Usually word of mouth.

Right and Wrong

Have any words of wisdom?
Have fun.

What’s in your future?
Hopefully expanding my shop. I would love to get to 200 sales
before the end of the year.

6/22/2010

How2 Tuesday: Paypal Shipping

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If you use USPS to ship your packages and haven't met Paypal Shipping... please let me introduce you to...
Lower Shipping Fees & No More Waiting in Lines*!
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Paypal Shipping allows you to generate a USPS shipping label
for most services offered by the post office from the convenience of your very own Paypal account. Once a transaction is complete
you have the option of Creating a Shipping Label.
Try it!
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First Class Domestic
Parcel Post
Media Mail
Priority Mail
Express
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By clicking Print a Shipping Label you open a new page with
all of the To/From shipping info info Paypal has for you and your buyer. Simply check shipping info against your invoice to see that it's a match. Choose your shipping method from a drop down box, and add the weight of the package. Delivery Confirmation is
Free for Priority packages and only 19¢ for first class.
Additional services are available for a fee.
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Click to the next page where you're able to confirm the info
and shipping charges. If everything looks good, just confirm,
and print your prepaid shipping label.
No special equipment is necessary!
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The actual cost for shipping your package is automatically deducted from your Paypal account with no additional processing fees. Paypal will even send a message to your customer to let them know their package is ready to ship!
You can track packages from Paypal too!
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Paypal will also generate Customs Forms for International orders shipping via Prority Mail or Express.
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Small Flat Fate Box w/Delivery Confirmation at the Post Office = $5.65 (plus time getting to and waiting in line)
vs.
Paypal Shipping= $4.85
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If your daily mail provides pick-up you can send smaller packages directly from home. All prepaid packages can be dropped off
in a USPS mail box if it fits, or dropped off at your local post without waiting in lines.
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For more information log into your Paypal account, click on Merchant Service and then Shipping Center.
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If you ship using Priority Mail, USPS will send packing materials to your door for free! Find everything you need here.
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*Paypal Shipping does not have an option for First Class International. So for now, you'll have to treck to the Post Office.
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If you find youself shipping larger, heavier packages Etsy has a Seller Deal with Fedex. Setting up an account is free with no minimun shipping requirement. Create a shipping label online, slap it on your package and then find a local drop off location. They'll bill you just for packages shipped. No hidden fees.
Easy-peasy!
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Happy Shipping!
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Images © anyonesguess & USPS
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6/21/2010

Marketing Monday: Pretty Packaging

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xFm6-2MWhQc/TAMQSda_j3I/AAAAAAAAEVI/s2r82JU8JVU/s1600/4556709857_d1518574ae.jpg

I use plastic bags like these all the time - and reuse them,
and reuse them and reuse them.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xFm6-2MWhQc/TAMPe73ItII/AAAAAAAAEU4/MAQHp7sLn5c/s1600/4557356862_ec7d6acbf7.jpg
via Daydream Lily

What a clever way to dress them up for packaging!
You can take a marker to just about anything to dress up
your packaging.


via Nice Package

Kraft Paper Bags - Set of 10
nicepackage

happytape. happy spring colored set. japanese masking tape multi.pak 5
happytape

http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily/original/newspapers.jpg
mediabistro

On what will you be drawing?

6/18/2010

Feature Me Friday: tubbytabby

This week for Feature Me Friday, we have Jodi of tubbytabby
from Harrisburg, PA.

Who is tubbytabby?
It's my Jewelbox. It's very laid back around here. . . not much
formality. I also have a design shop at topcatdesign.

Domino Pendant - Burgundy, white and black

What’s the first thing you remember making?
In junior high school we had a pottery class. I had a lot of trouble
with the pottery wheel, so I took my blob of clay & molded it into
an ashtray. I gave this to my grandmother & she kept it up till
her passing away last year. She was 96 years old. I have since
had a great desire to try that wheel again!

Why work with recycled materials?
I love the fact that I am reusing something that might have gone
into the trash & is now being repurposed by me. I am always
thinking of new things to recycled & am beginning a process of
recycling plastic bottles into jewelry. The ideas are still flowing,
so as soon as I decide exactly what I am going to do with it,
we'll see how that turns out in the near future.

Where do you work?
Since I am a freelance graphic designer, I work from home, so
transitioning into making jewelry has been fairly easy as far as
a work space is concerned. The jewelry has, however, taken over
my office since it began a year ago.



How do you get from A to Z?
It is definitely not a straight line to get there! I would say I start
at M, back to B & everywhere in between. Which is why I consider
my art to be very eclectic. I really don't have a certain style or
particular look, I just do what moves me at the time.

What are your favorite tools?
I have been lately trying to work with wire, I'm teaching myself
so the process is tedious, but I get very excited when I create
something unique & different. I wouldn't necessarily say I have
a favorite tool, since I create in so many ways & so many
mediums. I use the computer, I paint, I sew, etc.

What music do you listen to while you’re working?
This will sound a little strange because I love music. When I'm
working, any noise is distracting to me. So, most times, I work
in the quiet. I might have the television on in the other room for
background noise, but that's about it.

Wire Wrapped Pendant - Brown Agate and Copper

What are the five best things you’ve purchased on Etsy
and where did you find them?


Snake beads that I turned into one of my favorite listings from
simplypie.etsy.com

I love dragonflies, so the next would be my recent purchase of
a brass turquoise colored dragonfly from
GabrielesGatherings.etsy.com

A large pink mosaic focal bead from simplypie.etsy.com.
I recently sold the necklace I created with it.

A pink clay vagina pendant from WomanInBloom.etsy.com.
This woman's talent is absolutely amazing.

The pile of destash supplies from KillerBayBoutique.etsy.com.
She was going out of business & I think I bought most of what
she had left. It was exciting when the packages came in the mail,
it felt like my birthday!

Read any good books lately?
Sadly, I can't remember the last time I read a book. I definitely
need to put that back on my to-do-list.

Been to any great exhibits?
I have to say I consider myself a crafter not an artist. When it
comes to art I really don't "get it". I haven't frequented museums
or art galleries—gives me that out of my element feeling.

Who inspires you?
I can't say I am inspired by a particular artist or art form. I write
about my life in my blog, tabbysquawks. My jewelry reflects my
moods most times & life inspires my comedy. If there is any one
person that influences or inspires me I would have to say my
hubby, he keeps me laughing & feeling safe.

Scrabble Tile Pendant - Fushia and Yellow Flower

What do you do for fun?
I shoot pool, hang out with friends and create. I also laugh.
Laughing is extremely therapeutic to me.

Besides Etsy, where can we find you work?
I had some items consigned but have since stopped doing that.
I found it wasn't worth it for the amount of sales & exposure I
was getting. I've been trying a few craft shows in my area & several
friends have made purchases, so if you ran into them, you might
see some of my work there.

How do you promote your work?
Twitter, Facebook, word of mouth & I hand out business cards a lot.

Earrings - Brass Sun and Green Glass

Have any words of wisdom?
Trust your gut. I have made the mistake in the past of not
listening to what my body & mind was telling me. Do what feels
right to you, no matter what anyone else thinks.

What’s in your future?
It's funny, but for the last year I have been feeling that Etsy came
to me for a reason. "Something" is about to happen. I'm not sure
what that something is, but I have my eyes wide open & I'm ready
to jump in with both feet!

6/15/2010

How2 Tuesday: DIY Earring Display

Pasticcio Resin Earrings by Candy Calamity
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Candy Calamity spent a long time looking for a great way to display her earrings at craft shows, but couldn't find anything she really liked. So, she made her own display instead!
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She's put together this tutorial to show you how it's done...
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You will need:
2 shutters
sand paper
a cleaning rag
spray paint
a tarp or other paint protection layer
small hinges
a drill
a screwdriver
a pencil
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Find some old shutters.
You need the kind with actual slats and not just shaped plastic. I found mine on craigslist*, but you might already have some at home, or can find them at a flea market or junk shop.
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Take off all the old hardware. If the shutters have any large or
unsightly holes fill them with putty. I left mine as they were because I think it adds character.
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Use a little sand paper to sand down any rough spots or chipping
paint, then wipe clean with a damp rag.
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Spray paint the shutters, be sure to spray from different angles
to get all around the slats, plan on doing a few coats. I picked a flat
black color because it will show off my bright jewelry best.
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Attach the hinges. I did this by closing the shutters right sides
together and laying them flat on a table (make sure the slats tilt the
same way on both sides) That made it easy to just hold the hinge where I wanted it and pencil mark where I would need to drill to put the screws.
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Stand your shutters up and open them at a 60 degree angle.
Congrats you are finished! You can place hook style earrings straight on the slats of the shutters or use earring cards.
Hang the earrings from the front of the card and stick the back through the slat.

*You can also try to Freecycle!
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Text and Images ©Candy Calamity
www.candycalamity.etsy.com
www.candycalamity.blogspot.com

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This tutorial is reprinted with permission from Candy Calamity.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this tutorial is correct. However, due to differing conditions, tools, and individual skills, the author and publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses, or other damages that may result from the use of the information posted. Any resemblance to another project or tutorial is purely coincidental.
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6/13/2010

Marketing Monday: Gift With Purchase

Many articles on promotion include lots of things a seller can do to make a customer feel satisfied with their purchase: a quality product, great customer service, a thank you card ...
The cosmetic industry heavily uses a 'gift with purchase' to entice customers to shop, as well as to come back.

photo of Estée Lauder

The practice began with Estee Lauder. In the 1920s and 1930s, she offered beauty parlor customers a dollop of free cream on wax paper. The idea grew in the 1950s, because of a tight advertising budget. The Lauders "hoped sampling would create a more direct & personal connection with consumers."

Cosmetic Counter

"The giveaways & the later gift-with-purchase that Estée pioneered created an opportunity to exercise Lauder's sales approach, encourage spontaneous buying, & increase customer loyalty."
"Competitors began to copy the innovation. By the late 1960s, most major cosmetics firms regularly used the gift-with-purchase to drive traffic to their counters, and this practice remains an important tool today in marketing beauty products."

We can use this same giveaway or gift-with-purchase practice to build customer loyalty to our own shops. What some Etsy Trashion members are giving away:
  • Jodi of tubbytabby surprises her customers with a little something unexpected.
  • Tammy of junck also likes to surprise her customers with a photo or stickers.
  • Pam of remaker adds Matchbook Notebooks, stickers, Etsy buttons, & also % off coupons for a customer's next purchase.
  • Jackie of urbanartifaks includes recycled notebooks & jewelry pouches made from recycled t-shirts for her pendants.
  • Rhonda of oddartist collaborates with other Etsy sellers to swap small promotional items. These items will then be sent out to a more diverse group of buyers.
What do you give away?

source & photo credits: Harvard Business School

6/10/2010

Feature Me Friday: Emily Grace Suitcase

This week for Feature Me Friday, we have Emily Grace of
emilygracesuitcase from San Diego, CA.

Who is emilygracesuitcase?
A hopelessly messy & disorganized artist that doesn't function
properly unless I'm allowed to make things & look at the world
upside-down.

Lily Necklace in Light Blue and Sterling Silver

What's the first thing you remember making?
I remember making dolls out of pillow stuffing & used nylon
stockings with my mom when I was about 3 or 4.

Why work with recycled materials?
To be honest, it started out as a budgetary thing - plastic
shopping bags (though time-consuming) are free, & I am
struggling to get by right now. Then, it became an amazing
challenge. How can I make this piece of trash look not just
cool, but beautiful? And somewhere along the way I also
learned about the problem plastic bags are creating in the
environment, and now I'm just completely sold on them as
an art material.



This is a photo of a big pile of bags on my kitchen floor,
waiting to be sorted. It's about 5'x8'x2', & I figure that an
average American family without reusable bags uses about
twice this many shopping bags per year.

Where do you work?
In a tiny corner of my shared bedroom. It's literally about
12 square feet at the foot of my bed, with just enough room
for a desk & bookshelf. My dad is an excellent carpenter, &
he built this loft bed I designed. It's about three feet off the
ground, so I can smush all of my art supplies underneath, &
it has a built-in bookshelf in the back to store even more stuff.
I've also turned my wardrobe into a storage space for fabric,
scrap cardboard, & interesting bits of paper. You might think
I'm very space-efficient & organized, but I'll have you know
that I cleaned for hours before taking this photo collage.



How do you get from A to Z?
Backward. Z, Y, X, W, V... Everything looks more
interesting when you flip it around.

What are your favorite tools?
A sewing machine, a needle and thread, cardboard
& colored pencils.

What music do you listen to while you're working?
Fleet Foxes, Joel P. West, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Andrew Bird...

What are the five best things you've purchased on etsy
and where did you find them?

Vintage beads from atomicveggiecom
Goldfish t-shirt from circularaccessories
Vintage pewter birdcage necklace from townendjewelry
Vintage waitress dress from tiltedtulipvintage
Recycled book sketchbook from thenovelnovel

Read any good books lately?
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Been to any great exhibits?
Tara Donovan at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego.
I was mesmerized by her work for hours, all of it is made from
everyday objects.

Who inspires you?
My friends. I'm fortunate to know some really great people who
aren't afraid to run with their creative ideas & see where they go.
I've grown a lot in the past few years with the encouragement of
those around me, & let a lot more of the ideas out of my head.

Calla Lily Earrings in White

What do you do for fun?
Run bakeitforward, volunteer in the community, garden,
cook, photograph, send drawings to swapdoodles.com, read &
write.

Besides Etsy, where can we find you work?
Make Good Boutique in the South Park neighborhood of
San Diego, the Handmade Revolution trunkshows, and in the
Old Hollywood Boutiques in New York. I also design for
acholibeads. They work with recycled materials, paper, & their
beads are hand-made by war affected women in Uganda.



How do you promote your work?
To be honest, I don't. Most of my Etsy sales come from word of
mouth, & shop sales come from just contacting shops & asking
if they're interested in carrying my work. Promoting is my goal
for this year! I really just have no idea where to start.

Have any words of wisdom?
Look for the potential in everything & everyone rather than just
what is there. Just as trash can become something beautiful with
a little attention & encouragement, so can people.

What's in your future?
I'd love expand my own line of jewelry enough to begin hiring
marginalized women in my community that have experienced
challenges like homeless or relocating here as a refugee. I also
hope to continue working with companies that are providing
economic opportunities for people in poverty-stricken or
war-affected communities around the world.

6/09/2010

What's Up Wednesday: Newburyport Farmers Market

This Sunday marks the start of remaker's return to the second season of the Newburyport Farmers Market!
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If you're in the area, stop by to say "Hello!"
If you're not, be sure to check out your local Farmers Market...
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Farmers Markets are the perfect way to shop local!
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This week at the Newburyport Farmers Market you'll find
yummy strawberries and blueberries,
hear Liz Frame and the Kickers rockin' country,
and have the chance to take home funky
one of a kind work by local artisans!
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Hope to see you there!
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Image ©The Newburyport Farmers Market



6/08/2010

How2 Tuesday: Sew-in Labels

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Do you need a way to label
your lovely handmade creations?
There’s no need to place a special order for super-awesome customized tags. It’s really easy (and inexpensive) to
make your own tags, and the best part is that you can
make them look any way you want!
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Here’s what you’ll need:
Reclaimed T-Shirt (any color you choose)
Printer and computer
Transfer paper for your printer
An Iron
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Start by designing your tags.
A program as simple as paint will work, or you can download a free program like Gimp. Important Note: your image needs to be reversed before you print it onto your transfer paper, as the transfer produces a mirror image.

Copy and paste your image into a Word document, then tile the image to fill the entire page. Leave enough space between the images to leave an edge around each tag.
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Print your tags according to the instructions for your printer transfer paper. Again, be sure that your image is reversed before you print; otherwise, your tags will be printed backwards.

Iron your tags onto the T-Shirt material, again following the instructions on your transfer paper. You can either cut the tags apart before you iron them on, or you can iron on the whole sheet and cut them apart afterwards.

Now your fully customized tags are complete!

You can stitch them into all of your wonderful creations
for an awesome finishing touch.
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©slyraccoon
www.slyraccoon.etsy.com
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This tutorial is reprinted with permission from slyraccoon
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this tutorial is correct. However, due to differing conditions, tools, and individual skills, the author and publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses, or other damages that may result from the use of the information posted. Any resemblance to another project or tutorial is purely coincidental.

6/07/2010

Marketing Monday: Ask Buyers How They Found You

Advertising and marketing are not an exact science.
A marketing executive might try to argue,
but in reality, no one can say
why people buy what they do, when they do.

Buttons Badges from Upcycled Aluminum
wearwolf

Think Again Notebook- Pepsi times Two
remaker

A recent post on Etsy Business Tips can help sellers
determine where they buyer may have come from:




How does this help you?
If you can determine where your buyers are from,
you can more appropriately budget your advertising dollars.
Perhaps your buyer is responding to an ad.
Which ad? You can determine what ads work.
Perhaps your buyer is a referral from another customer?
If you have many of these, perhaps you could offer
a referral discount code for that original customer.

Knowing where your buyers are coming from
could be the key to more sales for your shop!

secret is safe - a necklace of vintage and recycled jewelry
alexkeller