What's in your camera bag?

We've talked about it in Chat, and the question has come up in Virtual Labs too: what's the best camera for taking Etsy photos?

Whether you use a top-of-the-line digital SLR, or an affordable point-and-shoot, there seems to be a camera in every price range to do the job, and do it well. In general, good choices include features such as: macro or close-up option (that little flower symbol), white balance control, and 5 or more mega pixels.

What about other photo-improving hardware and software? Do you have a favourite freestanding photo editing application, or a free online editor you like to use? Is a tripod or lightbox a must for you, or do you get by just fine resting your camera on a stack of books?

What do you use and recommend for Etsy pics? To share your insights, please post a Comment (with your shop name too, if it's different from your blogging name) and your:

• Camera brand and model number

• Its approximate price range

• What you love about your camera

• What features or specs you'd like to improve

• Software or accessories you recommend

• URL of the best photo in your shop.

Images from NanLawson's and vantiani's shops, thanks!

Rearrange Your Shop, Beautifully

One of the cooler new features introduced to Etsy sellers in 2009 was Rearrange Your Shop, a practical way to shuffle the items in a shop to whatever order works best for you - not just always having the newest listing at the top. More about how to use the feature, in this Storque article.

Here's an example by an Etsy shopkeeper, terrygraziano, who has done something different when she rearranged, and the effect is fabulous! Okay, not everyone will want to spring for three listings for one lower-priced item, but for these fashion pieces, it does such a good job of showing the flexible designs of her hats. Another smart touch: her item titles are different for each listing, making the most of their search potential. And of course she has a consistent and cohesive look, with great photos.

How have you used Rearrange Your Shop to make it work for you? Rearranged by colour? Price? Season? Category? Some other approach? Please tell us in Comments what you've done (and as always, please sign with your shop name too if it's different from your blog name, so we can find you).

Judith / jswrites

Starring Etsy Chatters

Team members and Chat regulars don't just show up in Etsy chat, they're stars of Treasuries and the Front Page, candidates in Etsy voting, and featured on Martha Stewart's site too!

• somavenus' recycled books made it to a Martha Stewart gift guide

• thelittlereddoor, mooshoopork, and other chatters live on the FP!

• spacejam is in the Fave Holiday Gift for Her gift guide vote.

Use the Comments to let us know where your work is celebrated (and how you made it happen!). Of course if you make a Treasury of all chatters, please send a convo so it can be featured here too.

Eyes On Your Shop?

Everyone has their own idea of what helps to get a shop seen all year 'round, and this helpful Pimp Your Shop Storque article wraps up some of the best approaches out there - both on and off Etsy.

What are you doing to pimp your shop now, and for the year ahead? Do you set a promotion budget (money AND time)? What strategies have proven most effective? And really, does spamming the chat rooms with promos ever actually work?

Image from Team member TheExtentofSilence's shop.

Giveaway from Bohemeanne!

Team member bohemeanne took time to answer a few questions about her life and her shop (adding, too, that she's a big Quentin Tarantino fan). She has also spelled out the details of a big giveaway worth $50 - be sure to read right to the end for all the info you need.

Q. How did you find Etsy? What are the advantages, for you, in selling (and buying) online in general, and on Etsy in particular?

A. I was a reader of Bust Magazine and saw a lot of ads in the back for Etsy shops. The merchandise was very appealing to me since I've never classified myself as someone who wears "normal" clothing or tries to follow current trends. Once I started browsing Etsy, I was astonished by the fact that there were people just like me out there. I had also joined up on the getcrafty.com forum, which had a lot of Etsians on it. Before I knew it I was hooked.

Q. How does your work fit into your day-to-day life? Do you have a routine to accommodate work and creative demands with real life?

A. My life has done a total 360 in the past year so fitting in my arts in crafts isn't a question; I just need to for my own sanity. From life threatening illnesses, to financial crisis-I've been through it all at the young age of 28. I have an 18 month old son who is the love of my life, and a husband who I know doesn't always quite understand it, has een very supportive of my artistic outlets. My day consists of wondering

how much I can jam in before my body gives up-but everyday I give my best effort.

Q. Did you take classes or courses to learn the skills you need to make your work, or were you self taught?

A. I had planned on being an art teacher after high school and made it until my junior year when I ran out of money and had no choice but to get a full time job to support myself. I was always an artistic person, and always opted to make things before I bought them so it was only natural for me to keep on trying to learn new arts and crafts on my own. I'm self taught in a lot of areas and very proud of it. If I had the money I would continue formal education but it's financially impossible for us right now.

Q. What are your inspirations?

A. Color, impressionistic art, textures, vintage styles, hippies, the 60's era, and true passion for life.

Q. How long did it take you to make your first sale on Etsy? How did those early sales go for you?

A. About 6 months. I'm still struggling. I've heard so many different views and opinions about why my shop doesn't sell that sometimes I just find it annoying. The number one thing that I can't stand is complaining about prices. If you were struggling to pay bills and put food on the table you may not want to charge an extraordinary price for your work either. It has never been about me selling a terrible product, or not having enough faith in myself. It's only because we desperately need the money. Snobby artists can bite me!

Q. What have been your most successful approaches to promotion or advertising? What promotion strategies haven't worked as well?

A. Daily posting of new items seem to work the best for me. Cafehandmade.com had boosted my views as well but I haven't seen any sales from it yet. I never seem to do well with % off sales and I haven't a clue why. I love facebook and twitter, they help me a lot.

Q. As a seller and a buyer, what do you find to be important aspects of customer service?

A. Quality for price. Nothing is worse then saving up to buy something to be really disappointed when you receive the item. Also, friendliness. I can't tell you how many times I was completely turned off by someone's attitude when considering a sale especially in a chat. I offer as much as I possibly can to my buyers including a 100% money back guarantee. If there is anything I can do for you, I probably will! I want to see you back again and again!

Q. What advice would you give to a new seller, or to someone who wants to give their established shop a boost?

A. I think the most important thing to remember is to have faith in what you are selling. If you believe in it and put your all behind it-then I think people will be more inclined to buy from you. Don't be afraid to be yourself, and for god sakes-be original!

Q. What are your favourite shop/s?

A. I have soooo many. I urge you to go through my favorite shops on my Etsy. I also have to give a shout out to my lovely friend Kerry Palumbo at Ferrousious who has helped me along my creative path a lot lately and has been super supportive

bohemeanne's specials - she says:

For November and December leave a comment to seller stating "blog" and receive 20% your entire order.

All purchases in bohemeanne's shop are eligible for free gift wrap upon request, and as mentioned above, if there is anything she can do for you don't hesitate to ask!

Leave a comment for this blog saying what your favorite items in her shop are to win a Super Boho Blowout gift set that will feature sample items from bohemeanne's shop worth $50!!!! She says "It will include a scarf, headband, jewelry and other fantastic goodies. This is one hell of a gift! Comment away by:

Tweeting about this blog, and posting the link

Blogging about this blog

Featuring a link on your facebook, don't forget to add the link so boheamme can count it.

Each of these will count as one entry and bohemeanne will draw a winner on December 12th. Good luck!

Congratulations to the Gift Set winner, HeathensHearth!

Bohemeanne has made her selection, and the winner of the $50-value gift set from her shop is HeathensHearth! Congrats!

Holiday Sparkle

With just weeks until we're in the thick of the winter holidays (even sooner for US Thanksgiving), shoppers are busily buying for their own special needs, and of course for gifts. Over a million items sold on Etsy during October (adding up to $17.7 million in goods) - now that's sparkle!

Team member Balanced has plenty of sparkle in her shop, ready for all those holiday shoppers - including those who are avoiding the rush by ordering with plenty of time for local and international deliveries. And using one of the pictures in every listing to show exactly how it will be gift wrapped makes that purchase decision easier too.

How have you added sparkle to your shop for holiday browsers? Use the Comments to show us your seasonal items and gift presentation (please sign with your shop name too, if it's not the same as your blog name).

The Power of Tags

Not THAT kind of tags, although aren't the cheerful tags from Team members ThePaperButton and hdawnparratt in this post tempting?

But this is more about those powerful tags that are part of every listing, and can help bring shoppers to your shop by making it easier for them to search for what they're looking to buy. Etsy is jam-packed with information about making every one of those tags work hard for you. A few highlights:

• Guidelines and Tips: Tagging on Etsy

Step-by-step walk-through, with brainstorming tips

• Tag-o-rama with Descriptive Keywords

Stuck for appropriate style words? Check this list!

• Tag Finder Tool from Craftweasel.com

An innovative approach to selecting and using tags

Another tip for using tags - include your Team tag. Every time a Team member wants to make a Treasury of chatters, and when I'm looking for items to illustrate this blog or to include in the ChatTeam mini, it starts with a search for Team tags.

The official Team profile (established when the Team was formed) shows our search word is ChatTeam, but there are a few variations, including "chat team" and "chatters." Next time you're listing or renewing, why not add a tag for your Team?

How are you using tags to boost your sales for the upcoming holiday season, and beyond?

Judith / jswrites

Shop Critique Anyone?

If you've ever participated in the Etsy Shop Critiques in the Virtual Labs, taken your turn in the hot seat on the Forums' Critiques area, or asked for a casual critique in Chat, you probably know how helpful they can be.

With that in mind, what about using our team blog to do some friendly-yet-realistic critiques of our fellow chatters' shops? If you are interested in hearing what other team members have to say about your shop, just post your question in the Comments of this post. Please try to keep it to one specific question (avoid the general "Do you like my shop?"), such as:

• Does my banner represent my shop well?

• Are my prices too high? Too low?

• Should I use a background colour in my photos?

• How can I improve my tags

...you get the idea! Let's see your questions, and of course your answers. Also, for anyone who would like to offer a more detailed critique, or would like to request one, please comment about that too. It would be great to match up some shops to help each other.

Etsy Success in the Mail

Do you subscribe to Etsy's free packed-with-helpful-info newsletters? My current favourite is Etsy Success, a handy compilation of information that can help make shops even more successful. The current issue, called Promo Mojo highlights:

• Social Shopping - putting those social shopping sites to work for you.

• Promo Mojo tips from The Storque

• Holiday Workshop news

• Helpful Forum Threads

To subscribe to Etsy Success and other Etsy newsletters, visit here and sign up!

Chatters' Treasury

tanyaw85 has put together a very special Chatters' Treasury featuring chatters' listings for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Please visit, comment and click to show your support for chatters, and for this worthwhile cause.

Meet enchantedmemories

It's been about 9 months since Enchantedmemories joined Etsy, and we'd like to know more about her work, her shop, and her insights into success in the wonderful world of handmade.

Q. How did you find Etsy? What are the advantages, for you, in selling (and buying) online in general, and on Etsy in particular?

A. I was first told about Etsy by another mom who was a addicted to Etsy, she gave me the link and I was hooked! I am fond of online shopping because it is not easy to shop with two toddlers in tow and for my shop being digital, online is the way to go.

Q. How does your work fit into your day-to-day life? Do you have a routine to accommodate work and creative demands with real life?

A. I have a very flexible routine. With small kids around you have to be flexible. I normally do all of my deigns at night after i put my toddlers to bed. It is hard to be creative when you have a little person next to you demanding a refill on their sippy cup.

Q. Did you take classes or courses to learn the skills you need to make your work, or were you self taught?

A. I am completely self taught. I have never taken one digital design or graphics art class. I have drawn as long as I can remember. In high school during the boring classes, my class mates use to have me draw cartoons on their book covers lol, but I have never had any sort of formal training.

Q. What are your inspirations?

A. My inspirations are definitely my kids. That is how I started. I like that I can create them unique designs for invitations and I even have made a few digital art pictures for their rooms. They get really excited when they can decide what they want a picture to look like and I make it happen for them.

Q. How long did it take you to make your first sale on Etsy? How did those early sales go for you?

A. My shop was opened and sat unloved for about 2 1/2 months. My baby got really sick right after I opened so it made for a slow start the first few months. But from when i created my account to when I got my first sale was less than 2 months. Sales were scattered at first but once all was well again and I started promoting my shop and adding items it has been pretty good.

Q. What have been your most successful approaches to promotion or advertising? What promotion strategies haven't worked as well?

A. I have found that blog giveaways and blog ads are not very successful for my shop. The best advertising I get is referrals and repeat customers.

Q. As a seller and a buyer, what do you find to be important aspects of customer service?

A. I think providing a well made product and conducting business in a professional manner is important. Even though I am at home , at my computer, my customers rely on a quality product to represent their business delivered in a timely manner and I always worked hard to make sure they receive it.

Q. What advice would you give to a new seller, or to someone who wants to give their established shop a boost?

A. I would recommend that shops have clear pics that are taken tastefully, make sure everything written in their shop is spelled properly and easy to read and to keep in mind that people like to feel confident in products they are buying. Well put together shops that are visually appealing give people the feeling that you are putting your all in your shop and product. And for any shop that want s a boost I would definitely recommend taking a look at my shop for a custom banner or shop package ;p

Post Your Weekend Promos!

It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, and Columbus day is being celebrated in the US, plus there's the usual flurry of Birthday, Autumn, and day-ending-in-day reasons to celebrate with a promotion, sale, BOGO, free shipping event, or whatever. So tell us what you're doing, and read about other Chatters Team members are up to in their shops this weekend, in the comments here.

Breast cancer awareness

October is breast cancer awareness month, and it seems that everyone has been touched by this disease. Inspired by team member tanyaw85's post on the Chatters' Ning group, it seemed like a great opportunity to highlight items that honor the struggles of our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends dealing with breast cancer.

Please add your pink / breast cancer awareness items to the Comments - like this necklace from tanyaw85 to support her mother - I'll upload pictures of Chatters' items too.

More creative items for the cause!

Heartsabustin has these lovely earrings, with $5 of the proceeds of each sale going to breast cancer research.

mbell34 brings breast cancer awareness to a sink near you with sweet-smelling goats milk soap highlighting the iconic pink ribbon.

Giving Etsy Gifts

Ah yes, it's getting to be that time of year again. Although of course there are gift-giving opportunities year-round - all those birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, christenings and so on cry out for handmade presents - there's something about the Christmas holidays that inspires a happy frenzy of shopping.

Some tips to make shopping (and selling!) easier:

• If you want to have a gift sent directly to its recipient by the seller, use the "Add a gift address" feature in PayPal, to reassure the seller that they're sending to an official address. Follow the links in PayPal from Profile > Add or Edit Street Address > Add Address > Add a gift address.

• Buyers can use the Shop Local Etsy feature to search not just for their own area, but for someone who sells locally to their gift recipient. If I want to send a present to someone in the U.S. or England, I might start by opening Shop Local especially if it's getting down to the wire for shipping; closer can be faster, and many shops offer to gift wrap and attach a card (free or for sale).

What tips would you add, for both buyers and sellers? Please include them in the comments, with your shop name so we can all see what you're doing for the holidays.

Judith / aka jswrites

Labor Day Weekend Promos?

Is your shop or blog having a Labor Day Weekend sale, BOGO, giveaway or other promotion? If it's in effect this weekend, please post a comment here to let your fellow team members and team blog followers know all about it.

Note, if your posting name isn't the same as your shop name, please sign with both so everyone can find you!

Happy Selling and Shopping!

Judith / jswrites

patience ..... we shall return

Heathenshearth (Misty) and Jupita (Jenn) have both been in the process of moving and getting settled in their new places the past few weeks.

Sorry for the lull in posts, and the silence in tweets and chats..

If there are any pressing issues.. Convo one of us on Etsy!

Rest assured, we will be back soon.. and getting the Chat Team back in full swing!

Larissa789s winner

Winner to LArissa789's giveaway

Lynsi said...
One of my new favorite sellers !! Love your style !!

Woodland Lullaby is defintiely my favorite though. I have a thing for owls and I felt like the piece was cute mixed with chic and sophistication. LOVE it !!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29275366


Please contact me at jupitadesigns@yahoo.com or Convo me at Jupita (Etsy) with your mailing address!

Larissa789 ... explains it all!! Friday Feature and Giveaway 8-14~8-20

It is Friday again.. This week we are QnAing with LArissa from www.Larissa789.Etsy.Com

1.Who is Larissa?
I'm just a simple girl who likes to try everything! I am constantly online looking something crafty up to try. Normally, I have my 9 month old crawling around my feet wanting attention. I love Etsy and enjoy putting my work up to share with other people.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?
Like I said in my previous answer, I am always looking up something to try. Which means my crafting abilities are very wide spread! I love to make jewelry, sew, knit, crochet, needle felt, scrapbook, decoupage, paint, draw (though I'm horrible at it!) work with clay and anything else interesting I find. I'm not saying I'm good at any of those, because most of them, I'm really not! But I love to try it all and be able to do any fun projects I see. But my main shop is only jewelry. I opened my second shop for everything else! =) I have been crafting my whole life, but I just started working with jewelry about 3 years ago and only really intensely about a year and a half ago.



3. Where do you pull your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from things I see walking down the street, things I see on the internet, things people say. It's really varied. Sometime I just feel inspired to make something out of no where!

4. What is your favorite medium?
Probably all my jewelry making supplies. Like my beads and chains and everything that goes along with that. I don't

5. Is Etsy your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?
Etsy is my passion. My art. I love to create things to add to my shop and it is really exciting to see what other people think about it. I am a stay at home mom so I don't have a full-time job really. I would eventually love to open a shop with all the results of my crafts in it. But I don't know if that is feasible!



6. How did you find Etsy?
I think a friend was showing me some baby things on Etsy and later I checked it out myself. I set up an account to purchase things originally, then decided to open a shop about 2 months later. I wish I would have used a different username, but I already had some feedback that I didn't want to sacrifice.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?
A friend told me to go check out the chat rooms and I was instantly addicted. I think I am a chat addict by nature, so when I entered the Etsy chat rooms it was even easier to get addicted when everyone is talking about the things I love most!


8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?
I am so obsessed with The Littlest Mushroom Cameo necklace. I just finished it recently but it really is me in necklace form! I love it! I still am not sure that I want to part with it! I also really love the Rainy Days in Spring necklace. I think it is pretty unique and clever.



9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?
I am always obsessed with sparklerocks shop! I just love everything she makes! But I can't get enough of blueberryshoes, plushlifeisyummy, jupita, thelovelyteaspoon and cashewedalmonds. Is that too many? I think not. I told you I am obsessed with Etsy!

10.Tips for other Artists?
Be yourself and don't try to do what is "cool" or what everyone else is doing if it isn't you!
Get out there and make yourself known! Talk to people so more people will know about your shop.
Trade. It's fun! =)


11.Tell me a Secret about yourself.
I don't really have any secrets...well nothing that I can think of. Man, I'm so lame!

12. Any parting words of wisdom?
Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time.
Never play leapfrog with a unicorn.
Never do your shoelaces up in a revolving door.
Avoid parking tickets - leave your window wipers on fast-wipe.
When everythings going your way - you're in the wrong lane.
When sliding down the bannister of life - make sure the splinters are facing the right way.

Now.. for the giveaway:
LArissa789 will give away a this adorable rose necklace to the winner:

Wouldnt that look lovely??

1. Go to Larissa789.Etsy.Com, find your favorite item, come back here and comment (required, 1 entry)

Extra Entries:

2. Follow the Etsy Chatters Team Blog, Comment here. (1 Entry)
3. Follow EtsyChatTeam and Larissa789 on Twitter AND Tweet about this Contest (place link here in comment, 1 entry per day - 7 possible throughout contest!)
4. BLOG about LArissa789.Etsy.Com and this Post (Leave a 2 comments here with the link, 2 entries.)
5. Purchase something from Larissa789.Etsy.Com(Leave 4 comments here with link to transaction, 4 entries)
6. Submit a To-Torial to the CHATTERS Team blog to Heathenshearth or Jupita, then post here for two additional entries. (2 entries)

must have email address, or link to shop for contacting to win. in the event the # chosen does not.. We will pick another winner. Sorry, but those are the rules.
Good luck!!

froggyfibers fabulous friday fantastical!! Giveaway WINNER!!!!

Lucky number 8!!

"Elizabeth said...
I love the Playful roving...it's like a fresh box of crayons!"

Elizabeth, congrats!

Chatters Treasury

KnitsYoursKnotMine has put together a Treasury featuring some of everyone's favourite things - chatters, babies, and green!

Missmoosedesign Giveaway Winner

Missmoosedesign choose #4

"by MissMooseDesign profile shop contact

number 4!
7 August 2009 10:52pm EDT "

Comment #4:
NotQuitePhotoJENic said...
Blogged (1)

http://notquitephotojenic.blogspot.com/2009/07/missmoosedesigns.html

Jennifer
Dropsofjupita@yahoo.com

July 31, 2009 10:44 AM

FroggyFibers Fabulous Features Friday Fantastical!!

For those of you who dont know Froggyfibers already...boy are you missing out!!

Froggyfibers.etsy.com is one of my most favorite shops on Etsy!! I love her fibers, and I am certain you all will too.

Come take a moment to get acquainted!!


1.Who is FroggyFibers?
Froggy Fibers is a genius and fiber superstar! Okay, I like to think if I say that out loud that it will become true. =D Honestly, Froggy Fibers is one woman named LaRhanda who has the most undying support of her husband and son. If they weren't in the background cheering me on I doubt I would be nearly as sane as I am. **madly cackles**

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?
I dye, spin, knit and crochet fibers of all kinds. I also occasionally do some felting as well. As far as how long I have been doing, well I wish I could say forever. My recent addictions started in early 2004 but I have an on again, off again love affair going.

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from? My inspiration comes from the deep recesses of my brain. Its all that trying to connect color to reality. Or really, just anything can strike my fancy. I need to get one of those notepads and write it down sometimes.

4. What is your favorite medium?
Currently my favorite medium is fiber... any form of fiber. I may change it to sewing or painting on day (I've done them both before) but who knows.

5. Is Etsy your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?
Ohhh, had question. Etsy is both at the moment. I was employed full time and the economy caused cutbacks at my job. So right now Etsy is my income, If I had my way right now I would open a store for the fiber artists online and then a brick and mortar.

6. How did you find Etsy?
I found Etsy by accident. I was checking out a spinners website and they had the link to Etsy where they had set up their online store. I waited 2-3 months because I wanted to come up with a business username since it can't be changed later.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?
How? When is the question... from the moment they introduced Chat I was in the rooms. I have watched so many permutations of chat and see so many people come and go. When I first went into chat I was on the bottom row, now I am almost always the first avatar in the room. (Which is only significant if people know that the avatars in chat are organized by account age Oldest to Newest)



8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?
To date I am pretty excited about my Princess Goldilocks handspun yarn and also a custom order I did in lime green and violet.

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?
I have to say that I am loving on some staceyrebecca and abitabite. StaceyRebecca makes the cutest little finger puppets but in real life she does adult puppet shows. Its always the quiet ones you have to watch out for. =P
Abitabite is great cause she makes plush prick pincushions. 'Nuff said.

10.Tips for other Artists?
Be Yourself.
Do what makes you Happy.
Work hard, money wont fall in your lap by accident.
In the event money did fall in your lap, send me the lottery ticket and keep working hard. =P


11.Tell me a Secret about yourself.
I don't have secrets. I can't keep my damned mouth shut. That may be the biggest secret of all but if you are around me for any length of time you would find that out. Oh, I could say something like “I'm kinky in bed.” I could say something like that... but then again I might be lying for the purposes of having a secret.

12. Any parting words of wisdom
No matter what they say, those pictures will end up on the internet. ;D

Now.. A giveaway!!!
Froggyfibers is giving away to one lucky reader.. "Gruppleberry" Roving. See it:
You can opt to have it spun into a single or 2 ply yarn.

How to enter:
1. Go to FroggyFibers.Etsy.Com , find your favorite item, come back here and comment (required, 1 entry)

Extra Entries:

2. Follow the Etsy Chatters Team Blog and http://froggyfibers.blogspot.com/ Comment here. (2 Entries)
3. Follow EtsyChatTeam on Twitter AND Tweet about this Contest with a link to froggyfibers.etsy.com (place link here in comment, 1 entry per day - 7 possible throughout contest!)
4. BLOG about Froggyfibers.Etsy.Com and this Post (Leave a 2 comments here with the link, 2 entries.)
5. Purchase something from FroggyFibers(Leave 4 comments here with link to transaction, 4 entries)
6. Submit a To-Torial to the CHATTERS Team blog to Heathenshearth or Jupita, then post here for two additional entries. (2 entries)

Good luck!!

and the winner is... Show me yours, Ill show you mine...

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 16
Result:
8

"Froggy said...
hard to choose:
Here is my under $10: Spinners 3 pack Buttons -
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15426924

My pick from a fellow chatters shop is 2kutekards Thank you cards http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27444599

And oh goodness, it wouldnt let me copy and paste so yes, I typed it all out... almost didn't =P
"

Froggy you WIN!!! I will contact 2kutekards to arrange for this magical item to appear in your mail. Just COnvo me your address @ Jupita.Etsy.Com

Bad Links, Closed Chatters Team Member Shops, Etc..

Hollandhandicrafts was kind enough to convo me with a list of bad links for the shops..

We cleared out broken links and links to closed shops. If you do not see your link to the right, and you are on the Chatters Team, please convo Jupita or HEathenshearth!!

Thanks..

Show me yours and I'll show you mine.....

Inspired by Etsy Forums, I thought it may be nice to have a ... "Show me yours and I'll show you mine" post.

Leave us a comment with:
1. a link to one "under 10$ with shipping" Item in your Etsy Shop.
2. a link to one "under 10$ with shipping" item in your favorite Etsy Chatters Team shop. (MUST be an Etsy Chatters Team Shop, list can be foun in the sidebar)

I want to see some FUN, Original, Inspiring pieces!!

Oh, and to make it interesting...You have until Midnight August 2, 2009 (my time, eastern standard US time)

I will Random.Org pick a WINNER from the comments..and post on August 3.
The Prize? I will purchase the item the winner chose as their favorite item from the Etsy Chatters shop and have them mail it to you!!! (so make sure you leave your email address in the comments so I can contact the winner!!)

How FUN is that?

and guess what... You have 14 hours to comment!!

I'll start (but my entry does not count..)

1. Under $10 with shipping in my shop are these handcut upcycled Guitar picks:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28217888
2. I love these printable stationary sets from Kokopinto.Etsy.Com
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26114240

~Jupita~

EDITED TO ADD:

Duplicate entries will not be counted. They will be deleted before I random.org the winner. If your email is not in your original post, please do not repost with the email. Please make sure you enter your email (or etsy shop will be fine)is in the original comment field, so I can contact you in the event that you win.

If you do not have an Etsy Shop, you may omit step 1. If your Etsy Shop does not have an under 10$ item, you may link to another item from your shop.

Good Luck all!!

owlonthesill Chatters Treasury

Chatters Team members have been busy making Treasuries highlighting the work of chatters, and here's another one, from owlonthesill! All the comment spots are filled, but visits and clicks are always welcome!

See it live here, or click the image for a bigger view.

MissMooseDesign's Feature and Giveaway

1. Who is MissMooseDesign?

I am a stay at home mom and I just think of myself as simple. I hang my clothes out on the laundry line and I mop as often as I can force myself to. I am married to my best friend and my little girl has my heart. I craft when I have free time and enjoy every moment before it can sneak by. I love the first time you smell a charcoal grill in the spring and hate two piece bathing suits. I love reclaimed items and hand stitched quilts. You might say I’m an old soul. I don’t wear make-up but think it looks phenomenal on others. I have two rescued mutts and prefer to grow my own vegetables. If I had to iron my clothes everyday I would probably run out into traffic. I would say that I am definitely blessed beyond belief.


2. What is your Art / Craft of choice?

I love working with old stuff. Vintage buttons and old deserted quilt tops are my favorites!

3. How did you find Etsy?

I was a buyer before I was a seller :)

4. What about Chat.. How did you become addicted?

I started chatting as a promotional tool. Everyone said you needed to start making connections. So...I did. What I did not expect was to develop friendships with those little spinning and bouncing avatars. I have met some people who mean a great deal to me. Friendships I am lucky to have been blessed with. Now I chat to catch up on life stuff, laugh until my sides hurt, or offer support if needed.

5. What is your advice for other Artists and Etsy Sellers?

Let's be honest with one another...I'm not raking in the big bucks! Despite that, I love being a seller on Etsy. I think my only advice is to have fun. Etsy is not just about money. It is about a community of artists coming together and supporting one another. There is an awesome opportunity to connect with other like-minded people at your fingertips and to pass it by would be unfortunate. I have made three life long friends through Etsy that money could not replace. Not to say that you shouldn't run a shop and do it well...just don't forget to stop and smell the roses along the way.

6. What three Arts / Crafting items can you not live without?

My rotary cutter (though I am accident prone!), my Singer Futura embroidery machine, and my dremel!


7.Any last words?

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to visit my blog http://missmoosedesigns.com/ or facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Athens-GA/Miss-Moose-Designs/100258004708!


Now.. for the giveaway:
MISSMOOSEDESIGN will give away a free market bag and a matching coffee cup sleeve :)
How to enter:

1. Go to MissMooseDesign, find your favorite item, come back here and comment (required, 1 entry)

Extra Entries:

2. Follow the Etsy Chatters Team Blog, Comment here. (1 Entry)
3. Follow EtsyChatTeam and MissMooseDesign on Twitter AND Tweet about this Contest (place link here in comment, 1 entry per day - 7 possible throughout contest!)
4. BLOG about MissMooseDesign.Etsy.Com and this Post (Leave a 2 comments here with the link, 2 entries.)
5. Purchase something from MissMooseDesign (Leave 4 comments here with link to transaction, 4 entries)
6. Submit a To-Torial to the CHATTERS Team blog to Heathenshearth or Jupita, then post here for two additional entries. (2 entries)

must have email address, or link to shop for contacting to win. in the event the # chosen does not.. We will pick another winner. Sorry, but those are the rules.
Good luck!!

Make Your Own Magnets...A How-To Tutorial!

Kristina Myers of kristinamyerscrafts gives us step-by-step instructions on how to make our magnets!

Have you ever wanted a certain magnet but couldn't find exactly what you wanted? Make your own! Here is a list of materials you will need:

1.5 inch flat glass marbles ($2.49)
Card Stock ($0.49)
Stickers or Permanent glue stick ($1.99)
Specialty glass adhesive ($5.29)
Magnets ($5.67)
Strong adhesive for magnets ($2.67)
1 1/4 inch round paper punch ($13.99)
Unscented baby wipes ($2.67)

Follow these steps to create your masterpiece!


1. Sort through the glass pieces to remove chipped, broken, or irregular marbles. Wash glass in hot soapy water. This removes dirt and oils that get on the glass during manufacturing, packaging and shipping. I let mine soak for 5 minutes.

2. Rinse with hot water. I make the water as hot as my tap will allow. The glass dries quickly with no spots.





3. Punch out card stock and affix stickers. You may choose to use images of your own. Print images on plain paper using the highest DPI your printer allows. Edit your photos before printing to find the best fit. There is an option in most photo editing software to "view" image in "actual size". I hold the glass marble up to the screen to check the fit.





4. On newspaper place cardstock (or paper) face up. Place specialty glass adhesive on center of circle. Press glass into adhesive. Make sure adhesive spreads evenly out to edges. Use baby wipe to remove extra adhesive and clean fingers in between each one. Place glue side up to dry overnight.
5. Use strong adhesive to attach the magnet to the back of the card stock. (If you printed an image, use the permanent glue stick to attach a piece of card stock to the back of the glass before gluing the magnet.) Allow to dry for 24 hours for best results.












If this sounds too complicated or expensive... you can buy 6 magnets for $7 from her shop at http://kristinamyerscrafts.etsy.com!

Flowerleaf's Chatters Treasury

Chat regular Flowerleaf has made a new Treasury featuring a selection of the talented members of the Etsy Chatters Team. Check it out live here until early Thursday July 30 (Chatters love visits, clicks and comments).

Kokopinto.Etsy.Com Features Chatter Giveaway WINNER

"Congratulations to NotQuitePhotoJENic! Please email me your critter pick asap so I can email you back your PDF set. Thank you all for participating!"

In Loving Memory of Uleen Toovey aka Chroma

This past Saturday, one of our fellow Chat Team members, and our friend, died during a white water rafting accident. Uleen, known to most of us as Chromasmear, was dear to many of us, and we are all saddened by the sudden loss. Our hearts go out to her family in their time of grief.

Each of us remembers her for something. Whether it was her indomitable spirit when it came to fighting for the causes of animals, supporting shelters and rescues in an attempt to give them all a chance at finding a loving home, or her tireless work ethic and ideals toward perfection when it came to creating banners for our shops - working and re-working them as much as necessary so that we were happy with her work.

There is a poem, in Norse Canon that is called the Havamal, or Sayings of the High One. It is a collection of pithy, and not so pithy, advice on how to live an honorable life, and how to keep out of trouble. One of the best known verses to Norse Pagans (called Heathens), is

Cattle die, Kinsmen die,
one day you die yourself;
but the words of praise will not perish
when a man wins fair fame.

I was asked to write her memorial post, as I had talked to her quite frequently, both in late night chat, as well as off etsy. It has been hard for me to come up with something to say that I feel will remember her best, because this isn't only about my memories of her, but all of ours. Each of us knew her in our own way, had our own relationship with her. She was the voice of reason in the chat rooms, the one we could talk to when we needed to vent steam about our shops, someone to laugh with just to pass the time... So I would like to invite all of you to share your favorite memory of her here in this entry.

No matter how large or small a way, she touched our lives, however briefly, and while each of us will grieve her loss in our own ways, grief that is shared is lessened. By each of our words, by sharing our experiences of her, and with her, I believe that she will live on in each of us.

Her latest project was going to be a sampler box collection with the proceeds going to a local animal rescue. As that is no longer possible, her family is requesting that donations be given to our local animal shelters and rescues in her memory, so that her work of aiding these furbabies in need can continue.

No matter how you choose to memorialize her, to remember her, know that each thought shared, each gift in her honor, will keep her alive for us all. Below is a poem she wrote and published earlier this year.

You were never an outsider to us Chroma, and we all miss you, and wish you well on your journey.

The Outsider

I am the one you called strange,
You never tried to understand.
My determined apathy amused you,
Do you know how loneliness feels?
Your blows of cruel judgement would fire,
My shiny armour absorbed it all.
My soul scared from your attack,
A decade passes,
My soul still howls in pain.
You thought I was the slow one,
It is sad you couldn't comprehend.
Denial of all compassionate guilt,
Your small world shall never grow.
Just leave me in that far corner,
Your worth didn't earn one tear.
Your empty values rewarded you nothing,
Angry power you sought over me,
Never empowered your black world.
I am the one you called strange,
When it was you who sought emptiness.

Copyright ©2009 Uleen Ann Toovey

Another news article.