Extreme Shop Makeover: Ontheround Edition

As I was standing there making hundreds of bangles this morning staring out the window in deep thought, it occurred to me...I've had a major shop makeover in the last month (this thought isn't as random as it seems, I was reading etsy's blog shop makeover series)!

So I thought we'd all take a look at that today and I'd offer up some tips on how I improved my etsy shop.


First and foremost, PHOTOGRAPHS!


My photos have come a long way! Here's a look at some photos past:


This is one of the first items I ever posted on etsy. I don't think this shot was a total failure, but I had beginners luck on my side. I used a big piece of white heavy paper as my back drop. The problem with this photo is the intense shadow. I took this in the living room of my old apartment that was "cursed" with heavenly amounts of sunset all day every day. Great for basking in the sun and knitting, not so good for shop images.





Here you can see my beginners luck wore off quickly! I used a large drawing pad to keep up with the white background and make it easier to move around the house depending where the light was best. Apparently this wasn't that place! This shot is WAY to dark and really distorts the color of the bangles, placement is pretty boring, and I should have cropped the spiral of the notebook out. Duh.







Well, at least I found a photo editor! For this photo I used the same notebook backdrop as above, but I used it in a better light source. I also used picnik.com to brighten and sharpen the images. And that's not all I used picnik for! I thought that I could make my items seem more interesting if I added a frame and my web address. Looking back I'm able to see that how silly that idea was. Obviously people knew where the website was, they were there after all! In addition, the frame only took away from the item not make it better. And most importantly, a better way to make this items more interesting would have been to change the way I photographed it "stuff" to the picture. Picnik is still a very useful tool however, it is how I made my banner.




So that brings us to now. This is how I photograph the main image on my bangles currently. I switched the background to something a little softer. I discovered that plain white is just that, plain. I also discovered the best time and place for taking pictures and I stick to it. Finally, I changed the way I arranged the bangles and the angle that I took the photo. I realized that the most important part of my main image is to show the color and the craftsman ship of the item. I still use the neatly stacked arrangement in my photographs, I just don't think it's the best main image.

Here are some tips on how you can create your own look:

*Use the same backdrop for every picture. I use a large piece of wallpaper that is is easy to roll up and put away when I'm not taking pictures. Make sure it is large enough so that you can prop half of it up an create a backdrop and a base. Be sure that the colors and pattern are not a distraction and go with the look that you are trying to create.

*Coordinate the banner and avatar to further the look that you are trying to create in your shop. Originally I used the same backdrop for my banner as in my photographs, but that was too matchy matchy. Instead I switch it to a photograph that had the same color scheme and used Picnik to crop the image and add text.

*And finally, don't give up! Every week I try and improve the images of an item in my shop and every week I learn something new.

Ode to Blue and Green

Looking at my growing pile of dyed wool I've realized that I really only like blues and greens. Sure I do reds and purples and yellows because I have to, but I really only like blues and greens...and blues over greens if I really need to choose. I think it's because I'm an Aquarius.

A Year In Review

Well my etsy anniversary has come and gone (it was the 12th) very quietly...actually that day broke a really great sales streak and I haven't had one since! Oh the irony.

I thought I might take a moment and reflect a little on the past year.

I learned about etsy through my good friend Jan who is the lovely lady behind SojournQuilts. We were at an open studio at the time, she was selling at the event and I worked for the studio putting on the show. I knew she sold of etsy before but we had never had an opportunity to really discuss it at length until then.

After that weekend I was really excited to have an outlet for my creativity in a way that might support my habit. I of course was timid though and needed a lot of pushing from my partner, Evan. In my mind I needed to have everything perfect... shop name, profile information, items, all the details needed to be worked out before I could get started. The funny part is that when I finally sat down and started, I really did think that I had all the kinks worked out and things were perfect!

I got my first sale within the first two weeks of selling. I was elated! Actually, I had to call Jan immediately to tell her, I remember spinning in circles in my computer chair. I was also really nervous. When I started packing the piece (immediately even though it was 8 o'clock in the evening) I started freaking out because I was scared that the woman who bought the bracelet was going to decide she hates it after seeing it. The woman ended up returning the bracelet...it wasn't because she thought I was terrible though, it was because it didn't fit. I think that was the best start to my selling on etsy! I quickly realized that it's not the end of the world if someone buys something and it turns out not to be what they wanted. I didn't get over the nervousness of selling for at least 6 months though.

And then there is waiting for feedback! After my first few sales I was obsessively checking my etsy page every five minutes waiting for feedback. I was (and still am a little) deathly afraid of negative feedback. It's been a year and I haven't gotten any yet, but I just can't let my guard down! This was my first feedback "These thin bangles are so fun! Each time I wear them, I am asked what they are made of and where I bought them. These have turned out to be a real hit! Thank you! I will be back!" It was from my mom! What a wonky set of bangles!

In the beginning, I found it harder to make the time to make things. I think a lot of it had to do with the anxiety I was experiencing when posting items. I also had a new baby and was nursing every five minutes. Now that I'm not nursing anymore I'm amazed at all the extra time that has appeared in my day! Also, when we decided to sell off all of our belongings and move to Montana I needed to get rid of things that I had been hording and make money for the trip. That really took the edge off of my fears, plus with all the posting the sales really started to roll in.

Then we came home from Montana and I felt a little crazy and a lotta lost so I really started poring myself into making. This was also right around when the Christmas sales started rolling in. Finally I was posting regularly, getting custom orders and repeat business and lots of sales. Also, all the time that I was putting in my shop really made things come together like my policies and figuring out how to photography my items in a way that would make them interesting.

I still have a lot to learn, but going into my second year I can't help but feel really confident. I no longer feel anxious when I get a sale or waiting for feedback because I know that my items are cool and made well. Finally, I'm taking the time to experiment and try new things confidently because I know that if it doesn't work out, I've still got a lot of good ideas!

Speaking of making....I better get to it!

Adventures in Spinning Part 1

I've mentioned before that I got an antique spinning wheel for Christmas. Now, I knew that it was a spinning wheel, but that was about it. That was roughly three weeks ago.

In that time I learned that I didn't have a bobbin or a flyer, found one antique flyer with bobbin on ebay, bought it (shipped in from London), made a new driving band, repaired the bobbin that came in from London (with sculpie and gorilla glue), made two new leather bearing (sacrificing one of my fathers old belts), figured out that the yarn doesn't actually go around the wheel that is just what makes the flyer go, and a lot of other little details in between that I won't bore you with.

This morning, I put it all together (with a lot of help from my mother's boyfriend, Roland) and sat down for a spin. Although it was far from beautiful homespun yarn, it certainly was homespun yarn. And I did all of this before even getting to the chapter on spinning in The Joy of Spinning.

I don't know, I'm feeling pretty bad ass right now.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's been a while...

Since my last post I've made my way back to Maine, my home sweet home! I'm really glad to be back and have no future plans of leaving...ever! My family and I had a lovely holiday season, but I'm really glad it's over and I'm so ready to get back to business!

I've recently purchased a 30 pound bump of merino wool and have been walking around with a fiber boner ever since! When I started ontheround my goal was to earn enough money to be able to buy a bump and do my own dying. I would have earned the money a lot sooner had I not spent it on awesome etsy finds and a two month "vacation" to Montana, but whose counting anyway? The point is I did it and I've been busying myself dying wool (using Maine's own professional Cushing Acid Dyes) and making bangles. I also have big plans for expanding my felt jewlery line to necklaces and earrings! I also hope to miraculously come up with a few more hours in the day to do more wall hangings...

As for knitting, I'm currently a little burned out from all the last minute Christmas gift knitting, but I'll be getting back to it shortly. You can look forward to knitting patterns and definitly some funky new designs! Holy cow! I almost forgot...my loving partner Evan got me a spinning wheel for Christmas! I'm waiting (not so patiently) for a new bobbin from ebay so I can get to spinning. So, it's probably safe to say that I will be offering some homespun, hand dyed merino at some point...

Needless to say it is going to be a busy and exciting year and I couldn't be happier!