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If you haven't been working on your photos, be sure to do that now! Make it yummy!
Are you motivated for the holidays? Are you doing the Etsy Success Holiday Bootcamp? I've taken the pledge, and I'm ready to take the next step! Instructions come out on Thursdays, and I'm ready for tomorrow's newsletter!
Despite the fact that it's been raining for three days, despite the fact that I'm not having any sales, despite the fact that any "normal" person would just give up and throw in the towel, today was a woo-hoo day for me! I can't explain it, I just know that I'm doing things every day to improve, and that in itself is success for me. One of the first things I read this morning was an article by Kim at EverythingEtsy about Etsy and the positive direction it's taking. I'm so glad to be a part of it, and this article really helped me. I was excited enough about the day that my Facebook page entry today was "Today is the day to make things happen!" Actually, now that I think about it, I put that up before I read Kim's article! I was feeling good enough to announce my woo hoo-ness to the world, you can check it out here.
I was invited to show my photographs at a gallery in the mountains of North Carolina. It's about two hours from where I live, and we drove up Saturday to check it out. I was super excited to see a thriving arts district-- it is right next to a state college and in a tourist-y town, and there were lots of people everywhere! So anyway, this "gallery" was actually a retail store that rents space to artists, and they have upfront costs and a monthly rental fee, with a year commitment. After posting a question about this in the forums, I know now that this is what is called a "vanity gallery". As much as I would love to show my work there, it's cost prohibitive for me. I did send a note to the manager thanking her for the invite and her time showing me around, and I let her know why I couldn't show there. I also (hint, hint) expressed that if she was willing to show me on consignment, I would love to do that. Haven't heard back from her, I guess we'll see! Have any of you had success in this type of "vanity gallery"?
We also hopped onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and took a few photos. This was the first time my girls have been to the mountains (we usually head four hours east to the beach!), and my six-year-old was amazed by how far she could see! The sight always takes my breath away, too.
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| My Girls |
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| Blue Ridge Butterfly |
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| Elk Mountain Overlook |
Oh! And I have just discovered Zazzle! I'll talk more about it in the near future. I really need to learn how to make my shop look "pretty". Anybody out there have success with zazzle? I didn't find that much in the forums. I can tell you that I have been having waaaay too much fun designing shoes with my photographs! Tell me what you think! Is it ridiculous of me to even think people would buy these shoes??
Okay, everybody, give me some feedback! I've thrown a lot at you today... any thoughts? Please comment!
Your girls are adorable- maybe we introduce our children in say- um... 15 yrs (that would make my boys 23- bout the age I see them starting to date- HAHA).
ReplyDeleteWhere to start- I love the wider pages! I actually like a lot of the new changes etsy is making.. for a while I was not so thrilled. I find that a lot of the changes coming are beneficial to the seller and or buyer and not so much the company only.
Do you sell on Art Fire? I have not checked out Zazzel but know a lot of photographers that use that or Cafe Press. Neat to have the option of having an item made with your image without ordering a bunch and putting out the cash without knowing if they will sell.
I so understand the frustration and LOVE when you said something like "a normal person would have thrown in the towel"... HAHA but not us- we are not normal- we are determined, we are hard workers- we are Women and Mothers- the most determined of them all. Hang in there... I think that times are still really hard for people (I know they are here in GA- and in the construction industry- where we did make our main income). Keep plugging away- do things that are free- networking and connecting... your time is not free but it is way cheaper than any other option. And have fun- yes part of it is work work but there has to be the creative part that you LOVE or you would have given up- and YOUR TALENT is not the problem- if that was the case- it would be a waste of time- just have to keep chip chipping away till you break on through to the other side (in my best Jim Morrison voice).
I have not heard of those type of galleries but then again I live in the least artistic place in the world (or sometimes it seems). I would much rather people be upfront with me from the get go- you probably would have still checked it out -and sounds like the drive was gorgeous- but least it would not have been such a let down.
I would love to chat sometime- I have found a few things that help- many I see you are doing... maybe a few you might not have thought of... always cool to have someone to bounce ideas off of.
Ok I have rambled on long enough! Again thanks for the treasury include- and I am super glad because I love connecting with others on etsy, and bonus I think you are super cool!
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ReplyDeleteThanks Meredith, you made me smile!
ReplyDeleteI haven't started anything on Artfire. I've read a lot about it on the forums, and it looks like people do a lot better on Etsy. i just don't think I can handle "one more thing" with the Etsy, two blogs, now starting on Zazzle... do you have success on Artfire? I definitely would love to chat and bounce ideas... the only "bouncers" in my life just don't "get it". I can't put myself in that box anymore!