International shipping sticker shock.

I am the only person in the world who doesn't know about these fee calculators. Oddly, it's cheaper to sell a ten dollar book on ebay than amazon[and there are fewer penny books, too]. Adjust the etsy listing fees for the amount of relists. For example, if you want to relist three times before it sells, put in .60 for etsy fees.

41 items for my 50 item challenge. It's nice to be short by less than ten items. Today I took a break, but I guess I might actually list some items now that I'm awake.

Best etsy thread ever.

38 items made for the challenge. Also, page on handmade parade is up.

I don't understand this featured buyer thing, but I love they might be giants

Etsy lady abitabite has made Playgirl.[a pornographic magazine, so if you don't want to see things like that, please do not click this link.] To tie to into my general blogging, I hear you have to generate some press to be successful. I bet she'll get a lot of interest from the national exposure.

During my hour of promotional power, I noticed my flower ring got to popular on craft juice.

I also noticed that on craigslist, Memphis is listed in Mississippi.

I wonder if one hour a day is too little. But I guess I should pace myself so I don't get ill.

Note: yay for minutes of chats.

I'm still depressed but I feel a bit better. Some people have Ferraris and some people have rusty old bikes, and you don't get an upgrade. I find that every time I need to ship even one package[today is the day after Memorial Day, I have four] I lose my scissors.

I may have an exciting secret, that I can't enjoy now, but when I feel better, I may enjoy it.

Apparently if you make more than the 1 sale a month that's the etsy average, you should never worry.

Also, I've lost my sense of humor, so these folks seem mean. I was all hoo rah last post[5 minutes ago] but instead I think I'll hang around and tell my parents to give me some of those sausages they've been grilling.

I plan to do a promotional power hour everyday. Maybe I'll fall short[I've only made 34 items for my 50 item challenge] but I'm hoping to work hard. I don't do shows, so I'm working hard during the summer to build a foundation for winter.

Yay! Featured in Carnival's blog!

Glad to be a sweet steal.

I enjoy all things etsy, even if they aren't super happy shiny. So I've discovered the shocking blog, etsy bitch! There's also bad etsy deals, full of calling out! A forum thread. and a shocking compilation of closed threads!!!

I have to admit that I don't really fit in at etsy as I don't do well being all goodie goodie gumdrops. I mean even in real life it's tough for me to have a good personality. Once this guy during a game said missed[in Italian] bitch to me, and I swear he recoiled in fear. Hehehe, so there you have it. I work hard making jewelry, and I like my designs, but the truth is that if you buy handmade not for the workmanship or the beauty of the items, but instead because you think the person making the item is all goodie goodie gumdrops, you'll be really disappointed with my stuff.

But I have faith that the majority of people aren't like that. That people aren't as judgmental as they seem to be. That real humans of flesh and blood can still be successful.

Should attempted price fixing be disallowed on etsy?

34 items made for my 50 item challenge. I've been sick a lot, and seem to be running out of supplies. Things I'm quite sure I'm out of:

antiqued brass earwires
gold plated ear wires
gold plated headpins


Things I want but never had:
glue on necklace bails
ribbon bracelet ends

Popular fashion blog A Dress A Day is covering the etsy search change. I might photograph some items for ebay or I might go back to bed for the whole day.

I see that iliketotallyloveit has changed its website. As you can see, I've mostly been using it for advertising.

Yay! I'm in a treasury with some nice etsy artists of color!
The treasuries are awesome! I'm glad to get in a treasury as I am trying to promote my butt off before summer school begins. I need to get as much of a foothold as I can before I only have the time to maybe relist once per day.

Also, look at this cute troll doll.

Yay for free press. Got my 25% off sale on the etsy sales blog. But filling out stuff about me to get free press, it's pretty tough.

Hey, I'm in a treasury. I hope I start being in treasuries more often now, I've been in a slump lately.

aqua stars

aqua stars
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

The new supplies I got in certainly helped me with my burst of creating.

I made 28 items for my challenge! I also took pictures of all of them.

etsy dirt! abitabite has a new shop! It is nsfw!

Also, the vintage and supplies meeting minutes have been posted!

Etsy dirt! Small company, Vital, ripped off by Urban Outfitters.

I'm celebrating nearly 700 hearts with a week long sale! Tell me where you found my shop and get 25% off!!!

Spiderbite calls for some maturity. Remember- saying I gotta list! doesn't make people agree with you or even shut up.

Yay! My stuff is similar to a front pager's!



front page! yay!



Me! I'm happy in a sort of "look, I'm as good as a front pager" way, but I'd like people who are worried about copying to note that two people who don't know each other[I've never seen this person before this] managed to make similar earrings by using the same sort of idea- flowers with centers, and sterling silver.

I never knew I was on etisians say the darnest things! Note: in googling myself, the first mention of what I said in the forums was this, four pages in. This is the only forums hit in ten pages, and it had to be copied unto a blog.

I'm also refocusing on my supply shop. Renewing the expired items and adding a few new in. I'm cleaning my bead box out too, as I need to be able to find things to be able to make things.

Formerly banned people return to etsy forums mysteriously. I have run out of energy to make any items, and so my 50 item challenge is in danger. I also plan to list 5 items on ebay everyday.

pink and blue cell charm

pink and blue cell charm
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

I finally uploaded some pictures, and have been listing like crazy. I posted these stars on

I haven't gotten to uploading my zillion pictures, so here's the minutes of an etsy employees chat! There may be dirt about the vintage and supply situation forthcoming!

Posting this so I remember to read it fully.

Plenty of dirt in the forums.

I can't have nice things

I can't have nice things
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

This is why you need to be careful with your stuff. I think it broke because I put my keys in the grocery basket with stuff on top. So remember- this could happen to you

I've made about 22 items for my 50 item challenge. Slow but sure. I've gotten some good pictures today, but I hesitate to post them on flickr as it's mother's day.

I hear the sampler is going Mtv. I can't participate because the fee is $110.

There's been a lot of furor about the new search changes, with handmade as the default search. But there's also been a lot of support with some tresuries- this one explaining how to find vintage and this one just displaying the best of vintage and a thread about supporting vintage and supplies on etsy.

In shocking etsy news, littleput's business is up for sale: for only $7000.

Littleput suggests that she'd like to go outside once in a while.

I love these old photos I found on etsy.

New changes to etsy? I am too run down to understand them, but I bet there will be drama. see official thread.

Negative is the new positive. I sure hope so! People harp on positive, positive,positive, but I think to become strong artists, we need more than that. Not only do we need honest critque to grow, we also need to have emotions that are less than positive to become more creative. When I make jewelry, I have many emotions- sometimes I am angry and want to do better, sometimes I am sad, and want to create to soothe myself, sometimes I am ambitious and want to top myself. Hard work isn't always pretty or fun, but you become stronger for it. So I want everyone to be able to become strong too.

I'm on item 15 of my 50 item challenge, and it's overcast again. I guess today I should post the items I have pictures of, at least. I saw all the bright colors in the mall yesterday and thought my fashion moment has arrived.

Ugh, it's overcast..

A common complaint about the promotions forums is that your post gets buried. The truth is that while we all think our new sale is the most important, so does everyone else. So the best thing to do is to contribute to other people's threads and to chat with them. Look at some items, stay a while. Maybe post in a post and run thread. Get known and more people will be looking for your super special new sale.

11 items completed for my 50 items challenge! I have to wait an hour for the sun to get to a point where I can photo the items, and between then and now I need to post more items on ebay and promote my ending auctions.

I'm not in the etsy supply team anymore, because I said that a promotional thread...BELONGS IN PROMOS!!

Here's what etsy says belongs in techniques and materials, where it was originally posted:

Techniques & Materials:
share and seek advice about creating items
Topics that belong in Techniques & Materials:
• photography questions
• crafting how-to help
• questions about materials or tools

Topics that etsy says belong in promotions:

Promotions:
looking to shop, promote yourself or a favorite seller? post here
Topics that belong in Promotions:
• "show me your..."
• "I'm looking to buy..."
• anything that is advertising or promotion
• sales threads for Team promotions
• sharing your Treasuries, favorite shops or recent purchases
• blogs/blog entries highlighting specific items or shops
• milestones in number of sales, hearts or views

Whenever you post something on the forums in these sections, these guidelines pop up. There is no longer an excuse for clogging every single other section with promotions. Everyone thinks their thread is too important to be in promotions, so if we say 'well, because this person is in a group with me, they should be allowed to post anywhere they want' the truth is that everyone on etsy is in a group with someone else on etsy or is someone else's special friend. I also do not agree with the idea that everyone must agree with breaking rules for people to be in a team. Now, I'm not an active member of my many teams, but all the teams I am in right now follow the rules. Etsybead doesn't go and post 'looking for jewelry' in business, Jet doesn't go 'we do custom orders' on the techniques, and you never see etsy artists of color posting 'support diverse artists' on the ideas forum. These are all teams, but they agree to work within etsy's rules on etsy.

Etsy isn't making forum rules to be mean or to be arbitrary. When you spam your promotions in other areas, that not only creates more work for the moderators, it also means that people looking for actual information can't be seen above your promotion. So keep it in promos. The truth is that your post or your group's post is not more important than the posts of everyone else. All the other teams, including one of the vintage teams, have been following the rules all this time, you know.


*I just remembered that trashion also follows the rules, and doesn't spam the forums.
also, now you can flag posts for being in the wrong section- another indication that etsy does not want you to spam.

Yay! The new etsy search is here!!

New supply drama?!

I made a cell charm[9 items for the 50 item challenge] but I mostly spent today shopping and sleeping. I need to list and list, though.

hey, it's a new gemstone blog!

8 items made for my 50 item challenge! The sun is out, so it's time for more pictures!

4 items made for my 50 item challenge! But my brain has some fog, so I might have to lay down and play video games for the rest of the day. Our light quality is pretty bad today, so no photos, I think.

betty page!

betty page!
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

I finally put this necklace on my website. I've only made one new item for my 50 items in May challenge. Better step it up!

*is featured on the art of color!* The board that the booties is on makes me sad. No more house rules candyland for me.

I've decided to start renewing again one day early. For May, I may try to complete 50 items! For April, without renewals, my bill was still $6. Half the cost of the renewing as normal bill though.

I want to blog in support of the selling of supplies on etsy. People say that we can just go to a brick and mortar shop such as Michaels, but I have to admit that the variety and quality of supplies on offer is not up to snuff. I can't find ring bases there, for example, or the really unique supplies that help me create the designs that bring eyes to my shop. The same old Michaels stuff doesn't bring people into my shop- they've seen it all before. And yes, we could go to ebay, but items bought on ebay don't bring cash into etsy that they can use to do things like fix the search and make new features. So stay supply sellers! I love you!

Ok, I love me too.

Heh, this painting is great.

Yay for apologies.

I won a contest!



My prize is in a nice box.




I'm not sure how Sandfibers keeps her eyesight. That's so intricate[not shown: the also delicately beaded ring band]

Copy or not a copy, in the latest etsy drama!


Littleput quits for a few months. PS. Don't be dicks to successful people. I am saving up to buy from them.

It seems that etsy is fixing the search

I'm in indieparade today, yay!



I went garage saling today, and got a great haul- 3 pairs of pants for $6, 2 video games for $10. I also got this fun pair of earrings that I debated keeping for myself, but selling them on ebay is the cost of being able to take much needed naps.

People are looking before they leap on RME. Some don't trust RME.

Etsytools drama.

I'm really glad that my google base store connector for my ebay store is finally working. I am going to have to do my google base for my etsy and my website. I also have to study for finals.

I finally found my how to use promotions storque article

I still haven't listed all the ebay items I need to list, but I've made great inroads into my etsy listings. It's nearly May, so I'll stay the course for a few more days, and then I'll be able to spread out into my other venues.

Some good photographs today

part of a bracelet
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

It's very rare that me making a large batch of items and a sunny day come together all at once. Of course, it'll take me a week to list only 6 items, but better late than never.

An etsy related rant. On this thread, not only do we see some vintage elitism, as if one vintage thing is so much better, and some ebay elitism, because success is bad and all that, but the worst bit is people suggesting gamestop. You should never sell your used games to gamestop- you're not going to get what they are worth! Do you want a nice old lady[Ok, I made that part up] being ripped off by a big corporation here? I mean, just because you don't understand video games and video game culture doesn't mean you need to put them down and have people getting maybe $2 if that, for a game that could sell for at least $10.


Also, found on etsy- yay for atari journals!

In the middle of my no renew experiment, there is a furor about renewing on etsy. Apparently they changed it so that you don't get as much time if you renew.Of course, I was renewing for a little exposure, so I won't be affected by that. My sales are only slightly down from March in which I renewed three times per day. I may renew once per day when I stop my experiment as it didn't ruin my sales or anything when I didn't renew at all.

On etsy, you can get baby ball gowns. I need to start listing like crazy, but I am oh so slow. The horrors of finals will be upon me soon enough and I'll be really sorry. I also need to ramp up for fall to replace my income from my lack of a part time job because of my crazy schedule. At least the sun will shine, even though the creek is rising.

Unefemme explains how to use the promos. A note on promos: If you start a thread, please talk to the participants. It's very friendly.

Also, etsyartists of color starts a ning network.

Oddly, I won a contest. It seems I'm having sweet luck today.

Jewelry making party

tulips
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

It's so much easier to make jewelry than it is to photograph and list it. It took me 2 photo shoots today to come up with decent photos, and I haven't listed any of the five items I made yesterday.

Frozen shops instead of brick walls? It's the latest etsy dirt.

[sooo not my pic!]

Bright blue chocolate? Sounds nice.

Indiepublic has been sold?! An email received by me:

Dear IndiePublic Members -

First off, I'd like to take a moment to thank Sion for creating this awesome network of people - we are now over 6,700 strong and growing every day!

It is with great excitement that I write to you to introduce myself! I'm thrilled to be the new steward of indiepublic - Sion has created a wonderful community and my overall goal is to maintain the indie spirit.

My name is Casie Metcalf and I live in Portland, Maine. I do have an almost three year old son (Andrew) who keeps me hopping, a wonderfully supportive husband and more ideas than there are hours in the day!

Timing is everything and within days of being laid off from the local newspaper (after 10 years), Sion offered indiepublic for sale. This offer came at the exact right time for me and I think will be a great fit.

Thank you all for the kind words and support that many of you have shown since Sion's announcement. I do appreciate each and every one! I'm sure we'll get to know one another much better in the coming weeks.

Please feel free to send me an email with any questions, comments or suggestions - I'm always open to new ideas.

Stay tuned - I'll be re-introducing the member of the day feature next Monday. And I hope to get the indiecontests site up and accepting new deals and contests shortly.

I can't think of a good name for this

I can't think of a good name for this
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

I made a necklace, photographed it, and have been promoting up a storm. I also did some ebay listing- I'm so behind on that. My goal is 100 ebay items in store, but I only have 17. I tried to get some photos of a ring I made, but the overcast skies just wouldn't let me get a good picture of the ring, so I'll try again tomorrow.

I'm adding my work to a new gallery site. Promote, promote, promote! It's tough not being able to renew, because when I am tired, I have to expend energy for outside promotion.

New stuff

rose quartz
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

I think that I'll also try to stock up my website as well. I have tons of supplies I want to use.

Lately, I've been obsessed with sterling silver lately. I even made a list of sterling pieces. So today, I've decided to feature a sterling artist- Khristinne, who opened her etsy shop in March. [all pictures not mine]

She does well in traditional subjects such as butterflies and hummingbirds:



Butterfly Ballet- good for people from little girls to women with a sense of fun.



Flower Kissers- birds for the ears.

She also does more whimsical designs such as a watering can necklace for spring:



or maybe paper clip earrings?

Breaking my renewing addiction has been hard. Yesterday I almost renewed because I hadn't posted an item for a whole day. The image of my newest item on page 1000 haunted me, but I managed to control myself and not renew.

The debate about the best online advertising goes on. I've got to fiddle with my adwords now.

I'm pretty excited. I got 100 sterling silver headpins. It's going to be a good time in the beading house tonight! I've been toiling over this tiny paper so much that I haven't been listing any of the eleventy billion items I have to list, because I'm so invested in the push pull of procrastination. I do a million little things to avoid the work like blogging, but I don't feel that I can undertake any other work, like listing, or leisure like playing a video game. It's a terrible limbo.

Also, hey, an etsy blog aggregator. I also didn't know people collected fonts.

Supply shoppers, start your visas! The creators of the etsy mini blog has started a seperate one for supplies.

It's tough to not renew when there's a new etsybead theme of the (two) weeks as people search the theme for items for treasuries. However, it's just one month of not renewing, and I'll tough it out.

Is social media borked because we game the system? On one hand, yes. Spam clogs the lanes, making it tougher to move towards stuff you like. On the other hand, not all people hoping to promote their business through social media are very good at it, so those clumsy attempts can be easily sidestepped. Another important thing is that people can connect and add value while promoting. The truth is that nobody wants to come back for 30 posts a month saying merely 'look at my new item'. They want information that is of interest and use to them, and if you can provide it, you rule the social media world.

I'm having a tough time. The google base store connector isn't working with my etsy store, it's been rainy all week, which has been affecting my photos, and I am a bit slow on the listing front. I was able to ship out a big ebay sale within 12 hours of payment, which was good, though. I bought some big mailers for my ebay items. It's tough to use boxes because they always increase the weight of your package by several ounces, which is especially bad as shipping costs will probably increase again.

I'm ebaying as much as I can as I already spent my whole paycheck. [it was only $50 but still...

There's a lot of flickr controversy on etsy.

I've got to send out the newsletter early tomorrow as I have to go to a Munchkin playing meeting

I made a new thisnext list. More about my no renew experiment. I listed a fresh new item today- and got 4 views. On a shiny fresh item.

new item

matching
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

Yesterday I made a pair of earrings to match this bracelet in my shop.

Another consequence of not renewing is that I have less stock to put in other areas.

The problem with not renewing is that even if you made new items, it can be tough when it rains and you can't take pictures. I'm hoping it dries up a bit later. I also need a lot of headpins, as I'm making a necklace that requires a lot of them and I think I've ran out.

New items

it's a cell charm
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

to make up for the lack of renewals, I posted a new item.

Today is day one of the no renewing experiment. I'm hoping that I don't slip up and renew because I'm so used to doing it. I have a new item I can list if I get too antsy though.

A new idea

earrings!
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

I plan not to renew on etsy for the entire month of April

My bills and sales for March

etsy sales: 23.90
bill: 13.60

ebay sales: 43.55
fees: 21.91

website: 47.35[a single sale]
fees: 9.99

I'm hoping that I can devote tomorrow to beading, stocking my ebay store and advertising as today is a lost lost cause. I have to remember that it is April name and that my money in, money out spreadsheet should be updated accordingly.

Oddly yummy april's fools day joke.

I've never been to a flower festival. It's something that the super single can't enjoy.

Poo pendants?! I hope this is a joke.

I'm in the storque again. Related items:peppermint cell charm.

Maybe it's because I told them about the commercial appeal piece?

Oh, I have a twitter now too.

I just started on twitter though.

I have to admit that even though I am an etsy seller and my work is in the etsy aesthetic, I tend not to be a typical etsy person. I tend to love extra income. If I have to go on ebay to get buyers, I'll go there. I'll go where the buyers are. Also, I am an internet person. A lot of the sites that other folks are just learning about in the context of promotion[livejournal, stumbleupon,etc], I've been on for years. Of course, this is because of my handicap. The truth is that I don't have the brute force stamina required for real life selling, but over a long time, little by little, I can get my products into your hands by doing a bit every day.

I'm going to spend all today watching tivo, stocking my ebay store, and shipping my items. I may use tonight as jewelry night too. I guess it makes up for the fact that I won't be going to the board gaming convention today. I'm waiting for my new big mailers to come in because I am mailing a lot more different things lately.

Etsytools closes because of idiots. Forums react to the news that we can't have nice things.

inside ds cozy
Originally uploaded by cassowaryjewelry

My DS looks plenty warm. It looks like a makeup bag from the outside, but gaming goodness on the inside.


I love being able to request custom orders because I've been looking for a cozy for months!