The Best Of

I'm still not certain that I really have enough material for a clip show, but I'm doing it anyway. Way back in...March, I started a blog. I assumed that few if any would actually read my musings My first week I had 157 visitors that viewed my very first tatted hat and I was amazed that so many people had popped by to visit. Side note, I'm working on my second tatted hat design as we speak.

My second week I tried my hand at an opinion post with A Craftsman, an Artisan and an Artist walk into a bar... but I wasn't anymore popular. It's a pity, because I think that was a really good post. The next week I hit my first nerve with Who Do You Want To Be Today?. I got over 400 hits that week and had tons of comments. It was all about the stress that can come with making your hobby into a business when that isn't what you really wanted or isn't what you're actually good at.

Are You A Spy? is one of my absolute favorite posts thus far. I think that is was fun for people to not only admit that they are snooping on their competition, but to realize that they aren't alone. I thought it was important to see how this practice can actually be a good thing for your business. Then I got all honest and blunt on you all. I posted another opinion inspired by the whining of new sellers at etsy. Why Am I Not Famous Yet?, is the answer to why you're probably not selling. Many good folks have tried to lay this down for the newbies and I think my post ranks up their with some of the best. After that post I felt comfortable adding my two cents to the pricing debate with You Want How Much For That? and it was well received as well.

By this point I figured I'd built up a pretty good size audience, as least for a tiny etsy/tatting blog, but I had seen nothing yet. On May 7th I dropped an opinion bomb. Seriously. I knew what I was saying was gonna hit a nerve and I was pretty proud of that at the time. So I dropped the link at etsy and, as they say, the hits kept coming. Use Your Grown Up Please, was a plea for people to use a modicum of common courtesy online. It was in response to the juvenile behavior in the forums of etsy and it garnered me over 1600 visitors, tons of comments and two days of arguments both here and at etsy. I have only had one post since then that got much attention. I used my malaise at not selling much myself to make an argument for sticking it out in the slow season. I called it, Should I Quit, and the statement hit home with some people and confused a few people into thinking I would actually quit, which I of course I don't plan on doing.

Since then my views have fallen dramatically and I'm certain it's because I'm not babysitting a thread at etsy everyday that directs people here. I'm okay with where I am now though. I've had over 4000 different people read my words and that alone amazes me. I could have never dreamed of reaching that kind of audience before the internet and I feel that if I continue writing what's on my mind, someone will keep reading. I like to think that I've helped a few people during my first few months of blogging and I thank everyone who comes back to read more of my ramblings. This is only the beginning.