Enviable Problems

I suppose some of my problems are enviable, I know there was a time when I would have blinked jealous eyes at one who complained about too many custom orders. Yesterday, I made a comment on twitter regarding the state of my custom orders. I have not been selling many ready to ship items as of late. I had just finished the last custom order in my queue when another was ordered. Honestly, I just wanted to take a little break from the high speed order making. It's alright though, I'll make custom orders from here to doomsday, if people are still ordering them.

The comment I received back was a harmless, "Oh, to have your problems" sort of thing. I get it, I wasn't offended or anything, but the whole situation got me thinking a little bit though. No, I didn't hurt myself. I was thinking about a time right before I abandoned the etsy forums. I had left my usual haunts for the critiques section as I had a brand new design idea I wanted to bounce off people. I was meant with, well, let's just say they weren't amenable to my request. In fact, I was derided for asking is general with off handed comments like, "you don't really need any help". When I related the incident to old friends who had already given up, they too pointed out that they were treated the same when asking for help. The general consensus seemed to be that, as relatively successful sellers, we could only be there lording our success over them, not genuinely in need of help.

Most 'old school' etsians are no longer forum participants. I only see a few here and there when I stop by to lurk. The squeaky wheels that hang out in the ideas and bugs forums, the mentors that throw around recycled advice over and over again in the business section and the socialites that, well, socialize in etc. round the clock. It seems as if forums are designed to keep out anyone with enviable problems. Sure, they are a place to commiserate, but it's as if they don't realize that we all struggled through those problems too and it was only time and hard work that got us to a place where we have other things to complain about. I absolutely would take my current problems over the ones I had three years ago, no sales, low views, crappy pictures, etc. I just wish I could whine just a bit without feeling like I was acting superior, oh well. Here's to always having these kinds of problems!

In other news, I did take a picture of my knitting. The image doesn't really capture the pretty of this yarn. There is a metallic filament in it that I don't think shows up here. but I needed to have prove now, not later in the sunlight. I don't know if you can see them, but there are twisted stitches running the length and in between them is where the stitches will eventually be dropped. That is what is going to make this look amazing, if I ever get back to it, that is. It is such a pretty combination of greens and purples which I don't think is properly depicted here either, but at least there is now evidence of my other skill set.

I have one more custom order to finish today and I got all the pictures of the unlisted items left over from the Maker Faire done yesterday, so I'll continue listing the feather combs and a crap load of pendants today and most of the week. Hopefully I can get back to the knitting sometime before it becomes cool enough to actually wear the scarf.

Aargh

Well, I'm afraid that I'm not doing any better. The wind has been ridiculous and that has brought my seasonal allergies to an extreme level. I can't breath, I have a headache, a cough, an earache and my throat hurts. I know, whiny right? Sorry, but it's killing my creativity dead. I spent the day finishing a mask and getting started on remaking a pair of barefoot sandals. It is a damn good thing that I already scheduled all the post on the new blog or I'd be dropping the ball on it already.

I did do a little Internet searching yesterday trying to remember all the things I did to get the word out when I started this blog. I even ventured into the etsy forums...the promo section even, to try and drum up a little support and more potential finds. What happened there? Well, a whole lot of nothing. I got just a few responses and only a couple of them had any potential to be featured. My favorite was someone who claimed that their 'bookmarks' were different. Talk about grasping at straws. It's okay though, I remember how hard it was there to get any attention especially when you're just starting out. It's been nearly three years for me, so I guess I'm just over it.

I'll keep doing the legwork myself and I figure that if the blog takes off and continues to get attention, then people will find me. I have no illusions that it will become the next big thing, it's far too simple for that, but it would be nice to get enough attention to at least warrant it's continued existence. Of course I'm getting way ahead of myself as per usual. I think I'm just going to go and rest a bit now. Hopefully Spring is short this year and I can breath soon.

Religion and Politics

I am interrupting my regularly scheduled mask coverage to address these, the largest of all controversial topics. Now, don't freak out, I'm not going to spew forth my opinions on them, but merely my opinion on opinions, or rather the placement of them. Lately the forums at etsy have been rife with threads on these subjects and as a rule these threads dissolve into playground brawls in record time. I personally avoid commenting in these topics, but that does not stop me from lurking in them with shocked disbelief much as one might watch a car accident.

So I started thinking about why such divisive subjects were always popping up on a crafting site. It occurred to me that artists are passionate people. In fact most people who create are passionate people. It then makes perfect sense that a group of people who are as diverse as any other and possessing of a large amount of creative passion would get into extreme debates with as much ease as other people breath. All that being said, we need to cut it out, seriously.

We all have opinions and we all feel ours is worth expressing, but there is a time and a place. The anonymity of the Internet has made many feel like anywhere is a good place to discuss that which riles us up, but we must consider the company anytime we bring up these subjects. I know that old fashioned ideals of etiquette are out of favor, but there really was a good reason why we were told not discuss these topics. I am not for one minute suggesting that these thing never be discussed, but their discussion requires a level of civility on respect that seems all but impossible to maintain in a virtual setting.

I do have a suggestion for those who still feel the need to engage in the discussions on etsy. First, read what you wrote out load before hitting the post button. Hearing something out load, might reveal unintended hostility and make you rethink your statement. If you still feel the need to respond at keast it isn't in the heat of the moment any longer. Next, I ask that before you hit post that you imagine something for me. Imagine that you are at your job and for the purpose of this exercise you work in a mall. You are standing at the front of the store, they are customers both new and old where you can see them and others you cannot. You are also within easy ear shot of other stores, their owners and employees as well as your own coworkers. Now, what were you about to say? Would your statement cause you to lose the repect of any of those people? Would it affect business, your job? Is it still worth it?

I know that many people value their right to free speech over common courtesey and they will disagree with me wholeheartedly. That's fine with me. I value my freedom of speech as well as I respect yours. I just think there are better places to talk about these things. I know that some people don't care if their opinions turn buyers or other sellers off, but I feel that if I have to work with these people in any capacity it's better to not invite controversy and conflict were none exsisted. This is all just my opinion and It's a bit of a downer from all my creative goodness, so I'll go now and make something to take the edge off. I'll have a mask or something tomorrow, I promise.

The Great Curator

I've been making a lot of treasuries over at the etsy lately. It all started innocently enough. I was trolling the treasuries for that coveted gold star that indicates one of my pieces has been featured when I realized that the ability to create new lists would be occurring in a couple of minutes. Since I was already there I figured, why not. I grabbed a list and quickly filled it with items from the Esty Steam Team. Then just a few days later virtually the same thing happened again. This time I had a few more minutes, so I came up with a theme and tried to create a cohesive image. Then I found myself figuring out when the next opening would be so I could return to make another list. Apparently, I am now hooked.

An interesting side effect to all this list curating has been an extreme decrease in my forum time. Sure, I've visited the forums, but mostly to just take a quick look around, drop my blog link and move on. Curating a Treasury takes far less energy than constantly posting in the forums and I think I will be adding it to my cycle of addiction. It seems to be acting as methadone to my forum addiction. Will I get sick of making lists? Of course I will. I can already feel the decrease in the need to snag a new list and I'm still out of the forums. The bonus of course, besides the free exposure to my team mates, is the extra time I have to actually create things. I've had a few large projects recently and I've managed to knock them out in record time.

I still have a few more treasury ideas to try out before I let this new addiction go, but I know that I will see it again. There is a decidedly cyclical nature to my relationship with etsy and all the ancillary activities that seem to go along with it. I seem to get addicted and subsequently sick of almost every aspect of it. I've gone through brief addictions to the forums, treasuries, shopping, running sales, other social networking sites and street teams. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this too shall pass and return and pass again. I'm sure it's the same for many of you, right? I've learned to just go with the flow, it just takes to much energy to fight the great cycle.

Again, I'm Surrounded By Kindergarteners

I majored in Theater in College, but I really enjoyed my philosophy classes. Aside from the sleep lost to fearing the void and years of logically driven existential angst, I learned not only how to spot a weak argument, but also how to win that argument with relative ease. Why do I bring this up? Well, the most recent school yard fight at etsy of course. Granted this one was mild compared to others I've witnessed, but it still managed to catch my attention and make me shake my head in shame.

One seller thought, "Hey I've got too many supplies, perhaps I should use these before I go out and buy more." Then I imagine they thought, "I can't be the only one with this affliction, I should ask people to join me in a temporary pact so we can support each other in our decision." Sounds like a valid idea to me. Save a little money on supplies you really don't need right now and challenge yourself to create things out of stuff you already have sitting around. Then ask people to join you to create a sort of support group. Who could have a problem with that?

Another person sees this pact posted in the forums and thinks, "That is so not cool, now everyone is going to listen to her and stop buying supplies and my business will be hurt." Then they proceed to not only express their opinions, but bash the seller for a perceived evil intent. Some go so far as to compare this to calling for everyone to stop buying jewelry on etsy and they call it the 'same thing'. The opinion, while no less valid than the first persons idea, is built on a knee jerk emotional response not logic and the comparison is an irrational slippery slope argument.

Let's break down why the second person should calm down a bit. The argument makes assumptions not based in fact, first that "everyone" listens to the seller and does what she proposes. There are I believe a million accounts on etsy and I can say beyond any doubt that a great many of them have never visited the forum and of those that have only a small percentage of them listen to anyone in the forums aside from their small circle of friends. Next, that everyone who reads the proposal will participate. Come on, even though I haven't done the proper legwork to prove it I'm sure the amount of people who follow through on pacts is far from one hundred percent. Lastly, the argument assumes that this is what will hurt business. I think I've already established that there are probably very few people participating in the pact, it was never intended as a permanent ban and even though every single artisan needs supplies, they don't all buy those supplies on etsy anyway. I know I don't buy a lot of supplies there. Not a lot of thread options around.

The comparison that was suggested is the funniest of all to me. Anytime someone makes a leap like that all I hear is a whining voice yelling, "Yeah, Well, how would you like it if...". It's a juvenile response fueled by anger. While the feelings behind the outburst are valid, it really is best to take a deep breath and think before responding. Relax, this is not the end of the world. In the end you will just look foolish if you let your emotions do the typing for you.

We're All Winners, Right?

Well I've got a couple of pieces of news today. First I have the results of the Spring Beading Challenge. As I predicted, I did not win, but I was surprised to get a special mention in the judges, Linda Chandler's write-up:

"First, I want to thank you all for letting me judge this beading contest. With so many wonderful and outstanding pieces it was very hard to make a decision.

Some of the things I look for in a piece of jewelry are uniqueness and choices of color and components. Another thing I like to see is the use of creative, and sometimes even mismatched, elements that are combined. Persuading disparate elements to come together and unify into a completed piece with unity and balance can elevate a jewelry piece to a work of art.

Above all, the jewelry should be comfortable to wear and be constructed to withstand prolonged wear. The attention to detail and workmanship are very important to making an heirloom piece of jewelry that can be handed down from generation to generation.

Now, to the jewelry! Totusmel's tatted collar deserves special mention. Anyone who has tried tatting knows how difficult it is to master and how much work is involved! This is a lovely collar that hearkens back to more romantic, Victorian times. Made in black or perhaps ecru, and the addition of Swarovsky pearls would make this collar a truly spectacular piece!

An Honorable Mention goes to tanqukarnitz! This necklace shows a lovely balance between beads and chain. The hard work and attention to perfect detail, especially in the silver chain and bail, truly make this a piece to be cherished and admired for its uniqueness.

Another Honorable Mention goes to morwynskya. This beaded cuff is beautifully made and shows a flair for color and design. It's eye-catching and evokes a joyful feeling of Spring and renewal.

Finally, I chose boxc.jewelry as the winner of the 2008 beading contest. This collar is like nothing I've ever seen before. Wearing it must feel almost like wearing a cape. The execution is lovely and original. There's a sense of fun balanced with a sense of drama. The variety of colors would go with just about anything. This necklace is obviously well thought-out and executed. Congratulations to boxc.jewelry on your win!

To everyone who entered this contest, well done! All the entries were great and that's what made judging so difficult. I would encourage each of your to keep entering contests and challenging yourselves in different ways. I hope you will all keep creating wonderful jewelry. You are all winners!"

You can check out all of the entries and winners at the flickr site for the challenge. I really feel flattered to have been mentioned at all.

I also want to thank everyone for the support I got after Monday's post. I never had any real intention of quitting, even though I was feeling a bit discouraged. When I started this thread at etsy, I was surprised by the many people who lamented my potential departure. There are often threads in the forums where people are asked who their etsy buddies, mentors, idols, etc. and I have never been mentioned. I know because I'm constantly searching for mention of my name. The reaction I got made me feel very special and I want to thank everyone who posted something in support.

On a related subject, I actually made a couple of sales Monday and one was a really good one that included my Portrait of an Elegant Lady choker. So WooHoo for me! Maybe I should make idle threats of quitting more often. Who am I kidding, I couldn't do it even if I wanted to, I am a horrible liar and I mock those who make theses kinds of threats to get attention. I think it's gonna be a good week...unless my husband makes me try to buy the limited edition Metal Gear Solid PlayStation 3 bundle again tomorrow, 'cause after today, I'll kill something, I swear.

Use Your Grown Up Words Please

I am no angel. I am bluntly honest and not very politically correct. My appearance does offend some people and I am stared at when I go out shopping. I am also polite, intelligent, open minded, not easily offended and I believe in proper behavior in all public areas physical or virtual. In other words, I believe that there is a time and a place for all language and behaviors.

I have been increasingly annoyed by the forum behavior at Etsy, mostly in the Etc. section. Look, I am a strong supporter of freedom of speech, but I really don't get why people feel it necessary to pepper their speech with all manner of profanities in a public space. I also do not get how people can be so comfortable discussing, lets say, sensitive topics where anyone could run across it. My daughters can't read yet, but when they can, I don't want to have to block Etsy because I don't know if the forums folks will behave.

Yesterday, Etsy instituted a "report this post" link in the forums as a way for people to more easily help keep the forums clean, organized and free from spam and other undesirable content. Immediately, the posts ran amok with dissent and "catch me if you can" behavior. They felt challenged by this and therefore resorted to the worst possible behavior. Here's the weird thing though, I couldn't bring myself to post a dissenting opinion. I was actually afraid of being called a Narc or something just because I don't want to see the F-bomb dropped in a forum title. When I saw the new feature, I thought, great, now it will be easy to catch the occasional spammer and people won't always be posting that "this is in the wrong section" and asking where admin is, they will just report the post, easy peasy, right? Apparently all some people see is a nefarious Big Brother plot.

What I don't think these people get, is that their language and behavior not only reflects on their stores, etsy and internet society in general, it reflects on themselves. Sure we all like to act raucous at times. There are few of us who haven't regretted something we said or did, but man, do they not realize that the typed word is permanent. It doesn't go away and you can't take it back. With every word you type, you are defining yourself to a public that has no other source of information about you. You are what you type. I've also noted that many of the most colorful personalities hardly ever make sales. I can't imagine that this is a mere coincidence.

This is not the first time people have hijacked this handmade community for conversations incongruous with the focus of the site and I'm sure it won't be the last time either. I've seen heated religious and political debates, as well as threads full of way too much personal information. Etsy was my very first forum experience and my lack of non-family friends in the real world has led me into many off-topic conversations, much the same way it did when I worked in retail. I guess the biggest difference is that, at a store, I see the customer and I know that they can hear me so we would adjust the conversation to be appropriate. Folks on the forums need to do the same thing, there are customers lurking everywhere and they are making purchases based on what they see.

While I'm known to let out a choice word or two on occasion, I never forget that profanity is the last resort of the unintelligent. I actually saw one person comment that we were adults and did not need babysitting and then proceed to type out a very offensive string of expletives much like a ten year old would when told not to curse. We are adults and I know that I would appreciate it if we all would act like adults.

A Craftsman, an Artisan and an Artist walk into a bar...

...and find themselves just surrounded by wannabes. This is the one of those oft argued topics amongst the forums at etsy and I imagine anywhere that handcrafted goods are sold. I thought that I'd add my opinion on this subject to public record. First, I'd like to state that I believe these three thing are equals. Neither is any better or worse than the other, simply different.

The Craftsman:
The craftsman has a skill and uses that skill to create something usually based on traditional patterns or set steps. The craftsman generally creates something basic and functionally and if he/she is very skilled at their craft, they can charge a great deal and make good money doing it. This category contains many knitters, weavers, potters, woodwork, soap makers and jewelry makers.

The Artisan:
The artisan has a skill as well, but tends to deviate from the patterns and uses their creativity to expand on the traditional craft. Their designs tend to be slightly less functional than the craftsman's pieces and often need to find a niche market in order to make money from their work. This category contains the same kinds of crafts as the Craftsman category. The differences are that Artisan creates more of their own patterns and designs, uses unconventional components and is generally more artistic.

The Artist
The Artist doesn't need a skill, they have creative talent. Now they may have a learned skill that makes their chosen medium better, but that doesn't make the artist, the talent does. The artist does not tend to create functional pieces. Even when they are creating clothing, they go for form over function. Like the artisan, they need to find a niche in order to make money with their pieces.

Now, it is my opinion that most people know where they fit here. Some of us fit in all three. When I knit a scarf, I'm a Craftsman. When I turn a vintage collar pattern into a gorgeous tatted necklace, I'm an artisan and when I sit down with a pencil and paper and draw, I'm an artist. I think we need to stop arguing this point and look at what I think is the real distinction here.

That is, the bar full of wannabes. Every online market place is chock full of them. They are the ones constantly whining about not making sales and then when you check out their shop, it appears to be full of things that could have been made from kits. Generic designs that aren't put together very well. In days gone by, they would have been apprentices, working under someone until their craft was honed. Today however, we have the internet, 2000 craft stores and hundreds of magazines and talk show hosts making people feel like they can make everything without learning a skill first.

To paraphrase Ratatouille, just because anyone can cook, doesn't mean they should cook. Please, find something you love to do and are good at doing. Don't make jewelry because everyone is doing it and it can't be that hard. Don't try to sell your garter knit scarves, just because your mother likes the one you made for her. Support people who make things better than you could, keep learning and find your own niche!

Ars Gratia Artis

So, I've been around Etsy long enough to see all the "big" questions brought up, argued ad nauseam and fade away completely unresolved only to be revisited again & again & again. Etsy was the very first forum I ever participated in, so this was an entirely new experience for me. Nearly two years later with the return of the Alchemy feature, a new round has begun.

Rather that join in the fray there, I've decided to express my opinions here. The first subject I'd like to wax poetic about is: Artistic integrity or art for arts sake vs. creating for customers. When I first began tatting, I was only making simple objects like bookmarks and small doilies. As I got better I began making things I'd like to wear and when I started selling my work, that was what I was making. Some very well meaning sellers suggested that I start making things in colors because "people on etsy like color", so I did & I sold some things, but I wasn't really happy with a lot the pieces. Eventually I gave up trying to please people and now I only make pieces that I would wear, if I didn't have a 1 year old pulling at my jewelry that is.

Why do I bring all this up? Well it got me thinking about how we decide what we're gonna make next. I used to run to the forums and ask for advice, hoping that people would just tell what to make & then proceed to purchase whatever they had asked for. I imagine that is why people like alchemy so much. Why make things that may never sell, when you can make something with a ready made customer. I'll tell you why, it's kind of boring & doesn't give you the chance to really grow as an artist or artisan. I'm not saying that alchemy is bad, in fact I quite enjoy it, but when people spend all their time trolling the listings, they're just stressing themselves out when they could be making something they love to make.

Sorry if I started rambling on, it's my way. The bottom line here is, who really makes what they love & who spends a little too much time worrying about what people will like & buy?

I think you've got to find a happy medium or your days crafting for cash are fraught with frustration and are likely to end sooner rather than later. I'm really happy for those sellers that have found a niche that allows them to make lots o' money making things they love, but that's not the path for everyone. Maybe your craft should just stay your hobby & isn't a small business after all. I don't really believe that I can make a living with my tatting, but it keeps me sane and happy. That's why I only make what I like to make, do you?