What Was I Gonna Say?

I'm having one of those writers block kind of days today. I had a few different ideas and then they literally fell out of my head. So, let me just say thanks for all the hat input. I listed the Grand Daisy Tatted Hat yesterday with no further modification. After all the feedback, I'm certain to come up with a couple more designs with some neat ideas I got from you. Of course, it will be a while, after one of these big design project I feel a bit burnt out on yarn.

On another note, a side effect of my Tatting Challenge is beginning to kick in. I had hoped that inspiring others to create with my tatting, would in turn inspire me to move in some new directions. I think that it's working. After hanging out with my new steam punk friends, I've come up with a new design or two that will be unveiled as soon I finish them. I guess that my general lack of sales has at least given me the time to work on new things so it's not all bad. Well, I'm started to ramble and that's not good, so I'll return tomorrow with a real post...I hope.

Cautionary Tale

I've got a few things to share today. First a piece of wisdom. I am so guilty of jumping on ideas for promotional opportunities. Often, I fail to do any kind of research under the false assumption that people know what they're talking about and wouldn't steer me wrong. Guess what, they don't always know what's right for me. Take Trunkt for example. People are always going on and on about getting into the site and they're jumping through all kinds of hoops to get accepted. I tried twice and was turned down twice before I actually read into their site enough to realize that the site was designed to help one wholesale and license art works. Well, I have no interest in either of those things, so why on earth was I bothering.

Now, here's the reason I bring this up. I just recently started using the Flickr, based of course on other people's advice. I didn't look though all the settings, I just started uploading photos. Then, my pictures were stolen and I figured I'd just stop uploading pictures all together. If I had just done a little exploring I would have discovered a simple way to help protect my images, instead I had to wait to be told by one of my steam team friends.

So, I shall tell you what I learned, just in case, like me, you failed to explore. Go to your account and select "privacy and permissions", then read the page. You'll want to make sure your photos are set to "all right reserved" and you can set your photos to be downloaded, shared, or blogged only by your contacts, friends and family or just you. I highly suggest you do this. I know what the technologically savvy among you are thinking, if people want to steal your photos, this is not going to stop them. I think that most theft is a crime of opportunity. I have an example, if you leave your door unlocked, of course someone is going to walk right in and steal the t.v., but if the door is locked, the same thief will probably just try the next door, rather than go to the trouble of breaking in. Most thieves are not targeting you specifically but looking for easy marks, at least that's my limited experience.

So take my advice and don't just take my advice, or anyone else's. Don't blindly jump on every opportunity or social networking site. Do your own research...I know it's work, but I think that it just might be worth it.

On a totally different subject, I need your advice. I think I may have finished my newest tatted hat, but I'm not certain. Is it missing something, should I add a trim? Does it look finished to you? I'm taking all opinions on the tatted hat. Don't forget to check out today's sale and look at my etsy mini for a preview of what will be on sale tomorrow.

Another Tatted Hat

I've got a preview of my newest creation in progress. The tatted hat part two, if you will. Unlike my first one, this hat is not based on any pattern. I'm just making it up as I go along. I started with a Grand Daisy medallion, one of my favorite designs and I'm just increasing slowly around. As soon as I get the circumference right, I'll add a band of grand daisy medallions. Although I'm not certain at this point how that will work out for me. My first hat made it to the front page of etsy and has almost 900 views now, lots of hearts and no bites, but I'm not really surprised. Using the size 10 thread, it took forever to work up so I'm charging a lot. The yarn is working up much faster, so I think this one should be less expensive. I'm using a lovely brick colorway that I got from fearlessfibers and used for one of my mother's day scarfs. If it comes out okay I'll list it the same way I did my scarfs so you can have it made with any yarn you like.

On another note, the thief I previously mentioned is at it again. This time the photo stolen was of one of the lovely brooches that slvrlily made with my tatting and her description was just copied and pasted. That description included my store name, so I'm particularly annoyed now. It is beyond me how someone can think this is okay to do. I'm taking suggestions for revenge plots if you've got any. My strongly worded emails are just being ignored for some reason.

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.