Quiet doesn't mean without thought....

I've been taking some time to really think about this blog. I was thinking for some time that I wasn't sure what my readers would want from a blog. Then, I realized, I wasn't sure what *I* wanted from this blog.

The need to be creating something is a need I'm sure many of you recognize. This blog is as much a part of that need as crafting a glass bead or piece of jewelry. And, like many of you, my need to create is coupled with a need to share that creation with others. That's why many of us take it as a personal affront when a piece of jewelry doesn't sell, or no one comments on a blog, or someone walks past our painting without a glance to admire another; we are creating so we can connect. When someone doesn't pick up the lifeline we've thrown out to them, it stings.

                                                                   Source: michelleums.tumblr.com via Rocío on Pinterest

This blog is an attempt to connect with other artists. I've been hesitant to put any of my own work up on this blog, because I don't want to abuse it as an advertisement. But I am thinking differently about this lately. I can't ask others to share if I'm not ready to do so myself. I need to take risks. I need to be brave. I need to fail miserably at some things, and discover those hidden talents lurking within.

This doesn't mean that this blog will no longer have "handmade" as its focus. On the contrary, as handmade should be about having a piece of the creative soul within whatever it is you are creating--otherwise, what is the difference between what you make and what some factory worker churns out overseas? Not much, really.

I would still love to hear from all of you. Leave a comment, write a guest post, just reach out and connect. Just don't make the mistake that this blog is all about me. It's about us.

Handmade Should *Never* Be Cheap

Sometimes, you read another person's blog, and they are able to so succintly say what you have been thinking, you are more than willing to let them be your voice.

I had been fiddling around with Facebook, when one of those revolving ads popped up on the right hand side of the page--you know, the ones that are supposed to be tailored to our likes?

 

 

I don't know about you, but I don't like Handmade Jewelry, or handmade a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g being called cheap. Ever.

Fellow artist, Jennifer Cameron of glass addictions, reacted in much the same way at these ads. Her response on her blog provides one of the best written proclamations for why handmade objects hold such value, why they are the antithesis of "cheap."

Like I said above, sometimes someone can say what you're thinking better than you can. Please check out her post: "Handmade Jewelry. Ridiculously Cheap." Value yourself, and value handmade.

Free to List Online Marketplaces

We need to face it--there is nothing free anymore, except maybe smiles! When selling your handmade goods online, it's sometimes hard to pay the money upfront to list your items, without having that guarantee that they will sell.

Some of the newer online marketplaces are addressing this issue. Instead of the industry standard set by ebay and Etsy, which was to charge listing fees and commission, or selling, fees, these new venues are making it free to list your products. This is done to help alleviate some of the concern that you will be shelling out your hard-earned money just to have your item sit on a website somewhere. If your item does sell, then these venues take a small commission, usually 3-3.5% of the selling price. In this respect, it behooves the venue to make sure that their website is adequately publiciczed and is easy to use for buyers. It can be a win-win for artisan and webmaster alike.

Below are some of these new venues. I only have personal experience with one of them, but would love to hear from you if you sell on any of these sites!

Silkfair: US based site that sells handmade, as well as vintage and antique items. Their commission is 3% of the final selling price.

Made it Myself: US Based site that sells only handmade items. They claim they are waiving the listing fees right now, so at any point they could institute them. Currently, they also charge a 3% commission fee.

Lov.li: Another site for only handmade goods, but I find it a little difficult to navigate. They charge a 3.5% commission

1000 Markets: Only sells handmade goods by the artists themselves. This website is a little more expensive, 5.5% + .50, but the quality of the goods is very high. This is not grandma;s church bazaar craft table!

Must Reads from Handmadenews.org

This past week on Handmadenews.org, I tackled the concept of branding. Branding 101 gives a background on exactly what branding consists of, and how it benefits the independent artisan. Once you have the basics down, move on to Branding Pitfalls, which highlights the most common branding mistakes made by small businesses. Both of these articles help you to get a handle on your business' public persona, and create an image that makes customers want to buy from you.

More Must Reads...

Love Bags for Father's Day looks at creating a sweet momento for dad on his special day, forgoing the traditional tie.

The Little Things Mean So Much gives a number of ideas submitted from other artisans on how to go that extra mile for their customers. These special touches help build customer relationships, which can be hard to do over the Internet.

Teakettle Weed Killer is a cool little article from the Green Wise department. If you love your lawn, but hate weeds, the author reveals how you can kill the weeds naturally with boiling water!

Are Your An Artist or a Crafter? looks at the age-old debate with a clear perspective.

How to Market Fine Art Galleries Online offers some suggestions on marketing your fine art to possible collectors on the Internet, and how you can help them to find you.


Make sure you check out Handmadenews.org for your craft-info fix!

Looking for Craft Shows?

If you are like many crafters and artists who have sold exclusively online in the past, the recent economic woes have probably forced you to consider other selling venues. One of the most popular is the craft/art show circuit.

I have found a site that may be helpful on your search for such shows. Sunshine Artist is a database for craft and art shows across the country. What I love is that you can search within specific dates (or leave the dates blank for all upcoming shows), your state, or region if you don't mind traveling a little. Plus, you can search for shows that fit a variety of categories. You can look for fine art of fine craft shows if you want to weed out the shows that allow imports or kits.

Check out Sunshine Artist, and let me know how you do with finding shows in your local area. I would love to get your feedback!

Online Venues; Which Do You Prefer?

There are so many online venues for independent artisans to sell their creations today. Each venue has their positives and negatives, but all of them have allowed us to reach customers we never would have met otherwise!

In upcoming posts, I will be discussing the major online venues, looking at how they help, and sometimes hurt, the independent artist. For now, I want to know which of the online venues you currently use to sell your goods. The poll will be up for a week, so you can always come back later if you don't have time right now!