To see this entire treasury, click here!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday Treasury Challenge - Purple Passion
Congratulations Waterwaif and Hiyapapaya on your win!
Since purple is one of Etsy's choice colors for the month of October, we've picked two beautiful jewelry items from Waterwaif's and Hiyapapaya's stores to be featured.
Anyone is welcome to come play but there are some simple rules that must be followed in order for your treasury to be considered as a finalist.
#1: Your treasury must include these earrings made by Hiyapapaya and this necklace made by Waterwaif. You can put them in any spot you like but they must be there somewhere. The theme can be anything you like as long as this photo is included.
#2: Your treasury must contain at least 8 new or undiscovered shops. Undiscovered shops have 20 sales or less. The Etsy Pounce function is good for discovering brand new shops and there is a thread in the Etsy forums here that is chock full of new and undiscovered shops.
#3: Your treasury must fill the remaining spots with Team Discovery members. The team members are listed here.
#4: Your treasury MUST be tagged "teamdiscovery", all one word, and "TDchallenge", all one word, without the quotes. Also, we recommend you fill every tag space that is appropriate for your treasury and use "new" and "undiscovered."
#5: You must follow this blog.
#6: You must post the URL link to this blog in your treasury. This is important and is how the word gets out. If you are unsure of what to say in your challenge treasury, feel free to use this:
This is a Team Discovery challenge treasury made up of undiscovered shops (less than 20 sales) and team members. Anyone can join in this challenge.
http://etsyteamdiscovery.blogspot.com/2010/10/monday-treasury-challenge-purple.html
http://etsyteamdiscovery.blogspot.com/2010/10/monday-treasury-challenge-purple.html
#7: Your treasury must include "Treasury Challenge" somewhere in your title.
#8: When you have completed your challenge treasury, come back here and add the URL to that treasury here in the comments. You can create as many treasuries as you like and enter as many times as you like. This challenge will end Thursday evening AT 6PM. The winner will be announced next Monday.
The winner of this challenge will be able to have one of THEIR OWN items featured for next week's challenge!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Keywords and Themes for October (from Etsy's Merchandising Desk)
I've read through the "From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: October's Delights" on the Storque and have compiled this list for our team (and our blog readers). Use these keywords and themes in your treasuries and your shop, where applicable, of course!
"It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, cultural events, and lifestyle trends."
Halloween
blacks
grays
deep purples
blood red
gothic
dark arts
vampires
steampunk
anatomy
science and sci-fi
geekery
spooky dolls
all that goes bump in the night
wicked
Halloween decor
costumes
treats
favors
containers
party ideas
diy inspiration
ready-made accessories
makeup
jewelry
masks
celebrity references
film and pop culture reinventions
clever play-on-word costuming
t-shirt or dress costumes
clever and cute baby and pet costumes
group options
folk and vintage decor
pumpkins
creepy DIY treats
shaped soaps
creative spins on favors
rising trends
young, old, scary, creepy, cute, and funny
Fall and Winter Fashion
key basics
layering elements
thick fabrics
rich leathers
autumnal tones
boots and leather bags
winter accessories
outerwear components
scarves
hats
gloves
fingerless gloves
mittens
legwarmers
cowls
cozies
coats
jackets
footwear
equestrian style
vintage boots
booties
oxfords
geometric shapes: triangle, chevron, and arrow patterns
classic bow
long layered necklaces
patterned and sheer tights
legging varieties
leg warmers
spats
thick eyeglass frames
basket woven large handbags
sleek clutches
foliage references
metallic embellishments
high waistlines
skinny and wide waist belts
short leather jackets
pencil pants
animal
plaid
brocade
muted gray and camel
cargo and military styles
faux furs
clean cuts
big silhouettes
bohemian style
over-the-top grandeur
loud prints
big jewelry
Trending theme
harvest
gourds and pumpkins
vintage industrial
farm accents
orchard and vineyard
classic fall fruits and vegetables
glass and clay jars
bountiful table spreads
woodland
natural colors
rich fabrics
the hearth
played-up textures
fall and autumn
Oktoberfest
Thanksgiving
holiday parties
opal
Libra
Scorpio
Decorative Packaging Solutions
baker's twine
waxed linen
velvet ribbons
kraft
butcher
wax paper
glassine bags
gift tags
embellishments
sticker labels
personalized stamps
glitter
cupcake toppers
gift wrap
kits
Woodland Emphasis and Natural History
forest animals
foxes
bears
owls
feathers
acorns
pine cones
nuts
woodgrain
branches
logs
leaves
nature
taxidermy
raw minerals
stones
nests
foliage
claws
scientific charts
diagrams
bones
antlers
species
Color Trends
rusts
blacks
punches of turquoise
rich earth tones
mustards
deep berries and wine
muted greens
gray
camel
solids
orange & black
purple
green & black
yellow
orange & white
red & white
green & red
Other Keywords
unconventional weddings
photo-booth
DIY photo booth props
film
film strips
geometric and tribal
colorblock patterns
weaves
bold colors
stripes
chevron
triangle
arrow
warrior references
intricate beading
collar necklaces
neutral materials
rustic
industrial
steampunk
feathers
leather
stone
clay
personalization
names
initials
symbols
zodiacs
monograms
quotes
phrases
fingerprints
photographs
portraits
numbers
technical
portable
gadgets
gadget cases
gadget carriers
docking solutions
Editing to add this from April:
** * Treasury Tip: We'll be looking to highlight member curated gift guides involving the above topics. If you are making related collections/lists, tag your appropriate treasury with the tag "gift guide" and any relevant guide themes listed above. ***
"# Who's it for? Gifts for her, him, children, babies, teens, grandparents, hostess, boss, coworkers, friends, teachers, significant others and the person who seems to have everything.
# Personality Type: The gourmet, pet lover, gardener, bibliophile, tech lover, do-it-yourselfer, traveler, fashionista, sports fanatic, outdoor enthusiast and the entertainment buff.
# Type of Gift: Personalized gifts, ornaments, advent calendars, stocking stuffers, eco-friendly options, gag gifts, home and party decor.
** * Treasury Tip: We'll be looking to highlight member curated gift guides involving the above topics. If you are making related collections/lists, tag your appropriate treasury with the tag "gift guide" and any relevant guide themes listed above. ***
"# Who's it for? Gifts for her, him, children, babies, teens, grandparents, hostess, boss, coworkers, friends, teachers, significant others and the person who seems to have everything.
# Personality Type: The gourmet, pet lover, gardener, bibliophile, tech lover, do-it-yourselfer, traveler, fashionista, sports fanatic, outdoor enthusiast and the entertainment buff.
# Type of Gift: Personalized gifts, ornaments, advent calendars, stocking stuffers, eco-friendly options, gag gifts, home and party decor.
How to Start Out on Twitter and Be Successful at It
We all had to start somewhere. Some of us are newer than others at blogging, tweeting, selling, living, whatever. There are lots of things I had to piece together on my own, or dig up, or just get slapped in the face with before I learned them and so I'm going to pass on that information to whoever happens to be reading this. Congrats, that's you! Unless there's no one here and then I'll just talk to myself. Either way.
Today's Tip of the Day: Twitter
Are you lost on twitter? Does it confuse you? Maybe you're scared to sign up or don't know how to use it effectively? Do you care? You should.
Twitter can be a powerful tool for your online business. It can also be a wonderful place to make new friends. Ideally, you will combine the two. I'll try to help you figure out how.
1. First, set up a Twitter account.
The best way to do this is to make it the same as your Etsy ID, your Artfire ID, your domain name, etc. You want to trademark yourself across the internet and be recognizable.
2. Fill out your profile and add an avatar.
This makes you more accessible and people can more easily gauge if you'd be a good person for them to follow.
3. Find some people to follow.
Don't go crazy and just follow anybody. That will end up driving you crazy and add to your confusion later. Twitter has a search box about halfway down on the righthand side where you can search by subjects. Are you a painter? Type art, artist, painting, acrylic, or something similar in the search box and you will find people who have used those "hash tags" recently. These are probably people you will want to check out.
It is also good to find people who share the same hobbies with you, so it's not always about business on Twitter. Do you like to garden? Try searching gardening terms. Or cooking terms. Or music.
It is also a good idea to figure out your target market for your business and aim at having some of those people follow you, too. Do you sew and sell purses? You might try finding well-known fashion magazines on Twitter and following a few of the people who follow those magazines.
4. Comment and reply on the people you follow.
If you see a tweet that sounds interesting or asks a question, answer it! Make sure it is addressed to the person you are replying to so they see it. Meaningful conversations are a great way to meet people and become known on Twitter. Other people can see the conversation and think, "Hey, that person sounds interesting! Let me check them out!"
5. Follow back.
You don't have to follow back everyone who follows you. But check out their profile. If they look interesting, follow them back! If they just spam links to their own items, feel free to pass.
6. Make a few interesting tweets throughout the day.
Don't be one of those people who tweets what they are doing 24/7. No one will care if you are going to the bathroom at 7:47 am and eating toast at 7:52 am and waiting for the mailman at 8:02am. Tweet things that others will respond to or find something in common with or that are just plain interesting. Tweet a few things in the morning to connect with the morning crowd, a few things in the afternoon for a different crowd, and a few things in the evening, too.
7. Let people know you're now using Twitter.
Do you have a facebook fan page? (New tip of the day blog post about that soon) Let your fans know your twitter link. Do you have a blog? Put a 'Follow me on twitter' link there. Visit discussion forums and join in on the twitter talks and see if anyone there looks interesting and add your links if they do.
8. Visit http://wefollow.com/.
Here you will find a ton of categories to browse to make it easier to find people you'd be interested in following in the subjects that interest you.
9. Be somewhat consistent.
Don't post a ton of stuff on Monday and then forget to check for a week. People like other active people and will engage much better if you're active. And interesting. (Notice a theme, yet?)
10. Use Direct Messaging sparingly.
This is a big one with a lot of twitterers. DMs are for saying things to people that you don't want public. A lot of people use DMs to spam. Don't do this. Don't send a DM saying "Hey, thanks for the follow. Come buy my stuff." Don't send a DM saying "Retweet this for me". Don't send DMs just to say "Hi."
Okay, well this ended up longer than I'd intended but what the heck. Hopefully it will help someone! If you have any twitter tips and tricks, feel free to comment and let me know!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Meet our teammate Amanda from AbsintheDragonfly!
by one9designs
O9D: How did you get into making custom perfumes?
AD: I used to go to a store in a mall called Garden Botanica, and they had a perfume bar. It was lots of fun. When I went out of business, I was pretty disappointed. Then for Christmas 2009, my husband had read an article about a perfume maker, and she had a "DIY" perfume making kit available for sale. He asked me if I'd like one, and I said, "Sure!" Mixed it up, had fun, and waited the appropriate amount of time. When it was “done,” I smelled it, and thought, “Huh, that turned out pretty good…” I ordered another. Then I ordered Mandy Aftel’s book, and how-to course. Then I started ordering all sorts of fun substances to play with, from reputable businesses. I started putting this with that, with this other oil, and before you know it, I’m on perfume number 11! I asked someone on the online forums, "When do you know you're ready to sell your perfumes?" He answered, a bit cheekily, "When someone buys one?" I thought, why not? Esscentual Alchemy was born!
O9D: What makes your perfumes unique?
AD: This is a highly intimate, and sensual experience for people. You really can't smell this type of perfume on someone until you get up close to them. Botanical perfumes are unique to YOUR body chemistry. They don't smell the same on each person. These perfumes come directly from the Earth to you, and they ground and connect you to those plants.
It's very spiritual for me, working with these plant materials that have been used for thousands of years, and by such people as Cleopatra. It grounds me, and connects me to the Earth. I'm finding people pleasantly surprised at how emotionally involved they feel to a natural perfume!
My personal philosophy, is that we should be aware of what we ingest into our bodies, whether we are eating it, or using a substance. The skin is our largest organ, and it's frightening how many chemicals we dump on it during the course of a day, especially women.
O9D: What is the process for making one of your current perfumes like? How long does it take?
AD: The mood strikes me, and then I decide what to use. You mix them up and put the bottle into the refrigerator for 2 days, and on the 3rd day, you put your carrier in the bottle, and let it sit for at least a month. Perfume making is similar to making wine, as you must have patience to wait until enough time has passed for the alchemal magic to happen. Some perfumes take longer to mellow out into what they smell like, and some are fine after a month. One of the coolest parts is that they can even improve over time and change, and they don't go "off" like mass produced perfumes can.
O9D: What is the process for a custom perfume - such as with your bridal package, over a long distance, how do ensure that you create something the person will love?
AD: I offer a bespoke perfume service. That is what you call a personalized perfume, which after it's made, is never made for anyone else again. This is a perfect gift for a bride, or a special anniversary gift or birthday! There's something awesome about having something that no one else has. It's also a way for me to really get to know someone. What we do, is email first about what types of scents you like, what kind of mood you are looking to evoke, and then based on that, I make up several trial sizes with slight variations. We work until you find the one you like best, and then I put it in my Book of Perfume, or Essais, and I will never make that perfume for anyone but you. Refills are offered at a discount to you for life. I require half the amount up front, and the balance when the perfume is completed to your satisfaction. So, long answer short, as long as it takes for you to be happy with what you're getting.
O9D: How often do you create new scents? What inspires them?
AD: Sometimes a mood, sometimes some music, maybe a piece of visual art. The latest one was inspired with a friend sending me a mixture of mass produced perfumes, and when I smelled it, I was transported! I could tell what she was wanting to express scentwise, so I just remade it with botanicals.
O9D: In your shop, what is your own personal favorite?
AD: Oh that's a tough question. It's like asking me which of my children is my favorite, in some ways. I've created them, and they didn't exist before, and won't with anyone else. There's a couple I'm especially proud of, one being Kama. Kama started as me throwing into a bottle everything I had that came from India, that had been used for thousands of years, just for the hell of it. In fact, that was its working title for quite a while. Then after the initial aging period, I put some on, and asked my husband what he thought of it. This was his response: "It smells like I want to stare at you across the table during dinner, and enjoy you later..." I had been considering calling it Ode to India. After that quote though, what else could I call it? *grins*
O9D: Is this your day job? If not, what is?
AD: I live in Iowa, with my husband, Kevin, 4 children (2 girls and 2 boys), Morgen, Ewen, Bowie, and Teagan; 2 cats, Rocky and Shadow; and a bunny, George. I am a Graduate from Simpson College with a degree in Music, currently using that training to raise children and homeschool.
O9D: What are your dreams for the future?
AD: I would like to open up a small studio in Ames, in addition to keeping my online venues open.
O9D: Are there any other artistic ventures/hobbies you love?
AD: I like to bake, and knit. I'm also an astrologer, studying since 1998. I like to hike, and be outdoors, and go for walks in big forests that you might find a big, bad, wolf in LOL.
O9D: Is there anything else you want your teammates to know about you?
AD: I truly feel that my college degree in music has helped me be a better perfumer, due to the composition classes I had to take! You've got to have balanced chords and you're composition has to go somewhere, otherwise it's terribly boring!
And I LOVE this team!!!
PS ~ If you put "TD Blog" in notes to seller you'll get free shipping on any order, and 10% off of any purchase $25.00 or more, plus free shipping, as my way of saying thanks!
You can visit AbsintheDragonfly's store here!
O9D: How did you get into making custom perfumes?
AD: I used to go to a store in a mall called Garden Botanica, and they had a perfume bar. It was lots of fun. When I went out of business, I was pretty disappointed. Then for Christmas 2009, my husband had read an article about a perfume maker, and she had a "DIY" perfume making kit available for sale. He asked me if I'd like one, and I said, "Sure!" Mixed it up, had fun, and waited the appropriate amount of time. When it was “done,” I smelled it, and thought, “Huh, that turned out pretty good…” I ordered another. Then I ordered Mandy Aftel’s book, and how-to course. Then I started ordering all sorts of fun substances to play with, from reputable businesses. I started putting this with that, with this other oil, and before you know it, I’m on perfume number 11! I asked someone on the online forums, "When do you know you're ready to sell your perfumes?" He answered, a bit cheekily, "When someone buys one?" I thought, why not? Esscentual Alchemy was born!
O9D: What makes your perfumes unique?
AD: This is a highly intimate, and sensual experience for people. You really can't smell this type of perfume on someone until you get up close to them. Botanical perfumes are unique to YOUR body chemistry. They don't smell the same on each person. These perfumes come directly from the Earth to you, and they ground and connect you to those plants.
It's very spiritual for me, working with these plant materials that have been used for thousands of years, and by such people as Cleopatra. It grounds me, and connects me to the Earth. I'm finding people pleasantly surprised at how emotionally involved they feel to a natural perfume!
My personal philosophy, is that we should be aware of what we ingest into our bodies, whether we are eating it, or using a substance. The skin is our largest organ, and it's frightening how many chemicals we dump on it during the course of a day, especially women.
O9D: What is the process for making one of your current perfumes like? How long does it take?
AD: The mood strikes me, and then I decide what to use. You mix them up and put the bottle into the refrigerator for 2 days, and on the 3rd day, you put your carrier in the bottle, and let it sit for at least a month. Perfume making is similar to making wine, as you must have patience to wait until enough time has passed for the alchemal magic to happen. Some perfumes take longer to mellow out into what they smell like, and some are fine after a month. One of the coolest parts is that they can even improve over time and change, and they don't go "off" like mass produced perfumes can.
O9D: What is the process for a custom perfume - such as with your bridal package, over a long distance, how do ensure that you create something the person will love?
AD: I offer a bespoke perfume service. That is what you call a personalized perfume, which after it's made, is never made for anyone else again. This is a perfect gift for a bride, or a special anniversary gift or birthday! There's something awesome about having something that no one else has. It's also a way for me to really get to know someone. What we do, is email first about what types of scents you like, what kind of mood you are looking to evoke, and then based on that, I make up several trial sizes with slight variations. We work until you find the one you like best, and then I put it in my Book of Perfume, or Essais, and I will never make that perfume for anyone but you. Refills are offered at a discount to you for life. I require half the amount up front, and the balance when the perfume is completed to your satisfaction. So, long answer short, as long as it takes for you to be happy with what you're getting.
O9D: How often do you create new scents? What inspires them?
AD: Sometimes a mood, sometimes some music, maybe a piece of visual art. The latest one was inspired with a friend sending me a mixture of mass produced perfumes, and when I smelled it, I was transported! I could tell what she was wanting to express scentwise, so I just remade it with botanicals.
O9D: In your shop, what is your own personal favorite?
AD: Oh that's a tough question. It's like asking me which of my children is my favorite, in some ways. I've created them, and they didn't exist before, and won't with anyone else. There's a couple I'm especially proud of, one being Kama. Kama started as me throwing into a bottle everything I had that came from India, that had been used for thousands of years, just for the hell of it. In fact, that was its working title for quite a while. Then after the initial aging period, I put some on, and asked my husband what he thought of it. This was his response: "It smells like I want to stare at you across the table during dinner, and enjoy you later..." I had been considering calling it Ode to India. After that quote though, what else could I call it? *grins*
O9D: Is this your day job? If not, what is?
AD: I live in Iowa, with my husband, Kevin, 4 children (2 girls and 2 boys), Morgen, Ewen, Bowie, and Teagan; 2 cats, Rocky and Shadow; and a bunny, George. I am a Graduate from Simpson College with a degree in Music, currently using that training to raise children and homeschool.
O9D: What are your dreams for the future?
AD: I would like to open up a small studio in Ames, in addition to keeping my online venues open.
O9D: Are there any other artistic ventures/hobbies you love?
AD: I like to bake, and knit. I'm also an astrologer, studying since 1998. I like to hike, and be outdoors, and go for walks in big forests that you might find a big, bad, wolf in LOL.
O9D: Is there anything else you want your teammates to know about you?
AD: I truly feel that my college degree in music has helped me be a better perfumer, due to the composition classes I had to take! You've got to have balanced chords and you're composition has to go somewhere, otherwise it's terribly boring!
And I LOVE this team!!!
PS ~ If you put "TD Blog" in notes to seller you'll get free shipping on any order, and 10% off of any purchase $25.00 or more, plus free shipping, as my way of saying thanks!
You can visit AbsintheDragonfly's store here!
Vote for this week's treasury finalists! Two polls here!
Below you will find two polls: one for the Thursday themed challenge winner and one to choose the winner from MyFairLadee's top 4!
The winner of the Thursday themed challenge will have ad space here on our blog for the week!
The winner of the weekly treasury challenge will have their item used in next week's challenge!
First up, let's decide the winner for the Thursday themed challenge. The top 4 treasuries, in terms of hotness and views, are (actually, I added a 5th because 2 of mine were in the top 4 and I want to be fair!):
She's a World Traveler by Waterwaif
Love: Amour Amore Amor: the same in any language by Waterwaif
I want to travel the known world and back by TreasuredDetails
Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth by CherryandViolet
The International Languageby hiyapapaya
For the weekly treasury challenge, MyFairLadee has chosen her top 4 and it is up to us to determine the winner. Remember, the winner will have THEIR item used in next week's weekly challenge!
In no particular order, MyFairLadee's top 4 are:
Wonderland Redesigned by SpareBedroomStudio
Gradient Gray by VioletQVintage
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by HiyaPapaya
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