Goals

                                    

Another week has passed and life on the KJ Blog seems to be getting better!! Within the past week I featured blog entries on money managing techniquesfrom successful Etsy artists, as well as Blogging Techniques with opinions and comments from successful bloggers.

There’s a trend I’ve noticed: When I post entries on “How-To”, the views always shoot way up. I love reading them on other blogs, “how-to promote”, “how-to sell”…so I figured I would do more of that on my blog. Guess what, it up’ed my views with minimal promotions. A really cool thing to see!!

My views for this past week got up to 399 without me really trying that hard!

Goal for Blog:

• To have more “how-to” entries!

Ps: That lady is coming to the house tonight to look at my new bags…which reminds me I have yet to show you my newest rendition of the KJ Bag!!…hopefully I’ll make a sale or two! Cross your fingers (:

Etsy Buyers

I’ve had a few friends and new buyers on Etsy ask how the process goes…is buying off of Etsy easy? What do you have to do? Some buyers who have been on Etsy for a while don’t understand what all the fuss is about, but I totally understand the feeling of being slightly overwhelmed at the thought of buying something on a new-to-you site. Let me reassure you, buying on Etsy is as easy as changing your socks. Really! It’s totally self explanatory, as you buy a product it helps you though the steps one by one and really makes the process easy peasy pudding ‘n pie.

Etsy is an amazing site. I’m not just saying that because I sell there either, I really truly think that this site is like….awesome. It has so many options for keeping you entertained (what? Entertained while I’m working?…um…yeah), chat rooms, forums, The Storque, Treasuries to browse through or make, Showcases, Geolocator…the list goes ON and ON!

If you’re new to Etsy or are just finding out about it now (where have you been??) I suggest reading through this articlein The Storque, it explains what the different features of Etsy are. It’s a great first step to getting to know the site.

After that, just remember, you can’t break anything so fiddle around and try stuff out! Etsy is the crafters playground…only you can’t swing off of things.

Screen Printing

I’ve always wanted to try screen printing my own images onto fabric, I’ve heard of other Etsy sellers that do this not only to fabric, but also to paper. Wouldn’t it be SO COOL to have your own art work on your product? With my bags, I have to feature another persons work on the fabric…I just sew it together. I just think it’d be so cool to say “This is my bag, and yes, this is my fabric too!”.

I know what you’re thinking “Another project Kj??”. Yep, they just don’t stop!

I was reading another blog where the author had hand painted the art on t-shirts…hand painted, no screens. She really inspired me to try it (which I have yet to do) but also reminded me about screen-printing.

The more I read about the process of screenprinting, the more I see how easy it is! At first, I was a bit overwhelmed with the steps you need to take to make a screen and imprint your image on it. But now, I think it’s something I want (aka: need) to try out. Etsy has a great video on how the process works, and I just stumbled across this How-To article that helped a bit too. Oh, and this Etsy video too!

I’ll be searching for a frame and the proper mesh…I’ll slowly build up my screen-printing supplies, I think. Boy, it’s sure good I’m selling my bags at the Farmers Market now, otherwise I’d be broke!

Have you ever heard of ThreadBanger? I found them through their videos on YouTube. It’s a great site for easy ways to decorate or new projects to start on (yeah, just what I need). They have great videos, forums, links and GREAT contests (the last one was for a Janome {!} sewing machine), if you’re a crafter, visiting this site is a m.u.s.t.

Now that word just looks wrong.