No, silly. But sometimes, every once in a while, I have this urge to have another kidlet…and those times usually come during a visit to a shop like Sweet Pea Toad. Can those hats (and kids, of course) be any more adorable?
I’ve been pleased to be asked to work with Northwest Cherries and the Washington State Fruit Commission for two years running to help them come up with some printable label designs available at their Sweet Preservation. Everyone’s newest labels have been added to the site, so stop in and take a look. They work really well for jazzing up your from-the-garden gifts!
‘Elite 16 Style Guide: Handmade Harvest’ by aspeerstudio
The Script and Serif Lined canning labels I wrote about a while back are featured in a treasury! You can find out more about it at the Elite 16 Style Guide Challenge.
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By the time I got home from school Wednesday, I’d cleared away some pretty important tasks I’d been plugging through most of the summer–most importantly, the framework for a new class I’m introducing. I talked to some kids, solved a lens problem for a publications staffer, tried to hook up a new-old VCR in hopes that I could actually view the channel I’m coordinating in my classroom. No such luck yet.
There was more, but I’ll stop listing it all now.
When I came home, I spent a bit of time with Small Child and read him a few chapters of a Hank the Cowdog book, then started working with my cutter/plotter to see if I could get it working well enough to cut out some fun label shapes. It’s never worked quite right, as far as I can tell, so I tested it out on some letters for the bulletin board in my classroom. And that takes me to 11:30, bed time.
Now, let’s think about how many of us start our days out when it’s still dark and wind up fully involved in work of one kind or another aside from those few, precious sleeping hours. Working full time and running an Etsy shop is an intense proposition.
Here’s why I do it: first, although I love my work as a teacher, I crave a creative outlet where I get positive feedback about my talents through every sale. When I teach, I throw a damper on many of my creative impulses while I let my students explore their own. Second, my ability to generate income helps us save away for those special, home-owning joys like new roofs.
I’d love to hear your feedback–why do you hold down this second job?
OMG. (No, I don’t normally use “OMG” in normal conversation, but today’s round of school shopping/child events deserves it.)
Yes, I’m that mom who took her son to the Children’s Museum for some mother-son pre-school bonding time only to put him in a very public and messy time-out as I tried to transition him out of the building. If anyone has a better way than reminders/warnings of the big leave-taking every 10 minutes for the last half hour OR buying said child a huge ice cream cone as a bribe, let me know.
(The huge ice cream cone did work quite well to draw Small Child out of the play apparatus at the McDonald’s Play Place, however. I thought we’d never leave because although I could definitely hear him, I couldn’t see him amongst all the netting, tunneling, and children’s limbs.)
If you want to see THE blog post to read to catch you up on Etsy and relevancy–check out Etsy Relevancy Search Explained over at Brittany’s blog. It explains it ALL.
You may have popped into my shop and noticed that it’s basically 200+ listings of address labels and more address labels. You’d think, hey, there must be some matching stationery around here, right?
Uh, no. (But I’d be totally happy to whip up some for you–I’ve got more than enough supplies–I’m just lacking the focus to branch out.)
So, yeah, I’ve been a little nuts about address labels. I’m fixated. I can’t help it. I have to say, labels have been very good to me, especially in the beginning. Back in 2008, there were no round address labels–really, there were very few address labels–at Etsy. Back then, if I posted a design, it probably stayed on the front page of search listings for HOURS.
It’s not like that anymore, that’s for sure–obviously, there are plenty of designs to choose from, and really, I should probably expand out into other products, but I have to tell you: I love designing on that tiny 1.5″ piece of paper, even if Etsy is getting to the point where’s it’s a bit saturated when it comes to labels. When I really get going, I can cocoon myself in a Spotify playlist, close out the rest of the world, and create a little piece of art.
So, labels make up my little, happy place. And, you know what? It’s important to me that I’m doing something that makes me happy, something that I have choice in and something that I can put my all into. It calms me, gives me a focus and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I’m finished. And, I think all that positive energy shines through on the designs I really put some love into.
What puts you in your happy place?
If you want to read a bit more about me, there’s a sponsor post up at Originally Me that focuses on little ‘ol me. Awww.
At this very moment, this once-unknown and ignored label design is sitting high on the first page of search results for "address labels." Last Friday, when it was on the second or third page, it sold three or four times. I knew it was a great design, but it took a new search method to bring it out into the open.
Etsy’s relevance search has been working out pretty well for my not-so-little community of label and sticker sellers. I’ve been watching the searches for my specific product pretty carefully since the change and the big search-related brouhaha that’s blown up in the Etsy forums.
Here’s what I’ve found (but it doesn’t pertain to really over-saturated categories, like jewelry):
I haven’t edited all the listings in my shop, but I’ve gotten to about three pages of product. Seriously, I’m sitting at 211 products at Etsy. I want to enjoy what’s left of summer just a bit, you know?
If you’re a seller, how is it going for you? Are you seeing something different? Buyers–have you noticed better results when you search at Etsy?