A wonderful Etsy shop!

today we speak with Natascha, who has a lovely shop on Etsy, www.banou.etsy.com

What do you love most about Etsy? 

I love that Etsy is an opportunity to sell my work internationally the easy way – and that you are part of a great community – everyone is an artist on etsy and have similar this vision to sell and buy something handmade rather to buy mass produced stuff.

what was the most interesting trip you have ever taken? Why?

To marrakesch, marokko – it was magical – I loved the Djemaa el Fna  place – so vibrant and changes it’s face during the day – it was an unforgettable trip during my studies in architecture.

Tell us about your shop! 

I opened my shop in 2009, May 22 – my vision is to create modern contemporary jewelry with different materials like enamel, resin, sterling silver. Besides creating jewelry I started to sew zip pouches, clutches – to experiment a little. I love always to try new stuff. My shop is also a big experiment – I never thought that somebody actually loved my jewelry – but I had to start to do something different to my daily work as an architect – in creating jewelry I am more free to develop my own ideas !

If you had a million dollars how would you spend it?

Well I would put the money into my own jewelry shop – and I would share some of it for people who are in need for help.

What are your future plans for your Etsy shop?
To sell all of my jewelry which is now on my etsy-site, so to be able to create a new collection.

Do you celebrate Valentines day? 
No, I actually think it’s a day produced by the business...My partner and I have everyday Valentines day – or at least we feel no need to buy stuff for each other, it’s best to be there for eachother.

free advert in a magazine! promote your work!

I dont know whether your aware of the magazine 'The Big Issue' in London, England. It supports the homeless - they sell it and make some profit. It's an excellent concept. I am starting somthing similiar here in Switzerland. 

I have pages and pages to fill! I will do some art and some poetry by homeless people, a feature interview, and advertising. 

If you'd like to be in the magazine just send me by email the image file for me to use. It can be a half page if you want! 

When you email if you provide your mailing address, when the issue comes out, I will send you a free copy. 

krishala@hotmail.com

Many thanks
Krishala

The Big Issue!!

Hello. My name is Krishala. I grew up in London, but now reside in Acacias, Geneva, Switzerland. I am an artist and you can check out my work here: www.acaciasgallery.etsy.com

I am writing to you regarding a charity that is linked to Caritas, called 'Le Care' in Acacias. It is a wonderful organisation that feeds the homeless in the area, as well as teach them art amongst other things. 

I would like to raise money for this charity. There is something in London called 'The Big Issue' its a magazine that the homeless of London sell. They sell the magazine for £1.40 and they get to keep 80p for each issue sold. I love this concept! Wouldn't it be great if instead of having nothing productive to do, the homeless could be selling a magazine full of talent and colour. Here is an extract of somthing I found written about the UK's Big Issue

The Big Issue was founded to address the rising problem of visible street homelessness at a time of economic recession. St. Mungo’s homeless charity estimated that on a typical night, 1,275 people were sleeping rough in England. Seeking to avoid a paternalistic top-down approach, they created a means of empowering the homeless through financial inclusion and self help.

The Big Issue was established by John Bird and supported by Gordon Roddick of The Body Shop. The concept was simple – a street newspaper, compiled by professionals and then sold to homeless people to sell on the street at a profit, providing legitimate income for some of society’s most vulnerable people. The idea for the business came from Street News, a newspaper sold by homeless people in New York, which Roddick saw when he was visiting the US. With the help of The Body Shop International, Roddick and Bird launched The Big Issue in London in September 1991, initially as a monthly publication. The Big Issue works by ‘badging up’ vendors, who have to complete a training period and sign a vendor code of conduct in order to receive an official badge which they must display at all times when selling the paper. They are provided with an initial allocation of papers on credit (in London they are given ten papers, but this varies across the country). When they have sold these, they are able to buy copies of the magazine upfront at a cost of 40-50 per cent of the cover price, and keep their sales profits. The current price of The Big Issue is £1.40 on which the vendor earns 80p. 

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Personally I don't have the money to start this magazine. This is where you come in :) I have a shop online where I sell my art - http://www.krishsw19.etsy.com I have decided that for any painting in this shop sold, 100% of the profits will go to creating this magazine. This is a lovely way for me to raise money for the magazine as I am getting ready to study at the 'Ecole des Beaux Arts' in Geneva (otherwise known now as HEAD) so to sell and have to produce more artwork is refreshing! 

I hope you do not see this letter as spam. I am not educated in terms of marketing so this approach may seem a little unprofessional, but I am trying to do something for a good cause. If you have any questions, or just to say hello, or to encourage me, please send me an email 

krishala@hotmail.com

Thanks very much for reading. :)  

Sincerely, 

Krishala Burchill

Free critique of Etsy shop

It's late here in Switzerland so I am off to bed. Just wanted to remind you peeps that if you want a free critique of your Etsy shop, I am happy to do so! Just send me over an email to:

krishala@hotmail.com

I answer everyone and give a thorough critique! 

Goodnight all! xx

The UK Rocks!!

The U.K. Rocks!

It is no secret that tourists flock to England every year for a wide variety of different reasons. While some people are drawn to the sheek art galleries that line London’s quaint, well planned streets, others are mesmorized by the hospitality and cordial demeanor of the well-mannered residents. 

England provides tourists around the globe with the unique ability to casually stroll down miles of gorgeous beaches taking in the naturally glorious scenery, and simultaneously obtains thousands of acres of rolling green hills dotted with cozy cabins and rustic cottages, which prove to both captivate and inspire on all levels. In addition to obtaining natural splendors for the eye to enjoy, England’s architecture and semblance of cultural awareness proves to be vast.  Its deep seated historical achievements and heros are frequently recognized and  interwoven into not only entertainment industry, but into the hearts of the many residents that reside there. Krish of Krishsw19 caught up with some fellow Etsians to find out what they love about the UK. Read on...

I've only been to England once and I loved the red phone booths and the lamp posts. -Bonjourpierre

The universities, and their incredible wealth of vast academic resources -WinchesterLambourne

The accents are fabulous, the beer is tasty and plentiful, the street markets are really great there too. I used to shop at Camden market and really loved seeing all the different things for sale. It is the best and cheapest place to get a good curry in London too.-Quiteclever

I miss the fields of sheep crossed by public walking paths. The green rolling countryside divided by stone walls. And old, half-ruined castles. (I lived in the Cotswolds for three years.) -LaBeq

 I love the public transport, NHS, being anonymous, people can understand my accent, and having such easy access to the rest of Europe.-Dippylulu

 Where do I start?! The wonderful variety of our coastal scenery - everything from the rugged splendour of the cliffs at Whitby to the beautiful expanses of golden beaches such as the one at Holkham, in Norfolk. The English ghost story - one of the best writers of which, in my opinion, was M R James. That's not to say there'll never be better - I've just discovered Susan Hill and I really like her style and am looking forward to reading more. Our traditional cookery - when it's done well, it's superlative. I think I first really began to appreciate traditional English cookery many years ago when, on holiday in Cornwall, I experienced a home-made Cornish pasty and a cream tea all on the same day!! The traditional English pub; even though I'm not a beer drinker, I just *love* that atmosphere. Our history, it's everywhere. From beautiful towns like York - where it's literally under every step you make - to the quirky, almost forgotten, things like old milestones. Even the climate (OK then, weather!) Notoriously unpredictable but I so love to experience the transitions between the seasons the way it happens here.-LindenTreeDesigns

I love the pub culture! Glorious beer gardens in the summer, candlelit cosy havens with a roaring fire in the winter! I also love how polite us english are- I once bumped into a lampost and said 'sorry'!! Just out of habit. Also I love sunday roasts, english humour, and cups of tea.-JemporiumVintage

Bass Ale, Bristol music, Bur, Fish & Chips, Alfred Hitchcock, The Jam, John Lennon, Morrissey, New Order, Newcastle Brown Ale, The Office, Oscar Wilde, Pet Shop Boys, Monty Python, Russell Brand, Peter Saville, Tea & sandwiches, Trafalgar Square, Kate Winslet.-CarlosSebastian

Throughout time, England has provided a unique attraction for tourists to explore, to learn, to appreciate natural beauty, and most importantly – to feel like they are truly a part of England’s larger overall picture. Many visitors claim that England, unlike any other places they have visited, seems to innately scoop them up in its arms and not only welcome them into its culture, but to include them in celebrating this world-renouned and celebrated community. Between its monarchy and governmental financial institutions that provide public venues for residents and tourists alike, there is never any lack of things to do!  Its dimly lit taverns and pubs, its serene delicately laced gardens, and its picturesque towns and naturally majestic scenery prove to not only provide beauty for the eyes, but inspiration for the artist in all of us!

You never forget your first.....

The first sale on Etsy!

How exciting was it to get your first sale! I remember thinking my listing had 'dissapeared' and it took me a full five minutes before I was sure I had sold it! 

Read on to hear about how other people from Etsy reacted to the thrilling news!!

I had been on Etsy for about 3 weeks or so when I realized I had made my first sale!! (: It was the best thing to have happend to me, words cannot describe, its a feeling of self accomplishment. It was wonderful feeling knowing that someone did like my work, I think any sale whether my first or last will always make anyone feel great. (:

- Bebesdecor

My first sale was from my daughter. It was so much fun to find that first sale, as I had no idea what to expect when a sale was made. When I saw that it was Ashley who bought my first card, I had to laugh. I found through that sale what the whole Etsy process was like and how it worked. Thankfully I was able to see that all was set up correctly and worked just fine, because just a couple of days later, I got my first non-family sale. That put a whole new spin on exciting.

-SweetandSassyCards

My first sale was great, I was getting advice on my shop from one of the lovely ladies on my DUST team and feeling a little deflated as I had been trying so hard and still no sales when her next msg popped up saying that I had just made my first sale as she loved one of my prints. It was really exciting I loved packaging it up and putting in my thankyou card I had designed and finally got to use... I have only had 4 sales though so they all still feel like that to me :)

-Wonderlandia

lol, my first sale was about 3 weeks after I opened my store. It was to a total stranger, on the other side of the world pretty much! I woke up and checked my blackberry for emails, and I saw one that said Etsy Transaction. I remember thinking "What in the world is going on?" and there was another email from paypal. I then started getting mad, I thought someone had hacked into my account and was buying stuff!

But it was just a sale. :)

-Ohsay

My first sale was so exciting! I opened my store almost 3 weeks ago and about a week after that I got a few sales right in a row. The best part was getting feedback from my first buyer. She loved the hat and commented on how well made it was. That was one of my worries, in a sea of hats and other items how do you communicate that you take pride in the items you post for sale, use the best materials and attention to detail. 

So far this is just a creative outlet, I'm looking forward to see what's going to happen next.

-NorahandFinn

My first 3 sales came so slowly, and I made so little on them, that I was not overly impressed; reasonably happy, yes, but no "I'm on my way" feeling. Last fall, I changed my ideas around quite a lot; simplified my products immensely, changed my pricing, listed as woodworking instead of art - and suddenly - I sold 5 items as soon as listed. I was making more, frantically. Selling very well going into Christmas. I sold 37 of my "Little Old Trailer" line before Christmas. It was amazing, lots of work, but amazing.

So, my first sale(s) where not so much a thrill, but I stuck around, and when I finally got the right mix, then things went very well.

-RpfelkGraphics

I had been listing on Etsy for about 2 weeks. I LOVED it! I was developing a forum addiction, ha. I was in not one, but two Treasuries, which was so exciting! So I was already riding high on the Etsy-love when...

Vanessa (an admin) posted that CBS was coming to do a taping and they needed some people to come down there and work on their stuff in the background for the cameras. I had no idea Etsy was in Brooklyn! Wooo! I was sooo there!

That day was so awesome and amazing in so many ways. I met all the admins (now my co-workers ha ha), and they and all the Etsy sellers there were so nice and cool and awesome. The Etsy office was so cute and Etsy-ish, just like you'd expect. And 3 (!!) admins bought underwear from me!

Yep, I truly met my destiny that day! So fun to relive it!

-HeyMichelle

Free advice for your Etsy shop!

Yesterday in the critiques section of Etsy forums, I offered my services FREE OF CHARGE as an advisor for your shop, am now I put the offer here too. All you have to do is email me 

krishala@hotmail.com

(Dont forget to let me know your shop name!) 

Mothers :)

 

 My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.  I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.  ~Graycie Harmon………………  There is perhaps no greater role that someone can play in our lives than that of a mother. Mothers not only provide us, as children, with the safe boundaries that we need to grow and thrive, but they lay for us a firm foundation upon which we will base our central thoughts, ideas, morals, values, and ethics.   Mothers obtain innate bonds to their children that can perhaps defy all time and space. Most importantly, motherhood, can effectively, in a single word, whisper the very definition of the word “forever”.   

   This year, as Mother’s Day approaches, let us all remember how our special mothers have influenced our lives on a daily basis. Reminisce about the subtle ways that mothers inspire us.  Recall the many times that they have challenged us.  Reflect upon the countless moments when they have sought to  instill in us the notion of limitless boundaries.  For it are these limitless boundaries that have perhaps taught all Estians to share an appreciation for art, the ability to create, and most importantly – the courage and the disposition to dream!  

'read on to see what role mothers have played in the lives of other Etsians...'

 

My mom taught me to sew and is still teaching me how to cook! We used to make silk flower arrangements together for our home and a bunch of different crafts. She instilled in me a love for creating something and even though my crafting has changed to other methods and materials, the basis has helped to make me who I am. (Just a note that my husband makes all of the products in our etsy shop for now)

- Twigsoup

 

My mom showed me that even though life is busy and hectic, there is always time to work on your craft. She was always, and still is, getting her hands dirty in on medium or another (sewing, painting, drawing, sculpting, etc.).

- Ablemabel

 

My mom was a single mom of three and worked her toosh off to provide for us. We never had to leave our house which provided stability in the midst of a hard beginning to life for me! She taught me to crochet when I was eight. And though she did teach me to make garlands or sew, just by watching her hard at work to make some extra cash I gleaned it off her somehow and now I also sew and make garlands. She is wonderwoman! She worked 16 hour days sometimes and resting for her was being busy with her hands. Work ethic and creativity are the lessons she passed on to me. I just hope I can pass something just as fantastic on to my children!

- Stitchesandscribbles

 

Pancakes and the starving artist

Breakfast is generally recognized as the most important meal of the day. At breakfast time, it's been a while since you have put some calories in the body and you are preparing to start the most active part of your day. (If you work at night and sleep in the day, then supper is the most important meal of the day.) You need something in your stomach to nourish your activities.

It's very easy to get into a breakfast rut. I confess that every morning for about eighteen years, I had a bowl of oatmeal, two slices of buttered toast and a glass of milk for breakfast. Nothing really wrong with that, but we all know that variety is the spice of life. In my later years, I've come to look forward to breakfast as my favorite meal. I try to vary the menu and keep things interesting.