Last Day To Enter!

Hello! If you haven't entered this month's giveaway yet, it's time to quit dragging your heels. ;) Today is the last day to enter to win a $15 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. My shop has a wide variety of unique hand-painted wearable art pendants, rings, brooches, and bobby pins. For details on how to enter please see this post:

GIVEAWAY POST

Good luck to you! :) The winner will be announced on Monday, the 23rd. I will also contact him or her via email or convo. Have a great day!

Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog Feature

Here's a big thank you to Susan, Capitola Girl, for featuring my Just Harvey Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring in her Saturday Sparkle blog post. The theme for her post was based on birds, and throws back to Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds," where a seaside town was attacked by flocks of birds. (Great movie; if you haven't seen it, you're missing out.) I didn't know that the movie was based on actual events where some seabirds actually "attacked" the town of Capitola. Crazy!

Anyway, swing by Capitola Girl's blog and check out the post. She found some great bird-themed "Saturday Sparkle" to feature. Have a great day!

Last Day Of The Giveaway Is Approaching

Happy Friday!! :) If you haven't entered this month's giveaway yet, you have two days left to do so. This Sunday the 22nd is the last day to enter to win a $15 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. For details on how to enter please see this post:

GIVEAWAY POST

Good luck to you! :) The winner will be announced on Monday, the 23rd. I will also contact him or her via email or convo. Have a great day!

New Wearable Art!

I've recently finished another batch of wearable art! I always get super-excited when I have new pieces to show you. Over the next few days the new work will appear in my shop, but in the meantime here's a handful of my favorites.

Twilight Landscape Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

One Love Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace Set

Cosmic Blueberry Lemonade Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

Blood Orange Cosmic Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring

Moss Green Lichen Hand-Painted Adjustable Art Ring

Bunny Bottom Hand-Painted Art Pendant Necklace

With my pendants I've also added the option to upgrade from a Chinese silk cord to a silver snake chain. Be sure to check out my shop for more new work! Have a great day. :)

Workshop Wednesday - How To Make A Canvas Collage With Tangente

Today marks another installment of a new weekly blog series titled Workshop Wednesday. Each Wednesday will feature either a tutorial by yours truly or another talented artist or artisan, or a snapshot of an artist's creative process. This week's Workshop Wednesday features "How to Make a Canvas Collage" with tangente.

Tutorial - Collage On Canvas

My walls were still bare after living in the same house for 2 years. It was time for a change so I decided I would make my own art. I started by buying a blank canvas at Micheals, some Modge Podge and a book from Salvation Army I got for 35cents.

The canvas was already primed so I just needed to do 2 coats with some leftover basement paint. I realized that I was out of paint stir sticks so my handy boyfriend improvised and found me some chopsticks.

While I let the canvas dry, I started cutting out various circle shapes.

Once the paint was completely dry, I started gluing the circles in various positions.

I decided to leave a bit of the canvas blank and honestly at this point I had had enough! The very last step was applying 2 coats of Modge Podge all over the canvas. At this step, I learned lesson #1 - paper circles need to be properly glued to avoid bubbling and curling. Thank god the paper is old so it kinda blends in.

Lesson #2 was a bit more difficult. As we were hanging the canvas on the wall, I noticed that the canvas was warped. I'm not sure why I didn't notice this earlier. After an hour and a half, my boyfriend finally figured out a way to hang so it wouldn't show. Phew!

As you can see, I'm no expert at making art collages but it's still a great way to add a bit of character to your walls for under $30.

Thanks tangente! I have a suggestion for the warping issue. For those worried about the canvas panel warping, you could use canvas that is stretched over stretcher bars. This will most-likely elevate your cost a little bit, but will solve the warping issue.

Be sure to check out tangente's Etsy shop and peruse her unique handmade collection of scarf tops, women's clothing, and accessories! You can also read more about tangente on her blog. If you're interested in being a part of future Workshop Wednesdays, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or comment on this post.

Facebook Ad Credit Follow-Up

On February 10th I posted about how you can get a $100 Facebook advertising credit in this post. It's very simple to acquire and you don't have to sign up for anything or give out any personal information; all you have to do is add a Facebook Application to your existing personal Facebook account.

At the bottom of the post I updated on my experience with the Facebook ad credit so far on February 15th. Here's what I wrote:

So I created four different ads targeting different age ranges, education levels, and interests. Three of the ads were busts; very little traffic. One of them has been FANTASTIC and created a lof traffic to my shop and resulted in several sales this weekend. I know for a fact that those sales came from my ad because the buyers told me they found me from my Facebook ad in the 'note to seller.' I am thrilled that this ad is working out. I probably would not have tried out so many different ads if I was having to pay for each of them, so I am very grateful for this ad credit. I also discovered that paying per 1,000 impressions was the way to go for me since I was getting several clicks per 1,000 impressions. If I had chosen to pay per click, the ads would be costing more. So far, since I've started this ad I've had four sales totaling about $100 and the ad has "cost" me about $8.

Since then I have discovered that I get the most clicks on the weekends. I am still getting lots of traffic but haven't had any sales as a result of the ad since the weekend has passed. Paying per 1000 impressions still seems like the way to go to get the most out of my money.

I've shared what has worked well for me, but you may get different results. If you decide to try out the $100 ad credit, you should try different ads for different age ranges, education levels, interests, as well as some that are pay per click and pay per 1000 impressions to find what works best for you. If anyone has any questions about advertising on Facebook, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop, or leave a comment on this post. I will try to answer your questions as best I can. Good luck! :)

Here are some questions that have been asked:

1) Mistyridge - I am a little confused on the pay per clicks vs. pay per impressions. could you explain that.

If you choose to pay per click, then you will pay X amount every time someone clicks on your ad. If you choose to pay per impression, you will pay X amount for every 1000 impressions. Impressions are when Facebook posts your ad on someone's page in the ad space. You get to choose what X amount is when you set up your ad.

2) Alissa - I haven't clicked the link yet, but is it safe? Do you have to provide credit card information? I do see a lot of familiar Etsians in my facebook side bar!

The link leads to the Visa Business group application on Facebook, just like any other link to a Facebook App. It's an official Facebook Application page and it doesn't ask for any personal information except for your name.

3) BdoozleZ - I have a facebook personal page and business page. would like to look into it, but don't want to sign up for a visa card or anything like that... does it require this?

No, you do not have to sign up for anything like a Visa card. All you have to do is add the application to your account.

4) Mireasma - It seems like a great idea, but I don't understand what the Visa network thing is.

It's simply a business networking and resource group.

5) Go Fetch Gifts - So I created my ad, entered my info, and was told my coupon code had expired or already been used. I never used it and just got in in my email on the 10th. I wonder if they've suspended this offer.

I'm pretty sure the offer is still valid. If you experience a glitch like this, email the Facebook support team in charge of advertising. Hopefully they can straighten it out.

Monday Must-Have - DoodleStars

Today marks a new installment of my Monday blog series titled Monday Must-Have. Each Monday I will feature a fellow talented Etsian and his or her phenomenal work. Each featured artist will have his or her own online Etsy shop where you can peruse and admire his or her one-of-a-kind body of work. Hopefully you will find new favorite artists and artisans whose work you MUST HAVE. :)

Today's featured artist is Natasha of DoodleStars.

Who are you (actual name/and or shop name)?

Natasha Reilly, creator of DoodleStars (although the Etsy address is http://Doodlestar.etsy.com The last “s” jumped ship during setup!)

What do you create?

I create handmade cards, hand-painted frames and mirrors, original wall art and journals. Sometimes we compare ourselves and our incredible creations to others and find ourselves lacking, so I strive to create pieces that carry a feeling of celebration and remind people that they are ridiculously fabulous and unique.

Where are you located?

I live in a little cottage – otherwise known as an apartment – in the middle of the Big Apple. I’m proud to say that I’m one of many nice Native New Yorkers. What? I swear, we really are! You wanna take this outside? Hahahaha.

When did you start creating?

I am a writer however I’ve always been obsessed with color and longed to create things like cards and journals. About twelve years ago, I created a piece with words and color that was picked up by Family Circle magazine. Then I stopped. There was no reason other than fear; I kept everything from poems to little characters hidden in journals. After completing an MFA in writing I sent my work out and it was received well. Then after the birth of my daughter, I decided I had to try my hand at creating products. So, I setup my first Etsy shop on December 2nd, 2008 and I haven’t looked back. This venture is a fusion of art and writing and even if I fail miserably I want my daughter to know that you need to follow your heart and your dreams in this life.

What inspires you?

The physical world around me like ocean waves, seashells, the moon, the stars, the sound of raindrops hitting leaves, etc., inspires me. People like you and all the talented artists I have met inspire me more than words can say. There is something so amazing about talking with someone who loves what they do. Whether they are driving a truck, painting, walking dogs or sky writing, whatever it is I am inspired when I see another person’s passion for what they do. I am also deeply moved by the people in my life and those that reach out to help others for no other reason than genuine care for your fellow being.

What is the most time consuming part of your craft?

Many of the cards I make – including the card packs – are made by hand so it takes time to gather all the little pieces and put them together. However, when I think “time-consuming” the idea of promotion is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s incredible how much hard work goes into getting the word out. It’s like standing in the middle of a packed school yard at lunchtime and trying to get folks to listen to a joke. It’s easy to get drowned out by all the other voices.

What is your favorite place to visit in your hometown and why?

That’s hard – there are so many wonderful nooks and crannies in this city. There are two that I can’t decide between. The first is this one section of The Metropolitan Museum of Art that has a fountain and gorgeous stained glass windows. It’s so peaceful. I used to write there all the time – I even cut class a couple times in high school to go there to write! The other is this big rock in a little park near my childhood home which overlooks a lighthouse on the East River. Many of my favorite memories revolve around that rock.

What is your most popular item that you create (and why do you think it is so popular)?

The hippo being lifted by balloons card that I make gets lots of kudos. It’s hard to keep him in my shop! He’s just a simple hippo having fun and I think people connect with that idea.

How do you acquire new clients?

Haha…I’m not sure yet. Right now I spend a ton of time telling people about my shop and on Etsy I try to share my items in forums and respond to threads when people are looking for gifts. I’m learning everyday.

What's your next project going to be?

I have two projects. I’m working on a new line of cards – including an awesome birthday pack - and I’m working hard to finish writing a book.


What types of things do you do to turn first time buyers into repeat clients?

You know I really struggle with “selling”. I make things that I love and I hope people like them. Each and every time there is a sale, I’m so flattered. I love getting to know my buyers so whether it’s a regular order or a custom order I sometimes chat with them in Etsy convos or over email. Once I know them a bit, I send them little treats with their order, useful things I think they’d enjoy. Sometimes based on our conversations or their purchase I will tell them about another item they might like that’s either in the shop or coming soon. I am not a salesman; I don’t believe in selling people things they don’t need. I just like to get to know folks, share my stuff and hope they come to play again.

What do you do when you are not creating?

When I’m not creating I’m hanging with my 22 month old daughter, going to the movies with my husband, spending time with family and awesome friends, eating too many M&M’s for my own good, listening to music, doing yoga, and keeping an ear out for good, naughty jokes.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Yes, I started a new blog called the Thursday Sweet Treat. It’s a playground for artists of all kinds and from all walks of life to stay motivated to create new works while having fun. I’d like to invite everyone to stop by cheer, play and enjoy.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ruth. I am such a HUGE fan of yours. I’m deeply honored. You rock!


Be sure to check out Natasha's Etsy shop which is full of her unique work! If you're interested in being featured in future Monday Must-Have segments, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or email me. Have a great day!