Team Members--
Do you have a blog of your own? I do! etsylandadventures.blogspot.com
I just posted about a treasury I made being on Etsy's front page and one of my items being featured in another blog! Let's collect links so that we can advertise our own blogs.
Speaking of helpful blogs, The Storque (Etsy's blog) has a great article on how to use Google Analytics to keep track of traffic to your Etsy shop. I also use it to see who's coming to my blog and how long they stay, etc. It'll even show you how someone found your shop! It's sometimes hilarious and often informative to see the search words that lead people from Google, Yahoo, etc, to your shop.
The blog for New Haven's Etsy street team.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Great Pary, everyone!
Thank you to everyone who came to the party last night, and to team members who contributed by adding Etsy shops we could advertise! We gave away every last postcard we had made--the cards had our (for now) team logo, which is also the banner for the blog, and instructions for how to get to each of our shops.
Thank you as well to the city of New Haven! It was great to talk to people from the mayor's office. There's a real commitment to making Project Storefronts work for artists and the city! And by "work" I mean make the retail venues commercial viable for artists so that we can continue to occupy prime storefront space!
There were delicious snacks and beverages, and even live music, thanks to Lisa and her new friend/pianoman Sean!
It was really wonderful to meet so many of you in person. I still haven't managed to unpack my camera's charger, so I don't have pictures :( If anyone does, please post them! And don't forget, we'll be crafting every Thursday from 6-9. The space will also be open on Tuesdays, although I can't make it, since I teach college English in Queens, NYC and my commute takes up my whole day. You are all welcome to go on Tuesdays!
You can see from all my exclamation marks that last night was a huge success. Let's keep the momentum going!
Okay, I'm starting to feel like a cheerleader, so that's enough exclamation marks for today. Please post your own experiences whenever you have time. If you're a team member and not an author of the blog yet, let me know and I'll invite you via email.
Thank you as well to the city of New Haven! It was great to talk to people from the mayor's office. There's a real commitment to making Project Storefronts work for artists and the city! And by "work" I mean make the retail venues commercial viable for artists so that we can continue to occupy prime storefront space!
There were delicious snacks and beverages, and even live music, thanks to Lisa and her new friend/pianoman Sean!
It was really wonderful to meet so many of you in person. I still haven't managed to unpack my camera's charger, so I don't have pictures :( If anyone does, please post them! And don't forget, we'll be crafting every Thursday from 6-9. The space will also be open on Tuesdays, although I can't make it, since I teach college English in Queens, NYC and my commute takes up my whole day. You are all welcome to go on Tuesdays!
You can see from all my exclamation marks that last night was a huge success. Let's keep the momentum going!
Okay, I'm starting to feel like a cheerleader, so that's enough exclamation marks for today. Please post your own experiences whenever you have time. If you're a team member and not an author of the blog yet, let me know and I'll invite you via email.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
My Story
I hope to start a trend by posting the story of how I came to help create the Elm City Handmade Etsy street team. It's a rather good story, I think, and I hope you'll agree!
I was walking to my car, iced coffee in hand, when I slowed down to look at some windows covered on the inside with paper and some small banners around the bottom. I was wondering yet again what this mysterious "Project Storefronts" could be--I had seen the windows on Orange Street before--when I noticed a poster for a documentary called Handmade America. "That's me!" I thought, since I make things with my hands and sell them at Etsy.com. I was about to unlock my car and go home when an energetic women came out of a Project Storefront door to ask, "Excuse me, did you make the dress you're wearing?"
"No, but it is handmade. I bought it on Etsy."
"You know about Etsy!"
"Yes, I'm a seller, and I shop there a lot."
"Come in! Can you come in for five minutes?"
I did come in to the Project's space, and Ms. Energetic introduced herself as Margaret Bodell. I also met Lisa Spetrini, another fabulous Etsy seller who makes giant hoola hoops! What fun. I ended up having a very long conversation--so long that my husband went out looking for me! I had just gone out for coffee, after all.
I learned that Project Storefronts was a city-run initiative to get artists into vacant storefront spaces. You can read more about this project that's part of the Department of Cultural Affairs in New Haven at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/economicdevelopment/ReadMore.asp?ID={05F67331-0AF5-4963-8899-C84C6AFC26DE}
Margaret was interested in getting Etsy involved somehow, or rather, New Haven Etsians. Over the next few weeks, in quite a hurry, we got some potential members signed up and filled out an application. Soon enough, we were an official Etsy team! I spent some lovely Saturdays in the Orange Street space crafting, learning to weave (see pictures below!) and getting to know Lisa and Margaret and other Project Storefronts artists/entrepreneurs.
This is the dress I was wearing, by the way (in these colors, but with white buttons--LOVE Parsimony!). That's not me, that's the fabulous model.
I was walking to my car, iced coffee in hand, when I slowed down to look at some windows covered on the inside with paper and some small banners around the bottom. I was wondering yet again what this mysterious "Project Storefronts" could be--I had seen the windows on Orange Street before--when I noticed a poster for a documentary called Handmade America. "That's me!" I thought, since I make things with my hands and sell them at Etsy.com. I was about to unlock my car and go home when an energetic women came out of a Project Storefront door to ask, "Excuse me, did you make the dress you're wearing?"
"No, but it is handmade. I bought it on Etsy."
"You know about Etsy!"
"Yes, I'm a seller, and I shop there a lot."
"Come in! Can you come in for five minutes?"
I did come in to the Project's space, and Ms. Energetic introduced herself as Margaret Bodell. I also met Lisa Spetrini, another fabulous Etsy seller who makes giant hoola hoops! What fun. I ended up having a very long conversation--so long that my husband went out looking for me! I had just gone out for coffee, after all.
I learned that Project Storefronts was a city-run initiative to get artists into vacant storefront spaces. You can read more about this project that's part of the Department of Cultural Affairs in New Haven at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/economicdevelopment/ReadMore.asp?ID={05F67331-0AF5-4963-8899-C84C6AFC26DE}
Margaret was interested in getting Etsy involved somehow, or rather, New Haven Etsians. Over the next few weeks, in quite a hurry, we got some potential members signed up and filled out an application. Soon enough, we were an official Etsy team! I spent some lovely Saturdays in the Orange Street space crafting, learning to weave (see pictures below!) and getting to know Lisa and Margaret and other Project Storefronts artists/entrepreneurs.
This is the dress I was wearing, by the way (in these colors, but with white buttons--LOVE Parsimony!). That's not me, that's the fabulous model.
 | |
| Parsimony's two-tone Team Spirit Dress |
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Party
Lisa and I had a great meeting yesterday about The Party, and we could use a few more ideas for gifts that guests can take away in little boxes we have for them. We have decided to do a bead swap, so bring any beads you don't think you'll use! We've got some crafts for people to make and take from Etsy's download-of-suggestions that became available when they threw their birthday craft party--matchboxes, envelopes, paint a teacup. There are some patterns/ideas in there too. Any other ideas? Does anyone want to give away a pattern?
Remember, if you're coming, to bring business cards! Lots of them. I'm also making a postcard with all our shop names on it.
Further ideas are *very* welcome. Thanks!
Remember, if you're coming, to bring business cards! Lots of them. I'm also making a postcard with all our shop names on it.
Further ideas are *very* welcome. Thanks!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Etsy Mini hates me AND A TEAM BLOG!
Well, I absolutely cannot see any HTML anyone sends me to add their Etsy Mini, because every site or email seems to try to turn the code into the image.
The good news is that this gave me the motivation to figure out how to turn this into a team blog. So easy! I invited team members whose email addresses were handy to become "Authors" but if you didn't get an invite in your inbox, let me know and I'll add you. Blogging is for everyone! (Click "Design ---> Add Gadget ---> HTML" and copy your Mini code into that box to add your mini to the site.)
The good news is that this gave me the motivation to figure out how to turn this into a team blog. So easy! I invited team members whose email addresses were handy to become "Authors" but if you didn't get an invite in your inbox, let me know and I'll add you. Blogging is for everyone! (Click "Design ---> Add Gadget ---> HTML" and copy your Mini code into that box to add your mini to the site.)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
WNPR story about Project Storefronts!
WNPR's "Where We Live" featured a long story about Project Storefronts, including an interview with our very own Lisa (eLleMdesign.etsy.com). Check out the link to listen to this great story and learn about Project Storefronts!
WNPR's "Where We Live" visits Project Storefronts
WNPR's "Where We Live" visits Project Storefronts
Etsy Mini?
Members of the Elm City Handmade street team! If you want to feature your shop with an adorable Etsy Mini (see Anne-Marie's off to your left), follow the link to the Etsy Mini Generator, copy the html code, paste it into a comment for this post, and I'll get it up ASAP!
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