Internet Artisan Interview - TiLT Creations

It's the start of another year, and I'm still enjoying my interviews with internet artisans. Today we'll be talking to Theresa, who makes bags for her Etsy and Artfire shops, TiLT Creations. Theresa and I belong to the Etsybloggers Street Team, and speak to each other a few times a week, through our team thread and blogs. I bought an absolutely beautiful backpack from TiLT and decided to give it to my sister in law for Christmas. It was perfect for her and she absolutely loved it! Theresa's prices are reasonable, and you're in luck - she's just restocking her backpacks this month! WooHoo!

What's the name of your business/shop?

Tilt creations



Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
oh yes...
http://www.tiltcreations.com will take you to my Etsy shop (as will http://tiltcreations.etsy.com)
Artfire: http://tiltcreations.artfire.com
Crafts, kids, home & life blog: http://tiltcreations.blogspot.com
Tilt's creations blog: http://tiltcreationstoo.blogspot.com

and my Tilt Treasures blog where I feature other artisans: http://tilttreasures.blogspot.com

What type of handmade products do you sell?
Handmade handbags, purses, totes, clutches, etc.

Show us a piece you recently finished
These are a couple custom orders I just finished up...

[to view the pick backpack, see here]

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
I am still working on some custom orders. I am making 6 matching bags like this prototype:

I have many sketches of lap quilts I plan to make also. I do plan to make more table runners like this one, only longer in winter & spring colors.



If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?

Advertising, well, I am not so good there. I do have Entrecard, which I do not use aggressively. I also have Project Wonderful ads & I am trying to utilize them more. There are various blogs (like Kind Over Matter) and sites like Craftopolis that I am trying out too.

Avatars...well, I have two Meez that I use for some sites & I change up the ones on Etsy & ArtFire depending on what I have in the store or the holiday/season.



If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
Hmmm...there is a cool new one for Etsy, a cart (it's on my blogs at the upper left). But I really like the Retweet and Linked Within the most I think.


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?

Etsy and ArtFire. Etsy is great for the teams - I am on Etsybloggers, MICE, Big Damn Crafters & Etsymoms - and the size (which is also a con). ArtFire - I love the newness, the smaller size & the rapid response from the admin when it comes to fixing bugs & adding new features.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
Yes - Facebook, Twitter & Plurk are the big 3. I think Plurk is my fave b/c of the easy to view timeline of chats & ability to post elsewhere.


All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Give yourself a break. Both physically & mentally. Time off is so easy to overlook when you work from home. I know I have to remember to set things aside sometimes. And mentally - don't get discouraged by slow months or negative people - both will always be there. As long as you love what you do - keep doing it.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?

I use an average of three different formulas...and then I just ballpark it after that based on what I see elsewhere & what I think will actually sell.
btw, the formulas:
wholesale: (matl + labor) x 150% and matl/25% and (matl x 2) + labor + OH
retail: w.s. x 100% and matl/12% and w.s. x 2
(OH= overhead, ws= wholesale, matl= materials)

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
My corner is smack dab in the middle of the family room. It has the largest windows & I can keep an eye on my youngest so he doesn't feel ignored.


Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I hope to have settled into a more set "look"...I have so many different styles, I nee to narrow it down some. I also want to start adding different items, like placemats, coasters, quilts, etc.


It's the Storybeader's turn! I had a hard time choosing a favorite, because I love so many of Theresa's bags. So I thought, which one could I really use right now? The mock reptile wristlet won out. What a great idea to use a bangle for carrying a small bag around. Perfect for an opening at the museum, when I don't want to carry a purse - and mine are large. It might be hard to see, but this is actually olive in color, my favorite shade of green.


Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Internet Artisan Interview - Patch First Shop

I think one of my favorite things about etsy is getting to know people from around the world. I communicate with my next artisan everyday; she lives in Thailand, so we're on WAY different schedules! Patch is an etsybloggers and has three different Etsy shops. It was way fun, sitting down and looking in her shops for pictures, because they are so different: jewelry, vintage and supplies. She also has a shop on Artfire. Patch has two blogs right now; one is a special Wedding Guide Blog that is a must stop for all brides. But I'll let her tell you what she's up to:

What's the name of your business/shop?

I started my first shop with "PatchFirstShop" for everything: Jewelry, Vintage Clothing, and Supplies.. and then I wanted to make the shop more organized.. so I opened 2 more shops for vintage clothing "PatchVintageShop" and supplies "PatchSupplyShop".


Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
Jewelry Shop in Etsy
Jewelry Shop in Artfire
Vintage Clothing Shop
Supply Shop
Weddings Guide Blog
All about Patch


What type of handmade products do you sell?
I made Handmade Jewelry from Genuine Swarovski beads - Crystals and Glass Pearls. And in my supply shop, I do make mini bags by hand-sewing.


Show us a piece you recently finished
Now I'm working on Little Princess Crown Rings in many colors following the monthly birthday gemstone. They will be added soon in my shop. Now I have only Emerald color in my shop. Finished colors are Garnet, Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond (Clear) and another extra - Black and white.

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
I'm still working on my "Amelia Collection".. now I have Necklace, Hairpin, Brooch.. in my design, they must be Earrings and Bracelet too which I haven't made them coz they need something to re-design and adjust for the size. Moreover, this collection has 3 necklace designs which I've finished just one design. And of course I have the sketches but I can't show you.. it's CONFIDENTIAL!! hahah ;D You can see the sample of the sketches here

[this necklace is on etsy]

If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
I have a rapid cart from my artfire shop and mini etsy in my wedding guide blog to advertise my shops for weddings market. I normally use one of my jewelry to be my avatars, sometimes necklace, sometimes earrings, sometimes ring.. Except the avatar in Etsy.. I'm using my name "Patch" as avatar in all my shops so everyone will know it's me. :D


If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
Ummm.. very difficult question for me.. coz I don't pay much attention on widgets in my blog..

Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?

Just only 2 online vendors - Etsy and Artfire.
Good thing for Etsy is that it's my really first online shop. I have all experiences there and now I have a group of friends there too since I've been the member of EtsyBloggers Team. So I feel like home there and of course all of my orders were in Etsy.
Good thing for Artfire is that all items they are all no expired date since I upgraded to Verified account. And lot of viewers are from search engines, I feel like I don't have to work much on advertising but still no order from it.. so not so sure now.. ;)

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason.

I have many accounts in social networks: Twitter, Ning.com, Plurk, FaceBook, etc. My favorite is Plurk, I can share from Plurk to Twitter to FaceBook so I have to online only on website. The most favorite thing that I love on Plurk is that responding communications, I can chat with Plurk's friends like I use any instant messenger program. It's great for custom-order because you can talk all details with your customer.

All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
If you have a blog to advertise you shops, try to blog about something that you think most people will search for it in any search engine. This will help your traffic to your blog and you may have more new customers to your shops. :D

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula.
Ummmm.. let's see how can I explain all in one paragraph.. I make my own worksheet in Microsoft Excel (thank you for my previous job as sale representative). First I combine all supply cost in Thai Baht and then convert to US dollar plus exchange rate risk factor (about 10%) plus workman cost then multiply for a profit margin. Then add listing fee and packing cost. Calculate for Etsy order fee and Paypal fee.. then add both to the items.. now you have a price! (Why I have to calculate order fee and paypal fee in it, when you have an order the real fee will be slightly more than you calculate but you already added in your price so this means you pay for fee less than the real fee.. got it??)
But.. I still modify the formula because sometimes you will see that there are some costs that you forget to add in it.

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
My bedroom is my workplace, every area of it - on the floor, on the desk, on the bed.. You can see my workplace here

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I've already had the first shop for one year. At the first time in November last year, I got 2 sales in one week from the chat room. At that time I thought everything will be great by itself but couple of months with no sale, I knew I was wrong. I started to focus harder in April 2009, started to blog and other social networks. This year is just the started year for me.. kinda trial and error processes for me. So the plans for next year, the first priority is that I will pay attention to all my shops daily, adding new items daily, and blogging daily too to create more traffics to all my shops. Working harder is my plan for next year! :D


OK, it's the storybeader's turn. I don't know which I like more, clothing or jewelry. I would buy this vintage lace blouse, but I know a 19" bust has to be too small for me. Isn't it adorable! I also think Patch's pearl jewelry is exquisite, but I have a special hand-me-down from my mom...

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Journal Swap for EtsyBloggers - a start of something new?

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by storybeader:


I got this idea from a website called swap-bot, that exchanges postcards, bookmarks, pincushions, all kinds of things. So first of all, thank you Rachel and Travis, for your website. If anyone's into swapping, their site is a great place to visit.

But my special thanks goes to ratbatzine, for the journal swap idea. This is a little different than just mailing items. Everybody will be required to write in their journals, on prearranged topics, starting March 1st. And in the first week of April, you will mail the journal back to your Swap Mate.

Like most things that involve a large group (hopefully) of people, we need to set some guidelines. So first off, here are some explanations and rules for the Journal Swap:

• This Swap Is Limited To EtsyBloggers Only! So if you want to participate, and you're not a member of the EtsyBloggers team, now's the time to join! http://etsybloggers.com/

• All messages and signing up for Journal Swap will be managed through the Etsybloggers Message Board "Ideas/Idea and Info re: our EtsyBloggers Street Team/Journal Swap"

• The journal that you send can either be handmade or bought.

• There will be a cost involved, so to make things fair, I'm limiting supplies and mailing to $30. You can spend as much time as you want, getting things together!

• The storybeader will act as coordinator! All messages/questions/etc regarding this Journal Swap should be directed to the storybeader, within the Journal Swap signup thread.

• The Swap Mate you send your journal to and the person you receive your package from, will not be the same. I will do a random pick to match everyone with a Mate (Swap-bot doesn't believe in partnering, and I want to follow their rules.)

• I'll announce Swap Mates on the Message Board on Jan 18th (my birthday!) You will have until Jan.31st to exchange your mailing address with your Swap Mate.

But that's only half the fun.

• Swapping journals will last one month. I'm setting aside the month of February for everyone to get their packages delivered. This is an international swap, so be aware of your Swap Mate's address.

• If anyone is having problems, like never getting a mailing address from their Swap Mate or not receiving a package, please contact the storybeader via the Journal thread and tell me what's up. Remember the Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If you think you can't fulfill some of the requirements, have fun watching, not participating. I will keep track of "problem swappers" and pass this list onto the next coordinator, who may ban these shops from the next swap.

• Starting March 1, we will begin to write in our journals. All the topics are in the Message Board. Please do them all. You should do topic #1 (scroll down on the Message Board - it's in purple) first, but after that, you can do the topics in any order.

• Everyone will mail their journals back to their Swap Mates the first week of April, and write about their experience, sometime during the month, in a blog post.

Activity wrap up for the Journal Swap:
January 1, 2010: Signup Starts - go to the Message Board to sign up!
January 11, 2010: Signup Ends - if you missed the deadline, sorry! Wait till the next swap!
January 18, 2010: Swap Mate Announcement - I will modify the second post, and list Mates there
February 28, 2010: Last day journals must be sent to your Swap Mate. ("Media Mail" is the cheapest rate, at least in the US)
March 1 - 31, 2010: Journal entries
April 1- 8, 2010: Mail your journal back to your Swap Mate, and write about your experience.

OK, there's the rules! Whatta ya think? Excited? Sign up now!



Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Internet Artisan Interview - JN Originals

I've gotten to know this next artisan through the etsybloggers team and our weekly team thread. But I had no idea Judy, from JN Originals, was so involved in Etsy. She belongs to three street teams: the etsybloggers, bbest, and one from her home state of Iowa. Judy also has three shops and two blogs, which must keep her very busy. I love her banners and shop names, don't you? Read on, and see all the creative things she's up to!


What's the name of your business/shop?
I sell fiber arts-produced goods in JN Originals ,



and paper arts-produced items in Mister PenQuin , although there is sometimes some crossover.



I also have a destash shop called 2nd Chance Treasures .




Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
Although I don’t have a registered domain, I do have a couple of blogs. Word Walks, my personal writing space (http://wordwalks.blogspot.com), is where I reflect, dream and talk about inspiration. Word Walks meanders in much the same way that a “walkabout” in Australia does, except that the journey takes place in words, not on foot. Spark Lines (http://sparklines.blogspot.com) features Etsy artists whose work I admire, as well as discussions related to creative expression.

What type of handmade products do you sell?

When I first opened my first shop, JN Originals, I wasn’t sure what it would grow up to be. I only knew that I like to play with color, texture and pattern, and that this was likely to be reflected in the shop. Over time, I learned that I also like to produce items that are functional. One day I looked at JN Originals and realized that nearly everything in the shop consisted of crocheted or felted wool items: Java Jackets (coffee cup sleeves), needle books, Treasure Books (felted wool multi-purpose books with pages for photos or ACEOs, business, Moo or credit cards, and a pocket page for a special treasure), spa cloths, flower brooches, scarves and scarflettes, and felted wool bags and pouches.

But I am also passionate about working with paper (and fabric), so I needed a home for those items; that’s how Mister PenQuin was born. If you visit the shop, you’ll see that the items there connect words, images and self-expression: bookmarks, sewing notebooks, note card sets, brag books, and altered clipboards. Eventually the shop will also include journals and padfolios. Mister PenQuin is still a work-in-progress, as it was just opened this past September. My husband’s doodling was the inspiration for the shop name. When we were first married, he was stationed on the West coast as a Naval Weapons Officer, and was often away in the Pacific while I stayed home. His letters to me were always signed with a penguin wearing a top hat whom he called “Mister PenQuin.” Just as the shop has a connection between words and images, so does this character.


Show us a piece you recently finished.

JN Originals, “Pumpkin Orange Crochet Scarflette”

Mister PenQuin, “Mini Brag Book - Snowflakes”

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
I’m not one of those people who works on one project at a time. If you visit my sewing room or paper studio, and look about, you’ll see all kinds of UFOs (UnFinished Objects). Dolly, my dress form, is wearing a half-finished apron. On top of the sewing machine cabinet is a journal cover, waiting to be satin-stitched. The drawer in the paper studio contains date books waiting to be assembled with my Bind-It-All. I never run out of ideas, just time, so I keep a notebook where I jot these down. That notebook contains ideas for a fourth shop, likely for fabric products.


If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
Marketing is always a challenge, mainly because of the time it takes. But without it, there’s not much point in selling. I use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to announce new items, as well as Stylehive and Kaboodle. Because you can feed photos from Flickr into your Facebook account, that provides a way for potential buyers to see what will appear in your shop soon. Blogging, of course, is a way for your readers to get to know you and trust you, and may lead (indirectly) to sales, so I keep two personal blogs, and write for the BBEST (Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team) team blog as well. High-quality photos are critical in all of these areas, so I am always happy to learn about a better way to take good ones. The avatars in my shops are related to the shop banners. JN Originals products nearly always include a flower somewhere, so the avatar is a flower. And the avatar for Mister PenQuin is predictable: a penguin wearing a top hat! When you purchase an item from me, I include a couple of handmade magnets with these avatars.


If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
Since I love to surf the Web, the widget I enjoy the most is LinkWithin , which lists three clickable blog links (with photos) beneath each post in a particular blog. This is a wonderful way to explore related content.


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?

I only sell handmade goods on Etsy, since it is gaining visibility as one of the biggest (if not the biggest) handmade goods marketplaces. I appreciate the street team support that has helped me get my feet off the ground. In addition, when you have three shops and are thinking about a fourth, it makes it easier to manage them when they are consolidated in one online location. When I buy my packaging supplies, I keep all three shops in mind and purchase what I can online; this saves costs because you can buy in bulk. I purchase bubble mailers from PaperMart.com, and resealable cellophane bags from CreativeGiftPackaging.com. Both offer reasonable prices and quantities, and ship quickly.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
While my time to chat is limited, I do visit with others in Etsy’s forums, particularly with team members. And I enjoy doing the same on Facebook and Twitter. It is always a challenge, however, to balance social networking with marketing and creative time.


All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Don’t let your love of the creative process overrun your pocket book. Shop creatively for quality materials at a reasonable price, and then price your items in relationship to that very real cost. At the same time, don’t be afraid to charge for quality craftsmanship. Do what you do best, and do it well, then charge for it. Don’t compare your work to others’ work.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
I compute the actual cost of products, packaging and fees, and double that for my price.

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
I use my son’s bedroom as my paper studio, since he vacated it after graduating from college this past June, and relocating to Chicago. His desk is my paper crafting space, and his bookcase and dresser holds my supplies and tools. See this blog for photos of my paper studio:

My sewing room, which is the size of a child’s small nursery, is where I do machine and hand sewing, as well as most of my writing. I have a wonderful old Parsons cabinet for my sewing machine, and my computer lives on top of a Mission-style writing desk. See this blog post for photos of my sewing room:

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I’m satisfied with the sections I have developed in JN Originals, but would like to expand my felted bag line. Currently I am adding detachable handles to my Rebecca Bags to satisfy users who want handles, and users who want clutches. This way they can have both! I would also like to add Margarete Bags to the shop, which essentially are felted wool bags with handles that are big enough to carry a magazine. At this time next year, I hope that Mister PenQuin will be filled with brag books, notebooks, journals, padfolios, and box books or albums. The ideas just keep coming.


OK, the storybeader's turn. My favorite?
I just love Judy's sewing books. Yes, you all know I love anything "book" but these are great for the seamstress, who are involved in multiple projects. The perfect gift - I wish I saw these before December. This is my favorite one:

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Internet Artisan Interview - Locust Street

Kristy is a newbie to Etsy and selling online, and she has some terrific pieces. Her handmade journals are so very unique, I just don’t understand why she’s so surprised with all her sales! You need to go by her blog and say hello, too. She is currently donating some of the sales to missionary friends in Guatemala. Just write their name, "The Amands” in the buyer’s notes section, when you purchase one of her journals before January 1st, and she will give 40% of the sale to their cause. What a great idea, eh?

What's the name of your business/shop?


Locust Street


Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
Locustst.etsy.com
Locust-street.blogspot.com
Facebook—Locust Street

What type of handmade products do you sell?
Right now I am making handmade journals. The covers are paper grocery bags that I doodle on or collage on, ink, then cover with packing tape. The insides are recycled paper… paper that’s plain, stamped, inked, doodled on, old envelopes, postcards, random papers, maps, pictures etc all hand cut and bound with metal wire. They’re smaller in size… about the size of an old postcard. 5 1/2"x 4"

I am also working on some Christmas Banners. As soon as I finish my next batch of journals I will be working on the banners more.


Show us a piece you recently finished
I tend to work in batches. I am knee deep in creating 30 more mixed art journals at the moment. The very last things I’ve finished are these love-note-pads found on my etsy site. [she sold this one, but Etsy shows some similar items

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
Here is one the banners… I’m still working on the prototype. There are some MAJOR changes that I’ll be doing… but this is the relative idea..


If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
I haven’t advertised much yet. I am waiting to build up more stock. I will be pushing my facebook fan site more, spending more renewing items on etsy and participating more on others blogs.


If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
My etsy mini for sure!


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?
I just use etsy right now. I just opened it at the end of Sept ’09 and will probably just stick with them so I don’t have to do a lot of separate advertising.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
I have a facebook fan site. I run special sales just for them. I will be working on upping my fans once I finish my next set of journals.


All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Do be afraid to let people know what you do (both online and day to day)… you never know who will be your next costumer! And fight the urge to give friends and family large discounts on the products you’re selling!

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
Wow. I wish I knew. When I started making my journals I was afraid to price them more than a few bucks… I had no confidence in myself. But they take SO long to make... so I researched it a bit and realized that I have to respect my product and myself. I took my journals to a small community event to sell for the first time and priced them over twice as much as I was originally thinking… and they sold well! I got so many compliments and could have sold more if I had lowered the price, but at the end of the day I would have had the same amount of money and close to no product left! Seeing the public’s reaction helped me have confidence in my art. I am very tempted to drop my prices a little bit… but I keep going back to how much time it takes to make… almost every page needs to be either hand cut, or decorated and then punched for binding. And my prices now have to reflect the fact that I am also selling some of the journals on consignment. My pricing is not scientific… it’s more of a gut feeling as to how much I need to get for them to make it worthwhile… it comes to a point where I would rather give them as gifts to dear friends then to make so little off of them.

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
Sometimes I work on a typing table next to my computer… this was my actual workspace for my first set a journals… chaos sometimes helps me feel like I don’t have to reach perfection. Other times I haul everything up to the kitchen table.

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I am in my first month with this and never imagined that I would already have a few etsy sales, be selling in an actual shop and being interviewed for a blog! I think I’ve already passed my one year goal! I would love to come up with a few more different products… some that were a little faster to create... and keep finding stores to sell them to. I am also starting to think about doing a few craft fairs. I’m excited what this year has in store!


OK, it’s storybeader’s turn to pick a favorite.
Kristy is a real soul sister, loving many of the things that I hold dear: books, notetaking and recycling. Love the color of this little journal - you need to look at the images in her Etsy shop, to understand how her mind works! They’re terrific!

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Internet Artisan Interview - Linda B's Beaded Jewelry

Linda has a load of small jewelry items that are so very simple and sweet. And it's perfect timing to show everyone her Judaica items, with the first night of Chanukah starting tonight. Linda is the Team Captain of the EtsyChai team, and a member of three other etsy teams: EtsyTwitter, EtsyBloggers and EtsyBead. She has a site on 1000markets, and is a member of two marketplaces there. Not only does she work fulltime; she's an active tweeter and blog poster. So stop by her blog, and see what she's all about!
What's the name of your business/shop?


http://lindab142.etsy.com

Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
Blog: http://linorstorecom.blogspot.com
Website: http://LinorStore.com

What type of handmade products do you sell?
I create handbeaded jewelry, keychains, bookmarks, car jewelry, stamped paper greeting cards, candles

Show us a piece you recently finished

Blue beaded wire kippah for Jewish women

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
You can see pics on my blog on Sun. post

If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?

I tweet for some advertising, belong to some Etsy teams, and write press releases. You can see my avatars at my shop and blog.

If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
On Blogspot, my favorite widget is the Share application that allows me to post to Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.

Which online selling venues do you use? What do you like best about each one?
Yes, I have my Website, which needs updating at http://LinorStore.com,
http://linorstore.1000markets.com
http://lindab142.artfire.com (temporarily).
I also have photos at http://yourhandmade.ning.com/profile/LindaBlatchford63 and http://facebook.com/linorstore

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
I love tweetdeck and am on the EtsyTwitter team.

All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?

If you blog, promote other shops on your blog and in the forums.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
I take the cost times x factor depending on the complexity of the item and listing costs, etc.
We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
I have to get more pics, but my blog from Sun. has a couple of projects underway.

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!