So, you opened an Etsy shop...?

I’ve been thinking about what steps to take next with my Etsy shop. Opening an online shop and getting those first few sales can be very exciting. So… now what? What’s up next for my little endeavor? I think May is going to be a very good month, at least I hope.

My journey:

1) Attended two events in front of the Butter Toast Boutique that were a big success.
2) Worked on photos and descriptions for my Etsy shop.
3) Created and shipped out my first official custom order.
4) Finally opened up shop! Yay!
5) Had my first two sales and successfully shipped them out.
6) Got great advice from fellow sellers that I couldn’t be more thankful for.
7) Listed new items and started creating new work.
8) Relisted.
9) ???


For the very first time I have decided to sponsor another blog. My shop ‘with a chance of’ will be sponsoring the curious pug. I’m really very excited about the whole thing. I know that it will totally be worth it and I can’t wait to see what the outcome will be.



I’ve been slowly but surely adding new items to my shop. You’ve probably seen my necklaces, hair clip, and combs soon I hope that I’ll have a whole new line of products to add.



I also have another little surprise for May, but you’ll just have to wait and see what it is.

I also feel like my blog is seriously lacking direction. I want to rework it a lot and get it more focused. I've been postin A LOT but I feel like my posts are lacking something. I want to put more effort into my posts like I used to do. I feel sometimes I just crank and bunch of posts out just to post. I'm really going to work on the quility of my posts, not just quantity. I'm thinking about even breaking my blog into two on that is personal and one for my Etsy shop. Who knows though! I have a lot to think about!

Do you have any new plans for your blog or shop? Any suggestions for me? You know I’m always up for good ideas!

blog love weekly V1.0

I really wanted to do a blog post of all the blogs I absolutely adore, and then I realized that there are so many amazing blogs other there that I couldn’t do just one blog post! So I decided that once a week I would feature two blogs that I love and couldn’t live without! I can’t even begin to tell you how much this blogging community has meant to me. I am a total hermit (trying to work on that) but I’ve met some wonderful people through blogging and also have had some amazing opportunities. The blogs I’m going to be featuring are in no particular order, I couldn’t pick favorites anyways. Each blog is just as unique as the beautiful person behind it.

{Grin & Bear It}
First of is Heidi from Grin & Bear It. I love this blog because it gives a really fun look at her life and you really get to know her as a person, I think blogs like that are great. She’s funny, and completely sincere about everything. She is also doing a series called “Weigh in Wednesday” that’s really inspiring. It’s hard to get fit and stay in shape and it’s nice to see her honesty about losing weight and working out. Let’s face it, no one wants to be on a diet and work out day after day. Did I mention she has an adorable Etsy shop? I, amazingly, won her most recent giveaway, and I feel so lucky! She’s been so supportive of me and my little endeavors, commenting on my posts and encouraging me to start and Etsy business. I’m blessed to know her, even if its via cyber space, you should get to know her too!


{the merriweather council}

Next is the lovely Danielle from the merriweather council. Talk about a girl who is honest! Wow. That’s why I love her blog, some of my favorite posts of hers are simple and straight forward like How to Be a Superstar on Etsy and Elsewhere I read that post and had to smile. I don’t think I can visit her blog without smiling. The best part about Danielle is she is completely willing to give advice and help if you really want it. She gave me some really helpful advice for my Etsy shop and I couldn’t be more excited to put it into play. She is a very successful Etsy business owner, so any advice from her is gold. I personally think she is an amazing artist. She has such patients for her art. I can only image how long one of her wishbone embroidery pieces takes her to make. I think her colors and textures are simply gorgeous! Don’t believe me? Go check out her Etsy!

Can’t wait to share more blogs with you! I can’t use the word thank you enough. I’m overly excited about everything right now. I mean remember, I am a cheeto.

Do you have a favorite blog that I need to see? Please share it! I love finding new reads!

first offical custom order.

I created, packaged, and sent my very first custom order. I’ve made custom items for my friends and family before, but never for someone I’ve just meet. I was really excited about the whole thing. This awesome young man was at First Friday while I was set up outside of the Butter Toast Boutique and commented that he liked my button necklaces. He just wished the chains were longer and the pieces were larger. I assured him it would be no problem for me to make him exactly what he wanted.

This was defiantly a learning experience for me. Although I was kind of stressed out about making sure it was what he wanted it was fun to make something with someone in mind. I could picture in my head what he would look like wearing it, and it made it a little simpler to make. I also learned that I totally under charged for the piece. I am not going to make a big deal about it at all. I’ve never made a piece like it before so I was unsure of the cost of materials, lesson learned! Next time I’ll know better.

For some reason I had a lot of trouble taking a decent picture of this lovely necklace. I probably should have waited for better lighting.

I’m really happy with the way it came out. His idea was great and I’m so glad I could create it for him. It’s nice to sort of “collaborate” with other creative people ever once in a while.

Etsy Shop Grand Opening!

The moment is finally here. My Etsy shop is finally open and I have listed my first offical items. I'm excited for the future of this shop. The floral hair clips and pins are just the beginning. I can't wait to share the rest of my ideas and items with everyone!

Thanks everyone for your support and smiling a nodding through all of my talk about opening this shop. It's been a long time coming and I don't expect it to be a success over night I'm just extremely excited I finally got over my anxiety and opened up shop!

So, now that I'm open, what do you think? You know how I feel about feedback! The more the marrier!

Have a great day everyone, thanks again!

First Friday Success!

I hope I don't drive everyone completely crazy with my posts about my new little adventure, but I can't help it. Last night I got to set up my little table infront of Butter Toast Boutique once again for Phoenix First Friday. I was a little concerned at first, one major reason was I compeletly didn't think about bring light! Duh Kat, it's night time, meaning DARK! Oops. Thankfully Traci had some string lights in her car and and between everyone we made it work. The lovely ladies of Vulpine Collective even let me borrow a lamp! I'm so thankful for that.



It was a slow start, not going to lie, but it really pick up towards the end of the night. I don't know why it was so surprizing to me that there were so many people out at 10:00pm on a Friday. I really am getting old! I learned a lot during the night. Things that I thought would never sell, people loved, and stuff I thought would fly, sat on the table untouched. I get pretty nervous about actually selling stuff, but I'll get there. You'd think after working retail for over ten years I'd have this down.



I have so many new ideas spinning around in my head and I'm trying to stay focused and not get ahead of myself. I woke up super early this morning for no good reason and lay awake thinking of all the things I want to create, it made my head spin.

Thanks to everyone who came by the Butter Toast Boutique last night! I loved talking to everyone, and I meet some really awesome people. I hope to see you all in the future!

Oh, and again, special thanks to the ladies of Butter Toast! Traci rocked it last night and the beautiful young lady (I didn't catch her name >.<) working in the shop last night really did a great job with the extra traffic from us crazy outside vendors! You all are sweet hearts, thanks for being so supportive of this newbie!

I know I keep talking about these events for my like "shop!" Sorry if I'm beeing annoying about it. Thanks for all of YOUR support! Seriously, everyone has been so amazingly supportive, I don't think I would have done it without you!! Lots of love guys!

journey to etsy: photography.

Well if you've looked for any kind of advice on Etsy one of the first things you'll hear about is having good photographs. There are a ton of people out there that have online shops, and as much as we would hope to be unique, a lot of them are selling the same exact thing. So, what is going to draw a customer to your shop over others? Photographs.

I'm not going to lie; I'm not an avid online shopper. I like to see, touch, and even smell what I'm going to be buying before I buy it. So I want to make sure my photos highlight my products as much as possible for an online shopper. You'd think for a photography major that this would be easy, not so much. I'm still just learning, and I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my photos. Thanks to some advice from two other wonderful bloggers and Etsy seller; Ashley and Chrissy, I decided just to go with it. I'm going to roll with what I've got and just keep perfecting my photos as I go. I can't hurt to change things up and relist on Etsy right?

Etsy Shop Photo Preview.





+++++++

I also discovered two tutorials that I think are really going to help me the next time around.
Ashley from After Nine to Five recommend that I build a lightbox for my photos. I think this is going to be really useful and I'm going to be taking tips from her tutorial over on her blog. {Thanks again!!!}

Maryam from Pamplemousse! also did a great blog guest post on how to Etsy photography. The tutorial is over at The Art of Staying Up All Night and it is really helpful.

Well, I guess that's that! If you have any advice or know of any good tutorials on photographing products please let me know! Or, if you want any advice or critique, I'm still learning but I can help some, right? I can't help it, I love to help!

Now, go take some pictures! ^_^

fresh starts.

Well, March is starting to wrap up here. I feel like all the crazy business is starting to slow down. We are taking Granny to the airport today. It's really sad for everyone. It's so nice to have her here, and Aurora loves her so much. It just sticks that we can't live closer. Honestly, I don't think we would be happy back in Pittsburgh. I miss our families so much, but we love it here so much. It's so difficult.

With all the events and visits coming to a close here pretty soon I just keep thinking of a fresh start. I think in life you can hit the "freshen" button as many times as you need too to get going again. This past quarter has been going very poorly in my classes, well, my math class. I can only hope that I get through it. I did pretty well in my Photography class and I feel like I learned a lot in it. Math has always been my downfall. This exact class is one of the main reasons I never finished college the first time around. I'm crossing my fingers for a C at this point.

I'll have finished a year of college after these classes are done and I can't believe it. I can't give up now, I've been doing so well. I cut down to part time due to the baby being on the way. I think it really is for the best. It might take me longer, but that's okay. Classes stress me out enough and I have so many things I want to focus my time on now it's hard to juggle. I hope I can still manage with the new baby.

{i'm obsessed with this photo. I took it in sedona, az and used picnik.com to edit it.}

My Fresh Start list:- Take special time with my family.- Enjoy the one on one time with Aurora.- Prepare for a new little arrival.- Maintain a B average in my classes.{only if I am successful at the previous 4}- Start an Etsy shop.- Be involved in more art events (but only when I can.)

I don't want to give up on my little Etsy journey, I feel like I have a lot of pressure in my life and maybe the timing isn't perfect, but I've been waiting too long to do this to stop now. It's been my goal, and it's really what I want to do. I'm not giving up.

Here's hoping!

P.S. I totally screwed up my appointment date and we find out TONIGHT if we are having a boy or a girl. I blame the pregnancy on my total lack of brain function!

it was a beautiful sunday...

I couldn't have asked for a better day yesterday for the Phoenix Art Detour. The weather was cool and it was cloudy, but it was way better than baking in the hot sun. The ladies of Butter Toast set up a nice tent for us to set up under. I had some great creative neighbors to share a space with. Foot traffic was a little slow; it was perfect for my first event though. It was a lot less nervous once I got there. It was also really nice to be out sharing what I love to do and getting to know some really cool people. There were several musicians that played that made the day very relaxing and fun. I'm so glad I go this opportunity, it was seriously a blast.

My little table from the side.
I had a lot of fun planning this table set up. I wanted to to be very "spring."

The front of the Butter Toast Boutique and the Vulpine Collective table. These girls are awesome!

More of the Vulpine set up. They are a group of about 9 girls supporting and encouraging eachother in the Phoenix area, which I think is pretty great.

Linen Lovelies table and her adorable daughter, Violet. She had a great day, I was really excited for her, and her daughter was so good! I was really impressed. ^_^

The Butter Toast Boutique.
The GROWop handmade and vintage collective.
I loved this band! Pick and Holler was great!

I hope this is just the first of many events I get to take part in. Even though I'm shy and a little awkward I love interacting with people. There’s something about talking to someone face to face about a product that you just can't get online. I'm still planning on opening my online store (crossing my fingers for early April) and I'm really jazzed about that. Who know, maybe I'll be out in front of Butter Toast again with my little table peddling hair clips.

Thanks again to Traci and Jasmine! These ladies seriously inspire me to make my dream business happen, I'm so glad I could be a part of this past weekend Art Detour!

Journey to Etsy: My First Art Event.

Well, tomorrow marks the beginning of my Journey to Etsy. As I mentioned a little while ago the lovely ladies of Butter Toast Boutique have kindly asked me to set up a table in front of their vintage shop during this year’s Phoenix Art Detour. I have been over excited and busy getting ready or the event. I made a bunch of new hair piece as well as a small amount of new jewelry. I’ve been scanning over some of my favorite crafters blogs to see if they had any insight for craft fair booths. I have been seriously inspired by several lovely ladies in the crafting world.

{Bug Miscellany}I love her metal board for magnets! I wish I knew where she got it from. Not that I have any magnets but it’s a cool idea!

Going Home to RoostI discovered this site on a Google search and was completely drawn to this booths layout. The colors are amazing. I’m going for a spring theme so this really inspired me.

Peach ParlorJody is an amazing crafter and photographer. Her shop was one of the first I discovered on Etsy. I would kill for this picket fence set up for her wreaths! I wish I could have taken the time to make some custom wreaths for this event, so sad.

The City Birds NestIsn’t she a doll? I love the multiple layers and layout of her brightly colored table. It seems she had a lot of success at the craft fair she was attending in this photo. I hope I have just as much luck!

I really hope I remember to bring everything I need. I’ve been having nightmares that I forgot all my products or I didn’t wear pants, crazy things like that. It’s like getting ready for a speech in High School all over again. I thank God right now that I have worked in retail for so long. I really feel like it prepared me for an event like this. I never thought I’d be thankful for slinging lattes or booking appointments in a hair salon, but I think all my experience is really going to come in handy and makes me less nervous.

If you’re in the Phoenix area stop down at 6th Street tomorrow, Sunday March 20 and see me! I’ll be there with all the flowers hanging out in front of the gorgeous Butter Toast Boutique!

I can’t wait to fill you in on how everything goes! Keep your fingers crossed for me!!! ^_^

getting one step closer.

About a week ago I wrote a post all about my little big dream. I’m really excited about starting an Etsy shop, and as promised I will be taking you step by step through the process. The awesome part is, that very same day I received an e-mail about an event that will hopefully take me a little bit closer to my goals.

The city of Phoenix is once again putting on their Art Detour. Although I have never been to this event, it looks like an incredible weekend. I’m so happy to announce that I will be taking part in the festivities! The lovely ladies of The Butter Toast Boutique have asked me to set up a booth on their patio and show off my little hair goodies. I cannot begin to express how overwhelmingly honored I fell that Traci thought of me. I admire them so much for creating such a wonderful shop, for me, it’s a dream come true. I think I might have even gotten a little choked up when I read the e-mail. I’ve been putting my hands to work making new pieces, gathering supplies, and trying to not get too excited. I’m also working on some new products to try out. I don’t care if I don’t sell a single thing. For me, this is a step in the right direction and no matter what the outcome this will be positive.




So, if you are going to be in the Phoenix area March 19th – 20th you’re going to want to stop by 6th Street! I will only be there on Sunday March, 20th though. My little girl is growing up and will be turning 3 years old on Saturday March 19th! I couldn’t miss her birthday!





Thanks again to the wonderful women of Butter Toast!!

+Blog+Etsy+

It’s a special time of year, spring is almost here.

my little big dream.

Let me tell you a little story…

Once upon a time there was a young girl who had big dreams. She dreamed of being a singer and a song writer. Many people thought she was crazy and had delusions of grandeur. Although she was supported by many and laughed at by most, she pressed on. Eventually her dreams faded. Life takes its toll, and that was okay, dreams do change. The now young woman decided to discover a new dream. That is when she discovered Etsy. It was a whole new world of art and creativity that she had never seen before. It gave her wild ideas and let her imagination sore to new heights! Yet she was afraid to let her dreams go too far in fear of letting herself down once again. The young woman’s dreams grew even further into the atmosphere when she discover shops in her hometown like Wild Card, a shop that sells and support local and handmade artists. This was too much excitement for one person to bear! Thoughts and ideas of opening her own store came rushing into her mind like a tsunami wave. Then as her family moved across that country she discovered new inspirations like the fabulous Butter Toast Boutique and the up and coming GROWop. People actually do this AND make it work! That’s amazing! The young woman was truly inspired by all the lovely and talented women she was discovering every day.

Okay, so, if you didn’t guess it this story is about me, duh. I’ve had dreams of owning my own business for a while. Before it was a coffee shop while I was working at Starbucks but once I discovered Etsy, my whole world changed! So, why am I telling you this? The other day I discovered the cutest little corner shop in this beautiful strip mall near my house! I would just die to open up a handmade boutique there! I, mind you, am not in the least bit business savvy. I have worked in the retail industry all my life really. I understand the ups and downs off business and have been researching every detail for years now. Someday I really do hope I can open a shop to support the artists I truly love. I want to share with everything the wonderful things I have discovered as much as I possibly can. I feel like so many people are missing out because they don’t have their eyes open to find it. That’s why I want to open a store. I, myself, am not an avid online shopper. I like to see, touch, feel, and even smell what I’m going to buy before I spend my hard earned money on it. I think a lot of people feel that way even in today’s cyber world. Sometimes I feel like I sound crazy when I think about all this, but I know other people must feel similar to the way I do or there wouldn’t be any other handmade shops out there.

First, I think it would be very important for me to start my own Etsy shop to get a good feel of business. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but I think I’ve read to many horror stories about it and chickened out. I want to make sure I have everything in order before I start up shop. So, this is my call for help to all the Etsy shop owners out there: I would like to create a series called “Journey to Etsy.” I want to document the steps I take to opening an Etsy shop for anyone out there, like me, who might be a little intimidated to start. If there is just one, or a few things that you’ve learned from having an Etsy shop what is it? Any lessons you learned? Things you thought you needed but didn’t? Happy success stories? I know there are a million stories on the Etsy blog about success but I want to know from everyone else out there! So what do you say? Help me out! You’ll get full credit AND a feature post for any advice you give while I’m doing this blog series. You can leave a comment or contact me at withachanceof{at}gmail.com. I’m very excited about this whole process, was it exciting for you?

Thanks a million! Happy Thursday!