Going Home To Roost

Photo: Heaven Scent Simmer Sachets

If you don't know this blog yet, you really should. Going Home To Roost is an wonderfully written blog, resplendent with fun tutorials, shop features, and great gift guides. I recently contacted the mastermind behind GH2R, Bonnie, about my shop - and specifically, my organic home products.

She's done a wonderful write-up about my shop - which you can see here. I'd like to extend a special offer to anyone who is making a purchase: 10% off your entire purchase (on top of the 15% off Vintage Holiday section). Just write: "goinghome2roost" in the Message to Seller section upon purchase. Your discount will be refunded via PayPal.

Overwhelming Self-Imposed Pressure

Okay. It's time to admit it. I struggle daily with overwhelming, self-imposed pressure. Pressure to be a perfect mother, perfect wife, wildly successful business owner, prolific blogger, inspiring activist, etcetera, etcetera. These pressures rarely contribute to my success or happiness. In fact, they tend to have the opposite effect; and yet, while I know this - I continue to seek perfection. Why? Well, I think I have a few known causes, all extremely too personal for blogging...and likely irrelevant as we perfectionists must all have our own reasons. But what's not too personal to blog about is the release to be found in admitting it. Admitting to this need for perfection somehow releases me (at least momentarily) from seeking it.

I've found this is a common experience amongst all perfectionists. And, today, whilst catching up with a backlog of unread blogs - I came across this relevant post from Seth Godin. Seth interviews Diablo Cody, writer of film, Juno, about what it is to write after having such a successful first film. Her response was not at all what one might expect from an Academy Award winning writer. Moreover, I found her generosity to herself incredibly inspiring - so naturally, I wanted to make sure you saw this post. Whether you write, paint, mother, or entrepreneur - Cody's stance will beg you to question how you define success - for the better.

Thank you Seth, for another fabulous, succinct post!

Ode to Etsy Mamas

Last night, I posted a forum thread "Mommy HELP!", in the hopes that maybe a few of the women who sell on Etsy and happen to be mothers, could let me know their secret as to how they get it all done. If you've been following my blog, then you know I'm not the expert here - with Marley being an active, curious fifteen month old - I've really been wondering how do these SuperMoms do it? I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of women who were willing to give me a peek into their daily lives; and offer up some really useful advice for troubleshooting toddlers, schedules and routines, and finding some harmony and balance in the otherwise topsy-turvy existence that is being a working mother. And when I say "working mother" I feel a bit redundant, because the fact is - it doesn't matter how many hours/week you punch in or don't at a paying job - all moms know that "labor" doesn't end in a birthing room.

So after consuming all of this incredibly personal and useful advice, I felt it unfair to just leave it all sitting there in the ethers of the Etsy forums. I have selected some of the advice that was most helpful to me in the hopes that it will directly help some of you. Also, I've included links to each Etsy Mama's shop at beginning of each quote - so that you can see just how amazing, talented, organized and prolific these women are. I have to say, I left that forum thread feeling, "Wow, some of these women should take a stab at ruling the world!"...we'll see if I ever get there myself. Meantime, sit back, relax (assuming babes are napping), and read on for some maternal advice at its best:

• underhercharm: Up until 1:00 am every night! Mine are 1, 3 and 5, and they go to day care and school while I work at my "real" job. Then I spend a couple hours at the computer and working at night. Hiring a maid was one of the best things I did to help manage. Coffee in the mornings helps too!

• Overspill: Get up early, go to bed late! And yeah, coffee!

I get up an hour before my 2 yo so I can check email, print orders + get laundry on. Then my time is hers till naptime, though I'll cut fabric or knit for my handmades shop or package buttons etc for this one while she's playing - small jobs that I can drop at a moments notice. Naptime, I photograph + list stuff, then after she is in bed for the night I pack orders, prep pics for the next day, write out descriptions etc, so listing is quicker the next afternoon.

• CaitlinSainio:

Okay, my kids are 2 and 5, so it's a little easier, now, but I was consulting when my oldest was your daughter's age, and finding the time to work was a challenge. Anyway, I did a bunch of different things:

-For things that I could do a few minutes at a time, I'd set myself up in the livingroom, and just work while I hung out with him. (I do most of my Etsy stuff that way,too, but it's crocheting, so I can carry it around and do it a couple of minutes at a time.) It's not a good way to do anything that requires a big block of time or a lot of concentration, but it did allow me to knock off the easier stuff and save my big blocks of time for more difficult jobs.

-Get housework and everything else done while he was awake, so I could spend his whole nap working, and so I could work for the first hour or two after he went to bed.

-My husband would babysit for bigger blocks of time on weekends, while I locked myself and the laptop in another room.

Above all, go easy on yourself. Putting it in bullet points like this makes it look simple, but it isn't: I found that I could do 8 or 10 hours a week pretty easily, but more than that was exhausting, and if I'd needed to consistently work much more than 10, I'd definitely have needed babysitters.

• kotibeth: I have two toddlers so I feel your pain!

I turned our basement into a craft area and a play room. They are threatened with the time out chair if they go upstairs. I was spending all my time chasing them back downstairs! The basement is filled with "special" toys that are only allowed to be played with in the basement. They also have a full shelf of crayons, markers, paper, coloring books and more.

I don't work every day. Maybe 2-3 days out of the week. I was doing mainly evenings but I never saw the hubby so now it's more like 1 evening a week.

• jayval: I also have a daughter, 14Mo..And I stay at home..

I take my photos, and list first thing in the morning, while she drinks her bottle, and plays..it takes me like 1/2 hr to 45 min...All else, I do after she goes to bed, and dinner, usually about 8:30 to 10:00 at night I start...Though Im tired, as soon as I start working I get my second wind, and I really really enjoy it...Otherwise I would be bored, and fall asleep on the couch :)

The entire thread of seventy-something posts is like this! It was so hard to select only a few to share here - but now you know where to find or offer more advice on this subject. All of these women who have posted are my personal heroes - also, the ones that didn't have a chance to post because they were busy juggling fifty balls in the air, you are my heroes too! Thank you all for sharing and being part of this fabulous community on whatever level you can.

It Feels Good, Yeah!

Last week it got pretty busy around here in my wee world of Etsy. It also started snowing here in Bend, OR. Snow, that's right, on October 4th. I'm a California gal, so I found this to be incredibly exciting. But I must say, I'm going to have to rework the studio and move it from our attached garage to our dining room until winter's end. It was a freezing time in the studio, producing some custom orders, and packaging some great vintage finds for my dearest clients. My hands were so stiff, at one point whilst cutting the cloth - I thought there was something wrong with my Mundials. Turns out if you are actually freezing, it's likely your fingers aren't working too well.

Keeping warm by dancing and singing to the beloved Beatles while sewing (yes, it is possible!), I was able to complete and ship all orders. That's my job, right? you may be asking - why on earth is she blogging about this? Because I am starting to receive feedback from my appreciative clients who have received these items produced in the chill - and they are ecstatic! I just had to say it feels so good to make other people feel so good with the items I produce or vintage steals I find for them.

Just a positive note of thanks to all of my clients! You really keep me going - even in the chill of a freezing garage studio!

I'm Baaaack!

Hello again everyone, I'm back from my short jaunt off the blogosphere. It's been busy busy busy at home and work - fortunately, the good kind of busy. I've adjusted my daily schedule to support my hubby's endeavor to get some money-making skills (you know, like nunchuck skills, bow-hunting skills, computer hacking skills). Also, I've got my family visiting from out-of-state - sooo good to see them. This means I've got to get much more Etsy work done in far less time. Fortunately, I am blessed with understanding clients.

Speaking of my fabuloso clients, I have decided that for anyone who purchases a gift for the upcoming holidays, birthdays, etcetera - I will be making custom gift wrap which doubles as art. I've always really enjoyed wrapping presents, since I was a youngster reading Martha Stewart Living, I've tried to make my own wrapping. It's so much fun to do - and I believe my clients will really appreciate it. The photo is a gift wrap I just recently made for a client who purchased the last "Rex the Snuggle Pup" for her young son.

As my mind is numb from sewing, wrapping, emailing, tweeting, all the while entertaining family - I can't recall if I've brought your attention to Jordan Moore's Handmade Success blog. I definitely want to point out her blog right now, as she's having the best Etsy giveaway imaginable to Sellers. Jordan is giving away five free half hour consultations to assist the lucky winners with whatever areas of business/marketing strategies they most need help in. To enter the giveaway, just visit her blog - and post a comment about what your biggest business frustration is.

Another Valuable Resource

Thanks to Indiepublic, I found out about this fabulous web site which has SO much information for any small business owner. I think I might have to learn about Podcasting - yes, they have a webinar and tools for this!

Sorry to keep it brief folks, but my schedule has been altered dramatically. Changes are occurring slowly - but I can tell you DEFINITELY double-check your tags and descriptions. Also, if you have some photos which might be giving too much play to the props rather than the listing - time for a switcheroo.

I went from four sales over a 6 week period - to having 4 sales in 4 days!!! Woohoo!!

Finally Did Something!

I'm so glad I wrote honestly to you all this morning. It made me accountable not only to myself, but to you. So, rather than completely indulge my procrastinating tendencies, I got off my duff to do something! Well, actually, I've been on my duff for a while here - updating tags and titles.

I recently had the pleasure of being invited to join AOE Team (that's Altruism on Etsy). Altruism on Etsy is a network of Etsy Sellers, who donate a portion of their sales to charitable causes and non-profits. It's a great way buyers can find where not only are they buying handmade - they're supporting a good cause doing it. So, I've had to update my tags with "aoe team" to make it easier for those buyers to find me.

In doing so, I couldn't believe some of the LAME tags I had been using from the first listing date! Obviously, as I can easily see at Craftweasel - a ton of these tags were getting NO play. So I updated my tags with adjectives suggestive of similar interests and attitudes for each piece. This was not always easy. I still would love any help from anyone who just loves giving a good Etsy shop critique!

Updating the tags led me to change a couple of the more awkward titled listings (I got lazy, and didn't do them all). And, I decided it was time to remove the buckwheat hull pillows. I think those pillows, while I 100% LOVE and vouch for them (sleep on mine every night!), were part of what was making me schizo. If you want one of those, email or convo me - comment here too.

My point here is (and I'm sorry, as I intended to be brief and concise with this post) this: perhaps if the sales aren't coming, and the analytics point to declining interest - check yourself. You know more today then when you first listed your items. Do you need to fix some weak tags, drop any listings? Get it done - I like my shop better already!

The Embarrassing Truth and Some Great Info

I've been putting off blogging for a couple of days because I feel completely embarrassed and haven't wanted to admit that I haven't updated ANY of my shop copy. Oh dear. It occurred to me last night, this would be no secret to my dear blog followers and beloved return shoppers/visitors. So I thought I should tell you all what's going on - why haven't I updated the copy? It's not that hard, right?

It all starts with me wanting to refurbish my shop. Why do I want to refurbish my shop? It feels a little schizo to me when I'm in there. I want to have a cohesive brand and several great products. My original plan was to just make whatever I love making, and throw it up there - but that plan was stalwarted by the Creative Block. I do know that I have a wonderful knack for turning ubiquitous items into treasures for the senses and spirit. I want to use that knack to specifically design, make and sell my handmade goods on Etsy.

Now that you know I've been feeling a little schizo about my shop, and its purpose - I'm sure you can agree that rewriting the copy is not easy. I'm not sure what "voice" to use - obviously my own, but which one? Now I just sound really nuts! All the while, I'm trying to study up on branding, marketing, sales - all of those important basics I completely zoomed by before setting up shop. It's a lot to take in with only a few hours to process.

But what's exciting about this process - is I'm becoming more clear about what I want to do with my shop, some designs are beginning to take shape - and the dreaded Block is starting to lift. I thought this would be a simple, step-by-step guide for my fellow Etsy sellers and anyone else starting out in e-commerce or small business to learn from. But I can't promise you that. Mine is a meandering path to the promised destination. I hope you'll stay tuned in - because along the way, I've been finding great links to share - and let's face it, my story is a bit interesting - even if schizo.

Here's the best resource I've found in a couple of days. It's a fabulous blog, called Everything Etsy, written by a husband and wife who both have Etsy shops (their kids do too!) - and they run it all from the road in their 31' motorhome! Now that's impressive.

If any of you would care to help me out with tips on the copy - I'd love to know which listing you think is best written, and which is the worst. All submissions will receive free shipping on any future purchases. Please mention "I HELPED YOU" upon purchase.

Thanks in advance - I do need some support.

Best,

Tara

Revisiting the Copy

I'm sure I thought it would be the simplest of all tasks to revisit the titles and descriptions of my shop. Like all previous misconceptions that having an Etsy shop would be a breeze, this one didn't fail to generate more effort than I anticipated. I probably could have gotten much more done, had I a) not been a perfectionist, b) not spent time at the park with Marley (my amazing daughter), and c) had access to a computer that isn't a relic. My laptop recently had to go in for service due to some motherboard issue (thanks, HP); and I've been operating for the past several weeks on my iMac G4. This one - that's how OLD this thing is. I might as well be running my shop with a ten-key.

Anyhoo, I thought it best despite my lack of any real revisions, to let you all know the steps I've taken to start this process. First, I refreshed all heart charts, item views, etc. at CraftCult, and made PDFs of the reports. Then, I also visited Craftweasel for their wonderful tag tool and reports. More PDFs. I had to print these reports in order to have a starting point, some numbers, stats, etc. to help make sense of the results which follow.

Then, I made PDFs of each listing (being on this ancient computer, I'm sooooo glad now that I've only got 25 currently!). I have printed each listing, so that I can edit with red ink (old school, I know), readdress the tags and materials.

I suppose it won't be until tomorrow until I'm ready to revise the copy; you can click the title of the blog for a quick link to my shop and see how the listings look now vs. tomorrow.

See you there!
Tara

Struggling to be Free

I can't describe to you all how inspiring it was to be a source of help for so many Etsyians! After posting about my blog entry for September 17th in the Etsy Forums, I received the largest response any of my posts has generated - and I believe, made many new friends. I thank each of you for taking the time to read my blog, thank me, and most importantly wish you all the success that can come from your own personal power.

And waking up to see how many MANY other people read my blog yesterday, well that felt VERY good! Sometimes, you can feel like you're writing to the thin air - just remember you aren't.

"It has been said that each generation must win its own struggle to be free."
- Robert F. Kennedy

I came across this quote the other day as I began Naomi Wolf's 2008 "Give Me Liberty: A Handbook For American Revolutionaries". Naturally, it is in a political context within her wonderful handbook; but I think it can apply to people on an individual level as well. We all must win our own struggle to be free - for many artists, it's from ourselves.

I am currently struggling with self-doubt and procrastination, otherwise known as a Creative Block. I have decided to make a public guinea pig of myself, my Etsy shop, and those wonderful resources I have started to find. I'm gonna turn this thing around into the sale-generating powerhouse I know it can be - and you, my friends, are invited to watch. And hopefully learn something - even from my mistakes. Perhaps, especially from my mistakes.

I will refurbish each area of my shop, list and relist, develop product, shoot photos and reshoot, all the while, carefully taking notes regarding times, tags, keywords so that my Analytics make sense. I seek the Secret to Success on Etsy with vim and vigor.

Please check in on my blog from time to time for resources, statistics, laughs, and lessons.
I could never stop having my Seller Interviews and Shop Features, so feel free to check back for those regularly as well to find some of the most talented Etsyians.

Let me know what you think of my progress - I will definitely need a lot of feedback as I move through this.

Thanks so much, everyone! Especially to Bomobob@Etsy for the use of his gorgeous photo! To see more of Bomobob's work, click here.
Tara