3.29.2012

Calling All Team Members!

We have been working on our directory and a pack of other things. However we are having some trouble getting good information on craft shows and other vending opportunities.

Come on team! Let's get to posting!

If you are participating in ANY craft show any where in the state, or even just across the lines.

Let us know about it! We want to help our team with as much advertisement, and getting seen is the only way to do it!

If you are at a show or fair, tell people about AREtsy! Tell them to visit the other shops! If they are looking for a certain item and you know of a team member that sells that, then send them in that direction!

We want to help as many as possible! I know it is a slow process, but we want everyone to have as many opportunities as possible to succeed!

3.16.2012

Happy St. Patricks Day

Today is brought to you by the color green, oh and AREtsy Artists!

If you click on the photos it will take you to our Team Members Listing!

























3.12.2012

Making Money on your Blog!

Today I wanted to discuss some various options for ways to make money on your blog.
  1. Ad Sense by Google. If you are on blogger there is a widget called ad sense. This is a "we pay you for click through" type thing. They review your blog and must approve you, so no naughty naughty things on there, and then you can have the widget (or multiple) that they will stream relevant ads to these widgets. You can also have more than one. 

  2. Other stream widgets. There are other providers that do the same thing. Here is the Top Networks of those providers. 

  3. Selling Sponsorships. In this aspect I am referring to actual sponsorships that you write a post that is an advertisement and then list that the ad is sponsored by Company XYZ. Some people don't like these as they want to see what you have to say, not what your trying to sell people. This could result in loss of viewers if you do it too much. 

  4. Selling Blog Sponsorships. This one is when other bloggers pay you to be advertised on your site. Such as the way Lucky Pups does their sponsorships on a monthly basis. You can set your own pricing and you post about the sponsors through the month. This can also be people like Etsy stores, Cafe Press or Zazzle designers, or anyone that is willing to pay the fee. However be very careful to judge if you want that type of person advertising on your site. If your viewers click through to view your sponsors and find adult content when they wanted new dog bowls you might get people offended, fired (if they view at work) and loose viewers.  You should always tell people that you reserve the right to refuse advertising.

  5. There can also be different types of ads. 
    1. Text ads - "Check out my good friends over at Company/Blog ABC" and insert a link to go view them
    2. Graphic ads - Use a button with an embedded link to send viewers to the desired location
    3. Banner ads - These are graphic ads that are generally larger, and can have more than one link in them sometimes. 

  6. Selling your Services. This is something that you can do by sometimes guest posting for a fee or freelance writing for other publications. There are other ways to sell writing services, but as I am not a writer and haven't done this I don't know that I would be any good at suggesting options. 
Now not all of these methods will be highly lucrative, but the more you post, the more followers you get, the more you work your blog, the more likely you are to make more money.

Keep in mind, if you post controversial things or if you are amusingly irreverent it is highly likely that there will be people that do not want to advertise on your blog, or that you will get turned down by an ad service. This is not a personal affront to you, but just means you can try other avenues for funding.

Good luck out there! 

3.02.2012

March Featured Seller - The Little Chick



 

Tell us a bit about yourself.  
In my previous life, I owned Designs I.C., a corporate aviation interior and residential design firm.  I traveled a lot and when I had my daughter I didn’t want to leave her so……I refocused my life.  I now devote my time and attention to her, my husband, two dogs and The Little Chick Boutique.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?  
Aside from working in my studio, I spend time with my daughter at the zoo (where if she had her way, we would go every day).   I do a lot of volunteer work with the Junior League of Little Rock and I am training for my second half marathon, which will be in two weeks……

What would be the title of your memoir? Why?  
Crazy, Hectic, Fantastic Lady…….I mean Life.”  I wouldn’t change anything in my life, unless I could win the lottery, then I might make one or two changes.  My life is crazy, hectic and fantastic…..I think I’m pretty fantastic too most of the time.  I only have that confidence because I juggle my daughter, my husband, a small business and a household.  I think most who can handle this are pretty fantastic and there are a lot of us out there.        


Where does your inspiration come from?  
My inspiration comes from fabric.  I love to look at and imagine all of things that I can make with it.  I love to weave together different patterns and colors.  Not one thing ever looks the same when you mix fabrics so it’s inspiring to see all of the things one can come up with. 

What does handmade mean to you? 
Handmade to me means exactly what it says “Hand Made.” My items are all completely handmade except for the obvious items; such as, fabric, thread, etc.  Buying an item; i.e., a backpack, shirt, burp cloth, etc and monogramming a name on it is not handmade…..its partial made.  I have a separate website besides Etsy for those items that I carry that are not handmade.    

Who has been most influential in your craft?  
My mother!  She sewed all of my clothes growing up and even though she always wanted to teach me how to sew, I never wanted to learn until I was older, but I must have paid attention more than she ever knew. 


When did you know you were an artist/maker?  
I always felt like an artist when I was doing design work with aircraft, even if I was just designing and watching other people make it, but I truly felt like a “maker” when people started wanting to pay me for things that I made. 

How would you describe your creative process?  
Scattered…..I wouldn’t call it a process at all.  I have a journal beside my bed because most of my ideas come in the middle of the night and I have to jot them down before I can go back to sleep.  It’s always fun to wake up in the morning and see what I thought about because lots of time I don’t remember. 

If you could peek inside the studio of any artist, designer or craftsman (dead or alive), who would it be?  
Rachel Ashwell because her shabby chic style is right up my alley.

                                                                                        
What handmade possession do you most cherish? 
The clothes and blankets my mother made for me when I was a little girl.  She kept a few of them and they are special to me because my daughter has actually worn a few of them.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?  
Running…..it never fails when you’re on mile 2 or 3 of a 4 mile run, you will think of something creative and have nothing to write it down.

Where would you like to be in ten years?  
In ten years, I won’t say how old I will be, but my daughter will be in school so I hope to have more than two days to really devote to my craft.  I hope to be doing more tradeshows and quite possibly have my own brick and mortar shop….the last one is on the lottery list so I’m not holding my breath. 

  
To Find The Little Chick Boutique check out their Blog, Facebook, Etsy Store, and their Web Page