Do you Blog? You need to know this!

It hasn't been very long that I have been aiding in writing the blog for our fantastic team. However I never had one of my own, until this week! So here I spent more time that I expected designing and redesigning the silly thing over the past few days. That was a learning experience in it's own right!

After my first post I was so excited I of course told various friends who blog, and one gave me insight which was news to me. You should always "ping" your blog after new posts in order to bring your blog higher in the search results of a search engine. Now I did a little research to learn what this meant and realized that there are a lot of ways to go about doing this. There is the super computer savvy method which involves uploading code to your blog and things which I have no concept of.

However the super fast way is to use a pinging service. The one I was turned on to was www.pingomatic.com which made me think of a pinball machine. I am sure there is some truth to that analogy as well.

Here is the process:

Step One: Go to www.pingomatic.com you will see a data information page like below.

Step Two: Enter your Blog name and the web page address into the form as shown. The RSS is if you have a feed link to include as well. I do not believe any team members have this yet, but you never know! 

Step Three: Next to Common Services in parenthesis is "Check All" click that, and then click each box under Specialized Services. Your entries should look like the photo below. 

Step Four: Click "Send Pings >>" 

You're done! As I said this is not the only method for achieving this goal, but so far it is the fastest and easiest I have found. If there are other services that you know of, please share so we can forward that information on the the group as well. 

This should help bring your blog postings higher in search engine results and as you blog more and ping more you will find more visitors and followers. 

Happy Blogging!

New Year - New Adventures

So here we are 2012! We begin each year with resolutions for weight loss, living healthier, working on our shops, maintaining inventory, and a plethora of other miscellaneous things that arguably we have resolved every year since adulthood.

So I wanted to make a resolution that at least once a week I will post something on our blog from one of our team members. We will have monthly featured sellers that are either randomly chosen by the team leaders, or winners of treasury contests.

We are having a contest RIGHT NOW that will select the March featured seller! http://www.etsy.com/teams/5192/aretsy/discuss/9526416/
Submit your entry and get featured!

We are working on a redesign of the blog to include our directory of shops, which we have had over one third of our members respond with their information.

We are also looking on the interwebz for craft shows etc that occur around the state that our team members might be interested in attending. We of course want to throw our own, but in an effort not to over resolve for the year, we have that on the to do list.

We would love to see participation on the team discussion boards, Facebook, Twitter, comments to the blogs, everything. If you have suggestions, needs, questions, or just want a coffee chat these are the best places to meet up and get those things done.

Let's Go AREtsiers! Those other teams, bless their hearts, got nothing on the talents in the Natural State!

This is the items from our team member this week......

This is a lovely stained glass bird house from Jackie Jasper of  Mountain Lily Farm!

January Featured Seller! - Lucky Pups Pet Supplies

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in the country loving the outdoors, animals, and creating things...and I still do. I decided to major in Graphic Design and graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelors of Art with a emphasis in Graphic Design.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Right now I'm planning a wedding, so that takes up a big part of my time. I also enjoy the outdoors, checking out new restaurants, and spending time with my fiance, friends and family.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I am inspired by everything around me. People, Nature, Places. Color palettes found in nature are my favorite.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade is very important to me. Something handcrafted is so much more special that any item made in a factory.

Who has been most influential in your craft?

My sculpture professor. If it hadn't been for my sculpture classes, I would have never learned to etch.

When did you know you were an artist/maker?

I still don't know that I'm an artist. ha. I just like to make things and somehow people like them enough to buy them.

How would you describe your creative process?

Research – Sketch – Test - Create

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

I would have to say my notebook of drawing from when I was younger. I loved to draw and I have all of them together in a binder.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?

Take a break. If I go for a walk, shopping, or to a movie to get my mind off the project usually when I come back I'm ready to create.

Where would you like to be in ten years?

In ten years I would like to have a family, still working from home, and enjoying life.

Tell us a little bit about your Shop:

LuckyPups specializes in an assortment of custom pet items including treat jars, pet bowls, diners, and gifts. All of our creations are personalized with your dog's (or cat's) name in one of our 15 fun fonts. You choose the font that best fits your pet's personality. We can work with every pet owner to spoil and pamper your pet!

How did you become interested or involved in your craft or art?

I have always been interested in arts, but I became interested in etching in my college sculpture class.

When you made your first sell...what did you REALLY do?

I was SO excited. I told everyone I could and got started on the order immediately. It was finished and ready to be shipped out that same day.

Do you promote your shop in any way? Please, share!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/luckypups.shop

Twitter: twitter.com/luckypups_shop

Blog: luckypupspetsupplies.blogspot.com

I also was recently featured in CityDog Magazine

(finish the following sentence)
This year I would like to accomplish...

a new line of dog bowls for the shop. Maybe even a few collars and dog toys.

Team Successes?

It is hard to remember that when I post these blog entries that not everyone knows me and when I refer to myself in the first person my English teacher cringes! My name is Felicia Norwood, and I am one of the four leaders of the AREtsy team! I have been working to help our team lately by posting discussions on the Team page in Etsy, facebook posts, and these blog posts. I am also working with the other leaders to make our team one of the best on Etsy!

In other teams I see discussions for treasury listings (we have a contest running now) and success threads (have one of those too) and I want all of us to work to celebrate our big and little victories! We will be making some changes to the blog in the way of including a directory, which we are requesting the information you want included be sent to sweetydarlindesigns@gmail.com. We are going to include a show schedule for the entire state, so send that information to the same email. I have been selecting and posting featured sellers on a monthly basis, the winner of the treasury contest gets to be featured in March!

We also want to eventually have a special AREtsy Craft fair!

In this depressed economy, and the pressures that creates on all of us we (as a society) seem to have lost our focus that there are some very good things in our lives worth focusing on, and I know for myself those are the things I want to focus on this next year. I think our team is one of those BIG HAPPY THINGS!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Team Pow Wow Drive!

We have a rough direction of the way we want to use the Team Grant money received from Etsy. We are going to work on getting a Team Directory compiled, and getting some improvements to the blog. We want to make this a team collective that the general public can find us.

We want to include as much or as little information on each team member as they are comfortable with, such as name, shop name, shop category (as we plan on grouping the directory into categories) facebook, twitter, tumblr, blog, address, email, phone, etc.

We have posted in a few locations to send all your information to sweetydarlindesigns@gmail.com. That way no one is posting their information too publicly.

We will also want to keep our show directory up to date. So if you know of any shows, or events send those to us as well. That could be posted in a comment here, or sent to the email listed above.

We have looked around online, and have a few other sites that we are using as a rough guideline for things to include, but the best way to make the team better is to get the team members involved. Myself and the other leaders want to make this one of the best teams on Etsy, but that takes a collective effort.

Come on AREtsiers! Let's get to the pow wow and blow all those other people AWAY!

BIG WIN FOR THE TEAM!!!

We have been awarded a Team Grant from Etsy!

The basic rules of the grant are that we can use it for any purpose with regards to team promotion, but we have to document the use of the money and Etsy wants us to report back to them with photos etc.

We could use it to have a craft fair, get team shirts, advertisements, team meetings, ANYTHING!!!

We will need input from the team in order to have plans of what we could do to spend the money as beneficially as possible!

Please comment with your ideas, and input! This is a great opportunity for our team to have some real positive impact for our shops and our state!

AREtsy Featured Shop: Mountain Home Pottery

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My husband and I have owned and operated Mountain Home Floral Co. in Mountain Home for 19 years. I have been a floral designer for 36 years. (Really doesn't seem like that long!) I have a son and two daughters and two granddaughters. I started taking pottery classes six years ago, because one of the things I had always wanted to learn was how to throw clay on a potter’s wheel. Well, little did I know it would become a new passion in my life. Not only did I learn to throw clay, but I learned to hand-build with clay, which opened up a whole new world of form and design. Three years ago my instructor and mentor asked me to collaborate on a project with her and another clay artist and that has grown into another business venture for me. I am very passionate about clay and I can’t stop myself.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

My husband will tell you that I never stop creating things! I love to sew, knit, crochet, and make soap. I'm also learning how to make cheese. (If only we had room for a cow or maybe a goat.) Before I got into clay, I took cake decorating classes, now that is fun and yummy, but my family would cringe when they saw me coming with another cake! They were all gaining weight. Now they have to add extra support to their cabinet shelves to hold up all the stoneware pottery I have gifted them with. So they gained weight in a different way.

If I see some cute or interesting thing I have to figure out how to make it.

I do enjoy reading and watching movies (while I knit or crochet) and going on hikes in the woods with my husband. We live in one of the most beautiful states and I never tire of making day trips to go on hikes.

What would be the title of your memoir? Why?

“There’s Always One More Thing to Learn” I am a perpetual student, when we stop learning, we stop living.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I am inspired by nature. There is no greater artist than God.

What does handmade mean to you?

To me, handmade means taking something and changing it in to something else.

Who has been most influential in your craft?

The person who has influenced me the most in my craft is Deborah Mitchell, my clay instructor, mentor and friend. She has been very generous with her knowledge and encouraging with her critique of my work.

When did you know you were an artist/maker?

I guess I have always been an artist. When I was young I loved to paint and draw and make things with whatever was on hand. I started working in flower shops when I was 16 and that gave me another outlet for my creative side.

How would you describe your creative process?

With clay you can have an idea of where you want to go, but you need to let the clay lead you as well. It’s good to be flexible when working in clay. My favorite saying is “I meant to do that!” Thing usually turn out better than my original plan.

If you could peek inside the studio of any artist, designer or craftsman (dead or alive), who would it be?

I am fascinated with Glass Blowing. I would love to give that a try! I would love to watch just how to go about making a gob of molten glass transform into a beautiful work of art.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

I have a number crocheted Afghans made by my Mother that I love. Every time I wrap up in one I can feel her giving me a hug. I cover my granddaughters when they come to visit, in ones that she made for my daughter when she was a baby. Mom passed away thirteen years ago.

How do you get out of your creative ruts?

I switch gears and do something different. Take a walk and really look around. Or if I’m really in a rut I clean the studio, that does it everytime!

Where would you like to be in ten years?

I would like to still be working in clay in ten years. Making the majority of my income from the sale of my pieces. I would like to be able to travel more and see places I have never been before.

Check out Mountain Home Pottery's Etsy Store and Liz's profile!