Etsy: Updating my store

I have ignored my Etsy store for many, many months and decided that I either had to 1) Do something with it ... post items for sale; or 2) Let it go. I lurk around Etsy a lot and see a lot of artisans who do very well, at least they have a lot of sales. So, I decided to give it try... again.

Beading Daily doesn't highly recommend sites like Etsy because they believe that a lot of the viewers are other artists and crafters. That may be true. I find that most of the people who ask about a necklace that I'm wearing or a project that I'm working on are fellow crafters. We appreciate the work that goes into making a handcrafted item. But fellow crafters can't be the only people who visit Etsy.

I realize a lot of the reasons I have so much inventory is that I get bashful about promoting my work. I know my friends who read this will find that weird, but it is true. You put yourself out to show off your items and face critique and criticism. Now some of this is valuable. I appreciate it when one of the gals at the local bead store, Bead Culture (www.beadculture.com), comment on my work and offer a suggestion. It's another thing when someone suggests that they can buy something just like that at Target.

What's been posted... to the side of the blog I have added a quick preview to my Etsy. There are four bracelets in the shop right now. When my order from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads (www.firemountaingems.com) arrives I will have some of my new bottleneck bead necklaces to post. I'm really looking forward to working on those.

So, as we come to the middle of the third month of the year... I am slowly fulfilling my promise to myself for the new year. Now... I just have to figure out what to do with the website... but that is for another day. I have a bracelet waiting for me to finish.