Blog — "Etsy"

Just wanted to pop in to give a little update on some of the things I worked on for my shop over my winter break. While you may remember that I worked on this project using hand drawn images, I also did some digital design as well.

If you follow me on Twitter, you may remember this little sneak peek. And here we have the final product.


I loved the geometric squares, so I just had to make it into a Valentine's Day card as well!


A fun little idea for a moving announcement card popped into my head.


And my most favorite of all? This Valentine's card that so clearly speaks the truth!


Because let's face it-- we all know you love your special someone not just on Valentine's Day! ;)

Over the past year, I've worked really hard to get where I am at this point with my Etsy shop. The ultimate goal, in time, is to be able to quit teaching. I've always been a creative minded person, and I get the most enjoyment out of doing creative projects. The current school year has been especially trying as it feels as though the cogs of a bureaucratic system are finally getting the best of me. So I began thinking of ways that I could make my new side business (as it is right now) become a full time business.

I've always been a list maker, so it made sense that I jot down my goals in one of my many notebooks.


Here is the list that I'd like to accomplish by the end of the new year.

1. Have 200 designs in my shop.
2. Double my sales for the year with 400 sales.
3. Complete my first craft show.
4. Design a website (Right now I'm thinking of using Big Cartel. Anyone have any experience or success with that?)
5. Design at least one new design per week.
6. Finish setting up my studio. (Did I tell you I got a desk?!)
7. Complete at least three blog posts per week. (I'm trying not to let this blog fall between the cracks).
8. In that same grain, I want to work on gaining more followers-- maybe up to 300!
9. Create a new packaging concept for my cards and stationery-- something that looks more professional than just a cellophane sleeve.
10. Create one treasury per week to amp up exposure.

Think I can get it done? I am so incredibly excited about this coming year! There are already some super exciting things that I've done this past week to take things a step further. I opened a separate checking account for my business only, and I registered my business name! Woohoo!

What sorts of goals have you set for your business this year?

With 2011 nearing an end, I started thinking about one of my favorite necessities for a new year-- the calendar. Throughout most of my life, and still even today, my mom gives me a new calendar each year at Christmas. I always looked forward to it because I enjoyed idea of starting fresh each year with a clean slate to jot down reminders. In fact, our current calendar is a gift from my parents-- one that my dad made in iPhoto using photos they took during their many travels in France.



My mom used to hang her calendars in the kitchen and so naturally I keep mine there as well. The kitchen often is the central part of our house where we congregate since food is an important aspect of my life. So having the calendar there just seems to make sense. As we work our way through a month's time, the calendar usually quickly fills up with little scribbles of writing here and there reminding us of important dates, vacations, events, and appointments.

After browsing Etsy over the past few weeks, I've come to find that there are some amazing artists that have created some fantastic calendars. This is what I found--

via Made by Michelle Brusegaard

via Fine Day Press

via Pam Lostracco

via blueorder

via dekanimal

via Khristian A. Howell

Each of these calendars is absolutely fantastic! Which is your favorite? Do you rely on calendars like I do?

Oh, yes. I'm going to go there again. Christmas in July... phew. Hard for me to think about, but again, thank Etsy for making me go there.






In other news, some of my favorite note cards ever (remember these?) made it in a front page treasury. But unfortunately, they were in the last spot in the treasury and didn't get much exposure. Oh well, for now I'll be thankful of what I can get!

My latest stationery design is a simple splash off light, summer color on crisp linen card stock. The wave design started as lines. They became waves by sheer accident when I recolored one set of lines as a fill color rather than a line color. I was happy with the minor mis-click of my mouse and decided to stick with it. I've paired a blush pink with creamy orange, sun yellow with aqua, sky blue with grass green, and lavender with green.