We are the Buffalo Etsy Team!

So you've been wondering, what is the Buffalo Etsy Team? We are a diverse group of Etsy sellers from the Western New York region - mostly in the Buffalo NY area.

Etsy sellers have the option to join teams for networking, information sharing, and other types of assistance.  Teams can be virtual or location-based as we are in the Buffalo, NY area.  The benefit of joining a local team is you get to meet in person and learn from one another face to face.  Many of our team members have developed strong bonds and collaborate with one another in many ways.

The team blog - buffaloetsyteam.blogspot.com - has a number of helpful series for Etsy sellers including:

• Craft Show 101 - a guide to selling at local shows,
• the Did I Really Just Quit My Day Job series, 
• interviews with sellers from the team, 
• useful photography tips for Etsy sellers,
• a look inside team members' studios,
• and coming soon a featured shop series. 

The blog is loaded with other resources and features both for Etsy sellers and Etsy buyers so its worth scrolling through the calendar on the right side of the screen to find something of interest.

As of July 2015, the Buffalo Etsy Team is now meeting at the Whimsy By Kelly Studio.  Thanks to team leader Kelly we have a dedicated meeting spot where we can hold monthly meetings, workshops, crafting classes and other activities. This team selfie was taken at our July meeting.

The team has over 600 members who reside in the Western New York region though most meeting attendees come from Erie County and Buffalo area.  For those who cannot attend meetings, the team has an active discussion board on Etsy, a team Facebook page, a Pinterest page, and Buffalove on Etsy - a page full of themed collections of items for sale from Buffalo Etsy Team members. If you are looking to see what team members have for sale, visit our Shop Buffalo Etsy Team page.

In addition, the team has held workshops on photography and financial matters, raised funds in a successful campaign to support a veteran's family, and been featured on local TV to promote gift guides during the holiday season.

To join the team, you must be an Etsy seller living in Western New York.  Visit Etsy.com to see more about teams and how to join us by searching for us in the Community section.

City of Good Neighbors/ Family of a Vet Project: Ends Dec. 1st

Help a local Vet with PTSD and his family by December 1st! City of Good Neighbors Project curated by Buffalove on Etsy

Color Trend: Orange Gifts from the Buffalo Etsy Team

Color Trend: Orange Gifts curated by Buffalove on Etsy

Monday Interview: Erin Makes Stuff

 This week Erin Makes stuff takes some time out of her busy monster making to share a little about herself and her knit bundles of fun!

 

 

Please tell us a bit about yourself? 

 Hi! I’m Erin! I live in Derby and used to be an art teacher. I now go to school to learn how to make teeth! I come from a creative family and don’t know what to do with myself if I’m not constantly making something! I like things that are colorful, fun and well crafted. My favorite color is magenta.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art? Mostly I design and hand-knit monsters. Since I’m often asked where the idea for my monsters came from, I’ll tell you here! One day, many winters ago, I wanted a new hat. So I bought a book on how to knit and figured it out. I made many awful hats. In 2007 I decided to start figuring out how to turn the monster doodles from my notebooks into knit monster plush. After trial…error… more error… more trial… I eventually figured out how to make something pretty cute! The monsters are always evolving and I usually work a pattern from memory. I usually get ideas for new monsters while I’m working on other monsters. I’m now a little addicted to knitting.

How did you come up with your store name? 

 My shop name is “Erin Makes Stuff” so I put a lot of thought into that one.

How does Buffalo influence your work?  

I travel a bit around WNY for art shows and I can say with absolute certainty that all the Buffalo shows I do are the best! I love the energy and appreciation people in this city have for the arts and am proud to be a part of it. Also, I’ve recently started making Buffalo Bills fan monsters. They’ve become a hit and I’ve shipped them to transplanted Buffalo natives all over the country!

How do you promote your work to the world? 

I am an Instagram addict! I am always posting new photos of the monsters there [@erinmakestuff]. I think it’s an awesome tool to easily share photos of my work with fans from all over the world. I also have a Facebook page and a website.

www.erinmakesstuff.com
www.facebook.com/erinmakesstuff.monsters
www.instagram.com/erinmakesstuff

 

What is the hardest part about selling online? 

The monsters that I knit are so soft and plush that people want to pick them up and enjoy them. Knit items are made to be touched. When I sell online shoppers lose that experience, regardless of how good the photos are. I also miss seeing my customer’s reactions. At a show, almost everyone that walks past my booth cracks a smile. And that is what is most important to me: making other people genuinely happy.

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?

 I just finished my holiday show season, but my next event is at the Larkin Exchange Building on February 14^th. I keep the “EVENTS” page on my website updated regularly.

Workspace... Personalized Candles

Whether you sell on etsy part time or full time, a place to work is a must. No matter where it is you gotta get creative someplace. This series for the blog shares the esty sellers workspace, be it a studio, kitchen table, or in a comfy chair and three items that each individual "needs" to help them succeed.

This week Kim from Personalized Candles shares where she creates her beautiful custom candles and the three items that are a must! 

 The three items that Kim can not run her business without are
 Candles, Photoshop and a printer.

 
 Kim has three work-spaces. Her office, her supply room and the ever so handy dining room table.
I know I have used mine on more than one occasion as well as a workspace.
 
 
 Thanks so very much for sharing your workspace with us Kim!

if you would like to share your work space with readers please contact mealy monster land for more information.

Photo tips 6: Image size

Let's talk about the types of images that Etsy shops use, and how to use them to your advantage!

• Banners: 760 x 100 pixels
• Gallery view: 170 x 135 pixels (1.26:1 ratio)
• Main image: 570 x 425 pixels (1.34:1 ratio)
• Profile: 75 x 75 pixels

Etsy's format works best with horizontal photos. Don't worry about cropping your pictures exactly to the gallery ratio, because you can adjust the zoom of your preview image right in Etsy's listing page (the second part):

And of course, once your buyers are on your listing page, photos are not cropped at all.

HOWEVER ...

Etsy listings photos will "set" the size based on the first image. To wit:

Gah! So, make sure your biggest image is your first image!

Also, once you start cropping your images, try to stay the same. You can see in the above collage that the first picture fills out the frame, yet the next two have gray bars above and below the photos like letterboxing of widescreen movies. Most image programs will have the ability to set crop width and height, and you can draw a perfectly proportioned box every time.

If you want to get close to the correct ratio, cropping/resizing to 850x675 or 1020x810 is your best bet.

There are a few approaches you can take with your thumbnails. You can show a good overview, an interesting closeup or a nice staged photo. It all depends on how symmetrical (or not) you want your shop to look. What entices buyers into your store and listings is different for every person, so offering multiple views is good to catch every customer.

The most important part, in my opinion, is to have a cohesive look to your shop and your photos. Pick a look and stay within the general theme of it. It makes your shop look professional and instills confidence in customers to click "buy"!

— Jocelyn | paragraphloop

Monday Interview with The Cotton Road

 This week we have with us Mel from The Cotton Road!

Please tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Melissa but everyone calls me Mel. I am married and have an 8 year old son. We also have a dog named Zoey who is very active. I grew up in the southern tier in farm country. I love nature and natural fibers. I started crocheting when I was 12. I would watch my aunts crochet and slowly picked it up. I use crocheting as my stress reliever. My crocheting gives truth to the old adage "if you do what you love you never work a day". My crochet business started over a year ago and I still love crocheting everyday, in fact not crocheting can make my day worse.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art? I crochet primarily baby items, but I am very picky about the patterns I choose. I make hats and slippers for adults. I have begun to make toys, rattles, and pillows for babies. Mason jar covers, doilies, mesh tote bags, and things for the home. I learned to crochet when I was 12 but have been doing it regularly for about 5 years.

How did you come up with your store name?
I love cotton and primarily crochet with cotton, but wanted to pay homage to where I came from and learn my trade it was on a dirt back road tucked back on the farm in between cornfields. So I combined the two for The Cotton Road.

How does Buffalo influence your work?
The seasons are what inspires me here. I have to change the type of item and the thickness of the yarn for the warmer months. I know Buffalo weather changes fast but most people don't wear winter hats and boots in July.

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
The freedom to make and sell what I want and to control the amount of items in my store. I also love that I can sell to more people than just here in the WNY area. I have sent items to Australia, Canada, Hawaii, California, among other places. I am trying to create an interactive map so that I can pin where I have sent items. I'd like to send one item to every state I think that's be cool.

How do you promote your work to the world? Twitter, Facebook both personal and business pages, Instagram, Pintrest

Where can your work be found locally? I am a member of Gallery 464 and some of my items are featured there. I am working on a few open work hats to take there in the next few weeks.

Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy? Don't get discouraged if there are not a lot of sales in the beginning. Focus more on building a fan base that will refer others to your page.

  Do you do this full or part time? If full time how did you get yourself to that status? If I really tally up the amount of time it would be full time, but it is realistically a part time thing. I work a full time and part time job on top of Etsy. My dream would be to open a little store front someday where I can sell my items, yarn, other local artist work and teach the art of crochet full time.


Have you had any formal training in what you do? I have had no training beyond my Aunts instructions.

Do you teach any classes in what you do? I have taught before at JoAnn's but I am not currently teaching there.

Where do your ideas come from? I love nature and things that are functional. I just bought a wire lamp shade a flea market and hope to crochet a lamp shade. I like to make things that people can pass down to others.

What do you do when your creatively blocked? I go to Pintrest or Etsy and search crochet.

 Where can you be found online? 
www.etsy.com/shop/thecottonroad
 www.facebook.com/thecottonroad,
@thecottonroad on twitter, intstagram, and Pintrest.
http://www.mindweb.us/#!linton/c1b0h is the website from Gallery 464.
thecottonroad.blog.com/.

Monday Interview with Charmed by Wine!

 This week I had a chance to talk shop with Mary from Charmed by Wine!

Please tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m an athlete at heart, having been a gymnast and track and field sprinter/hurdler.  I’m a hockey and football fan as well.  Most times, I’m in front of the TV as I create charms – either watching a sporting event, DVR’d shows, movies, etc.  I even get into books on tape every once in awhile!  As a newlywed and new home owner, there are also TONS of ‘house’ related projects that I’m enjoying as far as decorating, room planning, learning recipes, etc.  I like being active, making healthy choices, and learning/creating.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?
I create wine charms for all sorts of events and occasions!

I recently got married in August 2012.  My husband and I had a beautiful wedding inspired by my Italian heritage, our love of clean and classy styles, Sinatra, food and wine.  As part of the planning process, I thought it would be a cute idea to give wine charms as favors.  The ‘wedding’ sets I was finding were so expensive, and they weren’t very personal.  I googled ‘how to make wine charms’ and found that it was really quite easy, and that if I used a certain kind of wire, they were actually more durable and less complicated to use!  So, I set to work…

My original ‘wedding’ set represented my husband and I with charms like ‘love’, ‘thank you’, a wine glass, a blue bead representing the college where we met, our initials, and a tag with our names and wedding date.  I made over 1300 wine charms (which took me the better part of 6 months to do!).  With about 400 charms to go, I realized that I enjoyed making them, but was getting so sick of the current design.  I started imagining other options and designs for wine charms.  I had a bunch of supplies left over at the end, and so I began researching online selling venues like Etsy and learning about how I could create and sell my wine charm designs to others – mainly because I knew that if I didn’t sell them, I’d end up with a houseful of wine charms!

I opened the shop in November 2011, however with the wedding plans, a house purchase and kitchen renovation, I didn’t really start creating items and putting time into the shop until about October 2012.

How did you come up with your store name?
I spent a good week agonizing over a ‘good’ shop name.  I wanted something that resembled wine charms (CharmedWine, WineCharmDesigns, etc) I tried every combination I could think of. The ones I liked were taken already, and the rest just sounded….bleh. To me “Charmed By Wine” is a bit more open ended.  It relates well to wine charms, but also allows me to create other wine-related items, or charm-related items.  I like that I have that freedom.

How does Buffalo influence your work?
For me, creating wine charms is about adding that little extra something to a party, dinner, evening alone with a movie, whatever.  It’s about gathering with family and friends.  It’s adding a little personality to someone’s life, or sparking a conversation between two people.

I think Buffalo plays a strong role in that.  We are the “City of Good Neighbors” for a reason.  Many of us have strong family ties, or close-knit friendships with the people in our communities.  I try to build off of that vibe and create a fun accessory that can be used to put a smile on someone’s face even when it’s 20 degrees and snowing.

What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
Being able to sell outside the local community.  My first sale went to someone out west.  There was something so cool about knowing that an item I made was traveling and finding a new home with a new family in a state I’ve never visited.


How do you promote your work to the world?
I stay involved in Social Media.  I post on forums within Etsy, have my own website, blog and facebook page…among other sites.  I still have a long way to go to really get ‘seen’, but hopefully each baby step gets me closer!  I’m also part of a kick-butt Etsy team that does a great job of ‘talking proud’ about Buffalo Etsy shop owners!

What is the hardest part about selling online?
Getting “seen” and making sure my items are portrayed accurately.  The hardest part about buying online is not being able to touch the item.  This is where good photography comes in.  I try to photograph several angles of my items and give people a good idea about the item’s size/materials.

Where can your work be found locally?
I actually have not yet sold offline.  Once I am a bit more settled, I have plans to research some local craft fairs and possibly talk to a few local businesses. I want to make sure my online presence is strong enough so that I can refer in-person sales to my online shops to encourage repeat business!

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?
Nope!  Just me working away at creating new designs…

Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?
Do a LOT of research and planning ahead. A LOT. Learn about all the tasks you’ll have to manage (financial tracking, taxes, inventory management, marketing, website design, creative /crafting time, packaging, shipping, tracking, pricing and listing, etc). Consult with other small business owners to learn about tools or tips that might help you.  Be patient and realize you won’t be great at everything right away.  Have a backup plan or an “if I fail” plan.

Also, really think about your items and how they apply to everyday use.  I had someone tell me pretty early that nobody will ever buy my items because not everyone likes to drink wine.  I spent an afternoon making a list of every possible thing you could do with a wine charm…and I came up with an awesome list.  So now, I can market my charms as being perfect for so many different events or décor!  I even started to photograph my items differently to showcase some of the alternative uses.
- coffee mug/teacup charms (on the handle!)
- water goblets or any other stemmed glassware
- christmas tree ornaments, or other holiday décor
- plant décor (add a little sparkle to your house plants/tree branches)
- gift tags or part of gift wrapping
- tapered candle charms
- charms on any stemmed candle holders
- GIFTS! (hostess gifts, holiday gifts, party favors, wedding shower or wedding favors, etc)

Where can you be found online?
You can find Charmed By Wine in several spots!

Homepage: www.charmedbywine.weebly.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/charmedbywine
Blog: www.charmedbywine.wordpress.com
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/charmedbywine

 

Monday Interview with Erica from P&E Collectibles

This week Erica from P&E Collectibles joins us!

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Erica Manson and my shop is P&E Collectibles (PECollectibles).  I sell vintage items from many different time periods with a focus on jewelry.The items in my shop are found at garage sales, estate sales, flea markets and rummage sales.  I live in the suburbs and taught special education for seven years.  Right now I am looking forward to becoming a full time stay at home mom. I've always enjoyed collecting vintage items with a focus on Lucille Ball and Grace Kelly memorabilia.  My other hobbies include card making, seeing musicals and writing.

    

How did you come up with your store name?

The P of PECollectibles is in reference to my husband Paul who always lends a hand with my shop when needed.  Of course, the E is for Erica!

What is the best thing about having an etsy shop? 

 There are so many things I love about having an etsy shop.  I love the flexibility of working from home.   I really enjoy finding new items to put in my shop.  Etsy is a community.  There are so many people to learn from and connect with. 

Do you have any advice or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?

As with most things in life, you get out of it what you put in.  There is always more to learn to continue to improve upon your shop.  

Connect with people and join teams. Don't give up if you don't get your first sale right away. Take advantage of advertising opportunities.  Above all, have confidence that your shop will do well and people will enjoy your items!

Where can you be found online?

Etsy Link- https://www.etsy.com/shop/PECollectibles

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/P-E-Collectibles/181426195283913

Twitter-@elynn81

Blog-http://pevintage.blogspot.com/


*next week, Charmed by Wine! 

Monday interview with Carla from 716 Buffalos

Carla, one of our fearless leaders, from 716 Buffalos took a little time out of her schedule to share a little more about herself.

Please tell us a bit about yourself?
-Proud mama of a May 2013 masters degree-holder!
-Professional graphic designer for over 30 (yikes!) years. I'm especially proud of the candy and popcorn labels I designed for the Hard Rock in Vegas.
-Collector of vintage stuff (Beatles memorabilia, art deco, '50s kitsch, mid-century modern and everything in between) for over 40 (yikes!) years.
I left Buffalo in 1982, lived in Washington, DC and Florida before coming home in 2001. My Etsy shop was 4 days old when I made my first sale.

What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?
I make Buffalo-centric jewelry with vintage found objects and broken jewelry bits'n'bobs, all bought locally. Each piece is One of a kind and is inspired by the people, culture, architecture and events in Buffalo's history. I started making found-objects jewelry one year ago, but it was Beatles songs-inspired (and then I worried about copyright infringement, so those items are just for me).

How does Buffalo influence your work?
I didn't love this city until I moved back, and now I'm obsessed with it! I read and research constantly, and bug one of my BFFs for info (she's a docent for the walking tours). I love the people, events, history, architecture and rebirth. I love how many Buffalonians are as geeked as I am about our city ... I'm talkin' proud!

How did you come up with your store name?
I actually changed the name and then got freaked out when they said it could be changed only once --- so 716 Buffalos was a last-minute decision. And it's seven hundred and sixteen, not seven-one-six. Have you noticed my prices end in 716? It's marketing, baby :)

What is the best thing about having an Etsy shop?
I love the creative outlet and everything I learn while I'm researching Buffalo. I love meeting other Etsians and customers. I love making a few extra bucks.

How do you promote your work to the world?
I talk a lot! :) And I spend an obscene amount of time online posting on Etsy, Facebook and Pinterest. It helps to have friends and family who talk me up.

What is the hardest part about selling online?
Making it real! Virtual shopping has its drawbacks --- a customer can't hold your whatever in their hands to inspect it, so descriptions have to be thorough AND interesting, and the pictures have to be crisp and clear. I shoot at least 40 pictures of each item to get five that I think are usable.

Where can your work be found locally?
Only in my studio (OK, it's a corner of my bedroom!)

Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?
I do not, but I will happily attend the shows my fellow Etsians are participating in. I've been known to buy from y'all.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?
I'm still a new seller (my anniversary is May 28), but I know you can't just hang the "open" sign and expect your shop to be found. At a minimum, join teams, participate on the boards and curate treasuries.
Open a Facebook shop page, but don't simply post your shop items---make it interesting! I got the most views and comments when I posted a pic of Johnny Depp in all his layered-necklaces glory!
Don't be selfish: Promote other Etsians and they'll do the same for you!
We can't be experts on everything, so do your homework: research Etsy like crazy (help topics, forum searches, etc.). I lean on our own team geniuses for tips on social media and the icky taxes and business details.
Where can you be found online?
www.etsy.com/shop/716buffalos
www.facebook.com/pages/716-buffalos
www.pinterest.com/carlalucia
www.buffaloetsyteam.blogspot.com/

*next week we will learn a little bit about Alison Kurek from Silent Mylo Studios

Fresh Start

The Buffalo Etsy Team is undergoing some changes. 

With two team meetings under our belt, a new team captain, and new leaders, the team is ready to revamp, restart, and take off in a new and exciting direction.  

The blog will be starting up with regular weekly and biweekly posts very soon.

So please STAY TUNED or TUNE in! 

We also can look forward to some team challenges, giveaways, and learning a little more about our members.