A very quick Poll

In helping me to make decisions concerning

my online Art business...

I would sooo appreciate it if you could

take a few seconds to answer this poll...

Art Business Update 1

Things have really taken a 'turn' with my online

art business.

Unfortunately the turn isn't a good one either.

Suffice it to say that I should have known better

than to place all of my 'eggs in one basket'.

Since I can't control what site owners do or don't do...

it was rather foolish of me to have only one

'real' online shop and promote only that shop.

So...now, here I am, in what should be my

busiest time of year...

trying to grow 2 Brand New shops...

and it is more than a little time

consuming...

and somewhat 'disheartening'...

For the first time in 8 years...I've had to

try to find a job...

and that is no easy task.

Every place I've applied wants the application

submitted online...and thus far...I've only heard back from

one of the dozens upon dozens of places I've applied...

to tell me I wasn't qualified for their position.

I've done a lot of  'soul-searching' this past month

and...

I still haven't come to any firm decisions.

I really do NOT want to let my online art business go...

but the decision may not be mine.

Since I still have to pay my bills...

and they are beginning to pile up...

I may end up flipping burgers at McDonalds.

Farming and Art

I think I have new respect for farming...

even though I grew up in 'farming country'

I never thought much about

what a 'gamble' it really is

to do that for a living.

In comparing my own situation to farming..

I've prepared the soil

(my online shops)...

planted the seeds

(listed my artwork)

watered them

(regular new listings or renews)

and even fertilized them

(marketing and promotion)

HOWEVER

'suddenly there was an eclipse of the sun'

that lasted much longer than usual

(Etsy changed the way they do things so my items

can no longer be found as they used to be...

and Zibbet just doesn't attract the traffic

Etsy does)

...so...without the 'sun'...

my seeds won't grow and yield a harvest.

Not sure why Etsy chose the busiest time of the year for

most sellers on Etsy...to make such dramatic changes..

but..like the farmer...

when I make the sales during my 'busy season'

I have to manage the funds

to get through the 'non-harvest' seasons...

but

...this year...

that's not looking so great.

Still have to pay the bills...

so...

I'm not sure how much longer
my Etsy Shop will be
on..
I just can't afford the fees
without some kind of
visibility...
and I'm hoping that my
Zibbet Shop will be able to
'pay for itself'.

In the meantime...looks like I'll have no choice
but
going back to the 9 to 5 workforce...
if they'll have me.

Wondering 'if' a Job is in my Future

Horror of horrors....

I'm seriously considering the 'possibility' of re-joining

the workforce.

I haven't had to do the 9 to 5 since 2004 and the thought of it

makes me 'cringe' a bit...

but...

after what Etsy has recently done to it's site...and subsequently

to my site...

Sales...visits...all of that is down by more than half.

Then..they 'mysteriously' closed my shop for

several days...and NEVER did give me an answer as to why...

so I am never sure from one day to the next

if my shop will be active there or not.

So...I went to Zibbet...LOVE the site...but

unfortunately...
they don't get the traffic that Etsy does
(I'm assuming folks are still visiting Etsy anyway).
 

I can't tell where the Zibbet shop views are coming from

and I don't have the data I need to make

'informed' decisions...

as they don't offer google analytics.

I am going to try one or two more things...

as bills are piling up and I don't have

much time to play with here...

and if they don't work...

well..

I guess it's 'hello' Work place...

'good-bye'

Studio space!

My Rustic Goth Shops

I am gradually getting everything moved from my Etsy Shop
to my Zibbet Shop.

While my shop is still up on Etsy...for the moment...
I don't know for how much longer.

It saddens me that Etsy has made all the sweeping changes
that have recently...it certainly has affected so many
sellers whose shops have become harder and harder to find.

I think the saddest thing is...that the 'powers that be' there
didn't give anyone a definite 'heads up'
to the changes...
they always just said it was being
'Beta Tested'.
Then suddenly...it was no longer a test.

If they had given folks some notification of what they would
need to do to retain their visibility...that seems to me
to have been the fairest thing for all.

While I do understand Etsy can do whatever they want...
without giving two s***s about their sellers...
and that's okay...
it's all made me a bit nervous.

After my site going down for four days..
and NEVER Ever have I heard a word in response to my
dozens of emails...
I find myself wondering...from one day to the next...
heck, sometimes from one hour to the next...
if my Etsy Shop is still 'up and operational'.

So...as for Etsy...right now I'm up...and still listing...
but who knows for how long???

This Week-End

This week-end I will be adding some new 

Steampunk Art and Goth Art prints to my

Etsy Shop.

Any items remaining in my Clearance Sale section

on Monday will be retired.

And...I'm having a SALE on Everything in my

Shop...

including my new Steampunk Art pendants

Sale prices range from 10% to 50% Off

and prices have already been adjusted.

Have a great week-end!!

Genesis of A Single Creation

A couple of years ago

my daughters and I decided to do

the arts and crafts show at

the State Fair.

10 days...from 9 am until 9 pm...except on the last day...

we closed at 6 pm...

anyway...

we decided to bring..

paintings

prints

postcards

small items

and

Art Dolls.

We wanted something that 'fit' into the crafts portion

of the 'Arts and Crafts' show...

I decided to do some 'goth' dolls and some fairytale dolls.

Needless to say..the fairytale dolls were most popular at a State Fair...

when the show ended and I went to do something with the photos I'd taken...

I liked the doll faces enough

they inspired me to create some original digital art creations

based on JUST the faces from my dolls.

The above photo is a good example of the

'Genesis' of a Single Creation...

my 'Alice in Wonderland' doll

became the girl in my

'All in the Moment' print

the girl from that print became...

'Steampunk Alchemy'.

You'll note that I use only a handful of the same girls over

and over...I like to be consistent I guess...

but then, we all wear 'different hats' from time to time...

don't we?