Another Fabulous ETTEAM Giveaway!! - Strands of Light

This month's ETTEAM giveaway is from etteam member Barb of StrandsofLight. She is offering a pair of distressed sterling silver hoops adorned with three tiny gemstones in autumn colors. They are the first in a series of four that Barb call Saisons (seasons) in her Etsy shop. The hammered and oxidized hoops are one inch in diameter and the bright stones are 2mm hand faceted rondelles of deep orange carnelian, bright lemony citrine, and sparkling green peridot. They are light weight, feminine, dark, and earthy. What a fabulous giveaway!!

A little about Barb:

"I grew up traveling the world in a military family and never knew any home for more than two years at a time. When I first passed through Montana, as an adult taking a cross country road trip, I found it emotionally very difficult to make myself drive out the other side of the state. It felt like I had found home for the first time in my life. It took me a while but I am home at last now living in the beautiful Flathead Valley at the gateway to Glacier National Park and loving every minute of it (even the occasional moose in the back yard).

I'm a sculptor at heart and I approach jewelry making from that perspective. I have worked with many different artistic mediums but the ones that always call me back are the tactile ones. My best work is accomplished when the raw materials come from the earth. I love watching a strand of silver or copper slowly transmute into something that can be worn and loved and I also love adorning that transformed metal with beautiful, organic stones."

So, how do you enter to win these gorgeous fall earrings? It's easy, you can enter up to 5 times by doing any or all of the options listed here (although the first one is mandatory). Be sure that each entry is left in a separate blog comment. If you do all the options and put them all in one comment, you will only have one entry. The winner will be determined by random.org. Be sure you put your email address or name of Etsy Shop with your comments so I can contact you if you win. Here are the entry options ....

1. For one entry: Visit the Etsy Shop of StrandsofLight and tell us in a comment here what item of hers is your favorite! - This one is mandatory!

Here are some other ways you can have extra entries for this giveaway:

2. For a second entry: Follow our ETTEAM blog - and let us know in a comment here. (If you are already a follower - just let us know - it counts!)

3. For a third entry: Follow Strands of Light on Twitter, and Tweet about this giveaway. Let us know about it in a comment with your Twitter account name and/or link to the Tweet.

4. For a fourth entry: Grab our Etteam Blog Button or our Etteam Widget and add one of them to your blog. Leave us a comment with the link to your blog where the button or widget is displayed.

5. For a 5th entry: Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave us a link to your blog post in the comments section here.

And there you go. 5 chances to win these fabulous earrings. The winner will be chosen by Random.org from the verified entrants who have commented here on this blog.

The Giveaway starts today August 26th, and ends at Midnight (PST) Thursday, September 3rd.

We'll be back here next Friday, September 4th to blog about the winner!

Spread the word!!

Etteam BlogMistress

The details are in the Photos!

Contributed by:  Heather of NiftyKnits

My name is NiftyKnits, and I'm a treasury addict ;-)

For my most recent treasury I searched for intriguing photos that really drew me in. This was my first choice:



I love the angle, I love the contrasting textures, I love the way you're clearly on the edge of a larger picture - and most of all I love the way I'm not sure what it is! Just thinking of the textures alone, I can see some vertical lines on the right - what is it? Is it wood grain?

Here's the item in ByTheWay's shop

Time after time I kept coming across photos I wanted to use all from the same seller - and those of you who are treasury addicts like me know that is not approved of. So I decided to devote an entire poster sketch to the photographer in question (click on the poster sketch to enlarge it):



All of these pictures work so well in my opinion. They almost *force* me to enter the shop and check out the other 4 photos. You'll no doubt have noticed there is more than one shop? bythewayside.etsy.com, ByTheBy.etsy.com and
ByTheWay all share the same attention to detail, the same method of catching our attention by not showing us everythign at once.

The first time I really noticed the unusual photos were in this shop was with this photo:



I had to look twice, because at first I thought I was seeing a leather bra on a torso (ok, maybe that's just me!)

It's actually (as you more normal folks will have realised) a pair of high heeled shoes photographed upside down. So much more striking than a more conventional photo.

I'm on a mission to improve my own product shots - and what better way to learn than by looking at the success of others?

Featered ETTEAM Seller ~ AliBaliJewellery

Contibuted by: Heather of NiftyKnits


Ali of AliBaliJewellery is a fellow member of ETTEAM and makes gorgeous jewellery that deserves its place on Etsy's front page! (The necklace above deserves to be in my jewellery box, but that's another story...)

But what of the woman herself?

Cats or dogs?

Dogs, definitely. Cats are sneaky, dogs are loyal!

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither.... never really got either of them!

Fruit or chocolate?

OMG, is there a choice!! Chocolate all the way, although I do like strawberries dipped in chocolate, yummy!

Favourite colour?

Red.

Favourite meal?

A good Thai curry.

City break or weekend in the country?

Weekend in the Scottish hills.

Soaps or documentaries?

Documentaries, I am proud to say I don't watch any soaps!

Bath or shower?

Horses for courses. Shower in the morning to wake up, long lingering baths in the evening or at the weekend!



Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to online selling?

I started making jewellery about 2 years ago for myself. Then, my friends started asking me to make stuff. From there I tried my luck at craft fairs, other crafters told me about Etsy and that was that. I have shops on Etsy, Folksy, Dawanda, plus I've just opened on Artfire and Coriandr.

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?

It's normally the last thing I've made!! I have a few favourites, I like my crochet bracelets, especially the new wider and chunkier ones I've made for custom orders recently. I love my hollow dome pendants and funnily enough they were one of my first designs!


What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far?

Promote, promote, promote!! And .... get great photos!

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

Work on my photos before loading them onto any sites and I would have started blogging earlier. I've only recently got my head around social marketing and I wish I'd started that last year.

How do you see your store developing?

I think I'm gradually finding my own style and I want to start developing that further, concentrating more on precious metal clay. I have loads of ideas buzzing around my head!

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

I'm at work! It's okay though, it's 8am and I'm not due to start until 9am!!!

What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Stumbleupon, use it for everything you do, new listings and blogging!!

Thanks Ali! I don't know about you, but I think Ali's photos are fantastic, and I can recognise her style easily. Check out her shop here AliBaliJewellery and her blog here!

And the WINNER IS.....

I just got finished using random.org to generate the winning comment for this giveaway. It has determined that the winner is Barb from strandsoflight.etsy.com. Congratulations Barb. Be sure to email me or convo me thru Etsy, and I will put you in touch with Pamela.

Our thanks to Pamela of Bazketmakr for offering such a lovely handmade basket for this month's ETTEAM giveaway.

And, we would like to thank everyone who entered. Be sure keep checking back in with our blog, because we will have another fabulous giveaway in about 30 days from now!

Another Fabulous ETTEAM Giveaway!!

This month's giveaway - is a most unique item made by a most unique artist! Our featured artist this month is bazketmakr and her name is Pamela Zimmerman. Pamela is a fiber artist who lives in Washington, NC, and she made this beautiful, tiny little basket.

Pamela tells me that this little horsehair basket is actually pretty large, compared to some she makes. She has made some as small as 1/4 inch high and wide. This one is big enough to hold jewelry or other small treasures. It is made using a very ancient basketry technique called coiling; from mixed dark horsehair and waxed nylon. The different colors of the hair make each one strand in the finished basket. Remember, the photos show this piece many times larger than it actually is! This basket is approx. 1 1/2 x 3/4 inches. Retail value: $35.

Pamela has been making her horsehair baskets for about 6 years. As there are no books on the subject, she had to discover for herself the best ways to work with hair to shape it into little baskets. Each hair is handled individually, which means it takes alot of time and patience (as well as good vision!) to make one little basket. Custom horsehair baskets, with hair from your own horse, can be made, just convo Pamela through her Etsy shop, or email her at basketsbypamela@gmail.com for details on collecting and cleaning the hair.

Pamela has also handmade other styles of goods, all woven, from many different kinds of fibers; from waxed linen beach pouches, to pine needle baskets, to sculptural wall hangings and cards of her fiber art pieces. Her award-winning fiber art pieces can be seen on her website at PamelaZimmerman.net, and nationally at juried art shows. For listings of exhibitions, please see her Facebook Fan Page. You can also follow her basket adventures through her blog, Catching The Moon.

So, how do you enter to win stunning little basket? It's easy....

1. For one entry: Visit the Etsy Shop of Bazketmakr and tell us in a comment here what item of hers is your favorite! - This one is mandatory!

Here are some other ways you can have extra entries for this giveaway:

2. For a second entry: Become a follower of Pamela's Blog.

3. For a third entry: Follow our ETTEAM blog - and let us know in a comment here. (If you are already a follower - just let us know - it counts!)

4. For a fourth entry: Follow Pamela on Twitter, and Tweet about this giveaway. Let us know about it in a comment with your Twitter account name and link to the Tweet.

5. For a fifth entry: Grab our Etteam Blog Button or our Etteam Widget and add one of them to your blog. Leave us a comment with the link to your blog where the button or widget is displayed.

6. For a sixth entry: Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave us a link to your blog post in the comments section here.

And there you go. 6 chances to win this darling basket. The winner will be chosen by Random.org from the verified entrants who have commented here on this blog.

The Giveaway starts today, and ends at Midnight (PST) Saturday, July 25th.

We'll be back here next Sunday, July 26th to blog about the winner!

Spread the word!!

Etteam BlogMistress

Etsy Voter - Beach Gear!!

Esty has put up their newest VOTER. This voter is for your favorite "Beach Gear" (thing to take to the beach) item. Whoever wins this voter will have their item go into the Etsy Gift Guide, which is a great honor. There are quite a few Etteam members that have been nominated for this voter (8 out of 32 entries), and we would love your support!! Here are the ETTEAM member items that have been nominated:

FickleFaerie

MidnightCoiler

ZaftigDelights

Enuwbe

Studio Cherie

LilipadCreations

Bazketmakr

Glorious Hats

With much appreciation, and thanks to all who vote, whichever item you choose. We're just thrilled to have something in the running!!

Here is the link to vote on your favorite! V*O*T*E*R

Thanks for your support!! :o)

Etteam BlogMistress

Frida Khalo Challenge - Happy Birthday Frida!

In honor of Frida Khalo's birthday, July 6th, the Etsy Treasury Team sponsored a challenge with listings that have self portraits of the sellers posing as Frida - or listings that honor Frida. The following have made the cut and will be featured in an upcoming ETTEAM Treasury!

Thanks to those that participated!! This was very fun, and a double thanks to those that dress up and sported the famous Frida unibrow!!

Here is a link to the actual Frida Treasury on Etsy!

Featured ETTEAM seller: Beautiful Bridget

Contributed by: NiftyKnits

BeautifulBridget is a member of Etteam who makes amazingly intricate and off-the-wall items. Let's get to know more...

Cats or dogs?
Definitely dogs, big cuddly cute ones!

Star Wars or Star Trek?
Let the force be with you.....

Hmmm, I'd have to say you've chosen the dark side with that one!

Fruit or chocolate?
How about fruit dipped IN chocolate ;)

This girl knows how to live!

Favourite colour?
Hmmmmm....can I have two? Definitely burnt yellow and rust.

Favourite meal?
Chinese baby!

City break or weekend in the country?
Actually I prefer walking along the beach when it's cool and foggy :)

Soaps or documentaries?
Soaps (particularly Days of Our Lives)


Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?
Word of mouth brought me to Etsy (thankfully!) and I am so happy to be part of this awesome community of artists! I do sell on ArtFire and 1000Markets also but Etsy is my venue of choice.

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?
It's a toss up between my Peas and Carrots Scarf:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21229440


and my Super Loop Chain Necklace:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15057705

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learned (about Etsy) so far?
To be active in the community, you not only meet and get to know a ton of great people but it also keeps you out there where others can see your shop.

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Probably try to have more items available at Christmas (and have them pre-made so that orders can go right out the door!)

How do you see your store developing?
I would just like to have as many different items as possible listed so that there is something for everyone :)

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?
Well, I was going to take a much needed nap but.....

What’s your top marketing tip for today?
Be active in the forums and blog blog blog!!!

Sounds good to me! Want to know more? She's only a click away...

BeautifulBridget's shop

BeautifulBridget's blog

Etsy Voter - Americana Decor

Esty has put up their newest VOTER. This voter is for your favorite "Americana Decor" item. Whoever wins this voter will have their item go into the Etsy Gift Guide, which is a great honor. There are quite a few Etteam members that have been nominated for this voter (5 out of 32 entries), and we would love your support!! Here are the ETTEAM member items that have been nominated:

Fishstikks

MidnightCoiler

ByTheWaySide

TeresasPrimTreasures

Artyecolgical

With much appreciation, and thanks to all who vote, whichever item you choose. We're just thrilled to have something in the running!!

Here is the link to vote on your favorite! V*O*T*E*R

Thanks for your support!! :o)

Etteam BlogMistress

And the WINNER IS.....

ENUWBE!! I used random.org to pick out winner. It chose number 7, and Enuwbe was the 7th comment.

Congratulations, Enuwbe! Drop me a note through the Etsy convo system, or via email, so we can get your shipping address. Debbie, from Santiam Designs will be shipping your beautiful new necklace to you.

Thanks to everyone who participated. And stay tuned for another fabulous Etteam giveaway next month!

Have a good week everyone. :o)

Etteam BlogMistress