Article by columnist Christina of Ume Origami
Photo courtesy of ScreaminMonkeyCircus

Those of us that are good with our hands are not necessarily the same people who are skilled with computers. Nevertheless, the more handmade marketing is taken online, the more important it is for artisans to understand the ins and outs of web lingo if we want to be successful at this crazy thing called ecommerce. I spend a lot of time on handmade forums of all shapes and sizes and one uniform comment that pops up on all of them is “What the heck is a widget and how do I use it?”

“Widgets” are useful little things that can make a huge impact on your blog or on your shop venue. To cite Wikipedia,

In computing a web widget is a portable chunk of code that can be installed and executed within any separate HTML-based web page by an end user without requiring additional compilation. They are derived from the idea of code reuse. Other terms to describe web widgets include gadget, badge, module, webjit, capsule, snippet, mini, and flake.

Let me break that down. A “widget” is a tiny piece of code that you can copy and paste into a website in the appropriate spot in order to display a small piece of information. It comes from “code reuse” because many people will copy and paste that particular piece of code instead of having to figure it out all by yourself. It is basically fancy HTML made easy. You do not need to understand what it says, but you do need to understand what it does and where to put it. One thing that makes a widget different than the rest of the code on your website is the widget is usually hosted by the provider. That means you don’t need to upload images or components to make it work.

Photo courtesy of PortableGraffitiGraphics

Blogs usually have a place to put widgets. They are the little buttons and features you often see on the sidebars of your favorite blogs. Do you see a little Artfire shop? A miniature Facebook? A little Twitter account? How about the current weather in Tulsa, Oklahoma? As you can see, widgets come in all shapes and sizes. Some are definitely more useful than others (a mini shop venue might help a reader purchase from you while the weather might just annoy someone who doesn’t live in your area!) Even IndieSmiles.com uses widgets! See that donation section on our Charity Birthday Bash so that you can contribute money to the ASPCA? Yes, that is a widget too!

Image courtesy of CtrlAltDeviant

Although widgets can be a great tool, be careful not to use too many. Make sure you are picking the absolute best widgets for your site. If you keep it minimal, the widgets you do have will become more effective. Here are some major sites that will allow widgets.

Artfire: To use widgets on ArtFire, you need to be a “Pro” member. You can find the screen to input your code snippets by going to “My Studio” and then to “My Widgets.” Just click “TEXT/HTML/FLASH”, paste widget code, and save.

Zibbet: To use widgets on Zibbet, you need to be a “Premium” member. Go to “My Zibbet,” “Customize Your Shop”, and then “Widgets.” Paste the code, and save.

Blogger: Click on “Template” tab, and “Add a New Page Element.” Choose “HTML/Javascript” and then “Add to Blog.” Give it a title, paste widget code, and save.

Wordpress: Under the “Appearance” section on your side bar, click “Widgets.” You will want to drag a “Text” box to your sidebar if you want to paste in code. Remember, Flash and Javascript do not work on Wordpress.

Now that you know what a widget is and where to put it, tune in for the next post where I will go over some popular widgets for your site.

Edited by Barbra aka All About The Buttons

Article by columnist Pam AKA: Electric Penguin
Photo titled “Keep Talking” courtesy of HartelArt

Have you ever bought a handmade item on-line, and hear nothing from the seller until it arrives in your mailbox? And were you frustrated by that? It’s happened to me and I definitely was frustrated! I didn’t know if my orders had even been received, or when to expect them. I had one small order that arrived almost four weeks later from two states away, even though the seller’s policies stated it would ship within two business days. It didn’t get lost in the mail either – the shipping label was only printed a couple days before I received it. Why it took so long for them to ship remains a mystery. There was another silent seller I finally followed up with to see when it might arrive. I never heard a word back from them about my question (!!!), but the item arrived very soon after. Coincidence? I think not.

Now to some of you, I’m sure none of those things would matter. But there are those of us who do like a little bit of personal attention with our orders!! And for me, that can translate into not buying from that seller again.

Communicating to your buyers doesn’t have to be fancy or take a long time to write. For new orders, I have a canned email set up that thanks them for their order of xxxxxxx and tells them when it will ship. That way, when I get an order I just update the email and send it to the buyer. Simple, easy, and they’re happy. This also gives them an email address to contact you with, in case they have any questions. I have a lot of new buyers, many of whom don’t understand how to convo on Etsy. So an email address they can use helps a lot.

If there’s a reason why you won’t be able to ship an item on time, tell the buyer! People are very forgiving – if you let them know ahead of time. I once had to stall an order while I desperately shopped for a matching clasp because the one it was made with just didn’t work with that design. The buyer didn’t mind waiting when I told her what the problem was, and was really happy with the change.

Photo courtesy of LizzysLabels

If someone asks you a question via convo or email, please be courteous and answer! Even if it’s a “Thanks, but I’m not interested” answer, it’s still an answer. I have asked other sellers for generic info about their products, things like what coating they use and where did they get a certain size bracelet blank. Some have been willing to share, some understandably have not – but all did respond. That’s all I want!

The one thing I hope you take from this article is this – think of how you would feel if you were the buyer of your item and communicate accordingly. It could, no, it will affect your business!!

Slide photo courtesy of Studio21
Edited by Barbra of All About The Buttons

Written by columnist Linda aka LindaGJ
Photo courtesy of VintageScrapBox

Wreaths go back to the ancient cultures of Persia, Rome, and Greece way before symbolizing the coming of Christ and it's not known exactly when, as there are so many theories.

I would like to tell you a little history about wreaths before you see my display of some gorgeous Fall wreaths I found on Etsy in my slide show!

Many wreaths date back to the Persion Empire. Originally the circlet was called a "diadem" which is Greek meaning "a thing bound around" and were worn as headbands.

Beginning in 776 B.C. wreaths were made of laurel leaves and were used to crown the winners at Olympic Games. When the Olympics began going to other cities, they were awarded with head garlands made of branches of local trees.

The Roman upper classes, such as the military and public officials wore garlands of oak leaves and laurel. It was custom for the for soldiers rescued from a seige to present a wreath of grass to the commander of the rescuing force. Olive leave wreaths were worn by consuls and senators. Olive leaves became the symbol for peace. Julius Ceasar was crowned with a wreath of fresh laurel.

Other countries started to design head wreaths of their own using metals and precious jewels called "crowns" that we associate with royalty. The word crown comes from a Latin word called corona, which means garland or wreath.

The use of evergreens for Christmas wreaths probably started in Northern Europe, Italy, and Spain in the early 19th century. The original colors for Christmas are green and red. Green represents eternal life through Christ and red symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed at his crucifixion.

In these modern days, wreaths can be used all year round and a common custom in New England is to use a different wreath for each season!

I am featuring these Fabulous Fall wreaths from Etsy shops in this slide video! Remember to enlarge the screen to see the full view and I have added their shop name so you can visit their lovely shops!

Posted by Barbra aka:All About The Buttons

By Contributing Columnist Jay of Haffina Creations

This week I am going to introduce you to one of my favourite ArtFire artisans, Robyn Selk from JewelledTrellis. This lovely lady is an absolute marvel! She has five children, and still finds time to create gorgeous pieces of jewellery. Let’s go get to know her a little better…

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
I sell medieval chainmaille jewellery and vintage filigree art pieces. I also have some gorgeous Swarovski crystal and genuine gemstone designs.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
My studio is named after my daughter Trellis. She was never a girly girl and so it was always a challenge to get her to wear jewellery. Thus JewelledTrellis was born.

How long have you been selling online?
I have been online for almost 4 years now.

What lead you to join ArtFire?
I started with Etsy as it seemed to be the largest in my search. It has great traffic but terrible sales. I moved on to Artfire when it was new and LOVE it. I love the tools, the feel and most of all I love how they treat their sellers. They are a fantastic team. I would recommend them to anyone.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
The global editor. I can’t tell you how many hours that has saved me.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Take the plunge, it’s so worth it. Try it out and you will see all the tools that are available for you to really make the most of your business.

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
I want them to feel like they just opened a treasure chest filled with jewels from another age. There is something very appealing about sifting through antique and historical jewellery.

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
I use vintage and antique glass stones and a wide selection of gemstones. I also use filigree that has been stamped from dyes dating back to the 1890’s.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
I love silver oxide plated brass filigree. They are stamped from antique dyes and they are so intricate.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
I would love to learn wirework. Its so delicate and very in keeping with my medieval and Victorian theme.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
I am selling the same kind of item but it has developed and matured. I have more confidence now in creating an intricate and elaborate piece.

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
I find marketing is the most challenging. I really hate it. I set aside a certain amount of time every day to devote to it. Then I know it gets done and there is a time limit on how long I have to do it.

How do you balance your online and offline life?
I do most of my online work while my children are working on school. I home school all five children and working online means that I can stop anytime they require instruction or help. I try to make sure to take time out for some fun every day as well.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
I buy lamp work glass all the time. I’m fascinated by it. I will buy it even if I have a ton in stock.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Robyn. Drop by JewelledTrellis on ArtFire and see more of Robyn’s lovely work.

Written by columnist Rebecca of RaigeCreations
Slide and above photo courtesy of kitschville

What is it that men want? And how do we find it? These are questions that have plagued women since the beginning of time. Since joining the world of handmade and its venues for showcasing handmade, this question has been in the back of my mind. It is particularly challenging to find things men want in general, and even more so on these sites. My searches to find things for my husband has led me nowhere. I expressed this frustration to him, and he finally said, “I will look and see what I can find.” He found things within minutes! I should note he is an artist, and has very specific tastes which usually makes any search to find him things he likes near impossible. So how did he find things on Etsy and Zibbet so fast?

The first and most important thing I noticed is how he searched differently than I typically do. His searches are specific to things he likes or thinks are interesting, not broad terms like I would search. Then he weeds through to find things that surprise him.

He likes motorcycles, so he searched ‘motorcycle parts’, not motorcycles as I would have. He was surprised to find this cool clock lamp made from motorcycle parts by ChromeSculptures. He likes clocks and lamps, but would never search for those things. Add motorcycle parts to these things and it goes in the cart with a simple click.

As an artist exploring sculpture, he searched ‘contemporary sculpture’, not sculptures as I would have, and found this artist, Uturn. A figurative sculpture he liked pulled him into the store, but he really found his interest in the masks, and picked this great mask to add to his collection.

A search for just ‘masks’ would have yielded too many results not even close to his tastes.

My search terms led to very different finds, and the creators I found did not lead me to items he would impulsively purchase like these things he found. They weren’t ‘man-friendly terms’. For example, a clutch to him relates to a transmission, not a handbag. I never thought of that!

His searches generally do not use the plural, mine often do. His searches used terms that were specific to his liking while still general in terminology, a method I would have never thought of. And of course, once the search results come up, what peaks his curiosity takes him to an artist, and once in their shop, he finds the “it” he has been looking for without setting out to find it. My searches seem to be less of an adventure than his, but more an end results oriented search. We end up going down completely different paths, he finds items he impulsively must have, and I find items that he should have but probably will not like.

Acting on his attraction to vintage, he searched ‘skeleton key’, and was lead to coldtententacle’s shop, and ultimately to this great pocket watch. I never thought he would be interested in keys so that search did not occur to me, but that path led him to something else that he loves to collect – pocket watches with visible mechanisms.

He tried a search on Zibbet for fine arts as he is always interested in this market. His search was 2 simple words, ‘contemporary painting‘, not a search of fine art paintings like I may have. It didn’t take long to find Laura Barbosa and her Crystal Skulls painting.

The appeal to this one for him, other than the macabre, is the freedom to re-arrange and display the pieces how you like them best. Perfect for my perfectionist husband who prefers interactive, hands-on pieces.

He also discovered, by checking a tag on an item he found interesting enough to click on, search words can be found in tags. By adding the prefix ‘high end’ to ’sculpture’, seen in a tag, he found this dresser by GArtFurniture, and before I knew it, the cart was overflowing.

The dresser, come to find out, was not actually something he wanted for himself, but for our daughter. So it is true, they will shop for others, but it does have to meet their standards and criteria. In fact, GArtFurniture has another item that does have a very good response from men, a bouquet of hand carved roses, with a secret compartment for a small gift.

Now that is a man shopping with a woman in mind!

In the end, I discovered what my man wants, and how he finds it. We search completely different, follow distinctly different paths, and find entirely different items. My husband finds an item that peaks his curiosity and instinctively follows the path to his must have item. Men seem to shop impulsively. The thrill is in the hunt. The search is following the tracks. The purchase is the kill. Women tend to gather.

Hopefully we all can learn from this and find great handmade treasures for the men in our lives. I need to remember, he likes hard materials: metal, clay, and wood. I like softer materials: yarn, fabric, and sparkly things. Perhaps it is true, I am from Venus, he is from Mars, but now I think know what he wants and how to find it.

Slide photo and article by columnist Amy of TenthAvenueSoapworks

How much garbage did you contribute to a landfill today? It’s probably not something you think about when you toss a paper towel or some packaging into your trash can, but it adds up faster than you may realize. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each American generates about 4.5 pounds of garbage per day. That staggering number becomes even more alarming when you consider that we are becoming more dependent on convenience and disposable products all the time.

There are many things you can do to decrease your landfill contribution, but one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways is by buying crafts made from recycled materials. Yes, really! The skill and creativity of handcrafters is staggering, and you will hardly believe the array of treasures that were once one person’s trash.

With a little effort, it will be easy to find products that are recycled or contain reclaimed elements. When searching online craft sites like Zibbet, use keywords like “recycled” “repurposed” or “upcycled” to find items that started out as completely different products. Look for yourself at some of these products from Zibbet.

Dote sells many charming pieces of jewelry made from recycled items, such as buttons that have been turned into necklace pendants, or earrings, like these here.

Junk mail never looked so appealing! Texas Eagle creates these colorful garlands from brochures and junk mail. Each 5’ strand would lend a fabulous touch to any décor.

Packaging, which makes up a significant amount of our daily waste, is put to a uniquely original use in the handiwork of Wrapper Fashion, making everything from handbags, pouches, wallets, and even belts.

Ragrugs takes clean, used fabrics and recycles them into beautiful rugs, mats, and runners from your home. Check out all the different colors they offer.

So check out these shops and the many others that receive their inspiration from the trash pile. You are not only giving yourself or someone special a one-of-a-kind creation, but you are also supporting artisans who will continue to design products that keep a myriad of once-useless things out of our landfills. And, your purchase will give you a boost in starting your own economical, eco-friendly lifestyle.

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

ANNOUNCING THE INDIESMILES CHARITY BIRTHDAY BASH
EXCITING CONTEST FOR BEST PET AND BEST HANDMADE ITEM TO BENEFIT ASPCA!

Image courtesy of 1959creations

Come join our celebration starting 9/1/10! Why are we celebrating?  It’s our birthday!  Indie Smiles and its columnists have been sharing news for a year and we want to give back to the community.  

Our articles feature various Indie shops including those affiliated with specific venues such as Etsy, Folksy, Zibbet and ArtFire together with shops that are not affiliated with a specific venue and cover a variety of topics.  

Here is just a small sampling of some of the fantastic articles that have brought to you by a few of Indiesmile’s outstanding columnists that have been presented over the past year:

Inspired Mosaics by Barb from All About Buttons

(http://www.indiesmiles.com/inspired-mosaics/),

Make Your Own Boppy by Nikkie of Sugar Shox Crafts (http://www.indiesmiles.com/make-your-own-boppy/), T

The Sultan of Scrollsawings by Jay of Haffina Creations (http://www.indiesmiles.com/the-sultan-of-scrollsawing/),

Let Flyby Linda

(http://www.indiesmiles.com/let-fly/)

Collar Up (your) Pup by Donna of Glass and Wire Gems (http://www.indiesmiles.com/collar-up-your-pup/).  

Our goal is to make a difference through charity and community work as well as bring you exciting and educational articles.  

This year, to celebrate one year of contributing articles, we are supporting a nationwide charity, it’s a charity most of us have heard of, it’s ASPCA! It was the charity of choice for our Indiesmiles Charity Birthday Bash!

When she heard which charity we were supporting, Linda, one of our columnists, wrote:  I love the ASPCA. They need all the help they can get! I got my 2 babies, which includes Peanut there, in NYC along with her brother. Y’all should know who Peanut is by now if you've looked at my Etsy shop. Domino lived to be 11 yrs old and Peanut was on this earth for 20 years. Very loving and caring people work there as well. Even if they have to put some of the animals to sleep. While they are there, they get the utmost care, I think, at least the one in NYC does, that I know of. They have so many animals that need homes, it's overwhelming.  You can view the artwork Linda has created out of her love for Peanut in Linda’s shop by going to http://lindagj.etsy.com

Amy, an ASPCA member who is shop owner AmyCreates, shares the following:  My husband and I have adopted 6 cats (5 girls and 1 boy)–4 from the Humane Society and 2 from the hot Arizona streets. It's really more like they adopted us! Our 2 from the streets each came to us in the summertime (a year apart), and were "foreclosure cats," pets conveniently left behind when people moved out of their houses. That anyone could do such a thing to a precious and innocent life is just horrifying.

We never set out to have 6 cats, it just happened that way. But I wouldn't change our family for anything. We all love each other and there's a good balance, and the best part is that no matter where I am in the house, a cat is sure to be there with me!

A special thanks goes to Donna of Glassandwiregems, Nikki of Sugarshoxcrafts. They have been the coordinators for this event. Andy whose wife owns Incredibleangels has put together special programs that will allow you to upload your own picture (handmade or a pet). There is no limit top how many pictures you upload but there is a donation requirement for each pic you enter into the contest.
Also a very special thank you to 1959creations for puting together a host of images for us to use in our Charity Birthday Bash.
And a special thanks to anyone who joins our celebration by donating, entering their pics and voting! Thank you to all of loyal readers of Indiesmiles, we couldnt’ do this without you!

So get started by getting your favorite pics together because starting on 9/1/10 you can donate $5.00 using the left side donation button and go to the birthday bash handmade or pets and upload a picture. When you are ready to vote, you can go in either category and vote, vote, vote!
Plus, for more fun, the best Pet and the best Handmade item that draws the most votes will win prizes with values over $100.00! Don’t miss it!

I met Catheline of Miles of Textiles when she posted some handmade buttons on the Zibbet forums and I had to have some. She made some for me with my color choices and they are spectacular! I had to find out more about this multi-talented creator.
How did you get started?
I’ve had a needle ‘n thread in my hand ever since I can remember. My mother taught me to sew and I have a warehouse full of memories of she & I creating fun things together. We often spent Saturdays having lunch out and fabric shopping. In those days major department stores sold fabrics. So…you get an idea of how long ago THAT was! I loved making my own clothes, decorations for my room, all the macrame plant hangers on our patio, and more. I had a huge wooden wine barrel full of yarns & fabrics. I’m still wondering what ever happened to that old wine barrel.

Before you opened your shop what did you do?
Fast-forward 30 years. I took an early retirement from the foreign service a few years back. It was during those years of living in the Middle East and Southeast Asia I started seriously collecting textiles that has blossomed exponentially and is now the basis of my shop name. In New Delhi I discovered by accident the finest silk saris were kept under wrap in brown paper beneath the cash register. How any customer would know they were there was beyond me. But once I discovered this I would ask to see them and the store proprietors would roll many of them out for me to see. Soon I found myself swimming in an ocean of silk. For all my years of working with fabrics these surely were the most magnificent I had ever seen. To me, the world of textiles offers a fascinating and endless journey of discovery. You may agree as well.

What amazes or intrigues you about the textile world?
Buttons on these robes are all obviously handcrafted and in perfect proportion. I’ve tried countless times to recreate them but cannot even come close. And the robes themselves are some of the most magnificent I’ve ever seen – all handsewn hundreds of years before the invention of the sewing machine.

Your new life after the business world?
I am single and now live in Las Vegas. My 20-year old daughter has just gotten her certification as a veterinary assistant and works with a local veterinarian’s office. She absolutely loves working with animals.
I now have the freedom to create every day. Being a creative person does not just mean doing artistic activities. It is also having the ability to devise many solutions to situations that arise in our daily lives. Thinking “outside the box”, new ways of doing normal chores, etc. My head is constantly spinning with new and fresh ideas. So much so that I always have a pad of paper and pencil with me wherever I am…..otherwise I’ll forget my latest brainstorms!
Being retired from federal bureaucracy is wonderful. There is only one problem with “being single, retired, and living in Las Vegas.” You can probably guess what that might be….activities outside of the casino world is the key!

A visit to Catheline’s shop is worth the trip & you don’t have to pack! View her ready made creations or work with her with your ideas and her textiles to create a one of a kind adventure. The journey is worth it!

Article by Barbra of All About The Buttons
Slide photo courtesy of artbyjywheeler
Pin photo courtesy of Imagine247

I received an e-mail about a month ago stating that at the end of August the planet Mars would be very close to Earth. In fact, in the night sky, it would be as big as the moon and this will NEVER happen again in our lifetime…wow! Okay, not true. Mars will not be that close or that big but it got me thinking about the Moon. There are so many quotes and sayings with the moon as a symbol. I wanted to see how artists use the moon in their work. I found evidence in everything from paintings and jewelry to shoes and quilts. Here are a few samples of what I found which have plainly put me over the moon!
This is a stunning Victorian Lunar map engraving from 1892 offered by PetitPoulailler

JewelryByNorth has created a wonderful sterling silver moon pendant.

Another pendant, this time in black resin, was created by Janimie

This wonderful quilt by HMJQuiltsPlus has the moon in fabric.

And finally, what fun to be walking in these by Inkwear99

Do you use the moon in your work? Are you attracted to the night sky? And by the way, the expression “once in a blue moon” refers to the rarity of 2 full moons in one month! And that comes straight from the man in the moon….!