How to Etsy

This is a great post about setting up your own Etsy shop. Everyone who is too intimidated to take the plunge should read this post! There are also some great tools for seasoned sellers like an Excel spreadsheet for keeping track of sales and inventory, and links to a couple packaging companies.

Thanks to Design Sponge and Abigail for creating this post!

Featured Seller

Thank you Etsy for making me a Featured Seller and thank you to everyone who has visited my shop and read my interview!!

Taking Photos

I have spent the day photographing work for my Etsy store. Here are a few shots of my makeshift photo studio. It is a very cheap setup, but it works for me. If you are interested in creating a similar lightbox all you need is a large cardboard box, a piece of thick white paper (or whatever color you would like for the background), vellum and a 100W incandesecent bulb.

Cut off the top flaps of the box and tape together the bottom ones. Turn the box, so that the top opening is facing you. Cut out the right, left and top of the box, leaving an edge along the sides to attach the vellum (translucent paper). Cut the vellum to fit over the openings and attach with glue, tape or whatever. Cut the thick white paper (or any other color you would prefer) to fit the interior dimensions of the box. Attach the edge of the paper to the top back of the interior of the box. Let the paper flow foward, this will give you a smooth transition between back and bottom. You can shine your 100W bulb through the right, left or top vellum window.

If your object is too big to fit in the lightbox you can take pictures directly on a table top. Make sure the table is similar in color to the wall. My table and wall are both white, but if you'd like you can use a large piece of thick paper that can be drapped like in the lightbox. Hang a piece of vellum infront of your bulb to soften the light. Now you have a simple photo studio all of your own!!

More inspiration from London

I had come across Ruth Tomlinson's jewelry on a previous visit to London and I saw her work again on the Design*Sponge blog. Now this is a whole new level of porcelain jewelry.

Note to self: you have much more to learn and much more to strive for!