julipbags.com ready to go! (finally!)

I purchased the www.julipbags.com domain a while ago, and until now had a perfunctory "under construction" placeholder site in place...today I worked on getting FAQ's and Products a bit more detailed. I've been planning to use Microsoft FrontPage to create a more visually interesting site, but for now Yahoo's templates are doing pretty well!

In other news...my first Hannah Totes have sold and I'm thrilled with the feedback! Rest assured, more are on the way...as soon as I get new sharp blades for my serger!

Lastly, how about an Etsy seller I'm newly in love with...Grace Graphics! If you're anything like me, you hang onto the birthday/anniversary/Christmas/etc. cards you've received until the next sweep cleaning, when they go (regretfully) into the garbage. These lovely cards are more than just well-wishes, however...plant them and they grow into flowers! I've been sold on the concept every since my husband received a similar card from a (I will refrain from naming here) cigarette company...after planting, the card grew into a gorgeous chili pepper plant! So do you and your recipients a favor and send an eco-friendly, duel-purpose "I LOVE YOU!" today! I ordered three for Mother's Day, and just tonight ordered another one for my husband's birthday...definitely a gift that keeps on giving!

The Hannah Knitting Tote

I'm proud to announce...the Hannah Knitting Totes are here!

Thinking Glass-Half-Full About a Recession

Whether you believe the United States is heading straight into a recession (or is already in it), Littleput just posted an awesome, positive article about artists holding their heads up and making the most of a potentially crappy economic situation...check it out here.

Finally!

They're heeeeeeeeeeere!!!!

Knitting Totes Are Coming!

Look for the first of three sizes by this weekend!

Is This Like a Press Release?

(Originally posted 12/12/07)

Bridget put it so much better than I could, so I'll just copy and paste from the ...Have You Any Wool? newsletter:

"Julip Bags are coming soon! One of my customers designed and made herself a small project bag out of fun fabric. One by one, other knitters began carrying these adorable bags. I guess that's how Julip Bags began! I sat down with Amby last week and she's making some of her bags for the shop. They should be here before Christmas so make sure you check them out. You may find that you need one!"

Yep, you'll soon be able to buy Everything-But-the-Knitting Sock Bags at Have You Any Wool! I'm planning on delivering the first order this week, so if you stop by, I'll be the dork taking pictures of my bags on display!!

Many many thanks to Bridget for carrying my bags!

Category Showcase

(Originally posted 11/14/07)
I went for it and splurged for a Bags and Purses Showcase today:

And to be perfectly honest, I don't think I will again. Since the cost of the regular Showcase (which is linked from the front page) went up to $15, the Category Showcase seemed like a good, consumer-targeted alternative at the regular price of $7. After all, it's a Showcase marketing towards someone who already clicked on the Bags and Purses section!

As you can see above, though, when you click on the B&P section, an abbreviated version of the Showcase is the header. As I understand it, those five items are rotated regularly amongst the twenty-five of the day, but if yours isn't one of those five when a potential buyer clicks in, you're losing out on that exposure. Sure, there's a link to the complete Category showcase, but it seems to me there are just too many clicks separating your listing from browsing shoppers, as opposed to the Main Showcase where one click takes you there.

I completely recognize and appreciate that this Category Showcases are in response to the overwhelming demand for the Main Showcase, and I'm glad Etsy is always looking at ways to help sellers promote and advertise, but the results I've had from this experience are in no way CLOSE to the huge increase in exposure I got with my two Main Showcase listings. Evidently other Etsy sellers feel the same way...today's B&P Showcase had blank spaces, indicating it hadn't even sold out.

In more cheerful news, I listed my first Limited Series in the shop today..."Wild Thing" Dog Walk Companion Bags! Just the thing for making your pooch feel like king/queen of the jungle/dog park!!!

Eeeee!

(Originally posted 10/25/07)

After a total dumbass move where I scored, ruined, and had to delete a regular Treasury (word of warning, you can't change your title after you save it *sigh*), I managed to grab a Treasury West! Its theme is...well, um, what else would it be?!?

(Hey Amby, what IS a Treasury?)

October 2007 Newsletter

(Originally posted 10/24/07)
Where oh where has October gone? Someone told me yesterday it's just ten weeks 'til Christmas...so I've got to kick production into high gear! I'm also hoping to do as much of my Christmas shopping on Etsy as possible, so I've got to get started on that too!

This month saw a huge increase of interest in my Dog-Walk Companion bags...who woulda thunk that a bag for toting dog poo would be so popular? But really, I KNOW there are a lot of people like me out there that really hate walking along with the pups with a semi-transparent recycled plastic bag of POO swinging from their arm!

Quite a few people also told me that they're just too pretty to use for poo, so a few enterprising souls are using them as mini-sock-knitting bags! Right on!

My next design for the shop will be a classic knitting bag fits in nicely to my "woman on the go" mentality...but more than that I cannot say! Look for it within the next couple of weeks!

Now for this month's SPOTLIGHT ON ETSY!!!!

<> Kreativlink: Handmade leather journals and sketchbooks. While browsing for Christmas gift ideas yesterday, this was a shop I kept coming back to. The journals are smaller than they appear in the photos (make sure you double-check the dimensions she thoughtfully included), but that makes them the perfect size for tucking into your purse for notes, appointments, lists, etc. Each one comes with a certificate of authenticity and although she's based in Austria, her overseas shipping is very reasonable. Definitely one to check out for gift ideas!!!

<> BarbziesCustomArts: In my family (and I'm sure many others), a custom-painted Christmas ornament is truly something to be cherished. This shop already has several great ornaments listed, including an "I Love my Hairdresser," a college mascot, and a wedding keepsake. She also does custom orders! In case anyone is planning to get the Baby's First Christmas ornament for a certain someone who arrived on October 15th...back off, it's mine!

<> Silversex: I had originally vowed that I wouldn't automatically put a friend's Etsy shop in my newsletter, because hey, how could you trust me to be objective? In this case, though, the shop's jewelry really promotes itself. Simple, elegant silver jewelry handmade by a silversmith who learned her trade while living in the Caribbean. My favorite piece is her spiral shawl/scarf pin...instead of fiddling with a detachable stick or pointy back, this pin screws into your handknit (don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds!). Definitely a new take on an old classic!

Have a Happy Halloween and enjoy autumn...Thanksgiving will be here before you know it!
Amby