I average an Etsy Tanty about once a year
and it's that time of year.
An Etsy-sential crisis - a nightmare of isolation
in which I cry into echoing silence,
"Hello....hello.? Is anyone out there?"
Tumbleweeds roll by, backed by
a chorus of crickets.
Oh yes, the shop fodder sells,
the point of sale stuff,
the crappest of crap sells,
but the good stuff,
the stuff wherein my soul lies,
lingers invisible on the shelf.
I dutifully read their blog,
bending like the willow to their will.
I've listed, cross checked images,
re shot, up dated, reworded,
resorted and snorted.
It's conflicting.
I'm this close
(holding thumb and forefinger very close)
to using the next finger along.
So now I have a new goal.
I want to be in Regresty.
Do you know it?
One visit will reaffirm anyone's
divine right to list crap on Esty.
The creative wonder below resolved the crisis:
I feel better now.








I know the feeling. I may join you.....
ReplyDeleteOMG I can't believe someone would actually make that. My Etsy shop has gone dead at the moment and I beat myself up about not promoying enough etc. Just how do you get people to look at it and the go a step further and BUY??? Your art is beautiful, never doubt that!
ReplyDeletePart of the problem I think is that there is so much stuff on Etsy, how do you get noticed?
(BTW I'm having an existential crisis about my whole being at the mo- happens evry 2 or 3 months :S )
*HUGS*
good grief. i don't go there.
ReplyDeletebreathe deep and have a lovely weekend
I love your stitching, ur delicate art.
ReplyDeleteHeads up, who wants to crochet tampons anyway?
Barnicles x
LIVE THE ART
I totally know what you mean. There's no rhyme or reason to what sells. Like I have beautiful postcard sets in my shop and after some initial sales, they are now just sitting there. :( I suppose if you don't try, you never know...Your stuff is beautiful, BTW.
ReplyDeleteWe all knew deep down E--- was a four letter word, yes? -J
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're feeling better. That's only fair, given this post made my freakin' day.
ReplyDeleteIf I had money and space I would buy out your etsy shop, love your stuff. One of the problems I've found as an etsy browser is there's so much to look at it's really hard to focus. Glad you're feeling better now.
ReplyDeleteCan't help but think of the fabulous speech Sidney Poitier gave to the class in To Sir With Love .. where have all the Mr Thackeray gone??
ReplyDeleteWell that's my 2 cents.. and Etsy is only a tool .. a game .. you have to know how to play .. I've not ever been one to conform so nor want to so consequently ... when I get burnt out by the politics of it I just have to step back and look at thing prospectively .. I'm not going to change because of them...
You creations are so delightfully beautiful .. I love them all!! Your photos are excellent as well! I especially like the on of all the hanging bags .. marvelously done!!! ♥
gross!
ReplyDelete(bet they sell a lot of those at christmas. the color probably, Right?! ;)
.
what the what the where the why the how did people do before Etsy.
those delicate phone ipod holders do sing lovely.lovely.lovely
I think Regretsy provides a wonderful service of keeping "things" in perspective...as well as being frickin hilarious...and who doesn't need an occasional laugh at the absurdity of life...(plus it's easier then getting there by reading Nietzsche).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have an Etsy shop, I have yet to expose my psyche to rejection by actually listing my needle felt animals there, (but did make an alpaca murkin in hopes of making the Regretsy cut some day .) My goal is to create things that are not being made in China since there is no way we will ever compete with slave wages unless we are willing to become slaves ourselves .
Keep that sense of humor, your art is lovely .
The bloody tampon dog toy does reach new depths of bad taste although looking through Regresty I did note what looked like a soft toy dog with a vagina....the biggest problem with Etsy is separating the wheat from the chaff....I tried looking for some simple silver earrings the other day and gave up after an hour..
ReplyDeleteRaising your profile is very hard work and for me it is at odds with my 'quiet' personality. So I gave up.
I look for updates on your site like I look for hidden chocolate in the cupboards...is today the day that someone snuck in a Skor bar? Why, yes, it is!
ReplyDeleteLove it and has given me a good laugh. Of course you must feel better now. I certainly do! Have a good weekend. Lesley x
ReplyDeleteKrex:
ReplyDeleteI want that merkin!
Now that thing my dog can live without! But your critter people are fabulous and the lace banners divine!
ReplyDeleteGetting non crafting customers to look at etsy/folksy is the hardest part surely...let alone the hoops you have to jump thru and around, to make a shop more 'attractive' to buyers.
Most who look and buy on etsy Im convinced are we Creatives in any case and we are already converted to hand made!
Maybe Etsy itself could be advertising in more or different places?........... like as in, not just craft mags?
Wonder if they had tv ads or internet ads that might haul in curious, non crafting buyers?
how funny, i thought i had morphed over to Catherine Delaney's blog for a mo, there's got to be room for everything.
ReplyDeleteSales on ETSY are no measure of anything other than puzzlement...It is just out there and is cheap and sometimes fun to use but for the most part YOUR creations deserve their own web site and attention. Pinterest may be good exposure as well- it is free. Facebook is also a good place to have your own page for creativity and "likes"...ETSY is too big and predictable- bland "treasuries"- so lacking ! Regretsy rocks so yeah, you are on to something there! LOVE your tampon! Ebay used to be good, Etsy used to be good what next, please...
ReplyDeleteoh dear. now I'm going to your etsy store and look...but alas alack I have no dough. A cat can look at a queen though...I'll also visit regretsy!
ReplyDeleteAttempting to sell on Etsy put me in a downward spiral so I finally gave up and feel much better now, giving my stuff away. But your work is marvelous, I hope you become the next big thing.
ReplyDeleteJust went and looked around at your shop, such wonderful things there and reasonably priced too, for the enormous amount of hand work that goes into them, let alone the gathering of vintage supplies and the thought process. I wish I was wealthy and could buy several pieces. Or even one piece. I'm sorry I cannot.
ReplyDeleteBest post title...EVER.
ReplyDeleteEtsy is a constant source of whuh? for me. Keep looking for the special place where your treasures will be appreciated and bought. I know it is out there. Your work is really lovely and thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya..... that's why I left etsy....... regretsy is a fun place to visit...... sometimes....
ReplyDeletehugs
This made me feel much better! I also feel more relaxed...and more creative...when I forget I ever had (oh, wait I still have it) an etsy shop.
ReplyDeleteperhaps I've had too much coffee this morning but i am still laughing, loving
ReplyDeleteyour declaration! my favorite word to get ya-yas out.
. . . same thing unhappens to me in the etsy world. months go by before
an item leaves the shelf.
love your post!
peace.
Howdy.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed catching up with your inner space... I hear ya. I do not know exactly how you feel, but I'm feeling 'something'.
i am off my blog for awhile, maybe ever. I'm off all my obligatory things. I left pinterest and long ago FB, and I know they aren't for everyone, and if people leave me by the way because of not being plugged in that way, it's just how it must be. But I was not being true to me. That's important to me, so I'm done with stuff for awhile. Still working for my own passion, but not yet ready to put it out there again yet.
Regretsy has been so amazing! I knew April when she was (I'm sorry: Helen, when she was) on radio, and any time you can see her in person at a signing or event, it be worth it. She's a crack up. I love how she grew Regretsy and doesn't care if people don't like it. She's a kind and personable spirit and speaks her mind.
I have a couple of regresy feminine pads! I will find out where I put them and send them to you with the box I've been working on for years.
if I could buy stuff, yours I would.
xo