what a mess. . .

I set up and sold some stuff at a recent outdoor event and now I have the fun-funs of reconciling inventory and making a list of things to re-make. 

I got my square reader through my etsy for the discount equipment and promises of fee refunds, which I gotta say is working out mostly.  I got my readers before the event, yes that's plural I got a package with a little mag-stripe reader and the bigger way cool chip, dip, wave version that works off blue-tooth. I used the little mag-stripe reader, it took some adjusting to trying to keep the cards perfectly square while swiping, but it worked. The monies were deposited quickly and in full as in I got all the $$$ the fees show on my square dashboard but were not taken out of my deposits. ~woo-hoo~  

Now for the things I didn't understand or realize about this use. First, I never did "sync" my etsy listings because there were things I was selling that were never listed on etsy. Also I had read about some issues others were having syncing their listings. So I was actually a bit surprised to discover that every square payment I processed counted as a "sale" in my etsy shop display info even though they were simply entered as "custom amounts" and not tied to an actual listing or item. 😕  Also etsy charged me .20 cents for each payment as they were for items not listed, I knew this was coming from what I had read and it's not a big deal or a large amount. 

I am now wondering about syncing my listings and if I should but, honestly, I don't sell "in person" very often so I'm debating on if it's worth it. I didn't do it before because I had read other's complaining that photos didn't show up which would be super problematic for me trying to tell which tree is which without photos. I also saw some complaining that the square set up did not prevent "over-selling" that it would allow you to sell things but not always correct the inventory or show things as "sold-out" big problem for me with one of a kind things when I sell it it's gone. 

So I have some more reading and double checking before I decide what to do about it all.  In the meantime I have a tangle of leather jewelry chokers and bracelets that need to be untangled and checked against the list so I can zero out the right things in the listings.

EU privacy, disclaimers, etc.,

This blog is public I write stuff I publish and ignore. I do not ask for or collect any information identifying or otherwise on anyone who visits or reads this blog or comments on it although no one ever has commented on it.  ~LOL~

"Blogger" the google owned platform/template provider may use tracking cookies and have knowledge of location or browsers used to view this but I do not collect/catalog/store or use any data at all.

I ramble and write, I bitch and I brag, I post and go on with my life.

So there you have it, I do not have any of your info nor do I want any of your info.  😇  

I do not sell to EU countries and never have and likely never will. 

Work, work, work. . .

I'm working on multiple things at once these days. 😄  I've got a painting drying on the easel and a nearly completed tree on the desk, although I spent several hours yesterday working on the fancy new banners.  😇  This blog along with the etsy shop and facebook page all got a face lift, sadly the facebook doesn't fit quite right but I spend hours try different layouts, different photos, made almost a dozen then had to re-size and re-size.  Handcrafts is much more my thing than photography or computer graphics. ~LOL~

Yeah as you can see I got a bit lost and distracted trying different things, there are so many options for layouts, wording, fonts, font color, photos. 😵  Just a dizzying array of choices, I think I did ok, I managed to make a few of them that I think look pretty good. 😊

Mental...

As in I think I'm going mental. ~LOL~

Just a little bit though, it is finally decent weather here and I am enjoying some sunshine, I even got out my bow and got in some archery practice. 😃  I have sold a second painting which is awesome.  I have painted and listed more art.  I have managed to get over 180 listings even though I've sold some stuff.  😇  

I feel like I've been making progress with the shop but I super disappointed in etsy itself and their decision to remove the "sell in person" feature of the app.  😨  They have partnered with Square and we have no option, if you want in person sales to auto-adjust shop inventory and be reflected as sales in your shop you have to sign up with square and sync your stuff. 😟 However, I don't know square, I don't have a square account, I don't really want another third party provider in my business transactions, and I have been reading a lot in the forums of others having issues with things not syncing properly, inventory management issues like square allows you to over-sell as in sell more than you have. 😲  And just yesterday day I saw a thread where the seller was talking about in person sales posting to her shop overnight that were not done by her. ~yikes~ 

So I'm really not sure about the whole square thing but I've been looking at my banks for alternatives and while PNC and 5/3 have merchant services options they are also through other third party providers and I've never even heard of "Clover" at least I had heard of square. 😐  I am not sure what I'm going to do and I actually have my 1 in person market event of the year in less than a month. 

The Mother's Day Sale is almost over there's only 7 days left.  I am working on new wire trees because I've been distracted with painting so much lately and the trees have been selling so I'm running low.😃  I have discovered I enjoy painting ocean waves. 

Mother's day sale. . .

I can't believe April is almost over already. 😮

I am glad it's finally spring like outside. 😎

Mother's day is right around the corner. 😇

There's a sale in my Etsy shop. 😉

15% off orders over $15

Plus Free Shipping over $60

Happy Shopping!!

what's up with THAT ??!??!

Ok so life's weirdness is getting to me in many ways.  I should start with I sprained my finger last week and it's still swollen and sore and slowing me down in the getting things done.  😢  It's mid April and they are talking "winter weather advisory" and blizzards, seriously WTF!?!?  Pinterest has changed format stuff, I looked at mine this morning and was like Whoa!?!  My Etsy shop stats have totally tanked this week, many many hours of absolute flat-line. 😕

I'll start with the thing that's actually making me smile, Pinterest, I went to check mine this morning and they have this cool new thing they are doing in the "header" space with my pinned photos.  I really like it, I think it looks cool as hell. 😊 Check it out !! 

This continuing winter weather is so not helpful. 😒  It's not just that I am sick of it, I actually need some good sunshiny days to get photos.  ~sigh~  I have new art I want to list but I can't until I can get decent photos.  I have enough trouble getting good photos without the grey rainy day background. 😖

Now for the most annoying thing and sadly no it's not the pain in my finger. 😡  This morning I decided to do something that is/has been recommended to/by other sellers, which is to just search your tags and see where you place and if you aren't placing well look at the listings that are and see what they are doing better/different than you.  So I tried it and of course I am nowhere but I did see several other shops I know and I clicked on a few of their listings from the front page to compare keywords. I did not click on PL ads I clicked on naturally placed listings from the front page and what I found was shocking to me and the exact opposite of what has always been recommended.  Even etsy's own articles on SEO and esty search placement say to use the whole title, use all 13 tag slots, make your title and tags match for max relevency, etc. Well instead I found front page items with only a handful of tags and short ass 4-5 word titles. 😕  I am super confused now, WTF?!?!   These are not new shops getting the new boost in spite of bad SEO, some of these are long standing successful shops, 1 of which I know used to have longer titles and use all their tags. 😩  So I guess I need to try another round of editing and see if this less SEO stuff works. 

OMG!?!?! I did it. . .

OMG!?  I agonized for weeks about whether or not to list my paintings for sale in my Etsy shop.  I mean I had a raging mental debate, I talked to my Momma, my husband, and my best friend about my fear of failure and rejection, the whole is it even good enough to sell, what if nobody ever buys them.  Do they look amateurish?  How do you price "Art"?  You know the whole world of insecurities that lives inside my head. 😑  

Well I did it I Jumped off that cliff last month.  I started with the spacescapes and battled my poor photography skills.  😕 After posting the first handful I asked in the forums for advice on listings art, I meant what to include in descriptions and keywords but all I got was pages full of you need better photos. 😡  That was sad and frustrating and in the end it just annoyed me into saying "screw it" I'm gonna do it my way anyway. 😜  

Yesterday I was vindicated!!  

I have sold my first painting!! 😮😁😇

I am shocked, surprised, humbled, blown away, thrilled beyond belief, over the moon happy.  I have sold many things I've made over the years, many things but I have never felt quite this proud.  It's really hard to explain but somehow selling that painting feels more personal than any of the wire art or jewelry or anything else.  

So I guess it's official. . . I am an artist. 😉