I don't care for the competition part, but will check it out a few times to see if I can enjoy and learn from it. Making It starts tonight at 10p Eastern NBC.


It is a reality show competition for crafting and arting, hosted by 2 Parks & Recreation (which I never watched) alums.

Here's some more links:

According to their Seller Handbook article How New Laws Impact State Sales Tax Collection on Etsy, the selling venue is now collecting taxes for the state of Oklahoma. They have been collecting taxes for Washington since January, and Pennsylvania since April. Online sellers have been concerned about the impact of the new eCommerce tax laws for some time, wondering if they will have to collect for all state. In the email that I received this morning, Etsy shared that there is nothing that sellers need to do. The taxes are collected on the back end when the buyers pay for their purchases.

Handmades Selling: To Add Shipping or To Charge Shipping

As a handmades seller, I've been skimpy on shipping  insurance in the past, but I always knew it was a good thing to do, the best practice. Now that I mostly use Flat Rate packaging, insurance it is included along with tracking too. I still use calculated shipping too, for anything that I can mail in manila envelopes. I try to always add insurance now, unless it is paper crafting. Even then, some paper crafted products I buy insurance for.

Buyers do like to see free shipping in the listings, just as we do when we shop. Many sellers roll the shipping into the price and call it free shipping. I do find this a little difficult to do with lower-priced products, because the price seems too high with the shipping folded in. With higher-priced handmades it's easier to merge in the shipping charges.

Most handmades selling venues are encouraging sellers to offer free shipping as a standard. I read an article at Etsy recently that made me start thinking a little differently about this contentious issue. It said they want us to think of the shipping cost as one of the overall costs of production and roll it into the product price. They said the belief by sellers that buyers need to know the costs of shipping and how it affects all of us doesn't seem to matter anymore. They also stated that buyers don't care about that, and that they also don't want to pay more shipping than they would pay themselves.

I never thought of the shipping charges as one of the pre-expenses. The Etsy article did help me to consider something that I never have before, that rolling in the shipping charges doesn't have to feel like deceit. That is good, because it seems to be more apparent than ever that shoppers prefer free shipping, however they can get it!

Variety Pack of 9 Sewing Trims

These sewing trims are neatly wrapped and pinned onto my ribbon savers. Each one is marked with the yardage. The total yardage for the pack  = 23 1/3 yds  (70 ft). The lengths range from 3 ft to 11 ft and all 9 are included in the pack. You receive what is pictured, polyester and cotton laces, decor trim, ribbons and piping.
 
These trims can be used for any technique, not just sewing. Use them to trim out wall art, in collage and mixed media projects, in papercrafting and more! 

Use these trims for any technique.

 

You receive everything in the photos.

This is the only pack that I have like this, though I'll be listing a similar one, so get it while you can.

These sewing trims are neatly wrapped and pinned onto my ribbon savers.

The orange and black are good colors for Autumn, fall, harvest and Halloween crafts.


See more details at EmbellishMart at Bonanza

The Artyah 2.0 platform update has been pushed forward, yet again, to the end of the year. This news was shared yesterday by Craig Weiss, the owner of the handmades selling venue. Sellers have been waiting for an extended time for the launch of the redesigned site. Unfortunately, another holiday season will come and go without the promised upgrade. There have been some changes and improvements, but not regarding the most critical issues that plague sellers. Among them is the flawed search system and blank default product images showing up on the marketplace page.

A couple of years ago there was a influx of disgruntled Etsy sellers who converged on the site in hopes that it would take off. Many of them, however, became disgruntled with Artyah and returned to Etsy. Since then, a listing fee of .10 has been introduced. Though this is only 1/2 of what Etsy charges, and though there is no monthly subscription, it removes Artyah from the free listing sites group.


Weiss launched the site in 2015 as a place for makers to sell their handmades, as well as antiques, vintage, and craft supplies. The site is based in Auburn, CA. Keep up with what is happening at the site by visiting the onsite community forums.

Today I emailed with Michelle S. at Scott's Marketplace. I was confirming whether or not they still offer free shops, which they do not. They now have 2 subscriptions from which to choose. My response was,

I removed Scott's from my upcoming list of Free Places To List Your Creative Products #2. I only write about free listing sites. Unlike resellers and thrift sellers, most handmades sellers and makers are low-volume and cannot afford subscriptions. They do have the potential to bring in a lot of revenue though.

Seems like many venues are editing out handmades sellers, or making it difficult for them to be prominent anyway. Storenvy used to have a handmades category displayed in the front page navigation bar. When they did a revamp of the site that was gone. They don't have subscriptions, but the site is overrun with what appears to be reseller merchandise. Artfire is still handmades-dedicated but no longer offers free shops. Their subscriptions are also quite steep for many makers.

Handmades sites have come and gone, closing because of poor planning, and/or lack of operational funds or unforeseen circumstances. Some of them include Fervous, Silk Road, GoodSmiths, WinkElf, Artifyy and Addoway. It appears that places for the average handmades seller to list are shrinking. It's more important than ever for those wishing to remain in the game to develop alternative selling places.  

Personalized Name Pillow by Yelli Kelli

Kelly Jackson, of Yelli Kelli, does outstanding work that is always a burst of color and joy.  I call it modern-day, rustic crewel design. Of her work, which she has been doing for 25+ yrs, she says, It is a close cousin to crewel, but looser, and more freeform and silly. My style is fun, splashy, cute & original. And she is RIGHT!

Yelli Kelli Peacock Embroidered Pillow

Years ago she started designing freehand embroidered pillows using her favorite fiber, vintage wool yarn. This has become her specialty. In fact, she is the Designer of the Original Freehand Embroidered Bohemian Name Pillow! She also creates custom art for casual living, and funky, fun clothing for children and women, including plus sizes.

Girl's Rustic Pumpkin Hand Painted Tunic by Yelli Kelli

Her main Etsy shop can be found at Yelli Kelli.
Her new plus size ladies clothing shop is KellyJacksonDesign.etsy.com

Yelli Kelli's Abstract Wildflowers In Crystal Vase

Kelly has another activity as well. She is the creator & owner of Diva Do's, an all girl art & crafting class where she teaches kindergartners up to middle school. They are currently in their 14th year!

Peacock Feather Hand Painted Bookmark by Yelli Kelli

You can connect with Kelly here by searching these usernames:

• On Facebook: YelliKelli
   
• Instagram: YelliKelliCute
   
• Twitter: YelliKelli