Etsy Love: Handmade Jewelry

I love sharing the amazing things that handmade artists make.  Click each photo below to go to the item on Etsy.  These are four pieces of jewelry that I love.

Wire Wrapped Copper Ring - $19

Garden Quartz Necklace - $28-$32

Titanium Crystal Point Necklace - $10

Vintage Floral Bouquet Bird Bracelet - $24.50

Running an Etsy Shop while Dealing with a Chronic Illness

When I started my Etsy shop I never wanted to become famous or even so popular that I would need to hire employees.  And I haven't.  This post is not about my Etsy story; it is about how my celiac disease has affected the way I run my Etsy shop.  Most of you who are regular readers here know that I was diagnosed with celiac disease 3 years ago.  Celiac disease is a chronic illness and it's an autoimmune disease.  I haven't had enough energy to work a "real job" since September 2015, and I've accidentally ingested gluten twice in the past two months.  For me that means not being able to keep most food down, insomnia, sleeping for 12+ hours when I do sleep, brain fog, and constant fever, among other symptoms.  To really complicate things I haven't been able to walk since the beginning of September 2016, probably due to gluten ataxia.  All of these things combined mean that I'm really tired all of the time and my muscles are very sore as well.  Luckily for me I rarely get more than two orders a month and I always manage to fill and ship them on time.  Sometimes I send my fiancee to the post office if I can't do it but I always stick to my commitments.  If you also have a chronic/invisible illness I have some tips that might help you run your Etsy shop with less stress.

1. When you set your shipping windows make sure you give yourself enough time to definitely get it done.  You never want to ship orders late (and if you ever do have to ship late make sure you let the customer know why!)  I used to have mine set to ship in 1-3 business days but last year I switched it to ship in 3-5 business days.  That time works for me because it gives me a full week to pack and ship orders.  I can space it out through that week if I'm sick and not get stressed about missing the deadline.

2. Don't do custom made-to-order items.  I only sell ready-to-ship products.  I added a custom made-to-order item which was a $7 beaded dragonfly suncatcher during the Summer and I sold so many!  People were ordering as many as 6 to 12 suncatchers in each order.  Then I had to make each one according to their custom choices and I was struggling to get them all done and packed in time.  It really stressed me out and I removed them from my shop.

Add either custom or made-to-order items to your shop but once again make the shipping time longer than you think you will need to fulfill the order.  Keep in mind that sometimes you will have multiple orders to make at the same time.  If you do ever have more orders than you can fill in a time frame communicate it to the customers who have ordered from you.  If they aren't willing to wait longer they can cancel their order and if they're willing to wait the extra stress is off of you.

3. If your shop starts getting more sales than you can handle, increase your shipping times.  People tend to buy less often when shipping times are longer but it should help you get through all of those orders without getting completely overwhelmed.

4. If you ever get too sick to be able to fulfill any orders turn on vacation mode until you feel better.

5. This is one that I haven't done yet but super need to: come up with a low-price item that's super quick and easy to make and make them in a variety of colors and designs.  That way you'll get at least a little bit of money from the low-price items in between sales of higher priced items in your shop.

So that's obviously not an all-inclusive list but these are things that really help me.  Clearly my biggest Etsy stress is shipping, so I tried to make it as stress-free as possible for myself.  If you have any questions about running an Etsy shop with a chronic illness ask me in the comments and I'll try my best to answer.

Friday Favorites: Etsy Wishlist + Youtubers + Instagram

I love Etsy forever.  I have a shop there but I'm also on Etsy every single day looking at the amazing things that other people make.  Here are some of my recent favorites that are definitely on my wishlist.  This week's theme is things that I want in my future jewelry studio.  Click the photo to go to the product listing on Etsy.

I always love everything that has butterflies or moths on it and this vibrant butterfly painting on wood will fit wonderfully in my future jewelry studio.

My grandpa was a hunter and his family of many kids were poor so deer and bear were common meals for them.  They would mount the antlers and have them around the house.  My grandma used one set to hang her necklaces from and I always loved how they looked.  These faux antlers are made of resin and look just like the real thing, but I don't have to wonder if a deer was killed for them or not.  I'm fine with people shooting deer for food, but never with animals being killed just to harvest parts of them to sell, whether it's antlers, fur, or bones.

I intend to have a wall full of different art prints that inspire me.  This one is stunning and perfect for my wall.

Another thing that I am forever in love with is beautiful dreamcatcher art.  I would absolutely put this one on my wall.

I love actual dreamcatchers even more than dreamcatcher art.  This one is lovely.

I make jewelry faster than I sell it so I am always looking for new jewelry displays.  I love this customizable driftwood one.  I would like them in a few different sizes.  They really go well with my branding.

How lovely is this tambourine?!  I would hang it on my art wall and then I could take it down and dance around playing it when I need some inspiration :)

I've also been discovering some cool Youtubers lately.  I've been watching at least as much Youtube as Netflix lately.  Here are some of my new favorites:

Twiggy Vittoria is my new favorite.  She's down-to-earth and nice and amazing and I trust every single one of her product recommendations.  Her purple hair is the best and she doesn't have nearly as many subscribers as she should!  She makes a lot of beauty videos and also vlogs and I just love listening to her talk.  I discovered her the night that I had a seizure in the bathroom and fell and hit my head really hard on the floor and had to stay awake as long as possible because of my concussion.  She kept me awake all night and even took my mind off my head pain.

Tommy Edison is hilarious.  He makes me laugh so hard watching all of his videos and I love it.  He makes videos about being blind, comedy videos, and film critic videos.  If you're having a bad day just go watch any of his videos and you'll be cheered up.

Claire Wineland really puts my life in perspective.  She has cystic fibrosis and I discovered her through her video on what it's like to be in a coma (and being in a coma and waking up as an old lady is my greatest fear).  She's sick but doesn't let that get her down.  She's sweet and has a great perspective on life.  Her videos make me feel happy too.

And last but not least my favorite Instagrammers.  I know that I once made a post about how I hate Instagram, but that was when Instagram was a little baby and nobody really knew how to use it well.  Sure there are still the people who just share photos of food forever but there are so many wonderful photographers and creatives on there these days that I kind of love Instagram now.  Follow me if you want.  These are just a few of my recent favorites on Instagram:

Witchy Stitching is so nice and creative.  She makes cool crochet stuff and I kind of just want all of it, especially the web dress.  Not only does she make amazing things but she's also the must social person I follow on Instagram, which is really nice.  Obviously any comments are cool but a comment that's more than an emoji or a Nice pic is just way better to get.  You should follow her if you like unique handmade products and actually social Instagrammers.

I discovered Midgins when I was researching my newest obsession, which I'll tell you guys about pretty soon.  She makes cool handmade products and also shares other people's handmade products and I love literally every product she shares!  That's super rare because I have some very specific tastes.  You should follow her if you like handmade products and discovering new handmade artisans.

I found melmadedooks in my recommended pictures feed (or whatever it's called).  He has a ton of followers and rightly so because he draws amazing pictures of real people of all shapes and sizes.  His art is just so good!  Follow him if you like art and appreciate diversity and real people of all sorts.

So those are some of my recent favorites.  Which one is your favorite?

Etsy Love: Bohemian Jewelry Holders

If you've been here for a while you probably know that I'm a jewelry designer.  I am always making jewelry faster than I sell it so I keep needing more jewelry storage.  It can be fun to make jewelry holders like this wine bottle one or a driftwood one that I'll be sharing a tutorial for soon, but there are also some really cool ones you can buy.  You can even buy jewelry holders that other people made, which is what this post will be showcasing.

Whether you're a jewelry designer like me or you just have a lot of jewelry, here are my top choices for bohemian style jewelry holders for sale on Etsy.  Click the picture to go to the item listing on Etsy.

These feather ring holders are so cute and also very affordable at just $6 each.  You can get them in 12 different colors!

I really love the design of this necklace holder because the hooks on the back keep the necklaces from sliding.

This one is cool because you can store a variety of jewelry or even other items and it's a really great crystal shape.

I love earring bowls because you can store so many earrings of all kinds, and this one has a great shabby chic finish.

This one holds a ton of earrings and necklaces, and even has a spot for rings at the bottom!

Those are my top picks for jewelry holders on Etsy.  Feel free to share other awesome Etsy jewelry holders with me in the comments.  What kind of Etsy item do you want me to share next?

And if you like Etsy and/or want to add to your own jewelry collection you should check out my newly released Cosmos Collection.  It's 5 matching necklace, bracelet, and earring sets inspired by the wonder and beauty of space, which you can mix and match, starting from $10!

Friday Fashion: I'm Covered in Bees!

I loved bees since way before I started Honeybee Alley.  That's why I chose the name.  Lately I've been especially drawn to clothing with bee designs on them.

I fell in love with this top at the University District Street Fair but I didn't have money for it then.  I bought it two months ago and I am so glad that I did!  I've been wearing it at least once a week since it arrived.  It's so soft and wonderful and from a fellow Etsy seller (and did I mention that it's super soft?!).  She makes all kinds of great clothing and pillows and bags.

Here's a better photo of it, from the listing.

And then I just had to get these socks from Amazon, because I loved them and there were only four pairs left, and the bee's knees puns basically write themselves.  They're too warm to wear yet but I will be getting a lot of wear out of them in the fall, and winter, and spring.

Because I love bees so much I've been donating 10% of my Etsy profits to Save the Honeybee Foundation this year.  I've also been including a bee-shaped piece of seed paper in every order.

Do you want to know a secret?  I love honeybees so much but I just think bumblebees are way cuter.  They're all fuzzy and clumsy and adorable.  When I was growing up and playing outside I would name all of the bumblebees Mr. Bumbles and watch them bumbling around in the yard.  But don't tell the honeybees!

Etsy Love: MayhemHere

I was fortunate enough to see one of my favorite artists, Mallory Milke, at the University District Street Fair in May.  Not only is her art amazing (and super affordable) but I loved her booth.  Here are the pictures I took of it.

My favorite part was the sticker machine.  I bought two random stickers, and I would have bought so many more if I had more money!  It's probably good that I was broke, haha.

Mallory Milke Art is on Etsy at MayhemHere.  She also sells at some local stores in Seattle, including Monster Art and Clothing, where I bought the peacock zentangle print.  She paints mostly zentangle animals and Day of the Dead.  She sells prints, stickers, notebooks, bags, and more!

Where to Shop in Seattle: Monster Art and Clothing

I love monsters, art, and clothing, so when I heard the name of this shop I knew I had to go there.  I went after I got off work on the same day that I learned of its existence.  And I was in love.  It was all I could do not to buy one of just about everything in the store!

the sidewalk outside the shop is so pretty!

Justin Hillgrove is my absolute favorite artist!  I love his Imps and Monsters art and I picked up the first issue of his Implands comic book at the store.

These skirts are so good!  I ended up coming back and buying the Marvel superheroes one.

This store is great and I keep wanting to buy more things!  They carry art, clothing, gifts, and accessories from many different local artists.  And there's plenty of nerdy monstrous goodness everywhere you look.

Etsy Love: Over the Moon

These lovely items are great for telling someone you love them to the moon and back.

Etsy Love: Sealed with a Kiss

Wax seal necklaces are a really pretty and unique gift for Valentine's Day or any time of year. These are some of my favorites.

Etsy Love: I, Myself, am Strange and Unusual

I love things that involve oddities, taxidermy, insects, and bones. This treasury is full of some of my favorite recent Etsy discoveries in those areas.

Etsy Love: Fairy Tale

When I think of fairy tales, I think of dreamlike woodland settings, lots of flowers, and a sense of adventure.  These are some Etsy products that I would associate with fairy tales.  Click here for links to these products and to see my entire fairy tale treasury.

the girl in this print looks like she's ready for adventure

such a pretty woodland faerie crown

possibly the prettiest dress ever

this would be so gorgeous for organizing all of my small jewelry supplies

Achievement Unlocked: I Love My New Job!

photo via Fair Trade Winds Facebook page

I met with the owner of Fair Trade Winds on Monday, August 11 to see if I would be a good fit for their open sales associate position.  She hired me and I went in for a couple of hours during a slow time on that Friday for training.  Then I worked for four hours on Sunday.  On Sunday the Ballard Farmers Market goes on right outside the shop and we were super busy.  You might remember that I have social phobia.  Despite there being hundreds of customers in and out of the shop while I was working there, I loved every minute of it!  My bosses and co-workers are all super cool and nice and helpful.  I didn't feel even an ounce of stress the whole time, which is super important for me because a lot of stress makes me have seizures.  The shop itself is filled with amazing fair trade products from around the world, and they all have a great story behind them.  It is a super inspiring environment to work in, both artistically and socially.  I have learned so much already!  I am really passionate about the products and the people who make them, and I have been telling anyone and everyone who will listen about the importance of fair trade.  I feel like I am making a difference by working there and that is a great feeling.

For those of you who don't know what fair trade means, let me tell you about it.  It's not just a fancy buzzword and it's not a label people slap on products so they can charge more money for them.  According to the Fair Trade Winds website, "Fair Trade is a system of trade that focuses on transparency, respect and equality. We support fair trade because we believe it is important to consider the lives and livelihood of the people who make the things we buy. Fair Trade ensures a fair, living wage, a healthy, safe and non-discriminatory work environment, and a commitment to building long-term partnerships that dignify an artisan’s work."  I have learned some other things about fair trade from working in the shop so far.  Fair trade products are handmade by people in other countries, especially third-world countries.  A lot of the makers are women and/or mothers who would have no other way to provide for their families.  It helps the women in male-dominated societies to be able to take care of themselves and keeps them from having to go into human trafficking.  Fair trade products sell for a price that will provide a living wage for the people who make them.  Different countries have different living wages so a similar product can sell for a very different price depending on the country the maker lives in.  Fair trade is actually very affordable.  I am continually surprised by how low the prices of various products are compared to what I would expect to pay for them.  These products are handmade with care and attention to detail.  Here are some great examples of products that I have learned about, which we sell in the shop and you can also buy in the online shop (just click the picture to go to the item):

These bracelets are made of dyed grass by Maasai artisans.  They are stretchy and can be worn as a bracelet, anklet, or necklace.  100% of the profits from this design go toward paying the salaries of local Kenyan teachers.

This is an all-natural shea butter soap and it's super pretty.  But more importantly for each bar purchased one will be donated to someone who doesn't have soap, and 50 square feet of rainforest is saved.  This company is dedicated to protecting against diseases caused by the lack of clean water in impoverished areas and they just built their first clean water well in Haiti.  This soap would be a great gift but also great to keep for yourself (I want one of each scent.)

This messenger bag is the perfect addition to a nautical outfit.  It's made in Cambodia of recycled cement bags and purchasing it helps in the fight against human trafficking.

Last (for today) but not least is this lovely Haitian metal wall art.  They make all sorts of designs out of old oil drums!  Each piece of art is created by cleaning an old oil drum, cutting it open, pounding it flat, sketching a design, then creating it with a hammer and chisel.  All of the pieces are coated with a rust preventative and the big pieces are signed by the artist.  Learn more here.  These are the pieces that shock me the most with how low the price is for the incredible amount of work and detail that goes into making them.

Fair Trade Winds has locations in Bar Harbor, Maine, Fairfax, Virginia, Stony Brook, New York, Seattle, Washington, Springfield, Ohio, Jamestown, Rhode Island, and Boulder, Colorado.  You can find addresses and hours for all of the locations here.  If you aren't near any of those locations you can shop the products online here.

It's not too early to start your Christmas shopping and fair trade products make great gifts.  I intend to do all of my Christmas shopping at Fair Trade Winds.  I have already been scoping out gifts for my family (and some for myself too! I seriously love all of the dresses.)

I was in no way compensated for writing this post.  I just can't stop telling everyone how amazing fair trade is!  I will definitely continue to share my favorite products from the store every so often.  If you still want to know more about fair trade, you can read the Fair Trade Winds blog or check out the Fair Trade Federation site.  In my next fair trade post I'll talk about the principles of fair trade and share some more of my favorite fair trade products, including the prettiest tin cups ever.

My Biggest Business Mistake

Today I was thinking about my business, Honeybee Alley, and trying to figure out ways to improve it.  I started to think about my abundant use of coupon codes.  I have a problem and it is that I create random sales all of the time, like every other week or even more often.  Tonight I have been reading a bunch of small business related posts that I Pinned and put aside to read someday.  I came across one post in particular that explained why having sales all the time might actually be hurting my business.  The post is about why mainstream marketing tricks aren't good for small businesses.  I felt like giving out coupon codes was a good way to make sure people would keep up with my posts, on Facebook or Google+ or this blog.  I have the tendency to want to give people great deals but my products already are on the lower end of the price spectrum, so not only am I cutting into my profits but am also "giving off the vibe that [I have] a cut-rate brand."  The blogger, Arianne Foulks, also explains that "if you put things on sale with any kind of regularity, customers will feel like they should never have to pay full price at your shop, and will wait for the sale."  I need to keep in mind that I have set my prices at what they are for a reason.  That is what my time, effort, and supply cost is worth.  If I'm always offering discounts people might think my product isn't worth the full price and maybe it's made with poor quality materials or just not well-made.  So this is me realizing that my prices reflect my work and I need to save sales for special occasions and not make them a weekly thing.

Two for Tuesday: Paper and Ink and Geoevolution

Two for Tuesday is a post series where I share two great Etsy shops and two of my favorite items from each one.  Click the image to go to the product on Etsy.

My first choice this month was a blog friend's shop, but I did not choose it because of that.  I chose it because I love zines, and while I have not purchased these zines yet, they are definitely on my list for once I have spending money.  The shop is called Paper and Ink and it sells zines written on paper and printed with ink.  The artwork and lettering is absolutely gorgeous and I imagine that the writing is equally great.

that hand-lettering! *swoon*

I really adore the fact that the title is made of planks

Lately I have been finding boxes of rocks everywhere I look: antique stores, estate sales, thrift stores, etc., and I can never resist picking out and purchasing a few of my favorites.  The next shop I picked is the online shop version of a really great box of rocks.  To me it's like a treasure hunt but every piece is a treasure in itself.  This shop is Geoevolution and they sell real fossils, gorgeous minerals and preserved life.  Their items are great for collectors (these would look great in a cabinet of curiosities (and if you actually have a cabinet of curiosities you should know that I'm super jealous of you!)).  They are also great for classrooms and, in my opinion, for unique jewelry supplies and great product photo props.

If any of you feel like getting me a present, this is at the top of my wishlist!

This would be a gorgeous unique photo prop.

Big News and You're all Invited!

You guys!  YOU GUYS!!!  A lady from this indie arts show happened to come across my shop on Etsy and invited me to be a featured artist at the next show!  I'm super excited! (if you can't tell from the massive amount of exclamation points I'm using in this post)  I only have a few weeks to get ready, since I'll be going home for most of June to see my brother!  He'll be home on leave for a month and I haven't seen him in two years.  And after that he'll be stationed in the U.S.!  So many good things!

So the point is that if you are in Seattle on June 22nd you should come to the art show.  There will be a fashion show, live music, and lots of talented artists.  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.  And it's cocktail attire so it's also a fun reason to get all dressed up.  I have this lace dress I bought a year ago and haven't worn because it's fancy and I didn't have a reason to wear it yet, and I'm excited that I finally get to wear it.  Here is the Facebook event invite thing for the art show.  I hope that some of you come.  It should be super fun!


If you are unable to attend but would still like to be supportive, you can donate a ticket! Purchase a ticket online and I’ll give it to someone who can’t afford one but would love to go.

Business Card Inspiration

This week is small business week, so I'm sharing some great business card designs from some fantastic small businesses.

1. Imps and Monsters: some of the coolest monster paintings ever, and he just wrote a comic book!

2. Emma SanCartier Illustrations: fantastical art prints and cards, Odd Fauna: beastly art and toys

3. Kendra Binney: surreal art panels, prints, and jewelry

4. Careful it Bites: fluffy and adorable plushies, some of mythical creatures

5. Snash Jewelry: amazing metal jewelry

6. Sown Designs: fine leather wallets and clutches

7. Jillian Nickell: quirky and detailed posters and art prints

8. Field Day Wearables: comfy and cool conscious clothing

9. The Society of National Industry: cool pyramid light garlands, art, zines, and more

10. Lolide: some of my favorite sculptural metal jewelry

11. Wanderlust and Wildhearts: bohemian clothing, jewelry, and accessories

Two for Tuesday: Aaanouk and Goshdarnknit

Two for Tuesday is a post series where I'll be sharing two great Etsy shops and two of my favorite items from each one.  Click the image to go to the product on Etsy.

The first shop this week was a pretty easy choice.  I adore raw stone jewelry and this shop is full of it.  The shop is Aaanouk and these are two of my favorite items from it.

The oxidized metal looks amazing with the light blue stone.

These are such a pretty color that I wish I could wear stud earrings.

The second shop is one that I've liked for awhile.  Goshdarnknit sells some really cool original art and notebooks.  I really like all of the people ones but I chose my two favorite non-people ones to share here.

I love the pretty shade of blue on this one and the cool design.

These sunflowers are super detailed and very pretty.

It's pretty obvious from my favorites this week that I'm really ready for spring, and luckily for me we've been having some lovely spring weather in Seattle lately.