Taking a short break...

I've decided to take a week off, but don't worry I will be back ready to post about more great things happening on DaWanda and to accept any new members to the community...

Until then, enjoy shopping!

Sara x

Happy Birthday DaWanda!!

Did you know DaWanda is now 2 years old! Wow, and how much it has changed since it first started out... oh and how many cool sellers have joined!

Here's what happening today;

http://en.dawanda.com/

http://fr.dawanda.com/

http://de.dawanda.com/

Happy Birthday DaWanda!

Written by Sara of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts

{Image courtesy of Google Images}

DIY City Magazine!

Hi Guys,

Just dropping in to tell you about a great new community and DIY magazine... DIY City Magazine http://diycitymag.com

This is a great new magazine that shows you what's happening in the DIY world city by lovely city. DIYthing duo Deb and Wendy (http://www.diything.com) started this week with their first issue all about New York... Covering topics such as indie designers, supply shops and DIY projects this really is a great magazine for us to pour over monthly! Oh and if you come across page 142 they added a little bit about me (Aw - thanks guys! Blushes!!)

There is also another great thing about the DIYthing team, they want to help build a global DIY community, city by city and share resource information and feature indie artists! They have built a community site over on ning at http://diycityguides.ning.com come and join us! Let's get the DaWanda word out too!

Sara x
Here's my page http://diycityguides.ning.com/profile/SarasTextureCrafts
The site allows you to show off your own work, so it's great advertising!

Introducing... Le Coccole di Giusypatch!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: Le Coccole di Giusypatch
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/giusypatch
3. When did you open your shop? I'm on DaWanda since 27.12.2007.
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? yes
5. What Category are you under? Accessories, Bags and Purses
6. What do you sell? First of all bags, pouches, wallets but also other accessories made with fabric like covered button ponytails or pins.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.

1) 3D Owl Zippered Pouch - this pouch has a bit of humor in it, because the 3D appliquè makes the little owl pops out. It's Great as a cosmetic case or a pencil case for children.

2) Woman Secrets - Tampon and Pad Bifold Wallet Case. Not that we have anything to hide, but this bifold wallet case it's ideal to carry tampons and pads. This bifold case will hold up to 5 tampons, and up to 3 pads depending upon their thickness! Magnetic snap closure ensures you an easy to open case but won't open in your purse, pocket or backpack.

8. Tell me a bit about you...

I'm Giusy from Italy. I'm a sort of bohemian craft artist, I love to create sewing stuff like bags, pouches, personal accessories, quilt etc. I'm also a cross stitch designer and sell my own cross stitch design line the "Giusypatch Original Designs".I'm pretty new to DaWanda, but I've been on the net since 1998 with a freehosting site first, and from 2000 with my website, but it is actually off line at the moment because we decided to renew it to fitting my new handmade Bags&Co. style.

9. Do you have a website, or blog? yes, http://lecoccole.blogspot.com/

June Blog Carnival – Summer is Coming!

This month’s carnival is entitled ‘Summer is Coming’, so I am looking for entries inspired by this theme. Entries could include;

Summer additions to your shop
Your favourite finds this month on DaWanda
Up and coming Craft Fairs this month
Your personal craft work this month
Your favourite holiday purchase
Your holiday check list
Your holiday tips
Summer Holiday pinboards
Crafts you take on holiday
Crafts you have seen on holiday

Of course there are many more possibilities… so I will leave it up to your imagination!

So how do you enter your article? Well it’s simple… post your article on your blog and follow the instructions here http://dawandashopdirectory.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-carnivals.html. Remember your entry doesn’t have to be the longest article and photos always help!

The deadline for your entry is 15th June 2007. All accepted entries will be published on or around the 17th of June.

How to List your Item on all 3 Language sites.

Have you listed you item only on the English site? Did you know that by listing on all three language sites your items are open to a wider audience?

To make your item appear in all 3 languages...

• Go to my DaWanda and press My shop.
• Find your item and them press edit.
• Under the English description and tags you will see 'do you wish to list in another language - German or French'. You will notice that 'German' and 'French' are highlighted in blue.
• Press 'German' and up will pop boxes for your description and tags.
• Do the same for ‘French’ and a second set of boxes will appear.
• You will need to copy and paste your English description and tags if you do not speak German, or French... I find a German and French dictionary helps a little with the tags at least.
• Press save and continue and again once you get to the pictures.
• Your item has now been added to the French and German sites.
  

Handy Tip… if you don’t speak German or French (like me!) then try adding the following before your English description, when you are listing in a different language.

German - Bitte beachten Sie die englische Beschreibung, wenn Sie mehr über meine Produkte erfahren wollen.

French - Veuillez lire la description en anglais si vous voulez en savoir plus sur cet article!

Which means ‘Please read the description in English if you want to know more about this product!’

Written by Sara of Sara's Texture Crafts

New things on DaWanda Shopping Community!

Yes, that's right you now have even more ways to interact with your favourite sellers on Dawanda!

I have now introduced 2 new modules for the community;

http://dawandashopping.ning.com/events - where you can find special Seller Events and take advantage of sales.
http://dawandashopping.ning.com/video - where you can watch videos uploaded by sellers, taking us through their craft making tutorials, finds and lives, or showing off their products.

It's free to join, so do pop over all buyers and sellers on DaWanda are welcome.

Sara x

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Please note that applications will be approved in around 2-5 days and I also reserve the right to approve or reject any photos and videos deemed unsuitable.

The New Directory of Shops

As you may have read my old link provider will soon be no more and so I have had to come up with a way of promoting those georgeous DaWanda shops. I decided to do this by opening a new site at http://dawandashopdirectorylinks.blogspot.com, which is linked here as DaWanda Shop Directory Links on the top, right hand panel ---->

There are 2 ways you can find shops there; Firstly check out the lists provided under the top page headings, or secondly scroll through the featured sellers' posts, where you can find pictures of their products.

This is the first of the featured sellers - DaWanda Shop Directory Links: Le Bar du Vent

Please check out Le Bar du Vent and the Directory of Shops to find your favourite DaWanda shop!

Help!!

Does anyone know enough about formatting blogs to help me understand why the right hand column suddenly slips down the page to below the articles, when I list a new stylehive feature??

If you do... please email me... I'm stumped!! Sx

Want to add your shop to the directory?

Here is how:

• Press the link on the right hand panel of this blog, called 'View my Links page'.
• Press 'add link' at the bottom of the page.
• Type your name.
• Under Title type your shop name.
• Type your email address
• The 'link URL' is your DaWanda shop's address. Your code will look something like this http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts (english), http://de.dawanda.com/shop/SarasTextureCrafts (german), or http://fr.dawanda.com/shop/SarasTextureCrafts (french)
• Select a Category - choose Boutique if you sell mixed product.
• Add a description for your shop.
• Enter the code and press 'Add Link'
  

I will then process your details as soon as possible. Please note that this may take up to 10 days, depending on the response.

Please note that if you then press the 'I Love DaWanda' logo you will be taken back to this site.

Thank you, Sara x

Show me your DaWanda favourites!

Send me links to your favourite DaWanda items, or better still create a pinboard and invite us to take a look!

Press 'contact the Editor' for a contact email.

July Blog Carnival - Crafting on Holiday.

This blog carnival is cancelled, due to lack of entries... Ironic really, I guess everyone is on holiday!

I'll be back with news on August's carnival and how you can participate... Sara x

Introducing...Supra Monster!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: Supra Monster
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/neovamp
3. When did you open your shop? Today!
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? I just entered the information and I am waiting for it to be reviewed.
5. What Category are you under? Mainly Art – Original Prints, but I have items under other categories too.
6. What do you sell? I sell my artwork, mainly in original high quality prints, but I'm also expanding it to magnets, cards, matchbooks and other small gifts. Very soon I will add buttons, rings and other jewelry, all based in my paintings and drawings.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.

My original prints are made in high quality Data Becker photo paper, which ensures amazing colours and more than a hundred years of maintenance under the worst condition. I work mainly on fantasy themes, strongly influenced by gothic and pre - raphaelite art. I work mainly on acrylics and Faber - Castell crayons.

Another product I sell are customized matchboxes, which have been a best seller among friends and customers. A simple small matchbox is customized with my paintings and black cardboard. I started making them because I wanted my altar's matches to look better... and then I got custom orders for them!

8. Tell me a bit about you...

I've painted since I can't remember, probably since I could hold a pencil in my hand. I like painting glimpses of my inner landscapes, like if they were doors to the subconscious. Sometimes the paintings become doors to others too – that is magic to me. I never chose it, I was chosen by it. I cannot live without painting and drawing. That is a blessing and a curse I must admit!

I am also a tattoo and henna artist. I was taught by Harry, a wonderful artist and person three years ago. Then I taught my husband and now we share a studio, where I can enjoy the designing of pieces that will last forever on our customer's skin. That is a true privilege I thank everyday. As painting, tattooing is a complex skill that needs lots of patience and love, and something that changes both the tattooer and the tattooed. It has a lot of ritual and makes deep bonds with the person receiving the ink.

I am a complete old-school illustrator: I make sketch, then make drawing, then scan. The only digital editing is adjusting the colours as close as possible to the original piece. I have nothing against digital art (or against any other form of art!), it's just the way I work. I like doing everything by hand.

9. Do you have a website, or blog? Yes, you can find it at http://supramonster.wordpress.com/

A Day in the Life: 'Literary Walk and Wire Crochet'

The weather was so lovely yesterday! Sunny and warm finally!
So we decided to go for a walk, a literary route related to Jane Austen. I just love her novels!
We started in Chawton, where Jane Austen spent her last 8 years, then trough some fields and woodland till Farringdon, a very lovely small village with very charming old cottages and then back, using a disused railway line.
It was great!

Then back home for my new glass beads and wire! For some time now I wanted to try crochet with wire. I saw some absolutely great work around and I really like the way they look! Very organic in a way...
I did some research about what kind of wire I need but it seems I have not done my job properly as it was a nightmare working with 20 meters of wire that as soon as I released the bundle it turned into one big mess blob.
So actually if jewelers from the community would have any suggestion for wire for this kind of project I would really appreciate!
Anyway, I managed to make something but it's far from perfect. What do you think of the end result?
By the way, I call it "The Brazilian Chaos Bracelet" ;)



Written by Ana of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/mysteriouscats

Great Photos will help you sell!

I know we all make these great items and find ourselves frustrated when they do not sell. Why is that? I don’t know it could be many things price, style, or you just have the wrong target audience. Whatever it is one of the most important things to get your items sold is good photos.

What makes a good photo you ask?

*Background*-Well for a product you should keep it on a simple solid color background. White is the best choice for a background since it goes with everything. If it is discolored in the photo it is easier to lighten it up than other colors. Plus it won’t detract from your item. Props can be good but there is a point where they take over the picture.

*Focus*-When I shop online I want to know what I am looking at. I do not want to try and figure out what I should be seeing. Blurry photos are a huge turn off.

*Light*-If your photos are too dark no one can see your product. Using photo editing software like photoshop can really brighten up those dark pictures.

You don’t need a studio to take great pictures. I use a few pieces of white paper and adobe photoshop to fine tune my pics.I am not a photo god either and I have listed some items with horrible pictures with leopard print backgrounds.What was I thinking? So good luck and take some photos.

Written by Andreanna of Glamasaurus

My Recent Purchase from My Little Magic Shop

I do buy from DaWanda as well as sell and wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about one my most recent purchases...

I really love aromatherapy so I asked Carolina from http://en.dawanda.com/shop/magickshop if she had a perfume from her shop's collection that could help to keep me calm on a recent flight abroad... she recommended 'Elizabeth', filled with a fresh soothing bloom fragrance. I couldn't help myself it sounded just the thing...

My little parcel arrived about a week before the flight... here it is... all wonderfully packed.

And with a few small gifts too... a handmade notepad (which is now in my purse) and a sample of incense (which I'm going to try out over the next few weeks).

I love the perfume, it is just what I imagined and I really do feel calm when I wear it... Thank you Carolina!

If you would like to try one of Carolina's perfumes, please see her perfume collection at http://en.dawanda.com/shop/magickshop/18538-Bohemian-Perfumes

Written by Sara of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts
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If you have an article like this, then please let me know.

Join our neighbourhood on BlogCatalog!

If you are a member of BlogCatalog, you can now join this blog's neighbourhood at dawanda-shop-directory.

What is Paypal?

Here is a copy of my explanation from the guide to buying and selling on the right hand panel and the Paypal link.

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I have always found Paypal easy to use as both a seller and a customer of on-line stores. As a payment system it's popularity is growing day by day and is widely used on both larger forums, such as Boots, eBay, Etsy and DaWanda to smaller business websites. I would recommend Paypal as a quick and reliable banking system.

Paypal describe their service as (direct quote);

Founded in 1998, PayPal enables any business or consumer with an email address to securely, conveniently and cost-effectively send and receive payments online. Our network builds on the existing financial infrastructure of bank accounts and credit cards to create a global, real-time payment solution.

PayPal has quickly become the leading payment network for online auction websites, including eBay. With over 100 million account members worldwide PayPal is also being increasingly used at other e-commerce sites. Users can send payments for free via their PCs or web-enabled mobile phones.

On eBay, DaWanda and Etsy Paypal can easily be used to make immediate payment for purchases at the checkout. Paypal make the payment on your behalf either from funds you have in your Paypal on-line account (which takes 10 days to add from your bank account), or your credit card (Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, Amex, Switch, Solo, Delta or Visa Electron), or by echeque (if you have no funds in you Paypal on-line account then Paypal will withdraw the amount from your bank account in 10 days to pay for your items).

Equally you can also receive payment from buyers through the same methods and the monies will be stored in your on-line Paypal account. You can then transfer any money received to your personal bank account, but note charges may occur if you withdraw less than the limit (see your account for details - in Britain the limit is £50). You should also note as a Seller, that Paypal will charge a percentage per transaction. Details of these are available on the Paypal site.

All you need is a UK, most European or US bank account to open a Paypal account... I think there are plans to role this system out to other countries soon.

The link to Paypal is http://www.paypal.com/

A Special Thank You!

A special 'Thank you' goes to Le Bar du Vent aka Mehrio68 for translating the DaWanda Promo Bag thread into French for me and for helping to bring the communities of DaWanda together.

Introducing... Emma S!

1 DaWanda Shop Name: EmmaS
2 DaWanda Shop URL http://emmas.dawanda.com/
3 When did you open your shop? in April 2008
4 Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? No
5 What Category are you under? N/a
6 What do you sell? mostly shawls and scarfs, knitted or crocheted, made of silk, cashmere and some bags.
7 Describe 2 of your current products.
a white shawl>-- lace -- for a wedding (silk/cashmere), a small bag made of crocheted flowers (silk).
8 Tell me a bit about you... I grew up in a family where everybody loved to create things out of wood, wool, fibers, learned to sew, knit and crochet as a child, studied history and learned many things about the clothes that people wore in former times and how they were made, love to use old books and catalogues to create patterns that look old and vintage -- but actually aren't ...
9 Do you have a website, or blog? www.schaffarben.de

How to leave Feedback for a buyer or a seller.

So you have your purchase, or your sale and the transaction is over... what better way to let everyone know how it went, than to leave some feedback. Not sure how to do it?

Buyers leaving feedback for Sellers

• Log in to your account
• Under 'My DaWanda', press 'Purchases and Sales'
• Press 'Purchases' on the left hand side and here you will find a list of your purchases.
• Find the sale number and seller you have received your item from and press 'rate the seller' on the right hand side.
• Select your rating number from 1 to 5, 5 being excellent.
• Add your comment
• Here you also have an option to leave a picture... this could be your entry to the DaWanda photo competition which happens month at http://en.dawanda.com/photo
• Press save and you are finished

Sellers leaving feedback for Buyers

• Log in to your account
• Under 'My DaWanda', press 'Purchases and Sales'
• Press 'Sales' on the left hand side and here you will find a list of your sales.
• Find the sale number and buyer you have sent your item to and press 'rate the buyer' on the right hand side.
• Select your rating number from 1 to 5, 5 being excellent.
• Add your comment
• Press save and you are finished

So why should I leave feedback?

Feedback is a great way to let everyone know how your transaction went... it's also very helpful for sellers who can use feedback as recommendations of their work for potential buyers. However, it is always important that feedback is fair and reflective of a number of aspects of the transaction... so remember;

1. how did I find the product?
2. how did I find the customer service?
3. was the item packaged well?
4. was it sent in good time? Remember here that sellers cannot be responsible for delays by the shipping carrier!
5. if I had a problem on receipt was the seller helpful?

Weigh up all of this information and assess which mark from 1-5 is fair, for example if the item arrived broken from the shipping carrier, but you were refunded by the seller and you found the seller helpful then a rating of 5 is still very fair!

It is also always good to remember that as a buyer your feedback from sellers will help you too and you will be rated on the following aspects;

1. did you pay in good time?
2. did you check correspondence with the seller regularly?
3. did you provide the correct shipping information on your DaWanda order?

So enjoy shopping with DaWanda and help promote the community by leaving some feedback today,

Sara x

Written by Sara of Sara's Texture Crafts

Profile Pages as Advertising Tools

Earlier on in the year I was asked by another selling forum to write an article about Seller profiles. I decided to use this opportunity to show that profile pages can be used as an in-store marketing tool to benefit both you (the Seller) and your customers. I am now posting a version of this article here, as I think it has benefit to our DaWanda community.
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Taking the time to write a good profile page is your key opportunity as a Seller to reach out to your customers and entice them into your store with a background to the business and products you are selling. Whilst selling forums often advise which bits of information you post here, there is no hard or fast rule about how you should present it. There are however ways in which you can strive to write a great profile page and maximise your opportunity to sell.

Here are some options I think could help on DaWanda;

The first paragraph is key. If you watch a film, you can usually tell within the first 10 minutes whether you want to keep on watching, well it’s that same thing with profile pages… your first paragraph is the key to keeping your customers reading.

Get friends and family to read your first paragraph – does it spark interest? Raise positive questions? Or make them want to read more?

Follow this with a clearly defined layout. Not all buyers have the time/want, or need to read your entire profile each time they visit. So define your layout by use of titles, line breaks or capitalisation of key words. That way your buyer can skim down the page to look for the heading they're interested in, without reading through the whole thing to find the answers to their questions.

Next make your profile text easy to read. It is important to be as clear and concise in your wording as possible… you want to keep their attention once you have got them past the first paragraph! It is also worth remembering that DaWanda is a global market place, so English is not necessarily everyone’s first language.

And finally, write in a friendly and approachable manner, remembering to keep it professional.

Like few other selling forums DaWanda is starting to gain a real sense community spirit about it, so capitalise on this! Shoppers and fellow Sellers like to spend time getting to know a shop before they buy, so don’t be afraid to write a bit about your self, or your business. Do remember to keep a professional edge to your profile though… after all you are a business, whether you sell the extra bags you knit whilst sat in front of your telly, or you are a full time operation! Buyers must feel that you take your products and business seriously. So striking a balance here is key.


- All of this is great, but what do I include? Well, let’s have a look…

Firstly, tell me something about yourself. Adding a short biography can give buyers so much information about you as an artist. Feel free to tell me a bit about your background, where you come from and how you started your business. Tell me about what inspires you and your craft passions.

Secondly, tell me something about your business and your products. Give your readers an idea of what you are setting out to achieve. What is your mission/why are you selling me this?

You could include:

Is your business a part-time venture, full-time or a charity?
What sort of products do you sell?
What is the idea behind your products?
What’s special about them?
How are they manufactured?

Remember, although you want to be informative you do not want to scare your reader off at this point with a hard sell!

Keep your shop policies and additional product information in the relevant area. Listing your policies here would be duplication. Try to keep these is the provided boxes, that way they will show up under each listed item.

And Lastly! Remember that what reads as a great profile is entirely personal to the reader, so don’t worry about competing with your fellow sellers; write something that you feel comfortable with publishing.


Lots to think about? Yes, I think so. A well written profile page is something we should take our time over and use to try and capture the essence of what we are about. Your profile page is where you get to show the energy and joy you have and to inspire potential buyers.

Written by Sara of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/SarasTextureCrafts

Introducing... Silver Beauty!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: Silverbeauty
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/silverbeauty
3. When did you open your shop? I opened my shop on January 25, 2008
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Not yet.
5. What Category are you under? Jewellery
6. What do you sell? I sell all kinds of trendy and unique designs of jewellery. Most materials I use are wood, shells, an assortment of beads and sterling silver to create necklaces, earrings, pendants and bracelets.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.

I currently have a pair of earrings called 'Seashell Paradise 2' they are made from shell and hand dipped into green dye to give them a bright appearance. When dipping shells no two are a like and you never know what design will appear when dry! Very unique looking!

A second pair of earrings I designed and are also one of my favorites are called 'Modern Wood.' These earrings where designed and carved out of wood and stained in a deep brown, making them look very rich and modern looking.

8. Tell me a bit about you... I am a inspiring jewellery designer that loves to create unique and trendy fashions! I reside in Canada and hope to one day make jewellery designing my full-time job.

I have always been fascinated with the creations of jewellery. More importantly the influences of culture, your surroundings and how creativity works.

Through my experiences as a inspiring designer I have learned that you can not turn creativity on and off. Creativity finds you, you can not find it. So when you have a creative idea run with it you never know who you might inspire!!!

The work that appears in my shop is what relaxes and makes me feel unique. So please enjoy and visit often, you never know what you might find...

9. Do you have a website, or blog? No. Just my DeWanda page to start.

Did you see?!

Did you see we got a mention on the Official DaWanda blog? Here is the link http://blog-en.dawanda.com/2008/04/18/dawanda-shopping-directory/

Sara x

I'm looking for more Sellers to Feature!

If you want me to feature your shop, then follow this link How to get Featured

Introducing... Birdland Creations!

1.Dawanda shop name: Birdland Creations
2. Dawanda shop url: http://birdlandcreations.dawanda.com/
3. Opened shop: 07/07/07
4. Are you in the Dawanda shop directory? Yes
5. What category are you under? Jewellery.
6. What do you sell? I sell hand sculpted fine silver jewelry. Most pieces are one of a kind and designed with the goal that they "make you smile"
7. Describe 2 of your current pieces:
Birdcage earrings: - These earrings are one of my favourite pieces right now. I have a pet parrot - called Harold - and he is part of the reason why my business is called Birdland Creations.... and he also influenced this piece - even though he only goes in his cage to sleep. I'd had been making birds for a while but never figured out how to do cages, when suddenly knitted wire came to me! So the birds are hand sculpted in fine silver and then I put them in a little knitted cage so they can "hang out" from your ears! I've been amazed by the great comments people have posted about these!

I'm a little teapot: This is my other current favorite piece. Ironic really, as I can't stand tea!!! I always reckon that was why I had to move away from England - at least for some of the time - coz they wouldn't let me live there and not drink tea!!!! Making this teapot was a real struggle - the technique was hard making it hollow, yet rounded and it was a lot of silver that I was worried I would waste. So it took a long time and quite a few restarts, but then I was
really pleased with the outcome. I made the lid so that it could come off but once fired, it was a tight fit so I thought I should leave it at that, so that it now can't come off, so it can't be lost.




8. Tell me a bit about you… I started my working life as a research scientist - and loved it. Then I moved from the UK to the US and things changed. I couldn't work initially because of visa restrictions so started doing other things... then quickly got out of date with research and was enjoying this new horizon of ... everything... After a variety of projects, including graduate school and then teaching then non-profit work, I read an article about metal clay and thought it sounded intriguing... so I gave it a try. I think the whole process of using the silver clay is
a little like the research I used to do. There are different phases and when it goes in the kiln, you aren't quite sure how it will be when it comes out. It's quite a new product so you find your own way of working with it... so the challenge is just great for me.

It's what I need to keep interested. And I love the opportunity to create "happy" jewellery - not just serious jewellery!

I started selling my things purely be accident as I was wearing some and a gallery owner noticed and asked to sell them and so I went from there. I sold in a few galleries to start with but it seemed very remote from the buyer and I felt quite removed from it all. Towards the end of summer of 2007 I made the decision to get out of galleries and stores and sell exclusively on the web. The interaction with people and buyers is so much more satisfying. To get comments on your creations and photos of people wearing their purchases is just great for me. I love it. The interactions with buyers and potential buyers is just wonderful. The "fans" and "pinboards" really connect me with the types of things people like - so much more than just handing off my pieces to a gallery owner. So now I sell online here at Dawanda and also at a few other online marketplaces around the world.

One last thing - I love Dawanda and it feels great to be a part of Europe. A few months ago I had such a great experience here in that someone contacted me and asked if they could do my translations into German for me. There were no strings attached, just a lovely kind lady... Since that day, we have just got to know each other more and more and she does so much more than translate. She really considers what I am trying to say and if my little "stories" don't relate to anything in German, she'll come up with a new idea for me to consider. I look forward to her emails, her input, her photos, and the friendship we are building is far more than I ever thought I'd get from online selling. So thank you Marion! You have made the world of difference to my Dawanda experience. It's wonderful when totally unexpected things happen...

9. Do you have a website/blog: http://www.birdlandcreations.com/, which include a brief and occasional blog just about my new items.

Useful Business Resources

Those first steps into starting your own small business can be daunting and if you have made it this far and you already have your own DaWanda shop, then you are doing ok. However, now is the time to get yourself out there! Whether you want to stay small scale, or turn your crafts into a brand we all need a point in the right direction right?! So we need some good resources... where to start?!

On the right hand side of this blog I have created an initial resource list, some entries are a little more intense than others but never-the-less they all have hints and tips that can take us further on our journeys.

I hope that you find these useful and if you can think of any internet sites you would like to share with us then please post here and I will check them out. You can also write your own craft business articles too! Just contact me with your entry... DaWanda Directory - English Editor

Sara x

Have you check out the new items in Style Lab?

If not, then be warned they are seriously cool!

Here are your links...

English Style Lab
French Style Lab
German Style Lab

Remember this is your place to create your own style... dig in guys!

Want to add your shop to the directory?

Here is how:

• Press the link on the right hand panel of this blog, called 'View my Links page'.
• Press 'add link' at the bottom of the page.
• Type your name.
• Under Title type your shop name.
• Type your email address
• The 'link URL' is your DaWanda shop's address. Your code will look something like this http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts (english), http://de.dawanda.com/shop/SarasTextureCrafts (german), or http://fr.dawanda.com/shop/SarasTextureCrafts (french)
• Select a Category - choose Boutique if you sell mixed product.
• Add a description for your shop.
• Enter the code and press 'Add Link'
  

I will then process your details as soon as possible. Please note that this may take up to 10 days, depending on the response.

Introducing... Art4friends!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: art4friends
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/art4friends

3. When did you open your shop? 03.10.2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Art
6. What do you sell? Art, cards, button badges and more!
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
"Rose - Fine art Print" is a print on beautiful paper of an original graphite drawing mixed with digital collage.

"2008 Monthly Calendar" uses the same digital images into a lovely monthly calendar!

8. Tell me a bit about you... I am Renee Anne, a student who is currently studying to be a teacher but is currently loving her little on-line pursuits. I wish I could spend every day creating and drinking tea and coffee.

9. Do you have a website, or blog? blog! http://www.art4friends.blogspot.com/ come and say hello!

How DaWanda can save your mood or My first purchase!

Everybody surely knows that. It is a Sunday evening, there are lots of things you could, should or would do, but you just cannot be bothered to. Nothing on TV, no good book to read, your boyfriend is stuck in some PC game you do not like and not even your bunnies want to be cuddled. Of course you could get creative and craft something, as you have got some free time to spend; but no, you just do not feel like it and how could you produce something nice, catchy or simply beautiful when your mood is bad and a huge black cloud hanging over your head?

There is a magic cure against bad moods that every woman knows best and every man fears. Shopping!
But where to shop on a Sunday evening?
At DaWanda, of course!

When I opened my shop on DaWanda, I promised myself never ever to buy something and only to sell as I wanted to make some money and not spend a lot of it. For some time I even managed to refrain from looking around in the other shops, but of course after a while, it got me. And then this Sunday evening came and whilst having a look at the new arrivals, I stumbled across the shop from loobyloucrafts. I found a gorgeous head band there and looked at it for several minutes. A head band… I had always played with the thought of getting such a nice accessory! And it is made of Japanese fabrics. And not too expensive…


(An example from Loobyloucrafts's Shop)

The decision was made quickly and so this lovely head band became my first purchase. I paid via PayPal the day after I bought it and am now eagerly waiting for it to arrive. And who knows, perhaps I will even participate in the "you and your DaWanda pressie" photo contest!

So what did I learn from that? Virtual shopping at DaWanda works in the same, bad mood curing way as "real life shopping" and it even makes two people happy - you and the DaWanda shop owner you bought something from!

Written by Lea of http://de.dawanda.com/shop/Shileah

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If you have a story like this please contact the Editor.

A DaWanda Group on Facebook

For those of you who network through Facebook, there is now a DaWanda Group. It is based on the French DaWanda site, but is an open group so other language speakers could join.

DaWanda group on Facebook

Now all we need is for someone to create a DaWanda shop application, so that we can show off our shops!

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If you know of any other social networks where DaWanda sellers are already spreading the word then please leave the link in your comments. Or, if you have just set up a social network group, then please contact me with the link and information, so that I can show you off... please use the 'Contact Editor' link for the English Editor of the right hand panel ---------------------->

Introducing... Bigib Designs!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: Bigib Designs
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/bigib
3. When did you open your shop? December 2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Boutique
6. What do you sell? Jewelry. Recently, I started selling bookmarks in a cardTM, and children related items like first communion/name bracelets and mommy's reminder bracelets.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.

Reminder bracelets - Originally it was designed for remembering to breastfeed, now it has more uses, for example as a medicine reminder, parking meter reminder, bottle feeding reminder. It's made from memory wire and beads. I used it myself when I breastfed my daughter. It's been a very useful tool for me.

Captured Heart - It's a sterling silver disc, pierced, cut, domed and adorned with heart shape PMC(Precious Metal Clay). The PMC is "sandwiched" between nylon coated steel wire. Great for Valentine's day gift.

8. Tell me a bit about you... I was born and raised in Indonesia, currently living in the US. I'm trained as an Architect, I am self taught in jewelry making. In 2001, I became a full time mom. My friend invited me to a jewelry party. I then took wire wrapping class and started making jewelry since 2002. What's so unique about my pieces, other than they are beautiful, I try to add value to my designs. Say for example interchangeable earrings that can be worn in several ways, or double sided pendants.

9. Do you have a website, or blog? http://www.bigib.com/ and http://bigibdesigns.blogspot.com/

Promoting Tips & Tricks Part III: Newsletters

Two great ways to bring more attention to your DaWanda shop are blogs and newsletters. They work in different but complementary ways to reach people:

A newsletter requires a small initial effort from your customer -- they have to sign up. (I do not recommend signing people up without their permission, unless it's your mom, in which case she's on your list whether she asks or not). Once they've accomplished that, though, your newsletter shows up in their inbox, once every X, without any further effort on their part.

A blog, on the other hand, needs no signup and is there whenever your customer has a moment to look. They do have to go and look, though, and in that way a blog requires more ongoing effort on the part of your customer.

A newsletter needs to be intermittent -- I recommend once a month or once every two weeks (mine goes out once a month). Much more often than that and you risk your customers feeling spammed and alienated, much less and they'll forget who you are. Your newsletter should be short, concise, and focussed; too long and they'll get bored.

You should post in your blog often -- every day if you can. Frequent posting means there's always something new to read, which will keep people coming back to look. And if you vary your topics a bit, that's just fine -- indeed, if done right it'll bring even more readers.

You'll likely wind up with a lot of overlap in your audience for each, and that's what you're looking for. The rest of this article will focus on your newsletter; the next (possibly the next few) will talk about your blog.

How do you get people to sign up for your newsletter? Leave signup links anywhere you can -- in your shop announcement, in any directories you're listed in, in the sidebar of your blog. Shortly before each edition goes out post a reminder and directions on how to sign up in your blog. Post in the forum of any group you're a member of, with the same information. Put a signup sheet at your booth whenever you do a show. And when anyone buys from you, whether online or in person, ask them if they want to subscribe.

Again, with the exception of a few people -- your Mom, your best friend, your significant other -- do not add anyone to your mailing list without their express permission. You don't like junk mail and neither do your customers (if you do, you can have all of mine).

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So you've built a list of people who want to know about your stuff, and it's time to write your first newsletter. What do you write about?

I always include at least the following:

* Descriptions of new products. Keep it short but make them sound appealing. It's perfectly fine to crib some verbiage from the description you wrote when you posted it in your shop. You may also include a bit about upcoming products here.

* Shop news. Any upcoming sales or specials go first. I also include a blurb about any new shops which are carrying my products, my upcoming event calendar, and maybe a pointer to a good review or just something nice someone said about my stuff.

* An informational or educational article related to what I make. I've explained the difference between an infusion and a decoction, talked about spring greens, and given a step-by-step description of how to make an herbal tincture. The idea here is to give your customers something interesting to read that isn't just advertising.

* A monthly contest. I've asked for entries as diverse as 'how do you keep cool in the heat' and 'what's your favourite recipe that uses herbs' and for a prize, I always offer a gift certificate to my shop.

The contest will help draw interest to your newsletter (everyone likes getting something for free) and if you post about the winners in your blog, they'll be getting a bit of attention, too. You don't have to offer a gift certificate but with the highly individual nature of what I sell I feel it makes more sense. And there's always the possibility that they'll wind up buying more than the gift certificate will cover.

I always put a little something personal in the intro, and from time to time I'll add something about what I've been up to -- a show I did, or something funny about the kitten. I don't do this often, though, and I keep them very short, perhaps three lines. I've also written about things I feel my customers might be interested in -- fundraisers for a good cause, for example, or legislation affecting the use of herbs.

Don't feel you're limited to the above, either. What you put in your newsletter will vary depending on your target audience, the feel of your shop, your writing style, and any number of things I'm sure I've forgotten.

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Speaking of writing style, you'll want to find a style that works for you (and for your target audience) and stick with it. Not slavishly -- but your customers should find the 'voice' of your newsletter to be familiar every time they read it. Don't be surprised if it takes you a bit of time to find your voice, though. I'll talk about this more in my next article.

As with item descriptions you must be sure to use grammar, spelling and punctuation correctly. Use your spellchecker but don't trust it as a final authority (amusingly enough, my spellchecker doesn't recognize the word 'spellchecker'). Reread what you've said to be sure that it's what you meant to say. Ask a friend to proofread for you (if appropriate, offer to pay them in 'stuff'). Do it right, and your customers will pay attention to what you're saying instead of trying to figure out what the heck you're trying to spell.

Others will disagree, but I don't like including anything in my newsletters but plain text. While pictures and fancy HTML formatting do get attention, they can easily backfire. Different mail software will display email in different ways, so what you've sent out might not look like what you meant it to, and there are a lot of people out there who want their mail simple and without frills.

Keep your newsletter short, concise, informative and interesting. Don't send it out too often, and keep it simple. Find your voice, and find ways to keep people interested in what you have to say.

Next up, blogs, and how they're not the same as newsletters at all.

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Written by Kate of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/omshantihandcrafts

Taking a Break!

Hi Guys,

I will be taking a break from posting on this blog from the 8th of March to the 7th of April 2008.

Nearly a month I know, but I need to concerntrate on an exhibition I have coming up at the end of March; 'Stitch & Craft' 27th-30th March, Olympia, London and after that my tax year end. Don't worry though! If I have you on my feature schedule already, then you will be published as soon as I can after the 7th of April. If you would like to be featured please follow the instructions as usual -------> I will get back to you as and when I can.

In the meantime, enjoy browsing the many shops I have featured so far and check out some of those other articles too!

Bye for now,
Sara x

(If you would like to find out about my show, please visit me at Crafts of Texture: Diary of a TextileCrafter)

Introducing... Magpienest!

1. DaWanda Shop Name: MagpieNest
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/magpienest
3. When did you open your shop? March 2008
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? yes
5. What Category are you under? jewellery
6. What do you sell? modern silver and gold jewellery
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
Cross over ring - a very sculptural ring made from a single piece of silver.
Silver bud necklace - Painstakingly made from 640 handcrafted pieces, this sterling silver 40 cm (16 inch) long necklace is perfect for special occassions!




8. Tell me a bit about you... I'm from nowhere. Well, I was born in a place I can't remember because I was so young when we left. I went to kindergarden in other country whose language I even forgot because I moved to another country at 6. I'm Dutch by nationality, but my English is better than my Dutch. I've lived in the UK for nearly 9 years now. Jewellery has a been a constant - I've been making jewellery for as long as I can remember and finally started working in silver and gold about 5 years ago. I absolutely love making stylish, modern and different pieces. I like the minimal look, but sometimes I can't resist crystals or decorative Japanese paper. I like making one-off and custom items. My favourite pieces to make and design are rings, but I'm getting more into earrings. I even got over my dread of needles and got my ears pierced just so I could test earrings to make sure the designs work! I'm always happy to hear from people if they have questions about any of my items :-)


9. Do you have a website, or blog? I have a website - http://www.magpienest.co.uk/ and a blog http://www.machi54.blogspot.com/

DaWanda have asked us to take a survey.

DaWanda have set up a survey for DaWanda sellers at

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=6T6i6rYBI9opEdbCpQ0GqQ_3d_3d

It's about social networks and social shopping sites. DaWanda want to get a feel for what kind of platforms sellers are using and how. They hope to gain enough insight to our on-line habits so that they can provide better tools and features to help with DaWanda promotion.

I think this is a great opportunity for us to get involved and help DaWanda understand what we feel we need and how much time we spend in social networks... which let's face it, is a lot! So do pop over and take part - Thank you!

Happy New Year!

We're back now for another fab New Year, but before we start...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From your Editors!

Become a fan on Facebook!

If you are on facebook, do pop over and find this blog at http://www.facebook.com/pages/DaWanda-Shop-Directory/10157577260... there is plenty of space for you to advertise your shop on our business page!

How to...... Create A Facebook Page for your Dawanda Shop.

1. If you are not already a member of facebook, you need to create an account.
2. Once logged in scroll down to the very bottom of the page, and along the bottom you will see 7 links, beginning with “advertisers” and ending with “help”
3. Click on the link that says businesses
4. You will then be shown 6 business solution options, chose “facebook pages”
5. Click on the “create a page” button
6. Select Brand/Product then the option on “online store” and enter a Name for your page.
7. You can then add a profile picture.
8. Under basic info you can set the date when your business/shop was founded]
9. Under detailed info you can add: your Dawanda shop URL, a company overview, a mission statement and a general product description.
10. Basic applications that come with your facebook page include places to upload photos and videos, a discussion board, a space to write announcements or notes (announcing new products for example), a place for people add reviews and add events that you may be going to (for example a market you may be at with your items)
11. Don’t forget to edit each application… you may not want others to interact or add things to your page and you can also delete applications that do not suit your layout.
12. Once you are happy with your page press ‘publish’.

Written by Jenny of Jenny B's Bottlecaps