Blog Feature

I'm in a blog feature today! It's by StitchSilly and it's on her site here.
She very kindly conducted an interview with me yesterday and posted about it today. Hopefully it will up the traffic on my blog, it's been a little slow this month, comparatively. Even my market night last Friday wasn't as nice as my June market night. Oh well.
Check out her blog, she's a fellow Etsian and is just starting her series of features.

Painting for the Market

I'll be at the farmer's market again this weekend. Last time I was there I noticed that I was one of the only venders with no sign with my business name on it. I found some old signs and took to sanding and repainting one. I'm no artist, but I think that for now it will do. A somewhat homespun look is good in my line of work anyway.
Before:

After:

Hopefully it will help draw people into my tent and help me move some merchandise. I'll report back next week with how it went.

Beautiful Things

I had my first real live market day on Friday. I enjoyed being out in the fine weather (even if the wind did endanger my tent). It was a very community oriented event, so I was able to speak with many friendly local people. I even sold a decent amount of my soaps-- especially considering that there was another soap seller there with a bigger spread.
I'll be going back in July to sell again.
Right now I'm still working on my custom order that will be sent out the end of the month and trying to promote as much as possible.
Speaking of promoting, today's featured HEART Seller is temmadolla. She's from Pittsburg and she makes the most amazing safety pin bracelets I've ever seen. Here's one of my favorites from her shop:

Definitely check her out.

AndiaCreations on Etsy

This seller from Yorkshire, UK is a member of the HEART promotion group I'm in. Her shop is full of cute knitting and sewing. Find her here on Etsy. Above are just two of her items that struck my fancy.

Custom Order Project

I just recieved a custom order for 80 mini shave soaps for wedding favors. I'm so excited. This is, of course, my biggest order to date and will keep me busy for the month of June even if the Farmers' Market falls through, which I fear it might.
It has also given me the idea of creating listings for, instead of the occasional gift set assortment of soaps, listings for favors or wedding party sets. Some herbal soap would make a lovely bridesmaid/groomsmen gift. The summer is a peak wedding season, after all.

Farmers' Market Evening

Tonight I went to one of the local markets I'm attempting to sell at. It's on the grounds of this beautiful garden center. It was lovely to wander around and talk to vendors. In a small hutch is a counter where fresh fish and meat are sold and a few tables from a local bakery. I had my heart set on some scallops, but $28 a pound was too steep for me. Instead I bought a foccacia and a few little meat pies from the baker.
I spoke to the woman who coordinates the market. She told me that there is a soap-seller coming this summer, but not every week. She promised to send me a list of dates when the other seller won't be there so we don't overlap. I brought a few items to show her what I make and she especially liked my "Nymph" solid perfume.
It's a wonderful atmosphere and I'll be glad to get involved.
My father came along with me since he had never been to the market before. He enjoyed himself and even saw an old friend he went to school with but hasn't seen in years. Afterwards we went to dinner at a nearby bar and grill and ate on the porch to enjoy the beautiful evening.
It's the kind of evening that makes me feel very connected to my heathen Celtic ancestors that worshipped the return of the sun and the spring. I can understand their raptures.

Summer Soaping

Sales have been slowly increasing in my shop for the past few months, but over the past two weeks they have exploded. Of course, exploded is a relative term, I'm sure it's all in a day's work for other Etsy sellers.
This reinforces my decision to not take an hourly waged job this summer but focus on my crafting and freelance writing. Of course, this also means alot more upkeep to my shop than I had been previously spending. More time each day making new items, photographing, organizing, storing, ordering supplies, working on my Etsy, etc.
All the promoting and creating new sorts of products and scents seems to be paying off. My choice to go with more masculine/unisex items is paying off. It's a good feeling.
I'm still working on getting into some farmers' markets this summer as well to sell live and connect with other artisans.
I also just had a request for a custom order last night. It will be the biggest order I've ever filled and will keep me quite busy. Even if I don't get any other sales next month, I'll have reached my sales goal with this order.
Off to make more aftershave!