Sunday, September 28, 2014

Items Of The Hour 9/14 - 9/20


Items Of The Hour is a weekly thread on the Strategic Promotion For Success Team. Each day 4 items are chosen to be promoted by the other team members.  The purpose of the thread is to bring in new views and hopefully some sales.



Shops can promote the 4 items any way they choose.  Team members can promote by adding the 4 items to their favorites, making a treasury, sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , other social media, and any other way they can think of.  Team members who have promoted the other shops have an increased chance of their shop being chosen for the next round.


 Please Join Me Here Items Of The Hour


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :

Hi I'm Amy. In my shop I offer a variety of crocheted items and occasionally I list vintage crochet & knitting pattern books. I enjoy working on custom orders. My customers often come up with the best creative ideas; and sometimes offer me the challenge of creating something I've never done before. It’s always satisfying to take a piece of yarn and create something new from it. 

     




Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Rustic - Fall Selection of the Weekend Treasury Game

Dear Readers,

I love the fall, I love the color changing and I love the fall treasuries. The composition, the  shades of warm colors, green, orange, brown and the whole atmosphere:





Have a great week!
Ildi


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR CAPTAIN:






Hi, my name is Ildi. I really enjoy the process of making pottery: I sit down at a table with clay and try to make something that I have an imagination of. I want something and the clay wants something but in the end I can work until I am most satisfied with the outcome. 




Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Product Photography: Adjusting the White Balance

Between my blog and my Etsy shop, I take hundreds of pictures of my craft projects and products every month. I am continually looking for ways to improve my own photos because I know that quality photos attract customers and help me tell my crafting story.

You don't need to be a professional photographer, or have a fancy camera, to take decent pictures. There are a few simple things that anyone can do with a basic digital point and shoot camera. For example, taking your camera off of the "auto" setting and experimenting with different features, especially the white balance, can have a huge impact on your photos.

I adjust the white balance on my camera every time I shoot a series of photos. If you have ever noticed that your photos have a yellowish or bluish hue, your camera's white balance setting is probably to blame.

Here's how to show your product's true colors.


Most newer cameras have at least five white balance settings besides auto. They are sunny, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent and daylight fluorescent.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me show you how the white balance settings can change a photo. We'll start with a roll up artists case that I just made for my daughter. I took this picture inside with a white background and natural lighting from a window in the room. All of my camera settings remained the same except for the white balance. From left to right, my white balance settings were sunny, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, daylight fluorescent.

Learn how adjusting the white balance on your camera can impact your product photos
Click on the photo strip for a larger view

In this example the fluorescent setting provided a photo where the colors appear closest to the actual item color.

Now let's go outside and look at the fairy garden by my front door. Again, the only thing I adjusted in each shot is the white balance setting.

Learn how adjusting the white balance on your camera can impact your product photos
Click on the photo strip for a larger view

Even though I was taking the picture in the shade, the sunny setting produced the best results.

Here are a couple more examples, a hibiscus in my backyard

Learn how adjusting the white balance on your camera can impact your product photos
Click on the photo strip for a larger view

and one of the paintings hanging in my studio.

Learn how adjusting the white balance on your camera can impact your product photos
Click on the photo strip for a larger view









As you can see, the appropriate white balance setting depends greatly on your lighting conditions.

Don't be afraid to switch off the auto setting on your camera. It only takes a few minutes to experiment and see which white balance setting works best for your situation.



PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :


My name is Ellen and I LOVE to design and create things. I find it deeply satisfying to start with nothing more than an idea and finish with a tangible, beautiful, functional piece of work. I enjoy learning new techniques that I can incorporate into my creations. I practice a variety of different art forms, but find I always have at least one knit, crochet or sewing project in progress.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Giveaway: Radiantly Luxe Beauty

I'm very excited to introduce you to Bethany from Radiantly Luxe Beauty. Her shop is filled with a collection of handmade soaps, moisturizers and lip balms perfect for pampering yourself.

Bethany is getting ready to donate some of her luxurious handmade soaps to a fundraiser benefiting F.A.C.E (Facing Autism With Children Everywhere). Before she makes her donation she'd like some help thinking of new flavors or types of soaps that she could create especially for the fundraiser.

Support Bethany, share your product ideas and enter for your chance to win this entire collection:

The Giveaway Sampler consists of a four pack of gardeners soap, one bar of Dead Sea mud spa soap, one bar of coconut carbon spa soap and one bar of citrus twist vegan soap.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US residents only.


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :


My name is Ellen and I LOVE to design and create things. I find it deeply satisfying to start with nothing more than an idea and finish with a tangible, beautiful, functional piece of work. I enjoy learning new techniques that I can incorporate into my creations. I practice a variety of different art forms, but find I always have at least one knit, crochet or sewing project in progress.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Witchy Wednesday - Selection of Weekend Treasury Game

Dear Readers,


Etsy shops are ready for Halloween:







Have a great week!
Ildi


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR CAPTAIN:





Hi, my name is Ildi. I really enjoy the process of making pottery: I sit down at a table with clay and try to make something that I have an imagination of. I want something and the clay wants something but in the end I can work until I am most satisfied with the outcome. 




Sunday, September 14, 2014

Items Of The Hour 9/7 - 9/13


Items Of The Hour is a weekly thread on the Strategic Promotion For Success Team. Each day 4 items are chosen to be promoted by the other team members.  The purpose of the thread is to bring in new views and hopefully some sales.



Shops can promote the 4 items any way they choose.  Team members can promote by adding the 4 items to their favorites, making a treasury, sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , other social media, and any other way they can think of.  Team members who have promoted the other shops have an increased chance of their shop being chosen for the next round.




 Please Join Me Here Items Of The Hour


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :

Hi I'm Amy. In my shop I offer a variety of crocheted items and occasionally I list vintage crochet & knitting pattern books. I enjoy working on custom orders. My customers often come up with the best creative ideas; and sometimes offer me the challenge of creating something I've never done before. It’s always satisfying to take a piece of yarn and create something new from it. 

     


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

September Finds - Selection of Weekend Game

Dear Readers,

September is already started. Kids are back to school and we have many beautiful memories of this summer. I watched the SPS Team Treasuries and I felt this changing. New colors are here, orange, brown and dark shades. This is the first selection of September:






Have a great week!
Ildi


PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR CAPTAIN:




Hi, my name is Ildi. I really enjoy the process of making pottery: I sit down at a table with clay and try to make something that I have an imagination of. I want something and the clay wants something but in the end I can work until I am most satisfied with the outcome. 




Monday, September 8, 2014

Items Of The Hour 8/30 - 9/6


Items Of The Hour is a weekly thread on the Strategic Promotion For Success Team. Each day 4 items are chosen to be promoted by the other team members.  The purpose of the thread is to bring in new views and hopefully some sales.




Shops can promote the 4 items any way they choose.  Team members can promote by adding the 4 items to their favorites, making a treasury, sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest , other social media, and any other way they can think of.  Team members who have promoted the other shops have an increased chance of their shop being chosen for the next round.


 Please Join Me Here Items Of The Hour




PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :

Hi I'm Amy. In my shop I offer a variety of crocheted items and occasionally I list vintage crochet & knitting pattern books. I enjoy working on custom orders. My customers often come up with the best creative ideas; and sometimes offer me the challenge of creating something I've never done before. It’s always satisfying to take a piece of yarn and create something new from it. 

     


Saturday, September 6, 2014

August Cross Promo Train

As the summer turns into fall here at the Strategic Promotion for Success Team we held our monthly Cross Promo Train August 25-29.  This month we did things a little different and had 5 promotional days instead of our usual 4 days.


Our activities included:



 ➽ 1st Stop (8/25) Shop Hearts - Each shop lists one item from their shop which they would like others to click/view/fave. More hearts more views!

➽ 2nd Stop (8/26) Social Media Day - Each shop lists 1 item from her/his shop which s/he would like others to promote via social media . Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Wanelo, Google +, Blogs, etc

➽ 3rd Stop (8/27) Spread Some Love - Each shop will be pick 3 items from the shop BELOW them on the list and promote the 3 items via social media sites of their preference! They can also feature that shop in a treasury or photo collage. 

➽ 4th Stop( 8/28) Treasury PIF - Each shop will create at least 1 treasury featuring any 8 shops from the list of participants & 8 from anywhere on Etsy. Note: If less then 8 shops sign up then you can fill in spots of your treasury with shops of your choice.

➽ 5th Stop( 8/29)- Adopt a shop. Pick any Etsy shop & promote them how you want. They don’t have to be part of the spsteam. You can choose them from anywhere.




We had 18 shops who took part.  



Many items were added to favorites, shared on blogs, social media such as Pinterest, Twitter, Wanelo, Facebook, and added to treasuries.

Lets take a look at a few items that were promoted.


Flower Necklace by RetroFuse



French Pitcher by Vintassentials





Fall Tree with Carved Heart Print  by BloomingDoorDecor

















Crocheted Toiletry Bag by amydscrochet



Modern Crystal Resin Ring by ResinHeavenUSA



Plastic Buttons by Universalideas


Blue Beaded Bracelet by FeelingCharmed



Legacy Studio Fabric by FabricMuse

Hanji Paper Earrings by HanjiNaty


Love Spell Cold Process Soap by RadiantlyLuxeBeauty



Buddha Chakra Bracelet by LarisJewelryDesigns



Rustic Card by PrettyByrdDesigns


Merino fingerless gloves by CrazyAboutGloves






Christmas Reindeer Wall Art by northandsouthshabby

Beaded Flower Necklace by CallunaMuse


Art Glass Incalmo Shallow Bowl by MoltenColor




Fun in the Sun Tote by AHappyHaberdashery


Apple Tree of Life by SlatedInSpirit












I can't forget about all the wonderful treasuries.  I wish I had room to feature them all.  Here's just a few wonderful treasuries made during the cross promo train.




I hope you can join me on the Strategic Promotion For Success Team for the next cross promo train!








PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR LEADER :

Hi I'm Amy. In my shop I offer a variety of crocheted items and occasionally I list vintage crochet & knitting pattern books. I enjoy working on custom orders. My customers often come up with the best creative ideas; and sometimes offer me the challenge of creating something I've never done before. It’s always satisfying to take a piece of yarn and create something new from it.