First Impressions

Yesterday I was flattered to find my items included in these two stunning treasury selections on Etsy's front page ...
(Double click on each image if you want to see it larger).

I've read a lot of divided opinion about the Etsy front page and the items chosen for it, but it's rare that I see a front page I don't find interesting and well put-together and super selections like these make for a fantastic first impression that has much more impact (I think) than the more random selections on other crafty sales sites.

DaWanda has recently changed its front page set-up and it's much improved, and though I think it's a bit busy and still lacks that POW that Etsy's often has the navigation guides are much clearer. Similarly, the navigation bits on the Folksy front page are fab, lovely and simple tabbed sections and a nice big clear search bar... but that wow factor is currently still lacking. It will be interesting to see what changes are made as the site develops!

Front Page Goodness

I got a lovely message on Etsy this morning from PamGlew letting me know that one of my poppy hairbands had made it onto the Etsy front page - she even took a screenshot for me:
Thanks Pam! I did actually manage to catch that one in all its autumnal glory, but normally I miss my front page moments so it's always nice when people take the time to give me a heads up. Luckily these days there's always the excellent Etsy Front Pagers flickr pool to check if your views go up unexpectedly.

The Front Pagers group is the brainchild of an anonymous Etsy member who uploads dozens of front page screenshots a day to make a unique archive. It's great to check if you miss your own item on the front page but it's also a fantastic resource for seeing the variety of items that show up on the Etsy front page and the sorts of themes and colours that make a successful treasury (if you fancy trying your hand at making one yourself). For example, at the moment autumnal themes, Halloween, leaves and orangey tones are making a strong showing along with lots of selections in soft and muted tones. Additionally it's a great at a glance guide to the quality of photography & types of images that are most popular - great inspiration if you're working on improving your images, which we all need to do from time to time!

Crafting 365 / 40 & 41 - winged works in progress

On Saturday night I attended to my work-in-progress box. It is somewhat overflowing, and I really ought to try to tackle at least some of the contents instead of just making exciting new things... so I spread out the contents of the box (covering my table completely) and set about making myself useful. Whilst listening to some Agatha Christie on BBC7 (such addictive tosh, just marvellous) I sewed a lot of little eyes onto a lot of little birds:
These birdies were all cut out and had their wings stitched on aaaages ago and have been sitting neglected in my wip box along with several others (I had a bit of a bird-making frenzy a while back, you see). They will all become ornaments or mobiles of some kind eventually but for the moment it is enough that they can see :)

Then last night I got distracted again and started something new. Actually it's something rather old from my to do list - and something the boyf is always nagging me about. I made a moth brooch for a swap with Seaurchin earlier in the year and the boyf has been on at me to make more ever since. Other, sparklier things have taken precedent (so many sparkly distractions) but now I am finally turning my attention to the little furry winged creatures:
... that's the first 2 layers stitched on, there are 2 more yet to go (the detailing on the wings) and of course then they will actually need turning into pins (one destined for the lapel of my boyfriend's coat). They're sitting on an upturned placemat - I have so many wips spread about the place at the moment that I have quite run out of handy trays and box lids and am resorting to placemats instead!

In other news, I think I am becoming obsessed with grey and blue, clouds and rain, and also umbrellas, thanks to a combination of the weather and the cloud pin I made the other day... I got a treasury on Etsy for the first time in ages and guess what theme I have picked? You can see it here while it lasts...

Eek, what a neglected blog!

Okay so first I was busy sewing things... and then our whole county got flooded and we had no electricity for 24 hours and no running water for about 2 weeks (all fixed now though, hurrah!) ... and then I had to help my Mother-in-Law move house (not fun)... and then our neighbourhood hosted a massive choral festival... and now I am recovering from all this! Basically I have been a little busy and muchly neglecting my blogging and crafting :(

Hopefully things will be back to normal soon and I shall have lots of new pretty treats to photograph and blog about! I have been greatly inspired to Get Crafting this week cos I have been on the Etsy front page on a most miraculous TWO occasions.

First up my "I love TEA" pins were featured - very exciting, my first ever bit of Etsy front page glory - thanks to the lovely heidiburton picking them in her treasury list.

This is a rubbish screenshot I took of my front page moment:

And these are the pins themselves - they are first up on my To Sew list this week as a couple of them very happily sold :)

Then today I logged on during my tea-break (a small break from dull Saturday chores like ironing and washing-up) to find myself on the front page again, along with lots of my fellow workers-in-felt from the UK street team! (Screenshot courtesy of Siansburys and lovely felt treasury selection thanks to KoolKookyKreatures).


The abstract mobile got over 1000 new views during the time it was featured on the front page and my "hearts" (people marking my shop and/or items as a favourite) have rocketed accordingly which is most flattering. Hurrah for lovely Etsy!

I'm off to get started on the sewing now...