Thinking new & interesting thinks...

[merimask]

Apparently, there are more shirt-suckers out there than I thought.  See my last entry.    ^__^

Well...I had a very productive weekend.  Finished eight masks in two days and somehow found time to ride my bike for crazy-long distances.  Char's rugby team went to Cleveland & did rather well in spite of being beaten badly (they played one of the best HS rugby teams in the nation, so expectations were modest at best.  They didn't embarrass themselves).

Greg poked me in the belly yesterday & that did it; I renewed my gym membership.  Expense be damned.  I've been avoiding the gym lately because I do this funny thing; I withdraw from things that are "ending" before they end.  It sounds crazy and it probably is, but I haven't gone to the gym lately because I knew my membership was about to expire, and it made me sad.  So screw it, I re-signed for another year.  Winter has been bad to me and I need to get back to where I was in November.  *sigh*  I miss the high I get from lifting, anyway.  It's better than chocolate...something about deep January makes me forget that.

Speaking of January, we're getting some serious snow tonight and tomorrow...woe!  I guess I should have expected it, but it still seems like a cruel joke after that 67 degree day we had on Thursday.    Nature is a dirty rotten tease in the early weeks of spring.

 

I spent the entire weekend mulling over an idea I have for Etsy.  I've been experiencing crazy-good sales in a time of economic crisis and it's filled me with humility & gratitude (I just got my 600th sale on Etsy over the weekend)...so I've been trying to think of a way to "give back" & be a positive force, and I think I've got a concept that might work.

Basically, I want to make a limited series of masks inspired by other Etsy artisans' work.  Each mask will be listed with a picture of the other artisan's piece that inspired it.  I'll include a link to that artisan's shop in the mask description.  Also, if the mask is purchased by someone who buys an item from the other artisan's shop, I'll offer free shipping on the mask anywhere in the world.

The artisan who I "feature" will only have to mention the promotion on their site, and include a link to my "inspired by" mask in the listing that ties into the mask (with one of the five product pictures being my mask).   

So, it'd be like; I make a smallish, affordable mask that has colors & swirls like this Batikwalla dress...& when I list the mask, I include a picture of the dress and a link to Batikwalla's shop.   I offer free shipping on the mask if you buy anything from Batikwalla's shop.  

Meanwhile, in the listing for the dress, Batikwalla mentions that her dress design is featured as an inspiration for one of my masks, and includes a picture of the matching mask and a link to the listing of that mask only.  Not on her front page (unless she wants to) but in the listing for that dress itself.

It'd be like encouraging buyers to create a "set" or ensemble that consists of my mask and the piece of jewelry/clothing/art that inspired it.  I get to promote an Etsy artisan who's work I admire, I offer an incentive to buy their work,  & they get a boost in sales & exposure.  And we cross-promote each other. 

Of course some artists might not want me to be "copying" their designs and I understand that  (which is why this will be a very limited run; only one mask design per "inspiration"...I won't make these part of my general offering and they won't become part of my permanent portfolio of work), so I'll only do these masks with the artisan's permission.  I'll start it as a "by invitation only" promo first, to see how it works, but eventually I'll probably take submissions for consideration.  

I'm thinking of calling it "Etspirations" (for "Etsy Inspirations").  Still working on that.  It needs a catchy one-word name for tagging purposes.  

What do you think?  

 

 
 

Comments

[fantasyforever.livejournal.com]

I think that's a really cool idea. If nothing else, it will create awareness of other artists on etsy. :D I've been trying to show off everything I've gotten from etsy, and push my friend sand family to visit the site (since I don't have an etsy shop of my own). I get a lot of inspiration from etsy, so if you do this I can't WAIT to see what type of masks you make :3

Will you accept ideas from others on different shops to look at for possible "Etspirations"? :D

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I'll absolutely accept reccomendations. :-) Eventually. If it works well & people are open to it. I approached three people & they like the idea so far, so if their masks turn out nice & we get some sales, I'll keep doing it (& yeah I will REALLY need help coming up with new candidates 'cause I'll run out!).

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

I have no idea whether or not it would help other artists get more sales, but I still think they'd love it. For me I'd just be plain curious about how you would translate MY work into YOUR work. (I wouldn't really care about sales, lol, but then...you know me! I'm only selling my stuff out of a sense of obligation, not because I need to or because I love selling...because I kind of hate selling. I like that people want to buy and I don't mind some aspects but overall making my sticks knowing it's with the intention of selling them, that it's not just for fun...it's a drag. I prefer just showing them to people on LJ and at DevArt. But when you DO sell your stuff, it's nice when people actually want to buy it. Slow months make you feel like a loser.)

March was VERY busy for my Etsy shop (only October of last year was busier.) and April looks like it will at least be 'okay'. November-December-January-Feburary were a slump. Maybe people are starting to thaw out of their fear...or maybe it's because it's spring...I dunno!

Anyway I think it's a fun idea, and very generous of you.

Oh hey, I ended up in another treasury. This is my third ever, though I count it as my second since the first one was of a print. And it's my first one that actually has my sticks in the treasury because the other one was my FACE. So it's kind of my first 'real' treasury. :)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=50496

Oh, and the weather. -____- We already have a coating of two inches that fell in the past few hours. There should be a rule that it can't snow at ALL if it's 0C or over...at most you should get sleet at 0C and then it has to be RAIN. April is such a difficult month. It's hard not to really resent the weather when you know that if it would just cooperate as it CAN in some years, you could be biking for the whole month. I really resent using my stationary bike in April.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I think it'll help in the sense that they'll gain exposure, & also, people love ensembles anyway. If your'e going to a masquerade & you can wear a necklace or hair accessory or piece of clothing that matches your mask, you'll totally buy both (I think...).

& Yes! I think if you use some of those leaves in a hairstick, I can totally tie in a mask to that (it'll be so easy; a ginkgo mask to go with a pair of sticks with ginkgo leaves on 'em!), in fact I came up with the idea specifically planning to approach you with it. We could make it an ongoing thing, really, if you like.

Congrats on the treasury! It's lovely (I need to go comment!)

[sapphirerage.livejournal.com]

Hey, did you get my message? :-)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

*checked* Oh, yes! Just now (my LJ has been weird; my friends page hasn't updated & I get no notices for messages in, it seems). :-/

I don't really need children's books (no wee ones anymore, sadly) but do keep me in mind for the future 'cause I do barter from time to time. :-)

[kelkyag]

The promotion sounds totally cool. Possibly also very hard on my pocketbook. :)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I think it'll be fun, & since I obviously admire these people's work (since I own so much of it!) it'll lead to interesting mask designs.

[charismitaine.livejournal.com]

I think that sounds like a really excellent idea (and really good marketing for all involved)!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Good! I already heard from a few people I contacted who are totally okay with the idea, so I'll definitely gpo ahead with it. :-)

[tallymark.livejournal.com]

I think it's an awesome idea! The only dilemma I see is there's a chance the source artists are going to want to buy their own matching mask. :) But I'd love to see some crazy-cool masks based on beach hearts and batikwalla's swirls and whatnot. I think it's really great that you're trying to share the wealth around. It's not an easy time to be an independant artist...I live with one so I know!

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that's true (that artists might want their own masks). I think I'll offer the masks online for the general public, with an offer of barter to the inspirational artisans (since I love their stuff anyway & will happily trade for a piece of it).

I already heard from a few people who I invited to participate, & they all love the idea so far, so I'm definitely going ahead as planned. :-)