My Handbag was Featured on Etsy!!
When I woke up this morning, I received a convo from an Etsy user who informed me that they showcased one of my handbags in their treasury! (For any non- or new- Etsy users, a treasury is a compilation of a variety of items on Etsy that other users showcase for different themes or because they just plain like them.) This was a huge piece of wonderful news for me! My handbag had been listed for less than 12 hours when it was chosen for the treasury. This treasury was focusing on turquoise and green colors from items made by new sellers on Etsy. I thought this was a fantastic theme for a treasury - all of the sellers who were featured really appreciated the publicity. No takers on the handbag thus far, but it's definitely gotten a lot of views! I've also had other Etsy users "heart", or like, several of my items and my entire store :) I'm enjoying the positive feedback and having an outlet for my sewing hobby.
Photos
Yesterday I set the day aside to take photos of my newest items to list in my Etsy shop - and boy am I glad I had several hours to dedicate to this venture!! One thing that has been particularly interesting to me during the initial stages of setting up Andrea Lynn Handmade is discovering how much time I'll actually spend on things that I thought would only take a minimal amount of time. I mean, it's just taking picture, right? How hard can that be? Boy was I wrong!
I started planning for different photo ideas earlier in the week by scouting Esty for examples of photos of items that I thought were good examples. I was drawn to photos that were simple and had lighter colored backgrounds as that seemed to truly highlight the product. I was also impressed with some alternate views of items that were extremely upclose. These photos conveyed the true textures of the fabrics and excellent craftmanship of the piece.
It took some time to find the right light, but the area on my patio was great for taking advantage of indirect sunlight. I also used my living room curtains as the backdrop for my items. Their subtle geometric pattern supplied some interest and their white color made my handbags really stand out in the photos.
I took about 20 photos of each item and selected about 5 final photos to place in the Etsy listing. I tried to think about what angles and points of interest I would be looking for if I was a potential buyer. I focused on the overall front view of the product, some detailing of the stitching and fabric texture, as well as the inside material and pockets. For example, here's the photos I listed for a small brown handbag I made:
The first picture shows the overall view of the bag:
The second picture demonstrates that the handle has some support of its own and further shows its length
The third picture allows the viewer to see the detail of the flowers and the fabrics
The fourth picture shows the detailed embroidery on the interior pockets
The last picture shows the overall interior of the bag to, hopefully, convey how much space is available in the bag.
When browsing online listings I'm very mindful now of ways that people present their products in the hope of incorporating different techniques into my listings :)
I started planning for different photo ideas earlier in the week by scouting Esty for examples of photos of items that I thought were good examples. I was drawn to photos that were simple and had lighter colored backgrounds as that seemed to truly highlight the product. I was also impressed with some alternate views of items that were extremely upclose. These photos conveyed the true textures of the fabrics and excellent craftmanship of the piece.
It took some time to find the right light, but the area on my patio was great for taking advantage of indirect sunlight. I also used my living room curtains as the backdrop for my items. Their subtle geometric pattern supplied some interest and their white color made my handbags really stand out in the photos.
I took about 20 photos of each item and selected about 5 final photos to place in the Etsy listing. I tried to think about what angles and points of interest I would be looking for if I was a potential buyer. I focused on the overall front view of the product, some detailing of the stitching and fabric texture, as well as the inside material and pockets. For example, here's the photos I listed for a small brown handbag I made:
The first picture shows the overall view of the bag:
Inception
I'm happy to announce that Andrea Lynn Handmade is in its final planning stages! I've loved sewing since my grandmother first taught me and I have refined my skills over the years by mastering a variety of techniques and creating my own designs. I began making my own handbags in high school as a means to minimize my use of animal-based products. I quickly learned this craft provided endless style options as I accumulated yards of gorgeous fabrics and began designing my own patterns.
In addition to loving the creative outlet that sewing provides, I feel that there are valuable reasons to purchase handmade fabric products. Purchasing handmade products connects the producer and consumer making the transaction - and relationship - personal. Even in the planning stages there has been an unmistakeable personal connection to others. I've received helpful feedback from friends and family about the creation of my shop and learned from the experience of others on their previous endeavors. (Special thanks to Lori Unruh of Indigo Silver Studio , Jenny McLean of McLean Mobile Solutions and Deanna Saracki for their insight). Additionally, as environmental resources continue to be exploited, an easy way to minimize our impact is to use ecologically efficient and renewable plant-based resources. Purchasing handmade products also speaks against mass production and its associated pollution.
I have been extremely involved in graduate school and my career over the past few years so, unfortunately, devoting time regularly to one of my favorite hobbies was not an option. However, my schedule currently affords me time to create my own personal designs and accept custom orders!
My shop is set up on Etsy which is a fabulous site for all handmade products! Please support handmade vendors as often as possible.
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about my products or would like to request a custom order.
In addition to loving the creative outlet that sewing provides, I feel that there are valuable reasons to purchase handmade fabric products. Purchasing handmade products connects the producer and consumer making the transaction - and relationship - personal. Even in the planning stages there has been an unmistakeable personal connection to others. I've received helpful feedback from friends and family about the creation of my shop and learned from the experience of others on their previous endeavors. (Special thanks to Lori Unruh of Indigo Silver Studio , Jenny McLean of McLean Mobile Solutions and Deanna Saracki for their insight). Additionally, as environmental resources continue to be exploited, an easy way to minimize our impact is to use ecologically efficient and renewable plant-based resources. Purchasing handmade products also speaks against mass production and its associated pollution.
I have been extremely involved in graduate school and my career over the past few years so, unfortunately, devoting time regularly to one of my favorite hobbies was not an option. However, my schedule currently affords me time to create my own personal designs and accept custom orders!
My shop is set up on Etsy which is a fabulous site for all handmade products! Please support handmade vendors as often as possible.
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about my products or would like to request a custom order.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
