How else do you market your items besides etsy?

[Hanzamaeda]

Hey now,
Any ideas as to how to market things besides etsy. I keep getting the same run around at stores like" come back at the first of the month on the 5th???" and" I'm not buying till the new year when it's January 15th???"

just looking for some pointers if ya'll got some.

thanks for your time

all the best

[Jynxx]

Have you tried Ebay, Craftstar, Tophatter?

Also for marketing do you have a Facebook Page, Twitter account, blog, Pinterest etc? There are tons of craft sales & farmers markets this time of year, how about setting up your own booth.

You have beautiful pieces!!

[Hanzamaeda]

Thanks for your response Jynxx it means alot.

I'm not on Fakebook or tweeter...The internet is kinda scary i like dealing with people.
"once the computers can think for themselves we won't be here anyway"

Farmers markets and craft shows are some what of a waste of time.
Spending a whole day or multiple ones. Trying to explain what it is when most people think "it's paint on glass" or the most common "i can go to walmart for that" (thanks to cheap imports that claim it's from Italy but we now some kid in china without ventilation or glasses made it)

Or how bout "yeah i've seen Chibulies stuff"

Or even better "I know a cousin of my brother who's a friend who does that!" ........... I'd rather be in the shop having fun..........

so i have found luck with consignment and i'm in the process of working with some distributors that will pretty much clear up the prob for now........

I have also donated to high end glass auctions which helps get the word out.

Like any good thing it takes time.

Thanks again for your response.

[Former_Member]

HR, what is Chibulies?

When I tell people that I make glass beads they think that I just string them onto something.

[Hanzamaeda]

Hey Lassy,
It's crazy people some people have no clue the time it takes to even feel comfortable working with this stuff. Lampwork has been around for quite some time and is still kind of a unkown thing. "blown glass" or "flamework" has taken it's place as the current nomenclature. Which is ok i guess but explaining that to people who don't want to spend more than $5 it's tough.

At least you make the stuff Lassy. More power too ya every once and a while someone who knows will freak out and really appreciate it. That feels good.
It's kinda like Graffiti or other kinds of work i freak out over it love the risk and skill it takes but some people look at it as vandalism, By hoodlums but know some of those cats are taking over the art world.


It a joke Chihuly he is one of the most Famous glass artists in the world. he has mainly done Hotshop and has installations across the world. A great Bridge at the Museum of glass in Tacoma Washington.
Anywho....
When i have done craft shows and farmers markets in the past People have actually said about my lampwork and i quote
"oh yeah i've seen that stuff i've seen cchibulies, chob-blies, chi-holy's work" not only do they not know his name they can't even tell the difference between hotshop and lampwork.

there is a stark difference between my amateur mediocre work and his million dollar pieces. Mainly the size

(sorry if i sounded bitter my earlier post just being honest)

There is so many kinds of glass work i think for me it's finding places or people that can understand the difference, and can appreciate the work for what it is

Etsy has helped with that so thank you etsy

And i'm finding new ways to market here and there i started this thread in hopes to bounce around ideas that have worked for everyone.????

Thanks Jynx for your response i'm looking into Crafster and tophatter next.

. And your question lassy

Hope the day finds you all well

all the best

[Former_Member]

Thanks for explaining that HR, I had no idea who he was. I think your work, your style, is mesmerizing, i've tried to zig and zag my glass and it's not as easy as you've made it look. You're very talented and you should keep at it.

It might help if you have a plastic coated sheet at the markets that you do with an explanation of the differences in working with glass and that will stop them from trying to compare you to someone else.

I would love to learn to blow glass but it's ridiculously expensive.

Brenda.

[Hanzamaeda]

hey Lassy,

Thanks for your words. Like i said before most art fairs and farmers markets are a waste of time for ME at the moment , the ISGB gathering or bead and gem shows are great because it caters to glass art and collectors and they go to them.
Have you ever heard of Lauscha? It's this amazing community in Germany of glass artists and glass makers.

Zig and zag pattern is very popular with them . Glass has a memory so what you do to it remembers that's what so great about that style or pattern work because it shows how much someone has done with that piece.

J Lee is a master in the functional art glass movement. Look up his work it's out of this world.

Hot shop is super expensive to do and learn, but lampworking is just a smaller version of the techniques you use in the hot shop.
They both play off each other in fundamentals. Each are always or have always gone back and forth advancing each other. Heat base is most important get it just get it hot enough to do what you want with it.

Check out Roger Parramore his work can reach up to 50" inches tall and that's lampwork!!!!!! all done by hand no lathe and it's paper thin.
A true American master.

All the best

[Former_Member]

Thanks for that HR! I'll check them out.