I can't make it unfortunately. I'm pretty isolated - with no transport and no dog sitter!! It would take forever to get to Cardiff and back on public transport.
I hope all goes well at the Norwegian Church however. I will be thinking of you!
Well we've all been very quiet on here! How's everyone getting on? Etsy is ticking over really nicely for me at the moment which is fab cause NOTHS is dead! Still getting set in the house but finally got garden furniture so got to have breakfast in the garden with a bunny running around, it was fab!
Hi All Breakfast with the bunnies sounds good! I had a lunch outside with a puppy nibbling my toes - not my puppy, but very cute!
I'm doing well this month with sales from face to face exhibitions but etsy never been a place to sell for me and I think I may just let the shop run down now as I've got lots to do on the new gallery prep and study!
Hi everyone. I'm glad things are ticking along here for you Sarah-Jane. I have found it to be pretty dead recently. For some unknown reason, I seem to have lost a large proportion of my US customers. This has been going on for months now and there is no sign of them returning! As a matter of interest, where are most of your customers coming from? UK? US? I wonder why NOTHS is dead. They seem to do lots of advertising. Perhaps there is just more competition there.
I'm pleased the exhibitions are going well Gayle. Just as long as you are selling ... somewhere!!
I always used to love hot weather years ago but find myself flagging now. Must be my age!! I tend to wait until the evening before venturing out. I take my dogs swimming in the sea. They love it - real water nymphs!
Yep I've not had many US sales either, the UK and EU stuff has really stepped up though, mostly wedding rings though. NOTHS picked up a little this week, but nothing major.
This heat is killing me! At least this evening feels a little cooler!
Afternoon all :) It looks like the hot weather as finally broken and I have to say it's nice to feel some coolness.
Sorry for my long absence. It's been very hectic all round really. We've not long got back from France and since then I've been helping Laura catch up with orders.
Funny what you say about US sales. I was looking at our stats yesterday and for the last two months we have had more UK orders than US. I need to check back further to see if that is a growing trend really.
Glad you're settling into your new house Sarah-Jane.
I can see from FB that you've been very busy with exhibitions and the gallery Gayle :)
I haven't been walking the dogs much in this heat Rosemary. It was way too hot for them in France and it hasn't really got any better since we've been home. They would love the sea though. I was really surprised the other day to see a man jogging down the road with a young spaniel on a lead running beside him! Right at the hottest part of the day!! Some people are just stupid :(
sales have been slow for me too....I suppose it is usual during the summer....thank goodness for the auction site which is keeping me going......hope everyone is getting sales and enjoying the nice weather.
Glad to hear that everyone OK - I can't join in the discussion about UK and US sales as I don't get much of either on this site - but as Brenda says thatnk goodness for the auctions! It has been a little quieter online but as we had 2 exhibitions and with the gallery in our sights it's been manic and sales of original art are going very well- I hope I've hit my stride now and that this won't stop! We need the money to flow in as the cost of taking on and renovating the library makes the cash flow out the other side pretty quickly - and we aren't even in there yet! I'm leaving Etsy to bob along for now - but hope to be back now an dthen to catch up on all your news! Cheers Gayle
How are you all doing? Enjoying this summer weather?
I'm pleased that things are going well for you off etsy Gayle. And I hope you are now snuggly ensconced in your new home Sarah-Jane
Sales have been very slow - and seem to come in clusters (I don't know what's up with that - all the endless etsy testing no doubt!) I am having to spend much of my time over at ebay in order to get the bills paid (yes, where would we be without it Brenda, I dread to think!) But I pop into etsy whenever I can. Hopefully things will pick up in the Autumn, fingers crossed. With a bit of luck etsy will have stopped the testing by then. It sometimes feels as though etsy throws us all into confusion for 9 months of the year - just so they can experiment with how they are going to display things for the remaining 3 months! Aaaaagh!!
Hey guys, I've been living the life the past while running off to yoga festivals and retreats, time to get back to serious work though now! Sales have been pretty slow last few weeks but got a few bits over the weekend so hopefully a few will start to trickle in, got a few new products to get photos and listings done in the next few days go go go and really really wanna get my taxes done before silly season starts!
Hi Hope everyone doing well and that sales are picking up! SJ - Looking forward to seeing the new work!
Gallery...hmmm...only just got the draft contract through and is with our solicitors now ( that took 8 weeks! wow!) so hope to get that all checked and agreed quickly but probably looking at end of September at least before we even get the keys! Frustrating but nothing I can do about it.
Given how long buying the house took, ye that sounds about right! Bloody solicitors!
Hoping to buy a bike tomorrow! Would make my life a hell of a lot easier! Sooo many options though, going to see a second hand one that I think might do the job, they're not bloody cheap things!
HI ALL Hope things good with you folks - it's been busy off Etsy but I've just relisted a few things... SJ- Saw your bike online - looks cool! Mine's a mountain bike so not really for the roads but will have to use it soon as I'm selling my smarty!
Hope all you peeps getting lots of sales - wonder if the NATO lot will be buying gifts for taking home?? Gx
Ye I don't think NATO will be buying anything, just shutting down the city! Have you been in there lately? There were police patrolling the museum on Sat! It's insane!
Yes we got caught up in the NATO lock down - and Newport sounds a lot worse! Lots of helicopters and police cars screaming around Cardiff on Tuesday - think that means the place is going to be quiet for the shops.
Can I ask folks - I've re jigged some of my mug listings to include coasters - would you be more likely to buy a mug for a gift with a coaster ? Or am I wasting my time re-jigging? Ta Gayle
I think the mug/coaster idea works, but offer the option to buy them separately too and include links to the set within the listings and see which sells? Cheap to put a listing up here anyway and the more you have the more likely to get sales.
It's gone pretty quiet here again though :(
Got a bunch of photos to edit and can't be arsed! I hate photos! Also started my taxes, ick! But wanna get it done before October.
Thanks cwtchy & SJ! I need to cross reference my listings...and offer just mug...will get on that- thank you for the help!
I too have lots of photos to enhance crop and generally spend hours on! When I'm rich and famous I'll get a pro to do it :) hope sales start picking up now! Gayle
waving back Gayle....sales have been dire lately....thank goodness for the auction site where I sell loads... Hope everyone else is getting some sales.
Hi all. How are you all doing? Welcome to the team Sarah. Good to see you here. Lovely shop!
You can say that again Brenda. Sales have been dire. I have been spending most of my time over on the other 'e' site too. Online selling is pretty much my only income now so I have been a bit panic stricken about just how bad things have got here. I was hoping that they would have stopped all the testing by now - we are starting the home run to Christmas.
I like the silhouette pendant Sarah-Jane That's a great idea. You have to always try keeping one step ahead!
I have just photographed a load of new stock but can't decide to list it here or elsewhere. I just wish etsy was more dependable for sales. It's such a roller coaster!
Now that I'm back online more I hope to speak to you all again soon. Rosemary X
