earn an income | Outside The Lines

The past few years have been tough on the economy as well as on individual incomes. Because of the unstable job market, more and more people these days are turning to self-employment. Being your own boss and setting your own hours are not the only perks that come with being self-employed — having and decorating a home office is equally fun and rewarding. Your home office should inspire peace and tranquility, but should also be a place where creativity abounds. Does your home office need a makeover?

Did you know that you can decorate your home office to inspire creativity? It’s true. Consider the following color chart to decide what shades to paint and accessorize your office with:

Cools — If your job requires a great deal of mental clarity, try painting your office walls a cool shade. Blue should especially foster concentration. Sage is cool in hue as well as trendy, and would be a great choice for someone who desires a fashionable haven of clarity.

Earth tones — Do you need a sense of calm in your home office? How about an increased sense of organization? Consider an earth tone. Examples include white, deep grey, and hot chocolate. Earth-toned walls lend themselves perfectly to bright and cheery accessories (pillows, chairs, pictures, etc.).

Upbeat shades — Does your job require you to be constantly upbeat and in a good mood? If yes, an energizing shade would be best for your home office. Red is the definitive bold color that is known for getting blood pumping. You might also want to consider unusual color combinations, such as raspberry and turquoise or lemon and robin’s egg blue.

It’s amazing the impact color can have on a room, and the effect a well-decorated home office can have on a person’s creativity and efficiency. If you’ve had trouble coming up with fresh ideas and innovations, consider making over your home office. You never know what impressive results will follow.

How is your home office decorated? Has it inspired creative ideas in you? Share with us by commenting on this Segmation blog post.

Sources:

http://www.latimes.com/custompublishing/decorating-advice/chishop-picking-a-home-office-wall-color-20120323,0,3881708.story

http://colorchats.benjaminmoore.com/2012/04/the-best-colors-for-a-home-office/

If you enjoyed this Segmation blog post, you are sure to love:

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— Frans Hals — Dutch Portrait Painter

https://segmation.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/frans-hals-dutch-portrait-painter/

— Gerard ter Borch’s Art Elevated Him to Nobility

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American artist Janet Farthing sells her paintings online! "Ireland" is SOLD!

Do you consider yourself an artist? Have you ever wondered if anyone would buy your art work? Are you interested in turning your passion into profit?

There is no better time to share your gift with the world. The internet makes it easier than ever to promote your masterpieces and earn an income.

One easy way to do this is by starting an online shop on Etsy or Ebay. Since it is free to start your own Etsy shop online (as it is with Ebay) and since Etsy is “the online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade,” let’s go over some quick tips that will guide you through starting your very own Etsy shop:

First, know what you can sell on Etsy: Vintage items (twenty or more years old), crafting supplies (handmade or commercial), and products that you have handmade. For a more in-depth look at exactly what you may sell on Etsy, visit http://www.etsy.com/help/article/147.
To get started, you must sign up for an Etsy account; follow this link to do that https://www.etsy.com/join.
Once you have an account with Etsy, you will need to register as a seller. For instructions, see http://www.etsy.com/help/article/125.
“When you sign up to be a seller, you’ll get your own easy-to-use online shop. You can customize it with a banner, fill out a profile and set your shop policies.” For instructions on setting up your Etsy shop, see http://www.etsy.com/help/article/246. This step should be fun! Use your imagination and your Etsy shop to express who you are.
Once you have your Etsy shop, you will need to list your items. For step by step instructions on creating listings, visit http://www.etsy.com/help/article/187. It helps very much to have a camera and to add pictures of your items. If you don’t have these resources, perhaps a friend is willing to help. For use of its website, Etsy charges a small fee on each sold item; to read about these fees, visit http://www.etsy.com/sell/fees.

Below are some very helpful links for creating a successful online business:

-Tips for making a great, buyable product: http://littleput.typepad.com/me/2008/01/tip-2-make-a-gr.html

-Choosing an Etsy name (you may want to read this before registering for an Etsy account): http://www.piddix.com/your-etsy-name.htm and http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2008/shop-makeover-series-whats-in-a-name/.

-Making a banner for your Etsy shop- http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2007/skill-share-making-a-banner/.

–http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2008/a-beginners-guide-to-starting-a-shop-on-etsy/ is packed with links on subjects such as creating your profile, pricing, budgeting, shipping, shop policies, photographing your product, your first sale, promoting your shop, and more. This is a wonderful all-in-one resource link!

Whether you are a seasoned artist or just getting started, chances are you may have a wonderful, artful, handmade product others would love to buy. Today may be the perfect day to take a step toward selling your product and earning extra income from your talents!

If you choose to start an online shop, will you leave us a comment and let us know how things are going for you?

Image made available by janet_farthing on Flickr through Creative Common License

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