Tag Archives: Etsy

How to turn your Passion into Profit

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:

  1. 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.
  2. To get started, you must sign up for an Etsy account; follow this link to do that https://www.etsy.com/join.
  3. 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.
  4. “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.
  5. 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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Do Not Disturb Signs: Putting a Sweet Twist on a Clear Message

Do Not Disturb

The words, “Do Not Disturb” have never sounded so sweet, or looked so unique.

Hotels and other lodging destinations are becoming more creative about how they approach this straight-forward message. And they aren’t the only ones; these signs are no longer exclusive to places where people rest their heads for a night or two. Artistic versions of these signs are appearing everywhere. Specialty shops, Ebay, and even Etsy has entire art sections dedicated to putting a sweet twist on the universal thought — leave me alone!

Wackiest Hotel Do-Not-Disturb Signs

Le Parker Meridien in New York

While these signs make some chuckle, to others they are tools for marketing. There is even one man who has made collecting a hobby of collecting this signage. Edoardo Flores, is a retired civil servant from Italy. He has the largest collection and online database of “Do Not Disturb” signs. On his website, he states how his addiction collection “started by chance with a ‘do not disturb’ sign taken as a souvenir from a hotel in Pakistan.” He continues to say that his collection is inching close to 6,800 signs from over 180 countries. He still collects these souvenirs and is happy to talk to anyone who shares his interest, or has come across a classic door sign. You can e-mail Edoardo at dndcollector@gmail.com. Also, peruse through much of the  “Do Not Disturb” sign collection on his Flickr account.

Do Not Disturb

The Dylan in Dublin Ireland

Traditionally, a “Do Not Disturb” sign has been placed on the doorknob to let others know they should not enter. This is why they are most often seen in hotels or locations of public lodging. It is a nice way to let staff members, like housekeeping, know that they are not to enter a guest’s domain. In some hotels, rather than having a “Do Not Disturb” sign, they have a “Make Up the Room” sign, or a “Privacy Please” note to inform staff they are not to enter.

Another polite approach to granting or refusing one access is to apply a little creativity to the message. Hotels all over the world have use this technique to advance the straight-forward message with subtlety. In 2008, Embassy Suites held a contest to see who would soften the “Do Not Disturb” message by adding some humor. Over 7,000 people submitted ideas. The following 3 slogans won:


For some time now, creative slogans and artistic designs have been used to soften the straight-forward message, “Do Not Disturb.” If you want to see an endless arrangement of these creative techniques, view ABC News Travel Special called, “Do Not Disturb Me!!!

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