Train

Did you know that cats can be trained? Even if it's only to use the litter box.

Mister (5) made this lovely and very light picture of a train car for this week's theme. He had a blast with his first try at using a compass.

What a novel idea...artwork on what was once my art blog. I have been thinking a lot this week about how "arting", as Mister puts it, has somehow disappeared from our life in the last year. It was gradual and that may be the reason we didn't notice it. So today we are back to illustrationfriday.com for the weekly art challenge.

I forgot how wonderful it feels to just draw. My mind is completely focused when I draw, something I have not had for a while now. I have started to think about it a lot this week. I have been thinking about my Etsy shop as well. Before you think to yourself, "Oh, yes, The Crazy Elephant is a fantastic little pad shop and is providing an ecological choice for women all over the world," that is not the shop I am talking about. If you did not know that this blog was originally started as an art blog, you may also not know that my first start on Etsy was an art shop.

It is a funny thing how other parts of our life sort of take over and some of your favorite things can suddenly be gone. This has been happening to me. I have gotten so focused on homeschooling, homemaking, and missions information that all else has gone by the wayside. It is probably the reason I am becoming a frazzled mess. I some how removed all the fun from my life and started hyper focusing on the things I previously listed. I can tell you it is driving my family nuts and needs to be put to a stop!

I prayed and prayed to know what I needed. Bible reading wasn't doing it, not changing anything wasn't doing it, art is the missing link for me. I never realized how important it is to me till now. It clears my head and helps me to go into other activities with purpose and focus. It is so hard to read and study my Bible when my mind is spinning with other things I need to do. I need a pencil in my hand so that I can use that focus to come closer to my awesome God!

What about that shop I mentioned? I started The Crazy Elephant as a way to support my art. Instead it took over all my time and energy and I sadly dropped the art shop. About 2 years ago I did a huge crayon roll custom order for a birthday party and as I looked at the party pack that was coordinating the rolls, I thought how I would love to do that. Well, that has obviously gone on the back burner, after 2 years you would think it would have burnt by now.

Out of the blue on Monday I woke up thinking about it. It was the only thing I could think about and when I went online to edit a listing at The Crazy Elephant, I saw they set up, this week, the ability to put downloadable files in the listing. To put it simply, the customer can download their files directly from Etsy when they purchase a computer file. That was exactly what I needed to be able to sell printable party packs efficiently whether here, or on mission.

I am still planning things out and of course I have a lot of art to catch up on before I open up said shop. I also have to figure out a name. I am planning to do printable party packs that would include invites, bunting, cupcake toppers, ect. Right now I am thinking something along the lines of Bubble Prints, but I really have no idea at this point. I do know that I am planning to do giveaways as I get the sets together so I can get some feedback and word of mouth started. In the meantime, I'm off to make some art!

Peasant Dress

I got this pattern from The Scientific Seamstress on Etsy! I thought it would be nice to do a review. I got the PDF file for the pattern very quickly, I like that. The instructions are quite long (35 pages) but they are very thorough. There are step by step instructions with pictures all along the way. It was so easy to follow that I whipped through the whole process in a few short hours. I really liked the way the dress turned out! You can print the pieces for any size too. I used vintage fabric from my grand mother and got many compliments when I wore it to church for mother's day. I would definitely look there first the next time I am on the hunt for a pattern.

You can find the pattern here: etsy.com/shop/scientificseamstress

Fischer Images Introduction

I love a new etsy shop and today I am going to feature one! Fischer Images is run by Linda Fischer (my aunt) and is full of stunning photography. Below are some of my favorites. I will let the artwork speak for itself today and leave you with the link to her shop: fischerimages.etsy.com

Great nature pics of flowers and birds!

Gotta love the playful shots!

Lots of interesting still lifes and abstract work!

Advice to an Etsy Newbie

I have helped a number of people get their Esty start over the last year. I love helping people get started. It just feels good knowing that I am doing something for someone else. I had another contact today about getting help starting up and thought it was high time to do a post for everyone with some great starting out advise. Here are the answers to some of the questions I get the most...

How long does it take to get sales?

It depends, on a lot! Don't expect to take off right away. Some shops get going quickly and some are slow going for a while. It took me about 3 weeks to get my first sale and about 3 months before the first sale from someone I didn't know. My sales didn't truly take off till I stopped working to be a stay at home mom and they have grown quite a bit since. My advise for gaining sales is to work hard. You will get out of it what you put into it. If you aren't working you aren't selling. I was down and out with a cold for a week this month and my sales plummeted only to be regained when I came back full force. It takes a lot of work, so don't think you are signing up for the easy life.

How does one get the shipping price correct?

Serious trial and error. I have changed my shipping prices several times over the the nearly 3 years years ago. It depends on how the items are packaged,what they weigh, and where they are going. It is definitely worth making the effort to place international prices too. It is so much easier than you would think and it is just fun to ship all over the world.

How long did it take for you to feel that your etsy business was making a decent profit?
For me it was in January, this year, after 2 1/2 years of work. Something clicked for our shop and we are just keeping it going. Just make sure your items are priced competitively while still leaving a profit margin. This is another trial and error area.

How do you get traffic?

Well, if you are reading this, you know one way. I use my blog, Facebook, Twitter (linked to my FB), and pintrest to spread the word. I am also a member of a handful of fantastic teams. Treasuries are great too. This is where a good portion of the work comes in. Etsy is great for search, but being able to truly connect with your customers is wonderful. They will let you know what they like and what they want and they will be able to see the new things you have in stock and sales that you are running.

One last tip is about listings. Use all 5 of your photos if possible. Make sure your photos are amazing! They are what is going to sell your item. I just started using fotofuze.com to get that super white background and it helps so much. Make sure you have an interesting description and as many tags as you can think of. You can put 3 words in each tag and each of them will work separately in searches.

That is about all I can think of at the moment. I love to help, so feel free to ask more questions or share your own advise!

Discontinuing

It happens every so often, something has to be discontinued. I have spent a lot of time tracking my sales and what is being sold. It is important to me so that I can spend more time working on the items everyone loves and not waste time on the ones that are less popular. So, below are the lines that are going by the wayside. Once the listings expire, they won't be back (except at live shows). So, if you have been eyeing one of these item categories, you should get them before they are gone!

Burp Cloths

Owie Fixers

Mini Crayon Rolls



You can click the links under each picture to take a peek at what there is, or stock up before they are gone. I am still completely open to doing these items as custom orders any time. You can drop me a line in my etsy shop thecrazyelephantboutique.com

Holiday Approaches

Owie Fixer from The Crazy Elephant Boutique

The Etsy holiday bootcamp starts today. It is bound to be a very busy time for the Crazy Elephant. This is the first year that I will be able to focus on our shop for the holidays. I have been in retail for the last 10 or so holiday seasons and being away from that will be a breath of fresh air. My main goal this year is to see what traffic and sales are like this year so I have an idea of what to plan for and anticipate in the coming years. It is more of an experimental time than anything. I am working on building up my inventory and getting my shop nice and full. The only problem, and it's a good problem, is that people keep buying the listings as fast as I list them. I clearly need to start listing more. I am planning to launch my pad line in October. I know it is something that many have been looking forward to. As always you can expect great customer service and quick shipping from The Crazy Elephant. We are still taking custom orders. We did several sock monkey hats for christmas last year. Make sure to place your custom orders early though, as they are all hand made and you want to get them in time for your holiday celebration.

What are your goals this holiday?

The New Mystery Item

As comfy as the liners

I have been asked so many times by so many people to expand from just pantyliners to pads as well in my Mommy Essentials line. Well, your requests have not fallen on deaf ears! I spent months researching designs and thinking about what I wanted for myself as well. This is the design I ultimately came up with. It is quite similar to the pantyliners I currently make, and one of my best selling lines I might add. I have worn them and they are so comfortable. I have not had a chance to "properly" test them yet. I made them so that they are longer than disposable pads giving a much more secure feel for night time wear. I slimmed down the original design as they were a little wide. These pads are made the same way as the liners but with a fluffy terry cloth center. These won't be in shop till I feel the have had a thorough test. They are coming though and I will let everyone know when they are ready to order!



Prints like this make monthly visitors a little more fun



A Cute New Shop



Halloween Tutu Set

 Tutu cute that is! Bethanie's Boutique: Too Tutu Cute is simply adorable! Her tutu sets have great color combos and are well made. The sets come with the tutu, shirt/onesie, and a matching head band bow. She is just getting started, but her goodies are so sweet it makes me yearn for a girl to put them in. Make sure to check out her shop and stop back often because she has many new items in store!

Her etsy page: http://www.tootutucute.etsy.com/

And facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bethanies-Boutique-Too-Tutu-Cute/271900402836430

TCE August Preview

It is a big month for The Crazy Elephant Boutique! This month is our 2nd birthday. Today I am going to give you a preview of what the month has in store.

Our Line - I have created a new line and I will be launching it tomorrow! We have also done some price changes. I have done them already and for the items we have in our shops currently there was only one item that went up. The big deal though is the drop in the price of our lunch packs, perfect with back to school shopping under way.

Live Shows - We have 3 shows coming up this month. The details of each are below...

Rolling Stone Days

August 6th 9am-3pm

At the Park

Rolling Stone, MN

Rolling Stone Days

August 7th 11am-4pm

At the park

Rolling Stone, MN

Zumbrota Block Party

August 18th 5pm-8pm

On the main drag

Zumbrota, MN

Our shops will be closed online during the events, so plan accordingly.

Big Sale - Our actual birthday is on the 20th. We will be running a 3 day sale from roughly 8am on the 19th to 8am on the 22nd. I will give more info on that the day before the sale starts. It will be worth stopping by though!

I am so excited to share our TCE birthday with all of you! So, to start off the month, what is your favorite TCE item?

http://thecrazyelephantboutique.com

Come Rate Us

I invite you all to come rate our team! I have my airplane lunch pack set and my felt car roll in the list. I would love to see how they are rated : )

Making Goals

What a let down, and on my birthday too...But you know what they say, when life gives you lemons, turn them into hope and ambition!

That is what I am feeling right now and I have made a list of goals for myself to help me make The Crazy Elephant a hopping joint. I want to do well, and I know that means working as hard as I want to do well. I thought I would share my goals with all of you. It helps to get them out of my head and maybe it will help my fellow shop owners with ideas for their own shops.

*List/renew 1 item each day on at least 1 of my TCE sites

*List 1 new item per week on my art page

*Do 1 collection/treasury a week alternating between the 3 shops

*Blog at least 3 times per week (1 about treasury/collection, 1 for illustration friday, and 1 about whatever else is going on.)

*Keep my facebook pages updated

*Get more involved with each of my teams

We Broke 100!

This week we broke 100 sales! It is also my golden birthday on the 28th. To thank all of my wonderful readers and buyers, I am giving you this FANTASTIC deal! Till Mother's day, you can save 28% in both our shops! Just use this code: GOLDEN28MB

This special is for a limited time, so get in while you can! It is for listed items only!

Artfire: http://thecrazyelephantboutique.com

Etsy: http://thecrazyelephant.etsy.com

Organize!

I have spent 2 days on this and I finally have it complete. I wanted to get The Crazy Elephant organized, and this is working awesome! It is super easy to make. All you need is a ruler, a notebook, and something to write with. I have a page for each kind of product I sell. Let me walk you through the sections...

Sold - This is where I can mark off sold items during shows. It makes it easier to make sure I don't have listings online that have already been sold. It will also give me a visual of what items sell best and what colors are most popular.

Item Description - This is where I describe the color or item in general.

Qty - This is where I put the amount that I actually have made, not how many I have supplies for or have cut out.

On Artfire - This is where I mark how many I currently have listed on Artfire.

On Etsy - This is where I put the amount I have listed on Etsy for that item.

To Be Listed - This is where I mark how many of that Item I need to list and where.

Everything in my chart is written in pencil so I can change it as I get the listings put in or make a sale. I can add new items as I make them and mark them off as they get listed. It is going to be so much easier to keep track of everything and I will be putting my notebook in the Crazy Elephant section of my Homemakers Journal, which I may be doing a separate post on.

April Etsykids Challenge

This is my entry for this month's etsy kids challenge! The topic this month is Autism Awareness. I knew right away that I was going for a crayon roll. I am really happy with how it turned out too. You can find it in our Etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/62005608/delux-puzzle-piece-crayon-roll-crayon