Loose Wire Studio

Storque Linked. Etsy Statistics Coming!!!

2008-12-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

Sweet! I sure wish there was a way to know when Etsy featured us in the Storque. Currently, it's luck to run across an item. Statistics would help us determine this.

Ironically, this Storque article about Etsy Statistics forthcoming is how I found out that I have my spreadsheet featured. :) Ha ha! How funny!

Weekly Topics Pulled From FAQs

2008-12-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

*gasp* Yes, the blog lives. And since a couple of parts really live, I thought I'd expand on the helpful portions.

The FAQs is one of the most popular pages, as is the Links page, so I'm going to pick out parts of those to discuss a bit more.

Which parts would you like to learn more about? Do you have any additions? Leave a comment here if you do.

(I have to work long shifts the next few days, but check back for the expanded version...)

Thanks!

Loosewire

Fallout Art Fest - July 19th - Minneapolis

2008-07-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

Come see me on Saturday! :)

Fri July 18: Indie Film Fest: 7pm. Saturday July 19: noon-10pm
Come be part of our block party/art extravaganza! The Art Fest features indoor and outdoor music stages, an indoor art gallery, and interactive art booths.

The Art Fest is on the 2600 block of Stevens Ave S and 2nd Ave S (near MCAD and the MIA).

4 stages indoor/outdoor stages, Interactive art booths, Gallery, Drum Jams, Free Food, Kids Activities, 30 bands/performers & 50+ young and local artists, 2,000 attended & took part in the unique atmosphere of interactive stations, workshops, art displays, & performances.

So long, Etsy. (For now.)

2008-06-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

So, what has Etsy meant to me? It's meant a place to sell my art. It has meant being able to participate in a community of like-minded artists, and some not so like-minded. :) It's meant learning a LOT and then sharing that with others. It has meant growing to know some pretty spectacular people. Oh, and it has meant addiction.

Yep, addiction. My personality type is a helper, a mediator. I'm an INFP/INFJ and a 9w1, Myers-Briggs and Enneagram respectively. Recently, for a new job, I tested quite high in customer service skills. In past jobs, I've been a techie, helping via phone and in person. And a software analyst. So along come the Etsy Forums. Lots of people have questions. I either know or have learned the answers. So I share. I gather information of oft asked questions and chart. I make note of answers not in the Help section and links touted but not on the site. I read and learn and write and teach. This is such a big part of what Etsy is about. It's a great part. Great.

Great. Yeah. At 10,000 topics posted in, I am generously asked to write a Storque article. Wow! Threads are posted asking how many topics people have posted in and I always "win".

Well, at 16,340 I decide I need to step away for a while. I tried to just step away from the forums, but going to my shop led me back in. So now I shut down my shop for a while to assist in breaking what feels like an addiction. If I got paid for it, I would feel differently, but it doesn't pay the bills and has become a black hole for my time. Oh, I LOVE it and it feels so rewarding to me, but I need to pay more attention to the rest of my life for a while.

So, I'm starting a new full-time job soon and will be focusing on craft and art fairs. Maybe now I'll take the time to get my work into more Brick and Mortar (B&M) stores. (Learned that on Etsy.) Maybe I'll check out some of the other sites more thoroughly, though I know they pale in comparison to Etsy. Maybe I'll build a stronger connection with more of my friends. Ah... saying this makes me realize I will miss the friends I've made on Etsy.

So, wish me luck. I wish you luck, prosperity and all the goodness life has to offer. We all deserve this.

Remember to keep Etsy kind and generous. Don't let the nay sayers take over! In one of my last posts, I said this and I fully believe it:

"I think it's more of a challenge to be truly compassionate in life than to go around ranting about the wrongs of the world.

Both can be effective, but the experience is wholly different."

(You know I'll be back...)

Saturday Sale - Recurring!

2008-06-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of SNS (Saturday Night Specials), I'm going to start a Saturday sale. Since I am now working a job on Saturdays and am unable to effectively participate in SNS, I'm going to have a recurring sale this day on my own. :)

Each Saturday, look for the item that will be on sale. Or items. Occasionally, I'll have a full shop sale, but this will be rare.

This week, I'll have one of my more popular items, my Copper Hammered Domes. They come with a solid sterling earwire. These are cut, hammered and formed by me from a large piece of copper.

Sale runs from Midnight to Midnight, EDT. (Etsy time.)

Etsy Helpful Links - Not Found Via Etsy (and now may be out of date)

2008-06-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD AND QUITE OUT OF DATE! There may be something to learn here, but much of it is no longer valid. Please check or ask in the Forums for more recent links. Things are a changin'! :) Thanks! I guess this has become a bit of historical reference.
************************************************************************

Thanks to all of you who contributed to the list in this forums thread:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://etsywiki.com/ Accumulated wisdom from seasoned sellers.
http://etsytreasurydemo.blogspot.com/ Treasury tutorial.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_west.php Test Treasury.
http://www.etsy.com/poster_sketch.php Prepare a treasury.
http://www.etsy.com/tag_fractal.php Tag Fractal Etsy Search. Cool!
http://team.etsy.com/downloads.html The old Resources page, which has the postcards.
http://team.etsy.com/images/jellibig.jpeg One more postcard from Jellibat. (Thanks!)
http://fix.etsy.com/ Where to go if Etsy is down.

http://majaba.org/heartomatic See hearts and views in one place. By Juln.etsy.com.
http://bestysearch.com/ Lots of other ways to search Etsy.

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now Secret Paypal shipping link.
http://etsy.ppcalc.com/ Fees calculators.
http://checkout.google.com/ Alternate payment option.
http://www.propay.com/?refid=ETSYOLCM Propay discount link. Alternate payment and means to take credit cards at fairs.

http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage
http://www.geocities.com/vlhester/index.html TheBeadingTree's international rate chart.
http://www.shelfmasters.com/InternationalRateChart.aspx International Postage rate chart. (Has not been updated.)

http://www.thumbalizr.com/ Cross platform means to screen shots.
http://www.superscreenshot.com/ Another screen shot capture. (thanks hippyofdoom)
http://tinyurl.com/ Make long links short.
http://tools.oratory.com/altcodes.html How to make those little characters.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/ Conversions.
http://picnik.com/ Pic site.
http://webresizer.com/
http://www.primopdf.com/ Convert any document to a PDF!
http://chris-parry.blogspot.com/search/label/Pricing
http://etsyforeveryone.typepad.com/my_weblog/graphics/index.html How to make your own banner. And lots more!

http://www.weloveetsy.com/shops We love etsy shops directory.
mini blogs:
http://etsymini.blogspot.com/
http://etsyminisupplies.blogspot.com/

Gift Certificate knowledge:
http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_financial_services/003889.html Consumer's Union
http://www.rimmkaufman.com/content/brannlawgiftcertchart.pdf PDF document chart
http://www.naag.org/ag/full_ag_table.php You can also check out your attorney general's website

Business:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/business.shtm Labeling requirements for cloth goods, info about selling jewelry, including appropriate wording to use for silver vs silver-colored jewelry...

Red Hot Art Festival Matchboxes

2008-05-20T05:16:00.001-07:00

So cool! My next festival uses matchboxes to get the word out on the street. :)

The Red Hot Art Festival happens annually in Stevens Square Park. In its seventh year, it offers local, emerging artists the opportunity to display and sell their work in a community-based environment. Red Hot Art’s mission is to celebrate the artistic diversity and urban vibrancy of Minneapolis and the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood. This year the festival will be taking place Saturday, May 31st (11am-7pm) and Sunday, June 1st (11am-5pm), and will be hosting a kick-off party and gallery show at Stevens Square Center for the Arts on Friday, May 30th (7pm-11pm).

Are You Right or Left Brained?

2008-05-11T23:09:00.001-07:00

You Are 40% Left Brained, 60% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Etsy Postcards

2008-05-01T08:20:00.001-07:00

These are not my design, but I'm posting them here in the event they are no longer available on Etsy. Three of them are currently available here: http://team.etsy.com/downloads.html .

It's a link that is not found on Etsy, but used to be.

These are the direct links, which are valid now, anyways:

http://team.etsy.com/images/jellibig.jpeg

http://team.etsy.com/images/monkey.jpg

http://team.etsy.com/images/gadgetbig.jpeg

http://team.etsy.com/images/sneddoniabig.jpg

Rob Head

2008-04-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Rob Kalin! :)

What Days of the Week Are Best For Sales?

2008-03-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

I've updated my spreadsheet that examines your seller Etsy Statement information!
Answers these questions, for your own shop, with NO MANUAL ENTRY of any information.
It uses the information already provided for you by Etsy. Just Copy and Paste.
(Assumes you have and know Excel.)

>What day of the week is better for MY SHOP for sales?

>Do Showcases work?
>Is renewing increasing my sales?
>Does listing new items help sales?
Examines the above questions in $ and # formats.

>How does the overall money I pay a month on Etsy relate to my number of transactions?
--------------------------------
I'm asking for a few testers of this before I offer it in my shop. Just drop me an Etsy convo with your email address and I'll send it your way
Thanks for your help!

Metal Price Calculator

2008-02-26T17:25:00.001-08:00

Metal Price Calculator
Originally uploaded by LooseWireStudio

With the cost of silver what it is, I needed a way to figure the price of what I needed. Here's a snippet of my spreadsheet. What you can't see is also a calculator of how many headpins per foot, how many feet needed based on this. And then the price of sheet metal per inch.

I just plug the current price of metal in to the top and the rest is calculated for me. Or I enter amount of feet desired and the cost is there.

It's saved me a lot of time and questions!

If you'd like a copy of this, just drop a comment here or send me an Etsy conversation with your email address. :)

Riveting Abalone

2008-01-10T23:25:00.001-08:00

Riveting Abalone
Originally uploaded by LooseWireStudio

Over a year ago, I made this design and decided to make a go of it again. There's a lot of work that goes into this prior to bending the tabs and if one of those babies snapped off, all that work would be for naught. It ends up a unique and sturdy design. One of my favs. :)

Examine Your Etsy Billing Information - Cheap!

2008-01-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

This is now available in my shop CHEAP! I began offering it as a PIF, but realized I'd go broke paying .20 with each one. So, it's only a little over a buck!

Instructions for adding your Statement Data to Etsy_Statements_Summarization.xls. From now on, I'll call this the Statements File.
PC Instructions only. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with Mac. This assumes you have Microsoft Excel 95 or greater.

Open your new Statements File,
Login to Etsy
Click on Your Etsy
Under the Money section, click on Your Etsy Bill (https://www.etsy.com/billing_main.php)
Click on the month you wish to begin with. I'll choose Dec 2007
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link "Download this entire montly statement as a CSV file".
You'll receive a choice to Open or Save. Choose Open.
Select OK to any other prompts you may receive until the data opens up in Excel.
Now you should be in Excel, with the data viewable.
Select all of the data. One way is to hold down the Ctrl key, while pressing A.
Copy the data. One way is to hold down the Ctrl key, while pressing C.
Now navigate to the new Statements File.
Click on the Dec tab.
Click on the cell A11 and paste the data. One way is to hold down the Ctrl key, while pressing V.
Voila! The data is automatically totaled on the Dec tab and on the Totals Tab.
Continue on with the other months.

Hope this makes sense. Thanks and have fun!

Stages of a Hammered Silver Cuff

2007-12-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

On a piece of sheet silver, I draw out the design with an ultra fine sharpie. I have some old machinists rulers that I use. Then I lube up my saw blade and get to work. Magnifying lenses are so necessary in this task. The sheet silver is put upon the bench pin and I saw just outside the line drawn. This takes some time. The teeth on the saw blade are so tiny they can't be seen by the naked eye. Well, not mine anyways. :)

After sawing, I take a rough rasp and file down the larger highs and round the corners slightly. I count as I do the corners so they are more uniform. Then I take a finer file and do it all over again. Once more with a diamond file. Then rough sandpaper, then finer and finer grits until the surface is smooth. Looks pretty when done.

Then I move to the bench block and begin hammering the divots. Thousands of them. I always mean to count, but lose track. Hammering does bend the metal and begins to harden it.

When done, I carefully hand bend it a bit to straighten it out. Then I move to my oval bracelet mandrel. It's a heavy hunk of metal. Using my oh-so-cool rawhide mallet, I start to form the shape of the bracelet around the mandrel. At intervals, I make certain the edges are in line. I actually begin at a much smaller size when shaping then, move up to the actual size needed. I've found this is necessary to convince the metal to move.

When done with this, I check the edges for roughness and sand as needed, then steel wool it for a subtle sheen. If a higher shine is desired, a tumble is a good start and then onto rouges. But that's for another post.

Voila! Takes a bit of time, but very satisfying!

Wow! 10,000 Forum Topics I've Posted In. (Etsy)

2007-12-16T16:04:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 14th marked 10,000 Forum Topics Posted in for me. Yikes! My first post was 10-7-06 and the first question I tried to answer was 10-13-07.

This milestone has made me pensive about the Forums and Etsy in general. Most of what I love about Etsy is its community. The people here have been kind and helpful. There are so many Etsians that are willing to answer questions. Sometimes it seems a contest to see who can answer first!

I'm amazed at how generous people are with their wisdom - artistic and business. I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to feel as confident as I do without Etsy. When I went to my first craft fair, I found myself better prepared than some others who had been doing fairs for a while. When I needed to purchase jewelry displays, many people divulged their sources for good suppliers.

So, this wisdom that I've learned I try to share with others. I've captured many screens and have a document with the most asked questions, so I'm quickly prepared to help out. In my real-world jobs, I've been called a mediator, a service-oriented person and a troubleshooter. These skills all help me to help others.

Mostly it feels like I'm hangin' with my coworkers, helping the newbies, sharing knowledge, discussing personal or wordly issue or just playing games. :)

Size Difference Between Mini and Medium Earrings

2007-10-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Even I got confused when I tried to visualize the difference between the sizes while looking at my Etsy listings. When I have them in my hand, the variance is quite evident. So, here photo, to clearly show the difference. Mini size on the left, Medium size on the right. :-)

Ah... finally.

2007-10-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

I feel whole. Like two pieces of me, apart all of my life, are now fused together. Heh heh. Finally, I began to use "the flame" in these Fine Silver babies.

Fine silver is indeed easier to work with than Sterling. I plan on moving over to Argentium after this. It has the hardness and the tarnish resistance. A bit more work than the fine silver. Fine silver costs more, the sterling mixes take more time - both end up probably equal in the end. We'll see where it falls out. Truth is, it probably won't end up anywhere, as I'll keep on learning and growing as an artist.

But dang, this was fun! :)

Woo Hoo! Flame Cometh!

2007-09-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

Finally! A torch! I bought and received one but the solder did not come - backorder. Sheesh! So, very soon, these trees will be seamless. The cold connection used is very adequate, but I'll be happy to be just a bit neater. Stay tuned!

The Things We Can’t Have. A Ponder.

2007-09-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Beyond our reach, like a sunset, so beautiful. Running toward it, taking in its glory. Though we know it won’t last forever, we enjoy it, breathe it in, savor it and when it's gone, still smile.

Like the smell of brownies when on a diet. Is it better to be able to smell their deliciousness or keep the smell at bay? Is it better to have just a crumb, or none at all, knowing you can never have it all?

A walk in a park. Rejuvenating. A temporary joy. Unlikely to be able to live in such a place, yet a pleasure during visit. A fast flowing river, foaming waterfall, mist soaring the spirit. Ah. I leave with a peace and a certainty I will enjoy it again.

A beautiful soul, not fully available. One who causes a part of your soul to ache for what you know could be wonderful. Is it better to enjoy just a part of this beauty, painful as it also is? Euphoria and pain at once.

Why do some temporary joys include only joy, while others have a pain as well? This currently perplexes me. Again.

The Age of Etsians

2007-09-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

I've been kinda having fun with charting the age of Etsians from data accumulated in an Etsy Forums thread.
So, it's been know that the average age is 34, but the graph is even more revealing.

I wonder about the age merely in its relation to how integrated computers are into our lives. I don't think it is a good view of who's crafting and selling. It was 20 years ago when I got my first computer and it only had a dos prompt ( C:\). The younger generation grew up with it as an appendage.

What do you think about it?
---

--> The most current graph.
--> The Forums Thread.

New Work Table! Woot!

2007-09-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

Yay! I got a new worktable. There are two areas in which I work, one for sawing, filing, drilling, big hammering, another for clean assembly, the finishing touches and photography. In the dirty area I was using a workmate and every time I hammered, things would jiggle to the floor. Now I can use the workmate only for the hammering. Sweet. This was greatly in preparation for beginning to use heat. I was going to get a jeweler's specific workbench, but I prefer a bigger work area. So this is it.

Flame should be coming soon! :-)

Want to see comments about what's on it? See here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/1384540142/

Etsians Say The Darnest Things!

2007-09-09T09:19:00.001-07:00

Cool! I found out I was blogged about on "Etsians Say The Darnest Things".
How sweet! Thanks to Abitabite!

Weekly Markets!

2007-09-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

If you live near the Twin Cities of Minnesota, come visit me.
I am outside at the Midtown Farmers Market every Saturday, through October.

I can be found indoors at the Midtown Global Market Tuesdays and Thursdays, until further notice.
They've both been good for me and are great environments. I can't just *sit* there, so I bring work along. I prepare things ahead of time that I can finish off or polish there.

Come visit me and pick up some fresh local veggies while you're at it. :-)

Wow! I feel like I'm finally "there".

2007-08-23T00:03:00.001-07:00

Tonight I find myself in three Treasuries. Though all three of them are wonderful, one in particular caught my attention.

--> I'm in with people I never thought I'd be sided with.
Some truly amazing metalsmiths! Wow! Me? Really? Cool!

Yes, I'm still alive!

2007-06-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Amazing. That's the word I'd used to describe my experience at my last craft fair, Craftstravaganza. It was indoors in the Fine Arts Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. A perfect venue! There were big windows of light in addition to the available spotlights. I had a table a little off the beaten path and I'm glad. The fair was so well organized and promoted that the attendance nearly tripled from the year before. There were 200 people in line waiting for the doors to open. It was elbow to elbow people the whole time.

The crowd and the vendors were so nice. Etsy was there, with Vanessa promoting and greeting. It was nice to put a real face to a name.

This was only my second craft fair and I consider it a great success. I more than doubled the money I made at my first one. I had made a LOT of mazes in different metals and sold every single one. Everyone "wow"ed about them. Made me feel good. One older woman pulled me to the side and said, "You're not a crafter. You're more of an artist." How sweet! If I learned anything, it's to bring more stock.

Sterling Wire Pearl Cages with Galvanized Metal

2007-04-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's the stuff that heating ducts are made out of. :-) They have a unique look and feel and are light weight on the ear. I used Argentium Sterling Silver wire due to the nature of the cage. (See post below about Argentium.) It would be a bear to try to polish regular sterling and this will maintain its shine!

The pearl and cage have an opposite feel. The gentleness of the pearl versus the stoic wire. Or is the wire protecting the pearl?

Not sure how many more of these I will make as the galvanized metal is really hard on my tools. It dulls them so quickly. This pair currently exists in my Etsy store.

Reversible Circles Pendant

2007-03-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

This simple pendant took a couple of prototypes to make. It's reversible, with copper dominating one side and aluminum, as pictured, dominating the other. I punched out and shaped the circles, hand drilled the holes, then sawed copper wire to hammer into rivets. Takes a bit of time, but with each one I am faster.

As simple as it appears, it holds great meaning for me. It is symbolic of an internal healing circle I have been developing. The circle has three parts: Nurturing, Protective, Spiritual. You decide which part is the largest for you... I've sold several of these. Each of them holds a bit of me.

Maze of Options

2007-03-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in my psyche is a maze of ideas about, well, mazes. Or cages. To play with wire, metals and natural materials in such a way that it creates unique dimensions. Think air, suspension, three dimensions, light, surprise. Wire and metal may capture, suspend, hide or highlight natural materials in unexpected ways.

This Copper Mabe Maze is one such idea. I've also made it in a smooth aluminum and plan on making more. I constantly see out unusual focal pieces to use in these ideas.

When you think of this, what do you envision?

Using Argentium Silver

2007-03-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Sterling silver. No more tarnish. No more buying special polishing cloths to clean with. No more blackened fingers. Can you imagine? It can be true with Argentium Sterling Silver as it is highly tarnish-resistant. How? Well, "regular" sterling silver is 92.5% silver with copper as the additional 7.5% alloy. With Argentium silver, part of the copper is replaced with germanium. Voila!

In my newer jewelry pieces you will find Argentium Sterling silver. I think it's worth the slight extra cost. The piece in my previous post and this one are both made with Argentium. Especially where I use wire that is hard to access and polish, I think it's important.

For further information, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentium_sterling_silver and http://argentiumsilver.com/ .

==============================================

Fine Silver: 99.9% Silver. Will tarnish, but more slowly. Not very hard, so not good for earwires.

Argentium Sterling Silver. 92/5% Silver, with 7.5% alloy and a touch of germanium to make it tarnish resistant.

Sterling Silver: 92/5% Silver, with 7.5% alloy. Alloy is typically copper and is added for strength, but is also what causes it to tarnish more quickly.

Silver filled: Has 100x more silver than silver plated. There are currently no laws governing what this means, so it can differ by manufacturer. Gold-filled does have rules regarding it, though. Filled should mean that it is not likely to chip or wear off. Can be a good alternative to the cost of solid sterling and a higher quality choice than plated.

Silver plated: Typically copper or brass, with a coating of silver. (Not sterling silver.) Cheaper alternative, but can wear or chip off.

Silver toned: Has no silver in it at all. Cheapest choice. Could be any kind of silver metal.

As you go up the list above, the likelihood for having an allergic reaction to the metal decreases.

I typically use Argentium, Solid Sterling Silver, Fine Silver and sometimes Silver Plated. I always specify.

New To Blogging!

2007-03-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my blog! For the longest time I thought I was too old for this. But I just decided it would be a good motivator for my jewelry making/metal work as well as my business in general.

A little about me...
I live in Minneapolis Minnesota with my little long haired Dachshund Lillie (nickname Stinky) and little grey farm kitty Lucy. We live and studio in the second floor of an old stucco house. It's warm, safe and a good place to work. My day job is as a Technical Analyst, but that's not very creative. Creating my jewelry has been a wonderful outlet for me.

I love to work with my hands where there is a mix of creative and technical. I prefer metal in my work as well as semi-precious or precious gemstones. Other types of materials do find their way into my pieces as they develop. My intellect plays little part in my creations, as they often just develop as I'm working. The inspiration comes from elsewhere. It's fascinating at times to me.

LooseWireStudio's FAQ Cheat Sheet - Divulged! :) (And out of date)

2005-02-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

THIS IS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD AND QUITE OUT OF DATE! There may be something to learn here, but much of it is no longer valid. Please check or ask in the Forums if you have any questions. Things are a changin'! :) Thanks!
************************************************************************
This is just my rough text document of snippets of Etsy knowledge. My cheat sheet to assisting in the forums. Some my words, much more from others. Someday I'll organize it into sections. Until then, Ctrl+F. :) You're welcome to use this. Etsy is all about sharing knowledge. I only ask that you reference it, so that others can find it as well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To learn about the Showcase, see here:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/howTos/article/how-to-make-a-treasury-the-nuts-and-bolts/688/
http://www.etsy.com/showcase_gateway.php
http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Showcase
Check out the Showcase Gateway to find out when they will be available for purchase:
http://www.etsy.com/showcase_gateway.php
===
To learn more about the Treasury, visit here:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/howTos/article/how-to-make-a-treasury-the-nuts-and-bolts/688/
http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Treasury
http://etsytreasurydemo.blogspot.com/
View the Treasury here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php
It is also availabe in a link on the Home Page.
And remember there is a test treasury that is *usually* available!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_west.php
There is also a tool where you can prepare and visualize your treasury while waiting to nab one:
http://www.etsy.com/poster_sketch.php

For a quick look, here's the box you'll see to enter your title:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/2258410303
... and some quick tips for nabbing one. :)
===
You can use Etsy Mini, found in Your Etsy.
LOTS of buttons here:
http://team.etsy.com/downloads.html
Another button for Etsy is located in the blog (not easy to find):
http://blog.etsy.com/?p=131
Also in the Etsywiki:
http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Embedding_SWF_on_Your_Site
===
When I click on shops in (insert flash app here), they don't open up. Nothing happens!

This is likely one of those situations where the first click opens up in a new tab or window. If you then navigate away from that tab or window, instead of closing it, subsequent clicks will open up in that *same* tab or window, but it won't move to the front. So check your tabs or windows in the background. If you can't find it, just close and reopen your browser to clear the situation.

Workaround to make it happen is to hold down the Ctrl key, while clicking.

Same is true for Time Machine, Treasury, and other flash apps.

Or... it could be a pop-up blocker.

==========
I'm stuck in Gallery (or List) view!
This setting is stored in your Etsy cookies. Deleting them should clear the settings kept in them. How to do this varies with each browser. Alternately, logging out, closing all instances of your browser and reopening "should" clear it. But if a cookie has become corrupt, only deleting will solve it.

Here's how to delete just Etsy cookies:
http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser

==========
Sometimes when the Treasury is really busy, you may just receive a white page. A workaround to get in is to use a link to a specific treasury. You can always find a link from the Home page treasury. I just tested this and it's working right now. Sometimes when it's

REALLY busy, even this won't work.
==========
Why are some Treasuries 2 days and some 3?
jared says:
All Treasury lists are given 36 hours. Up to 24 hours is added on randomly at the time of creation. This random additional time is required to avoid the phenomena of sync.

I can promise you that the extra time is in fact completely random. Here is the actual server side code:

:: var age = application.rsoSettings.getProperty("expirationAge");
:: // add up to 24 hours randomly
:: age += Math.random()*1000*60*60*24;

The Treasury lists are also sorted by 'Hotness' only by default. As soon as someone manually changes the sorting column or direction (by selecting Title, Curator, or Expiration), the lists remain sorted in that fashion every time that person visits the Treasury. Same holds for page selected.

from: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5257883
==========
Can't access Treasury (or Chat). Doesn't connect!
jared says:
The Treasury and Chat rooms require port 1935 to be open on your network.

Check if you have a firewall, and if so, configure it to allow TCP/IP traffic through port 1935. All firewalls are slightly different so it's difficult for me to explain precisely how to do this. It's best if you can talk to your network administrator or whoever in your household set up your network. Thanks and good luck!

Here's a great little utility (not Etsy's) that tests the firewall ports required by the Treasury, Workshop, and Chat rooms:

http://yackpack.com/firewalltest/index.html

All tests should return success.

Here is a helpful article from Microsoft on how to open ports on Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127
==========
"Connections" show who is connected by hearts. On and on and on and on...
First it will randomly show you 5 of your favorite items. From there you can select the Little heart on the item and be brought to two of that person's favorites, with items... Then you can either click another heart to continue, or click the item if you so choose.

Just a fun way to shop.
==========
Great stats here:
http://majaba.org/heartomatic
And here's some helpful information about general traffic, accumulated by our own gemmafactrix from her own website...
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5021166
Also, FYI here's some Etsy traffic stats for the past 6 months from Alexa.com. (Thanks to JOYouz for bringing this to our attention.)
http://www.iwebtool.com/alexa_traffic_rank?domain=etsy.com&data=r&range=6m
And, more interesting stats, thanks to KerriHale:
http://www.quantcast.com/etsy.com
==========
Dyno has posted a pdf over on the etsywiki with lots of pertinent info on the proportions of all image views on Etsy (first link here downloads the pdf): http://www.etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Photographing_items
==========
Clearing cache:
For many browsers, you can simply hold down the SHIFT key while pressing the refresh button (works for IE and Firefox).
Here's some more detailed explanations for various browsers:
http://www.americanfunds.com/help/clearing-browser-cache.htm
==========
From the Selling FAQ:

How do I become a Featured Seller?
The featured seller is always hand-picked by one of the Etsy admins. We look for ingenuity, well-made items, interesting descriptions and top-notch item photos.
(Source: http://www.etsy.com/faq_selling.php#featuredSellers ).
==========
Those four little floating items at the top of the home page?
jared says:
Those are 'knockout' items. Knockouts are photographs that feature the item and follow all of the following rules:
* absolute pure white background (#FFFFFF)
* no cropping of the item or item's shadow
* no graphic design

Knockout items are periodically collected and added to a pool where they are randomly displayed in that area. The collection process is part robot, part human. About 50 unique knockouts are collected in each batch.
---
Here's a thread with a couple of techniques to create the white background:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5484630
==========
I can't comment in Treasuries!
Treasury Comment limit:
jared says:
The number of comments each list in the Treasury can have is limited. The limit is not a hard number, it's more of a space issue. The Flash player has a maximum vertical height of 2880 pixels. If enough comments are added to a list, the box to add more comments gets pushed beyond this limit and disappears, just as imaginationalley (cool name) said.

Remember also you must be logged into to leave a comment.
==========
Formula for pricing:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5002736
==========
Common need when the Tabs page isn't working properly in Listing/Editing items.
Also, when having trouble with the Profile page loading.
Enabling Javascript:
http://www.etsy.com/faq_enable_javascript.php
(Or browser and OS isn't compatible with this feature. See approved browsers.)
==========
For more info on basic soldering, here is a great forum post from DownToTheWireDesigns:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=39509
==========
I updated my sections and now they're off - my items are in the wrong sections!
Crazy sections
In this thread
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5058628
RD said this:
This happens when you add or remove listings from your shop and the batch sorting page is pulled out of your Browser's cache. To prevent this, try reloading the batch sorting page before clicking on the submit button at the bottom of the page.

If this does not work, try clearing your browser's cache.
==========
Person sees the following text on screen:
"write about it in your Etsy blog (everybody has one) "

Are you using Safari, by any chance? It has some issues rendering comments properly. Meaning, it's code on the page that shouldn't be showing. Etsy has obviously thought about having a blog for each of us at one point, a long time ago.

Problem discussed here...
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5073049&page=3
==========
In this thread
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=42298
RevolvingDork says:

"We've tested and are officially supporting the following browsers:

PC:
Internet Explorer 6
Interner Explorer 7
Firefox 1.5
Opera 8

Mac:
Firefox 1.5
Safari

Linux:
Firefox 1.5
Konqueror

Please note that IE on the Mac is no longer supported with version 2.
========
What does Etsy mean? How is it pronounced?
It is a purposeful mystery. Answers have been:
1. From a movie by Fellini
2. It's latin for "and if"
3. Rob's Grandmother
4. It's Hebrew for Tree

Here's the original thread discussing it:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=75
Here's a recent tv spot with another version:
http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=96951@wcbs.dayport.com
More:
http://www.thenameinspector.com/etsy/
http://team.etsy.com/downloads/facts.pdf

FYI, it's pronounced like Betsy, without the B.
========
Forum "Police".
As Stella, an Etsy admin, once posted:

"we do appreciate when our more experienced members *respectfully, tactfully and lovingly* help new users to understand how the site works, where to find information (including the rules) and alert the staff to problems privately via email or convo."

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5119173&page=25
========
Why is Etsy slow?
From this helpful website
http://www.kiva.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=99
They clearly describe
"Why do sites load slowly or not at all?
This is a good question and we are asked this many times a day. Web pages can load slowly for a variety of reasons, here are the most common:
* Internet congestion.
* Too many people trying to go the site simultaneously.
* The site does not have enough bandwidth to handle all the requests.
* There are lots of images.
* You have a slow connection.
It is usually due to congestion on the Internet (lots of people online) or the site does not have enough resources (bandwidth or fast enough web server) to handle lots of people trying to get to it simultaneously. However there are some tools available to help figure out what is happening."

Since I have windows, I used tracert to view my internet route and found two servers having problems today - both of them with my ISP.
See here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/531985666/

I also used Ping to check just Etsy.

It's pretty handy. I've used these utilities many times over the years. If others have any other ideas or input, I'd be interested. :-)
========
You *CAN* use the following symbols in your titles:
- hypen
( ) parentheses
, comma
. period
' apostrophe
/ forward slash
0-9 numbers

We are *NOT* able to use these:
" quotes
& ampersand
; semicolon
: colon
! exclamation point
? question mark
\ backslash
pipe
_ underscore
+ plus
= equal sign
* asterisk
@ at sign
# number sign
$ dollar sign
< > angle brackets
{ } decorative brackets
[ ] square brackets
========
(Was this for Treasury titles?)

inName.restrict = " 0-9A-Za-z.,()[]{}'?!+=";

Which basically means all letters, upper and lower case, all numbers, and the following characters .,()[]{}'?!+= are allowed.
========
--- PAYPAL ---
Secret Paypal Shipping Link:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now
========
Paypal Phone Numbers
1-888-221-1161 (Toll Free for Business/Premier)
1-888-204-4481 (Toll Free for Business/Premier)
1-402-935-7733 (Personal Accounts)
1-402-935-2057 (Personal Accounts)
========
Shipping
If someone buys multiple items, here is an example of how Etsy tabulates:

Primary / Secondary
3.50 / 1.00
2.50 / .75
4.50 / 2.33

Etsy picks the largest amount for the primary and then the secondary amounts for the others. So in this case,
4.50 + 1.00 + .75 = 6.25
========
Cancel a Sale?
1) Leave Appropriate Feedback
2) Relist The Item, If Needed. To do this, click on Your Etsy, Sold Items, Select the item and you will find "Relist" at the top of the page.
3) Report The Transaction, Using The Link On The Left Side Of The Help Page. Additional link under Your Etsy, then Cancel a Sale.

Note That After Etsy Reverses The Transaction, #1 & 2 Are No Longer Available. Your Selling Fees And Relisting Fee Will Be Refunded. This can take from one day to up to a week.

Sorry This Happened To You.
========
jared says:
Lists are removed from the Treasury when they expire. This happens on the server. There are no known problems with this process.

The DISPLAY of when lists expire depends on your local computer's clock. If your computer's clock is out of sync with the server's clock, the time left to expire will be off. You can verify this by setting your clock ahead by a month. Look at the Treasury and all the lists will say they're expired.

Depending on your operating system there are a number of ways to synchronize your clock to global atomic time.

I am working on some code that should help compensate for clocks out of sync. It will be pushed live as soon as testing is complete. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Posted at 11:48 am, July 17 2007 EST
========
Littleputbooks tips for making listings ahead of time:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5147546
========
Here's a Flickr group about art & craft fairs/shows (mostly setup pictures):
http://www.flickr.com/groups/craft_fairs/
========
Acronyms
http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=List_of_Etsy_acronyms
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=24868
========
Loosewire's Tips to Snagging a Treasury:
-In preparation, sort the Treasuries by expiration date. Count back to 333 to see approximately how long it will be before they will become available. Check back before this time, as people will delete their lists.
*Then*
-Go to the last page of the treasury.
-Sort the treasury by expiration date, so you can see the time count down.
-You can click on the page number to update the time more quickly. It only does so automatically periodically.
-Wait at that last page until the 333nd treasury expires. It will remain there expired for a few minutes. Last time it took 5 minutes for it to disappear.
-This box will appear: http://flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/636016590/
-DO NOT refresh. You may miss the box. I repeat: DO NOT refresh.
-When the box does appear, type at least one letter in it to reserve it. Then think of a title and press Create.
-Good Luck and have fun! :-) You *will* snag one.

*Also*
After you get one, a few things to know:
-The little boxes to enter the numbers may not appear at first. Simply arrow out of your treasury and then enter it again. Then you'll see them and be able to proceed.
-A lot of people are doing just what you have done. The Treasury is mighty busy. Things might be a bit slow. Continue to be patient. If something odd seems to happen, again, don't refresh. If need be, just step away from your computer for awhile, while everything processes.
========
Why are items still showing that were listed more than 4 months ago?

Let's say I have an item that I listed on 1-1-06.
Remember, each time I renew, another 4 months is added to the expiration time.
I let it expire on 5-1-06 and then renew it. Its expire is now 9-1-06.
I renew it again on 10-1-06. Its expire is now 1-1-07.
I renew it again on 11-1-06. Its expire is now 5-1-07.
I renew it again on 12-1-06. Its expire is now 9-1-07.
I renew it again on 1-1-07. Its expire is now 1-1-08
I renew it again on 2.1.07. Its expire is now 5-1-08.
If I do not renew this again, and allow it to roll along, when someone looks at the category anytime in 2008, it could seem like an unusually long expiration time.

Does this now make sense?

Here's another thread where this was discussed, er confused even more. :)
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5435050
========
(Old) Info about sorting by views in this thread, where the previous problem was stated:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5154407
========
'Buy Now' button not encrypted? See this thread for how to remedy.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5195254

Here's the resolution, as stated in two different ways:

RevolvingDork says:
This is an issue with the seller's paypal settings -- they will need to turn off their PayPal account's option to only select encrypted PayPal buttons, and open their account up to unencrypted PayPal buttons.

dyno says:
login
Profile
Selling Preferences: Encrypted Payment Settings
click Website Payment Preferences link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_profile-website-payments

scroll down to Encrypted Website Payments
make sure Block Non-encrypted Website Payment is marked OFF

(Full error message is: The seller accepts encrypted website payments only. You cannotpay the seller through un-encrypted buttons. Please contact your seller
for more details.)
========
Here's a GREAT thread about Tags:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=23040

Oh, and remember that you can use "NOT" to eliminate items.
For example, looking for:
woman dress
brings up a lot of patterns (sigh), so try this:
woman dress NOT patterns
still brings up maybe some jewelry, so enter:
woman dress NOT patterns NOT jewelry

etc.
====================
Why is Paypal charging a different amount for shipping?
It's a Paypal setting that needs to be changed, so it doesn't override Etsy.

*NOTE: Paypal has made some unannounced changes and you will see either one of these two options:

**A)From the FAQ:
http://www.etsy.com/faq_selling.php#paypal

"Why is the shipping wrong on the PayPal invoice when I have the correct amount entered into my Etsy shop?
When shipping on your PayPal invoice is incorrect, you'll just need to adjust the amount in your PayPal account settings. If you need to revise the invoice for the customer, go to your PayPal account and click on "request money".

To check your PayPal settings:
1. Log into PayPal at www.paypal.com
2. Go to My Account > Profile > Shipping calculations
3. Check the box at the bottom that states: Allow transaction-based shipping settings to override profile settings"

Here are my personal screen caps of this original location of the setting:
http://flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/623498701/in/set-72157594525465692/

**B) See my screen captures of new screens here:
http://flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/1281490344/

"In your Profile...
1) Shipping Calculations
2) Check Shipping Method box, then Edit will become clickable
3) Click Edit
4) Edit Settings
5) Override shipping methods per transaction? Select the "Yes" radio button.
6) Scroll to bottom of the page and "Save Changes"
---------------
Also, when you begin the Paypal steps mentioned in Option B, above, and are instead given the option to Setup your defaults, I don't believe there's a need to do this - so don't. If there are no Paypal shipping defaults setup, then they won't attempt to override Etsy's transaction based shipping charges. Hope this makes sense. :-)
---
This is my own personal finding of where the same setting is within Paypal.

Etsy is reviewing the changes and will be updating the FAQs. It seems this change was made in the US, but there are sellers (so far) in the UK and Australia that still see the old screens.
======================
Multiple Chat Ghosts!
In this thread:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5222765&page=2
Etsy Admin jared says:
Appearing multiple times in a chat room is usually an indication that there are network troubles between your computer and our servers.

What generally happens is you are disconnected in some way, then you reconnect. When you reconnect, you see your old self still there. The
eason is because the way you disconnected confused the server, and it thinks you're still out there somewhere, just being very quiet.

Eventually it will decide the connection is invalid and automatically remove these old copies of you. We call them ghosts.

They're more spooky than anything. They don't hurt anything.

If you're on a wireless connection, try moving closer to the source. If you have a network administrator handy, tell him you're dropping packets. Good luck!
Posted at 4:45 pm, September 7 2007 EST
===============
Okay to add one of your own items to a Treasury?

1) When you create a treasury, it is stated in the Terms that it is not intended for self promotion. When you create a treasury, you are agreeing to the terms noted. See screen cap here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/2258410303

2) Admin has stated their position:

From a previous thread about Treasury:
"stellaloella
Etsy Admin:

The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, ie. don't make a list ALL of your own items. The Treasury was created as a way to showcase the work of others on Etsy, thusly building community spirit and exhibiting respect for our fellow artisans.

A curator may place one of their own items on a list if they feel it really fits their theme/aesthetic. However, Treasuries including the curator's own items are not likely to be promoted to front-page status (and if it is, we may choose to exclude the curator's item from the front page)."
-------

My added note:
Just know that if you include one of your own items in a treasury, you do risk losing some potential customers, whether you agree with how they feel about it or not. It will happen.
==========
Etsy Staff:
http://blog.etsy.com/?p=378
http://www.etsywiki.com/index.php?title=General_FAQ
==========
Old news on Categories/Subcategories:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5218649
==========
In this thread
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5239561
stellaloella says:
Your Conversations are private.

In cases of disputes or abuse, Etsy's Admin may ask your permission to view your Convos to get the full story, but this is rather rare.
Posted at 7:25 pm, September 20 2007 EST
==========
Press Kit

In this thread
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5291059
wonderamy says:
"The Etsy Press kit has a great video (or electronic press kit) on it, examples of lots of press clippings, and downloadable images.

http://blog.etsy.com/?page_id=44

I know that Matt has been working on press releases for our new Holiday Initiative, http://www.buyhandmade.org/.

We also have just published a guide in the Teams section of the site called "How to write a killer press release for your Etsy Team

Event," which has some simple guidelines about making a great press release:

http://team.etsy.com/pressreleaseguides.html

Thanks for helping spread the word about Etsy!"
==========
Links to other places you sell?
This is from another thread that went round in round in circles until it encountered the administrative lock:

stellaloella
Etsy Admin
stellaloella says:
This thread, much like the last one on this topic, is just going in circles.

The actual rule is this:

"Don't post links or URLs anywhere in your shop to another web site for the purpose of encouraging buyers to purchase your items off Etsy; this is considered fee avoidance."

D&D > Selling: http://www.etsy.com/dosdonts.php#a4

We've clarified the rule in several places:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5346512&page=29
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5346945&page=3
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5346945&page=10

If you have further questions about linking/posting the URL for *your* specific website, please contact support [!at] etsy.com and they will assist you.
========
Gleaned from the forums:
CRAFT FAIRS High end shows:
http://zapplication.org/
http://www.juriedartservices.com/
Lots of shows. Lots.
http://eventlister.com/
http://craftlister.com/
A good festival to follow
http://www.hpifestivals.com/
Others:
http://www.artandcraftshows.net/
http://www.artfaircalendar.com/
http://www.bazaarbizarre.org/
http://www.collectiblewebs.com/
http://www.craftmasternews.com/
http://craftsreport.com/showfinder/
http://www.fairsandfestivals.net/
http://www.festivaldirectory.com/
http://festivalnet.com/
http://www.indiecraftfairguide.com/
http://www.indiecraftshows.com/
http://www.sunshineartist.com/
http://craigslist.org/ . Serious. :)
Midwest Shows:
http://midwestartfairs.com/home
A newsletter for events in the PA/OH/WV/MD area
http://www.craftconnection.net/
========
Unable to write comments in Treasury or Chat? Can't type in the box?
There is a known issue with Safari on Mac.
There is a newer issue with Vista and IE.

For the Safari issue, you can hold your cursor over the box while typing. This sometimes works. Other have said opening a new window works.

For Vista, assure you have the latest flash player here
http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/
Best to assure You have version 9,0,115,0 installed, but unfortunately for that, issues still remain.
Jared is aware of this, and he rocks, so be sure a fix is on the way.

This is assuming you are logged in, of course, as you need to be. :)
========
In this thread: (Old info, as new color picker was implemented 02-08)
RD says:
The average color is generated and stored automatically when you upload an image -- there's nothing extra you have to do to be included in the color picker. :D
AND
In this thread:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5040666
Jared says:
It's a balance between taking a good, descriptive photo while also satisfying the color averager.

One especially good trick is to use a solid white or black background. Backgrounds of this nature are ignored from the average, thus giving a more pure representation of the color.
========
Jewelry Suppliers
http://www.firemountaingems.com/
http://www.artbeads.com/
http://www.fusionbeads.com/
http://www.thunderbirdsupply.com/
http://www.metalliferous.com/
http://www.jewelrysupply.com/
http://www.trashcity.com/
http://www.monsterslayer.com/

What am I missing?

Oh- http://www.riogrande.com/

You have to call them to get a login, but it really only takes about 3 minutes and a few simple questions.
========
Can't find my items in Google!
In this thread:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5407835
kfarrell says:
Since google works on indexed information (meaning they crawl Etsy periodically and store the information on their servers rather than go out to Etsy every time you search), newly listed items may not show up in google.

There's a lot of info that goes into how Google ranks their results, including how many other websites (and which ones) link to a page.

The shops that show up at the top of the Google results often will have been featured on another site, giving their item more "importance" in Google's rankings.

The best way to improve your chances of coming up in a google search is to promote your work off etsy. If you're concerned with bringing traffic to your items from within Etsy, make sure you have clear photographs and descriptive titles/tags. That way when someone uses the Etsy search function, they'll be able to find your items :)
========
Can we use the Etsy Logo?
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/etsyNews/article/etsy-trademark-permissions-program-this-aint-no-cease-and-de/15/
========
Refusing Service:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/article/607/
========
Gift Baskets:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5405120&page=7
stellaloella says:
littlebitsys makes a great point (pg 6). This is one of those things that requires some case-by-case examination to determine if something fits into the rules of not. I'll do my best to explain the basics, but please keep in mind that specific items may fall into different shades of this gray area. This is about finding a balance between the focus of Etsy being handmade goods and what it means to "hand-assemble" something from commercial components. Here goes...

Gift baskets made entirely of non-handmade (commercial) goods including a non-handmade container are NOT allowed.

A gift basket that mixes some non-handmade (commercial) goods with your original handmade items is generally ok -- IF your handmade goods are the majority/focus of the overall product. The commercial goods are a "bonus" in this situation. (This is similar to including a non-handmade makeup brush in a set with handmade makeup. It's like a free gift with purchase.)

Gift baskets or sets comprised entirely of your own handmade goods (including the container) are totally a-ok!

Diaper cakes are a unique situation. They're different than a standard "put stuff in a basket" gift basket, since they require creative crafting to sculpt the components into a cake.
Posted at 10:33 am, January 9 2008 EST
========
Cool Propay Discount Link!
http://www.propay.com/?refid=ETSYOLCM
Also, there's a user here called PropayMike who would be able to help with any questions, problems. Here's the thread link where he posted more details: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5318693
========
Where else to sell?
http://homegrownmarket.com/
http://lov.li/
http://en.dawanda.com/
http://rubylane.com/
http://mintd.com/
===
dottyral says:
Found it. Here's part of what she said...

stellaloella says:
If you want to discuss the pros & cons of other selling venues, you're welcome to do this in our Crafting & Business forum. We generally allow those discussions, as our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and we understand these other sites may have something different to offer each individual. Please note, we do not allow the outright promotion of other venues (just discussion).
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Can I change an listing from one producet to another entirely different one?
dottyral says:
The only quote I could find was from ages ago from RD. Stella's discussed it in the forums more recently but I can't find it.

Anyway, here's what RD said...
RevolvingDork says:
"We ask that seller do *not* edit their items into different items -- as DD's initial problem has demonstrated, this messes up all of the metadata attached to the listing.

Favorites, view counts, date listed, past sold receipts, order histories -- all become innacurate if an item listing is altered competely.

This affect not only the seller, but also their buyers and anyone else who has interacted with the listing."
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Visited Treasures not updating?
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5249954
Also, in this thread http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5453310
Or...
jared says:
Be sure your Flash cookies are enabled.

To do this:
1) load the Treasury
2) right click (command click on Mac) anywhere over the Treasury lists
3) select 'Settings...' from the menu that appears
4) click the folder icon tab
5) move the slider to 100kb or greater
6) click the 'Close' button

The instructions above set the available disk space for your Flash cookies to 100kb. The Treasury uses your flash cookies to keep track of which lists you've been to.
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Making headpins, tutorial:
http://silverriverjewelry.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-make-sterling-silver-head-pins.html
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Someone is using my photos
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5445308
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How to charge a different price?

Instruct your buyers to do one of the three:
1. Convo you and wait for you to adjust the Etsy price. (hardest)
2. Buy through Etsy and wait for adjusted invoice (most common)
3. Let them know you will Refund through Paypal (also works)

After the fact:
1) If they have not yet purchased through Etsy, just adjust the Etsy price.
2) If they have already "bought" through Etsy, but not yet Paypal, just send them a new (revised) invoice. To do so, go prepared with the buyer's email address to Paypal. Click on the Request Money tab. It's pretty straightforward after that.
3) If they already have paid in Paypal, click on the Details of the Paypal transaction and look for the Refund link at the bottom of the page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/loosewirestudio/1313665150/in/set-72157594525465692/

It's your choice how you want to handle a sale. Good luck! :)
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International rate chart! Easy!
http://www.shelfmasters.com/InternationalRateChart.aspx
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Changing items a flaggable offense?
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5464091&page=2
Stella says:
The Terms of Use says, "Each unique item must have its own listing." (Source: http://www.etsy.com/terms_of_use.php ). The "changing a listing" rule is not explicitly outlined in the DOs & DON'Ts, but will likely be added when we revise the document a little later this year, just for clarity.

Please do NOT change a listing to a completely different item. There are several reasons for this:
-- fee avoidance: each item should have it's own unique listing and therefore it's own listing fee of 20 cents
-- confusion for other members: someone may have the item in their shopping cart, favorites, a Treasury, the Gift Guides OR otherwise bookmarked in some way
-- database unhappiness: when all the identifying info for a listing is changed, it can cause technical problems in the database (editing one or a few things about a listing is ok, but total change is bad)

In short, don't do it.

If you have reason to believe another seller has done this (like an item you hearted is now different), please email abuse [!at] etsy.com and we'll look into it.
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Adding EtsyMini to Blogspot:
Layout Tab
Page Elements
Click "Add a Page Element"
Select "HTML/JavaScript"
Paste the javascript code there.
Save Changes. And save again.
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Alchemy not updating sales total?
In this thread:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5520300
kfarrell says:
Alchemy sales won't show up in your sold item count until you upload pictures and click the "complete" button in the bid. Once you click the "complete" button, the item will appear on your Alchemy page in your shop, your sold items page, and shopping tools like Pounce and Time Machine.
We'll update the FAQs to make this a little clearer. Thanks!
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Poster Sketch not saving?
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5594508
jared says:
The Poster Sketch uses your browser's Flash cookies to save data. If your Flash cookies are disabled or full (there is a 100kb limit by default), the Poster Sketch will not save and will not display an error.

This means a couple things:
* Poster Sketch will only save on the computer you make it on
* your Flash cookies must be enabled for save to work

I will work on updating the Poster Sketch to display when it is unable to save your work.

In the meantime, make sure your Flash cookies are enabled and not filled up with junk:
* right click (control click on Mac) anywhere on the Poster Sketch tool
* http://www.etsy.com/poster_sketch.php
* choose 'Settings...' from the menu that appears
* click the little Folder icon
* move the slider to the right
* set to 100kb or more (I keep mine set at 1Mb, which is just fine)

Also, sorry for the lost work.
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Etsy Advertising (new topic)
Interview with CEO Rob Kalin
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1315793539/bclid1318905770/bctid1544553091 ===
RSS Feeds?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss
http://www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english
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A Flickr Forum post: "Don’t use Flickr for commercial purposes." There's an admin post in there.
http://www.flickr.com/help/forum/en-us/75298/

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