Lots of new items!

We at 1337 Art have been very busy for the last couple of weeks preparing for the summer long Farmer's Market that we are participating in. Please see the details below:

Farmer's Market in Key Center, WA.
June 22nd - September 28th
Every Sunday: 12pm - 4pm

Last Sunday was the first day of the Farmer's Market, and it was a great turn out! We have plans to offer new items and/or products every following Sunday.








All of our merchandise is coming with us during every Sunday of this event, which means we may sell out of the item(s) you were wanting! If you would like to make a purchase from our current selection: http://1337art.etsy.com we suggest taking advantage now!!

We have also added some great items to the supplies section on our Etsy Shop and will continue to add to it. Feel free to check it out!

http://1337art.etsy.com

Please keep checking back; we are going to try to get back into the swing of things with daily posts - Etsy Artist Features, promotional tips, great finds, new items and events, specials, and more!

Want to be featured as an Etsy Artist or know someone that does? Please send all inquiries to 1337art@gmail.com with the subject line: "Blog Feature Request." We are looking for Etsy Artists with unique talent, great pictures, and amazing products.

Thank you so much for your continued interest.

Enjoy your weekend,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart.

Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more!

Customs are accepted.

Featured items:

Protection Potion Necklace
Sea Shell Wine Charms
Heart and Key Earrings
Dogs and Bones Bookmark

Upcoming Event!

Farmer's Market in Key Center, WA.
June 22nd - September 28th
Every Sunday: 12pm - 4pm

All of our merchandise is coming with us during every Sunday of this event, which means we may sell out of the item(s) you were wanting! If you would like to make a purchase from our current selection: http://1337art.etsy.com we suggest taking advantage now!!

We look forward to seeing you!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, beverage charms, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, kilt pin brooches, and more! Customs are accepted.

New products and items!

We at 1337 Art have been busy designing new items and products of both items we currently carry and items that are brand new to our shop!

We are very excited to announce that we now offer Kilt Pin Brooches. Your first thought may be "But I don't wear brooches." That's okay! There are many uses for these clever little guys.

You can put one on your purse, your tote bag, your messenger bag/backpack, your scarf, your pants, your shirt, your jacket...and anywhere else you can think of!

They are another great way to accessorize. We just listed a Moon and Stars Kilt Pin Brooch and a Sea Stuff Kilt Pin Brooch both available at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

We also added a brand new pewter bookmark. This may be our most favorite so far. The bookmark features a lovely and intricate design of dragons, castles, and swords.

Our Guardian Dragon Bookmark is currently for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

We had fun designing a unique gothic style necklace. The serpent sword pendant rests on a chain, and the chain and pendant are removable to you can add a different pendant for a whole new look!

Our Gothickal Necklace can be found for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

In spirit of the upcoming Independence Day, the Fourth of July, we wanted to make a little something special that is cute, trendy, and inexpensive.

We have an adorable pair of Patriotic Dragonfly Earrings that are available in both fish hook and kidney earwires so they can compliment everyone's style.

You can find our Patriotic Dragonfly Earrings for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

We also wanted to invite you to read Gabriel's Aunt's blog because she did a wonderful job on featuring our shop back on May 20th, 2008. You will find a very generous coupon at the end of the feature...perfect to use on our brand new items!


We also wanted to give our friend, Lady Jinx, a special mention. She's been working hard on her brand new Etsy Shop, and we'd love to see her get her first sale.

She makes very cute and stylish bracelets, earrings, and more that are affordable. You can view her shop below:

http://ladyjinxjewelry.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your continued support.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, beverage charms, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, kilt pin brooches, and more!

Customs are accepted!

Etsy Artist Feature 18 - lsdl

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items, and we plan to do this one Etsy Artist at a time. Today we feature lsdl from Franklin, Indiana. Dani, the owner of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie makes lovely and crafty items for your pets!

Below you will find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

Coloring Easter eggs! Not sure if that counts, but at our house it was a big event with all the trimmings. First serious crafting memory is learning how to crochet. My grandma taught me when I was 7/8 years old. My first project was making pot holders for a Christmas gift for my mom.


2. What do you specialize in?

Pet items, mostly for dogs but many items will also work just as well for cats.

3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I was referred to Etsy by a friend to get some graphic work done for my website. While searching for a graphic artist I feel in love with the place and started my own shop.

4. What are your hopes for the future?

This may be silly but, I would to love to be out at the park with my dogs and see another dog with one of my products.

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

Geez where to start? I'm one of those people with too many hobbies. Camping/hiking, training my dogs (I have 3), sewing, gardening, playing the piano, photography, reading, and salt water fish.

6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My workspace is our spare room. I have a 6 x 2.5 table with my sewing machine at one end and a cutting board at the other. I also have an ironing board set up against one wall and a medium size plastic organizer (need more!) on the other wall with a small TV. It also has a closet for hanging and storing finished product. The room is all white which helps me see the colors I'm working with better. It's my little piece of heaven!


Is there anything else you would like to add?

I just want to mention the inspiration for all my products. My three dogs. Cabo a black short hair Chihuahua (4 yrs old), Chico a blonde long hair Chihuahua (2 yrs old), and Artie black and white lab mix (5 months old) - he's my logo.

How do you feel about custom orders?

I love doing customs orders. There is no better way for the customer to get exactly what I want. Plus, I get to shop for new fabrics! ;)

How did you choose your shop name?

When I first went to etsy I wasn't planning on selling so I just used the initials from my website name: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

You can contact Let Sleeping Dogs Lie through her Etsy Shop:

http://lsdl.etsy.com

Or through email:

letsleepingdogsliellc@yahoo.com
customerservice@letsleepingdogsliellc.com

Thank you so much for your interest! Feel free to check out Let Sleeping Dogs Lie today!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, beverage charms, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

Featured Items:

Designer Collar and Leash
Crate Cover
Reversible Crate Cover Burgundy/Khaki
Pet Mat

Items can be found for sale here:

http://lsdl.etsy.com

New! Coffee mug adornments!

Want to make a get together a little more fun? Looking for a reason to invite friends and family over for coffee? Our beverage charms are the perfect adornment for your next social event.

Each piece of this 4 piece set measures approximately 47mm (just under 2 inches).

You can use them to identify your stein, your coffee mug, your alcoholic beverage, your wine glass/goblet, and to decorate your long stem candle holders!


This four piece set is individually packaged in tiny zip lock bags inside of a cotton-filled black box for protection and easy storage.

Interested in a larger quantity? Please feel free to send us an email to 1337art@gmail.com for more information.

Made with Sterling Silver, Pewter, Czech Glass, and Tiger Eye Gemstone.

Thank you so much for looking! You can find this lovely and fun four piece wine charm set at our online shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

We appreciate your interest. We plan on adding more wine charms/beverage charms to our Etsy shop soon.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

Etsy Artist Feature 17: creativehook

It is important to show the world the charm of handcrafted items, and we plan to do this one Etsy Artist at a time. Today we feature CreativeHook from Norwood, North Carolina. She has an amazing crochet talent.

Below you will find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

I was about 7. My grandmother had just taught me to knit. I was enthralled that I could create from strands of yarn a swatch of knitted fabric! Some time later, a crotchety great aunt came to visit, and I guess I wanted to show off my "grown up" skills. "What are you making?" she asked of my current work-in-progress. God! I didn't know that I had to have a NAME for it. So I just quickly mumbled: "handkerchiefs", because it was the first square item I could think of. She laughed and laughed. I grabbed my needles and yarn and went outside and wept in total humiliation. (I was a tender hearted soul). I quit knitting for a while, then learned to crochet from my mom. I've been on and off with the fiber arts for many years. Somehow -- in spite of the crotchety old aunt -- I manage to carry on. And in spite of the crotchety aunt, I sometimes have no real "name" or purpose -- other than to create, and hopefully, to give someone else a smile in the process.


2. What do you specialize in?

I am an artist and an art teacher to children grades kindergarten through 8th grade. I did my time in art school, workshops, etc. But nothing speaks to me like the fiber arts. Crochet is my medium of choice these days. I love making market totes and purses more than anything. I love my monsters too, but they're more of a challenge, because I have to be "inspired" to make one. My "Shiddy" doll, who is giving the finger, was born because of a really "shiddy" day I was having. I just wanted to flip off the world. :)


3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

Oh my god! I had given away so many blankets, purses, scarves, totes, etc. to everyone in my family and friends to the point of redundancy! My house started filling up with stacks, piles of crocheted items! I just simply could not stop making things... An art teacher friend of mine told me about Etsy. It was not only love at first sight, but a profitable answer to my "overstock quandry".


4. What are your hopes for the future?

To continue teaching, and to crochet to my heart's delight as relaxation.

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

I like running. Try to keep in shape that way when I don't have injuries. I love to read. And photography has become a new love and obsession. I also paint murals. I painted one last year, which took me most of the 2 months of mu summer vacation to complete, and I have another mural commissioned for this summer. This one is a nursery room mural.

6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

Chaotic, unorganized and colorful.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you!

How can people get in contact with you?

http://www.creativehook.etsy.com



How do you feel about custom orders?

Love 'em!

How did you choose your shop name?

Sort of a play on the phrase "literary hook", I kind of liked the sound of a creative hook.

You can find Creative Hook's lovely creations for sale at her Etsy Shop:

http://creativehook.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading! We hope you enjoyed it.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

---

Featured items (as pictured):


Bathtime monster scrubbie mitts for mom and baby
(sold)

Geometry experiment purses
Purple and blue
Tan Octa-Hex

Earth from Space Market Tote/Beach Bag
(sold)

Shiddy, the Monster
(sold)

Wanda Ho - Native Island Beauty

Items can be found at http://creativehook.etsy.com

What to do during your business downtime.

Businesses have their ups and downs--learn how to be productive during these tough and sometimes trying times. We've come up with a few tips to help you out.

Can you improve your current products? This includes images, item descriptions, etc. If you own a photography business do you include a picture of what your art looks like hung on a wall? If you own a jewelry business do you have a picture of what the jewelry looks like worn whether it be on a human or a display? For whatever business you own do you have pictures of the packaging? Customers like seeing how their items will arrive. It also gives your business a more professional touch.

Are your item descriptions simple and to the point? Do you include product dimensions? What about possible uses for your items? Customers may like a particular item and hesitate purchasing it because they do not know how to use it. Inspire them. Some people like to write little stories about their items or write the description in the viewpoint of the item. Get creative!

Is your packaging appealing? Do you send your items in a ziplock bag and call it good? Customers appreciate good packaging, and it also implies that you take pride in your business. Nice packaging doesn’t have to be pricey either. If you make key chains you can put them inside a ziplock bag inside of an organza bag. If you make jewelry you can put the item inside of a cotton-filled box. If you’re especially crafty you can even make your own envelopes, tags, and/or thank you notes.

Increase your inventory. Holiday preparation is a good idea when your business experiences slow summer days. Around the holidays your will be extremely busy, and having holiday items premade will save you a lot time!

Find new ways to promote. Local newspapers, flyers, post cards, classifieds, word of mouth, pens, shirts, car decals, etc! Be creative with your promotions.

Try something new. Is there a craft that you have been wanting to try? Perhaps you crochet, but you've always wanted to try making earrings. Go for it! You will broaden your customer base if you include a larger variety of items in your shop.

Start a blog. Blogs are a great past time, and people enjoy reading them. You can blog about your business including new item updates, special events, and more. You can offer advice, and you can make tutorials to teach people how to craft. Blogs are a fun way for customers to get to know the merchant behind the business.

Thank you so much for reading,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.