My Autobiography ls a Huge Collage

My Autobiography ls a Huge Collage

My homework for a business class I am taking was to make an Oprah style-vision-board. I read The Secret, I’m a believer in most new-age/self-help practices but for some reason I had a really hard time sitting down and doing this before it was assigned to me. I actually made it a New Year’s resolution back in December. So it took me until the end of March to check it off my list. It got done, right?

Now that the varnish has dried I have come to a few conclusions. A. I’m kinda weird and B. Why are there so many naked people on here? It’s full of the art and artists I admire because no matter how busy things get I’m still an artist. There are also reminders of the times I was happiest so in that way I made it an autobiography of my life so far.

Let’s see if this thing works now…

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ShannondzikasArtYarnVintage/192564100770141

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

Thanks!

Etsy as a Full-Time Job: Not Impossible

I have been selling for Etsy for 5 yrs now as a hobby. A few months ago I lost my job and Etsy became my sole source of income. I had a hard time finding a job that paid more than daycare cost so I hired myself. My job description goes like this:

Ideal candidate must be computer literate, a photographer, creative writer, somewhat talented, a marketing genius, extremely organized, makes lunches, dinners, and good coffee and stays up late into the night researching, advertising, and brainstorming.

In just a few months with some minor changes to my Etsy page my sales have increased dramatically, enough to eat, buy gas, and pay the bills. I thought I would share the things that have contributed to my success of late.

1. I treat this as a job now. I give myself about 6-8 hrs a day to work on Etsy related things. Usually between the three hours my son is napping and the time after he goes to bed I have the time without sacrificing family time.

2. Set up a photo studio. When I compared my shop to shops with more sales I noticed that they all have clean plain white backgrounds. My solution to this dilemma was to buy a $1.50 white sheet at a thrift store and thumb tack it to the brightest wall in my house. I photograph everything against it now then photoshop it to get the white as bright as possible without changing the color of the item for sale.

3. Join teams and participate in their discussions. Now that I don’t have contact with (annoying) coworkers it’s nice to have dialogue with like minded people. I joined a single parent team and a tattooed vintage sellers team because they were the most relevant to my situation. Pick about 2-3 teams you feel strongly about, it can be overwhelming otherwise.

4. Refine your store. Currently I have figured out who my target market is so I’m in the process of eliminating items that don’t fit in with their interests and tastes. Instead of just listing everything I am thinking of myself as a museum curator with a focus. I’m no longer renewing items that don’t quite fit in with where my shop is headed.

5. Don’t limit yourself too much. If you only sell jewelry maybe you could make a line of wedding jewelry to put in the wedding category or if you’re an artist paint on something vintage you can put in the vintage category. It’s like cross-promotion and anything that brings your store more traffic is a great thing. Of course be honest, list in the right categories. Of course, use all 14 tags available to describe your item.

6. Take your Etsy page off of Etsy. Create a fan page for your store on Facebook, Twitter, blog. Free media is at your fingertips and marketing is part of this gig.

7. Before I list an item or if I have an idea for a new item I do some market research. Look at the prices, the number of views, the number of hearts. Can you sell this item for the same price or less and still profit? How many are already for sale? I make hats because I love to and I accept that they rarely sell because there are thousands of hats for sale. How will your item be different or exceptional?

8. Repeat sales. If a customer has a great experience they will come back for more. Do all you can to exceed your customers expectations. Ship A.S.A.P. in the prettiest packaging you can afford even if that just means tying a ribbon around the item. Sometimes for large orders I include a free “gift” like a hat I haven’t been able to sell or some cool earrings I bought for next to nothing. It helps the buyer have a pleasant lasting memory. Happy buyers equal positive feedback which is priceless.

Please ask if you have any questions and check out my Etsy store and some of my favorites for some eye-candy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

Free Pattern for Felted Twenties Style Cloche Easy and Fast Beginner Crochet Project

If you think you can’t crochet a hat in two hours you are wrong. You can wear this the day after you make it.

For this project Brown’s Lamb’s pride worsted is ideal but a similar wool will work. I used a sz K crochet hook but a J works too. Don’t panic or stress, use what you have.

With your main color Ch 5 and sl st to form a ring.

Ch 3 And do 14 dc stitches in the ring and around your yarn tail. Sl st to connect and you should have a little circle. Pull the yarn tail tight to avoid a hole at the top of your hat.

Rnd 2: Ch 3. Make 2dc st in each st around, connect with a sl st to where you started.

Rnd 3: Ch 3. 1dc in first st (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st) continue in this pattern to starting point and connect with sl st.

Rnd 4: Ch 3. Dc in first 2 st (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in the next st) repeat around cir, join with sl st.

Rnd 5: Ch 3. Dc in first 3 st (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 st) repeat around circle and join with sl st.

Rnd 6: Ch 3. Dc in each st and connect with sl st. You should have 75 st or so. No one will notice if you don’t have exactly 75, don’t start all over.

Rnd 7-10: repeat row 6.

Rnd 11: Use contrasting color, ch 1. 15 sc, 5 hdc, 5 dc, 25 htc, 5 dc, 5 hdc, 15 sc, sl st to join. Again, if your numbers are a little different it’s no big deal.

Rnd 12: With main color repeat row 6

Rnd 13: Repeat rnd 11

Rnd 14: Repeat row 12

Rnd 15: Repeat row 11

Rnd 16: Repeat row 12 and knot. Now just weave in your ends and you’re almost done.

Finishing:

Your hat will look huge. This is good. It will shrink by approx. 30% after being felted. Throw your hat in the washing machine with your laundry and wash in hot water with detergent. Your clothes will get fuzzy but the hat needs the agitation of the other clothes in there. When the buzzer goes off pull your hat out of the wash and pull and stretch it into shape (sometimes you have to be kinda rough with ‘em.) Now just let it dry overnight and you have your perfect 20′s cloche!

I sell similar hats on my Etsy page if you like these.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

Free Pattern For Easy Felted Crochet Spring Flower Garland Scarf Decoration

This is one of my favorite projects to make and they sell quickly on my Etsy site. It is an ideal project for beginners because mistakes are almost undetectable after felting. After you’ve done this once it opens the creative doors to use different flower or leaf combos. The color combinations are limitless so you can use what you have on hand. The yarn you use just has to be 100% wool.

The example in the photos was made with Lamb’s Pride Worsted in Forest Shadows and Rosy Velvet. You will also need 5 cool buttons or beads, and size J or K crochet hooks.

The flowers and “vine” are made separately and sewn together after felting.

Make 5 flowers. I like to have two medium ones and three small ones.

Ch 5:sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Small rose
Rnd 1:Ch 2 do 14 sc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

Medium rose
Rnd 1:Ch 3 do 14 dc in ring and around yarn tail; join with sl st.

For both sizes
Rnd 2: Ch 3, skip two st sl st in third st from ch. Repeat to form five loops which will be the flower petals. Join with sl st in first ch of first loop.

Rnd 3: (sc, 2 dc, trc, 2 dc, sc) around existing loops. Repeat four more times. Sl st to join and form knot then weave in loose ends.

Make Vine

Small leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat two more times (3 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Medium leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Large leaf

Ch 4 sl st in 3rd ch from hook to form picot. Repeat three more times (4 picots). Pivot to work in “free loops” on opposite side of ch. Sl st in 1st free loop of ch, sl st picot, dc in second free loop, sl st picot, trc in free loop, sl st picot, dc in free loop, sl st picot, sl st in first loop of chain.

Vine

Start by making a (large leaf, ch 8, make medium leaf, ch 12, make large leaf, ch 6, make one large and one small leaf, ch 10 make one large leaf.) Repeat until it reaches about 90″ because it will be shorter after felting.

Finishing

Weave in all loose ends. Put your flowers and vine in a mesh lingerie bag thing or tie them loosely in an old tee shirt to keep fuzz off your other clothes. Do your laundry with detergent on the hot water cycle and remove soon after the buzzer goes off. Stretch and pull your flowers and leaves into recognizable shapes and let dry. I like to press the flowers under something heavy. Sew your flowers onto your vine in a random way, use coordinating thread (duh!) Sew your buttons or beads into the centers.

You can wear your garland like a lariat, a cowl, etc. When you aren’t wearing it it looks great draped above a window or mantle.

Send me photos if you make this. Thanks.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

and Facebook page: shannondzikasartyarnvintage

Posted in art, business, crafts, crocheting, fashion, knitting | Tagged alternative, beginner, craft, crochet, easter, easy, felt, felted, flowers, free, funky, pattern, punk, roses, scarf, spring, wool | Leave a comment | Edit

How To Earn $24 After Six Years of Hard Work

I sold a hat today. I received a compliment for my talents. I finished the Christmas shopping with $9.00 left for groceries! All and all I would call today a giant success.

Slowly I've been trying to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. If I had a less hectic schedule I'd read through this in two nights but I squeeze in paragraphs between tantrums and when my hands hurt from crocheting and I'm forced to rest. He suggest that I make a mission statement to memorize and repeat daily. He also recommends using autosuggestion to create your vision of the future. These are simple enough ways to make some magic happen in my life. So why can't I whip up a mission statement? Right now I'd ramble on and on but never get to the actual mission. I'm stumped.

Basically Universe, I want money, a husband, and to make art every day. Make it happen ASAP. Thank you.

I've finished the last Christmas gift that needed to be shipped. It's my cousins beautiful twins. I love 'em and I've never even met them.

It was a very productive day indeed. In addition to actually painting my line of hats and scarves are now for sale in a store. My little hat children looked so official with price tags, like they were wearing their uniforms to school. Visit Valley Books in Solvang. Buy a hat.

The First in a Series (The Unemployment Diaries)

Here I am, almost 27, single mom, in my mom's house, recently unemployed with $3.44 in my checking account and $0 in my savings accout. I am a stereotype. Every time I thought, "it can't get worse" it did. If it weren't for this crazy hope and faith I've somehow kept I'd be broken by this series of events.
Every year I write a long list of resolutions and this year the list will be even longer, also clearer. My intentions for the coming year are very clear in my mind. It is going to get better starting now. I plan to start my business officially. This includes taxes, permits, other things I've yet to learn about. Instead of saying, "I'm unemployed" I'll get to say, "I'm self-employed." For six years I've casually had an internet business for my entertainment mostly. I craft, paint, and am a thrift store junkie so the bi-product of my passions would be a cluttered home if I didn't virtually peddle my wares. Tell all your friends about www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas.
I was fired a few weeks ago from a hair styling job I honestly loathed. Is that luck? Possibly. It wasn't because I'm a terrible employee and I certainly am a skilled but not necessarily outgoing stylist. They wanted me to suddenly work a crazy unpredictable schedule I could not ever work out with a daycare provider. The desire to not ever have to touch another nasty old man's bald scalp will motivate me to find success elsewhere. Success for all intents and purposes means money right now by the way. I'm over the hippie notion that money is unimportant. It's a priority.
To begin with the ritual listmaking, tonights' lists will be organized by, long-term goals, short-term goals and my goals for this blog.

Long-Term Goals:
Earn millions
Become famous among nerds
Have book of knitting and crocheting patterns published
Open a vintage clothing store with museum
Own a home
(Please excuse my vanity) I want a boob job

Short-Term Goals (2011)
Go into business
Get a place of our own
Earn 40,000, to me that seems like a ton of money.
Eat mostly vegan

Blog Goals
World domination
Share crafting patterns and tips
Share what I know and what I learn about starting a small business
Post photos of my creative endeavors to inspire
I want followers, readers, etc. I need the encouragement and validation. Haha.

Wish me luck.