New Treasury

Here is a new treasury of all MIVEST artists...hope you like it!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cfb9c99b0308eefabd85bcb/green-mountain-artisans

links to a couple of treasury's I am in or created!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd0a1ad9d276d9157475122/holiday-gifts?index=1

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd5e5d46e308eef89bf2121/trees-christmas-and-not?index=2


I hope you enjoy them!

Friday Finds Blog Posts

It is optional whether or not you sign up to do this promotional activity.

For members who do sign up:
When it is your turn to write the Friday Finds post, you would select five or six items from members' shops. Each item would be from a different shop.  You would add the pic of each item and write a little blurb about each one you've picked, and link to the item.  You could do this by theme or just randomly.  Examples of themes would be: Blue, Christmas Presents, Thanksgiving Items, etc.  "Past Friday Finds" are listed below, so you can get ideas from them as well.

If interested, write into the group with "Friday Finds" in the subject line.  Each person who is interested would be assigned a Friday to do their post.

Schedule:

Courtney Reckord courtney reckord  04/29/11
Eleni Goranites Curious Wiccan  Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse: 05/06/11 
Anne Parent  Cozy Noggin  Friday Finds 5/13 Weddings Month 2 of  3
&: 05/13/11
Florence Pisano Bear Stitches: 05/20/11
Open: 05/27/11
Open: 06/03/11
Open: 06/10/11
Anne Parent  Cozy Noggin: Friday Finds 6/17 Weddings Month 3 of  3
Open: 06/24/11
Open: 07/01/11
Open: 07/08/11
Open: 07/15/11
And so on...

Past Friday Finds Posts:
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont 04/22/11 For Mom
Anne Parent  Cozy Noggin: 04/15/11 Friday Finds 4/15 Weddings Month 1 of 3
Eleni Curious Wiccan  Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse: 04/01/11 Friday Finds 4/1 Rainbow in VT
Kris Castleton Old Gates Farm: 03/25/11 Friday Finds-Welcome Spring!
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont 03/18/11 Friday Finds Two Days Late
Risa Hanley Funky Dreams Art Studio  Funky Dreams Mosaic Supplies: 03/11/11 Birds of Winter
Dayna Tauro Roots Of Glass: 03/04/11 Cabin Fever!
Florence Pisano Bear Stitches: 02/25/11 Spring Is In The Air
Sarah Curly's Quilts: 02/11/11 2/11
Meredith Monkey Junction: 02/04/11 My Funky Valentine
Eleni Curious Wiccan  Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse: 01/14/11 Love In Vermont
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont: 01/07/11 Pink
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont: 12/24/10 Newest Members
Risa Funky Dreams Art Studio: 12/17/1010 Let It Snow
Lisa elle.paisley designs : 12/03/10 December 3rd
Eleni Curious Wiccan  Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse: 11/26/10 Black Friday
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont: 11/19/10 Vibrant Reds
Risa Funky Dreams Art Studio: 11/12/10 For The Guys
Linda All About Cats This And That In Vermont: 11/5/10 Autumn Oranges

BeadSwedeSupplies Giveaway

BeadSwedeSupplies carries hand made jewelry making supplies. It features my unique enameled pendants and toggle clasps, sterling clasps, bronze clasps, bronze clay pendants, and a destash section with some great deals. The pendant I'm giving away is a 1 in. square of copper which has been enameled in my kiln using many layers of beige and teal powdered glass. It has been embellished with tiny sterling silver rounds and covered with a final layer of clear enamel. It comes with two sterling bails so it is ready for your own jewelry design! To enter visit my shop at www.beadswedesupplies.etsy.com or my sister shop www.kristenvarian.etsy.com. Tell me what is your favorite item and post it here, don't forget to leave me your email! The giveaway ends on October 31st and a winner will be picked on that day. Good Luck!!

Giveaway Tips!

Here are some thoughts and tips that I wrote up after completing my first MIVEST giveaway, and of course, check out the "how-to" blog post on our members-only blog written by Linda: http://mivestmembers.blogspot.com/2010/05/step-by-step-how-to-do-giveaway.html

Pick an item to give away that is representative of your shop.  (If 90% of what you sell is widgets, and 10% is whoozits, then definitely give away a widget!)  Also, I recommend picking an item that worth a medium amount, so that people feel like they're winning something significant.  Don't give away that $80 retail bracelet, but don't giveaway a $5 pair of earrings either.  (For example, I gave away a bobby pin trio that I would sell for $16 in my shop, but only cost me about $4 or so to make.)

Think about what you want to get out of the giveaway.  Maybe you want more blog, Twitter, or Facebook followers, or simply more views and hearts, to help get your shop noticed.  For me, I wanted more Facebook fans, and I wanted to encourage those Facebook fans to share my shop with their friends.  So two of the ways you could enter my giveaway were to become a fan of my Facebook page and then leave a comment that they did so, and to post my Facebook page on their Facebook page for their friends to see, and then leave a comment that they did so.

The third way you could enter my giveaway was to go to my Etsy shop, pick your favorite item, and post a comment telling me what your favorite item was.  The benefit to having them do this is (a) you get people to look through your shop, and therefore possibly come back and buy something in the future, and (b) it is interesting to hear what people like best, from a "market research" point of view.

You can keep it simple in terms of how people can enter (that might be good for your first giveaway), or you can get really fancy, like Kelly did in her giveaway here: http://vermontetsystreetteam.blogspot.com/2010/05/giveaway-5-organic-exfoliating-soap.html  She got 111 comments/entries, so it definitely worked!

If you don't promote your giveaway, no one will enter.  So get out there and let it be known that you are hosting a giveaway!  When I did mine, I was pretty busy for the first week of it and therefore did very little promoting (just on my own Facebook page), and I only got about five or six entries.  Then I got a little panicked and entered it with two of the websites that Linda recommended in her blog post - the Etsy Giveaway Blog and By Hand Giveaways.  Once the giveaway was posted on those websites, the entries started rolling in.  I also did a little bit of promoting in the Etsy forums, and got a few entries from that.  And of course, we will all post your giveaways on our Facebook pages, or twitter about it, etc.  In all, I got 67 entries.

To pick a winner, I suggest googling "random number generator" and use that widget to pick what comment is the winner.  The winner of my giveaway was so excited, she said that I made her day!  So...it's a win-win situation all around, and it was a fun thing to do.

Good luck with your giveaways!

Featuring Etsy Shops On The MIVEST Blog

How Featuring Etsy Shops On The MIVEST Blog Works
 If your shop is the last one to be featured, it is your turn to feature a shop.  Please do this within one to two weeks of when your shop was featured.  This will create a continuous circle of "Features."

How To Become A Blog Author If You Aren't Already
 Before you can write a post on the  MIVEST blog,  you have to be listed as an author of the blog.  If you know you are not listed as an author, or you don't know if you are or not, write an email into the group asking if you are listed as an author.  If you aren't, you will soon receive an email from Google that will explain what to do.

How To Select A Shop To Feature
On the sidebar of the MIVEST blog is a list of members' shops you can choose from, and/or you can browse through the Etsy Minis list to pick out a shop you would like to feature. Pick a shop that hasn't been featured within the last six months or so, so that all members will eventually get featured and will have written a feature. You can find out which shops have been featured, by going to our MIVEST blog and finding the list of Featured Etsy Shops on the sidebar. 

Contact Person Whose Shop You Would Like To Feature
Once you have selected the shop you would like to feature, contact the shop owner to let that person know that you would like to feature their shop on the MIVEST blog. In the same email ask them if they would be willing to feature a shop within a week or two.  If that person does not reply within a day or two, or replies and says they can not feature a shop within a couple of weeks, please select another shop to feature.

If You Are Featured, And Have Agreed To Write The Next Feature, But For Unforeseen Reasons Can't
Sometimes life throws road blocks in the way of doing what we intend to do.  If this happens, write into the group, stating something like, "do to unforeseen circumstances, I will be unable to do the next feature.  Would someone else be willing to take my place?"

What To Do After You've Written Your Feature Of Another Shop
After you've written your feature, write into the group at MadeinVermontEtsyteam@yahoogroups.com stating you've done so, so that everyone can go read your feature :-)

Questions Or Concerns
If you have any questions or concerns, write an email in to the group at MadeinVermontEtsyteam@yahoogroups.com.

Etsy Tips and How to's

If you haven't already checked out the ETSY FORUMS , You really should. There you can find so many helpful tips and get your shop noticed by posting there. Click here to view the ETSY FORUMS

A little Secret about Promoting

	TheHouseOfMouse  From ETSY says:
	Yesterday my Sister was asking me advice on how to promote her Etsy Store. I had already given her a long list of ways to promote, including using facebook, twitter, blogging, giveaways and the Etsy forums (see the end of this post for useful links to these) which she is already doing. My sister was asking if there was anything else she could do, and then it dawned on me that there *was* something else. Something that I had not ever really considered "promoting" as such, but it had definitely helped me become a relativity well known face on Etsy. What is this secret you ask? Well, it is *sharing tutorials and bits of advice*... just like I am doing right now. By giving back to the community you become better known and at the same time you are boosting what I like to call your Etsy Karma. Giving your time to help others really is a reward in it's self, a little bonus is that you become known for being a helpful person, which will really help your brand. "But what advice can I give?" You say to me "Everything has already been written! There are already loads of articles and blog posts about every aspect of Etsy and running a business" Well yes, this is true! I am not certainly not the first to write articles on how to compile your Shop Policies, or how to make a light-box and edit your photos. But I did not copy these other authors (Plagiarism is a plague on the internet, please do not lower yourself to this level - people will be able to tell when the writing is not yours) I simply wrote from my own experience and understanding. I include things that I have discovered for myself, and share my knowledge in a way that I hope will help other sellers succeed on Etsy. Still stuck? Here are a few ideas to get you going: - Choose a topic you are interested in. Readers will be more interested in your subject if you are. - Share tutorials on how to make things, use lots of photographs to explain the steps. - Is there something you know that could help other Etsy sellers? Perhaps you found a useful website to help you collect together data, did you discover a clever way to pack shipping boxes faster? Share with your fellow sellers and they will remember you. - If tutorials and blog posts are not your thing, is there something else you could do for the community instead? (this is why making treasuries is such a beautiful idea, you are helping others and boosting your Etsy Karma) - Has someone asked you for help with something recently, or expressed a frustration that they don't understand an aspect of Etsy properly? Did you know the answer? This is a great way to find ideas on what knowledge you have to share. - Did you spend hours trying to figure something out when you first started on Etsy? Share what you know! - DO NOT directly copy other people articles or use their photos. Doing this and getting caught (and you will get caught) will only serve to make your store very very unpopular! The Etsy community does not take kindly to this kind of behaviour. So there it is, a little secret that could make a big difference to your store and help others at the same time. ~-~ Here are the other links I promised: Get the Etsy Sales you want: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6356278 Pimp your shop: http://tinyurl.com/yghs9kh Places to promote: http://tinyurl.com/crj8ya Etsy forum threads on promotions: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6120752 http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5797668 http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5453881&page=2 How to compile your Shop Policies: http://lifecraftinessandeverythingelse.blogspot.com/2009/05/etsy-sellers-tips-shop-policies.html How to make a lightbox and Edit your photos: http://lifecraftinessandeverythingelse.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-use-lightbox-and-photo-editing.html A Free 5 day Marketing Course: Day 1: http://handmadeologyuniversity.com/members/?p=240 Day 2: http://handmadeologyuniversity.com/members/?p=31 Day 3: http://handmadeologyuniversity.com/members/?p=38 Day 4: http://handmadeologyuniversity.com/members/?p=43 Day 5: http://handmadeologyuniversity.com/members/?p=53

Sand casting class

For all you jewelry makers out there- or interested parties:

I have been obsessed with jewelry making lately- and ever since I found Jane Frank, a goldsmith in Burlington, I have been creating new and different things classes with her.

This past weekend I took a class on sand casting at Alchemy Studio in Burlington . It is an ancient method of casting where you make an impression in very fine sand and then pour molten silver into the mold. VERY cool.

I made a number of things, including this: (unfinished)

and these (soon to be) pendants.

I really enjoyed the technique, and plan on using it again! I began to think about

casting wherever I looked- could this be cast? Could that be cast?

Lately I have been looking into materials I would need to continue using this technique. you need aluminum molds, and a casting sand, as well as some way to heat your metal till it turns to liquid.

I look forward to even expanding by casting experience and trying out different types of casting: silicone casting and ultimately I would like to learn the lost wax casting technique.

I know that Jane is planning on teaching this class again at her studio (Alchemy in Burlington), and she is a fantastic teacher I would definitely recommend it!

Sweet Avenue

Hello everyone!  My name is Martha, and I am 29 years old.  I was born and raised in Vermont, went to UVM, then moved to Massachusetts for a few years to get my Master's in Music Performance at UMass Amherst (I play the French horn).  I currently live in Colchester with my boyfriend Eric, and I work as the administrative assistant for Melvin Kaplan Inc., a company that manages classical musicians.  (You may recognize the name Melvin Kaplan because he is the man who founded the Vermont Mozart Festival.)

Growing up, I danced, played music, and of course, loved all kinds of arts and crafts.  I started beading with seed beads at summer camp when I was eight.  I've sold my jewelry off and on my whole life.  As an adult, I became more interested in fashion jewelry, and painting with acrylics sparked an interest in all kinds of multimedia projects.  I worked for many years (and still do, occasionally) at Spirit Dancer Books & Gifts in downtown Burlington, where, among other things, I've ordered the beads there off and on for years.  I also have taught basic beading classes there, and done some jewelry repair.  Last Christmas, I started selling some of my earrings there, which have been pretty popular.   

My current job, where I have been for almost two years, is 9-5 desk job.  My coworkers are great, but sitting at a desk most of the day can drive me crazy.  I find little ways to add color to my day (before I came, all of the post-it notes were yellow or blue - now they are every color I can get!) but honestly, I am bored.  I heard about Etsy for the first time last fall, but didn't really check it out until January.  I was really impressed with the site, and slowly worked towards opening my shop.

I knew that I wanted to sell jewelry, but I also knew that there are tons of jewelry shops on Etsy, and I wanted to find something at least slightly different.  At the same time, I had been playing around with all kinds of mixed media ideas and techniques, and also discovered that scrapbooking supplies could have very interesting uses in jewelry-making.  Eventually, I started making my collage pendants (I don't know what else to call them) using acrylic tiles, transferred images, and pretty scrapbooking papers.  Once I started making these, I felt like I at least had a bit of a niche and something different to offer, so I chose a name, and opened shop!  Sweet Avenue is the name of a beautiful song by the band Jets to Brazil, and it also happens to be the song that my sister and her husband danced to at their wedding, so it holds good memories for me!  The shop focuses on these collage pendants, but I plan on listing whatever I want to and letting the shop evolve as necessary.

Since "officially" opening around May 1st, I've had four sales and currently have almost 20 items in my store.  I've learned so much from the Etsy blog and from the forums.  I started a Facebook page, and my friends have been really supportive.  I am even going to be featured on Queen City Craft's blog at some point this summer in one of their "crafter spotlights!"  I'd like to begin selling at small craft fairs and flea markets wherever I can, and possibly get my items into a few more local stores.  (In fact, this very Saturday, from 8-3, I am going to be selling my jewelry at the Essex Fire Department Flea Market at the Hiawatha School - stop by and say hi, or set up a table - they're only $25.)  It has been so wonderful to have a creative outlet that doubles as a business venture!    

I'm looking forward to working with all of you to promote our businesses and provide support to one another.

Ten Qualities of an Effective Team Player

Teams need strong team players to perform well. But what defines such people? Read on.

Demonstrates reliability

You can count on a reliable team member who gets work done and does his fair share to work hard and meet commitments. He or she follows through on assignments. Consistency is key. You can count on him or her to deliver good performance all the time, not just some of the time.

Communicates constructively

Teams need people who speak up and express their thoughts and ideas clearly, directly, honestly, and with respect for others and for the work of the team. That's what it means to communicate constructively. Such a team member does not shy away from making a point but makes it in the best way possible — in a positive, confident, and respectful manner.

Listens actively

Good listeners are essential for teams to function effectively. Teams need team players who can absorb, understand, and consider ideas and points of view from other people without debating and arguing every point. Such a team member also can receive criticism without reacting defensively. Most important, for effective communication and problem solving, team members need the discipline to listen first and speak second so that meaningful dialogue results.

Functions as an active participant

Good team players are active participants. They come prepared for team meetings and listen and speak up in discussions. They're fully engaged in the work of the team and do not sit passively on the sidelines.

Team members who function as active participants take the initiative to help make things happen, and they volunteer for assignments. Their whole approach is can-do: "What contribution can I make to help the team achieve success?"

Shares openly and willingly

Good team players share. They're willing to share information, knowledge, and experience. They take the initiative to keep other team members informed.

Much of the communication within teams takes place informally. Beyond discussion at organized meetings, team members need to feel comfortable talking with one another and passing along important news and information day-to-day. Good team players are active in this informal sharing. They keep other team members in the loop with information and expertise that helps get the job done and prevents surprises.

Cooperates and pitches in to help

Cooperation is the act of working with others and acting together to accomplish a job. Effective team players work this way by second nature. Good team players, despite differences they may have with other team members concerning style and perspective, figure out ways to work together to solve problems and get work done. They respond to requests for assistance and take the initiative to offer help.

Exhibits flexibility

Teams often deal with changing conditions — and often create changes themselves. Good team players roll with the punches; they adapt to ever-changing situations. They don't complain or get stressed out because something new is being tried or some new direction is being set.

In addition, a flexible team member can consider different points of views and compromise when needed. He or she doesn't hold rigidly to a point of view and argue it to death, especially when the team needs to move forward to make a decision or get something done. Strong team players are firm in their thoughts yet open to what others have to offer — flexibility at its best.

Shows commitment to the team

Strong team players care about their work, the team, and the team's work. They show up every day with this care and commitment up front. They want to give a good effort, and they want other team members to do the same.

Works as a problem-solver

Teams, of course, deal with problems. Sometimes, it appears, that's the whole reason why a team is created — to address problems. Good team players are willing to deal with all kinds of problems in a solutions-oriented manner. They're problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers, problem-blamers, or problem-avoiders. They don't simply rehash a problem the way problem-dwellers do. They don't look for others to fault, as the blamers do. And they don't put off dealing with issues, the way avoiders do.

Team players get problems out in the open for discussion and then collaborate with others to find solutions and form action plans.

Treats others in a respectful and supportive manner

Team players treat fellow team members with courtesy and consideration — not just some of the time but consistently. In addition, they show understanding and the appropriate support of other team members to help get the job done. They don't place conditions on when they'll provide assistance, when they'll choose to listen, and when they'll share information. Good team players also have a sense of humor and know how to have fun (and all teams can use a bit of both), but they don't have fun at someone else's expense. Quite simply, effective team players deal with other people in a professional manner.

Team players who show commitment don't come in any particular style or personality. They don't need to be rah-rah, cheerleader types. In fact, they may even be soft-spoken, but they aren't passive. They care about what the team is doing and they contribute to its success — without needing a push.

Team players with commitment look beyond their own piece of the work and care about the team's overall work. In the end, their commitment is about winning — not in the sports sense of beating your opponent but about seeing the team succeed and knowing they have contributed to this success. Winning as a team is one of the great motivators of employee performance. Good team players have and show this motivation.

From Dummies.com
Read more: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/ten-qualities-of-an-effective-team-player.html#ixzz0qJdNmM78

craft show site

Hi Folks,

This is a link to a site that lists craft shows and will send you periodic newsletters with updates on shows you're interested in.

http://www.craftlister.com

Mary
byathread2

LADYBUG BEADS

I was so excited to step into my new craftroom once I had it all set up! New carpeting, 1960's
wall paneling still in good shape, a contemporary white desk/work table in front of two windows
overlooking both my street, and the soothing, quick-flowing Wells River. Every bead in its
correct bead box, all three dozen stacked, by category, on the desk's L-extension. My vintage
fabric stash along the back wall, in tidy plastic crates. Sewing machine on an oval, butcher block
table in the center of the room. Sun streaming through the open balcony door. It was a long
time coming! All my collections had waited patiently, for years -- it took a relocation to
Vermont, from Cleveland, Ohio, to allow the creation of the inspiring workroom I'd always
dreamed of!

I designed my first necklace , choosing jewel colors of garnet red, a deep amethyst,
and some white pearls. Oops! There went a few stray beads onto the carpet...oh
well, I'll rescue them later I thought, and continued to pick & choose, just the right-sized
beads, the right combinations, sequences and spacers. By the time I was done, more than a
few beads, crimps, and sterling balls had slipped through my fingers.

I usually leave my current piece in the bead tray until the next day, "sleeping on it", making
sure I'm happy with the final design. Before leaving the room I decided to get down on the
carpet and pick up those errant beads. Whoa! Couldn't really see them at first. Got a
flashlight and started crawling around. Well, my penchant for jewel tones had also led me to
select a carpet with flecks of the whole jewel pallette in it! Seems like I'd doomed myself
to a lot of long recovery missions down on the floor! Not wanting to step on any beads
and push them down into the pile any further, I sat down and started a sweep of my hand
in wide arcs, "feeling" those beads back into their little cribs!

My right knee moved ever so slightly and I felt a little crunch. Ah! Got another one! I picked
up some more beads and put them in my other hand. In a moment I moved over to my open
boxes and started putting more beads where they belonged. Uh oh! Seems I was also picking
up some ladybugs. I looked more closely into the sections of my open boxes and saw a few
more sitting there among the Czech beads. I picked them out with a tweezer and dropped them
into my rattan wastebasket.

The next afternoon I returned to my workroom to put the clasp on my necklace.
It was a warm day and just as I sat down in my swivel chair, an asian ladybug
dropped from the ceiling onto my arm. I heard some muted buzzing and noticed about
a dozen more flying around the windows. I'd left one of my bead boxes open overnite
and wouldn't you know there were five more bugs in the box!

Well, that was a few weeks ago, and while I've never been especially bothered by insects,
and know that ladybugs can be a sign of good luck, I now have a good sized plastic
bag full of several varieties of the little beauties, sealed up for eventual disposal, 'cause
I'm just not going to start stringing them up into some avant garde bracelet to put on Etsy
as an organic work of art!

What do you deal with in your work space?!

Written By Candice  On Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Candice's Etsy Shops: Art By Candice and Reams Of Fun

A List Of Craft Fairs & Events In Vermont

Hey everybody, I have complied a list of craft fairs, farmers markets, and events in Vermont. I hope this helps out. I know it is far from complete, so if you have any other ones to add, add away! I have added the info. that I have, you may have to google for more info. or make some phone calls. But, here is a skeleton list to help direct your efforts and interests. Maybe see you at one of the fairs!!!!

First off.....check out these sites for various craft fairs across New England....
http://www.craftproducers.com/
http://www.castleberryfairs.com/index.php

August 28th & 29th

Quechee Gorge Craft Festival

Vergennes Day marguerite@addisoncounty.com

September 4th & 5th

Mad River Valley Craft Fair Kenyon's Field, Rte. 100, Waitsfield, VT1
www.madrivercraftfair.com

September 26th

Bristol Harvest Festival- 388-7951

Oct 9th , & 10th

Harvest Arts & Crafts Show- Mount Snow West Dover VT. vlewis@mountsnow.com

South Hero AppleFest & Craft Show

JAY PEAKS ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR Main Lodge, Jay Peak 10am-4pm 10am-4pm fee….

Springfield Craft show, riverside middle school. 9am-7pm.

October 17th

CVU Annual Handcrafters Fair.

October 29th, 30th & 31st

ESSEX FALL CRAFT & FINE ART SHOW
Essex Junction, VT October 29 - 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. October 30 - 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
October 31 - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. http://www.vtcrafts.com/interior.php/pid/4 - no deadline-

November 13th or November 6th-

Crafts for All Seasons- MEMS Manchester, Reberta Reed 362-3470. date is undecided.

November 13th

Project Graduation- Mt. Abe Gym- Saturday 10am-330pm.

November 18th, 19th, 20th & 21st

VERMONT HAND CRAFTERS HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW
Sheraton Conference Center, South Burlington,VT
http://www.vermonthandcrafters.com/jury.php

Nov. 27 & 28

VT Womans Festival of Crafts- city hall- meganh@sover.net-

December 4th

NNUAL NE Winter Holiday Craft Fair, Vergennes Union Elementary School, Lisa Sprague

VERMONT FARMERS MARKET

TUESDAY

Old North End Farmers Market HO Wheeler School 3pm-630pm June 23-Oct 27th 324-3073 sra@riseup.net

WEDNESDAY

SOUTH HERO FARMERS MARKET St. Rose of Lima Church on Rte 2 4pm-7pm. June 3rd- Oct 7th

MIDDLEBURY 9am-1230pm June 17th-Oct 14th. Pam Taylor_middleburyfm@yahoo.com

BARRE GRANITE FARMERS MARKET 3pm-7pm until October 14th
plantstarter@gmail.com

THURSDAY
Winooski Farmers Market www.winooskidowntown.com

FRIDAY
MT PHILO STATE PARK FARMERS MARKET Charlotte Fridays Visitors parking lot at the intersection of Mount Philo Road and State Park road in Charlotte. 330pm-630pm. June 12th-October 9th.

RICHMOND FARMERS MARKET 3pm-630pm until October 16th cmader@surfglobal.net

STOWE aug 21st, September 4th, September 25th 11am-3pm dhatoff@sprucepeak.com- stowe mountain

SATURDAY

BRISTOL FARMERS MARKET 3pm-6pm June 10th-Oct 14th. www.bristolfarmers.org.

CHAMPLAIN ISLANDS FARMERS MARKET St. Josephs Church on Rte. 2 10am-2pm June 6th-October 3rd. Grande Isle

BURLINGTON FARMERS MARKET City Hall Park. Saturdays 830am-2pm

SHELBURNE FARMERS MARKET Shelburne Parade Ground, Church St. Satudays 9am-1pm May 30th-Oct 10th. http://www.sbpavt.org/farmers_market.php

S.B. FARMERS MARKET at Healthy Living S.B. Saturdays
Nina Lesser-Goldsmith 863-2569 nina@healthylivingmarket.com WWW.healthylivingmarket.com

WILLISTON FARMERS MARKET Saturdays Rte 2 on the village green, next to the library 10am-2pm May 30-Oct 10th Cristina Mead 872-7728. www.willistonfarmersmarket.com

MIDDLEBURY FARMERS MARKET 9am-1230pm May 9-Oct 31st

MONTPELIER CAPITAL FARMERS MARKET 9am-1pm manager@montpelierfarmersmarket.com

Shelburne Art Center- Artists Market. May 29th-October 2nd. 10am-2pm 985-3648 sarahleegrillo@gmail.com

SUNDAY

Stowefarmersmarket.com May-Oct 1030am-3pm. Info@stowevtfarmersmarket.com


Etsy has a great HOW TO DO CRAFT FAIRS, in their Etsy seller handbook, if you are going to apply for some shows, I suggest you read and check it out, it may lend another helping hand!

Hope I helped. Good Luck!!!!!

How To Navigate Our MIVEST Yahoo! Group

This post is designed to help you get around on our MIVEST Yahoo! Group pages and how to manage your personal settings for the group.

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Not Able To Access Group Links?

You must be signed into Yahoo! before you can access all the information available to our members.
If you are a member of our group, but you go to our Made In Vermont Etsy Street Team Yahoo! Group's Main Page and the left side bar looks like the below image, then you are not signed into Yahoo!. 

 To sign into Yahoo!, click on "Sign In" in the upper left corner of the page.

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On the MIVEST Yahoo! Groups Home Page you will see a list of links on the left hand side of the page.

Messages Section
The Messages section shows all of the emails that have been sent into the group.
Under the Messages Section is a subsection called Posts.  If you click on Posts you will be taken to a page where you can send a message to the group.

Files Section
This section is used by Moderators only.


Photos Section
Not used.

Links Section
Here you will find the link to our MIVEST "Members Only" Blog, a link to our MIVEST Public Blog, and a link to  VermontMadeteam Promo Links which will take you to the Etsy Forum where we have a forum thread where you can post about items in your shop.
There are also four folders in the links section: Members Etsy Shops, Members Blogs/Websites  and Members Facebook, Twitter, Myspace Pages. These folders are where members add their links.
I will use Members Etsy Shops as an example but all four of the folders work the same way.  If you click on the Members Etsy Shops  you will be taken to a page that shows the links to members' Etsy Shop.  All members should put their shop link here. On that page you will be able to add your Etsy Shop link by clicking on "add link" on the right hand side of the page. On this page simply fill out the information asked for and then click on the blue button that says "Add Link." 

If you have more than one Etsy Shop, add that shop separately.  Do the same thing to add your corresponding links to the other folders.

Database Sections
We currently are not using the database.


Polls Section
This is where you will find current polls and where you can sign up for them. If there are any polls going on, you will see "Open Polls" and below that "Poll Quetsion" and below that will be the poll question.  Click on the question it self to being taken to the page where you can vote on the question.



Members Section
This shows a list of all members, their email addresses and the date they joined the group.

Calendar Section
We currently are not using the calendar.


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Changing Your Group Settings
You must be signed into Yahoo! before you can change your settings for the group.
On the MIVEST Yahoo! Groups Home Page click on "My Groups" on the upper right hand side of the page.

This will take you to your "My Groups" page where you can edit your settings for this group.

This is where you can change your Email Preferences for the group.  You can select "Individual Emails," "Daily Digest," "Special Notices," and "No Mail."  Note: Your email preferences should not be set to "Special Notices" or "No Mail" except for short periods of time when absolutely necessary.
This is also where you can delete yourself from the group.

Step By Step How To Do A Giveaway

One of the promotional activities we are doing is having MIVEST members host a giveaway on our public Made In Vermont Etsy Street Team Blog. For anyone who has never hosted a giveaway, or who doesn't blog themselves, this may seem a little intimidating.  This post is designed to take you through the process step by step.

If you have any problems understanding the following guidelines, please email me at AllAboutCatsEtsy@gmail.com 

First Step - Select Date To Do Giveaway

Each giveaway starts on a Monday morning, lasts for two weeks, and ends on a Sunday night at midnight. Select a two week period that you would like to do the giveaway.  To see available dates and to sign up, go to the Blog Giveaway: Sign Up Here Post  and leave a comment stating the available dates you have picked out.

Once you have done this, I will check to make sure you are listed as an author on our blog.  If you aren't you will be receiving an email inviting you to become a blog author.  Follow the instructions in the email to become a blog author.

Preparing Ahead Of Time

1). Choose the item, or items, you want to give away. You can do a giveaway with one or more items.  The item(s) you choose to giveaway should be representative of things you sell in your shop.
2). Take your pictures of the giveaway item(s). You can have more than one picture in the blog post.
3). It is totally up to you what the "rules to enter" the giveaway are.  You can use the following example or make up your own. Example: To enter, pick your favorite item in my shop.
4) Let people know how to sign up for your giveaway. To sign up people should leave a comment below your post. Also state that people signing up should leave their contact info (email address) in their comment so that you have a way to reach them if the win.

Preparing Ahead Of Time - Writing Your "Draft Post" In An Email To Yourself

You can use your email to prepare your post by writing an email to yourself.

In this email write a draft of your Blog Giveaway Post.
What to include in your "Draft Post" email:
Write a paragraph about you and/or about what kinds of things you sell in your shop (this is optional).
Give the information about your giveaway item(s).
Insert a picture of the item(s) you are giving away.
State the rules of your giveaway.
Write the information of how people can sign up for the giveaway.
State what date the giveaway will end.
State how the winner will be notified.

Example:

The All About Cats Etsy Shop  features handmade items for cats (and for humans who love them). All About Cats catnip toys are filled with potent organic catnip, two bells encased in fleece, and fiberfill. Each cat toy is designed, and lovingly hand crafted, by Linda, the owner of the All About Cats Etsy Shop. Every item is made in a "Smoke Free" "Cat Filled" home :-)

This giveaway is for Fran, a happy-go-hoppy frog who is looking forward to entertaining your cat! Fran is made from green and yellow fleece. She has black felt, and yellow fleece, eyes. She measures approximately 3 1/2" tall and 5 1/2" from the end of one hind leg to the other. Her belly is approximately 2 1/2" wide.

For a chance to win Fran, visit the All About Cats Etsy Shop, pick your favorite item in the shop, and leave a comment to this post saying which shop item is your favorite.  Please leave your email address in your comment so you can be contacted if you win.

The winner will be posted on this blog Sunday, May 2nd, and will be contacted by email the same day.

Feel free to visit the All About Cats Blog and the All About Cats Facebook Page.

Make sure to check back often for more giveaways.  There is a new giveaway every two weeks!

Keep tweaking your "Rough Draft" email until you get it to look like what you want it to look like when you post it on the blog.

If You Don't Know How To Write A Blog Post

If you don't know how to write a blog post, send me an email that includes all the information you want in your blog post.  I will write up the post and post it for you. My email address is: AllAboutCatsEtsy@gmail.com 

What To Do On The Morning Your Giveaway Is To Start

Wait for the MIVEST member who is doing the giveaway ahead of you to write a blog post stating that a winner for their giveaway has been chosen.  This MIVEST member should write into the group to let you know that the coast is clear for you to post your giveaway, or you can keep checking the blog to see if that blog post has been written.

Write your blog post.

What To Do After Your Giveaway Has Been Posted

A big aspect of the giveaways is advertising.

One way to do this is for other MIVEST members to get the word out about your giveaway by posting about it on their Etsy Shop announcement, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, We Love Etsy, Indiepublic, etc.  So let the rest of the members know when your giveaway is posted.

Another way to advertise is to submit your giveaway to sites that will post your giveaway for free.  Here are sites you can submit your giveaway to:
Etsy Giveaway Blog
By Hand Giveaways
Just A Mom's Take On Things 
International Giveaways
Blog Givaways: Everyone Loves Free Stuff
Just A Mom's Take On Things
Mom Fuse 
Contest Forums
Tip Junkie
The Giveaway Gal
The Giveaway Diva
Blog Contest Station 
PRIZEY: A Directory Of Online Giveaways 
Sweepstakes Advantage
Blog Giveaways
Product Sweepstakes  
Prize-A-Tron
Free Blog Giveaway
Contest For Moms
I Wanna Win Wednesdays
Waterwaif
Indie Smiles -  Indie Smiles Submit Giveaway Page
On Facebook: a little etsy love giveaways and features
On Facebook:  Etsy Sellers' Giveaways 

These sites will probably bring in about 75%, or more, of the people signing up for your giveaway.

When It Is Time To End Your Giveaway

Go to the True Random Number Generator page on Random.org.  There you will see the True Random Number Generator on the right hand side of the page.


Leave the "Min" number at 1. Change the "Max" number to the number of entries you have for your giveaway.  Click on the "Generate" button.  Then a number will show up beside "Result."  Then count down the list of comments to your giveaway until you reach the number that matches the "Result" number from the True Random Number Generator. The person that wrote that comment is the winner.

Blog Giveaway With Available Time Slots

One of the promotional activities we are doing is having MIVEST members host a giveaway on our public blog.

If you would like to do a giveaway, please write an email into the group stating which of the available time slots you would like.

Dates Available:
May 2 - May 15
May 16 - May 29
May 30 - June 12
June 13 - July 4th
and so on...

Group Giveaways are an option (more than one person can sign up for a slot)

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Current Give Aways:

April 16 - May 1st: Kristen Varian ~ Bead Swede Studios Give Away 

2011 Past Give Aways:

Jan. 10 - Jan. 23: Eleni Curious Wiccan - 3 Winners drawn from a Hat
Jan. 24 - Feb. 6 - Valentines Giveaway: Lisa elle.paisley designs  Steam Punk Locket Give Away!
March 24 - April 1 - Anne ~ Cozy Noggin  chicken wire and paper flowers -my-first-giveaway
April 7 - April 11 - Anne ~ Cozy Noggin  Barely Measured Cozy Noggin Giveaway

2010 Past Give Aways:
March 8-21: Mary By A Thread - Blue Quilted Purse
March 22-April 4: Kris sweetnettle.etsy.com - Little Daisy Doll Sling
April 5-18: Céleste Spindrift Studio At Reindeer Station Farm - Funky go-out-to-dinner Purse
April 19-May 2: Linda AllAboutCats - Three Organic Catnip Toys
May 3-May 16: Sarah Curly's Quilts - Green Kangaroo
May 17-May 30: Kelly All things Simple - Organic Vegan Soap with Juniper Berries
May 31-June 13: Kris Sweet Nettle Market - Organic Cotton Market Bag
June 14 - June 27: Mary By A Thread - Glasses Case and Coffee Cozy
June 28 - July 11: Nicole Nicole's Threads - Pottery Lottery Button Bobby Pin
July 12 - July 25: Colleen Truly Noted - Custom Note Cards
July 26 - August 8: Martha Sweet Avenue Jewelry - Peaches and Cream Bobby Pin Trio
August 9 - August 22: Risa Funky Dreams Art Studio - Nature Inspired Bookmark
August 23 - Sept. 5: Courtney courtney reckord - Silver Earrings With Semi-Precious Gemstones
Sept. 6 - Sept. 19: Linda AllAboutCats - Two Pumpkin Organic Catnip Bell Catnip Toys
Sept. 20 - Oct. 3: Samantha Among New Horizons - Hand-painted Cup & Saucer Set
Oct. 4 - Oct. 17: Linda AllAboutCats - Two Spooky Spider Organic Catnip Cat Toys
Oct. 4 - Oct. 17: Lisa elle.paisley designs - Skull Ring
Oct. 4 - Oct. 17: Risa Funky Dreams Art Studio - Halloween Magnets
Oct. 4 - Oct. 17: Mary By A Thread - Autumn Themed Quilted Change Purse
Oct. 18 - Oct. 31: Kristen V. beadswedesupplies.etsy.com
Nov 1 -Nov 14: Tonya The Vermont Branch Company -Birch Hooks and Coasters
Nov. 15 - Nov. 28: Martha Sweet Avenue Jewelry - Mulberry Rose Hair Comb 
Nov. 29 - Dec. 12 - Christmas Group Giveaways
Paula Paula Higa - Elegant Earrings 
Kristen V.  kristenvarian  - Green Tree Agate and Sterling Earrings
Risa Funky Dreams Art Studio - Snowman Magnets and Matching Tin

Lisa elle.paisley designs - Steampunk Storybook Locket 
Linda AllAboutCats -  Abstract Cat Magnets
Kris Old Gates Farm - Sweet Sleep Pillow

Branding

Definition Of "Brand" From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 
The word brand began simply as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. The word evolved to become synonymous with a trademark, where a brand could be thought of is a name, sign, symbol, slogan or anything that is used to identify and distinguish a specific product, service, or business. A legally protected brand name is called a Trademark. The word brand has continued to evolve to encompass identity - in effect the personality of a product, company or service.

 Branding is basically a way to give your business a unique and consistent identity. Making a brand for your Etsy shop should include, but not be limited to, the name of your business, an image and a slogan.  These three things should be cohesive and memorable.  Here is an example:

Using the example above, you can see that the name of the Etsy Shop is "Spotted Cow Soaps," that the slogan is "Handcrafted in the heart of Vermont," and that the corresponding title image and avatar are a spotted cow. The playful title and avatar for Spotted Cow Soaps makes the shop seem inviting.

Branding can be designed to target a certain type of clientele.  If a shop is targeted toward young people, the branding should be designed to appeal to young people.  A shop that sells high end goods should brand their shop to reflect that with a stylish and classy look, feel and slogan.

Beyond branding your shop, you can also brand the items you sell.  This is a way to remind the people who have bought your products, where they bought them from.  For instance, if you make fabric items, you can brand these items with sew-in fabric tags that match your existing branding. Artists always sign their work, right? So it makes sense that your handmade products should be "signed."

How to create a Facebook Fan page!

This is a great tool for promoting your shop. This video is great for showing you step by step on how to create a fan page.

If you haven't already you can check out my fan page for my shop and Click the "Like" button!

AllThingSimple Facebook Fan page

Craftopolis and Cr8tivity

These are two great sources that I use. On Craftopolis you can find out what treasuries your products are featured in, who "Hearts" your shop and items and also watch the treasury clock if you are interested in posting in the main treasury or treasury West.

On Cr8tivity you can do similar things but they also include widgets, helpers and statistics. I love printing out fliers with my products on them and hanging them up at all the local bulletin boards.

So what are you waiting for? Go check them out and see who is "Hearting" your shop today!

MIVEST Tag Search Feature

This is an image of the MIVEST tag search feature which members can put on their blog.

When this image with it's corresponding HTML is clicked on, items from MIVEST members' shops who have the tag "vermontmadeteam" (no spaces between words) will show up.  The newest items with this tag will be the first items in the list.

To have your items included in this list, simply write in vermontmadeteam (no spaces between words) as a tag for each item you have for sale in your Etsy Shop.

 

This is what the tag will look like in your item listings.

How To Make A Treasury

What Is An Etsy Treasury?

Treasuries are a member-curated shopping gallery of handpicked items. In the past, only a certain amount of treasuries could be made at any one time, which made making a treasury time consuming.  Now there is a new treasury called Treasury East which has changed all that.

Why Create A Treasury?

The biggest reason : Any treasury created has the potential to be featured on Etsy's Front Page.  This is a big deal!  Imagine having one of your Etsy Shop items on Etsy's home page where everyone visiting could see it.

Even if a treasury is not featured on Etsy's Front Page, it still gets exposure.  Many people (buyers and sellers) browse treasuries.

Treasury East

The new Treasury East (beta) has no limits to how many treasuries you can make and no expiration date.  Anyone can create a Treasury East at any time.

Example Of A Treasury:

This treasury, "Gifts From The Woods Of Vermont" was created by Kelly Todd owner of All Things Simple Etsy Shop.  Every item in this Treasury comes from a MIVEST's member's shop.

How To Make A Treasury East Using MIVEST Members' Shop Items

First: Go to Treasury East. There you will see a lists of treasuries that Etsy members have created.

Second: Click on + New Treasury.   This will take you to the "Create A New Treasury" page.

Next: Go to our MIVEST blog and find the "Members Etsy Shops" link section on the right hand side of the blog.

In separate browser tabs, open up some of the members' shop links.

Now browse through some of the member shops to get inspiration as to what you want your treasury theme to be.  Once you have decided that, you can create your title and description on the "Create A New Treasury List" page. You can change the title and description at any time right up until you post your treasury.

Here is the title and description of the treasury I am making.

Next: Select an item from one of the MIVEST members shop that you want to put in your treasury.  Copy the URL of the item you have selected.  Now paste the URL below one of the boxes on the "Create A New Treasury List" page. As soon as you do that, the picture of the item you've selected will appear in the box above.  The first item I have selected is Russian Serpentine Doily Earrings from Inspired Jewelry by Ann Burke Etsy Shop.

Keep doing this until you have all the boxes filled.  You can delete any of the items by hovering over the picture and selecting "Delete."  To move items around, drag and drop an image into a different box.  The picture that was occupying that box will automatically be moved to another box.

Once you are finished creating and editing your treasury, click on "Save This List" in the bottom right corner.

That is all there is to making a Treasury East!

The treasury I've used as an example can be found here.

Once your treasury is finished, send the link to it into the MIVEST group so the rest of us can see your creation.