Crafty Graphics

New Focus - Saving My Daughter

2012-01-02T07:08:00.004-05:00

Hi, All in the Etsy and Crafting World,

My daughter was diagnosed with DIPG - Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma - a rare, aggressive and almost always terminal form of brain cancer. She is currently in radiation treatment and in rehab for trauma the tumor caused a few weeks ago.

I thought she had the flu. Seriously. And took her to the ER thinking she was significantly dehydrated. But, I knew something else was not right. I never, ever thought it would be cancer.

I am on leave from my job to take care of her now for at least 3 months, possibly longer. My Etsy shops will be my main source of income. I'm lucky that my husband has a good job BUT with this cancer being very possibly terminal and knowing that it usually comes back within a year I'm going to market the hell out of my services so that I can make as much money as possible for anything that will make her comfortable and happy this year. We have enough to get by but the extra stuff, like taking her to the beach or going to museums and the zoo will be difficult to swing.

Please, please, please, consider purchasing at any of my 3 Etsy shops:

www.CraftyGraphics.etsy.com - Readymade graphics sets for Etsy and custom design for any business.

www.CraftyGraphicsScraps.etsy.com - Printable scrapbook pages, greeting cards, coloring cards, clip art and more at very reasonable prices.

www.HelenZigaFineArt.etsy.com - Original whimsical drawings and paintings all priced at $20.00-$150.00.

I really appreciate all the support I can get. Thanks.

Helen

Make Your Own Holiday Cards Using CraftyGraphics Scraps Clip Art

2011-11-17T07:38:00.002-05:00

I have launched a new Etsy shop that provides you with digital files to print yourself - clip art, scrapbook pages and cards. The shop is CraftyGraphicsScraps. All completely adorable and well priced. The pricing runs from $.20 (just a few to help get my sales going) but generally run from $2.00-$5.00. And, you get a LOT of digital artwork for your $$.
I have lots of Christmas clip art and card designs to choose from! All clip art purchases include both a jpg and a png (which won't have a white background). They're easy to use and just completely adorable.

Book Review - Creative, Inc - The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business

2011-10-26T11:50:00.005-04:00

A Crafty-Graphics Book Review

Creative, Inc - The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business
By Meg Mateo Ilasco & Joy Deangdeelert Cho
Published in 2010 by Chronicle Books LLC
http://www.chroniclebooks.com/
Designed by Oh Joy! Studio.

Creative, Inc. is one handy little book! The focus of this collaborative effort is on starting, growing and surviving a freelance business. Most of us probably think of business-specific creative fields such as graphic design, photography, filmmaking, illustration and the like would be marketable freelance businesses. But, what if you had the same know-how as these folks, the ones you often depend on as a creative person yourself, to market your own business?

I highly recommend this book for any creative person who is starting up their own business and would like to be a successful self-employed person.

They cover a variety of important topics such as :

• WHO SHOULD DO THIS - The qualities a freelance person should have.

• WHERE SHOULD IT BE DONE - How to get your studio to work for you. Or, how to work with the space you have.

• HOW TO MAKE IT LEGIT – The legal ins and outs of establishing your business.

• WHO ARE YOU – How to brand and market your business.

• WHERE’S THE BEEF? – You need to get paid, right? You’ll need to know how to write an estimate, invoice and contract.

• WHO CAN HELP – Some of you might want an agent to represent you. This does not apply to everybody.

• HOW TO STAY SANE – Balancing work and life ain’t easy. But, it’s hugely important for both the success of your business and your mental health.

Each chapter ends on an interview with a successful creative freelancer who offers lots of great advice.

All in all, it was well worth the $16.95 that I paid for this book.

8 Great Tips on How to Create a New Idea

2011-10-04T11:01:00.001-04:00

Are you a really creative person but are getting a bit tired of making the same thing or want to mix things up a bit with what you make to sell on Etsy or at craft shows? I have some great tips on how to get your brain churning and the ideas rolling.

1. Brainstorming: This is typically a group technique aimed at developing the largest quantities of solutions possible. Judgement on the value of the idea should be withheld until all ideas are on the table. I write a lot of lists to do brainstorming.

2. Adaptation: Think of unorthodox ways what you make can be used. Maybe you'll determine that your products can be marketed in a new way. Maybe you'll come up with changes to what you make that accomodate this new use.

3. Synthesis: Combine two ideas to create a new one!

4. Theme: Create a collection of work that maintains a consistent look or use. Come up with a great name for your theme.

5. Journalism: Be your own journalist! Learn everything you can about everything that interests you and keep a book of lists, thoughts, scraps, images and whatever you find inspirational. Carry paper and a camera with you wherever you go.

6. Experience: Try out what you need an idea for. If it's food, eat it. If it's music, listen to it. If it's a new craft for the home, make one for yourself and try it out for a spell. Don't rush this process.

7. Competitive Analysis: Spy on the competition. I know it sounds awful. It doesn't mean COPY. It means study what is working for this competition and derive some inspiration from it.

8. Persistence: You ideas are good. Not all are going to be brilliant all the time. Just be confident in what you do and keep at it. Don't give up.

How Do I Use Blogger?

2011-08-09T07:55:00.003-04:00

A lot of us have blogs but don't know how to make them look custom. There's an assumption that one must be a web developer to do so. That's not the case!

Here are three easy ways to customize your blog in Blogger - change your banner, change your background and include an ad graphic.

BANNER:

When you are in the design section you will see an outline of your blog - sort of a layout.
Click on the word "Edit" by the Header section.
Find "Image" and browse for the blog banner that was designed for you.
Click on the file name and click "Open".
The blog banner graphic will replace what you currently have – either text or an old graphic.

AD GRAPHIC

Stay in the design section.
Find "Add Gadget". This will be on the right side of your blog layout, most likely.
A menu will pop up. Find "Picture" and click on it.
Find "Image" and browse for the ad graphic that was designed for you.
Click on the file name and click "Open".
The ad graphic will be on your sidebar.

BLOG BACKGROUND

This one is more complicated.
Find "Template Designer" in the design section.
This will take you to a new page and it will look a lot different than the previous.
If you've uploaded the blog banner and ad graphic you should be able to see it on this page.
Click on "Background".
Click on "Background Image" - there will be a square graphic that has the text "Background Image" above it.
Click on "Upload Image".
Browse for the pattern graphic that I designed for you.
The pattern will appear immediately.

Where Do I Print Business Cards?

2010-09-23T13:37:00.008-04:00

There are plenty of sites to choose from when you're looking to print your business cards. I'm going to provide you with a list of websites with recommendations based on my experiences with them.
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www.overnightprints.com
This is the best site I've used to date. They are inexpensive, are fairly green and provide several shipping options so you can keep your price down.

The paper quality is excellent - durable and heavy.
The coloring is typically very, very accurate.
Customer service is very good.
There is no upload fee for when you upload your files for them to print.

This company services the US only. If you reside outside the US you can order from them. However, you will be charged a tax/tarrif by UPS to receive the delivery. It is not worth the expense.
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www.printrunner.com
The products are comparable with OvernightPrints in terms of quality. The item they offer that is unique are very inexpensive hangtags.

If you have a business card or hangtag that is 2x2", rather than the traditional 3.5x2" you will get a fantastic price.
There is no upload fee for when you upload your files for them to print.
This company also has live customer service chat online.

Again, this company services the US only. You can order and ship to another country but will be charged a high tarrif outside of the purchase price.
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http://www.vistaprint.com/
This company is ideal if you live in Canada, the UK, Australia or many other countries throughout Europe.

They print and ship direct to many, many countries.
The downside is that the print quality is OK.
The paper quality is flimsy.
They nickel and dime you on everything from uploading your files to getting glossy paper.
Printing and shipping turnaround is VERY SLOW unless you want to pay a LOT more money.

If you plan to use any of these websites go to http://www.retailmenot.com/ before you do and search for them to find fantastic coupons. You should NEVER pay full price on printing.

Welcome to Crafty Graphics

2010-09-23T10:04:00.001-04:00

Visit the Crafty Graphics Blog regularly for DIY craft ideas as well as design and marketing advice for the booming DIY craft business. I will be posting articles, treasuries, crafting success stories and other super great and relevant information on a weekly basis.

I will be posting information on the best printing resources this week. Please come again to read up on just how easy and inexpensive using an online printer can be.

If you are in need of fabulous branding for your art or craft business, please check out my two design shops on Etsy:
http://www.craftygraphics.etsy.com/ - sells readymade etsy graphics and graphics as well as printing services and posters for home decor.
http://www.zigahelen.etsy.com/ - my original shop selling custom graphic design and printing services.

Thanks for visiting and I hope the blog is useful to you! Cheers!

To Logo or Not to Logo

2010-08-07T14:41:00.005-04:00

What exactly is a logo and what can it do for me?

A logo is essentially a compact design that is the signature of your brand. It typically includes text - the name of your shop and maybe a tagline - and sometimes a graphic element - usually symbolic of the product or product mood. A logo can help keep your brand consistent. You would use this on all of your marketing materials - business card, banner, hangtags, labels, flyers, etc - to keep things looking consistent. Question is, do you need a logo? Here’s a list of reasons to choose to go with a logo.

You want to be able to take your graphic and run with it. Meaning, you want to own your logo graphic outright and not be dependent on the graphic designer to constantly edit your brand. NOTE: To have this right you need to own the copyright to the graphic. You do not necessarily get this when you purchase a logo. It needs to be spelled out specifically in your contract or the purchased listing on Etsy. Most graphic designers on Etsy do NOT provide the copyright to their clients. Meaning, the graphic designer owns the copyright and can require that you pay royalties. What royalties means depends on them.
You sell dozens of items that have labels on them - spa, cosmetics, candles and toiletries all need labels. A logo will keep your branding consistent and will make the designing easier in the long run.
You sell on Etsy as well as other places. A logo will help keep your brand consistent and will help regular customers know they’re in the right place. They will identify your logo.
You want to attract customers with a unique brand. This is what is often seen as the manipulative side of marketing. Personally, I think it’s part of the fantasy of buying beautiful things. From childhood we role play, so why is it so awful to buy something because it makes you feel retro or chic or earthy? It’s all in fun and can absolutely help you sell your products.
You want your brand to look professional. If you want to take your products to the “next level” a professionally designed logo can do just that. A well designed logo will show prospective buyers and wholesellers that you take your business seriously.

Designing a smart, impactful logo takes a lot of time and effort.

It is also one of the more expensive services to purchase on Etsy. So, be thoughtful when selecting a designer and make sure that you communicate your needs with the person you hire.\

A well-done logo design should follow some specific processes:

A questionnaire for the client with detailed questions about their business.
Research on the part of the designer and the client to find out what the competition is doing with regards to their brand.
No copying of other business brand concepts.
An original concept for your business.
Lots of time and thinking on the part of the designer - this is not a whimsical, impulsive artistic practice. It takes serious thinking and logic to do a smart logo.
Discussions with the client to ensure that the logo is hitting the mark.

I'm Creative and Know Way Around a Computer - Why Should I Hire a Graphic Designer If I Sell on Etsy?

2010-08-07T14:08:00.001-04:00

OK, so you have your store set up and have used the Etsy bannerator. Your shop looks nice but it’s not unique. What do you do? A custom banner design done by a talented Etsy graphic designer is the answer. Graphic designers love to work for our Etsy clients. You are talented and creative and allow us to design the kind of creative stuff that got us into graphics in the first place.

You can certainly create a banner yourself. These days it’s getting easier and easier to DIY your own graphic designs. However, there are advantages to hiring an Etsy graphic designer. Here are a few reasons:

We’re fast. Most of us can design a banner and other marketing materials for your store in about a week.
You’re critical. Most of what you make for yourself you will dislike. It’s very hard to design for yourself and be happy with the end result.
We’re trained professionals. This is what we do. There are dozens of talented designers in Etsy’s “Everything Else” section. There are readymade and custom banners available in all colors and styles.
You have a busy schedule. It’s midnight and you just finished folding the laundry. You’re exhausted and need some help getting your business rolling.
We’re reasonably priced. Yes, graphic design on Etsy is plentiful and inexpensive. Your fellow Etsy designer will charge anywhere from $50-150 for a logo design. Your profession designer from the Yellow Pages will probably charge $400-500.

Our end goal is to make a nice living for ourselves and to help you do the same.

To purchase smart, beautiful readymade graphics go to www.craftygraphics.etsy.com.
To purchase unique, custom graphics go to www.zigahelen.etsy.com.