Essential Etsy Links Update

Sectioned- Laser-Engraved Brain Necklace by Morphologica

There have some interesting developments in terms of etsy tools recently, so I have put together an 'Essential Etsy Links Update' for easy reference. Some are new resources, some I've recently discovered!

• Craftopolis - find out which treasuries you're in
• CraftCult - see whether you've been featured on the front page or in the gift guides
• Handmadeology- Timothy Adam's site with tutorials and tips for sellers
• Found-Handmade- Also from Tim, showcasing items from Artfire and Etsy, with a link for sellers to submit their own items
• TweetMeMe- a button so that people can easily retweet your blog to share with others (try it out at the bottom of this post!)
• EtsyMarketing.org - a new site with marketing tips and info for sellers
• TwitterFeed- most of you probably know about this one. It allows you to automatically list your etsy items on twitter as they are added to your store
• Google Analytics for searches within etsy- this Storque update tells you how to change the settings within Google Analytics so that you can see the search terms used by people in the etsy search bar
• Easy free newsletter service Bravenet- I thought this might be of interest too.
  

Cuteable.com!

As is probably evident from the name, Cuteable.com showcases a wonderful collection of handmade pieces that are so cute you just want to squish them! Cuteable is a hugely popular blog featuring finds from etsy and other handmade sites, and is a colourful way to browse some of the cuteness out there :) There's also a link on the site to 'Share Your Cute' so that your own cute creations can be considered for the site.

Two of my favourite finds from Cuteable:


Sweetie Fox- Hand Illustrated Coin Purse by PocketCarnival


Brisa the Ballerina Amigurumi Doll Corchet Pattern by Owlishy

Instructables!!

This isn’t specifically to etsy, but Instructables is such a fantastic site that could be really useful for etsy creators, so I wanted to share! It has a huge searchable collection of how-to articles (with pics and detailed info) for all kinds of different creations. It’s an amazing resource! You can also post your own ‘instructables’ and get involved in their online forum.

From the site:
Instructables is a web-based documentation platform where passionate people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others. The seeds of Instructables germinated at the MIT Media Lab as the future founders of Squid Labs built places to share their projects and help others.

Chris Parry's Blog Competition and Pricing Spreadsheet

Chris from http://chris-parry.blogspot.com/ is running a fantastic giveaway competition (and I should know because I won a gorgeous ring from him on the Etsy forum!!). He is offering a chance to win one of three rings, worth $105 in total DETAILS HERE. In addition to competitions, Chris reviews gorgeous finds on etsy, as well as his stunning jewellery designs.
Chris also offers a free spreadsheet for Etsy sellers to work out how to price their work HERE, which has now received over 30,000 downloads!

ChrisParry.Etsy.Com

Confessions of an Esty Stalker

http://etsystalker.com/ is a beautiful site curated by Beatrice. In her words: "There are two kinds of people necessary in the arts. First, there are the artists, those who create lasting works that make us take in that deep inhale of breath. Next, there are those of us who appreciate the arts, who want to promote and help professional artists in their life’s passions." Beatrice showcases some of her wonderful etsy finds on this site, providing what she describes as an online museum of etsy arts and crafts.

PinkPolish Design

http://pblog.pinkpolishdesign.com/ is another fantastic blog that provides top tips for etsy sellers. Here you can find 5 tips for starting 2009, info on how to use twitter effectively, improving photos and shop visibility, and how to make the etsy front page!
Blog Author: PinkPolishDesign.etsy.com

The Handmade Movement- Sneak Attacks!

http://www.handmademovement.com/ (although not strictly a blog) is the home of the 'Sneak Attack'.
From the site:
"What's a Sneak Attack? Three days a week at an appointed time, an Etsy shop with few or no sales is announce on this site. As many people as possible then buy items from that shop, resulting in a frenzy of surprise business to the unsuspecting shop! Want to join in? I bet you do! Read on..."

Such a great idea! Spread the Etsy Love!!!

Site author: phippsart.etsy.com

That Unreliable Girl

http://thatunreliablegirl.blogspot.com is a gorgeous blog, and one of my favourites :) Ms Unreliable is an etsy buyer and lover, and features beautiful pictures of lovely things throughout her blog. It's hard to look through without finding lots of things to add to the wishlist though!
A treat for the eye!

From her site: 'That Unreliable Girl is a collection of inspiration, beauty, daily musings and all sorts of lovely little things that happen to take the fancy of a slightly unhinged young lady, Ms. Unreliable.'

Etsy Giveaways

http://etsygiveaways.blogspot.com is definitely worth a look! You can enter competitions to win heaps of free etsy giveaways and also submit your own competitions if you are looking to publicise your shop! Run by a group of Etsians :)

Life craftiness and everything else

http://lifecraftinessandeverythingelse.blogspot.com/ is a cute blog authored by Anna from the House of Mouse on etsy. As well as allowing you to vote on which mouse should be created next, Anna provides some great tips for etsy sellers, including advice on photos, making a front-page-worthy treasury, and how to get the etsy sales you want.

Loose Wire Studio

http://loosewirestudio.blogspot.com is a great blog with some useful links not found on etsy. Here you can find an 'Etsy FAQ cheat sheet' with links to info about treasuries (incl. treasury west), etsy stats, the meaning of etsy, paypal info, google info and more! There's also an 'Etsy Helpful Links- Not Found Via Etsy' page

Author: loosewirestudio.etsy.com

TimothyAdamDesigns

http://timothyadamdesigns.blogspot.com is one of the BEST blog resources for etsy sellers. This blog regularly publishes heaps of fantastic advice on how to promote your shop, increase traffic to your blog, and offers opportunities to be a featured shop.

Author: TimothyAdamDesigns.etsy.com

Etsy Bitch

http://etsybitch.blogspot.com/ is a thought-provoking blog addressing some of the issues people have with etsy, in the hope that this might improve the operation of the site. It also provides info on alternative selling venues. An interesting one to visit!

How to recommend a blog you love!

Just post a comment here with a link to the blog and I'll take a look!
Thanks :)

How to get your blog featured!

If you're interested in being featured on Best Etsy Blogs please leave a comment on this post with the following information:
a) your blog address
b) a short description of your blog (1-2 sentences)

Comments will be read and great blogs chosen to feature on the site with a picture where applicable!

Thanks xx