Marketing through other websites

So I have spent a great deal of time creating an Etsy.com shop - well actually 2 shops. One is for the art, photography, jewelry and everything else I make, called Denise's Creations. The other shop is is a bakery that I have created with my mom, called Denise's Delectables. I really wanted to name it after my mom, as her amazing baking experience far exceeds mine, but I couldn't think of anything edible that rhymed with Laura. Sorry mom!

You know, Etsy.com has gotten a great deal of buzz, and for good reason. Personally, I will pick handmade goods over store bought anytime. I am the kind of person who doesn't go to a chain store, unless necessary. Being an artist, I want to be working full time in my own business, so supporting others like me just makes sense.

I'll give another kudos to Etsy for being so visual in their marketing of their seller's items. There are dozens of ways to instantly see thousands of items. So sellers have a better chance at getting their products shown. It really is a great site and I hope all that sell on it, find it a rewarding experience.

For me, it is one more way to "live the dream" and do artistic and creative things as a living. For my mom, it is a way to get back to what she used to love doing, create really good, UNIQUE baked goods. Here's to a great start in our selling on Etsy.com mom.

Introduction

I worked in the Banking industry and did art shows part time, on weekends. But my desire has always been to do art, photography and wedding events on a full time basis. I have always been so busy with the full time job, to actually create art and have the time to market myself to galleries. I showed photography in Southern CA art shows in the beginning of the downturn several years ago and lost a great deal of money. But I had the full time job, so it wasn't a big deal. But it was never about the money. It was about meeting people and having people love my work and see places they've never seen before. It was about the endurance of working 45 hrs. per week and then spending 8 hours in the sun for a weekend art show, or event, which is exhausting, as you fellow art show artists and event photographers know. It was always about the love of art.

It's only just this recently, that I have been focusing on joining art networking sites and starting an Etsy.com shop, which has gotten the ball rolling to make me start creating art. I have a big project of updating my website from FrontPage to Dreamweaver, but I am so busy that I don't foresee that happening anytime soon. One more thing to add to the "things to do list" right?

So I have started this blog to showcase what I am currently working on and hope that this avenue gains me some more work, as I have many talents. I create acrylic, watercolor and pastel paintings, I have over 500 images from different places throughout the World, and probably 500 more I haven't added to my website yet, because I am planning on converting. I create mosaics, stained glass pieces, jewelry, cards, invitations, unique floral arrangements and anything that comes from inspiration. I do event and wedding photography and my photos have been in major publications, such as Santa Barbara Magazine and Coastal Woman Magazine (sorry to see it go with economic downturn). My photos have also been in the Santa Barbara Independent, CASA Magazine, The Montecito Journal and a few more I can't remember right now.

There is just so much I want to accomplish and I need to look at different ways to accomplish all of them. Art and helping people are my biggest passions and I want to be able to make a living out of one or the other - well actually both, but that's another story for later. I was a Dream Captain for the Dream Foundation and a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Santa Barbara County. I had to end those commitments to keep up with finding another job. I still volunteer for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara, as I can't just not help people during my own trying times. Helping people also helps me cope with these trying times. This blog is one avenue to help me live my dreams and I hope you enjoy my posts.