YAS contemporary lifestyle

The guy with 7000 views for an item listed on Etsy sold the piece at 7600 and something views. Bless his heart.

The Yasmintoo!'s organic cotton fabric is featured on a blog today. Rahrah! The Fabric Shopper On Line .

So, one of the etsy stores I follow recently posted a comment on receiving 7000 views on an item. (Folks have also posted in the etsy forums saying the view counter has gone wacko.) Any way, I congratulate the guy who may have gotten 7000 hits. I doubt if I have 7000 hits on all of my listings combined. Patience is a virtue. But, by now you know me, so you know I had to wonder about the thrill of 7000 views and no sale. Something is wrong. The ROI is way off. Sales are about math. You know, you put in the work and there are statistics that tell you how well you should be doing. If you're not getting a return on your investment, you keep tweaking until you do or until you are standing in line with the rest of the folks whose homes have been foreclosed on. Only difference will be that you were foolishly following your passion and they probably lost their jobs. How is internet selling skewed? Do any of the old rules apply? This is a new ball game. So many things to consider. If yo...

I've opened new stores on Artfire, Shophandmade, Trendie Indie, BigCartel and 1000markets. I'll add an interior design outlet as soon as I finish the pillows. If you want to know why so many stores, it's like Starbucks, the more outlets, the more exposure, the more you sell. This is the news - Stay on Etsy for the millions of folks who both sell and buy on that site. But, RUN to Artfire as soon as you can get there. These folks are not about being artsy fartsy and clichey, they are about giving you the tools to sell your work. I LOVE IT, or as Rachel Zoe says "Bananas." I've had an Etsy store for three months. You know sometimes you just suffer in silence. Artfire is a revelation. They get marketing! So easy, so many resources, so many ways to advertise and sell your work. The little mini store is just a very user friendly way to sell. You can buy directly no clicking to get to the sales site, no joining, no fuss. GENIUS. In addition to the store, kio...

Having shared the fact that I am an artist with you, my feet are back on firma terra. The mortgage rears it's ugly head and Bella the dog is high maintenance. So here's what I've been doing lately. I finished 250 cards for the etsy and artfire shops. I got back six new fabric designs from the digital printer. Five work, one doesn't. But I knew that when I pushed the button, just couldn't stop myself from wanting a three piece coordinating set of fabric. This is the Mawina Pattern in Organic Cotton Jersey Knit Organic fabric is beyond belief. The color of the cotton is ivory. The cotton sateen is just such a beautiful piece of fabric, the sheen is amazing, the body and hand are substantial, and it takes both dye and pigment beautifully. This pattern is called Quilt Top - Organic Cotton Jersey Knit My mouth watered over the organic cotton jersey knit. I want to live in it. Makes me feel like Prince Charles back in the day when he was making sexy with Camil...

Most of you know that I had an amazing career twenty years ago as a surface textile designer. For the last six months, I've been working on getting back into the game. Last night after watching a PBS special on Dorothy and Herbert Vogel and their amazing collection and gift to the National Gallery of Art I recovered myself as an artist. One of the pieces in the collection is a small section of everyday ordinary rope tacked to a board. When the interviewer asks Dorothy why this is art, Dorothy responds "Because the artist says so." So, it's not about the market or selling production work on etsy or tailoring your work to meet some one else's criteria of art. If you are an artist and know that the work you produce is art, it is art. I am an artist, creating art.

Every week is a good week but this one was especially productive. I finished sewing 30 scarves and two each day go into the etsy shop. I really don't care for working with silk, dyeing or constructing, so this was an achievement. You can see several views of each scarf at flickr . Supplies and fabric arrived every day this week. I got a new 24 inch paper cutter for the cards. Boy will that speed up production on cutting the 24 X 36 inch sheets of mango and unryu natural paper I print the lino cuts on. I cleaned up the laptop, put everything except for this month's work on my external hard drive. I needed the room because I bought a wacom tablet. I don't know about you, but my fingers just won't get with shift, control, alt, a key, the space bar and left clicking and dragging all at one time. The wacom tablet has a pen and a mouse. I love it. (The work in progress design is for digitally printed fabric. Black and white created in pen, then scanned into Illust...

(I'm showing at this event. I think this is the most wonderful story. Art rises in the ashes of fire. What could be more affirming? I believe there is room for more artists.) Painted Pony Arts Festival Sponsored by the Jamul Arts and Music Council A non-profit tax organization 501(c)(3) P.O. Box 98 Jamul, CA 91935 Promoting and expanding arts education and opportunities in the arts for both school and community. Dear Artist: The Jamul Arts and Music Council, also known as JAM, would like to invite you to participate in the Second Annual Painted Pony Arts Festival. Since JAM received a San Diego County Enhancement Grant, there will be no booth fees! Jamul is only 26 minutes from downtown San Diego, and is easily accessible from all of San Diego County and the East County communities. After our community was devastated by the Harris Fire, JAM decided to rise from the ashes and promote Jamul as a developing cultural center for the arts beginning with this Festival. The Fest...

I'm totally in love with Silvia Cortes' work. I want it all. Silvia is the featured designer on Tuesday's Designer .