Have You Ever Started Over?

I've been an Etsy seller, now, for almost 2 years. I've had limited success selling handmade items. In the beginning I also sold knitting and crochet supplies in my shop. Last year, at just this time, I opened "finishthis.etsy" for sole purpose of selling supplies and vintage items.

The art that I am producing now is different and I had thought that I would change my banner to relfect these changes. But the more I think about it, the more I am inclined to close the old shop and open up under a new name that better relates to my current items.

I currently have only 39 itmes listed so it would be a minimal cost to move them all over.

So, the questions are:

1. Have you ever closed a shop and opened a new one?

2. How long had your first shop been up and running when you made the change?

3. Did it hurt sales when you first did it? If so, do you feel that you have recovered?

4. What did you do about your previous buyers? How did you inform them?

5. What did you do about all your hearts? Did you inform them that you were moving? Is it even permisable to do so?

6. Over all, do you think it was worth the hassle?

Please write your responses in the comment section and then, if you don't mind, go back to the etsy forum post and let me know you've left a comment.

And thanx for participating. I truly value the opinions and suggestions that come out of these blog posts.

Very Nearly a Nightmare

My hand painted flower cane

I'm working on my computer,editing photos in preparation for listing new items in my Etsy shop. All of a sudden, one of the photos in the folder I'm using disappears! Poof!

"What the heck was that?" I say to myself. Instead of the photo there's an

empty box made up of dotted lines. I double click the dotted line box and nothing happens.

So I stare at the screen, trying to puzzle out what just happened, when all of a sudden three more photos disappear! Poof, poof, poof!

Now my heart is racing and I'm fantically trying to get the photos back and, poof! poof! two more are gone.

It is at this moment that I realize, " I am NOT

dreaming!" So I close the window, figuring that this will stop pics from going.... where?

Every time I open a folder, more and more pics are gone. And now I'm beginning to panic. I shut the program down.

Out comes the address book, open it up to A and dial the number for Apple Computer customer help.

Marvin, (I'm not kidding) helps me salvidge the remaining photos and strongly suggests that I purchase an "exterior hard drive". Obviously, he states, a flash drive will be totally inadiquate to the task

of backing up my photos.

BTW: He had no idea why my photos disappeared

and he doubts I'll ever get them back. 80(

So, here's the questions;

1. Do you back up your files and photos? Or do you always think that you'll get to it, just not right now?

2. If you do back up your files, what do you use, a flash drive? a CD, an exterior hard drive?

3. Why do you use the back up system you've chosen, rather than some other way?

My solution?

I found an empty flash drive, went into my iphoto library and copied every pic. And let me tell you, I have thousands of them! And they all fit. And if I need more space,

I'll get more flash drives!

My Morning, noon and night cane

Do You Have a BFA?

I have a friend, actually, she's my shrink, who has told me that I need to get a bachelor's degree if I expect to make anything happen for myself in the art world.

I have always thought of college as a place to gain the skills to practise the career you have chosen as your life work. And, of course, it is! I have an associates degree in art from my local community college and feel that I gained skills that I have used to help improve my artistic technique.

But she also asserts that going to college is about making connections and using a learning institution as a platform to further my attempts to "break out" in the art world. This is a new idea to me. I have always understood that having a diploma from certain schools add to a person's cache, to make them more appealing to those who may be interested in hiring them.

I would like to know what others think about this. Will you look the questions below and give answers in the comments.

1. Do you feel that having a BA or a BFA makes a difference in your professional life?

2. Do you feel that having your BFA gave you an advantage?

3. Did you use your attendance at your chosen school to make an artistic statement while attending? Were you able to make business connections on campus or through professors and/or staff?

4. Did you consider that to be a reason for attending the college that you chose?

5.What about exposure? Did you exhibit work at your school with the intention of parlaying that into a career? Did it work?

6. Do you feel that your school provided a "platform" for you as a student?

I truly appreciate any insight anyone can give me.

Thanx!