Self Production Design

My Super Awesome Ter-Rawr-Rium

2009-06-10T16:39:00.007-05:00

Last week, I stopped by my parents' house to hang out with my sister before she headed off on her Europe trip. I had been thinking my desk needed a terrarium and my sister is generally up for anything, so I figured 'hey! sisterly project.'

That is, until I found out that my sister had no idea what a terrarium even was.

Nor did my dad.

Actually, according to my dad, I couldn't be making a terrarium unless a reptile or amphibian was added.

I was beyond relieved when my mom got home from work to educate both my sister and dad that a terrarium does not need a stinking lizard in it nor was it a made up word.

My sister and I ran off to buy terrarium supplies at a couple local stores. Charcoal - check, potting soil - check, a sturdy jar - check, scottish moss - check, rocks - check. Upon returning to my parents' house, my dad declared the jar officially a candy jar, therefore, I must be making a candiarrium... or however you possibly want to spell that.

So, not only must I add a lizard to make it a terrarium, it no longer mattered as I officially had a candiarrium on my hands instead.

I sent a text message to Brian complaining about all the flack I was getting about making a silly little terrarium for my desk. To which he responded with, "O_o whats a terrarium." Sigh.

When I got home, I ended up adding a special little dinosaur to the terrarium, anyways. (Bah! Does that count as a reptile?!) And proceeded to send a picture message to Brian that read.

"SEE MY TER-RAWR-RIUM!"

(I still don't think anyone in my family understands the concept of a terrarium.)

Spotlight: Fresh Linens

2009-06-01T04:08:00.012-05:00

I don't know what it is about linen, but it is so fresh and romantic to me. I can't wait to start decorating after the move to incorporate a lot of these lovelies.

A Forbidden Fruit: Cold Process Soap

2009-05-30T13:52:00.020-05:00

I have a hobby that I've been forbidden to partake in for eight months now, and it's been driving me absolutely insane! Back at the beginning of October last fall, I had just gotten a huge box from Diana's Sugar Plum Sundries in the mail - and was looking forward to slaving away on my next day off for hours and hours in my kitchen.

Two days later, I found I was pregnant.

I worried about the lye fumes, so I waited until I could ask the doctor. He agreed, and laid down the law - No Soap. *cries*

Last month, I spotted two silicone 'pans' that would make amazing soap molds - for $2 a piece. Can't beat that, I snagged them up. And they've been staring pointedly at me every time I'm in the kitchen - crying to be put to use.

Activated Charcoal & Titanium Dioxide Swirl;
Scented with Tea Tree Essential Oil

Soooo, last night, I talked Brian into letting me use one - on the sole condition that he handle the lye solution completely to minimize any fume inhalation on my part. He agreed!

And the result? Can I say I still got it?

Though, I found out today that he acquired himself a tiny little lye burn (like a tiny little spot, but still!) - on purpose. This is my boyfriend, and his morbid curiosity. When I asked what the hell he did, even after I told him to be extremely careful - his response?

"I've seen Fight Club..."

Definitely my boyfriend. <3

Spotlight: The Botanist

2009-05-30T06:04:00.005-05:00

It's not even the dawn of Spring anymore, but I'm just getting into the swing of things. These lovely finds really captured my spirit this morning, refreshing and crisp.

Beautiful Etsy finds, goodness, how I love thee!

The Ultimate Promo Giveaway: And the winner is....

2009-05-24T00:14:00.003-05:00

For the month of May, we ran a super giveaway giving Etsians a chance to claim their favorite products from our shop for FREE!

And today is the sad sad day that giveaway came to end - well, sad for everyone except one lucky person.....

And that lucky person was Comment #2 (oh yes, Random.Org's random number generator chose #2!)

"I love your shop! I am glad it has started to take off for you. I had a hard time coming up with an Ultimate Promo package only because it was hard to pick a few items. I think I could use everything in your shop.

The logo stickets would be very handy (the round ones) and I think the scratch off cards would be a fun thing for customers. Who doesn't like to scratch off things like that. The boutique bags would be handy as well, I am doing my first craft show ever this weekend.

As far as a new product for the shop: Maybe some custom printed price tags. That could have the shop logo on one side/website, etc. and on the back you could handwrite the price of the product."

So congratulations, Ariela (reallybadkitty) of RBK Creations! We'll be contacting you about your new Promo Pack, including logo stickers, scratch off cards, and boutique bags! How exciting!

We want to thank everyone else who entered the Ultimate Promo Giveaway, so.... until May 25th at Midnight CST get a free 60 count 1" logo sticker pack with the purchase of any other item in our shop! Just use the promo code 'UltimatePromo525' when you check out in the Notes to Seller.

Looking forward to more Giveaway fun? Don't miss our upcoming feature, Maker's Mark!

New Blog Feature: Maker's Mark

2009-05-22T02:26:00.025-05:00

Maker's Mark is a new feature coming to Self Production Design's blog here in June.

What is it?
Everyday, I get the opportunity to work with the skilled artisans and entrepreneurs from all over Etsy land - providing them with the time saving and affordable promotional products we offer our customers. I wish that each and every seller I've gotten to work with the greatest amount of success on Etsy they can imagine, they all deserve it -- and now I'm going to try to help!

Maker's Mark will be featuring crafters and creators that can be found selling on Etsy every week. We'll tell you all about the brilliantly talented people we get to work with, what we've done to help them in their business, and give you the chance to win lovely products from their stores on Etsy.

I want to read about talented Etsy Sellers and get the chance to win cool stuff!
When does this start?!
Maker's Mark debuts on June 28th, 2009 and I'll keep the party rolling every Sunday, so make sure to stay tuned and get your follow on (if you haven't already!) Each Maker's Mark will be active and on display for a week, so make sure to check back every Sunday for the new edition!

I'm Etsy Seller, feature me!
Maker's Mark is a special program put together in conjunction with Self Production Design's products and services. You don't have to buy anything, though! Self Production Design is offering our products for yours, with the understanding that we'll be including you in Maker's Mark. However, this is not a free-for-all! Self Production Design will be choosing sellers to participate very carefully based on various factors - including but not limited to level of professionalism and seriousness, product type and quality, shop/store appearance, and my overall taste.

Take a look at this Etsy Thread if you are interested in becoming apart of Self Production Design's Maker's Mark and leave us a comment if you are interested. We'll contact you if we feel you're the right fit for the Maker's Mark program. :)

The Ultimate Promo Giveaway

2009-04-25T19:59:00.011-05:00

Jessie of Not Bees (a fab jewelry supply seller on Etsy) recently knocked our socks off with a surprise Product Review on the I Made That blog! Jessie has ordered from us twice now, and we love working with her so we were extremely flattered by her kind words in the Review.

We've been super busy with orders thanks to all our lovely clients and customers, but now we want to give back. To celebrate our first bloggy feature of sorts, as well as surpassing the 100 sales milestone (here's to another 100!), we've decided to a swanky giveaway. Oh yay!

So, what are we giving away?! Our Ultimate Promo, that's what.

What? You don't see it in our shop? That's because only you can decide what our Ultimate Promo would be - so take a gander at our shop, pick out what you think the Ultimate Promo would be for your shop, and tell us why in a comment here.

On May 23rd, we'll pick a random winner out of the hat and hand over their Ultimate Promo - spiffed up with their specifications, shipped straight to their door for uber promo power. Make sure to leave your email, Etsy username, or blog link so we can contact you!

Want more ways to win? Sheesh, why not!
But you have to have an initial entry (Pick your Ultimate Promo!) to qualify!

Complete any of the following and get an extra entry for every attempt:

+1 Entry: Tweet about our giveaway or your Ultimate Promo product. Tag your tweet with "#spdetsy" or "@selfproduction" so we can track it!
+1 Entry: Blog about us or toss us a link: about our giveaway, your Ultimate Promo product, our shop, etc. (Just show us in the comments here!)
+2 Entries: Suggest a sparkling brand new promo product you would like us to carry in your comment about your Ultimate Promo. If you win, we just might supply you with your Ultimate Promo AND give your suggestion a shot with you as the guinea pig. ;)

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!!
Thanks for entering!

RGB & CMYK: What's the Difference?

2009-03-28T05:56:00.001-05:00

When it comes to design, there are many different color models available, most applications use either RGB or CMYK. It's highly important for a graphic designer to know the difference, and know when to use or not to use a color model. But if you're considering shelling out the money on design work, you should know the difference, too!

Why?

As a graphic designer and small run printer, I can't count the number of times a client or customer has asked me to print a file that was designed within the wrong color model or resolution. After explaining to the client what I can do to fix the problem, but also explaining why there is a problem - most are upset that they didn't receive the "right" file from their original designer in the first place or never knew there was a difference!

So what's RGB?

RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue and is an additive color model. What this means is that this color model is based on adding and mixing light - when you add Red, Green, and Blue light together, you create a pure white. You can see how adding pigments in RGB color models (to the left) affects the ultimate color result. As Red, Green, and Blue all come to white - it is understood that white is truly the combination of all colors and black is the absence of color.

RGB is primarily used for designing elements that will be displayed on a television set, a computer monitor, a mobile phone, or any other kind of light source. Obviously, it is a device dependent color model.

If you'd like to learn more about RGB color models, try giving this Wikipedia article a read.

And CMYK is?

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black) and is a subtractive color model. A subtractive color model works exactly opposite from an additive color model (RGB,) it works by partially or entirely masking certain colors from white. So instead of adding light to achieve a color, CMYK is using ink to subtract brightness from white. Therefore, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow combined is black - the absence of brightness.

So where does the Key (Black) come in? In traditional printing, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow inks were layered to create images. Eventually, Key (Black) began being used to additionally subtract brightness in printing (producing deeper darker tones) and heavily reduces ink usage of the other tones.

CMYK is also a device dependent color model, but it is most frequently used to this day as the main color model used in printing. If you'd like to learn more, check out Wikipedia.

So what's the big deal?

Since both color models are device dependent, they will display differently depending on the medium in which they are presented.

For instance, an RGB color model is ideal for an electronic source - such as your computer's monitor, but due to the additive nature of the color model, printing is not ideal. With an additive color model, you are adding colors via light wavelengths and creating new colors by lightening the Red, Green, and Blue color model using more or less light - hence why an electronic source is best, you are using an abundance of light to communicate color.

While the CMYK color model is ideal for printing, since the subtractive nature of the color model is subtracting the brightness from white (paper) by adding pigment. Since your computer monitor is emitting light and therefore attempting to communicate color with the addition of light, CMYK color models are not appropriate.

Did I lose you yet?

The best way to illustrate the difference is with some show and tell. Above to the left is color swatches of Red, Green, and Blue followed by Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. On the left side of the swatches, the color model represented is RGB while the swatches on the right have been converted to CMYK. Notice how the RGB colors are brighter, they're being communicated by a light source! If you print those colors in CMYK, they will look like the right side - subtracting brightness from white.

The bottom swatch is a completely random brown tone, if you enlarge the swatch, can you tell the difference?

I know that it's a lot to wrap your head around, but I find that showing exactly how a color can differ between RGB and CMYK usually makes the point clear - the RIGHT color model needs to be used. If you are considering having a designer create for you, or maybe you're going to be brave and DIY - know what you need!

Anything that will be displayed on a light source or electronic device should be designed from start to finish with a RGB color model.

Anything that could ever be used for print should be designed with a CMYK color model.

If you aren't sure of the application, request files in BOTH color models, just in case. Better safe, than sorry, right?

Improving Your Shop, One Question at a Time: Who am I Impressing?

2009-03-06T22:54:00.001-06:00

Improving Your Shop, One Question at a Time is a SPD Blog Series that lays out some questions that could potentially help you reconfigure your business on Etsy for maximum success. Each blog post in the series will feature a number of questions that you can ask yourself about your own Etsy business that may help you consider your weaknesses and strengths, and improve your overall branding. These articles are strictly opinion, not fact, so take it with a grain of salt. :)

The First Impression
Everyone knows first impressions are crucial, we've all heard it. But how important are they really? Online, first impressions can foster trust, or completely destroy any chance of success. A good first impression is quintessential in the foundation of a relationship with potential customers. As the owner of a small business on Etsy, chances are you've shopped online for personal reasons or supplies for your business - a good first impression meant the difference between investigating, and possibly even buying or just navigating away, right? Your Etsy storefront is no different!

What's important on Etsy? How do you begin a relationship with a good first impression? What do I need to focus on to make this work? Okay, is your head spinning yet? Mine is.

So, let's ask ourselves some questions to clear up the fog...

Who is my target market?
This seems like a silly first question, doesn't it? You might not see a direct correlation now, but how you present yourself depends on your target market. Just in case, let's define "target market," which is a specific group of consumers at which you are aiming to sell your products to. For the sake of having an example to build from, we'll say we make cute little hair bows. Quite obviously, hair bows can appeal to a large market - but this example alone already tells us we have a specific group in mind.

For example, chances are males are no where to be found in our target market. And the style and size of our products implies use by children. So not only have we found our target market to be female, but also mothers. But you can narrow it down even further, let's run through a list of things to consider:

Demographic - gender, age, income, occupation, location, etc.
Psychographic - characteristics that indicate lifestyle preferences, purchasing habits, attitudes or personal values (environmentalists, music lovers, etc.)
Behavioral - usage rate/frequency of use or loyalty
Benefits - product benefits such as luxury, thriftiness, style, comfort, etc.

Demographically speaking, we've already established our target market includes mothers. Due to the style, price, quality, and overall aesthetic of our product, we can also conclude that we'd like to appeal to mothers with enough income to allow for small luxuries, in an ideal geographical location for wearing hair bows (i.e. Not Antartica.) Mothers who care about how cute their children look - our moms buy matching outfits and booties, ooo and aww at designer baby lines, and don't think throwing a onesie on a baby is stylish enough. Our hair bows are made with trendy designer fabrics - like Amy Butler, so chances are our target market's tastes are elegant, modern, and stylish.

So, now we have a pretty good idea, right? Awesome. Now let's see how this pertains to your Etsy storefront!

Am I greeting my target market?
Slipped that one right in there, didn't I? Yeah, I knew you were smarter than that! Your Etsy storefront is your first impression; in order to be successful at establishing a relationship with potential customers, you have to know who they are. So let's evaluate our first impression, both the basics and the more in depth questions now that we're considering our target market. Time to get down to business with this article's Questions to Ask Yourself, open up your Etsy storefront in another window/tab and try to ask yourself the following questions without bias:

Etsy Shop Title, Banner, and Avatar

Do I utilize my Etsy Business' name in my shop title and banner?
Do I utilize a tagline in my shop title and banner?
Does my shop title include a description of my business or products in some way?
Do my banner and avatar give my Etsy business an identity that is fitting?
Do my banner and avatar appeal to my target market?
Do my banner and avatar compliment my products?
Do my banner and avatar look professional?
Is my avatar recognizable?

Shop Announcement

Do I greet my target market in my Shop Announcement and introduce them to my business and products?
Am I fostering trust and a relationship from the get-go?
Do I explain my business' purpose and products?
Does my shop announcement contain any grammatical or spelling errors?
Does my shop announcement appear professional?
Is my shop announcement unnecessarily lengthy?

Listings

Are my listing titles consistent?
Can I determine what my product is in the first three words of my listing titles?
Do my listing titles thoroughly but accurately describe my products?
Do my listing titles capture interest?
Do my listing titles contain any spelling errors?
Do my listing titles include any misinformation or inappropriate words?
Are my product photographs clear?
Do my product photographcs capture interest?
Do my product photographs accurately depict the item?
Do my product photographs contain unnecessary background noise or space?
Do my listings flow or look like they belong together?

Shop Sections

Have I provided Sections to organize my shop and make it easier to browse?
Do my sections accurately describe and categorize my products?
Do my sections contain any spelling errors?
Are my sections consistent?
Are all of my products listed in at least one section?

Statistics and Information

Do I provide information in my shop announcement that would be more appropriate for my profile or my shop policies?
Have I provided my location, including country?
Have I opted to accept Custom Item Requests?
Have I provided the necessary information regarding Custom Item Requests in my Alchemy announcement?

Overall First Impression

Do others know anything about my business within the first ten seconds of viewing my shop?
From viewing only my Etsy storefront, what conclusions can I draw about my Etsy business? It's products? My personality? My skill level? Or level of professionalism?

That's a lot to think about all at once, isn't it? It's okay, take it one question at a time! If it helps, consider each section of questions, write out your thoughts and ideas for improving generated by the questions in that section, check out the suggested reading at the bottom of this article, and then work towards improving your shop one piece at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day, there's no reason to make this harder on yourself than it should be!

Suggested Reading
Nolo: Define a Target Market for Your Small Business
The Storque: Shop Makeover Series: What's in a Name?
The Storque: Shop Makeover Series: The Fine Print
The Storque: Seller How-to: Guiding Buyers with Shop Sections

Do you have other relevant links that might help? Share them in the comments!

Photoshop Tutorial: Creating Your Own Contact Sheet

2009-02-25T22:44:00.011-06:00

Need a simple but versatile promotional?

If you have Photoshop, Contact Sheets are great tool. They're easy to create, and can be used as a mini catalog of your products to stuff in packages and hand out at Craft Shows.

What do you need to get started?

Photographs of your products that are all the same dimensions/size (Preferably in a folder all by themselves to make this easier!)
Photoshop (I'll be using Photoshop 7)
About an hour of free time

So you have what you need? Let's get started!

Open Photoshop, and click File > Automate > Contact Sheet

As you can see in the screenshot, it's really easy to find but most people don't even know it's there! Next, you will see the following window pop up:

First, under Source Folder.

Click the Browse... button. Select the folder that includes all of your images that you want on your Contact Sheet. I'm making a Contact Sheet for Etsian FancifulForm during this tutorial, so I have selected the folder on my desktop that contains all her images.

Next, under Document.

I have selected 8 by 10 inches as I want this to fit comfortably on a full sheet of standard paper. Resolution 300 DPI in CMYK Color mode - optimal for printing quality. I have unchecked the Flatten All Layers checkbox as I want to customize the text, if you choose not to add text, you can Flatten the Layers.

Next, under Thumbnails.

I have selected Place Across First, as I want the images to flow left to right from the Folder. The folder alphabetizes by file names, so if you want a particular order to your images, rename your file names to correlate. I have 16 images but want enough space across the bottom for extra information, so I have chosen 4 columns and 5 rows - this will seperate out enough space equivalent to one row on the bottom and leave it blank.

Next, under Use Filename as Caption.

I have checked the box so I can apply appropriate captions to the Contact Sheet, this is optional! I left the text options at default.

Time to click Ok! Photoshop will begin putting together your Contact Sheet and may take some time, go grab a cup of coffee. ;)

Well, here we are!

The default Contact Sheet is showing off all of FancifulForm's beautiful products and lists the filenames under each photograph.

Go through and redo all the text to your liking, I changed some formatting and replaced the filename text with the name of her product pictured and the price it is available for in her Etsy store.

In the blank row at the bottom, I added a simple box that tells about FancifulForm's collection, craft, and where to buy her products!

Save up the file, and print it whenever you need it. Here's what FancifulForm's Final Contact Sheet looks like on the left.

Suggested Uses:

Handouts at Craft/Art Shows
Mini Catalogs for Shipping, Consignment, Wholesale, and more!

You can also use the Etsy Poster tool to create a Contact Sheet from your Etsy listings, I'll try to remember to do a tutorial on that soon!