Finally, some sunshine!

Have any of you tried to update your banner in Etsy?  Ever since the change of the homepage, I haven't touched the look of my shop.  So now, instead of an old banner, it just has NO banner.  Don't you think they could have incorporated the old banners somehow into these new designs?  

This is my rendition of a change to the banner.  Still needs some work....

Well, I think the shop needed a lift anyhow and the look of this blog.  So there will be some changes to the look of the blog to hopefully match the changes that will be made to my Etsy shop and to reflect my changing style.  

I've been reading the book marketing and selling your handmade jewelry by Viki Lareau.  It is very outdated - written in 2006 - but I like the questions that she poses regarding identifying your customer.  
I feel like I have been making a lot of fun jewelry and trying lots of techniques but not narrowing on anything. 

***Pattern from heliotrope earrings from an Interweave magazine.  I love this combo and still need to complete the 2nd for a pair of earrings or I may turn it into a necklace...

How can I become really great at anything if I don't pursue it wholeheartedly?  So my etsy shop will show some more cohesive looks but I hope that this blog will still maintain a bit of whimsy and eclectic choices in jewelry-making.  

***Also from the heliotrope pattern from an Interweave Beadwork magazine.  This is the back and the front of a pair.  

I've also been following and watching Renae Christine's free videos.  Honestly, she provides great information!  I just watched her SEO Infusion video - so helpful!  I learned about some websites and info that I hadn't known after being on etsy for 4 years (I will say that I have not done well, just keep chugging along) and reading some books about selling on etsy.  

***My friend had a birthday recently and I played with different color combos for the CRAW wheels.  The ones I ended up giving her had the same turquoise and greenish beads but a matte silver bead in the middle.   

In the meantime, I hope to still contribute to magazines.  I like the challenges and themes - in fact, I have some items in the Summer 2016 jewelry Stringing magazine.  As soon as I get them back in the mail, I'll post pics.  

As you can see, I love the beadweaving, just wish it didn't take quite so long to complete each piece!