February is when Made for Cache was founded and now we're a year old!!! It's gone by fast and i think we've all learned a lot about business, Etsy and ourselves.
The birthday party is next week on the 11th, so if you didn't get the email on the details, send a note to madeforcache@gmail.com and we'll get you caught up!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
No more M I A
I know things have been pretty stagnant here for the last month or so. I don't know why, but January seems to be a low motivation month in a lot of ways. We start out the new year bright eyed and resolved to conquer the world. By after 2 weeks, we've hit the breaks and fallen into bad habits. Maybe it's all the cold with no snow? Well enough of that!
Coming up on MFC in February, it's MFC's First Birthday!! It's hard to believe that a year ago, i was batting around the idea to form MFC with one of my friends. Time really does fly!! So we'll be having a birthday party to celebrate.
Also, since it's a new year, I'd like to give all the members a chance to change things about MFC if they want to. So be thinking of any ideas you have on improvements you might like to make. We'll also talk about what topics we'll want to cover this year and also what events we want to do.
So keep those peepers peeled, we'll have lots of great new things ahead!
Coming up on MFC in February, it's MFC's First Birthday!! It's hard to believe that a year ago, i was batting around the idea to form MFC with one of my friends. Time really does fly!! So we'll be having a birthday party to celebrate.
Also, since it's a new year, I'd like to give all the members a chance to change things about MFC if they want to. So be thinking of any ideas you have on improvements you might like to make. We'll also talk about what topics we'll want to cover this year and also what events we want to do.
So keep those peepers peeled, we'll have lots of great new things ahead!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Read All About It!
We were featured in the Herald Journal in Logan as part of a story on Etsy. Hooray for us! Check out the text from the story which appeared on page A8 of Sunday's edition.
Made for Cache
When Jen Giddens of Logan began sewing bags three years ago, she had no idea she would end up shipping them all over the world to online customers.
Giddens sells her bags and patterns on etsy.com , a four-year-old online hub where artists can sell handmade crafts and art supplies ranging from jewelry and quilts to clothes and woodworked items. For a 20 cent listing fee on every item and a 3.5 percent commission charge on everything sold, anyone can start their own Etsy shop, and more than 350,000 people have.
Giddens, a student at Utah State University, is one of at least 60 local sellers on Etsy and one of 11 who are part of the local Esty team, Made for Cache. She says the team was created in the summer as a way to share marketing strategies with other sellers since one of the most difficult aspects of selling on Esty is getting attention to individual shops.
Made for Cache began this summer when Blaire Nelson of Logan decided she wanted to form a local Etsy team that could discuss ideas and projects with each other. So, she did a search on Etsy for local artisans and contacted everyone she could. From there, the group formed and created a blog, madeforcache. com. Ages on the team vary from early 20s to late 50s, Nelson says, and they all bring something unique to the group. The items they sell vary from custom-made cards by graphic designer Hilary Frisby to crocheted scarves, hats, baby clothes and bags made by Taralee Duffin of North Logan. Nelson says she makes clothes and hooded towels and wash mitts shaped like bunnies, ducks and frogs.
Nelson says the group picks a theme each month and everyone is assigned to make and bring an item related to that theme, the latest one being Christmas ornaments, which they attempted to sell on their blog to earn money for the Cache Community Food Pantry.
Nelson says members of the team rotate hosting each meeting and discuss specific ideas to help each person market their Etsy shop. Jenny Johnson, who sells fabric on Etsy and earned a degree in photography at Utah State University, says she talked to the team about using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to promote products. In another meeting Johnson discussed how to take photos of their items. Bonnie Merck said photography is a very important aspect of selling crafts on Etsy; if the items don’t look good in the pictures, no one is going to buy them.
Giddens says she had a friend who is a photographer take her pictures and she tries to make everything look as professional as possible. Through the Made for Cache Etsy group, she met Frisby who designed her logo. Duffin says trading skills as Giddens and Frisby have is another nice aspect of being a member of the Etsy team.
Duffin says she would like to try making patterns for her crocheted crafts like Giddens because then she wouldn’t have to spend as much time making individual items over and over. She currently crochets at least an hour a day.
Merck, of Logan, began selling vintage cards on Etsy about a year ago. All of the photos she uses are of relatives and she finds quotes for the inside of the cards from books. More recently she has began selling jewelry with her friend Carole Whitcome on another separate Esty site. Though Merck doesn’t make a ton of money selling her items, like several other members of Made for Cache, she still feels successful.
“I can’t support my family on it, but I can support my habit,” she says, “All of the things that I do, I get a certain amount of satisfaction and joy in doing them. I sell them so I can continue to do them.”
Made for Cache
Local Etsy sellers team up to swap ideas, market their handmade items online
By Manette Newbold
features writer
When Jen Giddens of Logan began sewing bags three years ago, she had no idea she would end up shipping them all over the world to online customers.
Giddens sells her bags and patterns on etsy.com , a four-year-old online hub where artists can sell handmade crafts and art supplies ranging from jewelry and quilts to clothes and woodworked items. For a 20 cent listing fee on every item and a 3.5 percent commission charge on everything sold, anyone can start their own Etsy shop, and more than 350,000 people have.
Giddens, a student at Utah State University, is one of at least 60 local sellers on Etsy and one of 11 who are part of the local Esty team, Made for Cache. She says the team was created in the summer as a way to share marketing strategies with other sellers since one of the most difficult aspects of selling on Esty is getting attention to individual shops.
Made for Cache began this summer when Blaire Nelson of Logan decided she wanted to form a local Etsy team that could discuss ideas and projects with each other. So, she did a search on Etsy for local artisans and contacted everyone she could. From there, the group formed and created a blog, madeforcache. com. Ages on the team vary from early 20s to late 50s, Nelson says, and they all bring something unique to the group. The items they sell vary from custom-made cards by graphic designer Hilary Frisby to crocheted scarves, hats, baby clothes and bags made by Taralee Duffin of North Logan. Nelson says she makes clothes and hooded towels and wash mitts shaped like bunnies, ducks and frogs.
Nelson says the group picks a theme each month and everyone is assigned to make and bring an item related to that theme, the latest one being Christmas ornaments, which they attempted to sell on their blog to earn money for the Cache Community Food Pantry.
Nelson says members of the team rotate hosting each meeting and discuss specific ideas to help each person market their Etsy shop. Jenny Johnson, who sells fabric on Etsy and earned a degree in photography at Utah State University, says she talked to the team about using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to promote products. In another meeting Johnson discussed how to take photos of their items. Bonnie Merck said photography is a very important aspect of selling crafts on Etsy; if the items don’t look good in the pictures, no one is going to buy them.
Giddens says she had a friend who is a photographer take her pictures and she tries to make everything look as professional as possible. Through the Made for Cache Etsy group, she met Frisby who designed her logo. Duffin says trading skills as Giddens and Frisby have is another nice aspect of being a member of the Etsy team.
Over the last two years Giddens says she’s made nearly 250 sales on the site and has sent items to several states and countries. She’s also taken on the venture of designing her own patterns for bags and purses and currently has six of them available for purchase in her Etsy shop.
“I have patterns available in PDF format and the PDF format is really easy to send to people anywhere. So I’ve had people in Brazil, New Zealand, Austrailia, Germany, all over,” Giddens said. “I’ve sent bags all over too. I sent bags to Paris, Peru, all of these crazy places. It’s really exciting. I’m like, ‘You want to pay for something I made?’ That’s flattering!’”
Duffin says she would like to try making patterns for her crocheted crafts like Giddens because then she wouldn’t have to spend as much time making individual items over and over. She currently crochets at least an hour a day.
Merck says Made for Cache team members inform each other about upcoming craft shows and have shared booths at the Cache County Fair and the Box Elder County Fair. That cuts the cost of the booth and team members can take turns managing it throughout the day or weekend.
Merck, of Logan, began selling vintage cards on Etsy about a year ago. All of the photos she uses are of relatives and she finds quotes for the inside of the cards from books. More recently she has began selling jewelry with her friend Carole Whitcome on another separate Esty site. Though Merck doesn’t make a ton of money selling her items, like several other members of Made for Cache, she still feels successful.
“I can’t support my family on it, but I can support my habit,” she says, “All of the things that I do, I get a certain amount of satisfaction and joy in doing them. I sell them so I can continue to do them.”
Monday, December 14, 2009
Happy Holidays!!!
Happy and Merry to everyone out there this holiday season. We'll be taking the rest of the year off, but check back in January for new posts, tweets and craft ideas!
Also thanks to everyone who made and purchased ornaments as part of our fundraiser - We appreciate you!
Also thanks to everyone who made and purchased ornaments as part of our fundraiser - We appreciate you!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Can you eat an ornament?
The answer is no. But you can help feed the people of Cache Valley by purchasing these ornaments which are hand made by the members of Made for Cache. Just click on the "Buy it Now" button next to the picture of the ornament you would like. Each ornament is unique and availability is limited to quantities shown.
100% of funds raised will be donated to the Cache Community Food Pantry to help bring a good meal to people who need it. Your ornaments will be shipped USPS the next business day up through Dec 14 which is the last day to purchase.
$12
Set of 6 Peppermint Candy Ornaments made by Taralee. Hand crocheted out of yarn, these ornaments are super kid friendly if you have curious little ones or pets who like to un-decorate the tree.
To purchase this set, click the button below and you will be transfered to PayPal to complete your order.
$8
This is a single, 3" ribbon quilted ball ornament in the colors of winter by Blaire. White satin ribbon as well as blue and silver snowflake patterned ribbon capture the essence of this time of year.
To purchase, just click the button below to complete the order through Paypal.
$10
This is a set of 4 paper maiche and glitter ornaments by Hilary. The damask print is a great print for those of you who like to make your Christmas tree a little on the funky side. They are also accented with black glitter for great sparkle.
To purchase, just click on the button below and complete your order for this ornament set through Paypal.
$10 - SOLD
This another quilted ball ornament, this time in a 4" size which is about as big as a grapefruit. It is done in a gold and sage green scheme and as an added bonus, comes with two different sides.
Side one is more dominant in the gold color . . .
. . . while side two is more dominant in
the green color.
To purchase this ornament for your tree, please click the button below and complete your order through PayPal.
100% of funds raised will be donated to the Cache Community Food Pantry to help bring a good meal to people who need it. Your ornaments will be shipped USPS the next business day up through Dec 14 which is the last day to purchase.
$12Set of 6 Peppermint Candy Ornaments made by Taralee. Hand crocheted out of yarn, these ornaments are super kid friendly if you have curious little ones or pets who like to un-decorate the tree.
To purchase this set, click the button below and you will be transfered to PayPal to complete your order.
$8This is a single, 3" ribbon quilted ball ornament in the colors of winter by Blaire. White satin ribbon as well as blue and silver snowflake patterned ribbon capture the essence of this time of year.
To purchase, just click the button below to complete the order through Paypal.
$10This is a set of 4 paper maiche and glitter ornaments by Hilary. The damask print is a great print for those of you who like to make your Christmas tree a little on the funky side. They are also accented with black glitter for great sparkle.
To purchase, just click on the button below and complete your order for this ornament set through Paypal.
$10 - SOLD
This another quilted ball ornament, this time in a 4" size which is about as big as a grapefruit. It is done in a gold and sage green scheme and as an added bonus, comes with two different sides.
Side one is more dominant in the gold color . . .
. . . while side two is more dominant in
the green color.To purchase this ornament for your tree, please click the button below and complete your order through PayPal.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday Chuckle: Regretsy
I just stumbled upon this little treasure called Regretsy.
This is both an informative and hilarious place to learn what NOT to do on Etsy. Like, don't spray paint jeans or make them looks like corsets, or both. Apparently you really can make just about anything and (try to) sell it on Etsy! The "Dead Things" section is particularly funny to me.
Oh, but watch out for inappropriate language and images...
This is both an informative and hilarious place to learn what NOT to do on Etsy. Like, don't spray paint jeans or make them looks like corsets, or both. Apparently you really can make just about anything and (try to) sell it on Etsy! The "Dead Things" section is particularly funny to me.
Oh, but watch out for inappropriate language and images...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Community Service Project
Lately I've been thinking about what we could do as a group to help out our fellow Cache Valleans while making use of our individual talents and working together as a team.
I thought it would be fun for team members to make holiday ornaments using their individual expertise and we could offer them for sale here on the blog. The money will be donated to a local charity - we've narrowed the list to 2. I'll post which one when the ornaments go up :)
Team Members: If you want to participate, please send a message at madeforcache@gmail.com. Ornaments are due to me by Friday November 20 so I can post them on the 21st. Please include shipping in the price for your item.
If you are interested in purchasing these ornaments, please check back Nov 21st to see what our creative members have come up with for your tree. The last day these will be available is Monday Dec 14 and we will mail them to your home no later than Dec 15 so you'll still have time to enjoy them on your tree or around your home.
Check back soon and help us help an organization that makes a difference in our Community!
I thought it would be fun for team members to make holiday ornaments using their individual expertise and we could offer them for sale here on the blog. The money will be donated to a local charity - we've narrowed the list to 2. I'll post which one when the ornaments go up :)
Team Members: If you want to participate, please send a message at madeforcache@gmail.com. Ornaments are due to me by Friday November 20 so I can post them on the 21st. Please include shipping in the price for your item.
If you are interested in purchasing these ornaments, please check back Nov 21st to see what our creative members have come up with for your tree. The last day these will be available is Monday Dec 14 and we will mail them to your home no later than Dec 15 so you'll still have time to enjoy them on your tree or around your home.
Check back soon and help us help an organization that makes a difference in our Community!
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