Craft and Soul » handmade

New Etsy Treasury: Afrocentric African Chic

Ebony Lee — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:27:08 +0000

There are some Awesome afrocentric and africa inspired handmade items on Etsy. Here is some of the best.

New Items Posted on Etsy

Ebony Lee — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:38:21 +0000

Getting geared up for the fall. I’ve posted a few new pieces to my Etsy Store recently. Check them out.

Favorite Thing of the Day: Lee Dress by naKiMuli

Ebony Lee — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:22:30 +0000

All I can say about this dress is fierce!!! Like the description says “Get out the Spanx”, and that is the truth if you’re going to wear this form fitting number. Body conscious + bold shoulders = a hot outfit for a night out. naKiMuli has created a great collection of unique clothing featuring ethnic, bright prints with some bold afrocentric flair mixed in. I hope you fall in love with this African American designer out of Brooklyn!

Here’s one more. Fierce fashion, darling!!

Basic Tools for Etsy Bloggers

Ebony Lee — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:54:53 +0000

I thought I’d start combining my love of selling on Etsy with my social media & web expertise on this blog. Here’s a list of easy to use tools for Etsy Bloggers.

Google Keyword Research Tool

Welcome to the world of keyword research, Etsy Sellers. I’ve heard quite an uproar on the Etsy forums about the recent switch to relevancy being the default view for Etsy’s search engine. Many sellers are wondering- how do I make my listings more relevant? Now Etsians have to be more aware of what words potential buyers may use to describe the things they are looking for online. My answer: do your research. I’ve used Google’s Keyword Tool for years as part of my SEO and online advertising work on websites.

Find our how relevant your keywords are and the frequency with which they are searched.
Get suggestions for keyword combinations you can use in your tags and item descriptions.

Craft Cult Treasury Widget

A lot of Etsians with blogs create Treasuries and share them online. Etsy allows for the sharing of Treasuries via a widget, but I think Craft Cult’s tool is more customizable in terms of sizing options. It is super simple to use. All you need is a Etsy username (or store) and you can see all of the Treasuries created by them. Here is an example using a Treasury I made.

Etsy Mini

This should be a no-brainer. Etsy provides the “Etsy Mini” widget creator in every seller’s Account view under “Promote”. You can see an example here on my blog, in the side bar. Build a widget for your Etsy store that can be embedded on your website and show off the items you currently have for sale. You can also display items from your favorites. If you would like specific items from your store to show up, instead of the most recent items, make those items featured (click on the star next to the item in “Currently for Sale” view). Follow the steps to grab your embed code.

My Etsy on Facebook

If you have a Facebook page for your store (which is always a good idea if you have the time) you can display items very easily using the “My Etsy on Facebook” app.

My Latest Creations: Brass Extravaganza

Ebony Lee — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:29:16 +0000

I’ve had a bit of a love affair with antique brass lately. I love the mix of golden brown and old world vintage that this metal has. Here are a few of my new creations:

All of these items are available in my Etsy store.

Crafters Showing Love to Amy Winehouse

Ebony Lee — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:10:39 +0000

photo: BERNDTOFFERINGS

Saint Winehouse Pendant by BERNDTOFFERINGS

photo: tarponjuli

R.I.P AMY amy winehouse charm 18 inch necklace by tarponjuli

photo: PursesonalStyle

Amy Winehouse Magazine Purse by PursesonalStyle

photo: mytshirtpillow

Amy Winehouse recycled t-shirt throw pillow by mytshirtpillow

Favorite Thing of the Day: Do-it-Yourself S’mores Party Favor Kit

Ebony Lee — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:11:58 +0000

photo: Twig & Thistle

Twig & Thistle posted this great find they potted while shopping at Packaging Specialties, their favorite packaging store in Seattle. I love DIY that is easy, beautiful and functional. Would make a great favor for a rustic, fall wedding, right? Details of how it’s made are posted here.

Favorite Thing of the Day: Crochet Chain Link in Taupe

Ebony Lee — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:21:58 +0000

photo: MissDanna

This great crochet chain link infinity scarf/necklace by MissDanna makes me think of the fat gold chains that hip hop artists wore in the 80’s. It is FRESH! It’s available in other colors. Perhaps I’ll get it in gold for the winter.

Making Tribal Dots and Dainty Flower Cabochon Earrings

Ebony Lee — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:29:15 +0000

Here are some photos of last night’s work.

All of these earrings have surgical steel posts. I really love how light and fun they are. Especially the tiny roses and mums. These stud earrings can lend a bit a whimsy to your office attire or just jeans and a classic white tee. Just the right pop of color! I can wait to make more of the ones in the last photo. Nothing like a great African wax print or tribal pattern.

Heartsy: Like Groupon, but for Etsy

Ebony Lee — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:40:37 +0000

Found something new today and I thought I’d share it with you. I love Groupon and Living Social’s deals. Now, there’s Heartsy. The site touts,

“Heartsy features exclusive private sales on handmade designer items across the internet. Our mission is to introduce you to new & talented artisans every day via amazing deals.“

Thats Awesome! Artists are able to expose their wears to buyers in a new way and buyers are able to take advantage of great deals. Win, win.

Isn’t the Heartsy monster just precious? Too cute.

Here are some of today’s deals:

$32 for $68 Online Store Credit at weiweidecorations

69% Off Art Prints at Collageorama