About artsyletters

Robyn Hood Black is a children's author, poet, and artist. She's happiest with ink underneath her fingernails.

Studio Hours Update – By Appointment for Now

On Hold/By Appointment….

Greetings, Friends. I’ve had a few open studio afternoons this month, but for the time being with an eye on virus numbers, will keep hours by appointment only: My shop is *tiny* and hard to socially distance in. I’m more than happy to arrange pickup for any items ordered from my Etsy shop http://etsy.com/shop/artsyletters.

It’s open 24-7. (We will decide about December’s First Friday that week. Night on the Town is not happening in Beaufort, but lots of shops WILL be open for First Friday.) Thanks!

First Friday – TONIGHT!

If you’re enjoying First Friday in downtown Beaufort tonight – 5 – 8 p.m., stop by and pen a note for a deserving service member who is currently deployed! We’ll take care of the rest.

Also, enjoy visiting shops AND join in a “Find the Pumpkin” Scavenger Hunt for prizes. See you later! (Masks required – Please play safe. Thanks.)

This Week’s Webinar: Your Etsy Shop on Social Media

Etsy Shop Owners! Need some Social Time? Check out Robyn’s THIRD Etsy U Webinar coming up this Wednesday – also featuring Mary Thibault of Thibault Gallery. Introverts welcome!

Your Etsy Shop on Social Media

September 30, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost:  $15

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter… How do we keep up?  We’ll look at some of the main channels in the Social Media world and how they can help connect your shop with potential customers.  Then we’ll offer tips on choosing the right one(s) for you. Learn how to share photos, videos and stories, and how to make a plan for your shop’s social engagement that won’t overtake the rest of your life!

Register for the Social Media Workshop here.

Note:  Etsy U workshop participants will receive a “check in” link to provide an email address and the name of their Etsy shop. That’s actually how I’ll get credit for teaching the classes! Etsy states that it will not share personal information with unrelated third parties for marketing purposes.

Etsy Search Workshop Coming Right Up!


How do you get found on Etsy? And what does Google have to do with it? Join me THIS Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 for an online Zoom webinar exploring all things Search! Co-hosted with Mary Thibault and ‘broadcast’ from Thibault Gallery. I’ll be sharing slides from Etsy as part of the Etsy U program. Details below!

Getting Found on Etsy – How Search Works

September 23, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost:  $15

You’ve got wonderful products, great photographs, and you’re all set with pretty packaging and shipping tape… but how do potential customers find your shop?  It’s all about SEO – Search Engine Optimization. We’ll delve into the workings of Etsy search, from keywords to conversion rates, exploring ways to optimize your shop listings to help match them with potential buyers.  As a bonus, we’ll talk some Google, too.

Register for the Search Workshop here.

And, could your Etsy shop use some Social Media savvy? Read on:

Your Etsy Shop on Social Media

September 30, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost:  $15

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter… How do we keep up?  We’ll look at some of the main channels in the Social Media world and how they can help connect your shop with potential customers.  Then we’ll offer tips on choosing the right one(s) for you. Learn how to share photos, videos and stories, and how to make a plan for your shop’s social engagement that won’t overtake the rest of your life!

Register for the Social Media Workshop here.

Note:  Etsy U workshop participants will receive a “check in” link to provide an email address and the name of their Etsy shop. That’s actually how I’ll get credit for teaching the classes! Etsy states that it will not share personal information with unrelated third parties for marketing purposes. (I have completed trainings this year as an Etsy U instructor, but I am not an employee of or representative of Etsy. )

ETSY U Workshops – Series of Three – with Me! :0)

I’ve received training this year to be an Etsy U instructor. And now I’m ready to share what I’ve learned! I’m offering three workshops this month on Zoom, all online and to be recorded in the lovely Thibault Gallery (a couple doors down from my own studio) in downtown Beaufort. Mary Thibault and I are hoping to offer in-person workshops, too, but for now, all Etsy workshops are online. Read on for details, and feel free to email me with any questions. Space is limited. (robyn@artsyletters.com)

Just in time for your holiday prep! Here’s the scoop:

New to the world of selling on Etsy, or would you just like to spruce up your skills? Whether you are an entrepreneurial Etsy maker, a vendor of vintage treasures, or a curator of craft supplies, these tips from Etsy can help you grow your business.

Join Robyn Hood Black of artsyletters® for some “Etsy U” tips in this September webinar series!  We’ll be coming to you from the lovely Thibault Gallery in Beaufort, SC, where artist and Etsy shop owner Mary Thibault will keep our 90-minute meetings humming with Southern hospitality.   

On Etsy since 2012, Robyn completed trainings this year to become an Etsy U instructor. You’ll benefit from content that comes straight from Etsy, as well as personal experience from Robyn (& Mary). Participants will have access to the slides after each session –a great resource in itself.

Sign up for one, two, or all three webinars. (We plan to record these and make them available for a limited time period following the classes, technology willing.)

Etsy Shop Branding Basics & Beyond

September 16, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost: $15

What promise does your brand make to your customers?

We’ll help you discover or fine-tune that, and then we’ll explore how your shop’s images, messaging, packaging, customer service and more help you keep that promise.  A great introductory workshop and also helpful for those who have been around the Etsy block a few times!

Register for the Branding Workshop here.

Getting Found on Etsy – How Search Works

September 23, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost:  $15

You’ve got wonderful products, great photographs, and you’re all set with pretty packaging and shipping tape… but how do potential customers find your shop?  It’s all about SEO – Search Engine Optimization. We’ll delve into the workings of Etsy search, from keywords to conversion rates, exploring ways to optimize your shop listings to help match them with potential buyers.  As a bonus, we’ll talk some Google, too.

Register for the Search Workshop here.

Your Etsy Shop on Social Media

September 30, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT – Cost:  $15

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter… How do we keep up?  We’ll look at some of the main channels in the Social Media world and how they can help connect your shop with potential customers.  Then we’ll offer tips on choosing the right one(s) for you. Learn how to share photos, videos and stories, and how to make a plan for your shop’s social engagement that won’t overtake the rest of your life!

Register for the Social Media Workshop here.

Note:  Etsy U workshop participants will receive a “check in” link to provide an email address and the name of their Etsy shop. That’s actually how I’ll get credit for teaching the classes! Etsy states that it will not share personal information with unrelated third parties for marketing purposes.

*wee* Summer Break & Found Poem Collage Video


Click here for my how-to video on YouTube!

Greetings, Art Lovers! TWO Things:

1.) Last week, I was delighted to be a guest presenter for young creatives at Camp Conroy, sponsored by the Pat Conroy Literary Center. It was my first time doing a craft workshop VIRTUALLY. We made found poem collages, like the sample I’m holding above. If you need a fun literary art project this summer, feel free to click the link under the picture and you can enjoy a mini tour of my studio, and the lesson I made for the campers, start to finish! :0)

2.) My Etsy shop will closed for a little summer break June 26 – July 2. If you send me a message through Etsy, I’ll try to respond in a timely-ish manner! (My physical studio is still closed for the time being.)

Here’s to good books, good poems, and soul-nourishing art. Stay safe and well, and see you soon!