Tag Archives: art business

Open for Business in Beautiful Beaufort!

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Happy Summer Solstice! 

Thanks for stopping by.  Well, moving and settling in took a bit longer than I thought it would – and a whole lot of trips back and forth to Georgia, and mounds of boxes.  But I’m officially in business in beautiful Beaufort, SC! 

I haven’t posted in a while during the transition, so this post is longer than usual.  BUT – it’s pretty much all pictures.  So come on along! Here’s a little pictorial tour of my artsy endeavors on the coast.

First, there’s the scenery walking from our cottage to downtown.

homes on bay

bay on bay street

Antebellum homes on the left; the bay on the right.

 modern jewelers and verdier house

Here’s the building where my studio is!  It dates from 1889. I rent one of the office spaces above Modern Jewelers.  Count the windows along the side – mine are numbers 4 and 5. 

See the lovely pink building beside us?  It’s the John Mark Verdier House Museum, “the only planter’s home in Beaufort open to the public,” built in 1804. We went on the guided tour and also enjoyed the free Civil War exhibit downstairs. 

 glass door 811 bay street

And here’s my business name on the glass door – you can make it out in my reflection!

I usually go around to the back, however, because I’m in love with this old, old tabby wall.  Kind of a secret garden passageway, don’t you think?

tabby wall

Tabby close-up

And up the stairs.  back stairs and fig tree

(Beware the over-reaching fig tree….)

Suite number 3 door

Here we are! Welcome to my studio. 

mini studio selfie

studio sweep

It’s still a work-in-progress, and don’t get out any white gloves.  But it’s coming together, and I love it.

 2 angled desks and chair

I have a desk to draw on/assemble on and my little drawing table, too – both from early years of marriage.  Jeff gave me that drawing table decades ago! The wonderful green spinning bookshelf was a find in a north Georgia antique shop.  The p-e-r-f-e-c-t and perfectly comfortable wooden desk chair was a find here in Beaufort!  

table and photo corner

The big table with glass top came with the space.  It will be my printmaking station.(See the little fountain on the right side?  In case I need to run my fingers under some water real quick-like…!) 

The corner space in front of the window provides terrific natural light for Etsy shop photos.  photo corner daylightYes, I’ve taken several – I just haven’t gotten around to posting the new items!  I’m getting there, I’m getting there….

glass front cabinet and books

I have a great little closet, but my favorite feature of this high-ceiling-ed, wood-floored space is this cabinet with glass doors.  Swoon.  My boxes for shipping are stored below, and these shelves hold mats and backing, acetate sleeves, and jewelry boxes.

Moving on, this might not be as attractive, but a baker’s rack holds everything I need to get Etsy orders shipped out quickly (Oh – and my first wholesale cards order this week – to an indie bookstore in Massachusetts)!  All at my fingertips. 

bakers rack shipping center

panels and inventory

In the front corner, my illustration and art books and inventory of  printed cards, bookmarks, etc., hang out behind my display panels.

Turning back to the center – an area just for gift-wrapping!

gift wrap table

 

And here are some of my favorite things.  This metal flat file was given a makeover by the husband of my antique dealer friend Keren back in Georgia, at the first-weekend-of-the-month Flowery Branch antique market.  flat fileThis thing weighs a ton.  And it holds mat boards, large papers, and a zillion typewriter keys (in letterpress trays, some of which I think I also got from Keren!)

Also bought at that market was this great green metal cabinet, which I’ve filled with old metal treasures, including more great stuff from Dena’s booth at the same market.  (Dena has the coolest old hardware items.)

metal cabinet for metal

I picked up these two putty-colored metal cabinets putty metal cabinetson different treasure-hunting trips, with my good creative buddies Paula Puckett  and Kim Siegelson.

Now, one reason I’ve set up my panels and display tables in this great space is that I don’t plan on lugging them around for sleep-deprived weekends to shows, at least this fall.  I’m trying something else:  I am delighted to have been accepted to lease a wee bit of real estate inside the historic Fordham Market here in town. 

fordham market

I just set up yesterday.  I’ve been there as a customer before, and now I look forward to selling artsyletters wares there as a vendor! 

fordham display

artsyletters at fordham closeup

So let me know if you are passing through the lowcountry, and I’ll show you around and buy you a frozen yogurt.  You’ll have to do a little shopping before you get back on the road, n’est-ce-pas?  I might have some ideas….

Thanks for coming along on this new journey!

Happy Summer.

Black Friday * Small Business Saturday * Cyber Monday – Artsy Coupon!

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Thankful for this pretty spike in November Etsy sales!

Thankful for this pretty spike in November Etsy sales!


R typekey bobby pin wrapped

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Perhaps the dishes are done and you’re thinking of hitting the big weekend sales.  May I invite you to click on over to my artsyletters shop?  I’m adding new items as fast as my fingers can type this weekend.

 

Vintage typewriter key ring - kitschy fun!

Vintage typewriter key ring – kitschy fun!

Kind of like a shop store owner still setting out wares as customers stroll in. Here, have a cup of tea!

If you do pop in for a visit, be sure to use Coupon Code BLACKLETTER13 for 13 percent off in my Etsy shop all weekend – now through Monday.

Thanks for taking a look!

Art Break Wednesday – Artsy Thanks to All!

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Ringing in the season at the Cumming, Ga., "Christmas in Central Park" last weekend.

Ringing in the season at the Cumming, Ga., “Christmas in Central Park” last weekend.

It’s about that time – time to slow down and name what we’re grateful for.  I’m most thankful for the priceless intangibles:  family, friends, health, freedom, opportunity.  My thoughts and prayers are for those whose hearts (or bodies) ache this time of year.

And while my art business is less important than those intangibles, I’m still thankful to be able to say – Whew!  Made it through the first year, and I’m excited about the future.  I might not be paying the mortgage or the college tuition (yet, anyway!), but I’m pleased to be moving forward.  I learn more with each show or festival, and I know a lot more about selling on Etsy now than I did last fall. I’ve had a lovely little rush of orders this month, too, which I hope continues through the holidays!

My art business has tangibles and intangibles, too.  The tangibles I’m thankful for include a “yes” from the Trademark office this past year re. my artsyletters name, and a new, old studio space waiting for me in Beaufort, South Carolina, where we’re moving.  (I’ll do a post on that in the future – it’s right on Bay Street, in an 1890 building!)  I’ve found suppliers I love ordering from and I’m getting better and better at shipping, with all its myriad dynamics.  My booth set-up has gotten more appealing with each show, and I’ll continue to tweak that I’m sure.

The intangibles?  First, discovering that I was indeed appealing to my target market.  I’ve sold items to fellow writers & poets, teachers, librarians, college professors, artists, and book lovers of all ages – sending packages all across the country (including Hawaii) and to England, France, and Canada.  Nothing could make me happier.  Even more special, some customers have shared comments I will treasure always, particularly about my altered page collages (I’m making more, I promise!):  “Your work calls to me.”  “This piece speaks to my soul.”  “So excited to give this.”  “Love your creativity.”

Those kind words are the fuel that keeps me in a creative frenzy!I made this Emily Dickinson collage with "There is no Frigate like a Book" and gorgeous1800s illustrations - it sold quickly last weekend!

This Emily Dickinson collage features “There is No Frigate like a Book” and gorgeous 1800s illustrations, plus vintage bling, and the fairy door book collage below says, “I think your wings are strong enough to carry you” from a 100-year-old text. I think the glue was still drying at last weekend’s show, and they both sold! 

The Emily Dickinson collage features "Every Frigate is a Book" and gorgeous 1800s illustrations, and the fairy door book collage says, "I think your wings are strong enough to carry you" from 100-year-old text.

Second art business intangible: the amazing support I’ve received from creative friends.  There’s my art critique group, who heard me verbalize this nugget of an idea for the first time just over a year and a half ago.  (My Thanksgiving post last year was about them! –  Also thankful that we added Leighanne Schneider to the mix this year).

Also, where would I be without Kim Siegelson,

with Kim S Nov 2013 adj reduced

my award-winning writer friend with a wonderful vintage shop on Etsy, Perfect Patina. Okay, I’d be floundering.  I’ve called Kim – um, I don’t know exactly how many times, but several – with Etsy questions.  I’ve got some good books on Etsy and online selling of art, and I consult the Etsy blogs, but there is no substitute for talking to someone who has been in the trenches and marched triumphantly ahead.  Thank you, Kim!

Whether it’s pestering graphic design whiz Kathleen with emergency photo editing questions, or snagging Paula and Beth for antique market outings, or doing some serious vintage hunting with Kim, I’ve been so very fortunate to have partners in my artsy crimes.  Friends have shown up at shows, too – aforementioned Beth and Paula, Peggy, Barbara, Janice, Michael & Candy, the Kennedy clan, Trish and others- not only to buy a gift here or there but to offer a booth-sitting break and words of encouragement.

Finally, I’m thankful for my family (hubby Jeff and kids Morgan and Seth) – they’ve put up with art show explosions from time to time in the house.  (Oh – you’re supposed to EAT on the dining room table?!) And, they’ve put up with my way-too-old-for-this all nighters and my being out of pocket for weekends here and there.  Daughter Morgan put my entire inventory on Square so I can make sales with just a couple of clicks at shows. She can tweet, post to Facebook, and conduct transactions all at the same time! morgan in booth AITS 2013

Huge thanks to my online friends who have “liked” my Facebook page and shared posts, followed me on Twitter, commented on my blogs and mentioned me on theirs,  “favorited” items on Etsy (& purchased them, too!), and generally helped spread the love in this vast virtual community.  Julie, Renee, Cathy, Jone, Liz, Jama, Irene, Susan, Laura S., Laura Sh., Tabatha, Stephanie, Tricia, Linda, Kirby, Betsy, Joy, Elizabeth, Gail, Michelle, Beth, Janet and more – I am very, very thankful! :0)

Wishing you and yours a creative and love-filled Thanksgiving holiday.

Art Break Wednesday – Dreams Great and Small

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In Unity’s “Daily Word” devotional booklet entry today, there’s a quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:  “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

As we celebrate sweeping, life-affirming dreams for humanity today, I’m also thankful for smaller, individual ones.  My kids are both starting a new year in college, and my husband has just begun new, fulfilling work.  And I’m pondering that artsyletters is almost a year old! thoreau angle with c

While my business won’t fund those college educations, I feel blessed with the feedback I’ve gotten from customers this past year.  I’ve sold work to college professors, history teachers, librarians, writers & poets, artists, high school students, mothers and grandmothers and husbands – folks from across the country and even across the ocean.  And I’ve only just begun!

This weekend I’ll have a booth at the fabulous, crowded, lively Decatur Book Festival   

BOOKZILLA interpreted by Dan Santat

BOOKZILLA interpreted by Dan Santat

in Atlanta. (Not too far from the children’s stage – come on by if you’re there.)  I’ve enjoyed participating as an author before, but this will be my first time as a solo vendor.So my desk/work area pretty much looks like this:

messy desk

Multiply that, and you can imagine what my studio (and the rest of the house) looks like this week.

I will not have all the inventory I’ve imagined in my mind – so many projects, so little time!  But I won’t run out of ideas for future shows, either.  Here are some 5 X 7 pieces made with those new letterpress blocks I raved about before: dressed up letterpress A

matted letterpress letter art

 

 

 

I’ve hand-stamped the blocks with oil-based printing ink, then decorated with a dip pen and India ink (and some gold on the smaller ones) .

And because I just found a wonderful complete set of typewriter keys on Etsy, I’ve assembled a few more earrings:

typewriter key earrings

 

I’ve just sold three collages out of the blue, so I’m hoping to finish up a few more framed pieces to add to the mix.  And I need to get back to blinging up some bookmarks, packaging notecards, putting together  magnets, sprucing up booth decor…  Who needs sleep?

Wishing you a moment to pause today and think about dreams big and small, with gratitude for those who have risked their own lives to make life better for others.  And I wish you an outlet for your own creative dreams, no matter the size!

Art Break Wednesday: Trademark!

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certif fancy background with trademark letter

Nice surprise in the mail this week: I’m the proud owner of a new trademark!

A business name does not have to be registered as a trademark, of course. But I wanted to give it a try. My experience was fairly fast and painless as these things go.

When contemplating starting an art business and Etsy shop last spring, I came up with lots of brilliant business names.  Only to find online that other folks had come up with said brilliant names long before I.  When “artsyletters” meandered into my mind, I was happy to discover I couldn’t find it online.  First stop:  website domain.  Then I opened an Etsy shop with the name, though I wouldn’t add any items to it for a few more months. I got a Facebook page, Twitter account and Pinterest account using it.  (Plus a few other social media outlets that I haven’t really set up yet.)

It’s somewhat easier/cheaper to get a trademark if the name is already in use by you in commerce.  So I made some sales starting in late summer last year, stocking my Etsy shop and hitting some art shows in the fall. I put my name/logo on all my products and had a banner made for my show tent. Now I was ready to apply for a trademark.  Watching the budget, I opted for LegalZoom.

My eyes tend to glaze over with legal-ese, but I was (pretty much) able to figure out the forms.  When I had questions, the LegalZoom folks responded in emails or when I called. I decided to apply in an already existing category (International Class 16) that most closely matched what I’m producing, even though I don’t make all of the items in that class (um, pressed flowers?).

They conducted an initial search.   This search brings up names of businesses which might cause confusion for consumers, and therefore might keep you from being able to trademark your chosen name.  After these results, I opted to upgrade my membership so I could speak with an attorney by phone for 30 minutes before sallying forth.  (You can upgrade without any kind of lengthy contract – in my case I did for the first couple-few months of the process so I’d have access to an attorney appointment at a very reduced rate.)

The person I spoke with was very clear, professional, and friendly.  He pointed out one other existing business name which might give the USPTO pause when considering mine, because the category of products was similar.  He said he thought I had at least a 50/50 chance of getting through the first time, though.  With those precarious odds and crossed fingers, I decided to proceed. I filed in October, I believe.

To my delight, my business name was published in the USPTO Trademark Official Gazette in March after its initial review.  This means it was “published for opposition.” Well, let me let the USPTO explain it:

If the examining attorney raises no objections to registration, or if the
applicant overcomes all objections, the examining attorney will approve the mark
for publication in the Official Gazette, a weekly publication of the
USPTO.  The USPTO will send a notice of publication to the applicant stating the
date of publication.  After the mark is published in the Official
Gazette, any party who believes it may be damaged by registration of the
mark has thirty (30) days from the publication date to file either an opposition
to registration or a request to extend the time to oppose.

I never discovered any objections, and I got the lovely certificate above in the mail this week.  The entire process can take from six months to a year, and in some cases, longer.  I was happy to enjoy pretty smooth sailing for mine.  The whole process cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $500, with the very modestly priced phone consultation tacked onto the registration fees.

If you decide to pursue it for your business, be prepared for some other interesting mail to come your way.  I’ve had several letters from entities whose return addresses are countries in Eastern Europe, claiming to offer international “filing” or “registration” of my US trademark, all for say, a few thousand dollars.  I love the fine-print disclaimer that came in one yesterday:  “...please notice that this registration has not any connection with the publication of official registrations, and is not a registration by a government organization….” –  yet the “fee” was $2327.00.  (!)

Please also note that this little ramble in absolutely no way whatsoever constitutes any sort of legal advice, which I am unabashedly unqualified to dole out.  (Also, no animals were harmed in the composition of this blog post.) But I wanted to share this little piece of my journey for other indie artists/interested folks out there.  Thanks for coming along!