Caught lunch today on my shop porch! Pretty nice for November 11th. I've been busy filling orders and making new inventory. I've been tweeking and tweeking my Etsy Shop as there has been a rude awakening on the site. Oh dear, it's been a miserable 7 plus weeks on the Etsy site. Thousands of vendors on Etsy have been buried behind clumps of big shops and frozen searches... enough to bring on many more gray hairs! We've all been searching the forums for answers and comrades!
Etsy's made lots of new changes this fall and seems to be digging out of a technology hole. I for one have learned quite a few new SEO tips, search engine optimization thanks for some of the generous sellers sharing their knowledge. My head is still spinning with all the new info and lots more to learn. Many of us had sold pretty well and always came up in the front pages and then to be dropped back to page 20 was a bitter blow... but seem to be working my way back to the front--but it's been a wicked time. Motto: the more furious I get the harder I work... so no quitting yet, but does make one consider the options. Much talk of etsy's pre-ipo... jacking up their numbers.... letting the small shops fall off the face...and not so handmade handmade... too bad for ethics and transparency. Oh heck, sort of disappointing as I'd been such a happy camper on etsy shop. I'll keep making great lampshades, just hope they can be seen.
Floral French Vintage Cretonne Clip Lampshade 5 x 10 x 7Just picked up this vintage fabric from my friend Wendy! Just enough for one lampshade! Fabric is in great shape; very strong colors with no fading. Nice size for a boudoir lamp or medium desk lamp.
Vintage Crewel Lilac, hex 7 x 12 x 8.5" high, washer top (pair available)
I took off Tuesday for a little road trip... it was election day and our town had a very close local election... oh so close.... so a good excuse to go antiquing. I didn't find very much... only 3 pieces of vintage textiles... I must be getting fussier! This Lilac shade is pretty; I was able to make a pair of these shades. And beautiful soft, thin vintage linen.
I picked up a pair of these cuties. Pretty strawberry tea towels. On Wednesday I got them started into lampshades!
fun, fun. It really is fun designing the shade. To design a cottage lampshade like this is so easy! It doesn't need much too much as the strawberries are so well done and strong. I ended up adding grosgrains and the scallop red and white trim.
Hex Bell Strawberry Lampshades, 5 x 8 x 6 Clip Top $68 each.
I'm never much for holiday lampshades... but these could be year round with holiday colors! I love the vintage scallop trim to finish these shades up.I folded the trim over to make it a little thicker and not so wide.
English Chintz Hex Bell Lampshades, 7 x 12 x 8.5 Washer Top
I got a call a month ago from this dear English lady that lives down the road from my shop. She was going to be packing up her household and moving near her son. She wanted to give me a few of her fabrics she would not be needing. Very thoughtful of her. I was sad, she was loosing her eye sight and seemed to be overwhelmed with the daunting task of weeding out her life of stuff. I will remember her for her beautiful flower garden and cute little cottage house and for her generous offer of fabric.
Floral Drum with funky mix of trims, 12 x 12 x 9 Washer Top
I'll finish up with this barkcloth drum lampshade! It's a mix of vintage trims and patterns... It just called out to me to mix it up with trims and fabric!
Check out my Etsy shop and give me lots of hearts! Support the little artisans over the holidays; we've all had a rough 7 weeks on etsy. There is still lots of great handmade finds on etsy, just be a good consumer and make sure it's really handmade.
thanks for visiting,
xo
judy lake