UGH. It's been forever since I posted last! So many things have happened in that time- moved into my new house, lost a fight between my robust optimism and my post-traumatic, tried to break the lease on my new house, hid under the bed(clothes) for 2 weeks, got my moxie back, got my shit together, cancelled the lease break... and now we're back to where I should've been a month ago, almost finished unpacking and keen to get on with life. We hope!
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Right at this moment I'm trying to get some business cards together, since I haven't had any printed since forever. Trouble is, it's leading to some serious questions. Do I get ones for all my shops? That's 3 shops, possibly soon to be 4. Should I just get generic ones that represent my style across all the shops? (Don't think it can be done, which leads to further questions about 'what I do'.)
What sort of jewelry should represent me? Do I even want to DO jewelry any more? Yes. I think. What sort of antiques and vintage should represent those shops? Why do I sell such differing things? Can I make a brand which includes both Victorian haberdashery and 20th century retro? Why are there not enough good thrifts in my town? Where's my private chauffeur in his immaculately kept vintage luxury car?
I'm decorating this post with the images I'm thinking about using for the cards. Oh there's more questions- should I get the 100 card pack? That's not going to last long... 400? That's expensive, but cheaper in the long run than 4 orders of 100... should I get the super fancy cards? Or should I go for postcards instead?
Postcards are more likely to go up on a wall or kept, and that's a good thing... they are way more expensive though, so I'd need to save for them... Should postcards only be for special purchases? Like more than $100? Or just for the jewelry shops? Or is it a luxury that - like my private chauffeur - is just a nice dream? Is it a waste of money?
What's for dinner? Why am I here? Where did I put the chocolate? How many cups of tea can you have in one day before you should think about maybe feeling a little bit guilty but only for public face because in actual fact you think you should be able to drink as many fucking cups of tea as you like so there?
And MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL- do you like these photos? Which one's your favourite? Fave 3? Least fave? I can't decide.
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14 comments:
yay! so good to see you back, I love your posts Penny! I am probably the sappiest of all your bog readers I reckon, even though I'm a tough tomboy
well, I drink absolutely fucking masses of mugs of tea every day, like about 10 or 20 and maybe about once a week I drink half a cup of water with my traumeel, but that's only because tea is too hot to down it with, and I most probably have a sore head and tea sets it off worse.. and anyway, I get a bit of water when I brush my teeth every morning.
I have 2 etsy shops, once is handmade, one is vintage/supplies, so depending on what shop I have a sale in, I hand out 3 business cards for that shop's sale plus 1 card for the other shop.
I got my cards done at vistaprint, real cheap and depending on their special offers I get 100 to 250 done at once.
images - I love your first one - it's clear, simple and shows the contrast in you and your work
and I like the 2nd and 3rd last ones, they show the textures and materials you use, and I like the shot from above
but for tiny business cards I would keep your images on as plain a bg as possible, to make them stand out more, unless you have images one side, text the other.
if you want to combine everything, then maybe put your earrings and a necklace on the mannequin with some buttons/fork/sunglasses infront and the pretty lady b&w pc and your framed photos behind?
hope this helps :)
ugh! the business card dilemma! i agreee!!!!!!
i've been scrambling in my brain the same issues and i think it's best to put all your shops on one card. DONE! saves money and time to have them all together. or at least keep the supplies links on one and the creations things on another card.
i really appreciate all your pictures. It's always such a lovely, not too busy set up. 3rd last pictures is great, but it's cos i really love those earrings too. when i see your pictures i always think "yup! those are sparrow's pieces!" and i think that's great when you think of all that "branding" stuff you need for your shop and to stand out.
Number 9 does it for me! It's how I think of Sparrow Salvage.
I would just do 1 business card with all your shops on. Divide the card into 4 with a great photo of each shop and on the back the corresponding shop and blog details. Here's an idea don't use a small business card - go postcard size to show off your great photos and give you more room on the back to put your details.
check out Moocards. I understand you can do photos on the front and back of the cards, plus you can do different designs within the same pack of cards... that way you could do some for each of your shops - photowise, but with all the addies :)
favorite photos, probably 1, 8, 9 :)
Fave photos: the one with the key, the carved white beads and the teardrop metal earrings. Least? Maybe the sunglasses. And it'd nobody's business how much tea you drink (that's how I feel about my Diet Coke).
Tea is a panacea for all of life's ills so drink away I say! Don't bother with the postcards except for galleries or such. The photos are all gorgeous. How about Moo Cards - then you can have a selection of your pics across the board with info on the back and they double as great swing tags on jewellery too. Find the chocolate pronto!
X
Glad that you are feeling better, hold on, girl.
We have one card for all the shops.
Our banner in front and all the shops names plus blog in the back, it is the most efficient way, we found.
Drink as much of and as many of, whatever you want and I too have my days under the blankets. It gets my creative ideas happening once i surface.
Moo cards and Vistaprint I use. I have 4 Etsy shops and had 4 different types cards made up for each one.
Being rather stingy I only buy vistprinta when they have the free 250 business cards or postcards on the cheap. Ive also used Zazzle as well. Your right with postcards people are more likely to keep a postcard. I usely wait ubntil vista has free ones or cheaper ones.
I love all your images and would find really hard to pick... 1,3,14,16 and 17 all look like your creativness.
oh these are all so awesome. like others say here, a few pix to represent different things would be good. th old buttons represent everything the most, but the earrings w/feathers are the prettiest. so who knows. make post cards!!!
glad to see you back..
I think Moo cards allows you to have differing images..so one large order with several different photos but with all your shop addresses on the back might work.
perhaps someone already mentioned this..didn't read all the responses.
Ok, this comment will probably get caught in spam but I feel the need to type it the way I say it to share so you get the full effect of what it really is.
If that weird inside voice gets too loud, say in the most American accent you can muster (it hurts, I know), "Fuckin', whatever." FUCKIN WHATEVER. I dunno, I've been saying it a lot lately and I'm Americanish and it still makes no sense, other than that in my head I claim I heard it from some '77 punk and therefore it is ok. And if you want to add "dude" to the end, by all means, do. Or even "yo" if you're feeling superfancy and nihilistic. Which is also an awesome thing and if you don't believe me, watch the Big Lebowski for confirmation.
Try it out:
I've had (large number) cups of tea today. "Fuckin', whatever, (dude/optional)." Really draw out the "fuckin'" part. You can also sigh part of it for that extra tinge of comedic nihilism, as per above.
Point is, you rock, your creations make my heart beat faster and if you choose an image for all shops, buttons/or random beads are generic enough/yet specifically photo'd in a Sparrow style that would be lovely on a card. I get mine from Vistaprint.
<3
This is what I just went through this week and I think I made the right decision by getting a small amount of cards. Simply because my work changes so much and by the time I get through a 100 pack of cards I will be making in a different style. I cant stand sending a wee box of beads away with a crumby old card that doesnt relate to what someone has bought. But thats just me. I think some of these pics would be great as postcards (like the sunglasses) and others fantastic as business cards...absoutely stunning work as always Penny! Ultimately Id have to agree with crankypants last comment. Buttons and such like would fit your style and could be used for any of your shops.
I vouch for Moo over vista due to quality and choice, again it depends on funds! As always with these things you get what you pay for.
Hope you decide/decided on something that makes you happy!
No need to specialise in one subject or another...vintage...jewelry...retro..etc..if you enjoy it then do it :)
love your work Penny!
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