On the idea of a collective shop

[earthmandala]

Hi again!
About the idea of a collective shop:
I am just throwing out ideas.

It would be more like a catalog I think where every item would link back to the individual members Etsy(or other) store?

I work with a great CMS: Joomla ( www.joomla.org) and this would give the possibility to set up the catalog and everyone would get their own username and password to put in their own additions.
I am a professional webdesigner so it would not be a problem to set it up and the fees would only be around $50 a year for hosting & domain [ my work design of the template and setting up the features would be a donation to the idea & the group]
That is not a big issue I think appr.$2 a person in the hope that at least  25 members would be interested.
It would give a big advantage because you will have many external links to a huge database like Etsy (good for the search engine ranking)
 
An other option is to have a blog together where we publish our items which also would link back to the individual shops.
That is offcourse less sophisticated and less professional adn also people would have to scroll though lots of messages and still did not get the full picture.
I am just throwing out ideas and am willing to put in some of my time to get this going.

Greetings,Anika.


--
Anika Kanter Movchine
Freelance Webdesigner
tel: +972 4 985 4887 :::: mobile: +972 545 61 4887 :::::
::::::::::::: Skype www.skype.com: username: earthmandala :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hilah & Anika crafts: orchidee.etsy.com
Stock photo's: www.istockphoto.com/earthmandala

[yiling tien]

It would great to have a collective identity - I've
enjoyed all the conversations we've been having. I'm
not savvy about the computing world, as I have barely
managed (with help) to get a website off the ground.
I'm not even sure what a CMS is, to my chagrin.
However, put me to the plow and I will pull it. I
support the idea!

Yiling Tien
feltability

--- earthmandala <earthm...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi again!
> About the idea of a collective shop:
> I am just throwing out ideas.
>
> It would be more like a catalog I think where every
> item would link back to
> the individual members Etsy(or other) store?
>

> I work with a great CMS: Joomla (www.joomla.org) and

____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

[Gina-RoseThistleArtworks]

This is a WONDERFUL idea, Anika! I love it! I've found with etsy,
having links outside etsy that direct people back to our shops is very
valuable since etsy is so huge and listings can get lost in the
categories so quickly. I feel so fortunate that you are willing to
take this on and put in some time on it. You can count me in.
Hopefully, we'll get enough people that the cost is really minimal for
such great exposure. Thank you so much for volunteering this idea!!
Please let us know what we would need to do next.

If everyone interested replies to this post, we can keep track of the
shops who will belong and then invoicing for the amount due will be
alot easier.

I'll put this on the volunteer wish list along with your blog idea
which I've tacked at the top of our discussions, so all can see them.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help with this
idea. And thanks again Anika for volunteering this wonderful
opportunity for us!!

Gina - RoseThistleArtworks

[Marti ~Tecopia~]

I love this idea!! Count me in!
Marti

On Dec 24, 3:33 am, Gina-RoseThistleArtworks

[earthmandala]

Great lets wait till January to see whos interested in participating and I have some more time.

Hehe also when I have time i will try to explain about kibbutz.
Greetings,
Anika

On Dec 24, 2007 10:11 PM, Marti ~Tecopia~ <martic...@comcast.net> wrote:

I love this idea!!  Count me in!
           Marti

On Dec 24, 3:33am, Gina-RoseThistleArtworks

[earthm...@gmail.com]

Hello All,
We are now middle Januari, so who is interested in setting up shop, as
described in former messages in this thread?
I am willing to do this with less people as long as we cover the
hosting/domain costs

At the moment are interested:

Gina - RoseThistleArtworks
Marti-Tecopia
Yiling Tien-Feltability
Anika-Orchidee

Greetings,
Anika

[KarenKrafts]

I'd be interested, too. Sorry I haven't responded before this - I
totally meant to! (:
Thanks, Anika! Let us know what you need from us. (:
-karen

[Bettina Groh]

I've been watching this theme... but still am not 100% sure of exactly what we would be having...ie. more details please. I personally am not sure I fit in... my felting is so teddybear or teddyfriend oriented. Bettina Groh/ Glass Dragon Bears

[Gina-RoseThistleArtworks]

Hi, Bettina,
Are you able to go to the original post on this subject from 12/19/07
from earthmandalas? Anika says in that post that this will be like a
web page catalog where there will be a link to each paying
individual's shop and/or website. Each member will be able to add
their own item pics and descriptions, like an advertisement to come
visit your shop. It's another avenue of exposure for your shop to the
internet surfing world.

That's my understanding of it. Hopefully, I'm not too off base about
that. If you have more questions, please feel free to ask for more
clarification. Hope that helps.

Gina - RoseThistleArtworks

On Jan 13, 10:43�am, "Bettina Groh" <bettina.g...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've been watching this theme... but still am not 100% sure of exactly what
> we would be having...ie. more details please. I personally am not sure I fit
> in... my felting is so teddybear or teddyfriend oriented. Bettina Groh/
> Glass Dragon Bears
>

> On Jan 13, 2008 11:06 AM, <earthmand...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hello All,
> > We are now middle Januari, so who is interested in setting up shop, as
> > described in former messages in this thread?
> > I am willing to do this with less people as long as we cover the
> > hosting/domain costs
>
> > At the moment are interested:
>
> > Gina - RoseThistleArtworks
> > Marti-Tecopia
> > Yiling Tien-Feltability
> > Anika-Orchidee
>
> > Greetings,
> > Anika
>

> --
> Bettina
> Glass Dragon Teddy Bears
> Kansas City, MO. 64014- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Kay's K9s]

I'd be interested in participating, as long as the fee is reasonably
low. I've been spending quite a bit on marketing lately... but if its
around $2 I'm in

- Kay

[earthmandala]

Hello All,
What we would be having is: Each member makes their Etsy Mini so that can be about 20 items block and this we post on a website, so each member would have their own page with a little blurb like a catalog. The items when clicked bring you right away to the originating Etsy item and can be bought there, simple as that.

Itsa just an additional way of promoting needle felting. I can imagine we could enlarge the site over time with tutorials, You tube tutorials a blog, you name it.


Please read back on the posts.To eventually have this idea come to reality we need at minimum 10 members who are willing to put in $5 each per year. So to start a site like that it would be $50 because i would do my work for free.


Greetings,
Anika

[Deebs Fiber Arts]

Hello all...yes I am finally responding! And yes I am interested in
joining the website. I may need a little guidance with uploading my
stuff or the etsy mini though :) By the way, my computer has been
really bad the last couple days, and is going to the doctor on Monday
for sure. So if I don't reply right away, that is the reason.

Debra

On Jan 18, 12:48 pm, earthmandala <earthmand...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello All,
> What we would be having is: Each member makes their Etsy Mini so that can be
> about 20 items block and this we post on a website, so each member would
> have their own page with a little blurb like a catalog. The items when
> clicked bring you right away to the originating Etsy item and can be bought
> there, simple as that.
>
> Itsa just an additional way of promoting needle felting. I can imagine we
> could enlarge the site over time with tutorials, You tube tutorials a blog,
> you name it.
>
> Please read back on the posts.To eventually have this idea come to reality
> we need at minimum 10 members who are willing to put in $5 each per year. So
> to start a site like that it would be $50 because i would do my work for
> free.
>
> Greetings,
> Anika
>

> On Jan 17, 2008 6:30 PM, Kay's K9s <truecanadiangoatg...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I'd be interested in participating, as long as the fee is reasonably
> > low. I've been spending quite a bit on marketing lately... but if its
> > around $2 I'm in
>
> > - Kay
>
> --
> Anika Kanter Movchine
> Freelance Webdesigner
> tel: +972 4 985 4887 :::: mobile: +972 545 61 4887 :::::

> ::::::::::::: Skypewww.skype.com:username: earthmandala

[earthmandala]

If you sent me your Etsy minis after the site has been set up [the code you get for copy paste] I put it in the website. So you dont have to do anything yourself because the Etsy mini will be updated every time you put new items in your own Etsy shop, how simple is that!
Much easier and less confusing with billing etc than running an Etsy team shop

Greetings,
Anika

On Jan 18, 2008 11:08 PM, Deebs Fiber Arts < po...@nwlink.com> wrote:

Hello all...yes I am finally responding! And yes I am interested in
joining the website.  I may need a little guidance with uploading my
stuff or the etsy mini though :)  By the way, my computer has been
really bad the last couple days, and is going to the doctor on Monday
for sure.  So if I don't reply right away, that is the reason.

Debra

::::::::::::: Skype www.skype.com: username: earthmandala :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[kathnydam]

Anika,

 Thank You! I think what you are doing is wonderful. Include me IN please.~ Kathleen Nydam

 

Gina, Thank you for getting us all together and I was wondering how would a group shop work at Etsy. Will we each still keep our own shop? I'm a mother of five, the baby is grown and married now. She has her shop NydamPress at Etsy.  I like running my own show, or so I have been told. Truly though I just love making the things. What are the perks of being in a group Etsy Shop?

 

 Bobby, I can't wait for your book to be printed. You instruct so clearly I can almost visualize it.This is one book I look forward to owning. Where do I sign up for some of your needle samplers? I would like three to start. That is three groups of samples, for me, myself and I. I am always breaking needles that's why I need some for me and myself.

I hope Brian is doing well and that you both continue on in good health. Thank God we live in an age of Miracles!

Oh. . . and, I consider the internet a minor miracle which brings us all together.

Thank You Everyone for being here.

Fondly, Kathleen

[earthmandala]

Hello! Thanks!
The Etsy mini page links back to your own store, so all purchases from the collective website are done in your very own Etsy shop!!! Thats the whole fun, it will be just an additional marketing tool + a community site where we can add on a blog, articles, tutorials , tutorials from Yout Tube & Google etc.

Summary of who has shown interest so far:

Gina - RoseThistleArtworks
Marti-Tecopia
Yiling Tien-Feltability

Karenkrafts
Kay K9s
Bettina Groh (maybe)
Debra - Deebs Fiberart
Kathleen Nydam
Anika-Orchidee

You may start thinking about a little blurb about yourself, a nice pic of yourself and under that we make then the Etsy Mini.
If we have a few more people we can start.
Everyone joining in later will have to pay the same amount as the start group [ that will cover also some of my design and implementation efforts and spending time on instructing people ].
After a year we see how many we are and split the costs anew.
And  can we go under something else than N-fest?
Many greetings from a cold and dry place, God we need RAIN!

[zoë novaczek]

Sorry for being quiet about this, I also am interested. I won't have much time for it until classes are done in april, but I can do a blurb and pay my share. ^_^
-Zoe (TarkaArt)

[yiling tien]

Hello, Anika,

Just so there's no doubt. I would/will be interested
in the joint website. I've been waiting for the
go-ahead.
Thanks for the wonderful offer,

Yiling
feltability

____________________________________________________________________________________

[pensiv...@comcast.net]

I would love to participate! (Now that I've remembered my login
details for the group) I also have some limited web experience and
would be happy to help if I'm able.

[Needle Felting Fans]

Hi All,
I'm new here and still trying to find my way around.
Anika, I would love to be a member of this collective website. Please
count me in. I have amateur website skills, enough that i was able to
build my own website and blog. If I can assist in anyway just let me
know. My website is hosted thru Bravenet. Their hosting suits my needs
very well. roughly $50/year with a registered domain name included. I
don't have an etsy shop yet. But am registered there. I have bought
items from sellers on etsy. Will I be able to list my website and blog
too or just an etsy shop? Thank-you for offering to do this Anika. I
know how time consuming it is to build a website.
Hugs,
Linda

On Dec 19 2007, 1:26 am, earthmandala <earthmand...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi again!
> About the idea of a collective shop:
> I am just throwing out ideas.
>
> It would be more like a catalog I think where every item would link back to
> the individual members Etsy(or other) store?
>

> I work with a great CMS: Joomla (www.joomla.org) and this would give the

> possibility to set up the catalog and everyone would get their own username
> and password to put in their own additions.
> I am a professional webdesigner so it would not be a problem to set it up
> and the fees would only be around $50 a year for hosting & domain [ my work
> design of the template and setting up the features would be a donation to
> the idea & the group]
> That is not a big issue I think appr.$2 a person in the hope that at least
> 25 members would be interested.
> It would give a big advantage because you will have many external links to a
> huge database like Etsy (good for the search engine ranking)
>
> An other option is to have a blog together where we publish our items which
> also would link back to the individual shops.
> That is offcourse less sophisticated and less professional adn also people
> would have to scroll though lots of messages and still did not get the full
> picture.
> I am just throwing out ideas and am willing to put in some of my time to get
> this going.
>
> Greetings,Anika.
>
> --
> Anika Kanter Movchine
> Freelance Webdesigner
> tel: +972 4 985 4887 :::: mobile: +972 545 61 4887 :::::

> ::::::::::::: Skypewww.skype.com:username: earthmandala

[Cheryl at Stelladanza's Confections]

Hello, fellow needlefelters,

I would be interested in giving this a go.  It will motivate me to do a bit more needlefelting; I have been slacking lately :D 

Please keep me posted.  Thanks.

Cheryl at Confections.etsy.com



--
Cheryl

Confections Heirloom Fiberarts
http://confections.etsy.com
http://stelladanza.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/confections/

[Deb Brandt]

I would like to be included too.  I think having a collective would help all of us to get exposure!

 I sold a couple of needle felted pieces at a show before Christmas.  I priced them rather low, but they do me no good if I just have a huge collection of stuff here.
Deb


       Deb Brandt
Dudleyspinner Wool Rovings
......BRILLIANT!!!..........

[me...@spookydisco.com]

 I sold a couple of needle felted pieces at a show before Christmas.  I priced them rather low, but they do me no good if I just have a huge collection of stuff here.
Deb

 

-I would like some suggestions on pricing items. I tend to go on the low side when compared to other shops because the materials are so inexpensive, but as we all know needlefelting is the slowest moving craft in the world. I just don't want to over/under price my items.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Amber

rosebudfactory.etsy.com

[RoseThis...@aol.com]

There's an interesting on going discussion on pricing at the flickr group http://www.flickr.com/groups/etsyneedlefelt/discuss/72157602916992385/  Please feel free to add to that discussion, too.

 

Personally, I think it is only lack of understanding about the complete uniqueness of each needlefelt artwork and how time consuming creation of NF is and the artistry and skill that each artist puts into their pieces that is the reason prices are low right now.  Needlefelt can not be mass produced (with the exception maybe of an embellisher machine?).  Each one is an original work of art.  I think of paintings where the originals can sell for thousands of dollars.  But, prints can also be made into infinity.  It may or may not take a lot of time or cost in materials.  The same with sculptures and bronzes or plasters made by molds.  NF can not be copied like that.

 

In addition, felt is one of the oldest textiles.  NF seems like some old world craft.  But, in reality felting in 3D or raised/textured 2D with a single barbed needle has only been around since the 1980's.  Compare this to painting and sculpting which have been around for thousands of years.  NF is a tiny wee little baby that is just now starting to be explored by artists all over the world.  But, I think since the creations look like toys or things that people have seen mass produced, they don't understand how completely unique each NF artwork is and how cutting edge in the art world.  More and more people are learning about and trying NF for themselves.  I've seen an incredible explosion of interest lately.  When I started, it was very difficult to find anything anywhere on NF.  I think as knowledge about this art form increases, the prices people are willing to pay for their unique art will increase.

 

But, here we are creating needlefelt artworks with the hopes that someone somewhere will enjoy them.  To me, my enjoyment of creating art is that someone enjoys it.  There is still a lot of awareness that needs to be created in the general public about needlefelting before the prices will reflect the artwork's real value, in my opinion.  So, I think in order to sell at all, we do sell low right now.  The non-monetary value being that our artwork is enjoyed and we are spreading more awareness.  But, the more and more artwork that is out in the public and the more the knowledge increases, the prices will reflect that and needlefelting will be taken more seriously in the art world.  There is no other art medium like needlefelting and yet it can be so easy to learn and start and take you anywhere you want to go artistically.  Needlefelting ROCKS!  It's only a matter of time before NF addicts are created all over the world. :D

 

Gina-RoseThistleArtworks

---

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

[earthm...@gmail.com]

Hello All,
To keep my head clear Lets try to keep this thread about the colective
website and not trail off into other discussions, please?...thanks!

To summarize who showed interest in a collective catalog:

Gina - RoseThistleArtworks
Marti-Tecopia
Yiling Tien-Feltability
Karenkrafts
Kay K9s
Bettina Groh (maybe)
Debra - Deebs Fiberart
Kathleen Nydam

Zoe (TarkaArt)
Pensive Rabbit
Linda -Needle Felting Fans

Deb Brandt Dudleyspinner Wool Rovings

Cheryl at Confections.etsy.com
Anika-Orchidee

THIS MEANS I CAN START THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE SITE TOGETHER!!!

I suggest to go about it in the following manner:

STAGE 1
If we need the name NFEST (which I am not crazy about, i would prefer
something more lyrical, but alas)
I have to check if this is free as a domain.
I suggest to throw in alternative names for the collective

STAGE 2
EMAIL me (not in a thread but in a seperate email to
earthm...@gmail.com ) the FLASH code for your Etsy Mini.
You can have up to 25 items, who has less makes one with less cubes.
Who needs instruction how to go about this can also contact me
separate and i will try to help out.

STAGE 3
After you mailed me your Etsy mini code you move $3 to Paypal account
earthm...@gmail.com with in the note your name, and Etsy shop name
please.
You join for 1 year which starts with LAUNCH OFTHE SITE.
I will try to get a subscription module in place and then we can grow!

STAGE 4
GRAND OPENING

Greetings,
Anika

[ke...@twodancingcrows.com]

I'm also interested in being a member of the collective site. I'll
have to go back and re-read what all you need, but count me in if
there is still room.

Kelle
TwoDancingCrows.etsy.com

[earthm...@gmail.com]

Hello All!
Kelle has her very own Two Dancing Crows catalog with her fanstastic
items now on needlefelters.com Congratulations Kelle!

To follow up on her question:
For members who want to join the faster-than-light expanding
needlefelters.com ( we are 22 now) it will be best you click to:
www.needlefelters.com/join.html

There you find a full explanation of what you have to send where.
Also visit member pages to see the available color schemes and then
you can write me your preference.

To the member pages and the homepage has been added a logo.
This exclusive needlefelters.com logo will be available as a banner in
the near future.
I will provide it with code so you can very easily put this on your
own sites.

and as Gina mentioned we have big plans for this site in the future.
The sky is the limit!!

Greetings,
Anika