Oh hi guys- if anyone is still out there- here is a monthly report of how things are out my way...
My camera is broken- which really gets in the way of blogging, and also takes up huge amounts of time in research- WTF is wrong with it? (still no idea really- but I think it's got something wrong with it's shutter speed/iso connection- it's basically turned into one of those really crappy cameras they used to give out with happy meals at Mcdonalds- it has to be in super bright sunlight or it won't work. But it's still working sometimes- usually just on my test shots and not when the kid is smiling, sun is setting, cat is being cute, of course)- Can it be fixed? (no- I don't think so)- What kind of camera do I want now? (I think Nikon- and I'm stepping up to a dslr- looking at the d3200 which is not super high end- but probably enough for my needs, unless I can find a d5200, or d5100 for a good deal- I'm not spending 700 bucks on a camera since the lifespan of such an item seems to be about 4 years around here). Oh and also what am I using my camera for anyhow?
N is losing her first tooth! It's been wiggly for a while but now the adult tooth is coming in behind so I'm sure it will force it out at some point, I can't quite believe that she's old enough for this to be happening, also she gets report cards from school, and it's sort of hilarious the things she needs to improve on ( not that there's much) but skipping is an 'area of focus'- not jumping rope- but actual 'tra-la-la' skipping, I never knew it was so important. Also counting backwards from 10. Big things to work on here- meanwhile she's ahead in other areas- like reading and writing, and she has a "kind and quiet demeanor" which I thought was such a lovely way to describe her. The cuteness of her writing is epic, and her journal is a treasure.
I'm looking at website builders, Squarespace, and Wix are sort of leading the pack at the moment- I looked at wordpress and I just don't love the rigidity of it- but maybe I'm wrong- what do you think? I want something that allows me a space for a gallery of works, and works for sale, and a blog, and artists cv, bio and statement. Maybe I should just forgo selling stuff on my own site and open an etsy store and link to it from my website. Any thoughts?
And of course in order to start up a website I need to have some work to sell or show, I'm working on it! So far I've got a huge portrait of N as summer on the go- it's almost ready to give you a sneak peek, and some clay stuff that is waiting very patiently to get fired- April is going to be a clay heavy month because I'm teaching a couple of classes, and so I must get things in order and also summer is coming! I would love to have more work finished to sell locally at markets. Things are busy around here despite my blog silence, and Spring is on the way and seedlings are sprouting, and grass is showing, and kids are mucky, and the fresh smell of spring is upon us, enjoy it my friends!
What a shame about the camera. Are you currently shooting with a Canon? I too need to invest in a new one. Don't seem to want to part with the $ though. You still managed to capture some wonderful pics here despite the issues.
ReplyDeleteI have an Etsy store. It works well enough and is very user friendly. Do I make lots of money from it? Ha! No. But...it does the job. I used to have an ecommerce store, but it was back when it was all more complicated. I had to have a secure certificate and be able to take credit cards on my own. It was horribly expensive and basically a nightmare to maintain. I think now though they make it so much easier for people.
I switched to Wordpress about 4 months ago now. There are things I don't like, but I'm getting used to it. The best thing about it is I can see my blog is finally being found in Google. I was with TypePad before and it is the WORST. Even though it is super user friendly it is not good for trying to grow your blog. AT ALL. They say, "Friends don't let friends use TypePad."
In the end whatever you choose, I'm sure there will be pros and cons. It's just making a decision and then trying to live with it : )
Helpful aren't I? LOL
bisous
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
Those kid milestones creep up so quickly, don't they! Do you have the Tooth Fairy routine ready to go?
ReplyDeleteCamera thoughts. Have you looked at the new(ish) compact systems? They're sized like a point and shoot but with interchangeable lenses and more manual function. Cheaper the a dslr too. I use the Nikon 1. It gets the job done, but my Mom's Lumix is amazing. So there's more fodder for your research.
I also have an Etsy store. It's very user friendly and saves all the hassle around accepting credit cards and keeping the site secure. They also bring in shoppers (some). There's a LOT of competition on the site, but you can still attract your own following through a blog and send them to Esty to buy. A lot of Etsy sellers also sell through their own sites, so you could start with one and add the other later.
Whatever you choose. Best of luck!
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ReplyDeleteI think it’s a great idea to go with Etsy for now, particularly since there’s already a community and potential clients that you can tap into when you opt to sell your products there. And if ever you decide to put up a store on your own domain, you already have a steady base of followers that you can just divert to your website, or probably knows your website already because of Etsy. Whichever you end up choosing, I hope it bodes well for you. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAndrea Hart @ Leet Web