EtsyExtension

Great words of Wisdom on Pricing

2012-02-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

Every once and a while, when I browse the forums, I come accross tidbits of wisdom. The other day I opened a forum thread written by Pamela Trow-Johnson from Bend, Oregon.   Pamela is an artist and designer who serves the etsy community with her supply store "Artspassionsdesign" found at this link: www.artpassionsdesign.etsy.com .

Pamela also creates beautiful stationary that speak emotions, greetings, happy wishes and wisdom.   This etsy shop is called "Artifactori," and it can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/artifactori
These are her own words.   Read and enjoy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/60983117/set-of-four-humorous-thats-why-theres

As a branding designer in my day job, it always upsets me to see sellers who aren’t selling, lower their prices thinking that will solve their problem. In truth, price is only one ingredient in your recipe for success.

Many folks think a brand is a logo when a logo is only the visual representation of the brand. Brand is a perception in the mind of a buyer that keeps your product or service first in their thoughts when they are ready to buy. Price is just one of the components of that perception.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59430852/set-of-three-us-goils-gotta-tawk

But this post is about pricing, so, here’s my 2¢ worth:

1] GET REAL ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY & SELF-ESTEEM. Money is money. It’s a wonderful thing to have. We are not defined by it. It’s fuel to get us were we want to go and it sustains us. Having money isn’t based on our “worthiness”. Get honest on how you look at it and choose to develop a healthier perspective on it. I will say this, if you don’t change your attitude toward money, you’ll never have it.

2] PAY ATTENTION TO ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR BUSINESS. So many other aspects of your business reflect the quality of your product, which then confirms the appropriateness of your price:

a] Are your photos reflecting the true beauty of your product and are they truly showing the product? (i.e., are you focusing on everything around your product rather than the product? is your product too small in the photo, is your photo honest?)

b] Is your logo, banner and avatar communicating the same level of quality and “flavor” as your product? (i.e., does your font match the style of your product, is your type legible, is there a disconnect with the style of your logo to your product?…such as selling clean contemporary art and having a country look to your banner?)

c] Are you being clear in your descriptions and including everything a buyer will want to know? (i.e., are you providing sizes?…this can qualify a price, with vintage…are you showing any defects or hiding them?).

d] Have you differentiated your business? What do you do or offer that makes you and/or your product unique? If you offer and do what 2,000 other shops offer and do, why should a buyer buy from you, no matter what your price? (ways to differentiate include having a particular style or a way you do business).

e] How is everything else reflecting your brand: packaging, policies, customer service, to name a few? (i.e., are you selling a high-end item and packing it in a generic box with no brand identity on it? are your policies written with a lot of “don’ts” rather than “do’s”? are you answering your convos quickly?)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/60464482/set-of-three-blank-congratulations

3] KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Don’t try to be everything to all. If you sell to a more “general audience”, it will be more difficult to stand out in the crowd. Niche markets are good. It helps you in figuring out where to sell and helps you with pricing. This also aligns with differentiating (2d).

4] RUN SALES TO PROFIT NOT TO SELL. As a buyer, everyone loves a sale. As a seller, if you do sales often, you’re training your buyers to assume they can always get your items at a price-off. That’s not the perception you want to give. Keep your sales truly SPECIAL. Don’t necessarily follow the pack and run sales on holidays. Run them when they’re least expected so buyers are constantly coming back to your shop. They are likely to do a more immediate buy if they don’t know when your item will be on sale. Buyers want to feel they got a once-in-a-chance buy. Think about it...how many times have you joyously shared a story of getting an unbelievable deal at an unexpected time?

Need some new Charm Ideas?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/83881316/animal-two-brass-moose-charms

5] LEARN TO PRICE TO PROFIT. I believe pricing is a mystery for so many sellers because it’s left-brain, not creative and they just don’t know how to do it. Well, pricing is strategic...concrete...formula-matic. Do a keyword search in the forums with “pricing formula” and you’ll get what you need. Once you know what your profit margin is, don’t lower your prices where you can’t stay in business...because you won’t! I’ve read threads where sellers have said they have lowered their prices to the bare minimum. So, even if it creates sales, you’ll never be able to increase your prices without creating a bad perception in the mind of the buyer. And by the way, once you have a good pricing formula, don’t overlook what is called, perceived value. Your formula may say you can price an item at $100 but if your item looks like it can sell for $125, then price it that way.

6] BENCHMARK. Check out shops that sell in the same category as you, that you consider SUCCESSFUL. Can you apply any of the ways you think contributed to that success to your shop?

Here comes the trains.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/40948568/transportation-12-tiny-brass-train

7] EXPAND YOUR DISTRIBUTION SOURCES. Etsy is a fabulous place to sell. But it’s just one marketplace source. This is an area to expand your business knowledge. Check out other online marketplaces, check out brick and mortar shops (as long as you can afford to sell at a wholesale or distributor price,) create your own ecommerce website. Consider craft shows but make sure they attract your audience (i.e., don’t consider a low-end flea market if your items are high-end...you just won’t sell AND don’t even consider lowering your prices to sell in another market.)

8] EDUCATE THE BUYER ON YOUR PRICING. How often are we asked to sell something at a lower price because basically, a buyer can't afford it!?! Well, THEY ARE NOT YOUR AUDIENCE. Don't feel bad that you can't lower your price and don't lower your price because you think you should. Just have a standard considerate reply explaining your price reflects the quality of hand-made product it is. Reducing your price would prevent you from staying in business and doing what you love. Thank them for considering your product. PERIOD. DONE.

Something for the computer whiz.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/48691779/technology-pink-enameled-silver-tone

9] DON’T BE HARD ON YOURSELF + GET HELP. We are in this business because we love to create. But once we decide to make our passion a business, we have to take on more than we enjoy doing...we create, research, produce, sell, account as well as run families and try to have a life. Do you have to do it alone? What can you get help with? Etsy forums, the internet, libraries and business organizations are treasure chests for info. Maybe start an Etsy team in your city and actually meet monthly to get support from each other. Is there a student you can get help with production?
Apply your creativity to solving all kinds of problems.

I hope this helps anyone considering lowering their prices. We’re in this together and I wish you the BEST! Pamela

Get Well.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/60465239/set-of-three-blank-get-well-greeting

Hi all the potters out there. Did you ever think of studying in China?

2012-01-30T22:06:00.000-08:00

I consider myself very lucky in that I have had the opportunity to travel to China on four occasions. When I go I stay at the Sanbao International Ceramic Art Institute, just ten kilometers from Jingdezhen the porcelain capital of the world.

Even the lamp posts are made of porcelain

One of the great pleasures I have had every time I go is to meet with the West Virginia Ceramic Art Students who come to the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute to study and to expand their cultural experiences in China.

One of the faculty buildings at the JCI

If you ever want to study art and to gain University credits this program is something to think about.

I have just received the latest info about the 2012 courses being offered. I can tell you that this is a great experience at a great price with a great reward of University credits. Have a read.

The West Virginia University gang building a pizza oven at Sanbao.

Mixing the cement for the pizza oven.
The oven worked.

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Ceramic Enthusiasts,

Through a unique linkage, the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, and West Virginia University have teamed to offer a comprehensive study opportunity for students and the serious advanced or professional ceramic artist/potter.
The Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute is considered to be China’s finest ceramics art and design school. We have teamed to offer a study and travel program in the Peoples Republic of China where students will have the opportunity to study with some of China’s most prominent teachers and ceramic artists.

Imperial Blue & White Porcelain Capital of Jingdezhen, Qin's Terra Cotta Army, Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the hustle and bustle of Shanghai.

Join us for a experience of a lifetime!

China’s roots in ceramic art history are strong and deep. For thousands of years, Chinese artisans have developed and mastered techniques and artistry that has set the standard of excellence in ceramics throughout the world.

High fired porcelains, underglaze and overglaze techniques, celadons, copper reds, temmoku, yaoware carving, ash glazes and tri-colored lead glazes are just a few of the contributions made by Chinese artisans over the centuries.

Summer Semester 2012
May 24 – June 30
(Dates prices may vary slightly)
6 Credits
Cost: 6-Credits/Tuition and fees: $5900*

This fee covers International airfare, in-country travel, all lodging, food (an exception being during the Beijing travel portion of the program), materials, and 6 graduate or undergraduate transferable credits from West Virginia University.

Fall Semester 2012
September 7 – December 14
(Dates and prices may vary slightly)
12 Credit Hours: Graduate or Undergraduate
Cost: 12 Credits/Tuition and fees $9,900*
6-Credits Studio Ceramics
3-Credits Chinese Ceramic Art History
3-Credits Basic Language and Culture
Participants will be expected to pay for tools not supplied by the program, brushes, personal acquisitions, and local travel outside of the program. Students may also be expected to purchase their own meals during the Beijing visit.

This fee covers the entire cost of International airfare, in-country travel, all program fees, insurance, living accommodations and 12 transferable credits from West Virginia University.

If you or anyone you may be interested in any of the 2 programs, more information and applications are available at:

http://art.ccarts.wvu.edu/international_programs/china_program

If you have any questions feel free to contact us. Hope to see all of you
in Jingdezhen, China!

Shoji Satake
Assistant Professor of Art
West Virginia University
College of Creative Arts
School of Art and Design
Creative Arts Center
PO Box 6111
Morgantown, WV 26506
304-293-3512
shoji.satake@mail.wvu.edu

Robert "Boomer" Moore
Assistant Professor of Art
West Virginia University

It is Time

2012-01-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

Well I have been on Artfire for eleven months and I have to make a decision to stay or go.

I have only good words for the Artfire team. They have put up a very good looking commercial page, and they have maintained good communication with the members. I however, have found that the number of views was limited and that in turn kept sales away from my shop. I had only one sale in eleven months. There is a time when the income versus expenses, dictate what we do.

I realize that my product is a niche and that the number of people looking for ceramics is not the same as those looking at jewelry or children cloths. I can only assume that is why the views were so low.

I originally came to Artfire because Etsy was making too many changes to the way they ran the website. See (http://etsy-extended.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-turn-to-migrate.html) These changes however, did make a difference in the number of visitors to my shop. My sales did not rise but the fact that many people could see my work was just as satisfying as making a sale. I have had a steady sales record on Etsy, so that is where I will put my future efforts. I guess that is what counts in the world of sales.

So, my friends on Artfire, I have decided to terminate my shop as of 01 January 2012. I imagine it will take a while for the paid up time to run out.

I wish everyone on Artfire the best of luck with their sales. Perhaps someday I will return.

"Having a bad day" by: Terrance Frank Lazaroff

"Happy New Year 2012"

Merry Christmas to all

2011-12-22T20:44:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a great year, and we are now all going to sit down with family and friends to enjoy a bit of Christmas cheer. To many of us, Christmas is a time to make a bit of extra sales, and of course money. We work very hard preparing our craft lines so that we can offer our perspective clients a great sellection of good. Sometimes we forget that Christmas is also for ourselves. That is why I have selected some items from etsy that I would like to receive as a gift. They may not appear under my tree this year, but who knows maybe next year.

I just imagine wearing this during our Christmas Réveillon, when I am serving the drinks. It would spark some great conversations.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OnceUponABustle?ref=seller_info&show_panel=true

What a great pair of loafer styleVintage Leather Minnetonka Moccasins. Sadly these are a bit to large for me, but perhapes Santa will be able to find a pair my size, for next year.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/memoryvintage?ref=seller_info

Now hats are back in. I noticed that my sons are now wearing fedoras. I look at the photograph of my dad when he was about 30 years old, and he carried his fedora very well. Perhapes one like liss would add to my looks, as well.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/katarinacouture?ref=seller_info

A wallet is always an necessary gift to a man on Christmas Day. It is one of those things that he usese everyday yet can never find time to buy one, for himself. A good wallet must have room for the pesky membership cards, and of course the plastic money. I like this wallet because it is bullet proof. Meaning it will protect my pin money from my lovely bride's fingers.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RAGGEDedgeGear?ref=seller_info

I have a great love of cookies. Finding these under the tree, JUST FOR ME, would make my day. The nice thing about purchasing these from etsy shops, is that my wife would be able to surprise me, because I would not smell the aroma of the little cookies baking in the oven. Mmmmmm.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThoughtsofHome?ref=seller_info

After eating those cookies, I would go out to shovel the sidewalk. When I come back into the house I would want to take off my boots, and slip on a nice pair of knitted slippers. These slippers are soft almost like wearing socks.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtisanatCadeau?ref=seller_info

Well there are so many items I would like to have under my tree. I guess I will have to leave this list lying about for the children to see. Hmmmmm.

Merry. Christmas to all.

Remembrance

2011-11-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

Yearly Reflection.

In memory of Private Stephen Lazaroff. who was killed in action in Italy, 1944.

Remembrance Day is a special day for me because I served for 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Every year on the 11th of November, my unit would all fall in for the parade, to pay homage to our brothers in arms, who went off to do their service. Many did not come back, their bodies interred in the battle field cemeteries that are sited throughout the world. Some came home with injuries that would eventually take their life. . Others suffered in silence with mental stress that we cannot understand because we were young and did not know the ravages of war.

Now I am retired.

On the 11th of November every year I put on my military coat and my beret, I pin up my medals, and make my way into the city, to the cenotaph. This day is usually the first real cold day of the season. The wind blows with a bite, forcing us to raise our collars. The ground is frozen solid, making us stamp our feet in order to keep the feeling in our toes. It snows on most Remembrance days, and on some days it would rain. This does not stop us from going. For us, it is a day to remember.

The Remembrance Day gathering is also a time to link up with old friends. Before we would form up for the ceremony, We would wander through the gaggle of men and women, some wearing partial uniforms, others in the legion dress, and sadly many in street clothes that tell of hard times. We would wander about studying the faces of those gathered. Each is searching for someone that they may have served with. Every once in a while walking about, someone would see a face that looked familiar. It may have been a glint in the eye, or the way the lips would turn up in a smile. Sometimes it would be a medal that was worn that told of his service. Most of the gathered would have grey hair. Some would walk with stoop, and others required the assistance of a walking stick or a chair with wheels. I would look at them, and they would peer back. Recognition would result in an exchange greeting, as we tried to remember if it was Corporal Bill Dodds, or was it Lieutenant Dorothy Warner. Sometimes recognition was immediate and the greeting was a warm "How are you doing Jack?" Our eyes would light up when we found old friends.

The reunions were joyous; we would try to jam long periods of separation into a few moments. "Where are you living now? How are the children? I got a bad case of cataracts, or my knees are shot." We would laugh and talk about our grand kids and relate stories about our last trip to the south. There would be a quick shake of hands and a promise keep in touch. Then, we would search out another, and the conversation would repeat itself.

This banter would continue until called to parade. The solemn ceremony would begin and we would all fall silent. Everyone would become an individual thinking of those who died in previous wars, their military service and those who were bravely fighting in theaters of war today.

We would also think of the older veterans who were no longer amongst us. Spaces where they stood with friends now are empty. Many have disappeared. There was one fellow who wore his WWII Khaki uniform with boots, and putties, and full pack. Everybody would shake his hand and complement his dress. He was a reminder to the older veterans of what the young men looked like when they shipped out, in the early days of WWII. Last year I noticed that he was missing.

I always thought that I was one of the younger guys at the parade but last year a young lieutenant came up to me and asked if I would like a chair up front; with a blanket to keep my legs warm, a kind reminder that I am becoming one of the older guys in the parade. I said no thank you; I will stand with the younger crew.

While I am standing quiet I think about my generation of service members. We were fortunate, in that our duty was not as difficult as the Veterans of the great wars and of Korea. My generation served during the Cold War period. We trained and prepared for what I am happy to say, did not materialize. We were the deterrent. Nevertheless, periods of separation from family and friends were difficult. We were lucky because I knew when we would be reunited with our family. Those in the great wars did not know if and or when they would see their families.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields." will echo in my thoughts.

This year when I go the cenotaph, I am sure I will see younger veterans. They carry the medals of Bosnia, Dessert Storm, Afghanistan and other theaters of war. These young people served with pride and they have returned with scars of physical and mental injuries. They will have returned with memories of their brothers in arms who did not.

So when I stand in the snow, the rain, holding my coat against the damp cold wind and the freezing temperatures, I will remember. I will add the fallen and the injured from these wars to all those of previous wars to my thoughts and prayers. And when the last post sounds, there will be a tear in my eye.

Listen to this: http://www.flixxy.com/trumpet-solo-melissa-venema.htm

Where have you been?

2011-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have asked about why I have not been to active recently on this blog.   I am sorry if you have been waiting for some new information or perhaps a review of a shop. The fact is that I have been busy writing a blog for the China tour that I will be leading next autumn.

Yes, I am returning to China for the fifth time. However, this trip will find me accompanied by a group of travellers who want to experience the rich and mystical culture of the Chinese craft people.

We are planning to leave around the first of October next year.
If you wish to see where we are going you can visit this blog by going to: http://2012sanbaochinatour.blogspot.com/

I have a couple of videos and a lot of photos.    I hope you visit and enjoy.

The Inukshuk

2011-10-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

I was just looking at a great treasury this morning. I felt honoured to be one of the featured artists. The sculpture that was shown was one of my Inukshuks. I really enjoy making these objects because they bring back some great memories.

Inukshuk

In 1971, I was posted to serve in the remote region of the Canadian Arctic. I was to spend six months at Canadian Forces Station, Alert, located on Ellesmere Island, approximately 500 miles from the North Pole.

View from the Airstrip in Alert.
1971

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with some of the young Inuit men who Who were raised in the northern regions of Canada. Their village was far to the south of our station. In effect, they had to go to Ottawa for their interviews and then fly north to alert in a C130 military aircraft, along with the regular military service members, who were on their way north.

The Aircraft on the Thule Greenland Airstrip.
We spent an evening before the last leg of our journey to Alert.

Alert has a polar climate. The summer months are marked by 24 hours of daylight, with the winter giving us 24 hours of darkness. I was lucky in that I had two months of daylight, two months, day and night, and then the last two months of my duty was in darkness.

Setting up the ice fishing hut.
The fish was Arctic Salmon

Our crew became very close during the six months together. We filled our spare time with movies, card games, reading, and when it was daylight, and the weather was mild, we would go ice fishing or just exploring. During one of our hikes, I learned a great deal about the customs and lifestyle of the northern peoples.

We had a radio station that helped fill our hours with music.

We came across a large pile of stones that was man made. Nestled in amongst the pile of rocks was a covered tin can. When we opened the container, we found scraps of paper with notes, written by those who had passed by the spot before us. The comments were just small statements, giving the names and dates and small editorials. Some logs talked of the weather and the sentiments of the writer.

During the summer days hiking was the main activity
when we were off duty.

It did not take me long to empty my pockets looking for paper and something to write with. I wanted to put my name in the can as well.I guess we all want some form of imortality.

Charlie, who was Inuit, walked around the stones, studying the form and the methods of construction. I asked him what he was doing. His response was that he was trying to feel the spirit of the original builders of the cairn. I saw that he was treating the site with reverence. The pile of stones seemed very important to him. When we stopped to eat our sandwich, he explained what these markers meant to his people.

Charlie was one of the heavy equipment operator.

He went on to tell me that these markers came in many shapes and forms each with their own name, use, meaning, and myth. He told me that most common name given to these forms was the, Inuksuk. I am sure the spelling has changed with translation over the years because I use Inukshuk while others use Inusuk.

Charlie went on to explain that the inuksuk means existence of the northern peoples. It marks a spot where an Inuit family may have rested or camped.

One of my favorite colours--the copper celedon.
This Inukshuk is available from my shop.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78346621/inukshuk-sculpture-art-of-the-inu-inuit

It may have been built in the form of man with one arm longer that the other. The longer arm was to point the way of the traveler. Much the same way the southern natives would mark stones, cliffs or trees with petroglyphs.

The inuksuk was often built on high ground that gave it maximum visibility. The far north has no trees to help with the perspective, so distance can be confusing. The inuksuk allowed distance to be measured in comparison to the height of a man.

Distance was difficult to gauge.
We walked for hours but the sun did not go down.

Many inuksuk were simple piles of rocks that were set up to protect the hunter from the cold winds, or to act as a blind, and allow him to ambush passing game. The more elaborate inuksuk would have a set number of stones to make the man figure more precise. These inuksuk were used to keep the caribou moving through a set trail that would make the hunt easier.

These stones were pushed into the tombstone position
by the permafrost.

Some inuksuk had a space in the center of the form. When someone looked through it, they could see another marker at some other place that meant another trail or direction to follow. It would also allow the hunter to observe the game, without being seen

This Inukshuk is available from my shop.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78346468/inukshuk-sculpture-art-of-the-inu-inuit

Our discussion went on for about an hour; Charlie explained that the form of the inuksuk took many shapes with each one giving various histories, a different meaning, a family event or a special use such as a supply cache.

Home Sweet Home

As we trudged our way back to the base he explained the importance of understanding what these piles of rocks meant to the northern peoples. They form a part of their spiritual life. They tell stories, recount hunting episodes, remember past family members, tell where food would be stored, and pointed to good fishing and hunting spots.

The Inuksuk Book by Mary Wallace

It was years later, one of my friends, who knew of my interest in the subject, gave me a copy of “The Inuksuk Book,” written by Mary Wallace, Maple Tree Press, ISBN1-895688-91-4. I highly recommend this writing to anyone who is interested in the North and the culture of the people who live there. This book has many good photographs from the past along with beautiful graphics. After reading the book you will understand that the inuksuk is not just a pile of rocks.

What attribute?

2011-08-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Take note that there is a coupon give away in this blog.

I was not surprised that etsy wanted to give the shopper the edge by giving them a more narrow search field to find what they are looking for. The new approach is to have the seller choose a define their work using various attributes. In other words we will be asked categorize our work according to an era, style, cult, movement, ethnic design, and schools of definition.

When I first heard this I was lost. I had no idea that there were so many attributes that we could choose from and I had no idea what attribute to use for my work. I nevertheless went to the forums to seek the answer to my dilemma. I was lucky because I found Penny from Melbourne Australia. She has a great shop on etsy. It is called "Sparrowsalvage" and the shop can be found by following this link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparrowsalvage Penny was gracious in that she set about giving us some great descriptions on what the attributes were all about.

The First Dawn - tribal salvage earrings - neolithic beads - hammered wire
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparrowsalvage

three waters - tribal sci fi bracelet - 3 strand bohemian - vintage beads
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparrowsalvage

Anestrah - tribal sci fi earrings - hammered metal - opalite spears
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparrowsalvage

I have asked Penny if I could list these descriptions on this blog so that my followers would have the information necessary to help them with their attribute classifications. Here is her forum post on the subject. I am sure there will be some additions to the descriptions nevertheless, the list as is stands at the moment is enough for us to use.

Here are the attributes according to Penny.

I've been reading about the new attributes Etsy's putting in to our listing, but as I clap my hands with delight at how much easier it's going to be for me to shop for my friends and myself, I'm worried for a lot of people that this is going to be difficult for them. As I've been obsessed with fashion and interior magazines for the better part of 25 years I've heard most of these genres, so I thought I'd offer up some help in an attempt to make it easier for people. Most of you already know your own style, and any of these styles can also be Googled with the addition of 'style fashion' on the end but you might not get a pure idea of the style, and that cold take a long time!

So buckle yourself in, sweethearts! Here's my basic breakdown- I'm sorry it's very long but there's a lot of genres! It's taken me the best part of 3 hours to do this!

African - fairly straight forward- anything that has a style of Africa. Animal prints, safari fashion, primitive shapes and natural materials in deep rich earth tones.

The print in this dress has a unique African cultural design
by: http://www.etsy.com/shop/goziem?ref=seller_info

Art Deco - 1920s-1930s, geometric designs, stylised figures, straight lines. The Chrysler building, Miami hotels, flapper girls.

"Confidence" by; amybeth
http://www.etsy.com/people/amybeth3822?ref=ls_profile

Art Nouveau - rich flowing lines, earthy colours, beautiful women, insects and flowers. The most widely known (and pure example) of Nouveau style is of Gaudi's buildings and Mucha's illustrations.

Clutch/Shoulder Bag by: artdemix
http://www.etsy.com/people/artdemix?ref=ls_profile

Asian - pretty straight forward, though given we have 'zen' down there as well, I'm going to assume Asian is anything that looks Chinese. Red and black, feng shui symbols- think Chinatown.

Retro Cami Knickers Japanese Print Orchid Pale Blue Cotton With Lace Handmade Vintage Style by; Swoon
http://www.etsy.com/people/Swoon?ref=ls_profile

Athletic - Just think of the local sportwear shop, that's athletic. Tight fitting, simple lines, little in the way of pattern. I would assume yoga wear, leggings and gym bags would go in here.

Sports Beanies by: Haley
http://www.etsy.com/people/haleyg3

Avant Garde - this is tricky- it's sort of art fashion. It literally means 'the new guarde' and it's anything hyper-modern and a bit out there, stuff you look at and think 'woah, that's...different.' If you consider yourself ahead of your time, then your stuff goes in here!

Feather coller by: Metro Gypsy
http://www.etsy.com/people/MetroGypsy?ref=ls_profile

Boho - Boho is short for bohemian, it means long romantic dresses, beads, big handbags, ethnic prints, sun hats, 70s sunglasses, long hair, sandals... it's a sort of glamorous hippy.

Beret by: Bessette Art
http://www.etsy.com/people/BessetteArt

Country Western - Cowboys, cowgirls, cowkids. The boots, the hat, the longhorn skulls, cactus, blue jeans, fringed leather. Yippee Ki-Yay!

Native America baby Blanket from; gnomeandgarden
http://www.etsy.com/people/gnomeandgarden

Fantasy - anything with dragons, fairies, dwarves and elves (oh my!). Think Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth, Brian Froud, Conan. You can add romantic, tribal, gothic or steampunk to this style as well, it's quite broad.

Barbara Wright's Mushrooms
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PitBullLadyDesigns

Folk - this is a narrow field between 'woodland' (see below) and boho- folk is Scandinavian prints, 70s ethnic and mod all bundled together. Think gypsy caravans, gingerbread houses and bundled up Russian maids.

Ronda Liebert's
http://www.etsy.com/shop/genesislady

Goth - black black black. Usually with skulls and crosses as motifs, think Addams Family, The Craft, The Cure... goth is emo with drama. Goth has a million different sub-genres but there's usually something particular about a piece- you can have boho goth, industrial goth, romantic goth, Victorian goth, kawaii goth... you'll know which one you're looking for if you want to make/buy goth items.

Presto Chango offers us a nice little vintage skull ring.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrestoChango

High Fashion - designer wear, tailored forms, good quality materials and excellent craftsmanship. High Fashion is like a delicate way of saying 'very well made and very expensive'.

High Fashion - Hats are back in.
This cute number is offered by Connie Pominville
http://www.etsy.com/shop/misfitsemporium

Hip Hop - Think Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Hip Hop is 80s and 90s street style- bright colours and sportswear brands paired with over-the-top gold jewelry and the most ridiculous Nikes you can find.

Kris Kramer's Silver Swirls Pendant is a great accessory
for Hip Hop gatherings.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSilverPendant

Hippie - hippie is boho with the addition of tie-dye, acid bright colours, big floral prints and ethnic prints. Think Hair, Woodstock and 60s Haight/Ashbury.

From the VintagePatriotGirl shop
http://www.etsy.com/listing/65083362/vintage-70s-macrame-hippie-purse-hand

Hipster - barnwood, moustaches, black triangles, geometrics

Made by jDUCT
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jDUCT?ref=pr_shop_more

Historical - Anything that looks of a time period, usually pre-1920s. It's more specifically Victorian, Georgian, Elizabeth, Tudor... If you're going to label something historical it should be accurate for it's time- i.e. a Victorian style corset is not historical if it's not accurate to a decade (1880 for example), it's just a Victorian style corset. Most people who use/search historical will probably be looking for re-enactment gear and they want accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!

By Kate Slater Stafford, England,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KateFete?ref=pr_shop_more

Hollywood Regency- part Moroccan bazaar, part Georgian townhouse, part Art Deco palace. Think 20s/30s/40s old-school glamour, Spanish architecture, silks and satins, creamy jewel colours and opulent rooms. Modern Hollywood Regency seems to have lost alot of the Moorish influence but still carries the elegant glamour of big old 1920s houses.

From the restylebopshop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/restylebopshop?ref=seller_info

Industrial - this is a sort of modern look, but with very factory-style lines. Industrial is a very simple almost severe look, and is most often comprised of vintage salvaged things like steel-topped tables, trestles, product moulds from factories and big signs. Industrial has the feel of a big old factory, with lots of metal, chunky wood and hazard colours.

From the Boitifole Secrets Books
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Boitifole?ref=seller_info

Kawaii - this is a Japanese fashion term, meaning 'cute'. Anything girlish and romantic with a serious addition of kitsch. Big eyed girls, anime, baby animals, candy colours. Anything a 14 year old girl would look at and think 'oh that's soooo cute!!!!' A hefty dose of pink.

By Aysha Exelby Johnson
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BowCreeps?ref=pr_shop_more

Kitsch - Kitsch is retro tacky. Think of your grandmother's donkey shaped salt and pepper shakers, 1970s tourist souvenirs, 1960s paintings on velvet etc. Anything 60s/70s, colourful and humorous. Think Hairspray, Pee-Wee Herman and old-school Disneyland.

Shabby Chic, Vintage, Upcycled & Beach...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LisasCraftiques?ref=pr_shop_more

Mediterranean- a sort of rustic with a dose of preppy nautical and a touch of high-end resort. Mediterranean is hard look to pin down- it's usually white, terracotta, and bright blue. Nautical themes, summer style. Think of the Greek Islands and 1990s Ralph Lauren.

Soupbelly Photography

http://www.etsy.com/shop/soupbelly?ref=pr_shop_more

Mid-Century - Pure 1950s! Everything that was modern and clean lined in the 1950s. Soft colours such as lemon yellow, aqua, baby pink and sea green are used. There's not much pattern but when their is it's usually shapes like atoms, kidneys, arrowheads and boomerangs. Dior's 'new look' (despite it being 1947!) and the TV show Mad Men are perfect examples. A lot of stuff that's mid-mod is also called Eames era and atomic age.

poppycottage
http://www.etsy.com/shop/poppycottage?ref=seller_info

Military - army style! Kahki greens and browns, brass buttons, soldiers uniforms, big black boots, tailored shapes, earth tones. Think M.A.S.H or the movie Stripes.

Military Wedding Cake Topper
http://www.etsy.com/shop/gingerbabies

Minimalist - following the mantra 'less is more', this is modern with the most simple terms. Natural materials, stainless steel, straight lines, smooth textures, functional. Think of old movies when they show people in heaven. (Though ironically it's most people's idea of hell!) Minimalist style contains objects and fashion that does little more than serve it's function- all adornment is shunned.

"Minimalist Landscape"
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NDEAJ

Mod - sharp graphics, black and white, tight fitting clothes, geometric shapes, Mod is a sort of Mid-Century avant guarde. It was the stuff in the 60s that was diametrically opposite to the hippies and predominantly a UK style. Micro length shorts and skirts, knee high go-go boots, Perspex jewelry, tailored lines and sharp cuts. Think Austin Powers, The (original!!) Italian Job and model icons like Twiggy.

Floral Mod Lamp Handmade Upcycled
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pinkpoison74

Modern - Modern is a sort of generic term for anything that's made now and is the typical example of it's time. IKEA furniture, Crate and Barrel...The thing about the modern attribute tag here is that it will put a modern angle on anything else you choose. Use modern with tribal if you make runway style, use modern with traditional if you've taken an antique dresser and painted it pink, use modern with Romantic if you've made a necklace that's a tea cup shape cut from white perspex, etc.

Poppies in the Sky Modern Art Painting By Todd Young
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ToddYoungArt

Nautical - nautical is black, blue and white, tailored shapes and anything you can attribute to yachting, so anchors, grommets, rope, etc. It's preppy at sea. Think Ralph Lauren, Miami Vice, The Love Boat. Nautical was huge in the 80s and 90s.

Adorable Silver Plated Brooch Pin
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetheartsinner

Neo-classical- a bit tough to pin down, this is a sort of historical modernism. Usually Italian style of the 17th and 18th centuries with a fresh, modern twist. It's marble columns, Georgian features, pale colours and elegant forms. Think the great cotton mansions of the South, Italian Renaissance details, 80s country club decor.

Button Art - Neo-Classic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SusiePratt

Preppy- think upper class, All-American, 1950s society athletics. It's country club golf lunch, private schools, tennis, yachting, croquet and equestrian pursuits. Think well-fitting clothes, clean lines, blazers, loafers, slick hair. Pattern is limited but is usually Argyle, checks and plaid.

MalcolmForTots
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MalcolmForTots?ref=seller_info

Primitive - from a style point of view, this is usually American primitive (also called 'prim'). Colonial furniture, muddy colours, rusty metals and faded prints. Harvest themes and simple solid farmhouse aesthetics. Other attributes that will go with this include Rustic, Country and Tribal (for when you mean primitive man).

Birdhouse Folk Art Rustic Country Primitive Saltbox Home Decor Garden Folk Art
http://www.etsy.com/people/birdhouseaccents

Resort - glamorous super models lounging by the pool. Kaftans, giant sunglasses, cocktails, swimwear (especially skimpy or classically tailored) and anything floaty and simple. There's a good dose of tropical in resort style.

Shoreline Beach Cafe
http://www.etsy.com/people/sharonschock?ref=ls_profile

Retro- I like to think of retro as 'kitsch vintage'. Retro is the period from the 60s to the 70s where things got a little out of control- think bold wallpaper, loud shirts, big patterns, wide flares and luminous colours. Disco meets Pop.

Rustic Retro Turquoise Bottle Cap Opener Wall Mount
http://www.etsy.com/people/SweetButtonsAndBeaus?ref=pr_profile

Rocker- this is sort of punk without the overkill. Rocker style is all about adding glam to a motorbike gang. Black leather, studded belts, cowboy boots, lightening bolts, skulls, electric guitars, stars and big hair. Colours are usually red, yellow, pink or lime green with a good dose of black. Think Aerosmith, 80s hair bands, Alice Cooper.

Biker Boots
http://www.etsy.com/shop/shnarfyy?ref=seller_info

Rustic - texture! Anything that's rough, simply made and a little bit country. Raw wood, rusted metal, neutral colours. It's country pared right back and primitive without the colour.

Handmade Leather Journal, Notebook
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WeeBindery?ref=seller_info

Sci-Fi - Think star wars, star trek, Buck Rogers... lots of white, silver, clear, plastics and chrome. Colour is rare but it's usually fire engine red and royal blue in luminous 'what does this button do?' tones.

Robot Droid sci fi geek party favors chocolate lollipops
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SugarBellysBoutique?ref=seller_info

Shabby Chic - I think we all know what this looks like. I will delicately mention that Shabby Chic is a copyrighted term by Rachel Ashwell, and many people simply call it 'shabby cottage' instead (I would suggest Etsy changes this as soon as they can). It's white one white, lots of lace, faded natural tones, pink, roses, chandeliers, zinc buckets... you get the picture. Other attributes that will go with this include traditional, Boho, Victorian and Edwardian.

Recipe Box Wood Wooden Shabby Chic Owls
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kotibeth?ref=seller_info

Southwestern- I only just learned this one the other day, back in the olden days they used to call this 'tex mex' or Santa Fe. It's part cowboy, part Indian. Desert colours, Native patterns, natural materials.

Sun Valley, Idaho, Skull 10 x 7 Fine Art Photo
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DigitalDivas?ref=seller_info

Spooky - I would guess this is what I call Halloween gothic. Ghosts, spiders, haunted houses, graveyards etc. It's the more cutsey side of gothic, usually with bright colours and lots of black.

Crochet Pattern Spooky Spider Hat
http://www.etsy.com/shop/crochetjolie?ref=seller_info

Steampunk - Despite it's now ubiquitous place in modern lifestyle, a lot of people don't seem to know what steampunk is. Essentially it's anything of a mechanical nature given an overly Victorian appearance. It has a very flexible boundary, but for 'pure' steampunk it's earth and jewel tones, opulent design, Victorian lines and usually either clockwork, boiler rivets, old keys or some kind of industrial flair.

Handmade Mini Top Hat
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YoHatterHatter?ref=seller_info

Techie - Bit unsure on this, I would assume they mean computer hackers and science geeks. We used to have a Geekery section on Etsy, so I would think anything in there goes in this. The goth, sci-fi and modern attributes would also fit well with this.

Soap - Teal P. aeruginosa in a Petri Dish (Grape)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CleanerScience?ref=seller_info

Traditional- Typically considered to be Georgian/Victorian, traditional is often a colonial look with handsome furniture, antique details and elegant patterns. Anything antique and grand usually fits the style perfectly. Relaxed dark colours and comfortable furniture, stately homes, gentleman's clubs and respectable hotels.

Blooming Oleander Dress - MADE TO ORDER
http://www.etsy.com/shop/alexandragrecco?ref=seller_info

Tribal - much like African, tribal has a primitive barbarian feel to it. Bone beads, earth tones, geometric shapes like arrows and triangles, native style, simple construction, rough cast metal and natural materials.

Medium Copper Disk Earrings
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenkahn?ref=seller_info

Victorian - pretty straight forward- anything that's Victorian in style. You don't have to be accurate (that's what the historical tag is for!) but anything modelled to the last half of the 19th century is 'pure' Victorian, with the high peak being 1860s- 1880s. Though the Victorians were mad for colour, Victorian style now days is usually the ornate, lace-and-beaded black-on-black that was popular in the 1880s and 1890s, with high button boots, lace cuffs and cameo jewelry.

Victorian Cameo Clip Earrings
http://www.etsy.com/shop/chapelgateroad?ref=seller_info

Waldorf- this one I had to look up, with mixed results! (I'm sure they don't mean 'looks like a salad'.) I assumed it was traditional meets Deco, typical of the famous hotel of the same name. If that is what Etsy's referring to, think 1930s New York, with refined elegance and classical lines. It's Annie's Daddy Warbucks- classic 20th century wall street style meets Art Deco glamour.

South African Giraffe Knitted Toy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mamma4earth?ref=seller_info

Woodland - sort of folk meets fairy tale. Anything with forest creatures such as deer, rabbits, foxes, birds and bears as well as flora like acorns, walnuts, blackberries, ferns, ivy and birch. Woodland stuff is very sweet and old-fashioned, like a children's story. Think Hansel and Gretel, Bambi and Goldilocks.

Woodland Fern - Tealight Candle Holder
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwigsandBlossoms?ref=seller_info

Zen- this is the Japanese side of Oriental. Clean lines, modern shapes and simple construction, Zen is clam, neutral in tone and almost minimalist in design

porcelain tea Bowls - zen drinking cups
http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57?ref=seller_info

So there you go! I hope this helps everyone. If you're still unsure which attributes suit your items, do pop it in a comment here and I'll see if I can help. And maybe Admin will pop in and help with other related questions too!

---------------------------------

Penny wrote:
Amendment! I've just learned via convo that...

"Waldorf" comes from the educational scene - Rudolf Steiner is the founder. It describes toys, which are simple made.'

I remember seeing these dolls when I googled it. So there you go! Anyone who makes toys which are simply made and designed using natural materials, this is for you!

A big thank you to Penny.

Be the first to win a 20% coupon from my etsy shop.
The first person to state, "I want the coupon," in the comments, to this article will be able to use it to purchase from my shop between now and the end of December.
If you see in the comments that you are first. Just go to my etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57, and convo me.
I will post it back to you.

Only one coupon will be awarded.
Be the first.

I will be back

2011-07-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

Just a short note to my followers. I have been remiss in making postings to this blog because I have been writing about my last trip into China. In addition I am busy with my summer sales. I will spark another discussion shortly. In the mean time take a look at my China blog: http://chinaclay2012.blogspot.com/ and if you are a ceramic lover you should visit the www.1001pots.com website.

Right now I am busy making new work for my shows and in preparation for the Christmas sales on etsy.

Talk about having fun.

I will be back

Who is up for a Dutch Auction.

2011-06-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

I am thinking of running a Dutch auction in order to promote my etsy shop. However, before I do this I feel that feed-back from my followers and readers is necessary to ensure my explanation is clear. This is not a regular auction format.

So please give an eyeball to the information below and post your comments. If the return is positive, I will try the auction.

Welcome to my private etsy Dutch auction sale.

Here is how it works.

An item from my shop will be put up for auction on a given date. The date and time will be promoted on etsy, artfire and here on this blog. The image of the object and listing will be shown in the blog.

The item will go on the auction block beginning at 09:00 hrs. EST and end at 24:00 hrs. EST.

There will be a grid showing the reduction in price at given intervals. (see below)

The first person to state that they wish to buy the item at the scheduled price by posting their intentions in the blog comments will win the auction. The object price will be the figure shown on the grid corresponding to the time stamp in the comment box.

Participants are encouraged to bid on the item even if someone has bid before you. In the event that the winning bidder does not finalize the sale in the stated time the next bidder will be offered the item at the price that they had bid.
For example: If Bob is the first to bid on the item at 10.46 hrs and Jack bids for the item at 10:55 hrs. If Bob fails to finalize the purchase within the 48hour time frame then Jack will be offered the item.

The object will remain listed on etsy at the regular price until the auction has ended. Should the object be purchased at the regular selling price using the normal etsy system of purchase, the auction will be invalidated and a new auction will begin.

The shipping and handling costs that are posted on the etsy listing will apply. They do not form part of the auction price.

The object that is won will be reserved at the auction price on etsy under the name of the auction winner.

The final purchase will be through etsy and PayPal.

The winner of the auction will be informed when the object has been reserved, at which time they can finalize the sale. The sale must be completed within 48 hours of being notified. If not, the next bidder will be offered the item at the price they bid.

Here is an example of the auction grid.

URL http://www.etsy.com/listing/54380110/stoneware-bowl-with-iron-brown-glaze
09:00 hrs. EST	$20.00
10:00 hrs. EST	$17.00
11:00 hrs. EST	$16.00
12:00 hrs. EST	$12.00
13:00 hrs. EST	11.00.
24.00 hrs...... end of auction	?????

If a buyer is first to indicate that they wish to buy the object at 10:25hrs.ETD. They will have won the item at the selling price of $17.00. If the auction continues without a buyer until 12.22, the selling price will be $12.00, and so on.

So that is how it works.

Your comments would be appreciated.

Pricing our craft, final entry.

2011-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is the final part of this blog article.

I would appreciate some feed back.

PROFIT

Wait a minute! There is more. We are a business, and as such, we must consider profit. Profit is the amount of money we put aside to act as a buffer when times get tough. Profit is the money we set aside for our retirement. Profit is the amount of money we would get if we were investors in our company or if we invested the value of our business and time into a stock market or into a mutual fund. It is also the money we use to pay ourselves to undergo additional education and training. Profit is also the money we give ourselves as a grant or as a gift in support of our ceramics guild. Companies must make a profit in order to pay shareholders a dividend. You are the shareholder of your company.

This method would also work for art such as bronze casting lost wax method.

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

How much should we determine to be our PROFIT? This is a good question. According to Wendy Rosen, The author of "Crafting As a Business", a good profit margin, should equal one third of the wholesale price. If we represent our wholesale price as $X, then $6.56 would represent 2/3 of $X. To find $X all we have to do is divide $6.56 by 2/3 or multiply the figure by 3/2 and subtract $6.56. In our case, the PROFIT margin will be $3.28 per mug. When we add this to our break-even costs we arrive at a final wholesale price per mug of $9.84.

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

When we look at this figure and calculate the final retail price, we may be a bit reluctant to put the resulting price on the mug because it may seem too high. We must now determine; if we are ready to give up our profit, in order to keep the price down, or if are we are willing to work for less money per hour. It is in these two areas that we will be able to reduce the retail cost of our mug. We would have to suggest a mug sell for $19.00 to $20.00 when we sell wholesale and $16.00 to $17.00 when we consign at 60%.

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

Reducing our hourly income may seem a good idea because we want to sell our product. We may see people selling their mugs for less and ask ourselves, why. The answer is simple. They may be able to sell their product for less because, they can produce faster; because they are using the mugs as lost leaders to encourage clients to buy sets of dinner ware. It could also be that they have no Idea what they are doing.

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

If we decide to produce faster, in order to reduce our costs. We will have a real challenge. For example if we double our production to 10 ready to sell mugs per hour, (double our initial calculation) the wholesale price for our mugs would be equal to (((($38.350.00/ (6662 *2)) + $0.81) * 1.66) = $6.12. This will give us a retail-selling price of $12.00 to $13.00. The main point being made here, is that we can reduce the selling price, but at an expense to our well being. Doubling the production capability will mean that we will be working ourselves into the ground. Remember we are craftspeople not machines. That is why we must take care and make a good piece and charge a fair price for the product. If the client doesn't want to pay the price then let him purchase a machine made product. Remember that it is making the object by hand, that makes us different.

Soon to be listed.

Now someone asked me if it would be possible for me to sell 6662 mugs per year. The answer is no. There is not a market for this many mugs in my area and furthermore, I am not interested in just producing mugs. However, I am confident that when I make and sell 100 mugs, I will get fair value for my efforts. Even if I only sell 10 mugs I will get fair value.

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

CONCLUSION

Before I close this page, I would like to point out that this exercise would work for all forms and all types of ceramic art production. Once we perform the basic calculations, we will be able to apply most of the figures to determine the production costs for other objects.

Pricing our craft part X

2011-06-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Time to clean up our act. What a better way that to use soap from Etsy.

GLAZE COSTS

Glaze costs are another item that must be calculated when determining the production costs of our mugs. Finding them can be a bit complex especially if we glaze numerous different size pieces from the same bucket. For our discussion, we will determine our glaze recipe size; cost the recipe; mix the glaze to the standard of gravity, and then weigh the entire batch before glazing our mugs and again after glazing them. We will find the difference in weight of the two figures as a percentage of the original weight and multiply the results by the cost of the entire glaze batch. Dividing this number by the number of mugs glazed will give the unit glazing cost.

This is not candy. Yet looks good enought to eat.

WholesaleSoap

http://www.etsy.com/listing/28726087/wholesale-glycerin-soap-assorted-4-oz?ref=cat2_list_10

For example, we make a glaze batch that costs $3.20 to produce. We record the gravity and then weigh the entire batch. Don't forget to take into account the weight of the glaze container and adjust the weights accordingly. We then glaze our mugs. In this case, we can glaze 20 mugs. We then re-weigh the glaze batch. In our example, we find that we consumed 50% of the entire batch. Multiplying the cost of the entire batch ($3.20) by 50%, we can determine that $1.60 worth the glaze was used. Dividing this figure again by 20, we calculate our unit glazing cost to be $0.08 per mug.

My, but these look good enough to eat.

Sudstress

http://www.etsy.com/listing/35020606/set-of-50-custom-hand-stamped-wedding?ref=v1_other_2

Be aware that some glazes are very inexpensive, and the cost will be negligible. However, if we work with material such as Albany slip and cobalt, our recipe may be very expensive. It is, therefore, important that we calculate our glaze costs every once in a while to ensure we know what our mugs costs to glaze. Once we establish the cost for a specific glaze batch, we should record the information in our notes, for future references.

For those who like flowers.

BUBBLECITYSOAP

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66464665/50-roses-soap-gift-boxed?ref=cat2_list_18

Another important point to note here is that by knowing the gravity of our first glaze dip, we can approximate future glaze costs without having to go through the weighing process. All we have to do is ensure the glaze batch is at the same gravity as our first calculation. Looking at our data at this time show the following:

Fixed costs	38,350.00
Material costs per mug	$0.45
Cost of Transport per mug	$0.09
Glaze costs per mug	$0.08
Firing costs per mug	$0.19
Total Variable costs	$0.81
Production capability	6662 mugs

We can now determine our BREAK-EVEN COSTS. We simply divide our FIXED COSTS by our production capability and add the VARIABLE COST of one mug to the results. The formula looks a bit like, ($38,350.00/6662) + $0.81. We thus arrive at a BREAK-EVEN COST of $6.56 per mug.

What ever we do, we should not sell our mug for less than this amount.

Don't go away. There is still more. Follow me and find out.

Anyone for chess or checkers?

RubyMoonCuriosities

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73555545/coco-creme-shortbread-goat-milk-soap

Pricing our craft part IX

2011-05-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

FIRING COSTS

You may recall from earlier discussion, that I mentioned that some figures would remain fairly constant even though they appear in the VARIABLE COSTS part of the computation. One of these constants will be the firing charge for our mugs. The figures will remain fairly constant providing our mugs remain constant in size and providing we fire a similar schedule each time. Firing normally consists of two schedules. Some people may schedule a third firing for over-glaze or luster application, but, for our example, we will stick to the standard, two firings. Determining firing costs for the bisque is relatively simple. You simply count the number of mugs it takes to fill the kiln. If you cannot fill the kiln with mugs and want to complete the firing with other pieces, then find the percentage of the kiln space taken by the mugs and use this figure when calculating the cost. Do the same computation when you load your kiln for a gloss firing. Record the number of mugs that you can place on each shelf. I have established my bisque firing to be between 110 and 125 mugs and my glaze firing to be approximately 88 to 100.

Sample of mugs from my last firing.

Soon to be featured on Artfire and Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57

We must record the electric meter reading at the beginning of the firing and again at the end of the firing. We then figure out the difference of the two-meter readings in order to determine the electric kW consumption. Finally, we will multiply our kW consumption by the Hydro cost per kW, in our area.

For the sake of discussion, we can say that when we fire 125 mugs in cone zero-six bisque, we use five units of electricity at $1.15 per kW unit, including tax. The overall firing costs would come to $5.75 or approximately $0.05 per mug. A cone nine glaze firing of 100 mugs consumes approximately 12 kW of electricity. This equates to $13.80 per kiln of mugs or approximately $0.14 per mug. We combine the two firing figures and arrive at a total firing cost of $0.19 per mug.

Remember to read the meter before and after each firing to determine your firing costs. Keep your firing costs separate from your day to day operation. Firing expenses are calculated like a VARIABLE COST. The day to day electricity consumption should show under FIXED COSTS. Study your kiln capacity for full loads and calculate part loads as percentages of your kiln capacity. For example, if you have only 40 mugs to fire then they will use approximately one third of a full kiln.

Sample of mugs from my last firing.

Soon to be featured on Artfire and Etsy

http://www.artfire.com/users/Clayart

There are essays on how to separate the day to day electric costs and kiln firing costs.

It is a formula that could prove benificial if your shop is in your home.

I will see if I can find this essay.

Your comments are appreciated.

Pricing our craft part VIII

2011-05-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

Glass is Hot

DETERMINING OUR YEARLY PRODUCTION CAPABILITY

Before we begin this exercise, we will have to make some very critical decisions. We must ask ourselves if we want to work weekends and national holidays. We must ask ourselves if we wish to take a two-week vacation with our families each year. We must ask ourselves if we wish to take a one-hour lunch break and two 15-minute coffee breaks. There will be the decision as to how many days a year that we will dedicate to R&D, as well as the number of days we wish to spend standing around our work doing Christmas shows. Once we determine this information we can begin the task of projecting our production capability.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74213004/iris-gold-geology-series-hand-blown?ref=sc_3

JAglassworks

Jeff studied his glass at the Alberta College of Art

Let us, for the sake of argument, decide that we will work 365 days less 104 days, called weekends, 11 Canadian national holidays, and 10 working days for vacation, 10 days for R&D and 25 days for Craft fairs or shows. Our daily working schedule will be 8 hours less 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for coffee breaks.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74506726/glass-paperweight

Bendiniglass

Ben Silver says "Glassblowing reflects many qualities of nature,... "

You may remember when we were recording our production data we did not talk about set-up time, and cleanup time. Well we can account for this time now. If we do, we will take 30 minutes per day for set-up and cleanup.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73695568/stained-glass-panel-abstract-in-amber

HillCountryGlass
Claudia shows us what one can do with skill and patients

Now we can estimate our daily production capability for ready to sell mugs, working for 6.5 hours per day, time 5 mugs per hour to be 32.5. When we use the daily production figure and multiply it by the maximum yearly production days we arrive at (365-(104+11+10+10+25)) * 32.5. We could theoretically produce approximately 6662 mugs per year. I emphasise theoretically, as I am sure that we have no intention of making this many mugs. At least I don't. These figures are necessary, however, in order to solve our calculation. We should also take into account that our production capability will improve with practice. So we should perform this analysis frequently.

If we stop and take stock of where we are in this discussion, we will see the following figures.

Material cost for clay	$0.45
Cost of transport	$0.09
Production capability	6662

I am showing this data sheet just to keep us current of the calculations already made. There will be more info in the next blog post.

My glaze is a glass as well.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66544159/ceramic-home-decoration-copper-red

My Vases are Hot

zalt57

Don't forget to comment. It helps me to know if I am being clear.

Pricing our craft part VII

2011-05-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

Time for a bit of sweet stuff to help make this read more enjoyable.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KettleConfections?ref=seller_info

KettleConfections

We may be analysing more that one product line at a time; therefore, our form should include a header to identify the item under production. We will, in this specific session, require a table of five columns and approximately 12 rows. We will include a space at the bottom of our chart for additional comments and to give us a place to register other data that may help. The four column headers should read, PLANNED TASK, PRODUCTION TIME IN MINUTES, PRODUCTION COUNT AS EACH, UNIT AVERAGE AS MINUTES, and RUNNING TOTAL IN MINUTES.

Kasey's candies are something that work well when reading a long subject paper

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RainingChocolate?ref=seller_info
RainingChocolate

The planned task column should show activity such as; wedging, throwing, trimming, wet decorating, appendage forming, appendage attaching, bisque decorating, glazing, kiln loading, and of course, quality control or work evaluation time. There may be more steps than mentioned here, but be careful not to include concurrent or parallel activity. Examples of these activities are actual bisque and glaze firing. These activities can be carried out simultaneously while throwing, or decorating. The set up time and cleaning time will be calculated in the daily routine.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73948156/bitty-bites-sampler-pack?ref=v1_other_2

TheFetchingHound

These fine bonbons are made by a mom

Let us say we arrive at our studio at 07:30 am and start immediately to work. We set about arranging our wheel and bats. We get clay from our storage area and gather our tools, warm water buckets, our towel and what ever else we need in order to begin to throw. Even if, we do not enter the time spent setting up on our production capability chart; we should maintain this data daily, as it will be used in our analyses later. We open our production page and enter MUGS as the product line. The next task we begin may be, wedging clay. We will be the one deciding our initial production targets. Let us say we plan to make 20 mugs in this production period. We wedge and prepare our clay. When finished, we check the time we spent carrying out the task and enter the appropriate information in the action time column, beside the task. Let's say we took 20 minutes to wedge 25 balls of clay. (We wedge more balls of clay than production targets, as there will surely be some cylinders that fail to achieve our quality standards). Twenty is what we would enter in the planned task column, along side of the task, wedging clay. We would enter 20 into the production time column, and finally, in the average unit time column, we would calculate and enter the average time that it took to wedge enough clay for one mug. In this case, one wedging one ball of clay took an average time of .8 of a minute. The calculation is as follows: 20/25 = .8 Minutes

Planned Task	Production time in minutes	Production count as each	Unit average in minutes	Running total in minutes
Prepare and wedge 20 balls of clay	20	25	0.8	0.8

We will assume that we have taken 60 minutes to throw 14 clay balls that have resulted in 12 successful cylinders. When someone phones, we stop what we are doing. We check our time and make a note of where we were. When we are finished with our telephone call, we check our time and complete our throwing session using the remaining 11 balls of clay which takes another 65 minutes which gives a total throwing time of 125 minutes. We then enter out data as shown above. When calculating the unit average time in minutes, the results would be as follows; 125/23 = 5.4 minutes per unit. We would continue to assess the production time; production count and unit average in minutes; calculations for each task. Once we go through a complete cycle of making the mugs we will be able to see the running total which is a picture of the average time that it takes to make a mug. After we do two or three sessions of data collection we will be able to figure out and average hourly production capability for all of the tasks. Let us, for the sake of time and space, say that our production capability of finished, ready to sell mugs, averages out to five per hour. I know there are potters out there who can turn out 50 mugs per hour, but we will not pretend to be a super potter. We will use the 5 mugs per hour figure to estimate our yearly production capability.

Cristy makes these.

What a way to finish business.

Imagine attending a wedding and having such a delicious bonbon served to top of the great meal.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cocoaconfections?ref=seller_info

cocoaconfections

Next blog will help us determine our yearly production capability.

Also remember that good candies must be served on a beautiful plate.

Please leave a comment.

What is the real cost to make craft, part VI

2011-05-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

VARIABLE COSTS

Handmade espresso cups and saucers

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3253122

ANALYSING DATA

When we talk about variable costs, we are discussing material, energy, and production capability. We may be wondering, at this time, how will we be able to take the time to analyse all this data. Where will we find the time when we are struggling just to make pots? I agree that analysing data is time consuming and the calculations can be quite tedious, but it is something that has to be done, even is it is in your head while you make your pots. Some consolation can come from the fact that once you figure out your fixed costs, they will remain fairly constant, requiring a few minor adjustments, each year. The same can be said for variable costs. For example, once you calculate the volume of kiln space required to fire 25 mugs, the figure should remain fairly constant until you change your kiln size.

Porcelain serving bowl

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3165368

CLAY COSTS

Variable costs depend upon your economical use of production material. For example if you know that you require 14 ounces of clay per mug, you will be able to determine the number of mugs per 44 pound box of clay by using the following calculation; (44 X 16)/14 to equal 50 mugs. Allowing the cost of $20.00 CDN per box of clay, the cost of clay per mug would be approximately $0.40 using 13 ounces of clay per mug will save the potter approximately $0.03 a mug. Finding this information was fairly simple. The other information may prove more elusive and thus require some form of organised data collection.

Porcelain serving bowl, antiqued with oriental imagery

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3206814

TRANSPORTATION COSTS

Transportation costs of raw material will have an effect on the cost of your clay. We bring our clay in from a supplier that lives approximately 600 kilometers from our studio and the resulting transportation costs are $4.00 per box or $0.09 per mug.

DATA CHARTS

In order to gather the other information, it may be a good idea to make up a few data collection charts. These charts do not have to be complicated, but they should be prepared so that we can read and record data easily. In other-words, don't make a form with a thousand little squares. Design the data forms using large print and large writing areas.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2993038

The data forms do not have to be fully completed with data the first time through a production session or series. They should, however, be updated or filled in as often as possible. Sometimes we may forget to record a specific action. Don't worry. Clay is a repetitive task. Actions repeat themselves many times over. What we miss today, we will be able to record tomorrow. This does not mean, however, that we can be lax at recording information. We must always-record information because there are stages in our production when we must wait until the clay has reached a certain state before we can continue. It is also important that we acquire a good clock, and we place it in view. If we do not have a good idea of time, we will not be able to record accurate data.

Porcelain sugar bowl - hand thrown on a potters wheel.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2878710

PRODUCTION CAPABILITY FORM

One of the first data forms we should consider initiating is one that will help us to determine our production capability. We will use this form, to determine the maximum number of mugs that we could produce in one year. We will do so by sampling, our production capability over short periods or sessions, and expanding the results to give an approximate yearly figure. The following is a suggested form.

Product: Mugs
Planned Task	Production time in minutes	Production count as each	Unit average in minutes	Running total in minutes
Prepare and wedge 25 balls of clay	20	25	0.8	0.8
Throw 25 cylinders	125	23	5.4	6.2
Make 25 handles	20	25	0.8	7.0
Trim and handle 23 mugs	45	23	2.0	9.0
Quality check at green-ware Stage	30	23	1.3	10.3
Load bisque firing kiln	30	140	0.2	10.5
Unload and quality check Bisque firing	35	140	0.3	10.8
Glaze and fettle 125 mugs	60	125	0.5	11.2
Load glaze kiln	60	125	0.5	11.7
Unload and quality check glaze firing	30	125	.2	12

It is important to remember that I use ceramic mugs as my model. If you make craft you can use your medium and object as your model.

What is the real costs to make craft Part V

2011-05-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

DISCUSSION OF FIXED COSTS

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2642419

Crochet50

Crochet does not demand a high fixed cost formula.

This is a good reason to really look at the Variable costs

If you are a buyer you will never get an opportunity to purchase quality hand made products,

as shown in this shop, at such a low cost.

You might have noticed that I did not include some cost items such as kiln firings (gas or electric), clay expenses and, glaze costs. These expenses are variable costs.

The above figures may not reflect your business costs. You may feel that you can operate your studio without some of the bells and whistles. Just remember that in order to produce a quality product, (art), you will need to have quality, working conditions, good equipment and sufficient material available to you. Of course, you may also elect to earn a higher or lower salary.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3034885

Cathernine "Daffy" Lough's beautiful hand crafted glass jewelry

Making craft with the quality shown here requires time, experience and effort.

There are fixed costs associated with this craft, however the major expense is labour.

LABOUR COSTS

Our labour costs are a reflection of what we think our time is worth. It will be one of the most difficult decisions, for us to resolve. Before you make any decision about your salary, take a good look at the average income in your area and adjust your wages accordingly. Remember that, just because you are a potter/artist, there is nothing to say that you cannot earn a decent living, and that means more than a minimum wage.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=1916069

http://www.littleangelsjewelry.com/

These beautiful flowers are a fine example of working in series,

and of course this falls into the catagory of pricing strategy.

Some experts might say that salaries should also be included in the variable costs. This would be true if we were paying production employees. However, I am assuming that we are working entirely alone. We are present all the time, even when we are not producing. The only time salaries come under variable costs is when the employee is directly involved in the activity or process of making of the object or when employee is being paid, piecework. In summary, the fixed costs are those expenses required just to open the door and operate the business.

http://www.artfire.com/users/MinisByMinibuilder

Miniature furniture by Ray Haake.

Just because it is miniature does not mean that a lot of time, equipment and experience is missing. These are high quality hand crafted doll house accessories that will become family heirlooms.

RENT

Some people say they work out of their home and don't have to pay rent. They feel that they are more competitive as they do not include rent in their costs. Others put the rent into their costing model because they know that although the selling price will rise, the increase will be pure profit. Whatever you decide, remember that, in reality, you are paying for your home studio by giving up space that could be put to other use. You may be giving up some quality of life such as a possibility of having a recreation room, if you are using the basement of your house. It could mean giving up storage space, if you are using your garage. If we use our home, we are incurring a cost to our standard of living, and thus this cost should be reflected in our costing model.

http://www.artfire.com/users/jtellier

jtellier' scarves and other accoutrements are just perfect for gift giving

and of course beautiful objects demand time, which is our most precious commodity.

INSURANCE

Purchasing insurance is a personal decision. If you have buyers coming into your pottery, there is always the chance they could fall or become injured. If you have a gas kiln, then there is the possibility of a fire. If you are in a large industrial complex, the fire could affect other businesses. The amount shown here is not realistic, if you are paying the total bill yourself. However, if you are a member of a cooperative you could see a similar figure. A more realistic figure, if you are working alone, could be $500.00. In many cases, business insurance covers your product in case of liability. If you are working out of your house, you may have to inform your insurance company that you have a home business. If you declare, that you have an electric kiln, you may find that your home insurance rates will increase. To get an accurate cost of insurance, I would suggest you speak with your insurance agent.

http://www.artfire.com/users/WoodExpressions

by Reginald Stanley
Wood working requires a great deal of equipment and maintenance of the shop.

The work here reflects Reginald's miticulous approach to his craft.

A fine value.

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND PARTS

I have put $1200.00 a year against this item because I believe that to have an effective pottery you require a good wheel, and a good kiln. These two items along with other start-up costs could require you service a $5000.00 debt.

INTEREST COSTS

This is the amount of money required to pay the interest on your loans and credit margins.

CONVENTIONS/WORKSHOPS

I used figures equaling what I spent to go to NCECA in Rochester, NY. I am sure this will change with different locations and inflation.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65350489/buy-in-bulk-save-24-sets-hand-dipped

Sarah Taylor's Candles are a gift from our past. Imagine the warmth of these satin objects as they bring light to your dining table..

This craft takes patients and it is also a craft that benefits from good pricing strategies.

http://www.etsy.com/people/PepperGlenn

MOTER VEHICLE EXPENSES

This figure may be a bit conservative. I have read somewhere that it cost approximately $8000.00 a year to operate a car.

SALARIES AND BENEFITS

I discussed this point earlier. I feel that it is very important to understand the need to pay oneself a decent wage. This figure should also include your wages for non productive time, (the time you are away from your wheel doing other necessary things, such as working at shows, packaging, shipping, administering, repairing and cleaning), to mention a few.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46739208/porcelain-serving-bowls

Pottery is the model that this blog is based, nevertheless, one just has to change the medium in order to apply the principals to their craft.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57

It is easy to see that fixed costs will form the largest part of our model when we look at the bottom line The items discussed above are just a sample. We have marketing, shipping, office supplies and other expenses that I may have left of the list. Think about your expenses as real. Do not leave them off the list. If you do not know what the expense is, estimate. You can always adjust this figure.

We could say that the first mug we make will give a fixed cost of $38,250.00 not counting the variable costs. Two mugs will calculate to $19,125.00: 4 mugs would have fixed costs of $9587.00 each, and so on, until we produce 8192 mugs that will give us a fixed cost of $4.68 each. Can we produce and sell this many mugs? We will find this out when look at methods of collecting data required to determine our variable costs.

Be sure to return to find out more about pricing and how you can use this model for your craft.

What is the real cost to make craft, part IV

2011-05-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

THE ANALYSIS

Our analysis, at this time, will be to find a break-even point for a mug, nothing more, nothing less. In order to determine this figure, we will have to research a great deal of information, such as costs and quantity of clay that is required to make the mug,(material.) We will have to determine the cost of glazing, (time and material.) We will have to record the cost of, rent, heat, electricity, telephone and other related expenses. We will need information on the energy costs required to fire out work and finally we will have to decide on our labour costs. I am sure the latter subject will make for a great deal of discussion.

http://www.artfire.com/users/BlueRoomPottery

by: Marietta Theodorou-LeMieux
Beautiful pottery like this must be priced to ensure success in the craft.

The best method to proceed with finding the break-even point is to group the information required for the analysis into two categories. They are fixed costs and variable costs.

http://www.artfire.com/users/MonSkyCreations

Beautiful functional ware is aways a good bread and butter item

MonSky studio is in British Columbia, Canada

Fixed costs are relatively easy to determine. If we already operate a studio or if we have maintained records of our income and expenses required for tax purposes, we can look up our last year's balance sheet, and we will find most of the information required. Those who have not maintained a balance sheet of expenses and revenues will have to estimate or try to work out the past expenses. I recommend those in the latter category to begin to maintain some form of expense and revenue ledger as soon as possible. You cannot decide where you are going until you know where you have been.

http://www.artfire.com/users/freemanceramics

by: Freeman Ceramics, Los Angeles, CA

Hand building clay art is a very time consuming craft.

We oftin forget that the surface design demands a lot of time and effort to complete successfully.

Variable costs are also easy to determine. They are associated with the activity of actually producing your mug. You will have to think about what you are doing. You will have to develop and maintain some data records. These registers will assist you to analyse the cost of the activity and will also serve as a history of your productivity.

http://www.artfire.com/users/IslandGirlPottery

by Jacqueline Allard of Florida

Simplicity yet fuctional and very decorative hand built pieces require time and space to create.

COST ESTIMATES let’s look at some yearly fixed costs. For the benefit of the exercise, I will use fictitious figures. The reason for this will become evident as we read further.

YEARLY EXPENSES including sales taxes
Rent	$2,500.00
Office expenses	$**250.00
Insurance	$**200.00
Stationary and Stamps	$**250.00
Journals	$***50.00
Utilities	$**250.00
Equipment Maint. And Parts.	$1,200.00
Interest Costs	$**500.00
Conventions/Workshops	$**700.00
Taxes and Licenses	$**500.00
Equipment Less than $200.00.	$**200.00
Travel Costs /Hotels/Tickets.	$**500.00
Advertising	$**600.00
Meals and Entertainment.	$**250.00
Associations and Guilds..	$**300.00
Motor Vehicle Expenses	$5,000.00
Salaries and benefits	$25,000.00
Total .	$38,250.00

Just a small note to think about. These figures are examples of what a studio might cost.
You should take a good look at your expenses and try to estimate them as close as possible.

As each country is different when declaring taxes, I suggest you use the business expense tax forms of your country to assistu you in estimating your fixed cost estimation list or guide..

I will discuss some rational for establishing some expenses in the next blog.

Porcelain Bowl
By the author it can be found at:
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3165368

Be sure to come back to read more on this subject.

What is the real cost to make craft III

2011-04-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73121117/sage-brush-and-flowers-ceramic-pendant

from JulesCeramic's

Small work is a good candidate for pricing strategy
THE BREAK-EVEN POINT

Working out a strong selling price for our mug will require us to find the BREAK-EVEN POINT, associated with the making of that object. The break-even point is arrived at when enough of a manufactured product is sold to cover those costs that were incurred to develop and fabricate the piece. Finding the break-even point is most important. Without it, we will be continuously guessing at what to charge for our work. Even, if we wish to sell the mug below the break-even point, as a loss leader, it will still be necessary to know what it costs to make the cup. Then we will be able to better evaluate the loss and make it up by applying the difference to another creation more in demand. Finding the break-even point is a process similar to the one used by a shoe manufacturer analyzing the cost of producing a shoe, an automobile manufacturer, working out the cost of making a car fender. It is the method used by thousands of other business that manufacture objects for sale. You cannot stay in business and compete unless you know this figure.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71193218/black-white-series-white-mug

Mugs like Marianela's are very labour intensive

http://www.etsy.com/people/nelaceramics?ref=ls_profile

There are those of us that wish to rely on prices that were established by other potters. We have to ask ourselves if we are sure these other potters carried out a solid analysis. Can accept the selling price figures suggested by our galleries and boutiques? Will these figures reflect your production costs? Will they guarantee that your work will be profitable? The only way we will be able to be sure of our price is to determine the break-even point. Once we arrive at this figure, we will be able to establish a selling price that will be fair for the consumer, the gallery and for ourselves. Pricing below the break-even point, without a full understanding of what we are doing, will find our pottery facing financial losses. Finding the break-even point will give us the confidence needed when pricing our inventory.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67044189/stoneware-pottery-dragonfly-plate-and

Peggy takes a great deal of pride in the surface design of her work

Part four of this series will start to get us into the nuts and bolts of pricing our work.

See you then.

What is the real cost to make craft II

2011-04-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

THE MUG

Porcelain with Cobalt Decoration

Approximately 4" by 3.5"

When discussing the price of an art object, we can say that there is no limit, when it comes to establishing the price upwards. This is especially true when the work is quality and in demand. There is, however, a limit when it comes to establishing prices downward. For example, if you set a price on a "one-of-a-kind" mug at $35.00 and the market is willing to pay the price, and then life is great. If you find, however, that the market is not willing to pay this amount, it will be difficult for you to reduce your prices without losing some creditability. Imagine the clients, who paid 35 dollars for the mug, suddenly finding that a similar one, made by you, is now available for $15.00. I am sure they would feel a bit disappointed and would probably never buy a piece from you again. If, on the other hand, you set your initial price to low, possibly below the cost to make the mug, you could be placing your profession in jeopardy. You will, in time, be asking yourself, why you are working so hard with so little return. You may find that, although you are producing great quantities of work, you are still having difficulty paying the operating costs associated with your studio. You can always re-establish your prices higher, but will you know soon enough to avoid financial disaster?

Porcelain with Cobalt and Pigments Decoration

Approximately 5.5" by 4"

I like to use the mug as an example, whenever I discuss pricing strategies. It is one of the best forms, available to emerging ceramists, which can be used to generate funds. The mug can be highly decorated, carved or could be simply covered with traditional glazes. Some ceramists do not do production pottery. They may feel that the method, for analyzing costs doesn't pertain to them. I say that it does. A good pricing strategy will also help those who produce, "one-of-a-kind", work.

Porcelain with Cobalt Decoration

Approximately 5" by 4"

Be sure to read the previous Blog.

More to follow.

What is the real cost to make craft?

2011-04-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

The one reoccurring question that arise over and over again on Esty and on Artfire is about pricing our work. I have written a bit on this subject. I think it will be a good time to discuss pricing our craft. This subject is large, so I will present the information in short sections in order to give the reader a chance to digest what they have read before proceeding further. I would also like to point out that this paper is theory and that it is presented to give those new to the craft field a start position and to give those with experience a different perspective on pricing. I am sure it will help those who have reoccuring activities when producing thier objects. Nevertheless, I am sure it will also help those who create One-Of-A-Kind works. I am a potter, so the discussion will use the ceramic craft as the base for the discussion.

Here is the first part of my paper.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/fabricjunkie1640

Fabricjunkie creates beautiful pillow covers that requires repetitive action.

This craft is well suited to this pricing strategy.

INTRODUCTION

This page has been developed to discuss pricing strategies for potters and ceramic artists. The author, Terrance Frank Lazaroff, is a practicing potter who has some experience in logistic field. Although he still considers himself a student of ceramic art, He has had a great deal of experience when it comes to determining the cost of making a product. He has learned over the years that there is a cost of doing business and that this outlay must be the bottom line before anyone can begin to consider breaking even let alone making profit. He knows that there is no such thing as a loss leader when it comes to losing money because of selling something below the production costs. Undervaluing your work will not only invite financial disaster, it will make it difficult for you to do what you like best: That of making clay art.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72059398/handmade-spiral-flowers-as-seen-in

SuzanneBWebb's

scrap booking process is an artform yet it has a great deal of repitition of tasks in order to come up with a final product. This form of crafting could benifit from a strong pricing strategy.

THE QUESTION

Have you ever noticed that whenever potters discuss pricing strategy with fellow artists, the discussion becomes ambiguous and blurred? We never seem to get a straight answer. Some ceramists speak of retail prices. Others talk about wholesale prices. Some potters use terms such as inventory turnover and others state that they let the boutiques determine the selling price. It all seems confusing and mixed up. Maybe it seems this way because we are not asking the right question. Perhaps we are not using the right terminology.

We have to admit that most ceramists are great at forming their own methods to determine their pricing strategy. There are those who price in the same range as their peers. Wow! What happens if their peers go broke? Other potters have established formulas that were derived over years of trial and error let us see; today the sun is shining so the public will pay more. Some potters have established complex formulas such as multiplying the weight of the finished pot by a magic figure. (Who cares what it looks like, it weighs a lot.) The sad fact is that many potters don't really know if they are breaking even, or losing their shirt, until it is too late to do something about it.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BeadfulStrings?ref=seller_info

Erin Chatterton's beautiful fine bead art is very time consuming

and requires a lot of repetitive tasks.

This makes it a very good craft to apply a good pricing strategy.

The question, "How much should I charge for my work?" is a dilemma facing all of ceramic artists today. It is a question that each of us agonises over. No matter how many exhibitions we do, we rework our prices. Before visits to boutiques and galleries, we recheck our prices. We are continually asking ourselves if we are charging too much or too little.

We are artists. We studied art when we attended school. We didn't study marketing and pricing techniques. We didn't study cost analysis. So it is natural for us to be unsure of our prices. Sadly, most of us do not have the know-how required to keep our craft business and our art production financially viable. Let's face it. We don't know how to analyse our operation adequately to cover costs of our, overhead, materials, equipment. Many of us have little knowledge on how to price our work to ensure ourselves a fair wage. I believe that this is a major reason why many of us quit the field.

"How much should I charge for my work?" I have given this question a lot of thought during the past few years and, I have come to realize that we are not asking the right question. The real question that we should be asking ourselves is, "How much should I not charge for my work?"

armcandyforyou.etsy.com

This is a OOAK hand bag that is a part of a collection that required the crafter to make repetitive tasks

This in turn makes it a good craft to analyse a pricing strategy.

-----------------------------------------------

Please let me know if you wish to continue discussing pricing strategies.

2011-04-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

Where oh where have my little ducks gone?

I went visiting my duck pond looking for some of my early friends. I was saddened to see many no longer listed, many on indefinite vacation and a lot of shops empty of goods. I hope they are well and floating in another duck pond.

Some have had a bad shake and others are just tired. I am sure they will return some day.

Until then. I will be thinking of them swimming around in my duck pond.

= On vacation until further notice.

= On vacation. No indication when the shop will be active.
= On vacation. Will be back when they get back.
= Empty shop.
= On vacation. Will respond to convos.
= Just the shop profile.
= Empty shop. No explanation but URL to facebook page.
Member no longer listed on etsy.
= Store open but no listings. No explanation.
= Store open but no listings. No explanation.
=On vacation. No return date.
= Shop open but no listings. Referal to Artfire.
Member no longer listed on Etsy.
Member no longer listed on Etsy.
Member no longer listed on Etsy.
= Shop empty. Family crisis. Hopes to return soon.
Member no longer listed on Etsy.

2011-04-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

A trip to China

Sanbao International Ceramic Art Institute offers residencies to visual artists who work with clay, paint, sculpture, photography and printmaking as well as many other mediums.

I first went to Sanbao as a Fellow in 2003. I have since returned three times. This is an account of my arrival for my first Fellowship.

My Sanbao Experience

The small van carrying me from the airport arrived at Sanbao, just before the evening meal. Stepping out of the vehicle and looking around, my inner thoughts told me that I was about to experience an adventure unlike any other that I had known. Something told me that this experience would have a profound effect upon my life and my art. It would form my interpretation of Chinese ceramics and give me the opportunity to know the Chinese people and their culture.

Chinese mythologicle characters
and heroes, stared at us.

The walled residency compound, rich with the rust colored adobe surfaced walls welcomed me. Red banners hung vertically on each side of the entrance, displaying large calligraphic characters, wishing prosperity and long life to all who entered. Paper lanterns suspended like giant crimson cherries, swayed lightly in the breeze. We crossed the threshold and entered an inner courtyard that was a beautiful garden of subtropical fauna and delicate flowers. A gaggle of ceramic, Chinese mythological characters and heroes, partially hidden amongst the thick foliage stared at us as we passed by. A narrow wooden footbridge carried us across a small tributary to the entrance of the inner court. After climbing a few steps of hewn stone, past numerous clay pots, bowls and piles of fused Ming and Qing shards,we entered another smaller court yard. A few chickens as they went running by and small band of puppies were frolicking in the shade of a small tree. The delicious smell of food cooking and the soft banter of other artists partaking of their evening meal greeted us. We had arrived, and my education was about to begin.

Founded by the international
ceramic artist Jackson Li

Full clay studio facilities

Li Jiangshan the President of Sanbao

The Gateway to Jingdezhen

The Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute, founded by the international ceramic artist Jackson Li, is quietly nestled on the banks of a small river that meanders down through a lush green valley, surrounded by steep, densely treed mountains and rolling foothills. The valley is a quilt of waving rice fields and vegetable gardens. Jackson Li founded the institute about ten years ago. It has since grown to international stature, promoting a clay art exchange throughout the world. The residency program offers visiting artists and residents full clay studio facilities, sumptuous meals and most comfortable accommodations. Sanbao is truly a “Club Med” for ceramists and potters.

Sanbao was also to become my gateway to the city of Jingdezhen, noted for the famous blue and white porcelain ware that was a key trade item on the Silk Road and during the time of the wind filled sails and foreign clipper ships.

The staff of Sanbao was to become my mentors. They encouraged me to discover the local and distant landmarks. They invited me to delve into the mysterious Chinese cultural activities, to appreciate their music, and experience the generous hospitality of the local residents.

Jingdezhen
A small city in Chinese terms

Jingdezhen is a small city. The guidebook Lonely Planet lists the population at about a million, four hundred thousand strong. The city lies on the banks of the Chang Yang River near Gaoling; a small village that was rich in supplies of the kaolin clay which is a crucial ingredient of porcelain. The Chang Yang River was the conduit to the sea that allowed the blue and white porcelain to reach all parts of the world.

Jingdezhen creates porcelain objects
A bustling center of activity

Porcelain transport
has the right of way.

I found Jingdezhen to be a bustling center of activity, dominated by the ceramic industry. Some inhabitants say that one third of the city of Jingdezhen creates porcelain objects. One third supplies the logistics and the remaining third provide the support infrastructure, such as families, schools, government agencies, local merchants and professional services.

City of tall Chimneys
Black smoke to make white jade.

The city was at one time listed as the most polluted city in the world. That was because it used coal and wood as its primary energy source to fire the hundreds of kilns required to convert the clay to the “white jade” porcelain. Today the story is different. Nearly all of the coal-fired kilns have closed down leaving only tall chimneys as monuments of the past. More efficient, natural gas kilns have since replaced them.

There are seventy-two steps required to make a porcelain product.
A one thousnad year ceramic industry

I found that I could stand on any street corner in Jingdezhen, and I would see something connected with the ceramic industry. The Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute points out that there are seventy-two steps required to make a porcelain product. One person will be responsible for one task. They are highly focused, expertly trained and extremely dedicated to producing a quality product. They become masters at their chosen activity.

A large factory without a roof.
The city was like a large factory without a roof. It was not uncommon to see ceramic ware, at all stages of completion, being transported throughout the streets and alleys of the town. Ceramic objects would move from studio to studio, factory to factory. Each move was to complete the next step in the process. There were the throwers, trimmers, glazers, decorators, kiln masters, transportation jobbers, wrappers and shippers. The process did not end until it was sold and delivered to the customer.

Amazed at what I saw
Vases fourteen feet high

I walked about Jingdezhen amazed at what I saw. There were factories making large-scale vases, some fourteen feet high. I saw teams of young artists moving about forests of pots, some composing landscapes, others drawing dragons. I saw a man walking down the street, carrying a large pug of clay on his shoulders. He turned up a narrow alley, and I followed. He led me through another narrow walkway, between two buildings, into the small courtyard of a clay studio. There a group of artists were creating large ceramic tiles, four foot by four foot, sculpted, in bas-relief.

The antique market.
Where you can buy and antique that was made yesterday.

Another day would find me wandering through the antique market looking for treasure. The antiques on sale, however, were probably made the day before. Nevertheless, they are at times considered being of superior quality than the originals. Another day found me exploring the back alleys of the city and finding an abundance of slip-ware studios. Thousands of green-ware forms, both contemporary and traditional, were basking in the sun, waiting for a customer. Hardly a day passed without a discovery.

Jingdezhen is a Mecca

Yes, Jingdezhen is a Mecca for ceramic artists, ceramic lovers and anyone interested in visiting China. Did I have time to create a body of work during my two-month stay at Sanbao? Yes, I did some artwork, but not as much as I would have wished. There was so much to see, so much to learn and so much to experience. My adventures became the start of an education that will continue for the rest of my life.

If you are interested in visiting Sanbao you can find out more info by emailing me at zalt57@videotron.ca.

In Search of the White Gold

2011-04-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest transfers of intellectual property took place approximately five hundred years ago. This pirating was not executed quickly, much like we do today when we download music or photographs taken by other artists. It began slowly during the early thirteenth century when the famous Italian traveller, Marco Polo, returned to his home in Italy from his twenty four year visit to China.

Marco returned with many new ideas and products that would change western civilization. He returned with a large cargo of brocade silks, valuable pieces of pottery, gold and many other samples of products produced by the Chinese artisans. The valuable pieces of pottery, carried home by Marco were the items that generated the greatest interest to the movers and shakers of late Medieval, early Renaissance Italy. These pieces of pottery were beautiful, sumptuous white porcelains.

The Italians named this pottery, “Porcellana,” taken from the root “porcell,”: the name of a seashell that was bright white in colour. It was not long before the royal families throughout Europe began to demand porcelain. Their appetite for it motivated the clay artisans of Europe to try to produce it. There was, however, a small problem. The means to make porcelain was known only to the Chinese and the key to its creation was well guarded.

More porcelain began to trickle through the trade routes that followed Marco Polo, and availability of it also increased with the opening of the sea routs to the orient. The European continued to try to recreate this white hard ceramic material, but they could only imitate porcelain’s whiteness, its brilliance, and its transparency. The development of majolica, tin glazed faience, the delftware and bone china, were among their best endeavours.

It was during the late 17th century that the formula for porcelain began to unravel. The Europeans soon realize that there were two parts to the secret. One was the need to fire the porcelain to a higher temperature in order to change the clay into a hard white glassy form. The other part of the secret was the combination of material that went into making porcelain. There are reports that tell of English or Dutch traders bringing home samples of petuntse (feldspar), from China. They were not ceramists, so they failed to realise that they were bringing home only half of the secret mix. The Chinese were aware that the foreigners wanted to aquire the formula, so they never truly explained the whole process. When they talked of the porcelain, they used terms that could not be translated into the foreign languages. Even when they were being more generous with their explanations, much information was lost in translation. The Chinese used words such as “bones”, “meat”, and “oil” to explain the formula. They still do today.

The closest any European came to recording the complete recipe for Chinese porcelain was Père d’Entrecolles. He was a part of the religious influx into China at the time. He arrived in China just before the turn of the 18th. He travelled to Jingdezhen, the heart of Chinese porcelain production, and while there, he documented the porcelain process in two of his letters home.

He wrote in his first letter to Paris in 1712: “From time to time I have stayed in Ching-tê-chên to administer to the spiritual necessities of my converts, and so I have interested myself in the manufacture of this beautiful porcelain, which is so highly prized and is sent to all parts of the world. Nothing but my curiosity could ever have prompted me to such researches but it appears to me that a minute description for all the concerns this kind of work might, somehow, be useful in Europe”. We now know that it was. The Church not only saved souls it recorded the life in the community along with all the technical information possible. This priest was practicing industrial espionage.

While Père d’Entrecolles was busy documenting the technical details about porcelain production, he, was unaware that an alchemist Fredrich Böttger and physicist E.W. Von Tschirnhaus, two alchemists under the control of Augustus II, king of Poland, had already succeeded in producing hard-paste porcelain in 1708. This success was not made public. The making of European porcelain did not begin until 1720 at the Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen.

News travelled much slower during this time and Père d’Entrecolles most likely thought he was the only one chronicling the procedure for the real porcelain. Even he had mixed up the information that he was gathering. Some experts say the proportions of kaolin and petuntse noted in the letter were reversed.

Père d’Entrecolles went on to compose a second letter in 1722. This epistle went into detail about the glazing and decorating techniques and enclosed detailed drawings of the kilns used, by the artisans, to achieve the high temperatures needed to melt the materials into the “white gold”. Although the letters of d’Entrecolles did not reach Europe until after the discoveries of Bottger, they were, nevertheless, considered the most comprehensive compilation of the porcelain process. The letters were published in Paris, and the procedures that were kept secret for over 500 years were now common knowledge.

Today, years after porcelain has become a common European product, the Chinese still provide exceptionally high quality porcelain that cannot be mimicked. The art of making the porcelain by hand is fast disappearing. The European model of assembly line machine made products is replacing the quality handmade pieces.

It is also easy to see that the Chinese Porcelains have had a great influence on my own work.

Grab the Second

2011-03-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

When a potter categorizes a piece of his work as a SECOND, it is because the work, although functional, has a small blemish that the artist cannot live with let alone sell. Many times the blemish is small and sometimes there is a mark or fissure that is very obvious.

Kinya Ishikawa a potter in Val David Quebec has found a use for these seconds. He has started a Silica Garden Wall. He began this project about three years ago and it has become quit a success. He invites ceramists and potters who are participants in the 1001POTS Exhibition, held every year from the middle of July to the middle of August, to bring all their seconds to his home in Val David to have them placed into the garden wall.

This is a good project for badly damaged pieces, but I have difficulty throwing the majority of my seconds into the wall.

The Dilemma

I believe that if a Second is still functional then it should be put to work. We have spent a great amount of time, material and energy to make the piece. It is the material and energy carbon foot print that makes me want to ensure the object sees some use rather than being discarded..

I have thought of using my Seconds as a prizes or as gift give-away, to promote my on-line-store or Blog. This idea has been mulling around in my thoughts for some time. The only difficulty with this option is the expense to mail ceramics is high, and I cannot ask the winner of a give-away to pay the associated costs.

The Solution

After a great deal of contemplation, I have come to the conclusion that I could give away my seconds as gifts to those who purchase a similar sized item from my on-line-stores. In this manner, I can include it into their shipment thus saving on mailing costs.

I am going to call this give-away “Grab the Second.” Here, is the first offer. You will see the bowl on the right, in the above photos, listed on my Etsy shop. Here, is the link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/70572207/porcelain-ceramic-pottery-hand-made-and If you want to “Grab the Second", you just have to go to the Etsy listing and purchase the piece and let me know that you saw the offer on my blog and that you want to "Grab the Second." I will include the “Second” in the package with your purchase. The first person to purchase the listed piece is eligible for the "Second." The buyer must request that I send the second in his note to the seller.

I am sure that this will make me feel a lot better, as destroying a completed piece, of work after it has made all the way through to the final firing, is a waste of energy. At least this way the work will be of some use to society.

If this give away is successful, I will repeat the offer in the future so be sure to become a follower and to visit my blog from time to time.

Sadly no one wanted to pick up this second.

The piece is now on it's way to

SILICA GARDEN AT 1001POTS

A Time for Cookies

2011-03-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

I consider myself to be very lucky to have had the opportunity to spend thirteen years of my military career as a cook. One of the positions that I held, when I served at a base near the North Pole, was that of baker. I remember the times when the weather was stormy, and the temperature was freezing I would hide in my bake shop and make bread. The smells of the yeast, and the warmth from the ovens were most gratifying.

Some of my friends have often said that I went into pottery so that I could have decent dishes to serve my meals upon. I think they are right. I get a great deal of pleasure of serving food in my bowls and off my platters.

The years have passed, but my memories of the time spent in Canada’s north have not faded. The item that I enjoyed baking was cookies. The cookie method that I used came from "The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes,” published by Derksen Printers Ltd, Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, 1962 printing." The recipe was for Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies. I still refer to this book. It is tired, tattered and starting to lose it's strength; nevertheless I continue to use the recipe whenever I get the urge to make these tasty delights.

I thought it would be nice to share this recipe with everyone who might like to try this delicacy.

Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies

It is a good idea to use a counter top mixer for this recipe as the hand held mixer will overheat. One can also mix it by hand using a wooden spoon. It just takes a bit of muscle power.

Add ingredients in the order that they appear.

· 1 cup butter

· 2 cups brown sugar

· 2 eggs

· 1 cup coconut

· 2 cups oatmeal, large flakes

· 2 cups flour

· ½ tsp. baking soda

· 1 tsp. vanilla

· 2 tsp. baking powder

· Pinch of salt

I usually cream my butter until soft. I also prefer to add my salt, baking powder and baking soda into the flour, but it is not necessary to do so. There was one time I forgot to add the second cup of brown sugar. The cookies were still delicious.
I use a heaping table spoon of the mix for each cookie. I roll it into a ball. Place the ball on a lightly greased cookie sheet. You then flatten it with a fork that is dipped in flour.
I bake in the center of the oven at 350deg. F. for 12 to 13 minutes or until brown.
Leave the cookies set in the pan for a few minutes before removing them with a spatula.
When they first come out of the oven they are soft, but they will become nice and crispy when they cool.
I make a cookie at a size that gives about 25 servings of two each.

I enjoy two cookies with my after dinner tea. Of course, I use mugs that I create for my tea.

Some of these items are for sale on http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57
I also have some work on: http://www.artfire.com/users/clayart

This duck led me down the garden path

2011-03-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

Equals

http://www.etsy.com/shop/archaicdesign

http://www.etsy.com/shop/zalt57

Susan, I just wanted you to know that I followed this little duck and it led me down a lush covered garden path, past the pond were many other ducks were frolicking in the water, and led me into your Etsy shop.

What a pleasant surprise. What a great collection of Jewelry. I am very partial to your metal jewelry. The hammered metal objects in your collection really excited my sculptural sentiments.

I don’t create jewelry but I look at it as I would look at a Henry Moore. What are the surface lines telling me? How does the pattern renew its self and how does the application of the patina bring out the flow of the surface lines? These are the questions I always ask myself when I study sculpture. I asked the same when I browsed your shop.

Your metal earrings encouraged me ask another question. Was the artist influenced by the Ming and Qing decorative patterns of the swirls of vines and small flower buds? I see something here that I really like.

There are pieces in you collection that would touch the heart strings of many a beautiful woman. When I look at your creations with my artist eye, I can see countless design elements that inspire me to work with surface carvings in my pottery. At present I paint my swirls, curves and flower buds using Chinese brushes and the famous blue cobalt pigments employed by the ancient Ming potters of Jingdezhen China. However your surface textures make me want to carve into my clay thus creating textural patterns that I could apply patinas to bring out the embellishments.

I am partial to swirls, curves and little flowers serving as design elements. It is this imagery that I see in your work that drives me back to my studio and inspires me to pick up my brush and fly free.

Yes, this duck knew how to stir my artistic blood. For that, I thank you.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61896162/bronze-sculpture-new-release-fine-art