now tweeting

Some folks like to change out throw pillows for a quick, fresh look.  I like to design new business cards.  I scanned a drawing from my sketchbook and layered one of my photographs behind it.  The cards are printed on recycled paper and hand-trimmed by me. 

The mountain design is also the background for my new Twitter page.  I've been hesitant- more like resistant- to the idea of joining another social media site.  But, lately, I've been feeling a little limited with how I update news and links to recent art findings.  I don't want to, for example, write in length about this unfortunate fresco restoration, but it's definitely something to be shared. 



A week ago, my art was also featured on Design Milk.  This tidbit of news didn't quite fit into my last two blog posts, so I shared it as my first tweet.  Granted, I had no followers yet!  So if you would like to see what I'm up to between blog posts (promise, no oversharing of what I had for dinner), you can follow me here.



/////////////////////////////



I did find some time today to paint on cedar wood slices.

press- now and then

I woke up to a nice surprise this morning.  Elle Decoration Indonesia featured my blog in their new "Online" section, and they sent me a pdf of the page.  How wonderful!  Curious to know what the accompanying text said, I headed straight to Google Translate.  Here's the translation:



small works of Cathy McMurray
illustrates the force of nature
unique and crafty



It's almost like a haiku.  Love it.  



As the saying goes, "all press is good press," but I was telling a friend this morning that a magazine feature is usually more exciting than internet press.  The internet just can't replace the feeling of holding a magazine in your hand.  



However, when you're wanting traffic to convert to sales, digital media trumps print publications.  I learned this first hand as a shopowner.  When one of our products was featured in a magazine like Lucky Magazine, we would maybe get a phone call or two from interested shoppers.  When Design Sponge showcased one of our limited-edition products, we had 5000 hits and sold out within a few hours. 

Our Portland shop was featured in Lucky Magazine a few years ago.  My 8 year-old daughter was so proud of me, she circled my picture and wrote "my mom" above it.

Even though wide exposure may not equate to huge sales, it's an esteem builder.  I don't need accolades every day, but it sure is nice when the world notices my work from time to time.  So, thanks Elle Decoration Indonesia for making my day. 

more sites to add to your blogroll

via Jill Bliss

Cabin Porn.  It's basically crack for cabin addicts like me.  Thanks, Jill, for getting me hooked.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

via minieco

Handmade Ryan Gosling.  If you're crafty and taken, then both of you will get a good laugh out of this tumblr.  This post in particular hit home . . . um, sorry again, honey, for leaving that pin in the sofa cushion!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Annekata.  After a five month hiatus, Kathrin is back with more creative and thought-provoking posts.  Truly one of my very favorite blogs.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

In the Make.  Studio visits are up there with cabin porn.  Thankfully I can get my fix every Monday when photographer Klea McKenna and writer Nikki Grattan post their latest interview with a San Francisco-based artist.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Things Organized Neatly.  Not sure why I like household objects neatly arranged in rows, but I do.  It actually is very pleasing.  Too bad my desk doesn't look anything like this.  (Thanks to reader Falco for the tip!) 

my phone talks to me!

I like gadgets even more than my husband does.  I was bummed in middle school when I couldn't get into Shop class, and I was always a tad envious of A.V. kids getting to wind film onto a reel.  I did take Home Economics, however, and I learned how to make a pencil pouch with a sewing machine. 

Two weeks ago, my husband surprised me with a new gadget- the iphone 4s.  I have been secretly eyeing it since it came out in October, but I was trying to be practical and show a little self-restraint.  Of course, once I had the phone in my hand, all that went out the door.



The coolest function of the phone is Siri, the voice activated application that helps you send messages, make phone calls, and set reminders.  Definitely a handy tool when running errands.  The newer iphone also allows me to process credit card transactions using the Square app.  The little reader just plugs in at the top and you just slide the card through.  Perfect for art events!

Seeing that I needed a new case for the phone,  I ended up creating my own design with Uncommon.  It's as simple as downloading an image and reconfiguring the design in a template.  I came up with four designs.  

An Uncommon case is where art meets function.  I received my personalized crater case last week, and I am really pleased with how it turned out, particularly with the color matching. I will say that the shiny plastic seems to scratch easily and a white trim option would be a nice addition.  But these minor details won't keep me from placing another order in the future.  

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I want to remind those in the Portland area of my artist reception at Prana this Thursday night.  My latest paintings will be on display.  Hope to see you there!

How to recover deleted and lost digital photos

Technical glitches from time to time are expected for a regular computer user.  Unfortunately, I had my most serious tech calamity while in Ireland.  Within just a few short moments, thousands of images from the past five years were deleted. 



Staring at an empty photo library is an eerie and heart-sinking experience, especially knowing it's been several months since the files were backed up.  I actually thought about backing up my files before the trip, but the task kept getting pushed off.  (Lesson learned for next time!) 



I lost all the images on my camera's memory card as well as the photos in Aperture, my photo application.  And seeing that the computer failure happened in a tiny coastal town, my tech options were limited.  I did have access to the internet, however, so I was able to browse tech forums for some helpful tips.  I learned that a photo library can sometimes be recovered by holding down a couple of keys while restarting the photo application, but no such luck for me.  The only way I could salvage the deleted files would be to download data recovery software.   



Even though a file is accidentally deleted, it is not permanently gone until it is written over with new data.  As long as I kept my computer use to a minimum and didn't take any more pictures with my camera,  I knew that I could recover a lot of my erased files.  After some quick comparative shopping on the internet, I ended up going with CardRaider to recover lost images from my camera's memory card.  I was able to retrieve over 130 files, including the short video I took at the Cliffs of Moher!  About 15% of my photos were lost or damaged for good (like the two photos above), but, at $20, CardRaider proved to be well worth the purchase.  And it was a breeze to use.   

 

Since I didn't have an external hard drive with me, I waited to retrieve images from my erased Aperture library after returning home from our Ireland trip.  When I got home, the situation became even more dire when I realized a lot of our family photos from the last five years had been backed up on an external hard drive that I accidentally dropped and broke earlier in the year. Big sigh.



I downloaded the data recovery software Disk Drill in hopes that I could recover most of the photos, and I'm thrilled to say that I'm still weeding through thousands of salvaged images.  Like the recovered files on the memory card, there were a number of corrupt photos.  But I'm just happy to have again some memorable photos of the family. 



Hopefully, something like this won't ever happen to you, but just in case it does, I thought I'd pass some information along.  And, if you do decide to go with Disk Drill, watch this helpful video first- there's a 15% discount code at the end you can apply to your purchase. 

So you want to start a blog

Thanks to an ever growing
high tech world, thousands of new blogs are born each day.  Most of
these blogs, however, fall by the wayside within months.  Seeing that
Habit of Art is turning two this month (and this being my fourth year
blogging), I thought it only appropriate to share a few words on the
topic. Over the last few months, I’ve had several inquiries from folks
particularly interested in starting their own blog.  The start up stage
of a blog is always an exciting time, but it can also be fraught with
confusion and frustration.  Before you jump into blogging, here are some
questions to consider first.




1. What’s the point?  If you can’t articulate the
purpose of your blog in one or two concise sentences, then you’ll need
to go back to the drawing board!  Some folks start a blog because they
feel like they should, or they are intrigued with the idea.  But if the
passion isn't there, it's going to show.  A good gauge of your interest
level is your running list of post ideas.  Can you easily jot down a few
dozen things to talk about in one short sitting?   Habit of Art was born out of my passion to share art with others,
something I had been doing in my prior careers as a teacher and shop
owner.  Even after over 400 blog posts, I feel that I have only scratched the surface. 




2. Can you write?  You don’t have to be an award winning
author to be a blogger, but good grammar and solid syntax helps form
your credibility.  Take time to edit your posts, and consult Strunk
& White’s The Elements of Style (my first book in college) from time to time.  Remember, posting on the internet is like writing in ink. It’s permanent!




3. Are you committed?  Blogging takes commitment.  And, to
be completely frank, many of us have commitment issues.  A blog takes
at least 6 - 12 months of consistent posts to start acquiring some kind
of a readership base.  I tell new bloggers that they shouldn’t even
bother starting a blog if they are not in it for at least a year.  For
some reason, many new bloggers assume that readers will start flocking
to their sites after a few posts.  But building an audience takes
time!




4.  What the heck is html?  If you’re not
familiar with computer lingo, then expect a high learning curve when
starting your blog.  Even though blog platforms have become so much more
user-friendly, it still takes some technical know-how to navigate the
back end of a blog.  Just importing a photograph into a post, for
example, can be a difficult task.  So be prepared to spend countless
hours searching forums and help guides when setting up your blog.  And
while you're at it, do some homework on feeds, domain names, and
keywords.




If after all of this, you're still jazzed to start your own blog, then great!  Sounds like you've
done your research and now just need a little push.  Writing that first
post can always seem intimidating.  You think that millions of people
will read your post after clicking the "publish" button.  The reality
is, it's more like your mom and best friend, and only because you gave
them the link.  Don't get stuck on having a perfect first post, or the
right header design, or whether or not you want your profile on the
right or left side of the page.  Just write, and everything else will
eventually fall into place. 

Artists at work

I finally took advantage yesterday of the movie setting on my camera.  Here's a 30 second video of me working on my latest mixed media piece.

One day I might try a fast motion time lapse.  I recently discovered this video of artist Mary Ann Wakeley at work.  And then there's this incredible video of French artist Jean-Pierre Blanchard painting a oversized portrait of Roger Federer in 4 minutes!  [I have to say that the orchestral rendition of St. Elmo's Fire makes the video even that much more entertaining.]









Blanchard's painting sold for $20,000, all going to charity.  Maybe I should take up speed painting. 

Gadgets for your iPhone

I try not to get sucked into the tech-gadget vortex, but I'll admit it takes a lot of self-restraint.  Here are a few new favorites that are sure to excite any iPhone fanatic. 

The iPhone SLR mount is a case-adapter that allows you to mount a Canon or Nikon lens onto your iPhone. It's crazy, brilliant, and I want it!  I can see this gadget being a sure-fire hit with avid iphoneographers who want more control of depth of field in their images. 

The cdock by local Portland design team Hatchet Goods is a sleek and modern looking case that displays your iPhone while charging it.  The desktop accessory can showcase your phone as a clock, a picture frame, or even a mini TV screen.  I love it when function meets great design!

So, this next gadget doesn't really have much to do with home design or photography, but it does make me feel like I'm in a spy movie [and I like spy movies].  Lockitron is a device that allows you to control the lock on your door with your smartphone.  And best of all, you can text the code to friends and family so that they can check on the family pet while you're away.

The olloclip is a lens that you can mount on your iPhone in seconds.  Sounds easy to use and portable- two things I love about modern gizmos.   You can choose from three effects- fisheye, wide-angle and macro. 



The cost of these gadgets range from $55 - $295, and, like many new iPhone accessories, they are exclusive to the iPhone 4G.  Seeing that I still have an iPhone 3G, I'll just have to admire these tech wares from a distance . . . at least for now.   

Free wallpaper designs for your desktop

[image source: shannamurray.typepad.com]

Each month, artist Shanna Murray teams up with another creative talent to design a new desktop calendar.  Shown above is the recently released May wallpaper design by Murray and photographer friend Rachel Saldaña.  I love how the dates look like they've been embroidered, and the display of the May saying is so sweet. 



To download your very own copy of the May calendar, just click here and choose the appropriate file size for your desktop.  Here's a look at Murray's other collaborative wallpaper designs in 2011. 

I'm a huge fan of Portland-based Pattern People, and on their website, they have an amazing collection of downloadable patterns. These are just a few of my favorites. 

The designs can be used as desktop wallpaper, wrapping paper, gift tags, or whatever your heart desires! Check out this fabulous succulent design:

[image source: www.patternpeople.com]

Claudia Brown of Pattern People writes,

"One of the things I love about living in the Pacific Northwest is all the succulent plants that grow so well here.  Front yards everywhere sprout plump, pulpy hens and chicks, jades, and ground sedums.  Mosses grow on rocks, steps, trees, and roofs.  Every shade of green dazzles the eye on just your average neighborhood walk. I guess these are the benefits of living under so much rain. When the sun comes out, it’s almost too much color! So I dedicate this succulent design to my lovely home city, Portland."

Beautiful description and beautiful design.  It makes me appreciate my hometown even more.

My new website is live!

My new website just launched today!  It has been quite the project the last few weeks, but it feels great to finally have it up. I am using a portfolio template of Other People's Pixels, which seems to be a popular choice among artists.  The back-end was a little tricky to navigate at times, but all in all, the site came together without any major glitches.  And for those who don't have an Etsy account, my art prints are now available for purchase on my website -yeah!  Just click here to start browsing. 



In other news, I want to remind all local folks about the Rieke Art Fair this Sunday.  One of my friends is an event organizer, and the fair benefits a local school.  I just came back from setting up my booth, and I'll be sitting next to one of my favorite local artists, Jill Bliss.   Jill will be selling her lovely posters and stationary at the event.  I'm planning on bringing lots of prints (including some samples that are marked down) and my latest original works.  Here are a few that I completed this week. 

When the forest sleeps, 8" x 8", mixed media on wood panel

Poetic pond, 4" x 4", mixed media on wood panel

Panorama, 9" x 12", marker and ink on recycled drawing paper

White horse in meadow, 4" x 4" and Fawn and mother in forest, 4" x 4".  Mixed media on wood panel.

12 ways to promote your Etsy shop

Fellow Portland artist, Anna Joyce, was featured last week on Etsy's "Quite Your Day Job" series.  She has invested a lot of time and energy into her creative passion, and it's paying off. 

My favorite blog posts on Etsy are the "Quit Your Day Job" features.  I love reading about "real" people who overcome obstacles to get to the place where they are today.  And the advice shared by the featured sellers is always so relevant, especially for Etsy shopowners just starting out.



One thing that I've learned from being a retailer is that passion is only part of the equation to a successful business.  Any product idea can sound brilliant to an audience of one.  If the goal is to reach the masses, then a whole lot of hard work and patience is in order.



Many shopowners underestimate how marketing is key to their business, especially when that business is exclusively online.  Before opening my Etsy shop, I ran an online retail store for two years.  It was a crash course on SEO, conversion rates, and email marketing.  In the beginning, it took a lot of work to build up our customer base and create a more seamless shopping experience.  But, within a year, our online shop was bringing in 25% of our monthly gross sales (the other 75% was sales from our brick and mortar shop). 



Marketing, in my opinion, is the most difficult aspect of running a small business.  It demands a lot of time and, in most cases, a bit of monetary investment.  I realize that most Etsy shopowners do not have a large marketing budget, if any at all.  The reason I opened up an Etsy shop in the first place was its hassle-free setup and low maintenance cost.  Promoting your Etsy shop, however, doesn't have to break the bank.  Here are some practical marketing tools that can help bring customers to your shop. 



1.  List new products in your shop at least twice a week.  Every time you list or relist a product, the item is moved to the top of Etsy's search queue. 



2.  Connect with Etsy sellers/buyers through treasuries, forums, and teams. 



3. Advertise on creative blogs.  Sponsorship rates differ from site to site, but many blogs just charge $30 - $45/month. 



4.  Start your own blog!  (More on this in an upcoming post.)



5.  Keep your brand consistent.  From your shop header to your business card to your packaging, customers should know what your collection is about and how it's unique from all the other great shops out there.  Read more on how to create a brand identity here. 



6.  Subscribe to Etsy newsletters to follow current trends and opportunities.  Go here to sign up. 



7.  Tag your products with search friendly keywords.



8.  Use social networking sites like facebook and twitter to promote new products and follow other like-minded artists.  Try to connect with fans on a regular basis. 



9.  Run promotional events from time to time.  Everyone loves a good sale.  Share special events and collaborations with bloggers that promote such activities.    



10. Know where your customers are coming from.  Follow traffic to your shop using Google Analytics or StatCounter. 



11.  Consider wholesale accounts.  I have found that jewelry and art collections sell much quicker in brick and mortar shops than online.  Before you contact a retailer, make sure you do some research and know that it's a good fit.  See my post on how to contact shops here. 



12.  Superb customer service is gold.  When your customers are happy, they will come back.  And they will let others know!



This list should keep a few of you busy for awhile.  Remember,  promoting your shop takes time.  But stay at it, and you will eventually see a return on your marketing efforts.

For Spring Break, I was able to escape to the beach for one day.  It was rainy, windy, and cold, but still so beautiful.  That's the Oregon coast for you.  

In the brief moment we tolerated the brisk weather, I managed to snap a few pictures with my new (used) camera.  I wanted a more portable digital camera to stash in my bag at all times.  And, as much as I love my iphone, sometimes it just doesn't cut it when there's a prime photo op. 

I look forward to putting the new camera to good use and sharing more photos with you! 

My Week

added a couple new pieces to the shop // this one is called Escape

leisure reading // book review to come

my friend brought back goodies from thailand // the oversized billfold is perfect for brushes

princesses, a castle, and the imagination of a child

started pinning // now you can see more of my favorite finds here

Tools for the Etsy seller

Just a few of the many apps for the Etsy enthusiast.

 

I came across a great article today, "Top ten etsy web apps," written by Ashley Jennings for Design Sponge.  You might be familiar with the app Ashley and her husband designed, Favoritizer, which is a fan favorite among Etsy followers.



Ashley's post on Etsy apps is full of helpful information. If you happen to have your own Etsy shop, the article is truly a must-read.  Being the tech geek wannabe that I am, I already downloaded a couple of the apps found here, and I can't wait to try out new apps like Craftsy.  Anything to make the online shop experience more seamless gets a big thumbs-up from me!



Okay, back to right brain talk . . .

10 tips for opening an Etsy shop

Enhabiten



If you've been thinking about selling some of your handmade goods, the online marketplace "Etsy" is a great place to start.  You can set up a shop within minutes and the start-up costs are minimal- just 20 cents per listing!  Recently, my friend opened an Etsy shop and asked for some advice.  Here's what I told her:



1.  Choose a store name that makes sense, is memorable, and easy to search.  Once you pick a shop name (which is also your username), you can't change it.  And before you set your name in stone, make sure to look it up in Etsy's search engine.  You might come across another shop that essentially has the same name.



2.  Excellent product shots are key.  Product shots should be well-composed, clear, and bright.  For tips on how to take better product pictures, see my post here.

Pigeon Toe Ceramics and Minx Shop

3.  Keep your shop full.  At the least, you should have 16 products to start with.  This allows people to see your passion on display. Moreover, people love options.



4.  Etsy's Search organizes products by most recent listings, so upload new products at least once a week.  Some Etsy sellers upload products every day!

 

5.  Use descriptive tags so that sellers can find your products.  Etsy allows a total of 14 tags per item; include as many keywords as possible when listing your product.

5gardenias and Essimar



6.  Establish clear and concise shop policies to gain the confidence of the customer.



7.  Account for all expenses and fees when determining an item's price.  In addition to materials and time, marketing and payment fees should also be calculated into the price of a product.  Etsy takes 3.5% of the total sale of an item, and Paypal takes a small percentage plus a fixed fee. 



8.  Encourage customers to shop again by personalizing orders.  Add a handwritten note and throw in a small treat for good measure.

Nea and Lisa's Retro Style



9.  Share the Etsy love by "hearting" your favorite finds.  Hearts are one way that Etsy sellers are connected.  The first time I got a heart from a secret admirer, I thought for a moment I was being stalked (when really they are fans that don't make their Favorites public).  To keep track of new hearts in your shop, go to craftcult.com. 



10.  Try to get your product on the front page.  It's free marketing! For this to happen, you'll need to be in a treasury that someone else created.  If you're following tips 1 - 9, then you'll be in a treasury in no time.  Another way to reach out to Etsy sellers is creating your own treasury.  Be sure to "convo" each Etsy seller to let them know about your treasury!



Although it can be a thrill to run your own online shop, know that it takes time to network and build a customer base.  In the first few months, you may only get a handful of sales.  Don't lose heart.  Be diligent and continue to fine tune your shop and your products.

Following my favorite blogs

I started following blogs on a regular basis when I started my own blog about a year ago. Like many readers, I either used blogger or google reader to get the latest posts.  Then I discovered feedly, which lays out all my favorite blogs in an orderly and eye-catching fashion.



To read an article, you just click on the title, and a window opens with all the images and text in the post.  All the links are still active, and commenting on a blog is as easy as clicking on the title again.  I can browse titles of new posts in less than a minute, which is quite handy for catching the latest giveaways!



Pikaland, one of my favorite art blogs, is actually running a great giveaway right now.   Up for grabs is a spot in one of their online classes! This Fall, they are offering a few different courses for artists who are wanting to hone in on their style and develop their online presence.  A winner will be chosen this Wednesday, so head over here for more information.

Simple solution to taking better product shots

My friend recently opened up an Etsy shop and wanted to know how to take decent photos of her journals.  She has a SLR digital camera, but her pictures were turning out dark.  This is a common problem that many encounter when taking product shots indoors.  The solution to brighter photos is relatively simple, and quite affordable!  Here's the advice I gave my friend:



1.  Take pictures by the brightest window.  This can change depending on the time of day.  Set your product within a few feet from the window and at a height that maximizes the light.  You don't want direct sunlight, however, coming in through the window. 



2.  To soften shadows and reflect the light coming through the window, use a tri-fold foam board (about $5 in a general store).



3.  For a white background, place a white poster board (non shiny side up) under the product.



4.  You'll most likely need to stand on a step stool or chair to take a product shot from overhead.



5.  With your camera on automatic, snap a picture and assess the light in the photograph.  You will need to adjust the shutter speed setting in manual mode if the white background looks blue or gray.  (The blue in your photographs can also be due to your white balance setting.)  



6.  After uploading your photographs, you may have to do some tweaking of photographs with a photo-editing program.  At the least, check the levels and make sure that the right arrow meets the right edge of the curve.

My week

good to be gardening

my first attempt dyeing fabric in the sun using lavender and sage

post vacation reality: loads of laundry, and my work desk is just a few feet away

. . . . . . . . . .

just starting on my new embroidery piece

(most of these photos were taken with an iphone; love the camerabag app)