Earlier, a woman asked me why I thought I'd never be on the front page. I have good pictures. This sort of thing is why. I simply don't think like the front page makers. For example, today I made some jewelry. I looked in my bead box, saw what looked good, and made some jewelry. I didn't think 'graduations are coming up, so I'll make a certain style'. And my tags? I have a really hard time with tags. I usually put what color it is, what it is made of, what it is, and maybe some team tags.

I would never think of some of the tags that have been used to create front pages, simply because I don't think that way. When I buy I search for 'pink sterling silver dangle earrings' not 'rose sparkle mint julep earrings'

Advanced search? Could this be the answer to our etsy prayers?

Etsy tries to fix our google analytics. I'm blogging tons today. I am supposed to be doing other things.

Oh, and because of the batch loading, your items might not get their 15 seconds of fame on the etsy front page.

Also, people are reminded that twitter is not in fact email.

The mystery of why purple monkey dishwasher is in your keywords for etsy in google analytics.

OMG, STATS. *wets self*

Etsy says it's launching the new search this week.

Etsy sends me and everyone else a letter:

Etsy News
December 10, 2008

The following is an open letter regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This Act, which will go into effect on February 10th, 2009, puts forth much more stringent safety measures for products intended for children under the age of 12.

Under the very important auspices of child safety, the Act may have grave unintended consequences: fewer choices for families who are looking for handcrafted alternatives. Many Etsy artists and craftspeople have expressed fears that they won't be able stay in business due to the burdensome cost of testing and certification pursuant to the proposed legislation.

As a venue for handcrafted and vintage items from small entrepreneurs, Etsy has invited the Ombudsman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to join us in a webchat in our Virtual Lab. Etsy would very much appreciate the opportunity to provide a forum for discussing the concerns of artisans who make toys and children's products as well as their customers who support handmade products.

We urge members of the Etsy community and anyone concerned with both child safety and conscientious consumption to contact their governmental representatives; ask them to consider how the Act will impact independent craftspeople.

The office of the CPSC ombudsman: 888-531-9070.
Visit the Handmade Toy Alliance for information about writing your representatives.

Over 200,000 artists, crafters, and vintage collectors sell their items on Etsy.com. Many of these artisans make toys and other items for children. Made with love, care, the human touch and – often -- all natural materials, these items bring the consumer marketplace back to a personal level where customers can chat with toy-makers and even create custom items for specific needs. Etsy members are part of a larger movement that seeks to creatively provide people across the globe with alternatives to mass-produced goods.

Many Etsy sellers are work-at-home-moms and dads. Among them are crafters with the skill and heart to preserve traditions of toy-making or to innovate their own methods of making children's items with a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hands-on philosophy. You can meet an Etsy toy maker and seller by watching this five minute video portrait (all of our videos are published under open Creative Commons, so please feel free to repost). Amber Dusick aka woodmouse.etsy.com and Los Angeles-based toy-maker/work-at-home-mama, is an artist who would be impacted by this proposed legislation if it is enacted. Amber uses sustainably harvested woods, non toxic paints and beeswax along with her wood burning tool to create simple, natural wooden toys. Her imagery is reminiscent of a child's crayon drawing come to life in wood.

Amber, like other Etsy toy makers and sellers, is fearful that as a sole proprietor she will not be able to afford the stricter regulations of the Act; the cost of testing and certification is likely beyond her means. She told Etsy, “I'd be more than happy to have each of my toys tested, if it wasn't so cost prohibitive. It is the COST involved in testing that will shut us down, it isn't that anyone refuses to have their work tested."

The Small Business Association defines "small business" as under 500 employees. Most of our Etsy members are either sole proprietors or maybe a family or studio of friends working together. Many craftspeople on Etsy have told us that they could be put out of business if forced to comply with the proposed legislation. This is the painful irony bound up in the CPSIA.

Etsy wanted to reach out with this open letter to see what can be done to ensure that small businesses and micro enterprises are being taken into account with this legislation. Our members would like to better understand how the CPSIA took into account these smaller businesses operating with fewer resources for testing and compliance. We believe Etsy artisans are pro-testing and pro-safety; the problem is the prohibitive certification costs relative to their small businesses' incomes. Our community is concerned that this legislature disregards small businesses in its attempts to regulate large corporate entities.

The U.S. House and Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the CPSIA), and on August 14, 2008, President Bush signed the Act into law. Further information on the Act is available at the CPSC website at http://www.cpsc.gov/ and helpful FAQs are located http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.pdf.

Please leave your comments in the forum thread linked in our blog post. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Etsy

The last number in search is back! Or will be. I don't have time to check. Also, strange new admin with confusing title appears!

Why is sarawearsskirts laid off? I think I am sad.

what will the ex admin do? will they have an unemployment party? Will they start their own crafty rodeo? Only time will tell.

Etsy publishes stats for September.

Dolls and Miniatures getting a category? How exciting!

Will that news and a photo booth picture calm the nerves of the DaM folk?

Great, renewing will still be useless! What should I do now?

The thread.

OMG! vacation mode!

Etsy featured on popular Laughing Squid blog.

Etsybitchers praise etsy.

Dawanda also has new categories. But no dolls and miniatures that I can see.

Shiny adornments loves science- double helix necklace.

The long awaited vacation mode is announced on etsy.

I might close my lov.li shop and focus on etsy, dawanda and my website for the holidays.

Also, I rejoined JET.

Stupid stuck etsy categories. I promote off etsy, but you need to at least be in the search for best results.

Report search bugs on etsy.

People are freaked by odd category updates on etsy.

Speaking of categories, I think dawanda just added one for hair accessories. I put my bobbies in it.