News and reviews of made on Maui products and Maui-based companies and success stories. Also featuring island shopping guides

Archive for the ‘Etsy Tips’ Category

An Etsy Score – Ke Aloha Jewelry

Made on Maui Jewelry Druzy Gold Earrings Necklace Shark toothEtsy is a literal gold mine for jewelry lovers, the only hard part is separating the great stuff from the really great stuff.  I know that taste in jewelry (as in a lot of things) is subjective, but to my eye (for anyone that has me on their Christmas list), this is really great stuff.

Lisa of Ke Aloha Jewelry describes her work as  ‘modern and delicate, handmade on Maui with aloha’, and I couldn’t have said it any better myself.  As two moms of little kids, we bonded over sleepless nights (and days!) via email, but we managed to discuss some work as well (thanks to caffeine).

modern delicate silver bar bracelet

A modern and delicate silver bar bracelet

Maui Made: How long have you been making jewelry?  

Lisa: I’ve only been doing this for a little over a year and a half.  I got into jewelry a couple years after my son was born.  I needed something to do at home that would fuel my creative side, and that’s when making and designing jewelry came into the picture.

MM: Where can people buy your jewelry?

Lisa: Right now I sell exclusively online in my etsy store.

shark tooth gold silver necklace hawaii

Mano (shark tooth) necklace – available in silver and gold

MM: What are your most popular pieces?  

Lisa: The white Mano (shark tooth) and Mano Jr. necklaces have been consistent best sellers, but my new druzy post earrings are in high demand and sell out fast.

MM: You have well over 2,000 sales on Etsy, (congratulations) – Do you have any Etsy tips to share?  

Lisa: I have to reiterate everything that has already been covered many times over – great photos, great customer service (be nice to everyone!), great packaging and branding, SEO, browse the forums, ask questions if you have any, promote outside of Etsy, and find your own style.  Also, don’t be afraid to fail.  I had an Etsy store back in 2008 which sold my photography.  It was not a success, but its failure was essential.  It allowed me to reevaluate what I really love and wanted to do.  It led me to jewelry and I’m very thankful.

druzy gold necklace

Hoaka Necklace – Druzy and Gold

MM: What’s next for Ke Aloha Jewelry?  

I’m looking forward to growing my line and getting a few pieces in some local stores.

MM: Anything else you want to add?  

Lisa: I love making jewelry.  It really is a culmination of everything I love – from photography to designing to creating. And, most importantly, it allows me to make my own hours so I can be there for my son during his early years – which go by way too fast.

Mahalo to Lisa for the interview!

Check out her Etsy shop here

www.kealohajewelry.etsy.com

or follow her on:

FACEBOOK ➤PINTEREST ➤ INSTAGRAM ➤ 

Behind the Scenes of Ke Aloha Jewelry Studio
The beautiful packaging of Ke Aloha Jewelry sets it apart from the rest
triangle druzy earring studs in silver
Round druzy earring studs
Mano (shark tooth) necklace – available in silver and gold
gold shark tooth hoop earrings
Purple druzy studs
dramatic druzy necklaces

Category:

Etsy Tips, jewelry

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Kira Ferrer- Jewelry Inspired by Nature

When I started this journey of finding unique, quality made on Maui products and companies, Etsy was one of the first places that I would visit.  Each time I would type in ‘Made on Maui’ to search the site, this little guy would pop up:

(click on the jewelry pics to go to the Etsy listing)

kira.ferrer.bee

I had a feeling someday I would be writing about him (or her).  This sweet little bee is made by Kira Ferrer, who has a truly impressive selection of jewelry available in her Etsy shop.  Kira uses a variety of gemstones, Hawaiian sea glass and shells as well as environmentally-friendly recycled sterling silver, and most of her pieces are available for customization and made to order.

Maui Made: How did you get started with jewelry making? 

Kira Ferrer: I have always had a love for the arts, and have worked in variety of artistic mediums over the years. After working for many years as a painter and textile designer in the Bay Area, I fell in love and moved to Maui.  Working with metal and creating jewelry was a natural progression for me. The environment here is exquisite and I find endless inspiration for my craft. I’m especially inspired by the great blue expanse of the ocean, the gentle rustle of palm trees and the saturated colors of the tropics.

(MM Note: Check out the pics below from Kira’s Instagram feed – worth a follow, just for the beautiful pics alone!)

From Kira’s workbench, Baby Bangles with shells and sea glass charms
Soldering Jewelry in the workshop

MM: What kinds of materials do you work with, and how would you describe your style? 

KF: At this time I work mostly in sterling silver with some 14 karat gold accents.  I especially enjoy creating rings and use a variety of precious and semiprecious gemstones as well as Hawaiian sea glass and shells.  I use recycled sterling and gold whenever possible in an effort to minimize the effects of mining on our planet.  Recycled silver and gold are virtually identical to newly refined metals, and I feel good about being able to offer environmentally-friendly, handcrafted, heirloom quality jewelry.

MM: Are you doing this full time? 

KF: Making handcrafted jewelry is my full time job.  Everything is hand crafted by me in my Maui studio and then packaged and shipped world wide.

MM: What’s your most popular item? 

KF: My stacking rings are quite popular at this time, especially my “Ocean Blue” set, inspired by the beautiful ocean surrounding Maui:

topaz aquamarine silver ring stacking custom

Ocean Blue Sterling Silver Stacking Rings with Topaz and Aquamarine Gemstones

MM: Any Etsy tips for people just starting out?  How long have you been selling on Etsy? 

KF: I’ve been selling on Etsy for almost 5 years.  To those just getting started at Etsy, I would say refine and hone your overall vision, and emphasize a clear design style that will be recognizable to your customers.  Customer service is key in running a small business. Do your best to answer inquiries and orders promptly and always go the extra mile to communicate with customers and show that you care in your interactions.  Also, when I first opened my shop on Etsy I spent a lot of time perusing the Etsy forums.  The forums provide a wealth of information and I always found other Etsy sellers generous and helpful with information and advice.

MM: Are you in any shops in Hawaii? 

KF: Etsy is my main platform for showcasing and selling my jewelry.  You can also find my work at: The Hui No’eau on Maui and, on Oahu: Cottage by the Sea:

Personalized Bangle with
Sea Urchin Pendant in Sterling Silver

MM: What do you like to do for fun? 

When I’m not in my studio making jewelry I’m out hiking and taking long walks by the ocean (collecting shells for my one of a kind pieces) soaking up the beauty of this island.  I also love reading, gardening, cooking wholesome, delicious meals for my loved ones, traveling, visiting museums, adventures with friends and spending time in nature.

I’m continuously expanding my craft with new techniques and designs. As of late, I am really excited about the new wax cast pieces that I’m working on. I’m continuously adding new pieces to the collection so stop by Etsy to see what i am up to in the studio.

Labradorite Silver Stacking Rings
Maui Sunset Stacking Rings with Garnet, Citrine and Carnelian

MM: Where can people see more?

I can be found on etsy, Facebook, Instagram, flickr: and pinterest:

Mahalo to Kira for sharing her story with us!  

Category:

Etsy Tips, jewelry

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How to Sell on Etsy – Guide for Artists

Let me start by saying that I’m not an etsy seller, but writing this post as a buyer, and frequent peruser of etsy. I’ve noticed a few differences between a decent shop and a great shop, so I’ve done a bit more research to put together a few tips for anyone starting out on Etsy, or looking to increase sales.
How to Sell on Etsy

Most of the blogs that I found on this topic where no less than 10 pages long and full of technical terms, so I’ll try to keep this brief and ‘artist-friendly’. You can google anything that you may want more information on. The search for ‘etsy tips for dummies’ yielded about 50 MILLION pages. Seriously.

  1. Use GREAT photos – Each and every blog post I read about Etsy tips has this as their first tip. You can have up to five pictures for each listing. Use them. Have close ups, on models, different angles – buyers want to feel like they’ve touched and held the item. If your photo skills aren’t up to snuff, trade some of your pieces for some pictures by your neighbor with the fancy camera and hot photoshop skills. It will be worth it.
  2. Get to the point with your ITEM TITLE! You only have 140 characters, and you want the search terms at the front of the title. Also, while people are scanning items this (plus the pic) is all they see! One of the items I was looking at had the title ‘cute cute cute’ – i have no idea what she’s trying to sell! You have lots more room in the description section to talk about how cute it is! Don’t forget to proofread – typos will keep you from coming up in searches!
  3. Follow the RULES or they could shut you down without notice. Etsy’s Do’s and Don’ts are 29 pages long. With this in mind, you should probably go ahead and start your own website, even if its just a placeholder page, so your customers can still find you if you get booted off etsy.
  4. Keep in contact with your CUSTOMERS – Etsy has that personal feel, so one of the great suggestions is to let your customers know when the package is being shipped, when it should arrive, and maybe a follow up to see how they are enjoying it?
  5. Spend some time to create great PACKAGING – throw in some stickers, a nice business card, maybe even add in a coupon for their next purchase?
  6. Check out the SUCCESS Stories – you aren’t inventing the wheel here. See what the top sellers are doing, and figure out how to do carry that over to your shop.
  7. Do what you do WELL – Figure out what you do well, create a unique brand for yourself, and GO SELL! (this is the rah-rah point)
  8. NETWORK – This could be endless and overwhelming, but here’s the gist. There are two reasons to network (and this means anything online) –  
    a. Search engines will find you – Search Engines like websites that have incoming links from lots of other, quality sites. Take advantage of the fact that you can now comment on lots of people’s blogs and include your shop website! It’s so easy! I wont get into too into SEO here, except to say that another tip that all the bloggers talked about was making sure you have the right tags on your products. You can use 13 tags – use them. Describe your product physically, then use some descriptive terms. You can view your ‘Shop Stats’ to see which tags are effective.
    b. – People will find you. You don’t have to use every single social networking site, but you should use one or two. Use the Etsy forums (ask and answer questions), join some teams, start some treasuries… probably endless. Starting a blog is a great way to attract more people (and help search engines find you), start a Facebook page for your business, join Pinterest or Instagram, and use whatever you set up. Some Pinterest tips : Dont just pin your own products, your followers wont like it and neither will Pinterest. But, when you Pin your own products (from Etsy), make sure you like what it says (I think its the Item Title that comes up) – make sure it describes your product AND has your shop name. That will help people know its you when they see your product pins!

OK – so here’s a test- Please add a comment below on what tip was the most helpful (if any) and include your etsy site! First one to comment correctly wins a free blog about your shop! (everyone else has to pay me in crafts. or chocolate)

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Etsy Tips

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