Made in Manchester
Craft Shop - Royal Exchange Theatre - Manchester
30th June - 29th August

The Craft Shop at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre is hosting “Made in Manchester” from Tuesday 30th June until Saturday 29th August 2009.

This new exhibition has been curated to coincide with the Manchester International Festival and showcases the work of artists and crafts people from the Manchester area.

The work will be exhibited in the shop and in the glass cabinets along the colonnade of the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Great Hall. All work is for sale for the duration of the exhibition.

Exhibitors include:

Andrea Lord, Beverly Gee, Cloversoul, Dontbitchstitch, Emma Fozard, Evvy, Faine Day, Helen Musselwhite, Helen Tiffany, Ian Chadwick, Lucy May Schofield, Megan Price, Moots, Rowena Golton, Sarah Malone and Stuart Galligan.

Website: www.royalexchange.co.uk/craftshop

I’ve just realised it’s Father’s Day next week (June 21). I’ll be posting ideas over the next few days for anyone who hasn’t bought their gift yet.

I found this great card on Folksy, by illustrator Design Rocks. Ideal for dads with an interest in photography or general gadget meddling. And not a fishing rod or beer glass in sight!

And there’s lots more illustrated cards and prints. I think the ‘Hoppy Birthday’ card is my favourite.

Go to www.folksy.com/shops/designrocks.

I’ve said this before but it’s always good to get proper mail. Not bills of course but cards and notes. Something handwritten and personal. And especially after a day of ploughing through 74 emails. I keep a stash of notelets and postcards that I send to family and friends.

Sooziebee has a lovely range of cards, as well as artwork for hanging and other paper goods. Her work is a mix of illustration, textiles and free machine embroidery.

Available to buy online at www.sooziebee.etsy.com.

These are coasters. Aren’t they lovely? It’s almost a shame to put a cup on them. They’re made from ceramic tiles with a cork backing to protect surfaces. Each one is varnished and completely waterproof.

The artist / photographer is Julie Birkemeier. She describes her customers as ‘people who love to see the beauty in every day life: the shadow in the underbelly of a petal, the contours of a light bulb filament, the dimples of a rock’. In addition to coasters Julie creates prints and notecards, all based on her beautiful photography.

Buy online at www.jbirkemeierphoto.etsy.com.

What do Luxe Deluxe, The Mymble’s Daughter and Belle & Boo have in common? According to the Etsy by Numbers blog, they’re currently the top three Etsy sellers in the UK, in the Handmade category. I had a quick peak at their Etsy stores to see what it is that sets them apart.

Luxe Deluxe sells beautiful handcrafted jewellery, incorporating a vast array of unusual findings. You’ll find vintage brass, retro Japanese and Czech glass, sterling silver, antiqued pewter charms and vintage carved acrylics.

The Mymble’s Daughter also sells jewellery. Her work draws on imagery from her Welsh home, ‘a land where everyone lives in castles and the seas are filled with magical creatures’. You’ll find hand cut plastic silhouettes, clay pendants with printed images and other image based charms.

Peggy says of her work, ‘My Etsy success has been a great surprise to me! I do hardly any marketing so everything is mostly through word of mouth. I make what I love and I love what I make and I think my customers can tell that. I think it’s really important to enjoy what you do and not to try to make something just because you think it will sell well. Many people make jewellery for that special occasion but I try to make jewellery for every day too that you won’t be too precious about wearing. It’s fun to collect and to match it to your current outfit and mood. I think this is why I have so many repeat customers!’

Belle & Boo creates beautiful illustrations. The artist is Mandy who has been drawing since she was a child. Her favourite childhood storybooks remain a constant source of inspiration. The illustrations are beautiful, depicting children and animals, each one telling its own story.

All of these stores are different. But there are a number of similarities which could go part way to explaining their success. To begin, the product images in each store are well shot and different angles and close up views are provided. This is so important when selling online, but it’s something that many sellers overlook.

The product descriptions are detailed, providing the customer with everything they need to know about the items for sale. This includes sizing information and the materials that have been used.

Their shop policies are comprehensive and written clearly, stating everything that the customer needs to be aware of before purchasing.

Of course we mustn’t forget the products themselves. Each seller has a quality product which appeals to their target market.

And finally, following on from Peggy’s point, could it be their customer service that sets them apart? The ‘tone’ of each store is welcoming and friendly and their feedback ratings are good. Is it down to the customer relationships that are built up over the years and lead to repeat orders?

What do you think? What makes a successful Etsy seller?

The ability to take ordinary, everyday objects and present them as something extraordinary. This is key to Christine Berrie’s work. Her interest is piqued by old cameras and radios, buildings, gadgets, signage and street scenes. And particularly those objects that have a hint of nostalgia about them.

Christine’s faithful attention to detail is evident but at the same time she manages to keep a slightly quirky, hand drawn quality to her work, which adds to its appeal.

Buy Christine’s work direct from www.cb78.etsy.com.

These zany prints are the creation of Athens based artist Kristie Roda, aka Pixel Wild Child. Experimenting with pop art, black and white photography and typography, she has created a strong collection with plenty of attitude.

Pixel Wild Child ships worldwide. Buy direct from her Etsy store.

Yes, I’m definitely liking these. Something a bit wanton about them.

Artist / illustrator Kerry Lemon paints her surroundings. She has a fondness for pattern and repetition, which is evident whether she’s capturing the scales of a lizard, the texture of a biscuit or tiles on a roof. She creates giclée prints from her hand drawn work, which are available to buy from galleries and her Etsy store.

And for more art chat, visit Kerry’s blog at http://kerrylemon.blogspot.com.