Happy 2nd Etsy-versary!

Last year's Birthday Cake :)

Earlier this week my Etsy shop, Bird From A Wire, turned 2! It's a momentous milestone for me because, well, I've been on Etsy 2 whole years! The time has flown but I feel good about this. My shop has really grown even since last year and I've had such a great time. I love my etsy friends and my etsy shop and I'm so very very glad I took this leap.

Last year I ran through some statistics with you on my one year anniversary. I had a chance to look back at those and I feel grateful. Grateful that I've had this time with you all, and grateful at the encouragement and kindness I've received.

But for the fun of it, here's some of this year's coolness~

• My etsy shop reached 1000+ hearts.
• It received over 14,000 visitors
• Over 50,000 page views
• My work made the front page several times
• I'm up to 148 sales
• Met lots and lots of amazing people
• Was able to give lots of money to Mercy Orphanage (thank you!)
• Took the show on the road with my first art fair

Best of all, I really enjoyed myself! I love getting to know you, love finding kindred spirits, love all the fabulous fabulous convo's I've had. It's been wonderful and and enriching experience! If any of you have been thinking of taking the leap I really want to encourage you. AND I look forward to saying all this again next year. This really is such an amazing experience and I am so so excited! So Happy 2nd Etsy-versary to my shop!

A Scaaarry Story- The weeks prior to my Etsy Shop's Opening

It's coming... my shop will soon be two. So like any good mom I'm looking back at the milestones of the last two years and thinking a bit about the beginning.

I'll try to tell you how severe my "butterflies" were at the thought of opening my first shop. They felt more like swallows divebombing at full speed into my stomach lining. I was crabby, horribly twisted up feeling and tense through the shoulders like you wouldn't believe. All this for weeks before I listed my first item. I feel pretty sorry for my husband in retrospect. I can remember him looking at me and saying, "are you sure you want to do this? Cause this doesn't look like something you're looking forward to doing." I know it didn't look like I was reaching out to grasp a life long dream but seemed more as if I was anticipating gall bladder surgery.

My Etsy Shop's Banner

It was just plain scary. By listing my work I thought I was inviting people to view it, judge it, dislike it, love it, buy it, or ignore it. My work is who I am and it felt very very personal. Anyone who's ever done a critique session in a college art class knows the trepidition with which you pin your work to the board. It's with a prayer to be kind, to be constructive not destructive, you're hoping for encouragement from strangers and the risk of an unkind remark or flippant judgement can be paralyzing.

The first item I listed- My Scribble Heart

But I did it anyways. AND if any of you are contemplating taking this step, or starting a blog, I have to tell you that the experience was NOTHING like my fears. Instead of standing there holding my work up before the world I merely sat at my computer, in my home, and uploaded a few photos. There was no dealing with judgements, kind or unkind, there was no sneering comments from passerbys. Instead I found encouragement, a community, friends, and lots and lots of hearts. I didn't have to try to sell my work, people would view it and if it called to them they bought it. There was no convincing, no pushing. I love that. Because really I don't want to push my work on people I want them to see it, and if they love it, buy it. If they don't love it, that's fine with me because I really really want the people who purchase my work to belong to it, if you know what I mean. 

But I was scared and I want to tell you that it's ok to be scared. You're fearful because you're taking a step into the unknown. It will be ok , you can do it, and the satisfaction you'll feel for having been brave with your work will be a high that will propel you to do more. To risk more. To dream of more. I know in my soul that you too can do it. After all, I did. :)

Happy Etsy-versary!!!

Today's the day! One year ago today I listed my first item on Etsy! It amazes me it was a year ago. I am so grateful to the reception my work has received. Very very grateful! This morning I mentioned it to my husband and he suggested I get a piece of cake to celebrate. Jasper and I thought it was a good idea but then came home with this yummy little masterpiece. YAY!

It struck me as a good time to review the amazing wonderful crazy things that God has worked in my life in the last year. So here goes...

Etsy Coolness-
82 Sales + additional direct sales
3000+ hits on my Wire Tree
Front Page 8 or 9 times
528 store hearts + lots of item specific hearts
Sent $300+ to Orphanage
Had visits from over 87 countries
Over 10,000 visits since January this year
Countless conversations
Lots of friendly encouragement
Found 1 kindred spirit (the best of all!!)


Other Wonderful things...
Started blog- and remembered I love writing
Submitted work to 3 art magazines
Published in 3 art magazines!!!
Got crazy idea to submit a book idea
Sent in book proposal with sample work
BOOK PROPOSAL ACCEPTED!!!
Play/meet weekly with local Christian artists
Filled 3 sketchbooks
Appeared on Local News as local Etsy artist
Let God lead me
Debt free!
Set up my very own studio room in our house
Took chances and jumped when God said "jump"!


I kind of can't believe all the wonderfulness that has come into my life this year. And it all started when I risked rejection and made my work available to the world. Letting others see my work was probably my biggest hurdle. Starting my site on Etsy and feeling all the love and support there has let me open my life to possibility and God's plan. I feel so very very grateful!!! Thanks to you all for your comments and encouragement too! I love my blogging family and you are all part of it!!! I am very grateful for you. AND I can't wait to see what the next year brings!!!