Society6 Introduces Mandatory Subscriptions

Well, I got my notice today to choose a subscription plan. I chose free and have reduced my 41 designs to 10. I had recently reopened my shop and was building it up again. I am going to focus on 10 Christmas designs. 

 

After the holidays, I'll decide how to proceed with my account. Changing out the 10 for seasonal/holidays throughout the year will not work because marketing traction will be lost each time. The only other option I can think of is to choose a gallery of 10 of my evergreen, coordinated designs and keep those up. I would focus on marketing them in various formats and advertising graphics that I haven't taken time to use before. 

 

I have a fruit drawing for which I've been thinking about making a surface design collection. I could then also focus on designing for the S6 individual products, which I haven't been taking the time to do. This is the time to stop procrastinating and do that if I want to keep my acct after the New Year. Because of the name of my shop and the address, I may close it and open a new shop with a name that would better represent my new surface design collection.

 

So much for recently coming back to S6 but I'm not mad at them, RedBubble, TeePublic, or any of the other venues that have made these types of changes. Everyone is struggling and we all have to do what we have to do to make it. What they have had to do doesn't have to stop me. It can inspire and invigorate me, if I allow it to. 

 

I am glad that Society6 has included the free, 10-design subscription. If they had not, I probably wouldn't be thinking about developing my fruit design collection. Creating a surface design collection like this is where I need to increase my skills. Now, I've been motivated.

 

 

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Society6 Versus Redbubble: Features Comparison

You are creating designs and you want to sell them on POD products. You are considering Society6 or Redbubble. Which should you go with? 

You could open a shop at each, but if you want to choose one or the other, hopefully my comparison will help you to decide.

Society6

• Many mockups are bland and uninteresting. 
• One mockup for most products.
  
• No pet products (bowls, pet bandanas, mats) other than pet art.
  
• Somewhat laborious new design upload, 3 initial image dimensions required to enable most  products.
• Products editing is time-consuming, separate editing window opens, must open another separate window within editing window to see real-time edits.
• No Set Background Color product editing feature.
• No choose pattern feature.
• Lower profit margins on most products than Redbubble.
• Giftwrap and wallpaper products available.
• Drapes and sheers available.
  
• No hardcover journals or postcards products.
• No kiss-cut stickers. 
• No all-over print aprons.
  
• Nice 2nd greeting card mockup. 
• Boring shower curtain mockup.
• Standard apparel products.
• Have to sign back in whenever I visit site.
• No lifestyle templates promotional feature.
• No download original image/design feature.
• No activity feed.
• To like designs you have to click into the design page.
• No copy current design to create new listing feature.
• Takes extended time for listing page (Manage Posts) to load all products.
• Has warning popups regarding possible copyright offenses.
   

Redbubble 

• Pretty mockups, rooms and better perspectives.
• Several mockups for most products.
  
• Pet products (bowls, pet bandanas, mats), a big marketing niche.
• Easy and fast new design upload, only 1 initial image required to enable most products.
  
• Products editing is swift and easy, editing window opens up immediately within all products window, real-time edits can be seen (while editing) on product in all products window without closing editing window. 
• Set background color editing feature, useful for designs that do not cover entire product surface, can set background color to blend in with design.
• Choose pattern tiling feature, regular or offset.
  
• Higher profit margins on most products than Society6.
• No giftwrap or wallpaper products.
• No drapes or sheers
• Hardcover journals and postcards products available.
• Kiss-cut stickers available.
• All-over print aprons available.
  
• Boring greeting card mockup. 
• Pretty shower curtain mockups.
  
• More variety of apparel products. 
• Never have to sign back in.
• Lifestyle templates smart layers promotional feature to mockup products and share to social media.
• Download original image/design feature.
• Has personal activity feed making it convenient to see who follows and likes. 
• You can like designs from the thumbnails.
• Copy current design (which includes enabled products and settings) to create new listing. Great for variations.
• Listing page (Manage Designs) loads fairly quickly.
• Shop is closed if RB detects a copyright offense.
  

I like the variety of products at Society6, especially the drapes, sheers and outdoor products. I like Redbubble's pet products and how quickly I can list a new design. I recently returned to S6 because I missed their products so much. 

I also returned because one of  my two RB shops was immediately closed down because of a copyright offense of which I was unaware. It was not regarding licensed products but was because of a name I had given one of my crafted items that I had scanned and uploaded as a digital. Someone had copyrighted that name. You can search copyrights at this site United States Patent And Trademark Office. 

Losing that shop taught me a lesson. I should be checking all of my special product names before offering the corresponding images for sale. I don't check my generic-named images. The image that caused me to lose my RB shop was named Treetown. It is a whimsical, watercolor painting that I had done years ago. After RB emailed that I had lost my shop, I went to the Trademark Office site and searched. I found several copyrights for the word Treetown, Tree Town, TreeTown. Some where by the same person. Others were not but I guess there was a difference in the registration that allowed the word to be registered by various people.

When I uploaded my watercolor painting image and used my old name for it, Treetown, RB detected it and my shop was immediately shut down. RB does not give the designer much recourse. One thing that they tell you in the email is that if you should write to protest, they don't even have to read or accept your email. I guess they just don't have time because of all of the copyright offenses, those that are intentional and unintentional. It is the designer's responsibility to ensure that no one has copyrighted the name of their design. 

I think I had over 100 designs when my shop was shut down. I was so proud of all of the work that I had done. I was in shock after I lost my shop. I did not try to contact RB to apologize and try to have it reopened. I decided to reopen my S6 shop (I'd closed it in Jan 2023 not long after I'd opened it) and I'm in the process of uploading most of the designs that had been at the RB shop. I need to rename my Treetown painting and check the name at the Trademark office before I list it.

I currently have a shop at both. By the time you read this post, who knows? You can take a peek if you want to see how I've laid mine out.

Draw Nigh To Hope Redbubble

Draw Nigh To Hope Society6

 

What Is Creativebug?

I did not know that Joann's had acquired Creativebug in 2017 but, I did not learn about Creativebug until around 2021. Creativebug is a great place to learn to live the creative life. If you don't know what Creativebug is, here's what they say:

We pride ourselves on bringing the latest in art and craft education to our members, and we work with renowned artists to do just that. ...you'll enjoy unlimited access to thousands of online art and craft classes. Watch our classes anytime, anywhere. Since our classes never expire, you can start and stop projects at your own pace.

While Creativebug requires a subscription (the Unlimited Plan is $7.95/mo or $5.95/mo if billed annually, Unlimited Plus plan is $9.95/mo.), there is a trial subscription available that will last around 60 days.

Your local public library may offer a free subscription to Creativebug. That is how I was able to join. I didn't even have to go to the library to obtain a library card. I was able to sign up online. Through my library's email newsletter, I learned about the free membership that they offer to Creativebug.

Craftsy is similar but I like Creativebug better. You may have seen the succession of Craftsy membership invites around social media. They offered a 1-year trial membership for $2.95. I joined and it was ok, but I was disappointed that it is only a library of videos. There are no lives or interaction among members, though comments can be made. There were only crickets when I tried it. Creativebug hosts lives and is a much more active creative website.

I found this review by Aly Marie at Sewing Machine Fun to be very informative. She shares all of the cons and the mostly pros of joining. You can start your free trial now through this link that I copied from Aly's post, Creativebug 60 Days Free.

I like Creativebug's Daily Practice Series and Mixtape Series. Just today, I got an email introducing me to their new series called Learning Journeys. I'm excited about the Crochet 101 Journey. I know how to crochet but I need more structure and I have never learned how to properly read crochet patterns.

Of course, you don't have to take any series. You can watch any of the 1,000s of videos that you want. According to Aly, with the Unlimited Plus subscription, you can download 1 lesson a month to keep forever.

Have a Happy Creative Day! 

Learn creative skills, Learn to create, You can create, Living the creative life, I want to make things

Happy Creative Weekend!

 

What will you create this weekend? It's time to try something new. Use a different medium or try a different technique. Step forward and do what you've been planning to do! You can create. 

Maybe you have already but have been dragging your feet on new projects. Maybe you've always wanted to create but have never thought that you could. Well, you can. All it takes is being determined to start.

Creativity adds fun, light and excitement to life and it is fulfilling.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CREATIVE WEEKEND! Step out and do!

nomoreprocrastination nomorecouchpotato nomoreslacking createyourworld

Simple Wedding Planner

My first Forever Romantic Wedding Plan Printable Pkgs design called Two Exotics are available in my Etsy shop to help you plan a simple wedding.

They are for the bride who wants a casual marriage that she plans herself and where her and her groom foot the cost. She wants something simple, easy and uncomplicated that will help her to plan the marriage event of her dreams. 

 

She doesn't need a 150-page planner or any of the other massive pkgs that are being offered. She will do just fine with my under-32-page simple wedding planning checklists and planning pages. She has her choice of pkg sizes. The micro planner is only 17 pages!

It took a lot of effort and days of work to create these easy wedding planning guides. I am proud that I stuck with it and saw them through to completion.

I designed them in Modest (31 pg), Mini (22 pg) and Micro (17 pg) planner pkgs. I wanted to offer something more simple and easy than the 50, 100 and 150-pg pkgs that are being sold. 

Two Exotics is my first theme, created with my floral blossoms designs using Affinity Designer & Publisher. This pkg is the template for more themes that I'll be creating.

 

The themes are not how the wedding needs to be styled. They are just colorful, inspiring designs for the bride to look at as she plans her wedding. The pkgs are guide sheets for her to use as she designs the wedding style that she prefers.

See more details about my 3 printable pkgs here:

 

Forever Romantic Wedding Pkgs at Printaphoria

My casual wedding planning pkgs are just what you, the DIY bride, needs to plan a low-keyed, laid-back event. Forever Romantic Wedding Plan Printables will assist you in organizing your thoughts to pull off your marvelous event exactly as you desire.

I will be adding other romantic-themed printables to motivate, inspire and celebrate romance and love before and after marriage. 

Upcoming pkg design: White Country Church.

printaphoria.etsy.com

Modest Wedding Planning Printable, Exotic Wedding Planner, Printaphoria Shop, How To Plan Your Own Wedding 

How Is Blogging Useful For Promoting My Business?

I've had my two blogs at Google's Blogger since 2006. They used to call the blogs Blogspots. I bought my own domains for each a few years ago. I pay $12 per year each. I was following 126 blogs over the years. I found recently that most had stopped blogging around 2015, with a handful blogging up to 2017. 

I unfollowed those, ending up with 6 blogs and 2 of those are mine. So, it does seem that blogging is virtually dead in the handmades and creative community. There are, however, still creatives who have tossed around the idea of blogging. They are wondering today if they should start blogging. I will share my thoughts on this valuable marketing tool.

Blogging is work, especially if you care about the format of the posts and adding images. If you're blogging for joy, you'll keep at it. Being able to see statistics of who's visiting your blog may inspire you to continue. It can also discourage you if you only see a few people visiting every few months. The same with blogging for interaction from readers or to make money through monetizing. 

I don't care for most of the affiliate advertising that is available. I tried Amazon Affiliate Marketing for a short time but I did not have enough traffic so it didn't work out. I tried affiliate marketing through a couple of book sites like Abe Books, Alibris and Thrift Books. 

I just didn't take to it and I'm not a trendy, popular online influencer. I can't remember exactly which book affiliate I used, because it was so long ago. It's not easy generating comments and an income through blogging. I think that's why many who have those goals give up on blogging but a blog can be used in other ways. 

A blog can be useful for a number of reasons other than affiliate marketing. If you discover ways to use it to further your interests or brand, you'll keep blogging. I appreciate blogging because it's a place where you can say whatever you want, how you want and as often as you want. You can market yourself as often as you want and in whatever way you want. 

Unlike marketing on social media and other marketing platforms, no one will tell you what you can't do when you do it from your blog. You can use the SEO that you want to use. When blogging to market your products and services, you can share as many images as you want. Your product descriptions can be as long or as detailed as you want them to be. 

Most of all, you can add as many links in your blogs posts as you see fit. There are no annoying restrictions or constrictions. As long as you follow the TOS of the blogging platform that you are using, you are free to market yourself through the blog however you see fit. 

Though my creative friends and many others have fallen by the wayside in their blogging, I am so glad that I have not. I can't think of a single creative whose blog I enjoyed and was inspired by who is still blogging. Writing your own blog is a fun way to promote yourself and your brands! It can be very effective if you stick with it and learn how to use it to your benefit. At this writing, you can still do it for free at some sites and even still buy low-cost domains.

Substack (Substack helps anyone set up a blog and email newsletter. No tech knowledge is required. It’s free to get started on Substack.)

Blogger (recently sold their Blogger platform to Squarespace and I'm still here waiting to see what changes Squarespace makes over time)

Yola (2 websites with 2 pages each for free plan, have to design your own website through their templates and drag and drop)

Wix (unfortunately, only a 14-day free trial, have to design your own website through their templates and drag and drop)

Weebly (have to design your own website through their templates and drag and drop)

Patchwork Bottles: A Dramatic Decor Craft

 

I had thrown so many bottles away that I put my foot down and declared I'm going to find a quick, decorative technique so that I can salvage these bottles!

 

I like working with glass because of its sparkling transparency. Even when covered up, as I've done with these bottles, it's still exciting to feel the heftiness of the glass in my hands.

Ways to decorate a bottle.

I decided on a freeform, patchwork design. Before I chose my papers, I decided on color schemes of:

• whites/creams/silvers for the 1st bottle,
• pinks/mauves/fuchsias for the 2nd,
• and golds/silvers/cremes/whites for the 3rd.

I tore up a supply of various papers, keeping them close to similar sizes by layering them before tearing. It was easy to apply glue to each piece and stick it to the bottle. The challenge was choosing each piece so that the same designs and colors were not bunched up together.

Since paper crafting is my first love, I have a huge stock of scrap papers that makes it easy to arrange color schemes. I loved using foils/metallics. Some of them, especially the fuchsias, are actually salvaged candy/gum wrappers! I scavenge papers from anywhere and anything. Metallic papers can be pulled from the envelope liners of greeting cards that we receive.


Deciding in what design to place the papers can be challenging and a reason for procrastination. I decided that for every 5 papers that I glued down I would place one of the darkest colors.

Another thing that helps with your pattern design is that you don’t have to glue in a certain direction. Each piece of paper can be glued up, down, left or right in line with what was placed last. This gives a lot of leeway in balancing the colors and sizes in the placement of the paper pieces.


I started at the bottom gluing papers and worked my way around and up to the top of each bottle. Once finished, I painted each bottle with a matte sealer. You can use a matte or gloss medium, one of the Modge Podge or Decorart brands of sealers or white PVC glue. It depends on how durable you want your bottles to be and where you plan to display them. Outside or in moist areas will require a sealer that can protect against that.


I decided to add another fav medium, craft wire, to the largest bottle. It’s really easy. Most important is not to cut a length of wire first. Just wrap and twist with a pliers, wrap and twist while unwinding the wire from the roll.

You then won’t end up with a too short piece or extra that you have to clip off and store. If you precut a piece and it runs short, you could easily join another piece and twist carefully to hide the join.

I chose a golden wire and twisted a design with wire pliers, making sure to add a twist each time the wire passed each side of the bottle. When I finished, I crimped each end of the wire back onto itself, hiding the ends and securing them.

I painted and embellished a wooden ball for the top of one bottle, attaching it securely with tacky glue.

I kept the black, plastic, twist-on cap on the silvery bottle, decoupaging it with silver paper. I then formed a sculptural design on top of that cap with another piece of the silver paper drenched in glue.

I really like my design of the cork stopper for the gold and silver bottle. I painted it white and added a spiral design with a metallic gold paint pen.

I securely glued it into the top of the bottle with tacky glue. I had decoupaged gold metallic, textured paper around and into the bottle opening. This helped to secure the cork inside.

 

I created a sculptural topper for the bottle cork out of reclaimed metal, wire and beads. The metal disk had a metal post on it (it was part of an old pierced earring), which I stuck into a glue-filled hole in the cork.

Paper patchwork.

I like my work to be finished on all surfaces, so I cut and glued coordinated craft felt to the bottom of each bottle. It helps keep them from sliding off of shelves and protects surfaces.

Bottle decoration ideas.

The most time-consuming part of this technique is, of course, designing the paper patchwork design. Once you get started it goes very quickly.


I like looking at these bottles. They dress up any table or shelf with a pretty flash of creativity. Get busy!

Make your creative flash today!

Happy Creative Monday: Trading Changes For Freedom

I've been making changes in my creative life right and left. Once you get started, the burdens just keep rolling off and away. We never know how much something was a burden until it's gone. We're always convincing ourselves that life must go on as is.

It's easier to stay burdened than to make changes towards a freedom that we can't or won't see that we need. It doesn't take much convincing for us to believe that we need everything that we have in our lives.

Monday is a good day to evaluate what burdens we may have that need to be shaken off, what new freedoms we need to embrace. HAPPY MONDAY!