“I suppose at some point, whether in real life or online, it is good to shake things up, travel to new places, meet new people, and get fresh input.”

I totally agree with this!!!!!! You have to do something different to learn something new or get a new perspective. You can even do something as small as taking a different route to work so you are exposed to new sceneries. That can give a person some creative thoughts. Expose yourself to different people, cultures, even foods.

I am just now reading this post….I love the Interent..the blogging world etc. For me, it has certainly expanded my creative ways and even pushed me to pursue my path in designing jewelry and silversmithing and other things!! I learn so much from people’s sites and am so inspired by them and they don’t even know it.

I worry that this also creates a culture where we’re all trying to get everything from each other – friendship AND sales, conversation AND target markets. It’s so interesting to me that Etsy.com refers to site features like its forums and Hearts as “Marketing Tools.” In reality, these are ways to connect with other sellers – not ways to reach the vast market that lies outside our community.

It’s a challenging place to be, because crafters have never before had such rich opportunities to connect with like-minded souls. I’m thankful for it every day. But at the same, time, my business won’t grow if I don’t step outside that warm, cheery, and very-well-decorated comfort zone.

Thanks for this discussion! Looking forward to your Part 2 post!

I like the idea of checking out blogs and communities that are outside of the “etsy world” (for lack of a better term). I am going to keep this in mind and challenge myself to stretch a little in this area.

Thanks for all of the stimulating posts!
-Kristen

I think it’s natural to attract and be attracted to folks who you can connect with – similar interests and such. But I’ve found myself getting pulled along the trends as well, which is probably not that good for creativity. At least, it shouldn’t be the major part of it…in fact, a bit of real isolation in the studio is really the most eye-opening time for most creatives. Then you can bounce it all off your peers and keep going in and out of connection…but I still think the real isolation times should be the majority of time spent…for me anyway…

i do hear what you are saying about “preaching to the choir”, i am starting to believe that most of my sales on etsy is going to artists. my challenge is to sell to more “civilians”. try and get them out of the malls and away from the box stores.

they must be saved!

i’m getting up the nerve, and inventory, to go wholesale in a couple of brick and mortar shops…we shall see!

keep up with the fab questions, you’re on the right track

Some years ago I was just doing my own thing at home, found my knit ideas from books and magazines (because that’s what my mother – amazing knitter – always did.
And then I discovered Etsy. Tons of new ideas, inspiration, fantastic people with even more fantastic works. And I learned I can do things differently. That I’m talented enough for creating myself, not just following the turorials from another knitting book.
You can’t imagine how much my lafe has changed after coming online with my craft like.
I agree with Artmind: sometimes it is god to draw back, but finding the balance is most important.

You certainly know the way to get the brain thinking!
A few year’s back, I felt very isolated in the ‘real’ world, having a ‘real’ job and doing the ‘real’ thing. Suffocated in all that you are supposed to do…
Then things changed and I found myself in this virtual community that lifted all my spirits and helped me breathe again.
When I look back on that period, it has had a big impact on who I am today: I feel happier, more content and richer then ever.
I do agree that it’s good to draw back from virtual life from time to time but virtual life also energizes and now it’s just about finding the right balance.

Thanks for showing off my ‘isolated’ feeling too!

Mitsy