Monday, August 25, 2008

What next? You tell me: Reader poll and GIVEAWAY

I'm eager to find my next handmade project idea. My sister has suggested I make either custom tags for cat collars or custom cat charms for charm bracelets. Both of these sound like fun, but I'd like to gather my ideas from a wider pool.

So here's the deal: you leave a comment with your honest opinion on the kind of item you'd be most likely to buy with a PurrPrints design on it, and whether you'd want it for yourself or as a gift to someone else. Pretty pretty please don't offer generic "I've seen people do well selling this" kinda suggestions; I'd much rather know what you'd really want (don't worry, I absolutely SWEAR I will not leave personal messages for any of you suggesting you buy it if I implement your idea).

In exchange for your help with my "market research" you'll be entered in my giveaway for a FREE PRINT of your choice (any size from ACEO to 8 x 10, any design). You can enter a second time by posting about this giveaway with a link back to my post (don't forget to leave a comment with the url where I can find your post so I know to enter you twice!).

The contest will run until midnight Sept. 15th; I'll announce the winner on my blog Sept. 16th. If I get over 10 entrants I'll also be awarding 2nd and 3rd place prizes (ACEO or 200 EC credits, your choice).

Ideas to consider: charms/charm bracelet, cat tags, cat toys, journal/notebook, bookmark, calendar, clothes (specify kind), bags/purses, keychain, stickers, buttons, painted coiled rope bowls, original art in ___ price range, anything in ___ price range, or other (please specify).

Don't forget--my RME contest is unending and offers a $10 PurrPrints gift certificate to every entrant--you can't get better odds than that! (On the downside, if you're already an RME member or don't have U.S. bank account you can't enter--sorry)

23 bits of commenty goodness:

Blackfeatherfarm said... 8/25/08, 1:15 AM

Your items are areally very charming, best of luck in your sales !

Anonymous said... 8/25/08, 1:17 AM

I'd like to see some holiday cat cards, ... perhaps? I love the floppy cats btw.

Anonymous said... 8/25/08, 2:24 AM

Cell phone charms! I love them!

Anonymous said... 8/25/08, 2:27 AM

Oh, and I'll check out the RME thing in the morning. I'm just about to go to sleep now. Sounds interesting though. I just went and read about it really quickly.

Art for Hair said... 8/25/08, 9:48 AM

I think bags/purses would be great, and charms for bracelets. I love the new pendants!

Ailurophile said... 8/25/08, 3:13 PM

I also think your items are all very pretty...I was thinking..how about a pendant with the face or form of a tiger with a message like 'Save the Tiger' or something (dunno if you design such stuff though)..it might help raise awareness as people walk around wearing them...good luck anyway :)

ThreadBeaur said... 8/25/08, 3:45 PM

Your shop is really cute. Your prints are great. I would like a cat dish with one of your prints!

I also use RME and love it! I hope more buyers sign up for it!

ABrushWithHumor said... 8/25/08, 6:00 PM

OK, so here's my idea -
I love your pendants and I like to get matching things when I shop for cute jewelry like that so I was thinking you could make a bracelet that matches Smedley except it would have 3 square bamboo pieces in a line with small smedleys (in differnet poses) on each on them. Same silk cord of course.

Oh, and could you go here and vote for me: http://etsychallenge.blogspot.com/ (I'm in the 3D category)

Robin

Katie L. said... 8/26/08, 12:50 AM

You need to put your designs onto clothing! They would be way cute on vintagey colored tshirts! Plus, it's so easu to do. Coastal Business has some great transfer paper (SoftJet or something like that, it's stretchable) You really should try it, some in the middle, some designs that are longer and larger could be put on the bottom left, there's all sorts of things you can do :)
Thanks for the chance!
Katie Lyons
babylyons *at* live *dot* com

Ivanhoe said... 8/26/08, 8:48 AM

I think the cat collar tag is a great idea. How about return address labels with kitty design?
Good luck :o)

Chat Blanc said... 8/26/08, 2:12 PM

I love custom address labels and stamps, and they'd be super cute with your designs. Also I use a kitty decorated plastic mat under my cat's food and water dish and would love to see one you've designed. The one I have now needs to be replaced.

BeadedTail said... 8/26/08, 4:56 PM

I love bookmarks, journals and bags so would like to see your designs on those.

Deb DiSalvo said... 8/27/08, 3:47 PM

OK....love the idea of a cat collar tag - would definately get one for my kitty - maybe metal ones in the shape of the cat in your avatr with the Cat's name and info on back?

Just my input. I also like the return address suggestion and putting your pictures on shirts.

Cheers,
Deb

S. A. Hart said... 8/27/08, 8:17 PM

I'd love to see some "covers" for moleskins. While the sketchpad/books already come with undetachable covers, it'd be nice to see something like an old-fashioned bookcover for a moleskin book.

Lisa Brawner said... 8/29/08, 5:15 PM

I would love journals with cats . I love to give them as gifts and to have on hand if i want to write in my journal. I also would love to see halloween and thanksgiving cards with the cats on them also.

Anonymous said... 8/29/08, 11:49 PM

I think cat charms would be totally cool,especially custom with names. I know a few people who would fill a whole bracelet with their babies!!
cyclona66@aol.com

Annette Tait said... 9/1/08, 10:43 AM

I think your tall, slim and eyecatching silvery cats would look great as bookmarks.
They have a wonderful graphic design centre - very simple yet unique (trees, waves, other cats) and you could keep the outside shape the same for each bookmark, but change the design inside the cat.
See which design is more popular and try out new designs (the most popular ones to be sold in larger print form).
I would have a hand drawn metallic ink probably outlining the silvery coloured cat, gold or silver, and a simple one colour inside. I would leave the background a plain colour but the colour could be varied to match with the graphic design. eg waves design + blue background, tree + ochre background (bg).
I would also put a rich quality type of tassle/opulent ribbon on the top and probably try to laminate or coat the bookmark.
I would use a complimentary colour to blend in with the bg, and make the cat stand out, eg tree + ochre bg + taupe coloured velvet ribbon/silky tassle.
Don't forget to put your etsy site on the back and your conatct details. Maybe even a little ditty/poem/cat fact eg silvery wave cats love huge frothy breakers on stormy days...
Hope you like my idea! thank you
(and if you have time have a look at my entry for the 350.org contest - it is the Every Blade of Grass Matters
http://www.craftster.org/350/voting/index.php?contest=craft)

Squidgeaboo said... 9/4/08, 5:16 PM

Charms! Charms! Charms! I'd love to have one of your glazed pendants as a purse charm... Maybe we should co-conspire?

Unknown said... 9/5/08, 10:49 PM

I like the charms idea - you can use charms for crafts including jewelry, scrabooking, general crafts, etc

CanCan said... 9/7/08, 10:39 PM

I like the sleepy cat necklace.

Do you have the ability to create note cards, like stationary? I have been on a personalized note cards kick lately.

onlycancan at hotmail dot com

x said... 9/9/08, 5:11 AM

It would be nice to see an example of the two choices. =)

I'll give you two opinions. One is one what I think someone will like and the other is derived from numbers. =)

I'm allergic to cats, but my sister has like 5 of them. She loves them! I think that she would really like having a collar with a cool charm in it for them. Something cool that she can't buy anywhere else. =)

Second....I did a search for bracelet on Etsy and over 5000 pages came up. I did a search for collar and 300 came up. Only 41 pages came up for cat collar. =) I think that there is HUGE competition in jewlery on Etsy and that having a cool, unique product would be more benificial. =)

Smiles,
Kathy

kathymartinstudio@yahoo.com

kathymartinstudio.blogspot.com

HerAnatomy said... 9/10/08, 5:16 PM

i didn't feel liek reading through everyone's so i don't know if this could be said.

I think your designs should be put onto cat/any animal food/water bowls. maybe just painted onto ceramic bowls or saucers.

also, i think you should expand the paper idea, and put it onto stationary, address labels, sticky notes, etc.

I think your cats are cute!

Overthemoon43@yahoo.com

Samantha said... 9/11/08, 2:45 AM

More Magnets and Cards.
Buttons too? I'd like to see buttons.
Stickers! I really like stickers in general..so I think that would be good!
How about tags/mini notes/mini cards! :)

abbydonkraftwerks@gmail.com