Wednesday, October 20, 2010

What's in a name?



It all started innocently enough.  I saw the beautiful antique grain sack pillows out in Blogland and swooned.  I bought one.  It was even more wonderful in person.  Being given to excess as I am, one simply wasn't enough.  I searched out my own grainsacks.  I found a couple with my very own initials.  How could I resist?  While I was at it, I found even more truly wonderful sacks.  You know you save on shipping if you buy more than one thing, right?  Yeah...so now it seems I am, at least for a time, in the antique grain sack pillow business.  I have been keeping my sewing machine running since August as time has permitted and now have all of these divine pillows with a few more yet to be made.  How to sell them...hmmmmm....BFF bought two before they were even finished.  She is my greatest supporter. Thanks Heather!  I sell antiques and mosaics on a website, Our Cottage Garden.  Somehow, the pillows didn't seem to fit the look over there.  I said to myself, "Self, you could open an Etsy shop.  Lots of bloggers have Etsy shops, why not you?"  OK, I am not a newbie to online selling, I can do this.  What do I call it?  When you have 5 million shops, you need a name that is catchy, not hard to remember, and somehow gives an idea of the feeling of the items you sell.  My blog name is French Laundry, that would be a logical choice.  But the grain sacks are German.  And the feeling I get when I look at them is more rustic and simple than the feeling I get when I think French Laundry.    You can't change your user name once you select it on Etsy, so you want to choose wisely.  You can make your shop name anything you want, but the guides tell you that it is confusing if you have a different user name than your shop name.  Certainly don't want to start out behind the curve.  "Farmhouse" comes to mind,  but with a refined touch. Thinking ahead, I'd like to offer antique white ironstone, cool metal pieces, and, of course, THE PILLOWS.  After more pondering and head scratching and agonizing (come on, you know you would do the same thing....you wouldn't be reading decorating blogs and artistic blogs if you didn't have a "thing" for details), I decided on.......TA DA!




This is the banner I designed. I won't even start on how much I had to agonize over that...I mean, do you know how many fonts there are?  Does anyone else feel like the font choice is a critical piece to anything you do?  OK, maybe that's just my OCD thing.  Then the pictures...well, suffice it to say that it took a while.   The banner may change down the road, but for now, I'm pleased.  I hope you will stop by and check out the shop.  I will be adding more pillows soon as well as some other things, hopefully over the weekend.  Thanks for all of the positive comments on my new look.  I really appreciate it.  You guys are such great encouragers.

Until next time,
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11 comments:

  1. Hi Judy,

    How wonderful your new banner is and love the name ~ Elegant Farmhouse.
    The grainsack pillows are fabulous and I look forward to coming to visit.

    Happy Thursday
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  2. Boy howdy girl...when you come back...you don't hold back! I LOVE IT...the name and the new banner. Who wouldn't want to check you out looking all pretty and elegant? You are gonna knock 'em dead in their tracks!
    Debbie

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  3. I wish I'd put as much thought into my shop and blog names. I'd never read blogs when I started, and just kinda pulled something out of the air. I've never really been happy with it, but too late to change now! Yours is just right!!

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  4. Hi Judy! I love the name!! And your shop will be selling all the sorts of things that I love and adore! I wish you great success on your new venture!

    Hugs ~

    :) T

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  5. Judy, it's absolutely perfect. Both the name, as well as the banner. I absolutley love it. Your obsessiveness makes it so that it looks just gorgeous. Wishing you such success with your etsy shop. xoxo Lidy

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  6. Great name! And, yes, the font is crucial in any design. I think you chose one that captures the essence of what you do. Best wishes on your new venture!! :)

    Amy

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  7. Perfect name - congratulations! Thanks so much for stopping by. It's great to see you back and I'm very excited about your new venture.

    xo
    Claudia

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  8. I just stumbled upon your blog. I ADORE the banner you made. Did you make it with Picasa? I've been working trying to make one there, but not having a lot of luck with just one row like you achieved. When I put in collage and grid, it seems to always make it the wrong number of rows when I want it one row like yours. You did a fantastic job!
    Brenda

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  9. Such wonderful news! The pillows are great and I also love the name you chose and your banner. You are off to a fabulous start. Best wishes!

    ~jermaine

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  10. Now I shall have to go over and check out your Grain Sack pillows... could be yet another obsession with me too... one could NEVER be enough of anything... NEVER! *Smiles* Love the Name and the banner, your agonizing over it and attention to details has made the results truly special.

    Dawn... The Bohemian

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  11. Love it, Judy.
    I am with you on the fonts out there and the OCD.
    Happy weekend!
    xo~Tracie

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Thank you for stopping by my blog. I love reading your comments.