Top 6 Apps I Use For My Business

Here's a quick list of apps that I use everyday for my business. I'll give a brief description of each and touch on what I like specifically. Some of these are pretty standard and some of these I've mentioned before in other blog posts. Some of these apps are available on both smartphones and tablets, some are not. For simplicity's sake, I use these apps on my Android phone exclusively therefore I will include links to each app from the Play Store.

6. Kies Air by Samsung Electronics

If you have an Android phone, then you'll need to have this app in order to share files on your phone and computer with each other. I like the Air version best because I don't have to connect my phone to the laptop and wait forever to be able to save pictures onto my laptop. Everything is organized as it is on your phone, so navigating is simple. I take most of my photos with my phone since the camera is really boss, so this makes things more convenient for me.

5. Pages Manager by Facebook

I run a business page on Facebook and a lot of the time I'm trying to share content from my phone. This allows me to keep track of how my page is doing when I'm not near my laptop. I can fulfill orders easier, communicate with customers easier, and post photos of WIPs and finished products directly.

4. USPS Mobile by the United States Postal Service

This is great for when people don't give their full nine digit zip code when placing an order. A lot of people aren't aware that they need the extra four digits when shipping something, but alas, you do. It makes things simpler for the post officers to organize the massive amounts of mail they receive daily and pin point the exact location of your address. It gets especially more necessary when shipping to a customer living in an apartment complex. Really, this is more for helping the post office than myself, but I do use this app a LOT!

Aside from finding the extra four digits, I calculate shipping rates very frequently. With the steady increase in international shipping, this helps me prepare for what I should expect when paying for the shipping.

3. Time Sheet by Florian Rauscha 

I love this app so much that I made a special blog post for it. Just to reiterate, I enjoy being able to keep track of my progress on how quickly I create an item. Also, it gives me an idea of how much I should charge for my time.

2. The Official Etsy App by Etsy, Inc

This one's a no-brainer. If you have an Etsy shop, you need the Etsy app. I can relist items, create new listings, look at other listings - the works. It has a very simple page setup that helps you keep track of new favorites and likes, sales, and how much money you've profited without having to swipe a lot or jump between pages. Plus, there is a very satisfying *cha-ching* sound every time you sell an item.

1. PayPal Here by PayPal Mobile

I sell at a lot of conventions and farmer's markets. More and more people are now coming to expect local artisans to accept credit cards at their booths and tables. Be prepared to have either the PayPal Here or the Squared Up apps. Both are relatively the same. They charge the same percentage from every transaction and have virtually identical accepted forms of payment and policies. The only main difference is that the PayPal credit card app accepts PayPal payments as far as I know.

New Photos!

The photo shoot was a success! I finally had a chance to get out and take a few pictures. My friend took the pictures and I modeled. It was still kinda wet outside, but it was a beautiful day for taking photos. This is just a taste of what I did. I have more photos on my Facebook and Deviant Art. 

www.facebook.com/magicineverystitch

www.branxnia.deviantart.com

Zombie Prom!

I will be selling my wares at the Zombie Prom in association with Indie South Fair. I can't wait! I've been making a lot of Valentine's Day things and hats for guys and gals in preparation for this event. I need to finish a lot of things before hand so I hope I get it all finished in time.

During December I sold a lot of Jayne Hats from Firefly. January I sold a Dr. Who scarf and so far this month I've sold four Harry Potter House scarves. Therefore, February is the month of Potter!

Ravenclaw seems to be the most popular of the four houses. Gryffindor is the second, with Slytherin third and Hufflepuff fourth. I've been thinking about making separate listings for each house and then the alternate first movie edition. I've been making these things for years I just haven't made the listings. 

I know I sound like a broken record when I say this, but I really, really, really need to do a new photo shoot for Etsy, Deviant Art, Ravelry, Facebook and here. I feel like my business could be doing better if I had better photos up. It seems like every chance I get to actually take the pictures it's always raining, foggy, or the people who said that they would help can't. 

Indoor Photoshoot

I really, really don't like doing indoor photoshoots, but I am in desperate need of getting new listings on my Etsy shop. My room is completely filled with things that I've made for AWA. I was going to sell at Momocon, but they only have 40 tables this year and they've already filled up.

I heard that a lot of people were rejected without their work even being juried. That's lazy and unprofessional on Momocon's part. How can you insure the best art for the costumers if you just take the first few people that sign up and leave it at that. There are many talented artists out there who deserve to sell in the artist alley. *cough*me and Amber*cough* (We'll also include one of my Lolita friends Ashley in that cough because she makes the cutest jewelry.)

Anyhoo, I need to order more bronze findings to finish up the more "Steampunk" chokers. I won't call them Steampunk just because they have bronze findings, but whenever I tag them on a listing I will include Steampunk. Maybe one day I'll branch off into making more appropriate Steampunk chokers.

My Etsy shop is up to 79 sales now! I'm so excited! This Jayne hat sale was a great idea. I've been making a ridiculous amount of these hats, sure, but I've been able to afford food and more yarn. :D I think my next sale will be those Elf styled hats that are really long and striped. Usually they are $55 but I think I'll try to sell them for $40 for a month. Each month I'll try to have a new sale going on. I'm sure people are waiting for those Dr. Who scarves to go on sale, but we'll see. ;P

There was some super cute yarn with shiny silver wrapped around it so I had to buy one of each color. I bought black, purple, pink and teal. I plan to make two hats with each color; a "college hat" and a cabled slouchy hat. I've already tried this out with the black and there is just enough yarn to make two hats with the two patterns that I've picked out.

Fall is here!

Fall is my favorite season. Pumpkins, turkey, Halloween, leaves changing color, cider, and sweaters. It's the time of year when it isn't too hot or too cold out. I can go outside wearing a cable knitted hat without having to wear a bulky winter jacket. I can get away with wearing my fingerless gloves and scarves without looking out of place. I can kick beautiful gold, red, and orange colored leaves up as I take a stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy a relaxing cider outside while reading a book. Fall is the best season.

It's also the craziest. As soon as the calendar read October 1, my Etsy shop BLEW up! In the past week I have sold four Jayne Cobb hats, a Dr. Who scarf, a Tardis hat and a Knives Chau scarf. Not to mention what I sold at AWA.

I'm still recovering from Con Crud and I need to get all of this stuff done. I have to have a photo shoot sometime soon to get all of my fall stuff listed. The Dr. Who scarf has to be finished and out the door by next week and I still have a million Jayne hats and chokers to make.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Cables Everywhere!

I've been going crazy with new berets featuring elegant cables and warm Autumn colors. Expect to see some really gorgeous hats on my Etsy as soon as I can do a photo shoot.

Right now I'm working on a fierce new "Pumpkin Spice" line of products. I'm using a super soft and super warm orange fiber to create beautiful coffee mug cozies and hats. I can't wait to get some pics of these new items. It makes me want to drink some pumpkin spice cider or coffee.

I'm definitely excited for this Autumn. It's been way too hot outside! I just want to throw on a comfy sweater and curl up on the outside furniture so I can feel the cool breeze on my face. Book and cider also a must.

Skeleton Cameos A Plenty!

I've been going nuts with creating things with skeleton cameos. I'm falling in love with making chokers. I just ordered some more of these resin cabochons in a plethora of colors. I'm going to use the smaller ones to glue onto my rose hair clips. I can't wait to get a chance to play with the new colors.

I've been preparing for AWA for a few months now and I've just now got around to making some chokers for the show. It just seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. I've been trying to take it easy though so I don't get too many muscle pains.

I need to try to schedule another photo shoot sometime this week. I've been making a lot of new hats. I just finished a gorgeous lime green beret with a lace pattern in 100% wool. I don't get to use wool very often, but it's always a treat when I do. I can't wait to get pictures that can do these accessories justice instead of these poorly lit camera phone pics.