For anyone selling on an online marketplace like Artfire, the listing serves as both pitch and showcase. It can make or break a sale. Here are 7 ideas on writing to help you write a great listing that sells:

PREPARE

• Before starting, write down a list of product features and benefits. For example, “The light-weight material on this dress is perfect for summer.”
• Ask yourself what someone who wants to buy items will type into a search bar. Write down some common phrases they may use. This will help you prepare for SEO.

ENTICE

• For the sellers depending on Google for traffic, the title and snippet is what causes buyers to click. Titles are where your pitch begins:
• Be descriptive to increase your chances of reaching the right buyer and let them know what to expect. Include details that will help a buyer know if the item if right for them, such as the most important features, scent or size. For example, “Hand-crocheted baby hat with pompoms – White”
• Be succinct so your entire title shows up on Google and to increase the chances of social media shares. Keep in mind that Google only shows the first ~70 characters of a listing title and Twitter has a character limit of 140. Artfire automatically adds “[studio] – [category] on Artfire” at the end of all listing titles, which bumps up character count.
• Use the Google Adwords Tool to find out what buyers are searching for. I recommend going for the low-competition keywords to increase your chances of showing up on the front page.

SHOW

• Once a prospective customer has clicked on a listing or done a search on Artfire, pictures serve as the best attention-grabbers.
• Professional images are vital to selling online- a customer can’t touch, smell or try your product, so pictures are key to getting a sale. Use up at least 5 of Artfire’s picture slots to show various angles.
• Have a look at Nosh’s article on macro photography and Sara’s photography guide to improve your photography skills.
• Natural light is best, though homemade lightboxes can be easily assembled.

DESCRIBE

• Anticipate any questions the customer might have and answer them in your listing descriptions. Not many people will take the trouble to contact the seller and wait for a reply, so an incomplete description can lead to a lost sale.
• List features like size and color. Add the materials used- many handmade buyers are conscious about what goes into their purchases and some may even be allergic.
• Write for Google too. Have your description be at least 250 words and check the Google Adwords Tool for low-competition keywords you can use.

HUMANIZE

• Many handmade buyers purchase from Artfire for the experience and the chance to support small businesses. Humanize yourself in your listing description and let your passion shine.
• Avoid the passive voice. Instead of saying “this plate was hand glazed,” say “I carefully hand glaze and fire each piece to create plates that are one of a kind.”

REASSURE

• Many of the people looking at your listing will be first-time buyers. It’s common to be doubtful when purchasing from a new store, especially when the products can only be seen on a screen.
• Reassure buyers by fleshing out your Artfire studio — fill out your Policies and Bio; many customers won’t buy unless they know what your return policy is.

STAY PRECISE

• Many people won’t read an entire listing these days. Keep your description to the point and avoid unnecessary wordiness. If it’s long, make use of short paragraphs and subheadings.
• Consider the use of a bulleted list if your product has a lot of features.
• Once you’re done writing, check if it can be easily skimmed.

VARY

• Vary your listing titles, pictures and description across listings to reach as many prospective buyers as possible.
• Google regards repetition as spam, so targeting different keywords in different listings can make sure you show up on as many searches as possible.

Author Bio: Blaire Windsor is a handmade enthusiast and small business supporter who left the corporate world to write.

 

She blogs about turning craft to business at Dirtsy.

 

You can find her on Google+ here.

In the world of homegrown vegetables, the tomato is king. Sweet, pungent, robust and juicy, this garden delight is a far cry from its lackluster supermarket counterpart. To enjoy the very best tomatoes all season long all you will need is a few supplies, some helpful tips and a love for this delicious and versatile fruit.

For Seedlings:

Soilless potting soil, small pots, tomato seeds, and recycled plastic produce bags

For Garden:

Black plastic, mulch, and stakes or other supports

Germination:

When you are planting seeds, don’t overcrowd them; they need room to flourish. As soon as the true leaves emerge (see below), the seedlings need to be transplanted—ideally to containers at least 4 inches deep, giving the roots room to grow.

To avoid the potential weed seeds and diseases that soil often contains, use a soilless potting mix, which is primarily sphagnum peat moss. Don’t pack too much potting soil in the containers; fill about two-thirds. Hand-sift the potting mix to remove lumps and add water so that it is moist but not wet. (Note that some seeds such as parsley or lavender might need soaking or chilling, so check the seed packet for special directions.)

Plant approximately three seeds in each container, sprinkling the small seeds on the surface but sticking larger seeds under the surface. Cover the small seeds with a little more potting mix and water again. Likewise, give the larger seeds a little more water, too.

Make your own mini-greenhouse by putting the seedling containers in a plastic bag or under a sheet of plastic. Make sure that air can get in and circulate to avoid mold issues. A good spot for germinating seedlings is on top of the fridge—seeds like a warm, draftless environment.

The first two leaves that emerge are actually cotyledons, part of the seed itself. When the true leaves emerge, remove the seedlings from plastic and put them in direct sunlight or under a fluorescent grow light for 12 to 18 hours a day, keeping them moist and warm. When the true leaves appear, it’s time to give the potting soil some nutrients, so add a little fertilizer to the pots. If more than one seedling has germinated in a pot, either separate the seedlings into different pots or remove all except the strongest seedling. Hard to do, I know!

A recipe for turning your homegrown tomatoes into the perfect sauce…

Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
15 to 20 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, pureed, or 1–2 large (28-ounce) cans of pureed tomatoes
salt and pepper
fresh or dried herbs

Heat oil over medium heat and add onion. Sauté until soft. Add garlic, carrot and celery and sauté until soft.

Add pureed tomato and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes without a lid, or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh or dried herbs. Remember: dried herbs will be more powerful than fresh ones! Use sparingly and taste test often.

If you’re feeling extra crafty, try putting some custom labels on your tomato sauce jars! We love these ones in Rococo.

Don’t be surprised if after one summer you become hooked to the superior taste of  homegrown tomatoes and look forward to the process year after year. Far from a chore, growing your own tomatoes is a relatively hands-off but satisfying way to put delicious homemade food on your table and provide a gratifying, stress-relieving outlet. Happy growing!

Black, Red, and White

Courtesy of Home Klondike

There’s something very appealing for me about this simplistic style of wrapping gifts. The design is very classy and would make a wonderful presentation for the more mature grown-ups in our lives!

Wooden Wrapping

Courtesy of House to Home

I really like how this wrapping paper looks; it would make for a very rustic presentation! Great for earthy friends or the nature-lovers in your life.

Cloth Wrapping

Courtesy of Huffington Post

The idea of using cloth instead of paper for wrapping gifts is a pretty great one; a lot less mess, and a lot more re-useable! I’m not entirely convinced I could make a present look appealing with cloth; it might take some practice to get the folds and knots just so. But the best part about this gift is that the wrapping goes with it! Great idea for scarves in particular.

Newspaper Art

Courtesy of Tip Junkie

There are a lot of variations of newspaper wrapping, but this one was particularly striking to me.  I really like the idea of dressing up the newspaper into little ribbons and bows, then adding a dash of color.

Crinkle Wrapping

Courtesy of Stylish Eve

This is another idea that has about a million variations, only limited by your imagination.  These could make for a very colorful (and very fancy!) surprise.

Fancy Cans

Courtesy of Inspiration For Home

A great dressed-up can idea! I don’t know exactly what kind of wrapping paper this is, but it looks amazing. There are a lot of other awesome ideas on the Inspiration For Home website, too!

Mother’s Day is May 12th and just around the corner.  It’s time to start prepping a grand gift for your mother if you haven’t already.  And I say it’s not about how  much the gift is, but rather the meaning behind it and how much she will cherish the symbol representing your love and appreciation for her.  With that said, a gift should always reflect the mother.  Be it you have a fashionista mother, a homemaker mother, a working mother etc.  I think it is also good to keep in mind that handmade gifts whether the items is made by you or someone else really makes a gift stand out.

With that in mind, here are a few gift ideas to help you decide on what to get your special mother:

• Start with handmade soaps and go from there.  Any mother is in need of some serious R&R regardless of what she does or how old her children are.  I say, get the soaps au natural of course in fragrances she likes as well as lavender to promote relaxation.  And then, purchase items that can go along with the “theme” of this gift, being relaxation.  A nice, au natural wash cloth, great oils, create a CD with relaxing songs, handmade candles, the list can go on and it’s so much fun.  Everything can have such a great meaning with this gift.
• If you have a busy, on the go mom.  Great items for organizations would be fun.  But, finding handmade items, or creating them yourself can make their day even more special with little items they know they received from you.  Pens/pencils with their names on it, notepads with quotes from you.  You can do so much with this.  And even find a great tote bag with a design you know would make their day:)
• For a fashionista mother I’d say finding unique vintage gifts that no one else will be able to find as a great gift.  Like an amazing handbag, or beautiful earrings.  Maybe getting a few accessories for her to wear to a beautiful dinner out with the kids.  Have someone take the photo of the event and she will cherish those items, that photo and the memories forever.

What type of gifts have you given in the past?  What are your thoughts on creating or buying handmade items for your mother this year?

Guest Blogger: Natasha of Fashionalities

Paper Airplane Love Notes

Paperman – Walt Disney Films

First off, if any of you haven’t seen the above animated short from Disney, stop reading this article, watch it, then continue, and you’ll see exactly why I think these paper airplane love letters are such an adorable idea. Simply print out the template, jot down a note to your sweetheart, fold up the plane, and send your message into flight!

Pull-Out Photo Album

Who doesn’t like couple-y photo booth pictures? I mean really, no couple I’ve ever known has been able to resist putting them on display, and this cute pull-out photo album is a clever alternative to the normal photo strip!

Scratch-Off Valentines

I think the idea of making your own scratch-off Valentine’s Day cards is a fantastic alternative to the cheesy Hallmark cards many people flock to the store to buy every  February 14th. This DIY project not only gives you the template for the cards, but also tells you how to make your own scratch-off material (think metallic acrylic paint and dishwashing liquid). Very cool.

Heart-Shaped Pot Holders

My mom is the type of mom to have a potholder set for every holiday or occasion, and I can’t wait to finish up this super cute Valentine’s Day set for her this year! These heart-shaped potholders will add a little extra love to your kitchen this year, and everything from a supplies list to a template is outlined in the step-by-step tutorial.

Knitted Catnip Hearts

Valentine’s Day doesn’t only have to be for the humans in your life! These adorable little kitty-sized catnip knit hearts from Martha Stewart are a great way to show your feline companions a little love this V-Day, and the instructions are simple and direct for all you knitters out there.

Movie Basket

For those of you planning on a quiet night in this February the 14th, why not add a little romance to the mix by putting together a movie night box? Couple mini bottles of champagne, his or her favorite movie, a “menu” for the evening, and some snacks could make that quiet night in a fun night in as well.

Feather Bouquet

Being someone that thinks flowers can get a little cliche after a while, I love love love the idea of this feather bouquet from Country Living. All you need are some broad white feathers, a glass bottle or mason jar, an ink pad, and some alphabet stamps, and you can send your sweetheart whatever message you’d like in an artistic, creative, and enduring way.

Hanging Bonbon Hearts

These little bonbon-filled hanging hearts would be such a cute way to wake up your little ones this Valentine’s Day. I know I certainly would have been thrilled as a kid to wake up and find candy ready and waiting for me on my door or wall!

Homemade Spice Rubs

Stumped as to what to get your man this Valentine’s Day? Look no further than this awesome homemade spice rub idea from Better Homes and Gardens! Bottling up a yummy jerk or herb rub (and possibly supplying a steak or two) could definitely help set the mood for a romantic V-Day dinner in.

Edit: And the winner is… Congratulations to Sue Andrus! (‏@andrusgardens) She is the winner of the Get Crafty contest! The winning tweet:

“I could have a blast playing with these new supplies found @ArtFire on my new Pinterest board! http://pinterest.com/sueandrus/get-crafty/ #getcrafty”

Maybe you have always been meaning to learn how to paint, try your hand at knitting, or figure out what the big fuss is over scrapbooking? ArtFire wants to help you explore your untapped creative energy! Show us the supplies you need to get started on a new craft project and we’ll cover the cost (up to $200).

Here’s how to participate:

1. Go to Pinterest.com and create a new board titled “Get Crafty”
2. Pin all the supplies you’ll need to get started from the Craft Supplies section of ArtFire.com to your Get Crafty board
3. Let us know your board is up! Tweet a link to your Get Crafty board with the tag #getcrafty

For example, if you want to explore the wild world of handmade jewelry, go to the Jewelry Supplies section on ArtFire.com and pick out the items and tools you will need to get started on your first project. Pin those items to your Get Crafty board, and then tell us all about what you want to learn or make: tweet, post on Facebook, share your board in the ArtFire.com forums!

Anyone who wants to participate has until Wednesday, February 13th at 11:59 PM to create and post to their Pinterest board. After the contest ends, one winner will be selected at random, and announced on Valentine’s Day (Thursday, February 14th). ArtFire.com will contact the winner with instructions on how to claim their free craft supplies. The giveaway value is up to $200. This contest is only open to U.S. residents.

Make sure we hear about your collection of supplies: use the #getcrafty tag on Twitter to let us know your board is up. Spread the word! You can tag @artfire everywhere on Pinterest and Twitter, as well as post about it on the official ArtFire.com Facebook page to tell everyone about your next crafting adventure.

Edit: After seeing the initial response, we are opening up the chance to gain the equivalence of 4 extra entries if you make a blog post anywhere about the Get Crafty giveaway, with a link to your board in the blog post, and then tweet a link to that blog post with the #GetCrafty tag.

In this case, your tweet would look something like this:

“I want to #GetCrafty and learn how to sculpt with polymer clay: http://www.myblog.com/getcraftypost.html“

The link then goes to your blog post about the giveaway with a link to your Get Crafty board on Pinterest, so we can find your items! This is being introduced to give our more enthusiastic participants an extra shot at winning. The original post is updated with this information.

Good luck everyone!

Rules We Have to Get Out of the Way:

• This contest is open to entries from any person from the U.S. unless otherwise prohibited by local law.
• Contest entry will be based on your tweet with the hashtag #getcrafty in your post on Twitter with a link to your Get Crafty board.
• No purchase necessary, purchase will not improve your chances of winning. This contest is void where prohibited. Any entry received from a location where this promotional sweepstakes violates local regulations shall not be considered a valid entry to win.
• No ArtFire account necessary, purchase of an account will not improve your chances of winning, all valid entries will have an equal chance of winning.
• Random.org will be used to select a winner. The winner will be notified via @reply and DM on Twitter, or via the messaging system on ArtFire, and then announced to the community at large.
• The winner is solely responsible for any and all taxes and/or fees and/or any additional costs that may apply to winning this prize depending on their local laws and regulations that are incurred as a result of winning.
• ArtFire employees and family members of employees are not eligible to enter any contests offered by ArtFire. Any entries received from an employee or family member of an employee will be considered an invalid entry.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Valentine’s Day can be a really wonderful excuse to celebrate a relationship, a marriage, or simply everyone in your life that you love! I just think there are much more creative ways out there to show your special someone that you care about them than showing up at their door with a sampler box of cheap chocolate and a bouquet. As the holiday draws nearer, I thought I’d share a few of the more fun ideas I’ve seen for Valentine’s Day dates with all of you!

Indoor Camping

Image courtesy birdybirdynumnum.com

When I was a kid, pillow/blanket forts were a weekly occurrence in my house, and on one glorious occasion, my parents allowed my siblings and I to pitch the family tent in the rec room of our house and have our very own indoor camping experience. Recapturing that sense of fun, adventure, and unconventionality would be such a blast with your partner on Valentine’s Day, don’t you think? Pitch the tent, build a fire in the fireplace, roast marshmallows, snuggle up in your sleeping bag for two…

Dancing Lessons

Image courtesy blogs.courant.com

Learning to dance together is a great way to really connect with your partner, get a good workout, and have a lot of fun all at the same time! If you’re beginners at partner dancing, ballroom or swing might be a good choice, but if you’re both light on your feet, nothing sounds more romantic than spending your Valentine’s Day learning the most romantic dance in the world: the Tango. Online deal sites like Groupon or LivingSocial often offer lesson packages for great prices, so remember to give those a look before you put your dancing shoes on!

Go to a Show

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Image © laviddichterman

Live music is always a fun date night, so why not see if there’s anyone playing you both would love to see in your area on that night? Whether it’s grabbing a couple beers and shoving your way to the front of the crowd at a rock venue, or getting all dolled up to head to the symphony, music could indeed be the food of love for you and your special someone this February 14th.

Catch a Burlesque Show

If you’re really feeling daring on Valentine’s Day, a burlesque show might just be the thing for you and your partner! These sultry yet sophisticated performances are filled with elaborate costumes, incredibly talented performers, campy humor, and just the right amount of electricity. For me, the smaller and more intimate the venue, the better, but I’ve definitely seen some amazing shows on larger stages.

Hope these unconventional date ideas have helped inspire all of you for Valentine’s Day as it creeps ever closer!

Courtesy of EllenFork

Here we are again; in the land of delicious, seasonal vegetables!  Sunchokes are definitely not commonly used, at least not where I’m from, and I actually hadn’t heard of one until a few weeks ago.  I’ve gathered a few recipes for you, as I do, and all of them make me glad that I know of the vegetable.

The Appetizer: Roasted Sunchokes

Courtesy of Red Shallot

A very simple, and delicious, way to start off a multi-course meal at home.  The bulk of the recipe at Red Shallot Kitchen is in the spices and herbs you’ll use to season the sunchokes. In roughly 30 minutes of prep and cook time… blam!  Magical cubes of tastiness.

The Salad: Roasted Beat, Sunchoke, Arugula

Courtesy of A Couple Cooks

And orange vinaigrette, no less! This dish from A Couple Cooks also uses beets and arugula; both winter veggies.  A three for one deal!  You’re so lucky.  :)  I think this is a great way to try out a new (and tasty) salad type.  Maybe it’ll become a regular staple at your table!

The Soup: Split Pea and Sunchoke

Courtesy of Jenne

If you were looking for a way to change up a traditional split pea soup; look no further than Sweet Potato Soul.  This dish will take you a little over an hour to prepare and cook, but the end result is a comforting and earthy dish to curl up on the couch with.  Warm soup, a good book, and a fireplace if you’re lucky enough to have one.  Maybe a cat or dog curled up at your feet.  Big, fluffy blanket.  Sigh.

 The Side Dish: Caramelized Sunchokes

Courtesy of Alison Ashton

This recipe from Nourish Network is extremely simple and takes something like 10 minutes to throw together.  In fact, aside from the seasoning and sugar used to caramelize the sunchokes; the vegetable is pretty much all there is to this.  I imagine this would be amazing when served with chicken. Or beef. Or pork. Or… nothing!

The Main Dish: Sunchoke Pasta

Courtesy of Kelsey Brown and Shaun Boyte

OH MAN. I’m a sucker for pasta, and this one sounds like it’d be amazing.  The recipe at Happy Yolks is even written in a cute, rustic way. Don’t be intimidated by the pictures; this recipe is another straightforward one with a fairly small ingredients list.  Apparently, cleaning sunchokes properly is a pretty lengthy ordeal.  It’s been mentioned, however, that you should definitely take the time to clean them without peeling them; cooking this veggie with the skin on helps them retain their flavor, and remain crispy.

The Main Dish: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Courtesy of Sylvia Fountaine

Last, but not least; Vegan Shepherd’s Pie from Feasting At Home.  Although this isn’t a sweet meal, the fact that it’s a pie makes it a dessert too, right?  I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.  The author uses the sunchokes as a replacement for lamb (hence the ‘vegan’), and because the vegetable is so earthy, the replacement doesn’t detract from the flavor of the dish. The pictures on this website are amazing, too.

Hopefully you’ve found inspiration in this week’s Veggie-Light, and maybe one of these dishes will grace your table this week (or a week in the near future)!

Fudge Bites

Courtesy of Muriel Miller

Muriel Miller, over at Cook, Bake, and Decorate, has kindly shared a recipe for these delicious and unique Valentine’s Day edibles. I love the idea of using peanut butter fudge for these, as I tend to prefer that over chocolate fudge.  For how delicious any kind of fudge tastes, I was surprised to discover it’s not terribly difficult to make.

Strawberry Bouquet

Courtesy of Madison Butler

If you think roses are ridiculously expensive, and not all that tasty to eat, then you and I are in the same boat.  So here’s a more delicious idea for a bouquet!  It’s pretty straight forward; just poke some strawberries, dip them in chocolate, and voila.  Madison Butler at Veggieful has them wrapped up in simple paper and tied up with twine, but feel free to fancy it up a little with colored paper, or drizzle colored frosting onto the ‘roses’.

Guava Cake

Courtesy of Ruth

This cake from What’s Cooking With Ruthie takes a little bit of preparation, but good golly, does it sound delicious.  You substitute the water in the cake mix with guava juice, so I imagine this cake will be pretty moist and overflowing with flavor. This treat is definitely not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Ladybug Mints

Courtesy of Laura

SO CUTE. Laura at House of Joyful Noise shares this adorable ladybug mint cookie recipe, and although it takes a decent amount of prep; your guests, or your children’s friends, definitely won’t be disappointed.  I also have a soft spot for those grasshopper mint cookies, so these have a safe place at the top of my ‘to make’ list for Valentine’s Day.

Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes

Courtesy of Louise

Okay, I lied.  These red velvet cheesecakes from Lick The Spoon would actually be at the top of my list.  There’s nothing quite like the first smooth and creamy bite of cheesecake, for me. The recipe will produce roughly 12 of these, which is probably for the best; eating any more than that in one sitting is probably guaranteed to give you a little bit of a stomach ache.

Fortune Cookies

Courtesy of Sugar for the Brain

I have a sneaking suspicion that my fortune cookies wouldn’t look nearly this good if I attempted to make them.  Thankfully, the author at Sugar For The Brain has provided us not only with a great step-by-step explanation, but also a youtube video! I really love the idea of making these, and filling them with goofy fortunes of love instead of more traditional fortunes. These will take a little bit of work, but also could be the most unique treats the recipient will receive during Valentine’s Day.

Turkey

Courtesy of Kadir’s Treehouse

If you happen to be taking a trip to Turkey, definitely check this place out at Hostel Bookers before you go.  The place is actually really well equipped, including wi-fi for those of us who have a hard time getting away from our email.

Serbia

Courtesy of ArkaBarka

If your travels take you to Serbia, you’re in for a treat.  Check out a few other amazing pictures of this place at ArkaBarka, and I bet if you weren’t already planning a trip here, you might be after reading about it.  The bedrooms look adorable, and the idea of sitting out on that deck watching a sunset on the water is immediately relaxing.

Turkey… Again

Courtesy of The Cave Hotel

Apparently Turkey is where it’s at!  I couldn’t resist including this one; I mean, seriously.  CAVES.  It’s such a gorgeous room; I can’t believe it’s part of a hostel, instead of some high priced luxury resort.  Check out some of the other pictures at the Cave Hotel website.

Massachusetts, USA

Courtesy of Betsy Dever

Good golly.  For those of you who don’t feel up to leaving the states, there are plenty of options for amazing hostels here in the US.  Like this one, for example!  Head over to Laurie Smith Murphy’s blog to read a little about this place.  As an added bonus, she’s kindly included a link to a fantastic hostel search website!

Greek Isles

Courtesy of Hostel Times

Getting to a Greek Isle is expensive enough on its own; why not make it easier on yourself by cutting hotel expenses out of the budget?  Check out this amazing hostel over at Hostel Times, and then spend the next few hours wishing you were laying on that amazing poolside.

 Switzerland 

Courtesy of Andrew Bossi

This can’t be real.  It looks like something manufactured in my dreams.  This is clearly a place where everyone breaks into song when they wake up, right?  Here are more amazing pictures of this Mountain Hostel, located in Gimmelwald, Switzerland, that you need to look at right this second.

Really, I could do this all day.  There are so many amazing hostels out there, likely even just within a few hours distance from you! Definitely take some time to look around; even if you aren’t big on traveling, maybe you’ll see something that inspires you to get out there, spend very little money, and meet amazing new friends.