Colorful State Cutouts

I wanted to share a few of the orders we completed over the last few weeks.

We created this Maine out of reclaimed wood and added a heart in the paint color "Home Cooked Bread."

 

 

A Minnesota in Honeysuckle paint

 

 

A Wisconsin in Spring Rain paint 

 

 

A Florida in Spring Rain

 

 

 

A Texas in Mama's Roses paint

 

 

An Illinois in Sour Apple paint

 

 

A customer requested a California as a wedding gift. We created this California in Morning Dew and the couple's initials and wedding date are painted in Home Cooked Bread.

 

 

All these states and many more are available for purchase in our Etsy shop. If you don't see exactly what you want we will be happy to work with you to create it!

Custom Orders Made From Reclaimed Wood

I wanted to share two of our recent custom orders. We really enjoy creating unique items that will be a part of such special times in our customers' lives!

 

A customer wanted two hearts made from reclaimed wood for use at her wedding reception. She requested we put her and her husband-to-be's first initial on the hearts. They plan to hang the hearts from their chairs at their reception.

 

 

 

Another bride requested a Connecticut and California made from reclaimed wood. She plans to use these in her engagement photos. I look forward to seeing these states used in her photos!

 

Fall Home Decorations

As promised, I'm sharing the fall decorations we've created. We created a pumpkin out of beadboard and added a burlap ribbon to it. It's a perfect door hanger. I like using pumpkins because you can display them from the beginning of fall through Thanksgiving. You get a little more mileage out of your seasonal decoration when you use pumpkins! :-)

 

 

These Tennessee made from reclaimed wood is not exactly a fall decoration. But I will argue that since the football season has started this indeed is a fall decoration. I painted the heart in "Orange Marmalade" in honor of the University of Tennessee's football team. #gobigorange

 

 

 

We also made this pumpkin out of reclaimed wood. I added the orange grosgrain ribbon and a bit of burlap to give it an extra special look.

 

All these items are currently available for purchase in our Etsy shop!

 

Next week I will be sharing photos from several of the custom orders we've recently created.

1. Don’t mix business with pleasure.

What I mean by this is designate a bank account specifically for your Etsy business. An account completely separate from your personal checking account. This helps you keep track of what you spend to start your business. As you begin to make sales, it will help you track your profits.

Tracking your expense and profits are a little more complicated than this. But having a separate account for your business is a good place to start. 

I suggest starting with putting a set amount in your "business" account. Say $100. Use that money to buy the supplies you need to create items you will sell. I recommend not paying yourself out of your business account until you are making regularly sales.

Then you will get into the fun stuff aka income tax! But we won't get into all that right now since you are just getting started on Etsy.


2. Don't Go Down with the Ship

Shipping can be a major source of confusion and frustration when you first start selling on Etsy. If you are like me you have limited experience with shipping packages. But don't let your apprehension stop you from opening your Etsy!

It took some trial and error but we've learned the best way to ship our items. We send all our orders by United States Postal Service (aka the Post Office). When we compared the prices between the USPS and other shipping providers, USPS was the most cost effective.

The method of shipment we use with the Post Office is Priority Mail. It includes fast delivery time of typically 2-3 business days, insurance up to $50 against loss or damage, and tracking of your package.

Another reason for choosing Priority Mail is the boxes used for Priority Mail shipping are provided by the Post Office at no charge. We get the boxes for Priority Mail when we make shipments at the Post Office but there is the option to have the boxes mailed directly to you.

If you would like to read more about Priority Mail or view other shipping options with the Post Office, you can do so online at http://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail.

I'm not suggesting that the way I do shipping is absolutely the best. We sell items that weigh several pounds and need larger size boxes. You may find something that works better for the particular items you sell.  But I am suggesting you look into using the USPS and their shipping options.

 

3. Nothing in life is free, but it can be on Etsy

When you are ready to open your Etsy shop, you can use the link below to receive  your first 40 FREE listing. After that each listing you create on Etsy is a $0.20 charge. Not bad when you think of the potential customers each of your listings could reach!

http://etsy.me/ZuFwn0

In the interest of full disclosure I will receive 40 free listing as well when you open your shop through that link. I appreciate you using the link if you choose to do so. Once you open your Etsy shop, you will have the option to share your own personal link.

If you would like more info on Etsy's fee policies, such as listing fee, you can find them by clicking --> Etsy Polices.



4. Last but not least ... you need a logo

Etsy is visually driven. The decision to purchase from your shop is based on what the customer sees. You need not only appealing photos of your products, but your shop needs a professional logo.

If you are like me and aren't all that familiar with digital design, save yourself a lot of headache and hassle and BUY a predesigned logo.

I really didn't want to spend money on a logo. I figured the money could be better spent elsewhere. I was so wrong! It was worth it to spend the money to have a professional designer personalize a logo for us.

Ironically we purchased our logo from a shop on Etsy. Sweet Little Muse features hand drawn logos by the super-talented owner and designer, Bree.  She was easy to work with and created exactly what wanted. Her shop has over 100 different pre-made logos waiting to be personalized with your business name. I should also mention her logos are reasonably priced and she gives you the option to purchase a preview of your logo. That way you can see exactly what your business logo will look like before committing to the full cost.

There are many different shops on Etsy that sell pre-made logos. To find other shops search for "premade logo" or "logo design."

I hope you have found this list helpful. I know there are a lot of good sources for Etsy info out there but they cover different (but helpful) topics.. I wanted to touch on the basic things I wish I had known when we first opened our shop.

 

What questions do you have? What other information would you like to know?

Reclaimed Wood Creations

 

We have been so busy creating orders for our customers I haven't kept up with posting on here. I'm not using "busy" as a bad word. I am truly thankful for every customer and order. It's good to be busy!

Here are a few things we've been working on lately.

We created this heart from reclaimed wood. I love the challenge of repurposing wood. Taking it from trash and turning into something unique and beautiful. We have sold quite a few of these. But the neat thing is no two hearts we create are exactly the same!

 

 

I rescued this piece of wood. It was in a pile of wood that was destined for the landfill. I knew this piece of wood could be turned into something special! I hand painted the word "love" on it and added a tiny pink heart.

 

                                        

 

 

I used pieces of reclaimed wood to create these coastal décor signs. I love the combination of burlap and starfish on top of the reclaimed wood.

 

 

 

I thought it would be fun to create a state cutout sign using reclaimed wood. This Michigan is painted in "Blackberry Jam" and distressed. The purple paint really standouts against the burlap!

 

 

 

I enjoy using reclaimed wood to create all different types of signs. It is a great medium to use because (obviously) it's quite versatile. Repurposing "trash" really challenges you to be creative. What have you "repurposed" or recycled? I'd loved to see what you've come up with.

 

With the fall season quickly approaching, I am working on some seasonal decorations made from reclaimed wood. I'll be sharing them here soon!

Custom Order for Texas

I have to share a picture of a recent custom order we did. It hasn't arrived to the customer yet, but I couldn't wait to post it! 

 

I must give the customer credit because it was her idea to paint the Texas state flag directly on the cutout. I think it turned out beautifully!

 

If you are interested in having something unique created, visit our Etsy shop and send us a message.

Custom Order Creations

In our Etsy shop, we receive a lot of requests for custom orders. When a customer wants something we don't already have in our shop, they send us a message. We discuss the details of what they want and then post a custom listing for them to purchase in our shop.

 

This Michigan state cutout was created for a customer who wanted a mustard yellow paint color. We created this Michigan in the paint color "Butter Butter."

 

We created this North Carolina in "Wildflowers" with a heart over Charlotte.

 

 

 

We created this Alabama in "Honeysuckle" with a heart over Jacksonville.

 

 

 

 

Instead of attaching a silver heart, a customer requested the name painted over the location of the city. Our customer wanted this as a special gift for her sister-in-law who was from Plymouth, Michigan.

 

It's so enjoyable working with our customers to bring to life what they envision. If you want something made just for you, visit our Etsy shop and send us a message!

 

 

Unique Guestbook

A bride recently contacting us about using our state cutouts as her guestbook. I love unique touches to weddings and was excited to create something for this wedding.

 

What makes this even more unique is that the bride wanted to use THREE state cutouts for her guestbook! She had three states with significant meaning to her and her fiancé so she chose those states. The colors for her wedding are not available in the brand of paint we normally use. But we worked together to come up with paint colors to match her wedding.

 

 

A beautiful mint green for Virginia!

 

 

 

A pink Kentucky! Could this be any cuter?!

 

 

 

And a gorgeous gold for North Carolina.

 

 

 

The best part is how happy the bride is with the final results. After she received her order, she shared this feedback for us on Etsy. 

 

 

 

It means so much to use to be able to create work that our customers really do love. I can't wait to see pictures of the guestbook at her wedding next May! 

 

 

 

Beautiful Weather, Busy Week

It's been a beautiful week here in Tennessee. The weather has been surprisingly nice and the zinnia are blooming. I couldn't find a vase (all my vases must be in storage) so I improvised with a tin can!

  

We've been busy this past week working on custom orders and creating new items for our Etsy shop. I will share the pictures of the custom orders once they have arrived at their final destination!

We've added a personalization option to all our state cutouts on Etsy. Now customers can add their last name, their initials or any wording up to 15 characters to their state. This Tennessee is painted in Orange Marmalade and the wording is done in our cursive font.

 

Jesse had a brilliant idea to cut the shape of Tennessee out of beadboard. Of course, being that this is the home of the Tennessee Volunteers, "orange marmalade" is a popular paint color. Jesse distressed the edges and then sealed it with the a dark wax for an aged appearance.

 

 

This one is painted "summer rain" for those who aren't Vol fans. ;-) It is currently available in our Etsy shop.

 

 

I wanted to create something special for my best friend. She's the one who suggested we add a personalization option to our cutouts. When I asked her what she wanted her Tennessee to look like, she ask for a silver heart over Nashville with the word "HOME." It turned out beautifully and can't wait to see it in her kitchen!

 

 

There are three custom orders we are finishing. One of the orders is for three different states to use wedding guestbooks. I can't wait to show you the usual colors the bride chose for them! They're gorgeous. I'll be sharing the photos next week so be sure to check back. - Jessica

 

New Paint Colors and States

Last Saturday we stopped by our local "junktique." Pick-it Fence Junktique recently opened their store. They carry our favorite brand of paint, Blackberry House. So we picked up some paint while we were there.

 

 

We love Blackberry House brand paint. I know I've mentioned it already but I'm crazy about their paint. Before we opened our Etsy shop we did some experimenting with paint, including trying to make our own "chalk" paint. Our experiment wasn't a disaster but it was messy and the results weren't all that pretty.

 

 

The paint colors we bought were Blackberry Jam, Farmers Tan, and Well Water. We recently added New York state cutout to our Etsy shop. I painted it in Well Water and really like the color.

 



 

I have a California state cutout painted in Farmers Tan waiting to be distressed. I swear I'll get to it as soon as I finish this! It should be listed in the Etsy shop tonight. ;-)

 

What's New

We've added new states to the Etsy shop! This week we added wood cutouts of Georgia and Michigan. We painted Georgia a beautiful shade of green called "Fresh Cut Grass."

 

Jesse chose a light shade of blue named "Morning Dew." It was a great choice for his home state of Michigan!

 

We are now offering all our states in a variety of paint colors. Pick from any of the colors below and we will create a custom Etsy listing for you.

 

 

 

We exclusively use paint from Blackberry House, a small business located here in Tennessee. Their paint provides a rich, creamy look perfect for our handmade creations. It is an alternative to chalk paint. However it delivers a smooth, light texture that resembles chalk paint.

 

And finally we wanted to share our latest creation!

 

 

Our favorite animal rescue league is hosting a fundraising event this Saturday. As a part of Operation Education's fundraiser, they host a silent auction. We created this elevated dog bowl stand. Hope it brings a big donation for Op Ed!! :-)

 

 

 

New State Cutouts Added

Jesse and I launched our shop Southern Wood Grain on Etsy back in January. We have been adding new items each week.

We originally started by creating a wooden cutout of our home state of Tennessee. We came up with this idea as a way to show off our love for our state. Jesse is originally from Michigan but we met, married and live in Tennessee.

 

This past week we added 3 new state cutouts to the shop. We added this gorgeous red Alabama, a pretty blue Kentucky and this beachy North Carolina cutout.

We were contacted by a bride who wanted us to create an Alabama to be used as a guestbook at her wedding in Gulf Shores. She chose a beautiful blue-green color for her state cutout. I hope to share with you pictures with her after her wedding in August!

 

By the end of the week we will be adding THREE more states! Any guesses on which states we will add? What state would do you think we should add?