So, what do you think?

Headstrong

I've been thinking about my esty shop header lately. I just felt like it was a little 'too' much and perhaps taking away from what is in our store. Now, although I like the background a lot, I like it better on its own as one of my illustrations rather than as a header.

So I've been tweaking. Not wigging out, tweaking. The adjusting sort of tweaking.

Here's where I'm at:

I am pretty happy with the way the new Bates Mercantile Header is working with what we've got in the store. Though I value others' opinions. 

Our shop isn't what you'd call 'serious', so I wanted something that spoke to the vintage items that we carry, yet had a fun feel to it in order to convey what my illustrations are about.

Give it to me straight..............

Do you like it? Here's a screen shot.

And here's a link to Bates Mercantile Co. so you can see it 'live' so to speak. Check it out before you give me your honest opinion.  Better before or after?

Question Two: Print vs. Printable

I've been mulling this one over since I listed my first illustration. I've, for the most part, been offering wall art and such as printable files. You purchase the file. I send it to you via email. You print on your end and frame and hang as you wish. Instant gratification.

The quandary is this, I've done lots of research and it appears that actual 'prints' of wall art rather than printables, are selling like hotcakes. So, not wanting to miss the boat (actually it's more about giving the people what they want), I've been wondering whether I should be offering wall art as prints or printables. I know my current customers have appreciated the immediacy of printables, they buy and viola it's in their inbox. In fact, this has been a great 'last minute gift' selling point for different occasions. Still, I wonder if more customers would like it already printed and sent to their real mailbox so all they have to do is frame?

Obviously, having prints made up and packaging and shipping them will be more work on my end, but I'm ok with that if it will bring more people to shop at Bates Mercantile Co.

Now, the twenty thousand dollar question (no, you are not going to get $20,000 if you answer this question, it's just a figure of speech).......should I offer each design both ways, as a print and/or as a printable? Or just one or the other?

I'd appreciate any feedback you have to offer. Really. I would.

Sunset Meadows

Last night there weren't any flamingos in the sky, CourtneyJo's description of our sunsets, but it was still awful pretty.

A melow orange glow. Got out of the pool just in time to snap this. Didn't want to get out, but I did. Just for your viewing pleasure. OK, and to fix dinner, but for you too. 

Make it a fantabulous Wednesday in your part of the world.



So Happens It's Thursday

So happens it's Thursday....That's Gar's answer to T.G.I.F. Get it? S.H.I.T.? I kind of like it. Though I'm not feeling particularly smarmy today, I just thought I'd throw it out there since it was 'day appropriate'.

I've been fiddling around with headers for Mercantile Muse. And as you can see, I've gone with a simple white background as well. I think it shows everything off in a crisper,cleaner way. I really like the way it makes photos pop. Siss, boom, bang! (sorry, getting a little geared up for the 4th and the big losbta bake!)



Can you say lobster? But here are two experts on lobster bakes- G man and Cap'
(as in Captain', aka Ralph, who I've been best pals with since
1st Grade and is a Fisherman and Captain...hence the nickname).
  OK, I'll stop for now.  Back to the subject at hand........the blog header.


I designed the first header for our blog last night, and it looked really nice. I liked all of the components including some of our very own stone wall and roses, and a picture of a ship's masthead that I took in NYC's South Street Seaport.  In the end, it just wasn't working for me.  It seemed to be just a little too much- too much for this particular blog anyway.



See what I mean?

Then I designed one that incorporated a piece of one of my printable wall art designs, Three Feathers. Except, I only used one of the feathers (see bottom of this post for picture). This one I like a lot for it's simple, clean look.



Straight and to the point. Opposite of the first......not busy at all.

Then I woke to a new day and new eyes and thought, with all those neutrals a pop of bright yellow might be kind of nice- sans quill/feather. I edited the picture of our 'Pot of Gold' coreopsis in photoshop and included that in the design for the splash of color. After looking at it though, I kind of missed the feather because it represents the writing/talking/blog lovin' rants I'll be throwing out there on Mercantile Muse, as well representing my designs in our etsy shop.



Pow. Pop of happy yellow. Not to quill?

 Being the fickle gal I am and since I wasn't sure about the quill being missing, I worked it back into the design. First I faded the flower behind it a little bit more so they weren't competing so much. Somehow I still can't decide.



Or to quill? That is the question.

 Liking this one. Although, I think I'll have to walk away, and come back and look at with fresh eyes before I make a final decision. Then again, does the decision really have to be final? It's a work in progress, just like me.

Any thoughts, feel free to share them.  And as promised.........Three Feathers, available on etsy at Bates Mercantile Co.


Glory be, the sun is shining again and there is a lovely breeze. It's a great laundry day, as far as laundry goes. Perfect for line drying. I'm sounding more and more like my mother (not that that is a bad thing).

And since it's Mercantile Muse's first week anniversary, I'm adding to my good things list. Just because. Feel free to add your own good things.

Good Things

That lucan is sleeping soundly on the futon,

instead of running across the street and getting into a

tussle with a very nice Dobie Girl getting a walk on a

leash, the way he did last night. Bad dog.

Sleeping soundly is much better.

lovely breezes

blog followers and online friends- givin' ya'll a wahooli!

a screen tent/house

(someday a house/room, for now a screen tent.

the mosquitoes were vicious last night)

visitors to look forward to

checking things off of lists

work on my desk

SKYPE

(I know it was on the list last week, but last night we got to skype with our friend's

mom who we haven't seen in.....oh....say about 24 years! LOVE skype.)

Have a good one. Or as Walter Brennan says in Rio Bravo- have 'a goodn'.