Treasury challenge 6 winner #2: RagayJewelry

Last month in the etsycontest team we restarted the treasury challenges right where we left off... with number 6! We had lots of awesome treasuries by team members featuring items from the contest, and announced two winners.

The second winning shop was RagayJewelry with this soft and sweet treasury we all just loved!

'Warm, Cozy & Comfortable' by RagayJewelry

8x10 Huntington Bea... RoadAheadPhoto... $21.50	Little Sprout Earri... CocoroJewelry $21.00	Crochet Knit Pixie ... andwhatnotbout... $18.00	Newborn baby girl h... emmascozyattic $24.00
40 Heart Soap Weddi... SakuraBathAndB... $78.50	Elf Hat Pixie Hat N... bubblegirlknit... $24.00	Circle of Chains Sc... pflumsthumbs $22.00	Gemstone Leather Co... BeadingDerby $23.00
Case for iPhone 3g,... yolkaigolka $11.00	hand made slippers ... MrsGlass $10.00	Nature Photography,... moonlightphoto... $30.00	3-9 month baby girl... CreationsbyNin... $16.50
Felted bag purse wo... HandmadebyMia $42.00	Rose Peach Brown Ne... DorotaJewelry $35.00	Sequin Lace Fashion... Dyers $23.50	Little Girl's p... OutreCrochet $18.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

She has some items that are going to look just awesome in our next round of treasuries:

Cherry and Volcano Quartz with Glass Beads and Crystals Necklace and Earrings
by RagayJewelry

Long Black Wire with Pink Pearls, Glass Beads, Lampwork Beads, Magnesite and Crystals Necklace and Earrings
by RagayJewelry

Watermelon Turquoise Slices with Cranberry Jade and Crystals
by RagayJewelry

Check out our team to participate in the next challenge!

Treasury challenge 6 winner #1: RedHillHome

Last month in the etsycontest team we restarted the treasury challenges right where we left off... with number 6! We had lots of awesome treasuries by team members featuring items from the contest, and announced two winners.

The first, and feature of today's post, is Andrea from Red Hill Home... someone we (totally by coincidence!) featured on the blog last month. I promise the voting was not biased, all the team leaders had input, she's just talented! Here is her winning treasury:

'Shadowplay' by AndreaRedHill

Celebration and exploration of light and dark from Big Etsy Contest Team Members-an all team treasury!

warm thick cowl MrsGlass $6.00	Monotone Boho Rock ... XtraVirgin $13.00	Town Lake Shadows -... MRosePhotograp... $20.00	Dahlia flapper came... jillian1984 $14.00
Family Tree Cutout Cuts4You $2.75	Purple and Black Si... KristaMarieCre... $50.00	Original Encaustic ... RavensNestArt $300.00	crystal necklace fa... xuanqi $15.00
Ultra Rich Body Cre... QuietRitual $22.50	print of a collage/... tiroirdumilieu $16.00	Bicycles and Blue D... PerfectArt $15.00	Birds Setting on Br... smilesophie $28.50
Rock crystal earrin... LincolnStreetD... $15.00	chalked chalkboard ... PolkaDotPixels $4.00	Soot and Snow Gothi... ZenAndCoffee $34.00	Abandoned Hotel, Bl... EdenManusPhoto... $18.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Her grand prize is to be featured in the treasuries for our next round of challenges - if you're an etsian who wants to join in the fun, here's how to enter. In the meantime, here are some items from Andrea's shop that could go really well in your treasury!

1st place December 26th, 2012
Welcome Wednesday! The newest Etsy shops' items from $1-$50.
Vintage Hand Carved Wood Rhino Great Detail African Victorian Style
by RedHillHome

Coupon code: holiday2012 15% off

75th place December 19th, 2012
Welcome Wednesday! The newest Etsy shops' items from $1-$50.
Antique Elegant Reed Barton Footed 333 Silverplate Lotus Flower and Candleabra Centerpiece Vase Candleholder
by RedHillHome

Coupon code: holiday2012 15% off

Vintage Emerald Green Book Collection Mid Century The Saint
by RedHillHome

My online etsy fee calculator

I know, I know, I'm not the first Etsy widget writer to publish a quick and easy online fee calculator. But I think mine combines the most functionality, with the least amount of "annoying", that's why I wanted to put it out there for free and with no ads.

It's here: spacefem.com/etsy/feecalc.php

Fee calculators are a BIG DEAL. When you first list something you don't think much of that twenty cents, hey it's only twenty cents. But once a transaction is all said and done, fees can start adding up to something like 10-20% of what a customer pays you. If you sell a $5 item with free shipping, you're paying about 80 cents in fees, and you haven't even sent the dang thing out of your house yet. If you do charge for shipping you get more, but the fees are higher because transaction fees apply to everything. Be sure to do the math!

I also added an important calculator at the bottom of my page that I couldn't find anywhere: a profit margin calculator. It lets you add in your supply costs to see if you're really coming out ahead when it's all said and done. Having a profit margin goal can be important. And from my experience, if you have a goal of say like 30% and price your items accordingly, you won't always get 30%. Sometimes a supply costs a little more, or shipping doesn't work out exactly right. But you'll probably get 20%, just because you went in shooting a little higher.

I realize this is all math and business stuff, not our favorite topic, not as pretty. But at least take a few minutes to make sure you're not losing money! Maybe your hourly wage is just a smidgen above minimum... I affectionately refer to my sewing room as "Spacefem's sweatshop of love". And the most important thing about being on Etsy is, I thing, learning. Not making money. Just making improvements. But a little business lesson now and then can't hurt too much.