6 on Saturday - Edition 7

Welcome to my 6 on Saturday, where I have the pleasure of featuring new, undiscovered and underdiscovered shops on Etsy that haven't yet met the criteria for syndication, a qualifier that will give them much needed visibility on Google shopping.

I love taking this opportunity to share some of these great shops with you, and hopefully give them a bit of a boost on their entrepreneurial journey! I really don't want to get into the habit of "themes" for these features, but as I was looking through my list of shops to share, I was reminded of a topic that tends to pop up quite a bit in the Etsy forums, on some teams, and in the blogging community as well. I know I've been asked the questions, "Why do you feature other jewelry shops when you sell jewelry yourself? Why would you want to take the chance on someone seeing something they might like better than what you're selling?"

Well, the truth is that there is no way I could ever believe that my work or styles would appeal to everyone on the entire planet. Although with the variety in my shop, many people think I'm trying hard to achieve that!  I've always believed that people will buy what they buy for the reason that makes the most sense to them at the moment. If what they see at one shop doesn't appeal to those reasons, they'll move on. Those reasons may be individual tastes, budgets, preference for materials, and any number of other factors.  Some are driven by brand - in which case, very little of anything little old me might say will have a lot of influence; others want to feel a connection with the item - which again, will either be there or it won't depending on what appeals to them; others simply want something different for the sake of it being different. There is plenty of room for all of them, and for all of us as artists and artisans.

That being said, there are a couple of categories that are a bit tough to break into simply because of the sheer volume of shops offering goods... and anyone will tell you that jewelry is one of them. Today's 6 on Saturday shops represent another in hard to be seen categories - and that's photography. You'll be treated to six very different styles today - and hopefully that will help you understand why I hesitate to worry about broad category competition.  After all, could you imagine a mall with only one clothing store, or shoe store, or even one restaurant in the food court?  Enjoy the variety - and maybe you'll even find something you love that will speak to your heart... oh, you couldn't tell?  I'm one of THOSE shoppers!

Here's my 6 for this Saturday, November 19th, 2011...

"Perspective: It's how we view the world, how we feel about the things around us and the events that shape our lives. A positive perspective can change everything. It can turn a bad day into a good one, a setback into an opportunity, even something as ordinary as a puddle on the ground can become a beautiful work of art. I think that perspective is the key and I sincerely hope that you enjoy mine...."  That's the shop announcement from ReflexionPhoto's owner, Scott Cahill Rude, and I think it gives a refreshing reminder to look for and enjoy the unexpected and perhaps fleeting pleasures of the day.  Scott's ability to catch those moments with his camera are unique and his work registers a surprising view of the world. Scott's first customer loves their purchase, and I'm sure his next customers will be just as thrilled!


Crissy from DullBlueLight describes her fine art offerings as nature photography that is surreal, and dreamy... and while you'll find the occasional fun and unexpected pop art photo thrown in, for the most part, you'll be treated to the essence of nature in all its beauty. I love the close-ups that show the fragile and delicate side of plants, using creative focusing techniques to effect an extraordinary view of nature forms. Crissy is waiting for her second customer - why not let it be you?


“Our lives at times seem a study in contrast... love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong... everything seen in absolutes of black & white. Too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes.” That quote is by one of my favorite landscape photographers - Ansel Adams - who was renowned for his studies in black and white. His words define his unique perspective on the world and his photography... and embrace the true magic of classic black and white images. I'll invite you to look beyond the obvious simplicity of the black and white of these stunning photos from GeorgeJacksonPhoto to see their complexity of depth and composition that can only be appreciated by really looking at the shades of grey... Introduce someone you love to the beauty of black and white photography as a gift this holiday season and help George enjoy his first sale at the same time!


"Kitchen" photography is a popular trend in fine art photography and the subject matter ranges from cups of hot latte with creamy heart designs, to luscious looking servings of dessert, to farmer's market finds. While there are many shop that offer kitchen photography as part of their portfolio, there are very few that specialize in this photographic genre and even fewer shops that met my criteria to be featured here. (Which may be a good thing considered the successful sales of most of the shops I looked at!) Lisa Lawrence of FoodcrushFoodasArt has recently taken on this market with some great fresh food photos that would be perfect for any gourmet, food aficianado, organic grocer, or restauranteur who's looking for a fresh look for his or her establishment. Perhaps you'll be her first customer with a great new photo for your kitchen or dining area!


Whether you're a world traveler yourself, or you're in need of a visualization prop to provide inspiration to do what it takes to make your dreams of world travel come true, or you simply like photos of exotic places, travel photography is for you. There are many wonderful shops on Etsy that offer breathtaking photos of off-the-beaten-trail vistas, photographic examples of cultural diversity, and spectacular insights into people and places that many of us can only dream of visiting. One such under-discovered shop is SiennaDesign, where you'll find photos of owner Susan's travels around the world! Susan is patiently waiting for a 4th sale - where would you like to visit through the magic of her photography?


My last shop is a "neighborhood" shop, if you will. I was hoping to give you some idea of the amazing world that is Arizona, and luckily for me, I was able to track down a relatively new shop that hasn't yet been syndicated, and specializes in the natural beauty of the landscapes and wildlife that is Arizona and the greater desert southwest. For anyone who hasn't seen the colors of a desert sunrise or sunset, or the unique rock formations that are our amazing canyons and badlands, or even encountered some of our native fauna and flora in its natural habitat, you're in for a treat. DaveDilliPhotography offers all of these and then some. Even though I live here already, Dave's photos certainly make me want to explore my home state even more - and if you've been fortunate enough to find your way to the Great Desert Southwest, I think you'll find his photos beautifully illustrate the magic of the land!


As always, if you're just starting out or know of a shop that is and would enjoy a feature, introduce me to the shop and you may find it featured in one of my future 6 on Saturday features. Use the "Contact Me" option in the menu bar at the top of the page and send me the links!

Best of luck to these un- and underdiscovered shops - and happy shopping to you all!!

xo,