Tuesday, September 23, 2008

changes

you may have noticed, the internet, that i changed the colour scheme of my blog. you may have also noticed that i haven't posted anything new in a little while. well, i have a good reason!:

as you probably remember, i'm getting married very soon (in less than 2 1/2 weeks!), and this major change that's about to take place in my life has made me think about changing other things, as well. kind of like spring cleaning. i just feel like now is a good time to sit and take note of the things in all levels of my life that need re-evaluating and adjusting, or scrapping altogether.


what this means for my shop is that i spent a lot of time improving it at the perhaps most important level: my photography. i have to admit that taking photos of each piece, from each and every angle, is the most tedious and unpleasurable part, i find, of maintaining a shop. however, while my old photos were okay, they certainly didn't represent my pieces in the most enticing way possible, so i spent a really long time over the past few weeks redoing all the item photos, paying special attention to the primary photo in each listing. here is the result:



this photo is much more appealing than the one it replaced (the pendant, in less-appropriate lighting, propped up on a clear box). i like how the river rock adds not only texture to the photo, but a better sense of dimension and depth, as well.

so all the pendants in my shop are updated with all new photos. my next task is the earrings, gift sets, and magnet sets. i didn't bother correcting the photos on clearance items, as it probably isn't worth the time :p.

also, it's good every once in a while to spruce up your profile and to make sure that everything in your shop policies section still applies. i spent a little time on that the other day, and even added a "shout out" section for some of my favourite etsians :). i'm super grateful to everyone who's made a positive impact on my life, and it's important to me that these people know they're appreciated!

especially with the holidays approaching, it is important for me to make sure everything in my shop is in the best possible shape. with so much competition, it's crucial to present your shop the best you can for potential customers!

so that's what's changed in my shop. also, i added more items to the clearance section to make way for new things that appeal to a larger audience, and i'm running a 10% discount sale through the end of the month.

for my life in general, several changes are in order. one obvious one is that i will no longer be "melissa a. rogers", but "melissa a. griffith". with that change of name comes a new sense of responsibility as a wife. there is room for improvement in how i treat brandon, and also how i treat myself. there's no better time than the present, right?

i don't know, i just think that autumn is the best time of the year to reflect and see about making some positive differences all around you. here in texas, we don't experience the gorgeous fall foliage colours that indicate that autumn has arrived, but i often dream about one day living in an area where i can watch the leaves turn, then fall. even just thinking about it is very cathartic.

can you tell i've been meditating a lot lately? :p

i encourage you,too, to look within and without yourselves and invite change in if there is need.

and hopefully you like the new blog look!

♥,
melissa

6 comments:

Tizzalicious said...

The new blog looks great, and so do the new pictures! :)

Squeeeee, the wedding is so soon!

maoiliosa said...

thanks tizz!

eeeeee i know! i'm so excited! :D

LeaKarts said...

I agree, there's nothing like a good Fall cleansing :) It's such an introspective time of year for me. Your new photos are great, and I like the color scheme of your blog, too! Omg, I don't think I even HAVE policies in my art shop...I've been meaning to spruce it up and blog about it as well.

*eeep!* Wedding!!! :D :D :D

maoiliosa said...

:D :D :D !

FromJapanWithLove said...

I love fall too!!! And we don't get much of one here in Japan (at least not where I live). I miss the smell of fall...oh well!

You must be so busy with the wedding!! Good luck with it all!!!

maoiliosa said...

i've really been longing for the smell and feel of fall lately, too, sofia. you live in a hilly/mountainous region of japan, don't you? i imagine they get more of a fall in the more level areas with lower elevation.

yes, i have been super busy with wedding planning lately, but it's really exciting, and i can't wait! domo! :)