Selling our products on etsy...

Etsy selling....

Etsy is an online shop where crafters can showcase and sell their items. This is what their website says...

Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. The heart and soul of Etsy is our global community: the creative entrepreneurs who use Etsy to sell what they make or curate, the shoppers looking for things they can’t find anywhere else, the manufacturers who partner with Etsy sellers to help them grow, and the Etsy employees who maintain and nurture our marketplace.

Before we made handcrafted items, I didn't know etsy existed. I see Etsy as a high end version of ebay. I have no issues with ebay, however everyone buying on that site (in my opinion) wants a bargain! (Me included!)

Etsy is a bit more forgiving when it comes to prices. Anyone that hand crafts will know that the general public don't always understand how long it has taken to make an item, or that it is a one off. Etsy portrays this crafty image right from their home page.

Today I have spent a fair few hours putting on some of our new items. We have showcased some of our new cards. These are all hand written by us and all have a fused glass tile on the front. This tile is removable so once the card is finished with the tile can be kept '4eva' as a lovely keepsake.   

£3.50 + p&p

We have also put on etsy a range of our mini hangers. These are made by us using our kiln. Fused glass with a copper encapsulation. We think they are pretty cute. 

£4.00 + p&p

We have had an etsy account for quite a long time. We have sold one or two items but nothing spectacular. We would really like to know what we are doing wrong, if anything. Or Someone to tell us if the market is saturated with the type of things we do. 

Have you had experience on Etsy? Did you know about Etsy before today? Would you sell on Etsy now you have had a look at it?Do you have any advice for us regarding online selling? As always, we would love to hear your feedback.

If you would like to look at our range on etsy, please follow the link below. We hope you enjoy having a look at our items...

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/gekoglass

Thanks for reading and see you next time

Lindsay

#blog #etsy #buyingonline #scarborough #gekoglass #handmade #handcrafted

Advertising... what do you do?

Advice on advertising please...

Well I can't quite believe its Saturday again already. January is going so fast!

Today I want to talk about advertising. However, before I go into that I would just like to show you our new range....

'Oh I do like' is a seaside theme inspired by Scarborough, which is where we live. We have created cute hangers, small and medium box frames, vases with seaglass incorporated into the design and much more.....

'Oh I do like'...High tide hangar £17

So back to todays blog.....

Advice on advertising. We have now been trading for a little under two years. We have been approached by a number of different organisations wanting our advertising, but also wanting our hard earned money to pay for this!

My thoughts...

Newspaper

We have done some newspaper advertising in the hard copy format. I have to say, in my opinion, due to modern technology, newspapers are not as popular as they once were. I have a friend who lives two hours away from Scarborough and works for a newspaper. In her experience the average advert needs to run for six weeks before people really pay attention. This is a lot of money to spend on something everyone may not see. 

Radio

Local radio advertising, I think, is a little cheesey. It makes me think of a nineties movie set in the future. The only music to survive an apocalypse was local radio adverts, how terrible!! I think this is why I don't really like them. Costs for radio advertising vary greatly too depending on what time of day you would like your advert to go out and which radio station you advertise with.

Television

As a very new business I don't think this is a viable option. I do not know about television advertising costs, however I imagine they would give me nightmares!

Leaflets

gekoglass has used leaflet drops to create a buzz around our business. We have had over 5000 leaflets printed locally. I have to say the company we used, prontaprint, Westborough, Scarborough are very professional. Once leaflet drops have happened we have also had positive contact from potential customers. To me this proves that leaflet drops really do work. 

We do advertise in a 'free Scarborough guide' which is published yearly. This goes out to hotels, guest houses and event places. This is a brilliant tool as visitors to Scarborough get a map in this guide, so it is thoroughly used. Well worth the money. 

Internet 

Where do you even start with internet advertising? We have a web site and are hoping to add an on line shop over the next few months. We have twitter, facebook, pinterest, instagram, google plus, etsy, ebay, folksy and a blog (you are reading!!) which we maintain. All of this takes time and effort.

We have seen many other local businesses advertise on other local websites. We need some positive criticism of this from you all please.

Shop window

This is a little obvious, however often overlooked. We pride ourselves on the look and feel of our window display. People stop and look if something is engaging. We hope that our woodland theme window display captures the imagination. We have a great shop front design (which we created) and a selection of some of the items we sell. This encourages people to come into our shop unit. We would like a hanging sign in the future. However cost plays a strong part in why we do not currently have one. 

Board advertising

There are various board displays throughout Scarborough. Some are council owned and some are private. The cost to advertise on these boards, in my opinion is a good price. But I question if anyone actually looks at these boards. Does anyone have any comments on this please? 

Events

There are always local fairs, including summer and wedding fairs, fund raising events, Christmas markets and there must be other things too. We are currently booking in our diary any events coming up this year. If you know of an event you think we should be involved in, please let us know.

Word of mouth

This is the tough one. DID YOU KNOW? If you have a bad experience in a shop you tell ten people. If you have a good experience you only tell three people!! 

So we want everyone to enjoy visiting gekoglass. 

All the above advertising methods will work for some companies and not for others. I am not trying to upset any media platforms. I simply wish to know what has worked for you. What hasn't worked and what you all think gekoglass should try? 

Any advice is better than no advice!

Thank you again for taking the time to read my blog

See you next week 

#blog #gekoglass #uk #shoplocal #advertising 

P.S

One or two more 'Oh I do like ' products are below

Enjoy

  

 

Valentines Day

Set of four coasters...£30

Well we are half way through January already and love is sneaking into the air. Valentine's day 14th February is now less than a month away!!

Legend tells us it began because Valentine was imprisoned for performing weddings for Roman soldiers who were forbidden to marry under Roman Empire rule in circa 27bc. In the 5th Century there was a Saint Valentine who was a Christian martyr. These two figures have shaped how we celebrate it in the modern age.

Valentines Day is now celebrated throughout the world, with many people exchanging cards, sweets, chocolate, gifts and flowers with their special 'valentine'.

Have you got a special someone in your life? Or maybe you would like a special someone. We have a lovely range of gift ideas for you, here are some of them....

Fused glass bowl with copper encapsulated hearts.... £35

Mirror with glass tiles spelling love... £55

Bunting with love... £10

There are many other local independent traders on Hanover Road and Victoria Road offering things for Valentines celebrations. We are really hoping people of Scarborough visit local independent shops throughout 2016 so why not start with Valentines?!

I would like to challenge you all, no matter where you live... This week visit one independent local shop and spend £5. It will make a massive difference to your local economy. You can then let us know where you have been so we can visit there too.

Why not try Amelia's Chocolates and Violet Lux for great gift ideas for Valentines....

  

Thank you all for reading today and we will be back next week.

#gekoglass #scarborough #uk #valentines #gifts #love #glass #shoplocal

Happy New Year 2016

A big HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 to all.

Welcome to gekoglass blog, if this is your first visit, we are a company based in Scarborough UK who specialise in everything glass. From splashbacks for kitchens and bathrooms, to glass globes, to marbles and everything in between. 

This year we have many things planned and hope to share these things with you as the year progresses.  

Over the Christmas break we have been planning and making some wonderful things. We have a new range called 'oh I do like' ....

Who doesn't like to be beside the sea and luckily we are blessed to live beside the sea. This range features beach huts, deckchairs and star fish. Prices range from just £10 to£35. ‪#‎gekoglass‬‪#‎handmade‬ ‪#‎twine‬ ‪#‎bohochic‬ ‪#‎countryhome‬ ‪#‎home‬ ‪#‎seaside‬‪#‎scarborough‬ ‪#‎sun‬ ‪#‎deckchair‬ ‪#‎beachhut‬ ‪#‎starfish‬ ‪#‎copper‬ ‪#‎decals‬‪#‎gravel‬ ‪#‎boxframe‬ ‪#‎hangers‬ ‪#‎coasters‬ ‪#‎coast‬ ‪#‎summer‬ ‪#‎holiday‬ ‪#‎gift‬‪#‎cute‬ ‪#‎uk‬ ‪#‎hanoverroad‬

So keep your eyes peeled for all the new products we are making

Thank you for reading and we will see you again next Saturday

Our last blog before Christmas

Our Last Blog Before Christmas

In today's blog I was going to write about stained glass windows and the modern alternatives available that we offer.

On reflection, I have changed my mind, instead I want to talk about 2015 for gekoglass.

Anyone that has their own business will know that you always have ups and downs. The financial climate makes it very difficult for independent businesses to survive, but we are still here! We have had some knock backs, ups and downs but overall it has been a really positive year for gekoglass and we are very very proud of our achievements. 

We have fitted a plethora of splashbacks in blues, reds, purples, pinks, greens, blacks and whites with and without sparkles and cobweb effect. In 2016 we are hoping people in the Scarborough area get a little braver. We would love to see some splashbacks with digital images on them, maybe a scene of Scarborough harbour.

Stunning blue cooker splashback 

Red sink splashback

  

We have had many overlay lead commissions in 2015 including internal windows, external windows, light boxes and doors. These have featured owls, outdoor scenes, flowers, geckos and butterflies. Below are two internal door panels we have fitted this year. There are also three images below of internal windows we have created and original stained glass which we have restored and encapsulated into double glazed windows. .

 

  

Our glass boutique has seen many many new introductions including a lovely orange wall, our very own marble run 'The Tree Trunk Trundle' and loads of new crafters introducing their products to Scarborough. All year we have created new products including dichroic glass necklaces, glass bunting, glass hangers, glass tile favours and some stunning vases. 

   

The following video is one of our Dome Runs. This is a marble run for you to take away with you. Ideal for anyone looking for their marbles!

Our biggest achievements in 2015 were being nominated for 'Best new Business' from two different awarding bodies, CBYC Business Awards and The Scarborough News Awards. We would like to thank everyone involved with both of these ceremonies for the acknowledgement. It has really given us confidence in all our products and services. 

 

Our Glass Boutique is open right up to 23rd December for any last minute gift buying. We are then having a bit of a rest and will re-open on 5th January 2016. Thank you to all of you for joining us on our journey. We look forward to developing many new products in 2016 and sharing them with you.

Finally we at gekoglass would like to wish everyone we know, and everyone we don't know a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2016. 

#blog
#gekoglass
#handmade
#scarborough 
#uk

Fused glass... a little bit of history

Glass fusing

I hope to write a blog once a week. I want to write about different things that interest me, relating to Gekoglass in some way. I hope that you, my readers also enjoy what I’m writing. In today’s blog I want to talk about glass fusing, what it is and where it comes from. Also what we make using this glass technique.

A close up of an orange fused glass bowl.

The glass fusing process is where a selection of glass pieces are joined together by melting them in a kiln.  Pieces of compatible glass are chosen, cut and then placed in the kiln. A kiln is an oven which reaches temperatures of around 800°C to create the ideal circumstances for melting the glass. The glass heats up slowly and then faster; the glass softens, becomes hotter and more fluid, it then sticks together. Eventually the kiln cools slowly allowing the glass to be solid. The kiln we have takes around twelve hours to perform this process.

This is a view into our kiln while at 600°C.

While the precise origins of glass fusing techniques are not known with certainty, the first fusing and kiln casting that can be formally identified were produced by the ancient Mesopotamians in the 2nd millennium B.C. These processes evolved from ceramic and metal working techniques and glass was considered a precious material alongside silver and gold during this time. The Ancient Egyptians also developed the process. By the latter half of the second millennium they became proficient in fusing the other glass techniques. Greeks and Romans continued to improve the techniques.

Unfortunately the developments of kiln formed techniques were short lived due to the emergence of a new practise, glass blowing. This became popular as it could be repeated easily and was considered more efficient and cheaper. It became the prevalent practice for glass workers and spread throughout the Roman Empire.

By the 2nd and 3rd Century AD the warm glass techniques were almost forgotten. They were re-discovered in Europe, predominantly in France in the 19th century. Fusing began to regain popularity further in the early part of the 20th century, particularly in the U.S. during the 1960s. Bullseye Glass Co. was formed in Oregon in America in 1974 and has developed glass fusing techniques further. They were the leaders in research and developed compatible glass especially for fusing in recent times.

Modern glass fusing is a widespread hobby but the technique is also gaining popularity in the world of fine art. If you are interested in this have a look on https://www.pinterest.com as they have many example of fused glass art. Gekoglass began working with the kiln as a hobby. In April 2014 we decided to turn a hobby into a career.

We work with many different types of glass to create some unique items. We make jewellery with diachronic glass which creates many different effects. 

£18.00 each, available in our glass boutique.

Our scenes are often made using powdered glass and frit. Layers are done one at a time. They have to be tack fired in the kiln to create flowers and landscapes over two or three firings. This one (California Sunset) was done in two firings. The first was the background using powdered glass. The second firing used frit on top to create depth in the picture. 

'California Sunset' £35.00, available in our glass boutique.

We also encapsulate copper into glass. We have created bowls, vases and favour tiles, We have a range of hanging items including glass bunting, chain letters and Christmas hangers. Everything that we make can be personalised.

In the future we would love to offer glass making classes as we really enjoy what we create and would love to teach the art to many other people.

I hope you have enjoyed reading today's blog. If you have any questions or comments please get in touch. 

Visit Hanover Road, Scarborough

Hanover Road, Scarborough, UK

Gekoglass has been based on Hanover Road in Scarborough since August 2014. When we first moved onto the street, there were a lot of empty units. the unit we moved into had been empty for 16 years!!

One of the problems we faced when first moving here was the fact so many places around us were run down or derelict. Victoria Road had a lot of empty units with to/let and for sale as well as four other units on Hanover Road. 

Educating the general public that we were here was very tough as Hanover Road was 'just a cut through' to get to the train station or to head into the town centre. 

We are delighted to say that 16 months later it is a totally different story. On the street there is an array of places to visit. Here are one or two of my thoughts:

Sanctuary, hair, health and beauty offer a range of treatment rooms as well as some great stylists working in this hairdressers. A chatty group of ladies who are really focused on creating the right look for anyone. They are really good at making my hair stay in place!

Hanover Road Fish and Chip shop. A new (ish) unit on the street. This little gem also makes fantastic pickled onion rings, ideal accompaniment for their homemade fishcakes. A team of brothers who know  how to make good fish and chips.

There are two charity shops. Scarborough Samaritans and Scarborough Hospital League of Friends. Both shops have recently been renovated. The staff, who are all volunteers are happy to have a chat and help anyone who asks. They are always looking for donations and I took in a massive bag today!

The sewing alteration shop has expanded in recent years. They have altered one or two of my items in the past and workmanship is brilliant. 

The Art Science Gallery is a new edition to Hanover Road. They update their gallery once every three to four weeks. Items are for sale and when they are not open, you can still see all the wonderful artwork.

Violet Lux is a home haberdashery store selling all sort of trinkets and gifts, as well as childrens tents. New to Hanover Road this week, so welcome and we hope you enjoy being on this street.

Anna's sandwich shop has been around for a fair few years. they make your sandwich while you wait to take away. Ideal for a sneaky bacon sandwich for elevenses. 

The pet shop, Steve's Aquatic Emporium, has a plethora of pets needing that forever home. I have gone in to buy pet food and left with a pet snake... TWICE!! Steve has a lot of knowledge and breeds a lot of animals himself. Pop in if you need a bit of advice. 

Eat Me Social is the second venture for the Eat Me Cafe team. This is Asian inspired street food with all the vibes from Eat Me. well worth a visit, check the web site for opening days and times.

C'est La Vie is another new arrival to Hanover Road in August this year. They sell an array of antique items from tiny little jugs to big radiators and rocking horses. 

Gekoglass, that's us!! You should know by now that we have a great glass boutique selling hand made fused glass, jewellery, vases, trinkets, gifts for all budgets. Don't forget we have marbles for anyone that has lost theirs and you could have your own marble run to take home.

Andrea Willis designs has been established for quite a few years on Hanover Road. She can hand craft a card for you for any occasion. She also has some really lovely gift ideas. 

The barbers, are exactly that. Two chairs, take a seat and wait to be seen. Mr Gekoglass goes here to get his hair cut. They are a really friendly bunch and have been on Hanover Road for many years. 

Hanover Studios is yet another new addition to Hanover Road. these lovely ladies display all their art work. There are often workshops that you can get involved with so get in touch with them!

https://www.facebook.com/Hanover-Studios-586187094859134/

Last but by no means least is Eat Me Cafe. This is a cafe that offers more than cafe food. They are a fantastic bunch of people serving culinary delights. The hot chocolate and root beer are our favourites. 

The point of my blog today is to demonstrate you don't need to just visit the multi national conglomerate businesses in Scarborough. All the shops on Hanover Road are independent businesses. We would all love to see you visit our shops to say hello, have a bite to eat, a hair cut, makeover and buy one or two unique gifts form these fantastic businesses. 

Thank you for reading and I hope you visit Hanover Road really soon.

#hanoverroad #scarborough #uk #gekoglass #local #smallbusinesssaturday