Introducing Flex Family Arts
Launched in: “We opened our first etsy shop (Squidflex) in 2011 to start selling James’ photography prints. However, the real fun started when we combined some images James had drawn for me of classic circus performers with my self-taught embroidery skills and launched the Pilous Percilla shop in November 2011. Shortly thereafter, we opened the All Night Diner to house our non-circus-related work and it all took off from there.”
Inspiration: “We are mostly inspired by each other and the regular idea bouncing and banter that occurs in our daily lives. We are also extremely influenced by music, film and television as well as literary characters and social rapscallions.”
Direction We’re heading: “We began selling locally last year at art festivals and plan to do much more of that this coming year. We are also branching out into selling in some local and (gasp, international) boutiques. In the fall of 2012, one of our pieces will be featured in a book about the film The Big Lebowski.
We simply plan to continue to get our work out as much as possible and make a ton of new patterns. Last year was so buy, we didn’t have as much time to create new work as we would like.”
Best Advice for artists: “Create what you love and try not to worry about the rest. Easy to say…not so easy to do. We get bogged down on occasion with sales numbers, blog stats and the like…comparing ourselves to other artists. This sort of thinking only slows you down and holds you back. Freeing up that mental space means more room for creativity!
Also, network with other artists and bloggers. We have made some great new friends this year both locally and all over the world. It has helped tremendously to have a community to help you along!”
Favorite social media sites that help with promotion: “We are primarily blog and Facebook folks. We also have found some great promotional opportunities through the etsy teams!”
News: “We recently launched a new blog design, created for us by one of those wonderful online contacts and we plan to start selling soon in the Young Blood Boutique located in the Highlands area of Atlanta!”
Special Discounts: Social Brand Aid friends can receive 10% off in any of our etsy shops with the code SBA10.
Contact us for more information. Shop online at Flex Family Arts Shop.
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Tip Me: How to Write a Follow-Worthy Twitter Bio
We read this article from Social Media Today and had to pass it along.
Courtesy of Social Media Today
This article gives you 4 easy steps towards creating a “follow-worthy” twitter biography. It only takes seconds for a fan to determine whether or not he or she wants to follow you or not. Because it’s make or break, be sure to follow these 4 tips:
Read MoreSquare Is The Perfect Payment Tool For Entrepreneurs!
Square Lets Entrepreneurs Round Out Their Payment Options
By: Todd Wasserman
If you’re an entrepreneur in the retail sector, you’ve no doubt heard the following phrase that has brought many transactions to a grinding halt: “Do you take credit cards?”
If the answer is no, all the goodwill in the world won’t help you. These days, people just don’t carry that much cash around with them. That was the situation that Chip Forsythe encountered last year. Forsythe is one of the founders of Slo Down Wines, a San Francisco vintner. Forsythe started the company with two college buddies. Having no budget to speak of, he soon found the company’s primary marketing vehicle — wine shows — was quickly depleting their resources.
By Forsythe’s estimation, each show would cost around $300 or so to participate in. Then the company would distribute hundreds of dollars in wine for free. What was frustrating was that people at the shows appeared interested in buying Slo Down’s wines, but didn’t have cash. Last year, Forsythe’s younger brother told him about Square, a free device and app that let you process credit cards on your smartphone. It was a huge change.
“We went from losing money at the shows to making thousands of dollars,” he says. Fair enough, but why didn’t Forsythe just go the traditional route and get a merchant account with one of the credit card companies? “It seemed too beyond us,” he says. “We didn’t have any money.”
It’s hard to turn down free, though. Square entices vendors like Slo Down by sending its quarter-size Square reader device free. After that, the company takes a 2.75% cut of every transaction. You can also set up an account pretty quickly, says Katie Baynes, a rep for Square. “We do a credit check, but it’s not a traditional check,” she says.
So what do you think? Would you give Square a try? If you are currently using Square, how has it been working for your business?
Read MoreTop 10 New Years Resolutions
We all have New Year resolutions for 2012 but do small businesses need New Years Resolutions? Yes! In honor of our rapidly growing small businesses in Frisco, we tracked down the Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Small Businesses. Improve on last year and keep growing into the New Years with the Top 10 New Years Resolutions for Small Businesses from mashable.com.
Go Small.
You want customers to support the concept of small business, right? This means you should adopt a small business mindset at your own business too. Analyze your current vendors and service providers for opportunities to “downsize.” If you find any opportunities to support a small business instead, whether virtual or brick and mortar, aim to switch at least one vendor or supplier.
Read MoreTwitter 2012: Bigger and More Ads
People predicted rioting when Twitter decided to post ads within its feeds. However, those protests never materialized. Instead, Twitter was used to mobilize protests in the streets in Egypt, Yemen and Tunesia.
The two instances are related. As Twitter became a globally recognized entity, it also began efforts to monetize itself earnestly in 2011. As previously mentioned, Twitter’s successful introduction of advertising was one of the big social media marketing trends of the year. Despite warnings from some Twitter purists, users didn’t seem to mind more ads on Twitter, perhaps concluding that Twitter was, after all, a for-profit business.
Read More5 Reasons Why You Will Love Hootsuite
Out of all the Social Media management and measuring tools available for everyone. One particular favorite is Hootsuite. It’s not the most in depth measuring tool and it’s not the most sophisticated management tool but what it does do it does well, it’s reliable, it’s easy to use and what’s more you can use it for free!
Who’s using it? Many large companies such as 
Time Magazine, Martha Stewart, Fox, etc… but even individuals with smaller businesses are too. Here’s 5 reasons why you will love it:
Introducing Comic Artist Missy Kulik
Hello, My name is Missy. I live in Athens, Georgia. I am a graphic designer and product designer by day, but in my spare time I work on a variety of handmade goodies, comics, and zines. I draw a weekly comic in Flagpole, Athens news weekly, called Tofu Baby.
Launched in: 1995. I started by making zines and comics when I was a teenager.
Inspiration: “I am inspired by 
everyday events, routine, and my pets. I love reading magazines, comics, and blogs for ideas. I also spend time on Pinterest. I draw ideas from lots of comic books and zines, too.”
Direction I’m heading: “I am expanding my handmade goodies by trying out new materials and different looks. I recently took a class on metal work and jewelry making. It was so much fun to translate my work in a new way.”
Best Advice for artists: “Be innovative in your ideas and truly make them your own”
Favorite social media sites that help with promotion: I like Instagram because I can post photos of my crafts while I make them and it can go straight to my Twitter feed or Flickr page!
News: “My project for 2011 was to make a new one inch pin 
back button for each day of the year. So far so good! I call it my 365 Buttons. By doing this project it helped me think of new designs on a daily basis and it really helped me create many new drawings for buttons and other items in my shop.”
You’re Invited: I will have some of my goodies at ICE Atlanta Pop Up Shop at Criminal Records. The Pop Up Shop opens on December 1. I am also participating in Craftland, another pop up holiday shop. Craftland is in Rhode Island and is also opening on December 1. Chatty Crafty is in Chattanooga, TN on December 10 and 11. We will have a table there with lots of our stuff!
Contact Missy Kulik for more information. Visit her website. Shop online at her Missy Kulik Etsy Shop.
Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular 2011
INDIE CRAFT EXPERIENCE HOLIDAY SHOPPING 2011
Date: November 19-20, 2011
Time: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Ambient Plus Studio
Admission: $5 (children 12 & under FREE)
www.ice-atlanta.com
Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta from Indie Craft Experience on Vimeo.
ABOUT ICE
The Indie Craft Experience was founded in January 2005. With a vision to provide indie crafters an opportunity to sell and promote their creations in Atlanta, ICE quickly caught on as a favorite event for participants and attendees alike. ICE is a grass-roots effort, organized by two Atlanta crafters – Christy Petterson of a bardis and Shannon Mulkey of Patina. Inspired by indie craft markets in Chicago and Austin, the Indie Craft Experience was founded in order to provide Atlanta with a major indie craft event. Since its creation there have been twelve ICE markets and the thirteenth is planned for November 2011.
Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta from Indie Craft Experience on Vimeo.
Read MoreIntroducing Artist Kelvin Ming Young
Kelvin Ming Young is a Chinese-American visual artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the U.S. when he was twelve. He received his BA from University of California Berkeley, graduate certificate from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and MFA from San Francisco Art Institute. Kelvin’s work is primarily abstract, with media ranging from watercolor, acrylic, printmaking to mixed media.
Launched in: Exhibiting as an artist since 1998. 
Website launched in 2004.
Inspiration: “My work responds intuitively to personal experiences, records points of interest that concern me at a particular time. Social, cultural and identity issues have always been at the core of my visual exploration. I draw inspiration from daily life, nature, science, food, childhood memories, Chinese culture and Buddhist art. Organic shapes, symbols and motifs form a web of free association and conceptual connection, serving as means of convenience in the vain pursuit of self-identity.”
Direction I’m heading: “The continuing focus of my work is to explore the boundary between the material and the immaterial, allowing the visible world momentary access to the invisible.”
Best Advice for artists: “The most important part of art making is the practice of looking.”
Favorite social media sites that help with promotion: Facebook
News: “Most recently, I was invited to exhibit at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall of San Francisco, celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Chinese Revolution.”
View more artwork by Artist Kelvin Ming Young at her Website. Contact Kelvin about his artwork.
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Introducing Artist Iia Owens-Williamson
Iiadonnasanova Owens-Williamson is an Atlanta artist and art educator. Her history with dollmaking began with cloth dolls and has evolved into a multi-media doll extravaganza which includes many of the art media explored over the years. Her artwork also includes acrylic paintings.
About Me: “I’m an artist who believes that art is embedded into every aspect of life and sits at the roots of our very existence. Our world would be nothing without the arts and creative, visual thinking. It’s so powerful it transcends all boundaries, real or imagined. Art speaks…. I love creating! My creative experiences include sewing, drawing, painting, sculpting, doll making, knitting, crocheting, architectural model making, mural painting, portrait painting and jewelry making.”
Website Launched in: “I’ve been creating art since I was old enough to hold a pencil.”
Inspiration: “My inspiration is every piece of paper, fabric, yarn, wire, canvas, bead, paint, wall, life circumstance and/or any form of creative self-expression that speaks to me.”
Direction I’m heading: “It is my desire to 
affordable art that the masses can relate to. My latest direction has been one in which my art tells the story of and celebrates life; the good. bad and the ugly. I believe that in the mist of those bad and ugly trials, we grow spiritually and become stronger in our purpose and desire to thrive.”
Best Advice for artists: “Never give up on your dream! If you take a detour, all of life’s paths will lead you right back to it along with mounds of regret.”
Favorite social media sites that help with promotion: Facebook and Etsy
News: My line of “Chrysalis” dolls are currently on sale at Densua’s Art Gallery located in the Greenbriar Mall’s Macy’s and can also be purchased at www.etsy.com/shop/iiaowens.
You’re invited to:
More than My Circumstance: An Artist’s Celebration of Life”
Currently looking for models willing to be featured in one of a series of collage paintings that celebrate the before, during and after of life altering circumstances. The focus is on the spirit of survival that continues to inspire even if that circumstance eventually results in or has resulted in death. This series will include men, women, children and any circumstance which includes but is not limited to: cancer, Alzheimer’s, single parenthood, abuse, war, death, etc. This will be an ongoing project but the first 10 collage paintings will be unveiled in a local gallery exhibit in 2012/13.
These paintings will be rotated through numerous venues.
The hope for these paintings is to encourage, inspire, educate and act as therapy to others through visual storytelling. Celebrating life means to not only celebrate the ‘good days’ but also the challenging situations that help us appreciate those ‘good days’ even more; and to value the lessons learned through those challenges.
View more artwork by Artist Iia at her Website.
Social Brand Aid
- Introducing Flex Family Arts January 31, 2012 admin
- Tip Me: How to Write a Follow-Worthy Twitter Bio January 26, 2012 admin
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