MEGAN AUMAN

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recent press

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I’ve had two very busy days in my Etsy shop thanks to some really wonderful press. First, Grace featured the cozy/cuff on design*sponge. Then Tara did a lovely post on the cozy/cuff and my new ornaments over at INK + WIT. Thanks, ladies!

You might be wondering how I was lucky enough to get such nice press, but truthfully, it wasn’t all luck. I actually emailed both ladies (along with several other bloggers). It really is as simple as that. (Sort of.) The key is to make sure you send a polite, personalized email with great pictures and a clear description of your product. To a blog that’s right for your work. And don’t get angry if they don’t feature you. And be sure to say thank you if they do.
Thanks again, Grace and Tara! And thanks to everyone who bought something. And thanks to you for reading this! This is one of those weeks where I can see how truly blessed I am, and what an amazing job I have. Thank you!

blue + reusablebags.com

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I am officially sold out of original turquoise blue cozy/cuffs in my Etsy shop, and won’t be getting any more before the holidays. But a little birdie told me they are available over at reusablebags.com. I’m so excited to be partnering with a company whose goal is to stop the spread of cheap disposables.
And of course, don’t forget the new cozy/cuff SNAP, which is available in a lighter turquoise blue in my Etsy shop.

two lectures by Garth Clark you must listen to

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When you do as much driving as I do, you start to look for ways to make your commute do double duty. I’m a big fan of audiobooks, but my preference for niche non-fiction means that many books on my “to read” list haven’t made it into audiobook form.
Thats why I was so excited to discover all the lectures from the recent American Craft Council conference were available as podcasts on iTunes. The standout, must listen to lecture of the conference has to be Garth Clark’s “Palace and Cottage”. This is a follow up to Clark’s 2008 lecture, “How Envy Killed the Crafts Movement” at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland. Both lectures express a sentiment I have often thought – craft needs to stop aspiring to be art and move on.
I must admit I have grown a little disgusted with the crafts world in the last 18 months, and have actually distanced myself from it. (Or at least, distanced myself from the craft establishment.) But Clark’s lectures have reinvigorated me and reminded me that craft is worth fighting for – or as Clark would say, resurrected.
I highly recommend you listen to both lectures, they will certainly give you much to think about. You can download “Palace and Cottage” from this page, and “How Envy Killed the Crafts Movement” here.
A big thank you to Gabriel Craig of Conceptual Metalsmithing for making me aware of these lectures.

cozy/cuff SNAP

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I’m so excited to finally reveal the newest edition of the cozy/cuff – the cozy/cuff SNAP. I’ve spent the last 2 months working to redesign the cozy/cuff to be more functional and more eco-friendly, and I think I’ve succeeded.

The cozy/cuff SNAP features two sets of snaps. Snap it on the outside setting and it fits perfectly on standard 12, 16, and 20 ounce coffee cups. Snap it on the inside setting and it fits snugly around your wrist. Perfect for small to medium size wrists. (In fact the cozy/cuff SNAP is available in two sizes – small – for wrists up to 7″ – and medium – for wrists up to 7 1/2″)

And because you can unsnap it, the cozy/cuff SNAP ships flat, which is a reduction in packaging over the original cozy/cuff.

The cozy/cuff SNAP is available in six colors – light grey, dark grey, black, light turquoise, camo green, and fuchsia pink. The cozy/cuff SNAP is available in now in my shop for $32 each. And I’m currently offering free shipping on both the cozy/cuff SNAP and the original cozy/cuff.

The cozy/cuff SNAP makes the perfect gift for a coffee or tea loving friend. (Or a great treat for yourself!)

cozy/cuff quantity updates

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Just a little note to let you know that I am down to my last two turquoise blue and last three dark grey cozy/cuffs. I won’t be getting any more of either of these colors before Christmas, so if you were hoping to give (or receive) a cozy/cuff in one of those two colors, I recommend heading over to my Etsy shop to pick one up now.
I’m also currently out of black, but I’ve got more on the way. I’ll be able to ship them the week of December 7th, so still with plenty of time for gifting. I only have a limited quantity coming though, so I recommend ordering one now, and I’ll ship it to you as soon as they come in!

Happy holiday shopping!

#indielbs

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Are you looking to lose a few pounds or even to maintain your weight over the holidays? Need a little motivation? Jen from Indiefixx has started a great new project called #indielbs.

#indielbs is a weight loss challenge that uses twitter, a blog, and some cool indie prizes to help motivate people to lose weight and get healthy. Check out the blog to see how you can win these fabulous prizes (including one of my cozy/cuffs) and follow the #indielbs thread on twitter for added motivation and support.
In addition to donating a prize, I’m also participating. I’ll be posting on the blog as I attempt to get back to my regular exercise routine and shed the few pounds I’ve picked up since summer. You can read my first post here.

new ornaments + FREE SHIPPING

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As much as I hate to admit it, the holidays are just around the corner. And that means it was finally time to get my butt in gear and list my new laser cut ornaments in my Etsy shop.
Six different styles of ornaments are all available in a durable white powder coated finish. You can buy them individually or in set of 3. And best of all, I’m offering free shipping on all ornaments!
The ornaments are perfect for gift giving or your own holiday decorating. And they’re pretty (and non-holiday) enough that you can display them throughout the year. Available in my Etsy shop.

what I’m reading: craft inc business planner

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I just received the Craft Inc. Business Planner by Meg Mateo Illasco for my birthday, and I have to say I highly recommend it. Its the practical companion to Meg’s book, Craft Inc., which is an invaluable resource for anyone running a crafts business. The business planner includes lots of useful tips and tricks, plus worksheets to help you plan a budget, price your work, or plan a marketing campaign. Not only will I use it as a resource for my business, but also when I’m teaching my students about running a business.
And speaking of teaching, I really do love teaching all aspects of running an art, design, or crafts business. I had a blast earlier this year when I did a professional development workshop at Arizona State and presenting about micro-production at Kent State (where I went to grad school). And I’d love to come speak to your school, group, or guild as well. Just drop me a line at meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com – I’d love to present on any of these business related topics – pricing, marketing and promotion, wholesale and retail shows, web 2.0 and social media, and lots more. So send me an email, I’d love to work with your group in 2010!