How to reach the top ?

Spent the morning composing an e-mail (really was an etsy convo...but same difference). Found myself thinking about yesterday’s blog in which I said I’d like to sit down with the owner of Ninasnail’s shop and give her a bit of advice. For those who read my blog yesterday you’ll recall that Ninasnail is a tiny shop on the last page of my local Sarasota etsy shops...page 10...page of disembarkation...page before "So long", "Good-bye", "Fair well!" and , "That’s all she wrote" !

I pray that Nina (I suppose that might be her name, she had nothing in her profile other than "female, born October 19") will not take offense and that she, perchance, will implement some of my suggestions. One such suggestion was to create a shop banner, etsy has simple templates readily available, I pointed her in the direction where she could find them and, hopefully, incorporate one into her shop’s front page. Tactfully I suggested filling in more info on her profile; was she a struggling student that loved to crochet, did she learn to crochet from her mother or a loving grandmother, did she take a class in crochet and found herself addicted to it. Finally I suggested she add some simple items such small crocheted roses that could be used for adornments, or useful but small items such as dishrags, pot holders, kitchen towels...things that didn’t take much time or yarn to create, and that could be attractively priced.

With fingers crossed I hope she’ll not be offended nor miffed nor feel I should mind my own business but, most of all, I hope my little advice may end up helping her. Now if I could just find some way to make myself stand out in the crowd. Jewelry makers are more than plentiful and seems every artist also offers some handmade jewelry along with their ceramics, custom clothing, photography, pictures, toys, etc., etc. Does anyone have advice they can offer me ?

Photo looking up into one of the large, stately oaks at the back of my home. How to reach the top ?