Friday 5 March 2010

A photo shoot

A while ago I had an e-mail asking if I'd like to sign up to try and sell some of my things through a new website - it's launched today and is called WowThankYou (there's a link on the right at the side of the blog if you want to have a look.)
The idea is that it's the place to go if you'd like to buy a hand-made gift for someone. As it was a completely new site there was nothing to see while signing-up which made it hard to judge whether it would suit the kind of things I make, but since I've not yet attempted anything other than my own website I thought I'd try this one, although looking at it today I can't believe anyone will ever find any of my products at all, there are so very many on there. They've also taken mine out of most of the categories I'd put them in - I think they're in an "other" section so I'm not very hopeful! But you never know, there's always a small chance, and in the words of Tesco 'Every little helps'.

So last weekend I spent a LONG time trying to take photos that showed my tea cosies in a nice and hopefully attractive setting.

Of course, we never, never have tea like this, because it requires a tablecloth and some ironing (I don't really iron - I smooth clothes out hopefully on a radiator, which sadly doesn't work for everything). Usually I take a Simpsons mug of tea up to son no. 1 in his dreadfully messy room where he is surgically attached to his computer, and the rest of us wander round with mugs - but I love the idea of this kind of a tea, it is how I'd like my life to look, and I have to say after doing the photos I plan to try and make it a reality occasionally from now on.

I wanted to set up a small table in the sunshine in the garden, but the weather was awful so I had to stay inside. I bought tulips specially in the market for a pound a bunch, and went to the charity shop to find a proper tea-cup and saucer, and plate (70p for the lot!). I made a victoria sponge cake and asked my mum if she had any silver teaspoons (she's got everything in that house). I sent son no. 2 down the road to buy a croissant for an 'Easter breakfast' (he got to eat it when we'd finished), bought some Easter eggs and got my Easter chickens out, which I thought made everything look suitably Easter-y:

though when I looked on the Easter section today they weren't there which is a shame. You might recognise the actual tea cosies as they're both ones that Archie has been helping with!

Even though it was a LOT of work I really quite enjoyed it, and it's made me want to update all the pictures on my own site and re-design it - I think this will take so many hours I probably won't manage, but I'll try. All I did when I started and before I had a better camera was to put everything on the kitchen table, and nothing looks interesting flat on a table, felt has such a beautiful texture it deserves something better!

Even though I'm not sure about the new website suiting me, nothing's ever wasted - this has made me think yet again about how to display things better, and perhaps has taken me a step closer to trying something like Etsy. At the very least I got a tidied-up kitchen and some pretty flowers which are still on the window-sill, and we all had lots of cake!!

11 comments:

  1. Lovely, lovely photos. I want to come for tea. Do you follow Little Red House (blog)? Worth a look if you don't already.

    I have my eye on that daisy tea cosy! :-) Mind you, I don't drink much tea, or even have a nice pot, though I do have some lovely fine bone china cups and saucers.

    I would also say I want a new camera, but it takes talent to design settings as you have, and that I lack.

    Good luck with the "Wow, Thank You" site!

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  2. Oh, this is wonderful!!!
    I love the daisy tea cosy, and LOVE the victoria sponge cake!!Yummy!! what a wonderful way to set the table, so easter-y!!!!Lovely cup and saucer, great look!
    LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!
    You're so talented!

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  3. Lovely photos, and as you say, nothing wasted. They will look great on your own website and hopefully you may still get some sales from the other site.
    Love
    Lyn
    ps I also LOVE the idea of a proper tea but never seem to find the time!
    x

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  4. I love your photos, it is great fun setting up a 'set' for things to be photographed and experimenting with it. Well done! If I was you I would message the site owners and ask them to put your items in more categories and give them feedback. When I set up my site I was never upset by feedback that gave me ideas.

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  5. I think your settings and photos are wonderful ... the cake looks so yummy I could taste it, and I just adore that daisy tea cosy. I hope you get lots of sales.
    I'm so envious of the price of your tulips, we have to pay a fortune for them (about $20 a bunch) and they are such nice flowers to have on a table.
    After hiding in our cabinet for almost 20 years we decided to take out the china tea set and have a little carpet picnic each evening whilst watching tv. This is a task my hubby took upon himself, and would bring out the teapot, china cups and saucers, tray and of course, biscuits and we'd act posh. We loved it! There's nothing nicer than tea in a china cup ... only problem is, old habits die hard, and we've slipped back into the norm of grabbing a mug and a tea bag again, but after reading your blog I'll have to give hubby a nudge and remind him once again how nice it was.

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  6. I LOVE your teacosies! And your photos are fantastic! I think we`d all like to sit down at that tea party (`specially with the yummy victoria sponge :o)
    x

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  7. You know I think they look fab and might just inspire someone to purchase - they are reasonably priced for a quality item. They also have removed my pictures from ALL categories except 'For Him' which I find really bizarre and shall be including that fact in my ever-growing feedback email. Have a good weekend x

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  8. Gorgeous photos and what lovely tea cosies! I hope the new website brings in some sales for you. Good luck! Rebecca x

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  9. My daughter M. always says marketing is so important. I think you really have made a great job with those photos. I do hope your tea cosies sell on your new site. Will pop over and check it out.

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  10. Thank you all for your supportive comments. I think I might investigate Folksy next and just leave the things on the WTY site, but I certainly won't expect anything from it!
    At the very least perhaps I've inspired a 'proper' tea time for some of us, let's remember to find that nice china and use it (or at the very least our nicest mugs!)

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  11. Wonderful pieces Lu. So cheerful. Lovely !
    Sooo sorry that I've not commented sooner, but I've had a spot of blogger bother !!
    xx

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