Hellloooo December!
11.30.2008
First off, the bad news - the web-service I typically use for my newsletter is down for maintenance until Monday at 9AM, so it'll be just a tad late this time around. So instead of making this entry in the blog any different than what's usually in the newsletter, I'm pretty much just going to copy + paste the info right here so I don't miss anything!
First up...
November Flickr Contest Winner!
Congrats, tmacm12! It's a simple, straightforward pic showing off the NOM button, and I like it. Of course, the competition wasn't too stiff this month, with only a few more pics drizzling into the pool. I'm actually thinking about temporarily taking a hiatus with this contest since the competition is just too easy! So get those photos in for the December contest, because it just may be your last chance to score freebies...
Now onto the new stuff...
The Snurfing Iceman!
I'm excited about this tee for a few reasons. First off, it's the first tee that was printed by a new printer I'm using, and their shop is literally around the corner from me. This has been a totally awesome transition for me, because even though I really loved working with my previous printer, they were based in Florida, which meant a lot of waiting on shipping, extra fees, etc. Anyways, I'm pretty stoked that these guys are so close, and were able to really do an amazing job with this design.I'm also just happy about it because it's a yetti. On a snowboard. (As a sidenote, the "snurfer" was the name of the first commercially produced snowboard, developed in the 60's, hence the shirt title)
Oh, and if you'd like to see the tee in action (yes? no?), you can catch it in my latest LF vid, a cooking instructional on making Chinese dumplings: LF Vid #6.
New Bundle Option!
Upon the request of many emails, I've decided to also release a new option for the bundle boxes. Now you can get a hoodie, a tee, and a belt at a discounted rate (15% less, to be exact). It comes in a slightly bigger box, too. And, as with the regular bundle box, if you'd like to mix and match sizes for the hoodie and the tee, it's no issue, just shoot me an email: gameyy(at)lintyfresh.comOther stuff!
Don't forget, the coupon is still live for the next two days! So if you were holding out for the new stuff, don't wait any longer!
Finally, I want to let all you Atlantans know that I'll be showing at yet another show here in Georgia on December 13th. Find out more here!
As always, if you're on MySpace you can check me out here! Anyways, enough from me for now!
posted by Mr. Linty @ 11:59 PM,
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Webchat update...
11.29.2008
Just wanted to let everyone know that the webchat won't be happening tomorrow. I'd hoped that the camera would arrive this week, but alas, it hasn't even been shipped...
So unless the camera comes today somehow, it looks like this is postponed. Hopefully it'll arrive in time for next Sunday. Either way, I'll give everyone advance notice!
posted by Mr. Linty @ 10:10 AM,
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Woah nelly!
11.28.2008
So this is a cool little tidbit... Webstats.
Usually I don't pay a whole lot of attention to them. Because I'm running a store and not just a blog site, I feel that I can pretty easily gauge how well I'm doing by the numbers in my paypal account rather than the hits on my website. Still, I decided to take a look at my analytics stats after ignoring them for almost a year. It was pretty awesome:
LINTYFRESH.COM
Sept 22-Oct 22
12632 Hits
Oct 22-Nov 22
14579 Hits
% Change= + 15.41%
LINTY-FRESH.BLOGSPOT.COM
Sept 22-Oct 22
1084 Hits
Oct 22-Nov 22
2039 Hits
% Change= + 80.10% (!!!)
So... that increase in the blog views in INSANE. The only thing I could think of was the videos, since I put those up primarily in the last month and a half or so. Well, I decided to do some digging around on google, and it turns out that they have, in fact, generated a lot of buzz in the Tee realms:
T-shirt Gang
Taddict
T-shirt Forums
Cottonable
Coty Gonzales
You Design It
It's kind of fun to do a search like that once in awhile. I mean, apart from just an ego-stroke, it's always reassuring to hear positive things from those I'd consider to be the "critics" of the tee world. Although, to be honest, that's a harsh term for most tee-bloggers. Usually they're pretty supportive and good to acknowledge the work that designers/entrepreneurs put into their brands.
It's also cool to see the videos being so well received. Honestly, a lot of times as I'm filming, all I'm thinking is, oh geez this is going to be the most boring thing to watch... urgggg...., so it's always suprising to get such good feedback. And I really do enjoy helping folks out. Even though I've kept to my new policy of not giving out my contact info anymore (sorry, gotta keep some secrets!), I do as much as I can to help out in other ways, and I feel this channel is another avenue to that goal.
Anyways.
So tonight, though sick and in bed, I decided that I had to finally get the write-up for the new tee done. (You can see a preview of it in the new video, by the way) I had the rough story in my head for it, and just needed to decide on a few of the details, and whether or not to make it just a regular mini-story or a poem. I went with poem. Anyways, in the end it became story of a legendary ice monster that lives far up in the mountains and although it is believed to be some carnivorous beast, it's really just out to find some powdery slopes to board.
Well after doing the writeup and getting a few other things ready to go on the site for the release on Sunday/Monday, I decided to relax with a movie, since my head was pounding at this point and working anymore was pointless. I threw in "Monsters, Inc.". I saw bits and pieces of this movie years ago, but never watched it all the way through. It was awesome! But what really made me laugh was the part with the abominable snowman, and then the following scene with Sully sledding down the snowy mountain - LIKE THE SHIRT! Weirdness.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 11:28 PM,
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Random cooking vid!
Cooking Chinese Dumplings from Eric Terry on Vimeo.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 12:13 AM,
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Wahoo!
11.24.2008
posted by Mr. Linty @ 3:03 PM,
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Webchat comin' soon!
11.22.2008
Howdy all!
Just purchased a webcam on Amazon and once it arrives I plan on doing some streaming webinars/webchats. I know that despite my best efforts to answer emails and do my Vimeo stuff, you still have lots of questions, so hopefully this'll be a great way for you to get them answered.
More info when the camera comes!
-Eric
PS. Oh, I'm trying to figure out what the best time to do it would be. I'm thinking 9PM on either Wed, Thurs, Fri, or Sun night. Preferences?
posted by Mr. Linty @ 2:28 AM,
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LF Vid #5: Designing for Print (and finding a printer!)
11.20.2008
Designing for print (And finding a printer!) from Eric Terry on Vimeo.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 7:45 PM,
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Not so Linty Fresh...
Ok, so this isn't a whole batch instance, just a few here and there that I don't feel right selling on my site. So instead I'm discounting them and just trying to move em!
1st:
MOST FANTASTIC THINGS (green)
These are actually just a few of the older prints that I want to move (in lieu of the brighter, bigger, reprints)
(Available in Girls' medium and large.)
Price: $10 ($12 discount)
2nd:
EPIDEMIC
Suuuper small issue here (just a little streaking in this one part!), but still, not something I want to deliver at full price.
(Available in Guys' large)
Price: $18 ($6 discount)
3rd:
CYRIL THE CYCLONE
The white ink on these just didn't get very good coverage, so it looks a bit flaky in spots. Again, not a huge issue.
(Available in Guys' large, Xlarge)
Price: $15 ($6 discount)
Let me know if you want them. First come first serve.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 6:54 PM,
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ICE! New printer, etc...
11.18.2008
Haven't made a real update in awhile so there's kind of a lot to report here, but I'll stick to the most recent bits.
Firstly, ICE was just incredible. The absolute BEST show I've done so far (I know, only 4, but still!). I was busy through the entire thing, from the moment I set up to the moment the show ended (and after, actually) I didn't even get a chance to eat lunch and had to rudely munch on stuff as I made transactions! It was super crazy. I think I actually lost some sales because people had to wait in line too long! Just nuts.
The cool thing was that I had lots of repeat customers from the last ICE. I remembered some of them instantly and a lot of them went kind of nuts when they saw the booth and the new products. I had a bunch of people who were shopping for others and that made it awesome because I had some deals where people could buy stuff in bulk and save, and to my amazement people didn't even hesitate when their totals came up. And it was definitely cool to see all those people walking around with Linty Fresh boxes and bags for the rest of the event.
Also of note was how many people recognized my stuff. Most of them couldn't pinpoint it, but it could be indie blogs or writeups that I don't know about. Unfortunately, it's also possible that I'm getting ripped. I actually got messaged on Myspace recently by a guy in LA who told me there's a shop there that's carrying ripoffs of my line. He's supposed to get pics and a phone #. What a headache!
Anyhow, today I had a bunch of little errands for here and there. I don't think I've actually mentioned this yet, but I just switched to a new screenprinter that's located less than 10 miles from me. It's ridiculous. And their work is absolutely unrivaled. They just finished my December tee and it came out amazing. Plus, I can just go and drop in to check on stuff. They actually called me last week to double check the colors on the tees before they finished them. I felt very cool going in there. Anyhow, I went again today to chat about some other printing services: glow in the dark, foils, bags, etc. I'm just stoked how close they are and how willing they are to try anything and experiment.
Oh, and I rearranged the apartment last night after running out of space in that back storage room. I've decided to make that my bedroom/study and make the main flat the office/storage space. Makes more sense that way. Not sure what'll happen in the next few months though. I'm running out of room again... :(
New shoes! I've never gotten into the sneaker craze, but I just couldn't resist these when I saw em at Marshalls. Plus I've been coming out with a lot of tees with that same blue so now my footwear can match. :P
posted by Mr. Linty @ 12:48 AM,
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LF Vid #4: Tips for Art/Craft Shows
11.14.2008
A little less crazy, a little more informative. These are some pointers I've picked up from my own experiences at shows and from talking with other vendors. Most of them are common sense, but sometimes it's good to hear things and see them in action too.
Tips for Art/Craft Shows from Eric Terry on Vimeo.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 10:37 PM,
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In or around Atlanta!
11.10.2008
Come check out the Indie Craft Experience!
It's indoors for gosh sakes and they've got food and drinks! Sweetness...
See a street map here!
REALLY excited for this one!
posted by Mr. Linty @ 11:05 AM,
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Ramblings on stuff and stuff
11.09.2008
It's for sale. It started off as an LF piece but as it developed it turned out to be something that I'm not sure I want in my line (not because I don't like the design, but because the style isn't what I'm after right now). Anyhow, I sent it off to a tshirt site and if they don't want it, it'll be up for grabs... to the highest bidder!
Anyhow, I haven't done a decent post in awhile, so I suppose it's time for a real update that doesn't involve bad Russian accents and acrobatics (aww).
SO! One question I've kind of been getting a lot lately is, "How is LF doing despite the economy?" Which is to say, "Are people really buying tshirts when they can't pay the mortgage?" Well, yes. To be honest, it's definitely slower than it was back in the summer, when LF really hit its peak (although September was the best month since I started, but only due to Renegade). And that's understandable. But all in all, I've been ok. Although, since I am paying more for rent for this bigger place, I am having to watch my spending and keep track of where my cash goes. But aren't we all?
In a way, I think the economic downturn has had some good effects. For one, it's forced people in this country to really take a look at how they spend their money (and their credit card company's money), which is important. Also, it's gotten folks a lot more conscious about fuel consumption, which will hopefully lead many of us to rethink how much we use our cars, saving our money and the environment. (I wouldn't classify myself as a hardcore environmentalist, but it does irk me to think about so many emissions in the atmosphere.) So all in all, I guess this is a glass half-full stance on the issue. We all need a wake up call from time to time!
That said, it is my professional opinion that one area that cutbacks aren't needed are in the area of tshirt spending! You can never have enough tees! :P
Geez.
In other news, my next show is just around the corner (next week! Can't believe it). In case you missed the half dozen other mentions of this and you're in the Atlanta area, here's a link to the site that's hosting it: The Indie Craft Experience". I've said it before, but I am SO happy to be attending an indoors show. Just rockin'.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 12:02 AM,
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LF Vid #3: Professionalism
11.06.2008
It always bugs me when people badmouth clients/employers on forums or otherwise carry on in a really unprofessional manner online and excuse themselves by saying, "Oh please, it's only the internet!" So I thought I'd make a video post about it.
Professionalism from Eric Terry on Vimeo.
The fact is, this stuff really matters, and not just if you're running an online business or are trying to get work through the internet in some other way. People forget that the only thing they have to present themselves is little bits of text on a monitor; those few words are the equivalent to a first impression, and as most people know, first impressions last forever!
Anyways, I sat down and came up with what I felt were the top 3 "tenets" of professionalism online, though I'm sure I missed a bunch more. I may do more in this series, so if you have suggestions let me know!
PS: Sorry for the terrible Russian accent/jokes!
posted by Mr. Linty @ 11:15 PM,
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LF Vid #2
11.03.2008
This one's primarily for those out there who're starting their own lines and trying to get their shipping & order fulfillment set up. Hopefully it's interesting for the rest of you too!
How to fulfil/ship orders from Eric Terry on Vimeo.
posted by Mr. Linty @ 1:06 AM,
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