Electric Hurricane Lanterns Now On New Site

Corroded Rustic Electric Hurricane Lantern

It was 2012 when I first opened my Etsy shop featuring my Electric Hurricane Lanterns Table Lamps. I was facing a hardship and knew I had to do something to be prepaired. About two years before this time I was looking for some cool lighting for my home office and I thought about a kerosene hurricane lantern. I figured someone probably has an electrified one for sale online. I searched and searched and couldn't find one so I made one myself and I loved it. While trying to figure out how to make an income from home that's when I thought about the electric lantern. I figured others might love it as well. I figured I could sell them on ebay but during my research I discovered Etsy and gave it go. I created my own shop and in less then two weeks I made first sale. I was on my way! Now I have create a brand new stand-alone shop that makes buying so much easier!

Electric Hurricane Lanterns - In The Beginning

Two months after I started my lantern business I lost my job. Things became rough I lived the next five years in pure hell. Truly the worst days and years of my life. The one thing that kept me going was the success of my own home business. I was not able to earn a full time income but the sales of the Electric Hurricane Lantern Table Lamps kept food on my table and heat in my house. I have been grateful that I discovered Etsy, a site I never heard of before I started my business, because it gave me the customers and the exposure. It is the perfect home for electric lanterns. With that being said it is not been free from problems.

Etsy was great in my first few years. They were designed around us, the creative home business artists and vintage item collectors, who are entrepreneur's who typically work by themselves. In the last few years that has been brushed under the rug in favor of wholesalers, bigger businesses, and in some case copycats. Etsy changed the site, terms, the keyword process, and have things available to buyers that deeply hurt sellers. They are no longer designed to help us succeed. I am not turning my back on them, as I will continue to offer my Electric Hurricane Lanterns Table Lamps, but if I am to grow I must branch off and take complete ownership.

A New Home For My Electric Hurricane Lanterns

Painted Copper Electric Hurricane Lantern

There are many options available for home business owners including Shopify, Amazon, ebay, Bonanza, etc. The drawbacks of these sites is cost. Shopify costs $30.00 a month with it's lowest plan, Amazon takes a huge cut of your profits, ebay has high fees and serious competition, and Bonanza still gives them control over your online business in many ways. I've seen some justify Shopify's  monthly fee by saying you have a much lower fees. This may work for high volume shops but smaller shops with lower inventory it will be much higher. For my shop it's not economical. This lead me to a great find. There are various web hosting sites available that are cheap and allows you to keep all your profits. No listing fees, etc. I personally choose to buy a new domain and then get hosting through Site Ground. They are just a few dollars a month (I paid for two years at once) and they are not alone. I found many hosting companies like that. You can then install Word Press (Free) and the plug-in WooCommerce (also free) and create a secure shop that is under your complete control. I had to watch some You Tube videos to learn what I needed to do to set it all up but after a few days I had a beautiful site featuring my own Electric Hurricane Lanterns Table Lamps based shop with no influence or control from Etsy.

A New Home

I am excited to announce my brand new stand-alone shop MikeMBurkeDesigns.com now active and ready for orders! The site features a very clean and simple design. Secure credit card payments through Stripe, Paypal check-out, option to create an account for faster check-out during repeat buys, and access to some other cool products I offer such as my framed art and photo prints, mugs, kitchenware, T-shirts, greeting cards, etc. I will still keep my Etsy shop (business as usual) but this site is a great alternative for customers who don't like Etsy or are confused by their interface. It also allows me more control without their input.

If you have seen my lanterns before and wanted one or to give as a gift, but didn't want to buy through Etsy, you can now visit MikeMBurkeDesigns.com and buy with ease on a safe and secure site. Everything has been done to make it a quick and easy experience so you can get your hands on a one-of -a-kind Electric Hurricane Lanterns Table Lamp!

Mike M Burke
http://mikemburkedesigns.com

Electric Moroccan Lanterns

Udemy Course How To Build And Grow A Successful Etsy Shop

Udemy Course How To Build And Grow A Successful Etsy Shop

I have been running a successful Etsy shop since 2012. The biggest lesson I learned is that you don't just create a shop, add your product and then wait for sales to come. It just doesn't work that way. In a moment I'm going to introduce you to a brand-new course that's going to teach you how to create an Etsy shop and then how to make it successful.

Etsy Makes Headlines Recently In The News

Recently Etsy was featured in the headlines when a story was done about it Etsy seller who is earning $70,000 a month! That is a mind blowing number. Some believed that the woman running this Etsy shop was lying about that number while others believe it's not possible to be that successful with Etsy. The truth is, with the right knowledge, anybody can truly be successful with Etsy and earn that kind of money. All it takes is the proper product, the right customer base, and some proper marketing. Also mentioned in this story was the fact that the average Etsy seller only earns about $100 a year. I was not only stunned by that number but also saddened by it.

My Etsy Shop Is A Big Success

I found Etsy at a bad time in my life. I was in danger of losing my job and I had a lot to lose. I didn't want to work for anybody else. I wanted to work for myself and finally reach the kind of success I had been dreaming of for most of my life. I had never heard of Etsy but I decided to give it a go. I knew the exact product I wanted to sell and I immediately got to work. It took about two weeks until I made my first sale. After that the sales were steady. I still was not a success. I did eventually lose my job and between my Etsy shop and my Fiverr business this was all I had to put food on my table and pay my bills. I had to make these a success. I spent a lot of time researching, studying, and taking risks to figure out how to make my Etsy shop a success. It took some time but I succeeded. I may not be making $70,000 a month but I am earning a decent amount every year. That brings me back to the average Etsy seller who only makes about 100 a year. I think about how many people out there are without a job and their desperate. They may have joined Etsy because they wanted to fix their life and prevent disaster but their failing at it. Then there are those who dream big but just don't have the right knowledge to succeed and many times just give up.

My New Etsy Course Is Live At Udemy

I'm here to change that. I am happy to announce that recently I was approved as an instructor for an online university called Udemy. This is a website that allows experts in various fields to teach what they know best. One of the courses I have created is all about Etsy. This course is designed to teach you everything I know all the way from A to Z. I designed this course to be simple and to the point. Each lecture is a video that teaches just one lesson. Many times the videos will also take you right to the Etsy website to show you exactly how to do what I just taught you. On average the videos run between 5 to 10 minutes and some as long as 20 minutes. Udemy is well organized so that the students can enjoy their experience while learning.

What You Will Learn

In my Etsy course I will teach you everything from the registration process, to building your shop, all the way to listing your products. I will tell you about the right way to write your titles and your descriptions so that they increase your sales. You'll learn what type of photographs work best. We will also spend some time talking about creating store policies. This is very important for your Etsy shop. Not only does this tell your customer that you are a true professional but it also protects your business. Many shop owners failed to do this. I'll also teach you about legal matters, copyrights, trademarks, and filing taxes. You will also learn about the proper ways to price your items, shipping fees, and the best way to ship from home without having to leave every day. I will also teach you a big secret I learned about the proper way of writing your "about me" statement that increase my sales overnight! Every stone will be unturned and nothing will be left behind. We will go over every little detail. There is a reason why I'm successful in my shop and I'm going to teach you all about it.

 

This course is designed for those who have never had an Etsy shop and those who do have an Etsy shop but struggled to make enough sales. Everyone can benefit from this. The woman in the story I told you about is making 70,000 a month is not as far-fetched as you may think. It takes time, work, dedication, determination, and most importantly knowledge. With the right knowledge you will have what you need to move forward. Once you move forward you must believe in yourself and what you are doing. You need to stay determined and not give up when things don't go your way. My Etsy shop wasn't always successful and if I gave up too soon I will probably be working in some ratty warehouse somewhere getting paid garbage pay and being miserable every day.

Your Invitation

I invite you to come join my Etsycourse at Udemy. Get the knowledge you need so that you can begin building a successful shop and business. Learn everything you need to do to maximize your chances. Just don't dream big make it a reality. Make today the day you begin to change your life for the better. I will see you on the inside where you will begin your Etsy training at Udemy.

https://www.udemy.com/learn-to-build-a-successful-etsy-shop-and-increase-sales/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike M Burke

Etsy Shop Owner/Udemy Instructor
www.mikeburkeonline.com

Electric Hurricane Lantern Christmas Gift

Having trouble looking for the perfect Christmas gift? Well look no further than my electric hurricane lanterns available in my online Etsy Shop! This is the only place you are going to find these. There are many colors to choose from and your choice of bulb type as well.

The Electric Hurricane Lantern Introduced

What I do is take real kerosene lanterns and convert them to electric hurricane lanterns. These have become very popular over the past year and half. My most popular colors are the flat black, red, and bronze. Other colors include copper and silver. I offer the choice of bulb type including a 40 watt flame tipped decorative candelabra bulb, a 5 watt C7 clear, and a 5 watt amber C7 bulb. The amber produces a glow very similar to that of a candle flame.

These electric hurricane lanterns can be used for a variety of things. Some of my customers will buy two and place them on each side of the bed. Some use them as a nonstatic reading lamp and others just want that beautiful extra touch to their decor.

Each lantern comes with a black 8 foot cord with a rotary switch. Shipping is typically through the USPS and I ship same day or next depending on the time it is ordered. I always try to get these out quickly and especially during the holiday season. It seems that they arrive two days after I send them out so turnaround time is pretty quick.

The Electric Hurricane Lantern Makes The perfect Gift

Many of my customers have purchased these electric hurricane lanterns as gifts. Some for birthdays, some to show a special someone how much they care, and the most popular is as a Christmas present.  They really do make the perfect Christmas gift. The recipient will be pleasantly surprised as this is something you won’t find in any store. Many people have told me they had hoped to find an electric hurricane lantern and I was the only one doing this. I don’t know if many are making these and selling them besides me.

Other Cool Gift ideas In my Etys Shop

Besides this gorgeous lantern you will find a few other items as well. I also carry a tea light candle holder that has been converted to electric. This comes in both colors of black and white. You have a choice of the 5 watt clear bulb or 5 watt amber. These are a beautiful little lamp that is sure to dazzle all who see them. I also a stunning tea light candle holder that is made out of real glass lamp shades. Only three of these have ever been made and once they’re gone they will never be made again. I was attempted to keep one for myself! They are not only great for Christmas but any time of the year as well.

During the holiday season if you buy just one electric hurricane lantern you will receive a wonderful free gift. The gift is a hand crafted item that are valued at $10.00 each. It’s yours free with every order. Once Jan 1rst arrives these will no longer be offered nor made available for purchase in my shop.  In 2014 my shop will be reducing what is sold online and will only carry the electric hurricane lanterns and nothing else. The tea light lamps will also no longer be sold once they sell out.

I invite you to shop around my Etsy shop and look at what I have to offer. These electric hurricane lanterns, the electric tea light lamps, and the glass candle holders are stunning items that will make the perfect Christmas gift for anyone!

To visit my shop click here: ETSY/MIKEMBURKEDESIGNS

MikeBurkeOnline.com

Scenic Landscape Drawings

Recently I posted in this blog an entry all about my Gothic Drawings. In this post I will talk about my landscape drawings that are also featured in my Etsy Shop. These types of drawings I have been doing since I was ten years old. For some reason I like to draw trees!

Landscape Drawings Born From Charcoal

Very rarely will I use a pencil to draw landscape drawings. I always use charcoal because I love the shades of black and gray I can create. I especially love this when creating the sky. During the winter I had a thought. I had been running my wood burning stove and had plenty of large chunks of charcoal. What was really cool was that each piece was different so that I was able to create some really cool textures and designs.

Landscape Drawings And Then Some

Along with my landscape drawings and my Gothic drawings I do have a few other things as well. I created a series of silhouette including a leaf and a dragonfly. What I did was instead of the subject being blacked out I made the background dark. In the drawing the subject is completely white. What I like about these drawings is the fact that they are very different then what most artists are offering. I also created a series of drawings featuring the same mystery woman and even did one of a sailboat along a beach.

Once Gone, Gone Forever

I have made the decision not to make any more drawings that will be available for sale. Once the landscape drawings as well as the others sell out my Etsy shop will only feature my electric hurricane lanterns. Each drawing I do is all drawn by me and each one is signed. You can see what I have to offer in my Etsy Shop here.

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Mike M Burke
MikeMBurkeDesigns (ETSY SHOP)
LIKE ME on Facebook


Like these Landscape Drawings....then please share.

Gothic Drawings Perfect For Halloween

As Halloween approaches I would like to introduce some of my Gothic drawings that are available in my Etsy shop. These are perfect for anyone who likes Halloween, creepy images, or perhaps a little bit of goth.

My Original Gothic Drawings

Back in 2004 I handed my resignation letter to a job I could no longer stand to work at. I knew it was risk when I needed income but I had to take it in order to have a better life. It was my hope to begin working for myself and ultimately go full time in my filmmaking work. Well all that was easier said than done. In order to pay my bills I began selling stuff on ebay and actually did really well with it. I decided to create art and see how that would sell.

I didn't know what I should sell so I drew a few things but found I liked making Gothic drawings the best. I put them up as auctions in the goth category and to my surprise I got bids! I made some more and got more bids. Many times my stuff got into bidding wars. I was able to sell all of the Gothic drawings I had created and never missed paying a bill. One of my drawings, a large old dead tree, was actually purchased by someone who had planned on having it tattooed on her entire back.

The New Breed Of Gothic Drawings

In September of 2012 I was back to living in hard times. I remembered the success I had all those years ago and decided to try it again. I created more Gothic drawings and placed them both on ebay and in my Etsy shop. The drawings got a lot of attention but the sales have been weak compared to 2004. From what I have learned, art has taken one of the biggest hits in this horrible economy. That’s unfortunate for me being that I am involved in all aspects of art such as these Gothic drawings, photography, and filmmaking.

It is a tough sell so I have created this post in order bring awareness to the drawings I have in my Etsy shop. For each Gothic drawing I create I sign and number them. For example I have made five drawings of the same subject but altered them just slightly. I then numbered them 1 of 5 and so on.


What I find interesting is that the most popular drawing, both in 2004 and now nearly a decade later, is my dead tree drawing. It shows you how sometimes simple is best. It appeals to nature fans, landscape fans, and goth fans.


I have shown some of my work in this post but have many more in my Etys shop. Please visit my shop and check out my work and these Gothic drawings. Perhaps you will see something you like!

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Mike M Burke
MikeMBurkeDesigns (ETSY SHOP)
LIKE ME on Facebook

Gothic drawings now available in my Etsy Shop.

Wood Art At Etsy

In this post about my Etsy shop I am going to showcase my wood art pieces. I did a previous post about my fall decorations which featured colored leaves on wood. In this post I will show you my other wood art wall displays.

 

Wood Art Has Much Competition

The competition on Etsy is tough. If you come up with an idea most likely someone has already done it. I got very lucky with my Electric Hurricane Lanterns. At the time I created my shop no one was making them. That’s why I chose to do it. Six months later the copy cats came out from everywhere. I even had one shop owner go as far as taking photos that looked mine and even priced them the same. I suspect the customers knew better because it seems he went out of business not too long after. I also had an online store steal my images for their own site and social media sites.

My Wood Art Creations

When coming up with wood art I had to make something different than what other shop owners were doing. I decided to go with simple. I also focused on nature type stuff. One of my most popular items, which surprised me, was a painting of a large tree with some scattered leaves. I also did some really detailed pine cones, maple leaves, and pine trees covered in snow.

Purple Has Fans

I noticed that there were fans of the color purple. They would buy anything purple so I wanted something available that no one else was doing. What I did was paint purple maple leaves on light colored pine boards for these wood art pieces. These are really perfect for fans of purple. To add a little more spice to them I used gold for the veins of each leaf.

Christmas On Wood

I didn't forget Christmas as well. Once again the competition was heavy. I decided to only make a few pieces. My favorite is a smiling snowman petting a dog wearing a Rudolph red nose. I also painted some holy and berries with the message “Happy Holidays.” These can double as unique Christmas cards as well. Just write your message on the back and give it as a gift. It is an awesome one of a kind gift and a conversation piece.












These are all now available in my Etsy shop while supplies last. With autumn here and Christmas on the way now is the best time to grab these wood art wall displays before they sell out. You can visit my Etsy Shop here to see what I have available.

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Mike M Burke
MikeMBurkeDesigns (ETSY SHOP)
LIKE ME on Facebook


If you like these wood art pieces please share this post with others.