06 August 2006

Between Scylla and Charybdis

I'm trying to decide if I want to open an Etsy shop, and if I do, what I might want to name it. "Languishing" is the title of a zine I started publishing in 1995 (and still do, occasionally), and it fits me well. It combines the idea of inaction with anguish: the urge to stagnate vs. the need to move forward...

Enough of my life philosophy. I don't know that "Languishing" is a particularly fun or ambitious name for a shop. I mean, if there was a store in the mall named Languishing, would you go in it? I would, of course, because I've been publishing a zine by that name for eleven years, but why would anyone else?

I would like to make and sell mostly gifts for children, both fun and utilitarian, and all lovely. So I want something playful, not too obscure (see the subject of this post for an example of one suggestion), that won't annoy me in two years.

Yet I hate it when people have different names for their blogs and their shops. Don't they know anything about branding? And even if I don't open an Etsy shop, I'd like to make some labels (or have them made) because I love the look of labels, and there are a couple of shops in town in which I'd like to place my wares, and I think labels would make things at least appear more polished.

Ach, this is almost as difficult as naming a child. I welcome suggestions/ rebuttals/constructive insults.

Here's a picture to cheer us both up. My mom took it last week on her way to our house. I love how gray the sky is, and how brilliant and yellow the sunflower's petals are. I think she considers this one an accident, but I really like it.

7 comments:

macati said...

Hi, Jennifer!
Thank you for leaving a post at my blog and forliking the moonlight set. Would you like to participate in the challenge I've put in my blog yesterday? Let's share our little treasure box...
hug,
manela

Carla said...

You sound like a true retailer, what with all the talk of branding. Or maybe you sound like a cattle rancher?

How about just using a single letter to name your etsy shop? I mean, I like how it is working out with your baby, maybe it would work for the shop? How about B? Beautiful Baby Bounty? Or M? Mostly Made for Munchkins?

I need sleep. Can you tell?

The picture is gorgeous. There is something translucent about the flower and snowy about the sky. Did I just say snow? Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. Ahhh, the name. I drove my husband nuts for a month coming up with my name. I also wanted a URL that I could own which made the whole ordeal even more absurd. Coming up with something archetypal of your personality is a good place to start. I also think being cute without being too cute works well with handcrafted items, especially if you're focusing on items for children. I also like abstract types of names. What about Octopus Parade? Good luck.

Lara said...

This is a lame idea i know, but maybe something like LangLang which is kinda cute but uses bits of the words 'Languish'. Hmm, I'm not good with words!

Jennifer said...

Thanks for all the suggestions: I like all of them! Lately we're thinking about "LoyLoy and V": Loy is my middle name (and, it turns out, means "to float") and V is my daughter's name. And Shaun pointed out it's slightly reminiscent of Kuchla, Fran, and Ollie. Only slightly.

So don't go stealing this as a domain name or Etsy shop, please.

Lara said...

Cute! I like it! I especially like names with an "and" or "&" in them :)

Anonymous said...

I know it's pretty dorky, but you're welcome to adapt "Glee" for your shop name:

Gleeful Gifts

Glee and V

Glee-ma-jigs

Okay, now I'm really stretching.

Love you!