#like i checked etsy and redbubble and ebay

[look-at-the-stars-tonight]

i really can't find ANY septimus heap merch at all and im so so sad about it

[bubblesxo]

so i’ve been a fan of the gotham show for years and i’ve never seen any merch. have you ever seen any??

i’ve designed stuff on redbubble….. i guess i could to make something….. idk what to make though.

heyo! sadly i haven't seen much merch either >< but i'll link here what i can find! firstly, of course there are some things on redbubble you can find <33

Gotham Tv Show Merch & Gifts for Sale | Redbubble

it would be super cool if you made some stuff and put it on there, too!

and there's... some stuff onAmazon.com : gotham tv show but none of the options really look even halfway good tbh ... tho maybe there's something farther down that i didn't see.

there's some pretty cool fanmade stuff on etsy if you look! some examples:

Oswald edward gotham - Etsy

Jerome valeska - Etsy

I saw some really cool sticker packs pop up when you type in the right keywords!

next, onto some of the more official options.

firstly, there is, of course, the official novels that go along with the show!

pre-canon: Gotham: Dawn of Darkness: Starr, Jason: 9781785651458: Amazon.com: Books

an in-between of seasons two and three, including info on gordon's time as a bounty hunter/freelance private investigator: Gotham: City of Monsters: Starr, Jason: 9781785651472: Amazon.com: Books

next, there are aparently funko pops?? how did i never know this?? some links: Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - James Gordon Action Figure : Toys & Games Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - Harvey Bullock Action Figure : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - Selina Kyle Action Figure : Funko: Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - Bruce Wayne Action Figure : Funko: Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - Fish Mooney Action Figure : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Funko POP TV: Gotham - Oswald Cobblepot Action Figure : Toys & Games

there are also some collectible statues out there of characters from the show like these ones: Amazon.com: DC Collectibles Gotham: James Gordon Statue : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: DC Collectibles Gotham: James Gordon Statue : Toys & Games

Dst - Gotham Select TV Series Figures Series 1 - Figure Assortment - Action Figure - Active Powersports

If you scroll down on the previous link, there are a lot more that are Gothamverse in the "Related Products" section! (also, the one i linked was an assortment, which is why it was so expensive LOL) Q1 DC Direct Collectibles GOTHAM JAMES GORDON BEN MCKENZIE STATUE Fox TV Series | eBay

[Toys] Gotham TV Series 4 action figures are yours for the taking (after you pay) — Major Spoilers — Comic Book Reviews, News, Previews, and Podcasts

after that, tbh other than posters directly from the show, i think our fandom has a great lack of lowkey merch >< like, i would totally rock something if no one else knew what it meant LOL.

i hope you find something that interests you! i might go back and check out the stickers again sometime. sorry that i couldn't be of much help!! <33

[rachreads]

y’all remember that adult job i said i was getting? well, i got it so the bruhl shrine has received a massive upgrade. >:)

more pics and artist links below ;)))

The shelf itself is an IKEA Milsbow with four Mittled LED cabinet lights on the underside of every shelf to give it some light. I did have to drill a hole in the bottom self to feed some cords though, but other than that it was pretty simple to put together! :D

The framed The King's Man (2021) poster on the left was a freebie that I got for attending the opening night showing of the movie! I was the only person in the theater with my friend, so we nabbed about seven of 'em and handed them out to fellow Bruhl and Kingsman appreciators in our friend grounp.

The All the King's Men poster underneath isn't Bruhl related, but it was a gift from another friend who knows how much I like the Kingsman movie series. I also have a Kingsman shrine in my living room (and a Talking Heads shrine, and a Re-Animator shrine, and a Vladmir Nobokov shrine.... i am so completely normal).

Everything below reads left to right, I'll try to include links to artists where I can!

Comic books in the back are issues 2-4 of Thunderbolts presents Zemo: Born Better (which isn't canon to the MCU, and honestly is not my favorite, but the cover art looks cool lol) and the first collected volume of the original Thunderbolts run.

The black picture frames on the left are a sticker set from @injureddreams on their Etsy store and can be found here! The keychain in the golden frame on the right is also from their store, and is sadly sold out :(, but the store page is here.

Speaking of keychains, I have two on order from Noble Demons that are currently getting bounced around in my campus mail system that will go in those empty spots in the frame. Those two can be found here and here.

The funko pop on the left is the limited edition dancing Zemo from the Collector Corps subscription box (although you can find them resold on Amazon and the like for ~20 bucks), and the funko pop on the right is the regular Zemo pop from the FATWS line from 2021. These are also on sale for around ~10 bucks on Amazon.

The figpin in the very middle is the MCU Zemo pin from the FATWS line that was released in 2021.

The plush in the very middle was actually made by me :D. You can find the pattern on Etsy here, but if you're curious about the specific yarns used, you can check out my ravelry posts about it here.

And finally, the enamel pins in the golden frame on the right are from ChingonPinz on Etsy, but unfortunately are not sold anymore.

The DVD/Bluray collection on the left has German imports of Schule (2000) and Lessons of a Dream (2011), as well as American DVDs/Blurays of Deeply, The Edukators, Lila Lila, Inglourious Basterds, and The Cloverfield Paradox. Civil War bluray on the right is also a US release.

Special attention called to the Good Bye Lenin DVD on the left, which is the US Special Edition that has director's and actor's commentary tracks, including one with Daniel on it! Geez, if only someone were to rip those tracks and upload them to the internet. Maybe in a masterlist on a pinned post. Maybe at the top of their blog. That would be crazy hahahahahaha.

The magazine in the back is the European version of Issue 46 of The Rake, which contains the amazing and wonderful photoshoot that can be seen in this post here. (pinkie promise i did not spend $200 on that, I got it on eBay for like 20$)

The art board print in the middle is from rindelamater on Redbubble and can be found here.

The Good Bye Lenin Blu-Ray that is laying on the bottom of the shelf is an import from South Korea, and is actually the only region A blu-ray of GBL in existence since there has been no re-release in the US. I imported mine from eBay, although I think I have seen a few floating around on other sites.

Good Bye Lenin and Inglourious Basterds CD scores are pretty common, I don't think I need to explain those.

The plushie of Zeems on the right is from RedCapStore on etsy and can be found here. This was actually a gift from a friend and I hold it very dear to my heart. :)

The Laszlo Brainrot begins.

Angel of Darkness and Surrender, New York on the left are US mass market paperbacks. Super easy to find. :)

The framed art print in the very middle is my very favorite drawing from @pannypunkpanda's 365 day art challenge from last year! You can find this specific one on their RedBubble shop here.

The rest of the items on this shelf (including the custom Leuchtturm1917 Journal on the left *drool*) are from a PR box that was released for TNT's version of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness in 2020. In anticipation for the season, an online murder mystery party was held and journalists recieved a box of props that acted as clues for the mystery. There's an article covering the online event linked here for those curious. I managed to snag a box from a reseller on eBay for around 60 bucks, although that was the first and only time I have ever seen it available. :(

The box on the very bottom right is the mailing box that the murder mystery props from the shelf above all came in.

The board game on the left is a custom box and game that was only given out to the cast and crew of the first or second season of the Alienist iirc and is not easily available on the market. I, again, picked mine up from a reseller on eBay, but it's pretty hard to find.

The book in the middle is the tie-in edition of The Alienist by Caleb Carr, which is completely annotated and highlighted to shit by your's truly. :)

The picture frame on the right again has stickers from @pannypunkpanda's RedBubble shop linked here, and another sticker in the very middle from Elizabeth Ryan Shepard's RedBubble shop linked here.

And that's it! I may make another list with my holy grail items that I'm still on the lookout for but honestly I might just like to gatekeep those. It might make my chances of finding them better oops.

[elskamo]

More Shitty Life Updates

TLDR for those who wanna know but don't wanna read the whole thing: Mum forced me to reveal trauma that I wasn't ready to share, followed by getting Sciatica then being made redundant the next day. In pain, need money, you know where this is going.

The whole thing: I've been struggling a bit (okay, a lot) more than usual over the past week or so, yet again I've had quite a few negative life events one after the other. I am in the process of getting help for everything happening right now, I'm doing all I can to take care of both my mental and physical health.

Last Monday Mum realised my mental health has been getting worse again and refused to leave me alone until I told her what was going on. She kept badgering me for information and making up random accusations about what could have happened. She also kept sneaking into my old bedroom and looking through my belongings to try and find... fuck knows what honestly.

I've recently started delving into a past trauma with my counsellor that I'm not ready to share yet with anyone, let alone my mum, I will not be elaborating on it any further than this. Eventually it got to the point where I was forced to tell her, she cycled between being disgusted, accusing me of making things up, getting mad at me, and attempting to be supportive for a couple days. Frankly I feel violated as hell and it made my mental health nosedive even further.

By Wednesday morning I suddenly started getting shooting pains from my lower back going all the way down my right leg. It got to the point where I collapsed from the pain and had to be sent home from the office early. It took hours getting bounced back and forth between 111, the GP surgery, and out of hours care. Eventually they diagnosed me with Sciatica and managed to arrange for me to pick up some prescription painkillers the next day. The pain is nowhere near as bad as it was last week but I'm struggling to walk because of it and I haven't been outside in days.

The nail in the coffin came on Thursday morning when one of my bosses called to check up on me. He let me know that at the start of the week three of the staff had a meeting where they agreed that when my probation period finished at the end of October they were gonna let me go because they've decided my position at the company isn't what they need right now. Since I had to go off sick from the Sciatica they said they'd instead just make me redundant now.

It really came out of the blue, especially as I've been uncovering a lot of marketing, commerce, and general technical issues since I've been employed there and there's definitely no shortage of work for me to do. My mum is convinced they're lying and don't want me because of my health issues but there's no way of proving that. It does mean that I'm unemployed again and need to go through a few meetings with Universal Credit who will want me to get a new job ASAP regardless of my health.

So yeah, right now I feel like garbage. I've got help from one of my friends to sort out the UC stuff, particularly with proving my health issues. I'm still waiting to find out what I'm getting paid for work this month, since the phone call last Thursday no one has reached out to me to discuss pay or handing over tasks or logins. When the Sciatica isn't affecting my mobility anymore I'll be able to start reaching out to my contacts again and get help with job hunting and networking.

As usual all this means I'll probably be cycling between being ghostly silent or desperately looking for comfort content. Hopefully it's not gonna take another half a year to find a new job but if anyone is able to please donate on Ko-Fi or buy something off Redbubble or Ebay (the latter is UK only right now). Etsy is still pretty barren as things got kinda manic while I was setting it up but it should be properly up and running soon now I have a lot of time to spare again. I feel crappy to have to keep doing this but please do help if you're able to!

[fictionalred]

Okay took some memory digging, but I remembered Spreadshirt as a redbubble alternative! I have one that I completely forgot about [x] so please don't look at the state of that mess.

you get your own shop(s) and there's a general marketplace too, you can set your margins as wanted, there's more variety in products than redbubble

But it does look like you need a separate shop for the US and the EU (you can make several shops with one account)

idk much about it. have barely used it for some reason

then there's also storenvy which does the same 'marketplace' / private shop combo. I really liked that place! But I started putting up physical products that I had to ship out and I spiralled there and just deleted the entire thing. You do have to chose your own print fulfilment company (i had printful which was very good imo!!)

Actually do check out printful. you can make a large variety of products as wanted and priced as wanted, you get like 3 test prints a month that you only pay the production cost + shipping for (no profit margin), and they let you connect to shops like storenvy, etsy, gumroad, ebay etc to automatically place your items there

Wish there was a redbubble but like, not evil

Just the exact same website and upload system but they actually vetted new accounts so your work doesn't drown between stolen youtuber merch and those "I am a PLUMBER born in 1985 who likes FISHING" shirts.

I'll still use it bc there is no way I'll ever be able to send stickers to the other side of the world in a financially realistic way so it's fun to reach you guys but for having to make the artwork and do 100% of the promotion myself they sure take a very large chunk of the revenue.

They should at least clean up their store so it becomes microscopically more likely for someone to stumble upon my stuff trough the tags and search bar.

[kay-spider]

I got my first order on my website today and I'm-

[darkmagic-sweetheart]

Holiday Shopping PSA 2022

Holiday Shopping PSA

It’s that time of the year again were I write one of these to remind old and new shoppers to be careful where and on what they spend their money on this holiday season.

Regardless of what you celebrate or don’t celebrate it’s always nice to give a gift to either yourself or someone you care about, but it’d be a huge bummer to later find out what you got them was actual bootleg or stolen art.

To start I always tell those that are interested in buying from an artist to go check out their social media and see where exactly do they sell their work. That is always the best way to make sure you get your art from the actual artist. Try to find a direct link as well. Most are in bios, pinned posts, or other posts were they promote their store/website.

My Stores: 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/darkmagicswh/shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DarkmagicSWH

If you can’t find a direct link see if their DMs are open or send them an Ask/Tweet at them (delete once you get your answer though). Now if this artist’s store is closed or if they don’t sell to people that is not an invitation to look elsewhere for their work or to print it out yourself! Please respect the artist wishes/schedule and look for another gift option.

Try to avoid shopping for art on sites like Amazon, Wish, Ebay, and Aliexpress UNLESS the artist has specifically said that is where they sell. Most of the time these sites are riddled with stolen work and at a very cheap price so it can be hard to not to take that deal, but don’t. Artist’s, for the most part, are the little guy in this situation. We are having our work taken by bigger companies and given almost no power to fight back. Our art is not free to use or part of the public domain!

Be careful when shopping on Etsy and Redbubble as well. Stolen works can also be found there too. Once again try to find a direct link to the artist store and if you can’t Google their name or search for one of the items they do sell. Just make sure to triple check that the person whose store you are looking at if the artist and not someone just selling their art.

I know it can be hard because sometimes you just see something online you want and don’t put too much thought into whether the listing for it on Amazon is stolen or not, but all I can ask if that people try. Tell friends and families about where they can find artists you like and their stores. Report any stolen listings you find and possibly contact the artist if possible about them. We artist want to keep making fun and creative works for you all to enjoy whether you buy them or not, but we can’t keep giving while our art is stolen and sold for so little by a complete stranger. We need your help too!

If you have bought or received bootleg/stolen art in the past you don’t need to feel guilty. It’s okay that you didn’t know at the time or whoever got you the gift didn’t know. That’s in the past, but right now you can change for the better. Show the artist you love the upmost respect by becoming a safer shopper this holiday season or informing others about the does and don’ts of shopping for art.

For those possibly reading this and thinking that this isn’t a huge issue and that losing out on just a little bit of money couldn’t hurt...it does and it is.

Over the course of just this year I have had to report over 100 stolen listings on just Amazon alone. I have also had to continually look out for stolen works on Etsy, Redbubble, Wish, and Mercari. I have had counter claims sent to me I’ve had to fight, all the while being in student debt. I’m unable to even report the stolen works I’ve found on Ebay and Aliexpress because those sites have made it nearly impossible for a single artist like myself to file a report. This is and has always been a problem and it’s not one artists should just get used to.

I hope this PSA helps some people learn how to shop better this holiday season and reflects the struggle artists sometimes have to go through.

DMCA Takedown Forms for Amazon and Wish (for any artists):

https://merchant.wish.com/brand-protection/brand-violation-report

https://www.amazon.com/report/infringement

Examples of my Art Being Stolen (Currently Up):

https://www.amazon.com/MDGCYDR-Stickers-Graffiti-Refrigerator-Notebook/dp/B09DQ4K9YJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KZ6QJVTUIY3C&keywords=unus+annus+stickers&qid=1669341197&sprefix=unus+annus+sticker%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1

https://graphicbreak.com/sander-sides-anxiety-aop-t-shirt-tee/

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803468333708.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

https://www.amazon.com/Jacksepticeye-Painting-Pictures-Bathroom-Decoration/dp/B092TR4ML9/ref=sr_1_123?crid=325A38TYQZALN&keywords=jacksepticeye+merch&qid=1669341359&sprefix=jacksepticeye+merch%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-123

https://www.amazon.com/Sanders-Sticker-Ceramic-Printed-Digital/dp/B0BB8X76WQ/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2W6S167LTES8C&keywords=sanders+sides+merch&qid=1669341390&sprefix=sanders+sides+merch%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-16

[brielarsonist]

this is so random, but do you have any recs for decent carol danvers merch or where to buy any? i think i missed the quality window by three years, bc a lot of stuff that's available seems tacky, expensive, or sold out! no pressure to answer since this is so broad, but either way, thank you for all the pretty brie gifs ❤️💙💛

you may have missed the window for brand new merch for the first movie, BUT you can honestly find a lot of stuff on Ebay and other resale sites like Mercari.

also Kohl's has a ton of graphic tees too (link here), and sometimes they have sales, so maybe check back every so often if you're patient. and of course you can always check out Etsy or Redbubble or Society6 to see what people are selling there.

I also just got this blanket for Christmas from my brother, and I think you can still find some more Captain Marvel stuff on Amazon too.

and if you still can't find anything you like, The Marvels comes out next year, so we have all that new merch to look forward to! and possibly even if Carol is in Ms Marvel this year, we might get more merch then, but who knows!

and honestly I look out for Captain Marvel merch basically anywhere I go, because marvel/disney is always trying to take our money, so sometimes new little things pop up. like around back to school time, I found a bunch of school supplies at Target with a little cartoon Carol featured on them (yeah they were tacky, but I still bought a pencil pouch lol).

good luck on your merch search! sorry if none of this was helpful, but I hope you can find something you like!

[fuckyeahkatieholt]

Art credit and permission for the graphic goes to @the-officially-kat. My way of thanking her for being a regular participant in the blog’s first event!

Hello to everyone! Finally after many delays and seeing the first event come and go, we are at the time for the second blog giveaway! It’s been a great six months here with this blog, we’re still going very strong and the momentum this blog has gained just boggles my mind every day. When I did the first giveaway at 2 1/2 months with the blog there were 650 of you. Now at 6 months after the start we’re on our way to 1700 of you. It makes me so happy that this many people are able to enjoy a safe space and not have any of the fandom drama coming in. I love interacting with you guys and the support you have continued to give me by coming and staying. This is my way of giving back to you guys a second time.

So without further ado, the prizes and rules are under the cut.

1. No giveaway blogs. I will check on those who are the winners before I announce to ensure they are a blog for personal use in some way, shape, or form other than solely for giveaways. 2. Only one like and one reblog will count towards the final entries, so choose wisely when you do both, you never know when the odds will be in your favor. 3. Followers that come during the giveaway period are also eligible for winning a prize. 4. When I select and announce the winners, you must respond to my IM or ask contacting you within 48 hours or I will select a new winner. Only exception I will make is it you are on temporary hiatus and make it obvious in either latest posts made or somewhere on your theme that you are on a brief hiatus. 5. You must be comfortable giving me your name and address so I can mail the prizes to you. Unless you happen to live within easy driving distance of me. I will do international shipping should someone outside the US win a prize. 6. The contest will run from Monday August 13th to Monday August 27. That’s exactly two weeks to get your entries in.

And here are both prizes!

First place:

-It’s up to you! The winner will have an up to $25 budget to pick whatever Pidge merch you want (whether it’s one thing or several smaller items). Just please don’t pick something crazy big since I’ll be paying for shipping as well. But whatever website you find something related to Pidge on, be it Etsy or Tictail or Redbubble or eBay or wherever, you link me to it and I’ll have the seller ship it directly to you!

-An art request from @shitlorddio, aka the mod of @fuckyealance. She has graciously agreed to provide a giveaway prize. Dio said the winner can request a full body drawing of Pidge that is colored and shaded, and can have a simple background. Once the winner has been chosen they will be free to contact Dio whenever and discuss ideas for the art request!

Second place:

-New York Comic Con 2017 Coalition poster (note that I took a picture of my own copy of the poster that’s already hung up to avoid having to bring the poster meant to be a prize out of its tube, I have verified that the prize poster is correct and in good condition).

-One large, one medium, and one small button

[drwhogeek]

Ace McShane Cosplay Resources Post

I’m heading out to Gallifrey One next month and  I thought I’d post what I’ve learned over the last seven months of putting together my jacket.

Head over to your local surplus shop for the jacket.  I paid about $30 for mine there and promptly went home and split an inside seam and removed about 75% of the padding.  (I live in Texas and I don’t fancy dying of heat prostration at a convention.)

Your best source for all other stuff Ace is ebay.  Check ebay, especially ebay UK and ebay Germany.  That’s where I got my American Football pin.  This is the second one I got, and I just bought it this morning.  Yeah, I had to get a lot of stuff I didn’t want, but I figure I’ll just repost it with the same tags and information and hopefully offload it for about what I paid for the whole batch.

Etsy has some good stuff, too, especially some of the patches and a reproduction of some of the impossible-to-find ones-

Camel Pin- A gift from Sophie’s mom, this one is impossible to find.  Here’s a pretty faithful reproduction 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/572136123/doctor-who-ace-camel-pin?ref=hp_rf

SBI Patch- nobody seems to know what the heck this thing is, but here’s a good embroidered reproduction

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/528643428/ace-sbi-doctor-who-jacket-sew-on-patch?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=ace%20mcshane&ref=sr_gallery-1-2

The Thunderbirds/Spiderman/Rupert Bear pins- the shop is on hiatus right now, but contact her and she’ll make them.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/aceroofingco?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Ace Roofing patch- buy two and get some fabric markers to red/white/blue one up.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/572395391/doctor-who-ace-roofing-co-ace-jacket-sew

WarmCanOfCoke has some good simulations of these and more on Spoonflower.  He’s got it set so you can buy a fat quarter and get them all - https://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/308732-doctor-who-ace-badges-print-by-warmcanofcoke

Storied Threads will create the Ace back patch for you reasonably for you ($26-ish range) if you ask her-  It’s actually much better proportioned than the one seen below and looks freaking awesome.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/StoriedThreads

Double Neck Guitar Pin

http://www.grothmusic.com/p-52649-bc-rich-double-neck-guitar-pin-white.aspx?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=51320962143&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnOzSBRDGARIsAL-mUB3aX-s1_cwttChM7b0Y1rwcfbEEKzR0PoXTn26Hi0moGBkKH38t4AsaAktMEALw_wcB

Ace Tees on RedBubble- Artist Avocado Kingdom.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/avocadokingdom/works/29795145-ace-remembrance-jazz-musical-instruments-t-shirt?grid_pos=3&p=t-shirt&rbs=5b6960e2-1d85-4165-ab7e-31d604ea1b8f&ref=shop_grid&style=mens

https://www.redbubble.com/people/avocadokingdom/works/29795461-ace-retro-silver-nemesis-primary-t-shirt?p=t-shirt

I’m making a larger, better Fanderson badge because I just can’t manage to find one and I’m also making the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones pin, just because I can.  The Nuclear Power button image is public-domain- search Wikimedia for it.  

This is my jacket, after about seven months of collecting- 

If you’re interested, contact me back and I’ll give you my buttonmaker links and you can get them at cost, or contact me in the next couple of days and when I order early next week, I’ll toss an extra in so the shipping won’t kill you.  Oh- the whistle- I did get that on Amazon and I had to buy a multi-pack, so again, for the cost of shipping, I’ll send you one.

Now-here’s the catch- does ANYONE know where to get a spiral Flowerchild earring from Greatest Show in the Galaxy?  That’s killing me and I want one before I go to Gallifrey One next month.  I’d also like some help identifying the white patch at the waistband of Ace’s skirt so I can reproduce it.  

[thedrawingduke]

Hi I love your art and comic! I was wondering if you could help me out, I'm thinking about opening an etsy store for prints and stuff but I've never done anything like that. Do you have any tips for a begginner? Like which paper is better for prints, how to mail them safely? You seen so well organized 💖

Hello! Thank you so much for the kind words!

Ok, ETSY STUFF! So, I’ve been on etsy for a while now and I am still learning new ways to ship and package and sell etc, etc, etc. So don't worry too much (and don't be fooled...I am not nearly as organized as I seem!)

If you are looking into selling just your prints, I would actually suggest looking into a site like RedBubble or Society6. You provide the files, they print and ship everything for you. You can mark up your margins to make sure that you make a good profit (very easy to do for prints) and boom--no shipping hassle. Also, if there ever is a problem with your order, RedBubble handles it. 

True, you could probably make a little more by printing them yourself BUT you don't have to factor in manufacturing costs and shipping woes (of which, there are many). I’ve always stuck to smaller prints for my shop because it is generally more affordable for domestic and international buyers (and I don't have to worry as much about things getting bent or wrecked in transit). Also, prints can be kind of hit and miss, so this way you don't have 40 leftover prints that you can't sell, haha. 

If you still want to do etsy (which is a great site!), I recommend looking at your local printing services. I do some of my prints and handouts via my school’s print shop. It is affordable for me and I don't have to buy a minimum of 20 prints or something. It does have its limitations (ie. if they don't change the ink when they should) but that would be a good place for you to start. General rule of thumb for prints is using some sort of card stock or photo paper. You want something more substantial than regular old printer paper! If there are no local places for you to print, I highly recommend CatPrint. They are pretty affordable and have a ton of paper stock to choose from (and their sampler is free!). I’ve printed nearly all my bookmarks and business cards through them. Other affordable options are places like Kinkos or Staples. 

General Print/Etsy Tips:

 I recommend printing multiple designs on a larger sheet and then cutting things down yourself if money is tight (you can save a lot that way!). I got a 10$ paper slicer from Walmart and boom...I can save about 30$ per print order :0 At the local print shop, I can print two 8.5x11″ for a dollar each or one 11x17 for 50cents and just...cut down the middle. Quick way to save!

For mailing items, you can purchase labels through etsy! It will save you a lot of time and trouble. All you have to do is buy label, print off label, stick to parcel, and toss parcel in your local post box/post office. You also save a bit of money purchasing labels through etsy so, 10/10 recommend. Such a life saver! 

Rigid mailers for prints are nice but they do cost more to ship + they don't always protect the print. I suggest getting the boring bubble mailers (can be found at dollar stores + walmart, online, etc) and using foam board (also Dollar store) to support your print inside a plastic sleeve. Foam board is light and super strong--does a great job of protecting prints. And you don't have to pay that technical “rigid envelope” fee. This was a tip from the post office lady haha.

If you have a nice enough printer, you can print things yourself! You can find good photo paper at most Walmarts or Targets or what-have-you. I like the Kodak brand, personally. It isn't as cost effective at first, but it is good for when you need to replenish your stock fast! You just have to keep in mind that your printer inks may be water soluble/not as high quality as a print shops. 

You can find most of what you need for print packaging (cellophane sleeves) at places like Daiso, Amazon, eBay, and ClearBags.com. General rule of thumb is to order the size that is about .5 or .75″ bigger than your print. To make sure everything fits just right + room for backing board, business card. I order most of my packaging from Amazon. 

Phew! Long post. I hope that helps you out a little, anon! I would check out places like youtube, and google and different artist alley forums to see what others have to say. That’s kind of how I figured out some of this. Bless the internet!  

[canadian-riddler]

The only bit of Arkham Knight Riddler merch is that statue, other than some very small metal figure kits from Knight Models, and that figure is the only other Arkham City merch. Riddler didn’t get any other merch from Arkhamverse (except for a Heroclix Arkham Origins Riddler).

The Riddler trophy replica is very rare. There are 440 green ones and 100 pink ones. You have to be patient and hope, mainly. I bought mine off eBay about a year and a half ago. Most of the figures you’re going to find on eBay, but make sure to check American eBay too. Sometimes they only ship to America but lots are worldwide if you don’t mind the shipping prices. If you’d like to see the fanmade one you can search up Etsy and see if he has it listed currently (sometimes he takes it down for a while). If not just keep an eye out and he’ll put it back up again in a bit.

For Riddler tshirts, I buy most of mine from TeePublic. I have one from Society6 and one from Redbubble but I like TeePublic best.

No worries and your English is fine!!

arckimonder replied to your post: i’m so sad that there isn’t a decent action figure (or riddler’s thing in general) of the riddler (there are some, but.. Meh) when he is a character also quite “important” and he deserves a little more space too..   

It depends what Riddler stuff you’re looking for.  Anything from the nineties?  Yeah it’s pretty crappy shit.  But there are quite a few decent Riddler action figures.

All of them are ‘important’ but not all of them make money.  See, Arkham Knight had a series of action figures, like all of the games did.  They had the first series there with Scarecrow, Batman, Harley, etc., but that was whatever, yknow, it’s the first series for hype and stuff.  When they took preorders for the next series, do you know which villains people wanted?

Joker and Harley. 

I don’t remember the other figures in the line.  One of them was Poison Ivy, I know that.  But she was cancelled because not enough people wanted her.  DC knows who is willing to spend money on what and they cater to them.  It sucks but it’s good business.  No point in putting artists and designers and making molds for an action figure you’re not going to get a return on.

But back to Riddler merch….. I have tons of it.  But I’d need to know what you were looking for.

[templeofgeek]

Whether you have been into cosplay for years or are just starting out, we all have learned one thing: it can get expensive! However, I am here to remind you that it does not have to cost an arm and a leg to create a cosplay. Doctor Who is my favorite television show, and I have created so many cosplays from it. Here, I will show you a break down of my cosplays, where I got certain pieces, and how I made and put together others.

Print on demand

Finding screen accurate pieces for cosplay can be difficult. It can also get expensive. However, print on demand websites are wonderful. Redubble is a print on demand website where artists’ renderings are applied to shirt, sweaters, dresses, etc. These might not be totally accurate, but they will be extremely close and way less expensive. For example, the striped shirt for the Thirteenth Doctor that I own came from Redbubble.

Thirteenth Doctor cosplay shirt

Ace cosplay shirt from Redbubble

Also, my Ace McShane (companion of the seventh Doctor) cosplay shirt came from Redbubble. The “Ace” patch was found on Etsy, but it does not seem to be available at the moment. This cosplay as a whole was a labor of love.

Ace McShane, played by Sophie Aldred,companion to the 7th Doctor

Maddie’s Ace Cosplay. Photo taken by Monica Duarte

Ace cosplay fabric from Spoonflower, cut into the individual patch pieces

Spoonflower is another great print on demand website. This website is more geared toward specialized fabric designed by artists. Since a lot of the patches couldn’t be found for Ace’s jacket, I checked Spoonflower just for fun. Not expecting anything, I was pleasantly surprised to see there was fabric made by an artist of a few of the patches that cannot be found. On Spoonflower, you can order sample sizes of fabric. This was the perfect size to get the “patches” I needed for Ace.

Redbubble replica shirt based on the Tshirt worn by the 12th Doctor

Redbubble replica shirts based on the Tshirts worn by the 12th Doctor and Rose Tyler

More options for print on demand websites include teepublic and society6. Both of these websites have designs made by different artists that are printed directly onto apparel.

Thrift Store and online consignment stores

Tweed jacket from thrift store for Eleventh Doctor

Thrift stores, secondhand stores, and online consignment stores are a gold mine for cosplay! Most of the coats from the different Doctors can be a bit pricey, but finding an alternate at a thrift store or website works perfectly. My very first cosplay was the Eleventh Doctor, and I found a wonderful tweed jacket there for $7. It was a bit big, but having it fixed (or fixing it yourself!) will still cost you less than buying a screen accurate coat/jacket.

Eleventh Doctor cosplay

Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith

eBay, Depop, and Poshmark are some of my favorite places to find secondhand outfits and pieces that you may not be able to find in a regular store.

Ebay is where I found the bomber jacket for my Ace outfit as well as most of the patches and pins. This is the image I used to identify what was on her jacket. To be honest, a lot of these were either impossible to find or were not in circulation anymore. It was still a fun treasure hunt!

River Song, played by Alex Kingston

River Song Cosplay. Photo taken by Katie York, Gallifrey One 2019

Also, once in a while, eBay (or Depop or Poshmark) will have screen accurate or close to accurate Doctor Who items. I was lucky enough to find Mels/River Song’s Ecote Urban Outfitters screen accurate dress for way less than it was in the stores. However, be mindful of shipping. If you are in the United States and you found something in the U.K., then shipping may bring the price back up.

Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie. Companion to the 12th Doctor season 10

Knock-off Bill Potts bomber jacket (front)

Knock-off Bill Potts bomber jacket (back)

There is also an alternate Bill Potts jacket that was circulating eBay that works perfectly. It isn’t TopShop, but who can tell? (See above images)

Clara Oswald, aka “Souffle Girl” from Doctor Who episode “Assylum of the Daleks”

Alternate “Souffle Girl” wedged sneakers from Depop

Depop is an app purely for secondhand clothing items. You can type into the search bar “Clara Doctor Who cosplay,” filter the results to international or national, and find great options. I found Souffle Girl alternate shoes on this app for $12.

DIY Cosplay Projects

Sometimes, making props or pieces for a cosplay can be a little intimidating. It doesn’t have to be, and it does not have to be expensive. Find things at your local discount store that can easily be painted or even cut/molded into what you are looking for. Craft stores have a lot of options for materials that do not cost much at all.

The TARDIS. The time and space ship the Doctor uses to travel.

The TARDIS is one of the most fun “characters” in Doctor Who to cosplay. There is so much you can do with her!

Ballerina TARDIS cosplay. Photo taken by Katie York.

My very first TARDIS cosplay was a ballerina version. I used a blue corset that I had purchased from eBay for a Snow White variant I made a while back. The black Forever21 leggings were in my closet already, and I threw on some black flats. Now, the tutu is an Amazon find. I made the windows out of felt pieces I already had, but felt in general is quite inexpensive, and you do not need much for this. The “St. John’s Ambulance” and “Pull to Open” patches were printed onto iron-on fabric paper and ironed on to more felt. I attached them with sticky pins since safety pins do not work well with the bones of the corset.

Punk Rock TARDIS. Gallifrey One, 2019. Photo taken by Monica Duarte

This is my punk rock TARDIS. Rather than purchase ripped leggings (which are so expensive!) I cut a pair of my own I hadn’t worn in a while. The patches are actually printed out images using iron-on printer paper. Way less expensive and less of a hassle than trying to find or create patches. The flannel and the spike jewelry are from Amazon. Since I did not need to wear the flannel as an actual sweater, the size did not matter to me. Sometimes, sizing on Amazon changes the prices, so I went bigger in order to spend less money. The temporary tattoo that says “Gallifrey” in Circular Gallifreyan was made at home. Amazon also has temporary tattoo printer paper available, so I found the Gallifreyan image on Google and printed it out. (I actually printed several in case it didn’t go on right the first time.)

My 5 year old son was also the TARDIS. His costume is much more simple since it can be hard to keep a small child in cosplay. I used a blue t-shirt from a craft store and iron-on paper to attach the windows and signs. The headband light is a clear plastic cup. By request of my little guy, I used blue sparkly pipe cleaner around the bottom of the cup (top of the light). Then, I used blue felt for the strips down the side. In order to get the cup to stay on the headband, I Gorilla glued a piece of cardboard from an Amazon box to the cup and then to the headband.

Dalek. Evil alien from Doctor Who, first appeared in 1963.

Ravenclaw Dalek cosplay. Photo from Gallifrey One 2018

This Dalek DIY Ravenclaw dress was part of a group at Gallifrey One where we were Hogwarts Houses versions of Daleks. Now, there are a couple of ways out there to make a Dalek dress, but I chose the easiest way possible. The bulbs are Styrofoam spheres cut in half and painted with acrylic paint. I glued them on with Gorilla glue. DISCLAIMER: If you are using Gorilla glue on fabric like this, put a piece of parchment paper in between the front and the back. Otherwise, the dress or shirt will be glue together…I learned this from experience. The belt was an inexpensive Amazon find, and the Ravenclaw patch came from Etsy. The “lights” in my hair were made with plastic jello shot cups glued to a couple of bobby pins. That plunger was from the Dollar Tree, and I painted the handle silver to match my house. See that wand? It’s a chopstick painted black!

Gallifrey One Hogwarts House Dalek group. Photo taken by Katie York

Ace cosplay picture taken by Monica Duarte

The patchwork and pins for my Ace cosplay were all attached by hand. She is by far my most favorite cosplay that I have ever created and pieced together. Sewing patches onto a bomber jacket was not something I was going to attempt, so I used Gorilla glue for most of the patches. Also, Ace does use safety pins to attach quite a few of the patches to the jacket. This made application of a lot of them pretty easy.

Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper. Companion to the 9th and 10th Doctors until season 3.

This Rose Tyler “Tooth and Claw” outfit uses iron-on patchwork for the shirt. A lot of these designs can be found online, printed out, and then ironed onto your shirt. Iron-on transfer paper can be found at just about an craft store. When in doubt, Amazon!

      Download the image below for your own cosplay DIY!

  Closet Cosplay

A lot of Doctor Who costumes can be created by clothing you already have in your closet. You can absolutely create a whole look from “regular” clothes or piece your clothes with purchased and/or created pieces. For example, with my Ace cosplay, I already had the leggings and boots, and I found the skater skirt on clearance from Hot Topic.

9th Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston

9th Doctor cosplay

The Ninth Doctor is a wonderfully easy closet cosplay. Grab yourself a black jacket, a solid, dark colored shirt (olive, dark red, or dark purple will work), black jeans, and black boots. Will it be perfect? No, but every Doctor Who fan will recognize you!

Purchasing licensed pieces

Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor – Doctor Who _ Season 12, Episode 3 – Photo Credit: Ben Blackall/BBC Studios/BBC America

Photo taken by Monica Duarte, Gallifrey One 2020

Her Universe currently holds the license for current Thirteenth Doctor products. Within this brand, there are pretty-close-to-accurate Thirteenth Doctor pieces. Her blue and pink shirts are both available. You can also find her coat and culottes. Do not be afraid to treat yourself and purchase these pieces! They are high quality and as close to accurate, I believe, that you will get other than spending a fortune on the legitimate pieces. Side note: the culottes and coat from Her Universe do run a little big. The coat is fine, but I did have to alter the culottes so they were a little shorter.

Her Universe coat, culottes, and 13th Doctor top (pink)

                                          The BBC Doctor Who Shop also has so much to choose from. From sonic screwdrivers to socks, this is where a lot of the licensed products can be found. Lovarzi currently holds the license for the Fifth Doctor’s (played by Peter Davidson) official Cricket Sweater.

Ultimately, just have fun! Cosplay is meant to be fun. The word “play” is in the name! Do what works for you. This fun hobby does not need to cost you a fortune. When it comes to Doctor Who cosplay, there is always a way!

For more cosplay guides:

Temple of Geek Chic: Her Universe 13th Doctor Collection

How To Cosplay Grunge & Air Force Captain Marvel

How to Cosplay Allison (The Rumor- #3) from The Umbrella Academy

Corinna’s Chilling Closet Cosplay: Cosplaying Sabrina on a budget

How to Cosplay MJ from Spider-Man: Far From Home

Cosplay on a budget: how to create Doctor Who cosplays #DoctorWho #DoctorWhoCosplay Whether you have been into cosplay for years or are just starting out, we all have learned one thing: it can get expensive!

[liamtheocreative]

Age Of Artists

How The Digital Era Helps Artists

It’s no secret that we live in an age far different than any other. Our technology advancement has given us so many advantages to those who lived before us. One of those big advantages is for artists. 

In the past, artists have been called “starving artists” because it was so difficult to get the recognition needed to make good money. Now, there are a wide variety of mediums to help artists get the exposure necessary for recognition.  

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The Power Of Social Media

Social media can spread a story in seconds. If an artist creates plenty of work, all they have to do is simply post a picture of that work online. A video is even more common actually and more engaging. With billions of users on Facebook alone that image can spread across the world with just a few clicks.  

Now the artist has their work and name on the other side of planet thanks to one image. In the past, it would’ve taken months, even years to get around the globe.  

Making Money With Your Art

There are many services available now that allow artists to use their artwork to make money and it’s really quite simple.

Merchandising

There are merchandise on demand printers such as Printful, TeeSpring, Redbubble, and more. This gives artists the chance to put their artwork onto t-shirts, hats, pillows, blankets, towels, coffee mugs, and so on.

Printing Services

Like I mentioned above, there are plenty of on demand print services out there to use. Many of them will also give you the option to print posters, canvas, and things of that nature. If you know of a local print shop that can print your art for low costs, setting up shops in eBay, Amazon, and Etsy is fairly easy. From there just set up a USPS account and get boxes from them for FREE.  

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The Advantage Of The Video Age

It’s pretty well known that we live in the age of Video. Still images are easy to ignore and scroll past. If you’re able to, it would be a great idea to record the making of your artwork. For example, if you’re painting, set up a camera (phone works great too) and record yourself painting. If you’re a digital artist like me, you can screen cap your creation process. From there, just edit the video even slightly, find some royalty free music (there’s loads on YouTube), and upload your video.  

Publishing your video on YouTube can eventually earn you money just by people watching. Posting on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and so on will give you great exposure if you’re selling products using your artwork.  

What Are You Waiting For

I’ve only mentioned a few ways for artists to make money with their hobbies and passions. There are many, many more. This truly is the age for artists to shine. So if you’re an artist, go out, create, and have some fun!  

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Check out some of my work used for shop products.

Connect with me on social media to get up to date info and alerts!

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[kennethherrerablog]

Need Extra Income? One of These 10 Best Side Hustles Can Help You Out

Is your financial situation making you think about starting a side hustle?

Side hustles, also known as side gigs, are jobs you do outside your primary day job. These gigs can be a great way to pay off debt or earn some extra spending money. They can also be a means to tap into unused skills or explore passions.

So if you’re about to start searching for a side hustle, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips on what makes a great side hustle, what qualities workers need to have for success and 10 gigs to consider.

What The Best Side Hustles Have in Common

Not all side hustles are the same. To help you choose the 10 best side gigs, we researched numerous jobs and found some commonalities such as having a low barrier of entry, flexible schedules and availability in most areas. Here are some tips on what to look for in a good one.

Schedule Flexibility

Rule No. 1 when starting a side hustle: Don’t let it interfere with your day job. The last thing you want to do is mess up your primary source of income, as some companies may have policies in place that prevent employees from taking on extra gigs. If you’re cleared to do side hustles outside of your 9-to-5, make sure the gig allows for a flexible schedule.

By day, Brandon Ballweg works in the Kansas City, Missouri area as a marketer for an e-commerce business. At night, he runs a photography website and works app-based gig jobs. He says he enjoys app-based jobs like ride-share driving and meal delivery because there’s no set schedule.

“When you get off your regular job, you can just turn on the app and go,” he says. “It gives you a lot of flexibility, and that’s a big thing for me.” So find a job that works with your schedule.

It’s Something You Enjoy Doing

No matter what you end up choosing for your side hustle, pick something you enjoy doing. Seek out a gig that fits your personality and interests because it’s going to take up a lot of your free time. Krystal Covington, CEO of the networking service Women of Denver, has worked several side hustles over the years and currently puts in between 15 and 20 hours per month as a freelancer on Upwork doing marketing, public relations and internal business communications.

“If you have a [day] job and you’re side hustling, that’s a lot of work to be doing,” she says. “You’re not getting as much leisure time, so if you hate it, it’s going to be a terrible life.”

Low Cost of Entry

Another thing to factor in when choosing a side hustle is how much it’s going to cost to get it off the ground. Some gigs, such as those that are app-based, can be done right away, while others, like selling goods online, may need more time and money upfront. The cost of running your business will eat into your earnings as a self-employed worker. “If the side gig costs more money than it makes you, then it’s a problem, and I’ve seen people get into that trap,” Covington says.  

The 10 Best Side Hustles

No gigs coming to mind? Below is a list of the 10 best side hustles that can be done outside your regular 9-to-5. Some gigs are easily obtainable, some provide passive income and others offer opportunities to use specialized skills.

1. Ride-share Driving

Your car can be a valuable asset in the gig economy. Ride-share companies, such as Uber and Lyft, are always looking for drivers interested in making extra money. To become a ride-share driver, you need to be at least 21-years old, have a valid U.S. driver’s license, proof of car insurance and vehicle registration, a four-door vehicle that seats five people, and pass criminal and driving background checks.

The earnings potential of ride-share drivers varies depending on how often and when they drive. Driving at peak “surge” times can put more money in your pocket. Drivers can earn $18 to $40 per hour, with many earning around $25 per hour.

2. Meal Delivery

If driving around strangers in the back of your car doesn’t sound appealing to you, then try meal delivery. Services like Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash, allow people to order takeout and have it delivered to their door. One difference between traditional Uber and Uber Eats is that you’re not required to have a four-door vehicle. Drivers can use two-door cars, motorized scooters and bicycles. Uber Eats drivers earn pickup, drop-off and trip mileage fees, plus tips. Also, like traditional Uber, surge pricing can boost your payout during peak times. Here’s how you can learn more about delivering for Uber Eats.

3. Freelance Work

If you have a particular set of skills and want to make some money using them, join a freelance network. Services like Fiverr and Upwork connect people with freelancers specializing in fields like copywriting, graphic design, coding, digital marketing, financial consulting and much more. Freelancer decide how much to charge for their services. Fiverr user Charmaine Pocek started writing resumes and cover letters for $5 a pop. Now she charges about $30 to $800 to write resumes, cover letters and optimize LinkedIn profiles. According to Fiverr, she’s earned more than $2 million using the site. Check out how she made her first million. It’s free to join Fiverr, and users keep 80% of your earnings made using the service.

4. Renting on Airbnb

Have a spare room? Might as well try to earn some money by listing it on Airbnb.

If you’re a good host with a desirable space, you could add hundreds — even thousands — of dollars to your savings account with Airbnb.

A few simple steps can make the difference between a great experience and a less-than-satisfactory one. We talked to Terence Michael, an Airbnb superhost based in Los Angeles.

Here are some of his tips:

Break out the labelmaker. “I have the entire house loaded with labels,” Michael says. “They look nice; they’re modern. This helps people feel less helpless.”

Be a good host, and stock your place with the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel — toilet paper, soap and towels. Here’s a little hack from Michael: “I order on Amazon and have it delivered when people are there.”

Be kind to your neighbors. “I say, ‘I’m not going to put anyone here who I think won’t be good for you,’” Michael explains. “And I turn a lot of big groups away, especially in Nashville. I don’t want anyone going to the cops or the city.”

(Hosting laws vary from city to city. Please understand the rules and regulations applicable to your city and listing.)

5. Online Tutoring

If you have teaching experience, then here’s an opportunity to make some extra money from home. Online tutoring companies such as Tutor.com, Brainfuse and TutorMe allow people with teaching or tutoring experience to instruct K-12 students and adults on different topics. These topics include your basic grade school subjects (math, English, science, reading and social studies), SAT/ACT prep and college-level courses. Online tutors can earn anywhere between $9 and $25 per hour depending on the service, and sometimes the subject. Here’s a roundup of 10 online tutoring companies.

6. Teaching English as a Second Language

This is another opportunity for teachers looking for work-from-home opportunities. Companies like VIPKid, QKids and Italki connect U.S. instructors with students wanting to learn English as a second language. Jennifer Ross, a former schoolteacher from Mount Dora, Florida, told The Penny Hoarder in 2018, that she earns $520 working 24 hours a week as a VIPKid instructor.

“And now I can live the stay-at-home dog-mom life,” Ross says with a laugh.

7. Selling Craft Goods

Not all side hustles have to be service jobs. Consider making some money using your craft skills. Thanks to online platforms such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and Amazon Handmade, artists have several outlets to sell their items without leaving their home or studio.

Each selling platform comes with its own pros and cons. Selling on Amazon, for example, gives you access to a huge online marketplace, but crafters will be up against stiff competition. Etsy seller Katrin Lerman told The Penny Hoarder in 2018 she has shops with Amazon Handmade and Shopify, but Etsy is her favorite platform.

“Etsy really caters to the handmade,” she says. “They understand [handmade] better than Amazon… [which] is very strict with all the rules.”

8. Delivering Groceries

Some people hate going to the supermarket, which is why grocery delivery services are on the rise. Instacart and Shipt employ gig workers who go shopping, pick out requested items and deliver them to customers’ homes. Shipt shoppers are paid per order — the price is higher for bigger orders — and they also receive tips. Destiny Firth, a Shipt shopper in Nashville, told The Penny Hoarder in 2017 she makes $17.50 an hour.

9. Creating Online Courses

If you’re a master of a topic and wish to make some passive income, then consider creating an online course. Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, provided by companies like Udemy allow teachers and professionals to instruct students wanting to broaden their skills.

Instructors create the courses, which consist of audio, video, a PowerPoint-style presentation, practice assignments and exams, then charge a fee to enroll. The longer the course, the higher the pay. According to Udemy, the site keeps 50% of the cost if the student finds the class on their platform, but the instructor keeps 97% of the course cost when the student signs up using an instructor coupon.

10. Selling T-Shirts Online

If you’ve got ideas for catchy slogans or eye-catching graphics, why not put them on a T-shirt? Print-on-demand services such as Merch by Amazon, Printful and Redbubble allow people to upload their designs and sell products without dealing with the hassles of inventory and shipping. Each shirt is made to order, and the designer receives a percentage of the sale.

Stacy Caprio, a former designer who made shirts from April 2017 to Feb. 2018, says she still makes between $200 and $300 per month in passive income from T-shirt sales.

“I think it’s cool that there are so many platforms you can put your designs on,” she says. “There’s a lot of opportunity, especially for people who spend the time making high-quality designs.”

What Skills Do Side Hustlers Need to Have?

Finding a great side hustle is important, but that’s only half the equation. Each side hustler needs to have a set of intangible qualities to succeed.

Being a Self-Starter

A significant adjustment newbie side hustlers need to make is learning how to be a self-starter. Covington says you get used to the systems and workflows of your day job because they have always been there. It’s up to you as the sole employee to create your workflow and stay motivated so your products or assignments get done on time.

Keeping Things in Perspective

Side hustlers need to have realistic expectations. Ballweg says it’s most likely going to take awhile before your side hustle gets up to full speed and — hopefully someday — makes you a lot of money. “Keeping that in the back of your mind is a healthy way of looking at it,” he says.

Always Willing to Learn

You’re never too old or too experienced to learn something new. Covington listened to podcasts and audiobooks about side hustles to learn how to improve her businesses when juggling multiple side gigs. She says side hustle-focused podcasts can be a great place to gain inspiration and learn about the different ways people make money during their off hours.

Being Able to Forgive Your Mistakes

You’ll be better off knowing from the beginning that you’re going to make mistakes. This may be your first attempt trying to do a side hustle while balancing a day job and a personal life. Covington says there will be long nights and a lot of trial and error when learning how to run your business the best way possible. She says you have to be willing to forgive yourself if any setbacks occur.

Matt Reinstetle is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

Need Extra Income? One of These 10 Best Side Hustles Can Help You Out published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[darkmagic-sweetheart]

Holiday Shopping PSA

It’s that time of the year again were I write one of these to remind old and new shoppers to be careful where and on what they spend their money on this holiday season.

Regardless of what you celebrate or don’t celebrate it’s always nice to give a gift to either yourself or someone you care about, but it’d be a huge bummer to later find out what you got them was actual bootleg or stolen art.

To start I always tell those that are interested in buying from an artist to go check out their social media and see where exactly do they sell their work. That is always the best way to make sure you get your art from the actual artist. Try to find a direct link as well. Most are in bios, pinned posts, or other posts were they promote their store/website. 

My Stores: https://www.redbubble.com/people/darkmagicswh/shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DarkmagicSketchbook

If you can’t find a direct link see if their DMs are open or send them an Ask/Tweet at them (delete once you get your answer though). Now if this artist’s store is closed or if they don’t sell to people that is not an invitation to look elsewhere for their work or to print it out yourself! Please respect the artist wishes/schedule and look for another gift option.

Try to avoid shopping for art on sites like Amazon, Wish, Ebay, and Aliexpress UNLESS the artist has specifically said that is where they sell. Most of the time these sites are riddled with stolen work and at a very cheap price so it can be hard to not to take that deal, but don’t. Artist’s, for the most part, are the little guy in this situation. We are having our work taken by bigger companies and given almost no power to fight back. Our art is not free to use or part of the public domain! 

Be careful when shopping on Etsy and Redbubble as well. Stolen works can also be found there too. Once again try to find a direct link to the artist store and if you can’t Google their name or search for one of the items they do sell. Just make sure to triple check that the person whose store you are looking at if the artist and not someone just selling their art.

I know it can be hard because sometimes you just see something online you want and don’t put too much thought into whether the listing for it on Amazon is stolen or not, but all I can ask if that people try. Tell friends and families about where they can find artists you like and their stores. Report any stolen listings you find and possibly contact the artist if possible about them. We artist want to keep making fun and creative works for you all to enjoy whether you buy them or not, but we can’t keep giving while our art is stolen and sold for so little by a complete stranger. We need your help too! 

If you have bought or received bootleg/stolen art in the past you don’t need to feel guilty. It’s okay that you didn’t know at the time or whoever got you the gift didn’t know. That’s in the past, but right now you can change for the better. Show the artist you love the upmost respect by becoming a safer shopper this holiday season or informing others about the does and don’ts of shopping for art.

For those possibly reading this and thinking that this isn’t a huge issue and that losing out on just a little bit of money couldn’t hurt...it does and it is.

Over the course of just this year I have had to report over 100 stolen listings on just Amazon alone. I have also had to continually look out for stolen works on Etsy, Redbubble, Wish, and Mercari. I have had counter claims sent to me I’ve had to fight, all the while being in student debt. I’m unable to even report the stolen works I’ve found on Ebay and Aliexpress because those sites have made it nearly impossible for a single artist like myself to file a report. This is and has always been a problem and it’s not one artists should just get used to.

I hope this PSA helps some people learn how to shop better this holiday season and reflects the struggle artists sometimes have to go through. 

DMCA Takedown Forms for Amazon and Wish (for any artists):

https://merchant.wish.com/brand-protection/brand-violation-report

https://www.amazon.com/report/infringement

Examples of my Art Being Stolen (Currently Up):