Directory Categories
Drumroll please...
I have figured out how to create the actual version of our member Directory... myself! We thought we might have to keep using the interim one for a while, and fundraise the cost to hire the UNA developer team to build the final version, but I discovered some tutorials on UNA's site that helped me figure it out!
So. Unsurprisingly, that means I'm going to have to redo some of the stuff I've already done! I will cover this in detail in our upcoming September Guild meeting.
The goal of the member directory is to have something where people can come to us saying I want THIS specific type of maker/creator, and we can direct them to a list of every ISG member that has that skillset. Right now I want to split our top level categories into subcategories. So like - not "Sewing" or "Knitting" yet, but "Fiber and Textile Arts".
Right now, these are our top level categories in the directory:
But we need to modify them a bit.
There are huge advantages to having three top level categories vs 4, and there are very few people in the last two categories in our membership. In fact, I believe every single one of our current craft supply sellers are actually makers or artisans doing handmade craft supplies, lol! I would like to instead have three top level categories - Makers, Creators, and Curators (which is a play on the wording we always use when we're writing copy!)
I exported the data from the old site, and analyzed what everyone wrote down for categories and keywords, looking for words that had to do with type of art or craft.
Makers and Artisans ➡ Makers
I feel like I have a good handle on the subcategories for the maker category - because we had a LOT of data from the old site, and because most of it is stuff that have either done, or spent an inordinate amount of time drooling over how-to books on the subject! The comma-separated lists are the 2nd level subcategories I want to add once our directory grows.
Fiber and Textile Arts
- Sewing, Hand Embroidery, Felting, Knitting/Crochet, Macrame/Tatting, Quilting/Patchwork, Weaving, Dyeing/Fabric Painting, Spinning, Upholstery
Papercrafts and Books
- Hand Bound Books, Origami/Folded Paper Art, Calligraphy/Hand Lettering, Lino-Print/Hand Stamping, Quilling/Hand-cut Paper Art
Glass, Ceramic, and Metal Arts
- Chainmail, Metalworking, Wirewrapping/Wire Art, Stained Glass, Glass Blowing/Melting, Pottery Sculpting/Glazing, Mosaics
Natural Materials Arts and Crafts
- Woodworking/Carving, Woodburning/Engraving, Floral Arranging, Leatherworking, Bone Carving, Soap/Candle Making, Natural Cosmetics, Fragrance and Aromatherapy, Food and Edibles
MISC Arts and Crafts
- Resin/Acrylic/Silicone Casting, Beadwork, Polymer Clay Sculpting, Hat Making, Decoupage / Collage, Upcycled Art/Wearables, Painted Art/Wearables, Cloisonne/Enamel
Artists and Designers ➡ Creators
These were harder to categorize, but I think they make sense. "Other creators" is a category for all the machine-powered arts and crafts, when there's a corresponding made-by-hand craft - IE hand embroidery vs machine embroidery. VERY likely I'm missing some things in this category, due to lack of knowledge on what machinery exists and is purchasable on a small-business scale.
Designers
- Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Web Design, Game Design, Crochet/Knitting Patterns, Sewing Patterns, Embroidery Patterns
Artists
- Digital Art, Fan Art, Photography, Painting, Drawing and Illustration, Comics/Graphic Novels/Zines
Other Creators (Digital Creators?)
- 3D Printing, Heat Transfer/Apparel Printing, Machine Embroidery, Laser-cutting/Machine Carving, *Authors
*not sure if we should actually have a category for authors - just included it because someone put that down in directory keywords.
(New Top Level Category) Curators
I didn't have enough data to come up with ideas for 2nd level subcategories on Vintage Sellers or Craft Supply Sellers. We might need more people to join us in those categories so we have feedback on how to define them further!
But this opened up the door to create a new category for our people who gather/grow what they sell from nature!
Vintage Sellers
- ???
Craft Supply Sellers
- ???
From Nature with Love
- Rocks/Gems/Minerals, Dried Flowers/Herbs, Insects/Shells/Bones, Seeds/Live Plants
What we need
If what you do isn't mentioned in any of the lists, reply to this post and let us know!
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- · Kaytee Sumida
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What about "makers" with more than one sub-category? Or for that matter, "makers" who also are "creators", and/or "curators"?
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auralynne
Core Team
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In reply to Kaytee Sumida
K
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We have everyone choose all the categories that apply! I would actually end up in both Makers / Textile Fiber Arts, and in Creators / Designers, since I'm a fashion designer who sews my own stuff.
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auralynne
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I might have put "author" into the directory keywords? I'm an author and perfumer publishing books for digital download through Etsy with fragrances for sale for each chapter and major character. I'd really like the ability to put "Author" into my profile because this is a thing I am, yanno... creating lol
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auralynne
Core Team
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In reply to Cherry-ka's Trunk
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Nope haha it was actually a different person! In that case we definitely have more than one author. I thought your books were something you did to promote your fragrances, I didn't realize they were a for-sale offering!
Hmmm, in that case we might want to actually keep the "Other Creators" category actually called that so that it makes sense for Authors to be a second level subcategory.
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auralynne
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Yep, the novels are for sale on their own for digital download or with the whole fragrance bundle for shipment (the novel part still being downloaded unless otherwise requested to save trees).
Oh cool, it's great to know that there are other authors here. :)
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- · Chaosfay
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Would you mind adding quilters?