Never piss off a designer. We're mercenaries and we'll sell our wares to anyone who appreciates it. Even if it was intended for someone else.

I normally never discuss work in progress, but wanted to talk about it, and I'm sick of living in fear of Etsy retribution for not being a team player when the team has no coach, no bus and no game schedule.

So after a year of suggesting ways Etsy to do the right things on it's site (and making comps to show them), how to behave the right way and stop being hipster asshats and start acting professional - and being muted for it - I am done with trying. I'm now out of the closet and annoucing I am helping their newest competition.

I approached Artfire.com a few weeks ago with some suggestions after seeing the need for some improvement in their online site and branding my first visit. They quickly told me they were only a few months old and were about to start a redesign etc to get them into battle mode. They are a new new up and coming still in beta but serious about aking Etsy down at the knees. They read the blogs, and Etsy's own forums, and saw a need to fill a gap for a craft market site that listened to it's customers, gave value for the money and was already finisihing up on greatly desired features Etsy hasn't coughed up yet. I sent them my resume and links.

They liked my suggestions, and was immediately contracted to redesign their logo, site, user experience, magazine ads, banner ads  - the works. They want to pay me for everything I was trying to stupidly give Etsy for free under the guise of being a concerned user.

Artfire also wants to one up Etsy in the way that baffles most people - Etsy's lack of advertising impetus. They are putting HUGE money into advertising in the next few months to get the people over and more importantly the buyers for the holidays and are devoting a staggering amount into more mass market ads that makes Etsy's paltry attempts (stupid ass lottery style co-op ads in magzines most people don't read) seem like they are putting a finger painting on a fridge door by comparison.

And with me I bring the knowledge of what Etsy users have been asking for for years, and suggestions I originally gave to Etsy trying to make them a better site. Etsy can suck it.

The work I'm doing for Artfire is some of my nicest recently, and I'm jazzed to help another option be more viable to the community of crafters I've grown to know.

I dunno how long the gig will last, design for hire biz being what it is, but while I'm doing it I'm enjoying every minute of it.