Identity crisis... averted?

Up until now, my online identity just sort of happened.  I participate in groups I like and I practice writing (with varying degrees of success) here on my blog.  But opening a shop on etsy, and actually selling stuff, has got me thinking about my story and how I present myself online.

After much wrestling with myself and a bad dream about zombies later, I've decided to keep the name Trampled by Geese.

I just love this name so much, it has a memorable ring to it, it means a lot of positive things to me, it get's people's curiosity, and don't we all feel like we've been trampled by livestock at some time or rather in our lives?





Next thing I want to tackle is my banner!

Here's what Sara C on Etsy said about it.

Raven from Trampled by Geese - I like the name (not sure how it came about but it's provocative), also like the ball of wool road & the goose on a bike. The goose could be bigger & bolder. Also I like the typewriter style text but I think it needs to be bigger. The elements are all there, fun, quirky, relevant it just needs more punch.

I think she's spot on!  (check out these awesome birdies.  They make me think of chickens)

Why a goose on a bike?

I love getting around town by bike.  It's represents good health and freedom to me.  The feeling of independence when you overtake a bus full of students that you would have been stuck waiting for if you hadn't taken the bike - this is awesome to me.

Once a year, the Tour de Fleece is a spinning event that coincides with the Tour de France.  Due to the time zone difference, for three weeks of the year, I wake up at 3am and spin for hours while watching these fellows cycle around France.  I look forward to this year round.  June and July end up being my most productive months when it comes to crafting - it's far too hot during the day to do anything physical on the farm, all I do is sit in the basement where it's cool, playing with fibre.

So, that's where the bike comes in.  In think generically the bike talks about sustainability, moving forward while being traditional, and it has wheels, like a spinning wheel has a wheel...human powered, my crafts are human made...

This is why I like the bike... but I wonder, would a penny farthing tie in better with traditional, human powered, looks a little bit more like a spinning wheel, or would a penny farthing just be pompous?

Why the typewriter font?

Again, it ties in with technology, old fashion technology that leads to the new, forward moving technology with a backwards looking view... not explaining this well, am I?

Ball of yarn?

Well, you know.

On the whole, I like the sense of motion this banner has.  I also like how it is clear, has lots of clean space, I can change the background and add text for different events, sales and stuff.

What I don't like - mostly the fact that I can't draw.  I think it could be bolder or clearer or something-er.  There is something missing.  There is also something off balance, it doesn't feel like there is enough emotion or motion or tying in with tradition.  Worried that (because of poor line drawings) the goose on a bike is incomprehensible to first time viewers.

Wondering if I can find someone who would like 100yds of spun just for them, handspun yarn (alpaca perhaps?) or 100g of suri fibre for a revamp of my banner and profile pic.  Trying to search on etsy for custom banner makers, but there seems to be a lot of clip-art like banners (all very beautiful, but not what I'm looking for).

Wondering if I should just scrap this banner and start from scratch.