How To Make a Video Ad for Your Online Store

Etsy recently recently posted a video on YouTube of their first TV ad in the UK. All sellers were able to tweak the video and add their own Etsy shop. Lots of folks thought it was cool but many were disappointed that they could only add their store's web address but no pictures of their items for sale.

So we thought we would show you how to make a true video ad for your online shop using Windows Movie Maker.

Go to the link above for Movie Maker details.

We went into Movie Maker on our computer and gave our video a title: Vintage Home. Then we added images of some of our vintage items for sale in our Etsy store Weird Owl Vintage. Next we added animations. There are many options to pick and choose.

Then we went to YouTube's audio library for free background music for our video ad. Music definitely helps make a video better but it is important to use only music which you have permission to use or that is designated free-to-use by the artist or musician. YouTube will remove your music if you are violating copyright or intellectual property.

We could have added captions for the pictures but we skipped that step this time because we wanted to put something together quickly.

When our video was done, we saved it to our computer. Then we uploaded it to our Weird Owl Vintage YouTube Channel. Once you have uploaded your video to YouTube, you can Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and other social media sites. You can also add it to your blog as we have done here:

There you have it... your very own, easy-to-do video ad!


These are fun to make so we just did one for our new vintage clothing shop on Etsy, Weird Owl Vintage 2

We added Captions to this one so you can see how they look. Enjoy!

Weird Owl Books and Vintage Consolidation

The Weird Owl is spread too thin and we are in the process of consolidating our websites, Weird Owl Books and Weird Owl Vintage with Weird Owl Vintage on Etsy.

Some items for sale on Weird Owl Vintage will be moved to our Etsy shop. Items which are not at least 20 years old and can't be sold on Etsy will available on this blog with a Paypal Buy Now button.

Many books for sale on Weird Owl Books will be moved and available for sale in our Etsy shop.

Until we get everything moved, some links on our blog will be broken. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you see something you want and the link to that item is broken, you can contact us using the Contact form on our sidebar.

Shirt, Tops Measurements Fit Guide - How to Get the Right Size

When you are buying clothing online, how do you know if it will fit? Clothing sizes have changed over the years and manufacturer sizing varies. This makes buying online a challenge, especially when purchasing vintage clothing. This guide to how we measure a shirt, blouse or top will help.

We give you the tag size, if available, but we will often also give a "fits like" size based on fairly standard current sizing. More important than tag size are the measurements.

To get an accurate fit, we suggest that you measure a shirt or top, in the same style, that fits you nicely and then compare those measurements to the ones in the product listing.

In the pictures below, we show you exactly how we measure so that you can do the same. All measurements are taken with the garment laid flat for accuracy. You can click on any of these images to enlarge for better viewing.

First is the Shoulder to Shoulder measurement:

As you can see, we measure at the top from seam to seam where the arms and shoulders meet. The measurement here is 18".

Next we measure Armpit to Armpit:

This is measured from underarm seam to underarm seam. In this case, it measures 22 inches.

Then to the Sleeve Length:

We measure from the top of the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff. This sleeve is 25 inches long.

Overall Length may be measured for both front and back:

In the front view, we measure from the top of the collar to the shirt's hem. This shirt is 30 inches long.

If the shirt tails are longer than the front, we give an Overall Length for the back. This is also measured from the top of the collar to the hem. This shirt has a back length of 31 inches.

Neck Size:

The neck is measured from the center of the buttonhole to the center of the button. The measurement here is 15 1/4 inches but we would call it 15" to be safe.

Finally, we didn't take pictures of measuring Waist Size but the rule of thumb for a man's shirt is that the waist is generally measured below the 5th button. The number is then multiplied by 2. So a measurement of 25 inches would be doubled to 50 inches. Keep in mind that a loose fitting shirt, such as a Hawaiian shirt, will have a waist size much larger than your true waist size for pants.

We hope this size guide helps and please Contact Us if you have questions. You can use the Contact Form at the top of the page in the left sidebar.