Etsy Friends Team Treasury and Interview

Hey Family,

Wanna see some of my friends- my EtsyFriendsTeam Members- Aren't we the cutest????
This team treasury was made Sunday and expires Tuesday August4th
Stop by for a better look here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63062


The Theme is Friends Don't Let Friends Shop Ebay, You've Got a Friend in Etsy!!!
You can learn more about EstyFriensTeam by clicking visiting our blogs
EtsyFriends.blogspot.com
EtsyFriendsTeam.blogspot.com


EtsyFriends has a great weekly Team features series called "Introducing Our Friends"

I am this weeks Interview feature..Check out mine and more of our team members awesome interviews here at EtsyFriends.

So what do you think of our treasury?

Ny

How Does She Do It?? -Weekly WAHM Series Part II

Many work at home moms, myself included, struggle with the duties of caring for the house and family on a daily basis- I have started a weekly feature where I search the net to find extraordinary mothers who have found and mastered a way to maintain a home business as an indie crafter.



How Does She Do it??" Is a series of interviews with indie moms of children from birth to teenage years who have graciously volunteered to share their skills, lessons & experiences with us. There will be two guest posts every week starting July 13th, 2009 all Summer long.!!!

Here is this week sensational soap crafter Rebecca D. Dillon

Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen-http://soapdeli.artfire.com

) Tell us about yourself: (background, family, personality.

I’m from a pretty average American family. I grew up as part of the struggling middle class in the 80s with a mother who was always trying to give my brother and I whatever we wanted and therefore living a bit beyond our means. My mom was always doing arts and crafts with me and taught me how to bake. I attended college locally at Roanoke College where I studied a bit of everything including photography, screen printing, graphic design, pottery, 3-D design, drawing, painting, art history, poetry and even writing. It took me seven years, but I eventually managed a BA in fine arts. I love making soap, blogging, shopping and reading anything related to the paranormal.



I've been married for eight years now and have a twelve-year-old son from a previous relationship. My son is the best helper I could ask for and will do a multitude of weekly chores for his allowance, which goes a long way toward helping me out. He's also a great student and rarely gets into trouble, which makes thinks a lot easier on me. He's pretty well rounded. He's active in sports despite having exercise induced asthma, pulls straight A's in advanced classes, is learning how to target shoot at the range from his bio father's girlfriend, plays a mean hand of Texas Hold 'Em, and is heading off on a mission trip next week to a South Dakota Indian reservation. He's also planning on attending Harvard to study law, and if that falls through, well, he's a tried and true UVA fan and they have a law program as well. I couldn't ask for better.



On a more personal note, I have struggled with severe depression all of my life. Several years back I was diagnosed with agoraphobia, and last week I was diagnosed with bipolar. So I'm sort of a mess all the way around some days. Getting things done can be a constant struggle for me because of the bipolar and agoraphobia but I push through because I'm stubborn - and very much the typical Gemini - and do what I can when I can. I also hate that there is a negative stigma attached to mental illness so I talk about it freely because it's really not something that people should feel ashamed of. Everyone has issues of some kind. Some just have a harder go than others.

2) How or why did you make the decision to pursue your art career and work from home?

I started my business in 2001 while I was still working outside of the home. I didn't really take it that seriously when I first started up. Like a lot of folks giving a first time business a go it was more of a hobby than anything else. Around 2005 I was diagnosed with agoraphobia. It was so bad that I was at the point I was having panic attacks over and over, practically non-stop, everywhere including my home. The only places I was panic free were in my office and my bedroom. Finding the appropriate medication to treat the panic took a few tries so at that point I made the decision to stay at home for a while and left my job. I was lucky that my husband had reached a point in his career that I was able to do this. Within a year though I was bored out of my ever-loving mind and striking up conversations with random strangers in Target. Then one-day hubby and I just happened to be walking downtown through the local city market, and I made a spur of the moment decision that day that I was going to sell downtown. The next day I called and got things set up, and the day after that I was officially a vendor. I worked through the panic attacks and didn't sell on Saturdays for several months until I was able to work up to the point that the market was a comfort zone for me. Once I established my local business, I moved on to focus on my online business in January of 2008.



3) How do you balance work and spend quality/downtime with them during a busy or hectic workday?

This is an especially big challenge for me. Going undiagnosed with bipolar for so long and having my medication for the agoraphobia stop working every six months or so I would go through long periods of depression. I'd have good days and bad days. Good weeks and bad weeks. Some weeks I'd function and others I just didn't. So the weeks that are good I make product like there's no tomorrow which allows me to balance things out for when I'm so unfocused I'd skip from thing to thing to thing and couldn't get anything done. Or the weeks I was just simply exhausted all of the time and could barely get out of bed. If I start to feel stressed, I know that if I don't stop and slow down it will only get worse. My health is more important than making soap because in the end, if I don't stop and slow down, I'll be even less productive and for far longer. So I stop and chill out in the bedroom and watch bad TV or I read book after book. Occasionally I'll party like a rock star. It all depends on the mood I'm in. However, I've just started on a mood stabilizer in addition to the medication I take for the anxiety and depression so hopefully it will work and I can get into a more regular routine.



4) Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed or stressed out? If so how do you diffuse or deal with these moments during business time?

All the time. If I'm working at home I just stop and take time out for myself and do things that help me relax. If I'm down on the market I usually have to pop an Ativan or grab a drink with lunch. Sometimes I'm able to mellow out just by having someone watch my table and I'll walk around and chat with the vendors. But my situation is sort of unique.



5) Please walk us through an average day at home

I can't. It's never the same. It's never consistent. I am chaos. The one consistent thing I do however is a lot of marketing on the computer whenever I get out of bed. And when I get out of bed depends on a myriad of circumstances.

6) Is your craft your primary source of income? How do you manage during slow sales times/seasons?

Yes. I am officially a soap maker. I make above the poverty line at my craft. However, as I HATE paying taxes I buy personal property to offset some of my profit and opened a traditional IRA last year so I could pay more to myself rather than into social security and Medicaid. After all, who even knows if it will be around by the time I retire. Not to mention it is not possible to live comfortably on social security alone.



For slow seasons you just have to budget. The last quarter is obviously the best one, so I keep enough cash in the bank from my profits then to be able to pay all of my bills for the first quarter just in case.



7) As a soap crafter, how do you safeguard all your materials/supplies?

I store everything in sealed containers in my cool, dry basement. It's their happy place.



8) As a seller, what are you do and don't you would advice to running a home business?

1.Do it legal. It's worth the effort for the deductions and to show income if you decide to branch out and need to get a loan.



2.Give 100%. You can't expect to get 100% if you aren't giving it. You only get a return on the time you're willing to invest.



3. You must spend money to make money. That's just how it goes.



4. Marketing and word of mouth are golden. Nothing sells a product better than a referral from someone who has used your product. Remember that. (If you're new to selling online I wrote a little article to help you get started marketing. http://www.byhand.me/component/option,com_content/catid,35/id,8162/task,view/)

9) What advice would you give to other mothers who want to take that "leap of faith" but are afraid to?? Or have little or no support system?

You cannot expect to make it working for yourself if you aren't willing to take a risk. Just look at the number of companies that made it starting from scratch with one person and one idea and almost nothing else. You have to believe in yourself. And if you can't do that, no one else will believe in you either.



Life is a risk, but you live it. Working for yourself is a risk, but you can do it. If you fail, you fail. You pick yourself back up by your bootstraps and go at it again. Mark Lim of Poison Apple failed his first go round. He tried again and went at it a little differently and it worked the second go round.http://www.poisonappleshirts.com/aboutme/aboutme.htm



10) Where else can we learn more about you? Any other sites/shops? Everywhere!

Social networking:

http://www.twitter.com/soapdeli

http://www.facebook.com/soapdeli

http://www.facebook.com/soapdeligirl

http://soapdeli.byhand.me



Main website:

http://www.soapdelicatessen.com



Blogs:

http://www.soapdelinews.com - My soap blog.

http://www.shopbyhandblog.com - My handmade shopping blog. I give props to other awesome artists.



Other business:

http://www.pokedyoutoo.com - Check out the staff page. This was my husband's big risk this year. He invested in a tattoo artist we knew for three weeks.







FANTASTIC- Thank You so much for sharing your amazing story Rebecca!-You best is yet to come;-)

***Check out our trailblazer "How Does She Do It Indie Mom Interviews

Audrey Hussey - KaBoogie - http://kaboogie.etsy.com

Delilah Pearl-Gloria's Jewelry Box- http://gloriasjewelrybox.etsy.com



Want to share you story click on this link to learn more:Thanks for visiting

Be FIERCE!!

nY

Indie Archives- Interview With Infivision March 2009

I had the pleasure of catching a great interview with Infivision an amazing indie photo artist:)

1. Introduce yourself

Howdy. Yep, that's what we say here in the mountains of Virgina. I'm M. Adam Kendall, and I run http://infivision.etsy.com and the famous Etsy favorites organizer,
http://www.etsyfeeder.com

2. What led you to start creating your art/craft?

My wife really inspires me every day. She is an amazing woman who has battled with Agoraphobia, (an anxiety disorder often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack) yet continues to try to create and deal with the public at large. I had been taking photographs for myself for years, and have always had an artistic background. I finally completed a bachelors degree in Fine Art, and after my wife prompting me, I decided to start selling on Etsy.

3. How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I love photographs. There is just something about being able to capture an image for eternity, and relive that moment over and over again. That's the magical thing about creating things. They will outlive you and last lifetimes.

4. What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I think the most enjoyable part to me is knowing that I am creating something from nothing. I do that on a daily basis in my "day job" as a software developer, and while it may not be "art" the final product is always worth it. I love to be able to provide things that people will use and enjoy.

5. How did you come to find a home on Etsy? do you sell anywhere else?

Etsy has been a long time venue for my wife, and I have followed their rise to success since their very beginnings. Once my wife finally convinced me to share my photographs with the world, Etsy felt like the natural place to do so.

6. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

I would have to say that my favorites have to be my "Car Porn" series of prints.

I've always been into classic vehicles, having owned my first one at the age of 17. Classic vehicles are the ultimate subject of recycling for me. You can find the whole series here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6657760&section_id=5820679

7. What is the best piece of advice you would like to give other give other indie crafters?

I think the best piece of advice I could give is don't sacrifice your art. Sure, you may not be the most popular seller here, or there, or anywhere, but if you don't enjoy the final product yourself, then the passion won't be in the piece. This definitely shows in the final product.

8. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

I think the real value in the handmade movement is getting back to the roots that drove the greatest generation, the WWII generation. We are creating a society of folks to that are relying on technology, not themselves. We are creating young men that have never seen a tool like a wrench or a welder and are baffled when their 3 year old stops the toilet up with too much tissue. The more interest there is in handmade items, the more we can reach out and show folks that if you have the desire, anything is possible. Do things for yourself. Learn. Enjoy creating new things.

9. Tell us about EtsyFeeder.com

Etsyfeeder was originally created to provide RSS feeds, otherwise known as news feeds, for shops that included pictures of their items. Etsy does provide feeds, but it is only text. Folks can't get an idea of what you are selling with just text, so I decided to provide this feature for the community. From there other things somewhat escalated into providing other things that Etsy wasn't providing and that I had the know how to do, like organizing favorites, and a prettified iPhone interface to Etsy. I'm sure that once Etsy releases their official API (programming interface) that more and more cool tools like etsyfeeder will come on the scene.

10. What are your goals for 2009

My goals are pretty simple really, and have nothing to do with selling. I plan to be the best husband I can to my wife, the best father I can to my stepson, and the best person I can to anyone else.

Come follow along on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/infivision for both shop updates and updates on EtsyFeeder

Thanks so much M.Adam@ Infivision ..we look forward to seeing more of your work! Happy
2009

How Does She Do It??? WAHM Series Friday Feature Part 1

Many work at home moms, myself included, struggle with the duties of caring for the house and family on a daily basis- I have started a weekly feature where I search the net to find extraordinary mothers who have found and mastered a way to maintain a home business as an indie crafter.

How Does She Do it??" Is a series of interviews with indie moms of children from birth to teenage years who have graciously volunteers to share their skills, lessons & experiences with us. There will be two guest posts a week every Monday starting July 13th, 2009 all Summer long.!!!

Our First Featured Guest was Children's Footwear and Repurposed Leather Accessory Designer:Audrey Hussey - KaBoogie - http://kaboogie.etsy.com

Now, here is our Friday Feature with our second scheduled guest-fabulous Artisan Jewelry Designer:

Delilah Pearl-Gloria's Jewelry Box- http://gloriasjewelrybox.etsy.com



1) Tell us about yourself:

I am a 26 year old new mommie! I am the mother to a wonderful 1 year old son and fiancee to the love of my life. I love colors and everything that is bright and gold. I am an Aquarius that constantly has creative juices flowing through her head.

2) Why did you make the decision to pursue your art career and work from home?

I decided to restart my jewelry business while I was pregnant with my son. I finished graduate school and I wanted to find a way to stay home with my son and still contribute to the household. I have been making and selling my jewelry since I was in middle school. In college, I sold my work at a few art and craft shows. I decided that this was the time to get back to my first love!

3) I see you have a child under 5.How do you balance work and spend quality/downtime with them during a busy or hectic work day?

It is hard, but I have to work at odd times. My son is 1 now, so he doesn't nap as much as he used to. I answer emails and pack orders early in the morning and I work on my jewelry in the evening. Making jewelry is nearly impossible when he is up and moving. He is learning to stand and walk on his own so I have to watch him at all times. I try to schedule days to work on my jewelry, at least 3-4 days a week. I try to maintain a balance, it is a constant struggle!


4) Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed or stressed out?If so how do you diffuse or deal with these moments during business time?

There are always times that I feel stressed out, I just take a deep breath and prioritize. As mothers we try to do everything! I remember seeing the book 'Good Enough Mother' by Rene Syler and I thought to myself, I may not be perfect but my son is happy. At times I wished that I could put more items on my site and work on my collection for the next season, but my priority is to take care of my son and successfully run my business. As long as orders go out and my customers are happy, I am happy!

5) Please walk us through an average day at home:

I normally wake up around 6 to 6:30 a.m. to feed and care for my son. I answer emails and convos normally around 8. That normally takes about an hour. I put my son down for a nap around 10 a.m. Then I eat breakfast and water my plants. Immediately afterwards, I check to see if I sold any orders. I have them packaged up by noon so I can walk them to the post office. I live in downtown Philadelphia, so everything is in walking distance and I have a few lingering baby pounds! I get my son up by noon, to give him lunch and read to him. By 1:30, I send out orders and work on my inventory.

I try to at least have 2 of each item that I sell on the site. By 3, I check to see if I received ant more orders. I make the trip to the post office and try to be home by 4 p.m. to cook. I wait until my son is sleep around 8, to work on my jewelry, check emails, convos and anything else business related I didn't get done during the day. I try to be in bed by 11 p.m. but it doesn't normally work out that way!

6) Is your craft your primary source of income?How do you manage during slow sales times/seasons?

Jewelry is my primary source of income. I also make and sell my cupcakes. I am a pretty busy girl! I try to budget my money and only buy what I need. Which is hard, I always see beads that I want. I have a great family that supports my craft.



7)As a jewelry designer, I'm sure you use alot if materials/tools that can be harmful to small children, how do you safe guard all your materials/supplies?

I keep all of my beads and small objects in hard plastic cases. All of the containers have a snap closure which he can't get into. I am constantly sweeping and vacuuming to make sure there are no small beads on the floor. I moved my work area from family space to the private office, to keep harmful objects away from my son. I have also made a conscious decision to use lead-free materials in my work.

8) What do you love most about owning and operating your own creative business?

I love that Gloria's Jewelry Box is created by me, inspired by my grandmother Gloria's love of jewelry. I began beading when I was a little girl. I would love to spend time with my grandmother rummaging through her jewelry box. She taught me everything that I know about precious gemstones and metals. It was her love of turquoise that inspired me to create jewelry for her. This is my first love and it is 100% created and controlled by me!

9)A lot of mothers cannot afford child/daycare in this economy or have no support system, while other moms are simply aren't interested in others caring for their young children but they would like to find a way to support themselves and their families at home? In your opinion, what advice would you give them?

Believe in yourself and your business, you are your #1 fan. If you can't stay at home and pursue your business full-time, do it part-time. Follow your dreams and stay focused!

Thanks so much for sharing Delilah!! You and your baby are gorgeous! What a beautiful family!

You can learn more about her work here:
Blogger-http://gloriasjewelrybox.blogspot.com
Facebook-http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glorias-Jewelry-Box/60964029333
Twitter-http://twitter.com/GloriasJewelry

Etsy Mini:

Indie Archive- Morgan Street Patisserie April 2009

What a super day! Bright sun, super weather and more soap to spotlight!

Etsy Artist and another fellow EAOC (Etsy Artists of Color Team) member Morgan Street was gracious enough to stop by for a few.

Welcome MorganStreet

1. Introduce yourself _ name, location , Shop name and product(s)you create.

My name is Sharon, I live in Bridgeport, CT. Shop name is Morgan Street and I create all things Soap and Bath & Body.

2. Where did you get your shop name?

I'm originally from England and I my childhood home was on Morgan Street. It's where I learned all things crafty. I still have strong ties there because one of my childhood friends bought the house after my mom passed away and my best friend's parents still live on the street. Whenever I go back, it's like a big family reunion!

3. What brought you to crafting soap?

When my niece was young she had terrible eczema and was unable to take regular baths like her siblings. I felt so sorry for her, I told my sister that I was going to make soap that she could use. I purchased a couple of books and read them over and over for about 6 months before I got the courage to make my 1st batch of soap and I haven't stopped since. ps - my niece has beautiful skin today :-)

4. How did you come to find a home on ETSY?

I had heard about Etsy on and off for a couple of years but didn't fully grasp what it was about until one day, quite by chance I happened on the site again. On that very day at that very time, I signed up and started listing products. I had no expectations at that time but figured it couldn't hurt.

5. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

That's a difficult one. They're all my favorite. If I had to choose just one, it would be the Chocolate Cake Lip Balm!

6.What is the best piece of advice you can give other aspiring soap crafters who are considering selling their craft?

My best advice would be to do what you love and do it well. Never think you know enough as there's always new things/techniques to learn.

7. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society especially in today's economy?

Speaking from my own personal experiences here. My company didn't give raises this year and some companies even cut salaries. Despite this, I am able to create what I love. If customers are buying my products, I in turn am able to turn around and spend it right back on Etsy which hopefully is enabling that seller to keep their lights on or buy from another seller. It's just good all around for the handmade movement.

8. Where can we find you other than Etsy to learn more about you? Any other shops?
I'm in the process of resurrecting my own website. The address will be morganstreetsoap.com

My blog is: morganstreetsoap.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/morganstreet
Flickr: flickr.com/morganstreet

Indie Archive- The Soap Seduction -April 2009

Simple Sunday Soap Special--Try and say that four times fast LOL!!

I wanted to have those fabulous Friday features but with the gorgeous weather we have been having here along the East Coast I don't blame my features for taking it in;-)

I did get a chance to grab Awesome ArtFire Artist LOVELY Lady behind

The Soap Seduction

1. Introduce yourself _ name, location , Shop name and product(s)you create.

Hello world! My name is Patrice Harrison and I am the brains behind the beauty of The Soap Seduction. I craft soaps, candles, and bath and body goodies.

2. Where did you get your shop name?

I really made the name up out of nowhere. I knew I wanted "soap" in the title so there would be no mistake about what it was I sold. I also wanted something that would be memorable and something a little risque, and nothing says that like "seduction." ;-)

3. what brought you to crafting soap?

I came to make soap as a result of my ashy-prone skin being dried out even more by the commercial detergent bars. Even the so-called "moisture" bars did nothing for me. I also wanted a soap in the scents that I like. I'm very partial to food-based fragrances as I know a lot of people are, and I just couldn't find that commercially. Everything was floral or fruity-floral.

4. How did you come to find a home on ARTFIRE? What are the challenges you find selling your goods online?

Believe it or not, I found ArtFire through a forum thread on EAOC (Etsy Artists of Color). The question was "Does anyone sell on ArtFire...?" and I was like "What the heck is ArtFire..." and with one click, I was hooked. It was new and growing, as I am, and what better way to establish my fledgling business than with a fledgling craft venue. It can be considered a risky move, but I'm quite happy there, and I've been relatively successful in the 4 1/2 months I've been selling there.

The challenges of selling online is staying afloat among the ocean of competition. Sometimes I lose focus because I compare my shop to others, but I find that can lead to discouragement and ultimately failure because you feel you don't measure up. I've since learned that I am unique in my own right and that there's room for everyone. I won't appeal to everyone, but I do have a loyal following.

5. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

My favorite item of the moment is this orange and bergamot soap.

It's both fruity and earthy which makes a seductive (pun intended) combination. It's still curing, but it will be available the week of May 10th.

6.Is soap making/ body products your main income, or do you have a "day job" also?

I only wish it were my main income. I do have a day job. I've been in banking for almost 15 years. I enjoy it, and I like knowing where my money is at all times...LOL.

6.What is the best piece of advice you can give other aspiring soap crafters who are considering selling their craft?

The best advice I can give to aspiring soap crafters is be able to defend why you charge what you do for your craft. I can't tell you how many times I've been hit with the "I ain't paying no $5.00 for a bar of soap when I can get 10 bars for the same price at XYZ store...." And to that I tell them, "First and foremost, you're not buying soap, you're buying heavily-scented, overly-drying detergent bars...." Being able to defend your passion is key in any business forum.

7. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society especially in today's economy?

Let's face it, our economy sucks right now. With so many people out of work, it can be challenging to convince folks to buy your handmade products, but I believe that handmade is the best way to go. It's not only the major corporations who are suffering, but the small business owners are too. Many handmade artisans rely on their craft to support themselves and their families. You may not realize it, but you're buying that bar of soap or those gorgeous pair of earrings are pumping dollars back into our economy. Where do you think we're buying our supplies from? You guessed it: Other small businesses and sometimes, the major corporations. Also, many handmade artisans are using sustainable materials to craft their goods, so not only is handmade healthy for our economy, but our environment as well.

8. Where can we find you other than Artfire to learn more about you? Any other shops?

I'm trying to take over the web...LOL. I currently sell on Etsy, Funky Finds, and 1000 Markets. I also twitter (http://www.twitter.com/SoapSeduction), and I blog almost daily at www.thesoapseduction.blogspot.com.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Patrice!!! and continued success. Please visit her shops and enjoy the Seduction;-)

Patrice Harrison

www.TheSoapSeduction.artfire.com

www.thesoapseduction.etsy.com

www.thesoapseduction.1000markets.com

http://thesoapseduction.blogspot.com

Indie Archive- Extraordinary Eclectic Element- May 2009

I had the pleasure of meeting a super talented young lady- that's one a of a kind indie artist and inspiration- The Eclectic Element

1. Introduce yourself _ name, location , Shop name and product(s)you create..

My name is Kayla and I currently reside in Rockford, Illinois. I have pretty much lived in Illinois all my life. My shop is The Eclectic Element and it displays some of the jewelry I handcraft along with some of the vintage jewelry I have collected over time. However, I am planning on separating the one and having two shops: The Eclectic Element-Handcrafted and The Eclectic Element-Vintage. Hopefully that will happen sometime in the near future!

2.Where does your shop name come from?

I knew that the shop name was the most important thing and I wanted to add myself into it. When thinking about what I was going to call it, I would write down certain phrases that described what I had to offer and myself. I had about a whole sheet of possibilities and through process of elimination, I found the perfect combination of words that both flowed seamlessly, as well as, described myself. That's when insomnia comes in handy!

3. What inspired you to start making jewelry?

Truth be told, my 7th grade math teacher did. When I first got sick, we didn't know what it was and at the time, she just knew I was sick. Being sick herself, she took me to one of her support groups where they were making jewelry. And I fell in love from the first stretchy bracelet I made!

4. I understand you have been living with Lyme Disease for the past 5 1/2 years, which can be very painful to deal with. What skills or methods do you use to create your jewelry designs if any?

Hmm. you are right about one thing; It is very painful to deal with day to day and depending on the day, the pain can be unbearable. I just have to take advantage of the good days to the best of my abilities and push myself through the rest.

Elegant Gold Vintage Heart Locket Necklace and Earring Set

5. What is are your favorite materials to work with? What new skill would you love to learn next?

My favorite materials to work with are random things I find at places such as the Goodwill, Salvation Army, or garage sales. I absolutely love to find a necklace or bracelet I can take apart and give new life to.

As for the skill I would love to learn, it would be metal smithing. There are some lovely things that I have planned when I learn.

6. How did you come to find a home on ETSY?

Honestly, I can't remember how I came upon Etsy. I had made a user name awhile back and listed a few things, but that was before I really knew alot about what I was doing. When I became laid up in bed, I figured what the heck!? I need money and I have all the time in the world(literally), so The Eclectic Element came into being.

7. How does it feel to have your own on-line shop at 19yrs old? What have you learned so far about running your own business?

I love having my own shop! I am unable to work, so it's nice to be able to venture out on my own and make the best of a situation where alot of people would just waste away watching television.

As for what I have learned...I have learned that it takes alot of time and energy to run your own business. Don't get me wrong, I love it and I do have the time for it, but some days I just don't have the energy to do anything but sleep. So it's a delicate balance.

8.What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop?

I think my favorite pieces would be my Black, White, and Red All Over Up cycled Necklace and Earring Set

and the Au Natural Necklace I made awhile ago.

9.I see you have a Lyme Disease Awareness Section in your shop. Where else can we learn more research about Lyme Disease? Do you have any future projects in the works that will help benefit your cause?

There are several places you can go to research Lyme Disease. A few are www.earthclinic.com where you can also research natural remedies for any ailment. www.youtube.com is a good site to look up Lyme Disease testimonies if you want to have a more personal connection.. However, when you do research, there is alot that you have to be wary of because most of the information you find out there is false or misguided.

Currently, I don't have any projects going to benefit my cause, but when my shops are up and running and I have a bit more energy, I'm going to attempt to come up with some more things to help raise awareness.

10. What is the best piece of advice you can give other young crafters?

I would say the best advice I could give is just have fun with what you create. If you get into the mindset that it is just another job to finish or deadline to catch, it will impair your work. Do what you can, when you can and love every minute of it.

11.Why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

Oh, buying handmade benefits society in so many ways! If we buy handmade, we reduce our carbon footprint for starters. No overproduced, over priced, cheaply made knick knack bought from a chain store can even compare to handmade quality. It also helps the economy because instead of investing into big corporations who are giving multimillion dollar bonuses to workers who don't deserve it, we are investing in each others success. Hard working people that are struggling just the same as we are.

12.Where can we find you other than Etsy to learn more about you? Do you have any other shops?(list whatever info you want to share i.e blogs, twitter, other shops, website..etc)

The Eclectic Element is branching out everyday so you can find me at these sites:

www.theeclecticelement.etsy.com

www.theeclecticelement2.etsy.com

www.theeclecticelement.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/theeclectice

And for those of you who would like to journey with me on my path of healing:

www.youtube.com/psycoliciousme

EmmalineBride- Artist of the Week

This week from June 29th- July 5th my jewelry and exclusive interview is being featured on EmmalineBride- the handmade bridal boutique.- You can also check out their gorgeous bridal blog at http://emmalinebride.blogspot.com/ 

Emmaline bride is always looking for artisan talent, so if you are a crafter who loves to make wedding or gift items visit EmmalineBride's Be Featured section and contact them with all your questions.

Be Beautiful- or Handsome;-)

Ny

Feature Friday- Awesome Indie Interview with Danielle Designs-12/13/08

I snagged this great interview with DanielleDesigns@etsy.com_ CHECK it out!


1. What brought you to crafting?

Hmmm, that's a hard one to answer since I've been crafting pretty much my whole life! I just love crafting, and I guess I was born that way! Whenever I discover a new project, I throw myself into it with almost obsessive force. Although, I'm like that with most things in my life (I'm a Scorpio, hehe)

2. Where do you receive you inspiration?

Usually my design inspiration comes from a different project. I'll be making one thing, then I'll think of something else, so I'll go start that, and so on, and then I realize I hadn't finished the first thing! I also receive inspiration from my parents, not design-wise, but they've always supported me to do whatever I want and follow my dreams. Also, from the Etsy community! I decided to start my new section, decoupaged bangles because I saw one on etsy and thought, "that's so cool, I want to do that"!

3. How did you come to find a home on Etsy? do you sell anywhere else?

I found Etsy a couple years ago, and I honestly don't remember how! I think I maybe saw an ad on myspace or something! Somewhere on the Internet, at any rate. I do not sell anywhere else. I've looked at all the other crafting sites, and none of them seem to live up to Etsy in terms of layout, ease of navigating, and mostly the community section! Who knows, in the future I may branch out, but Etsy will always be my base!

4. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

Wow that's a really tough question. I love all my pieces, although for some it is harder than others to list instead of keep lol! Among my favorites would have to be my 'Silver Couture' decoupaged bangle, and also my rainbow rose earrings made from polymer clay, which have 36 hearts and have still not sold!!

5.Who are your favorite artists? Include a link to their site /blog if possible

Well I am also a photographer, so I really love Ansel Adams' work and also Annie Leibovitz (She is AMAZING!!! My Idol!!!) For Etsy artists, I really love artists who find a way to repurpose/recycle in a unique way, like NormalIsBoring, who sells jewelry made from recycled balloons! Or alilyamongthorns, who makes jewelry made from recycled Starburst wrappers! I've done trades with both of them and I just love wearing their earrings and telling people what they're made of! And then of course directing them to etsy! ;)

6.What is the best piece of advice you can give other indie crafters?

Just keep at it. List every day, or as much as you can, and get featured on blogs, any exposure you can. Twitter is an amazing tool I have recently found. I have over 3,000 followers now, and every time I post one of my items, I get about 15 views immediately! It's also cool to personally connect with other Etsy Artists and other people on twitter who might not know about etsy.

Here's my twitter: http://twitter.com/DaniellsDesigns. I love new twitter friends and I follow everyone back! I'll also be glad to answer any questions about twitter or etsy for any of you newbies out there!

7. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

I just love everything about it! For one thing, it supports individual artists, not huge corporations where the income is distributed very unevenly between the CEO and the average worker. And the community it so fun! To me, the whole process is just more loving than going to WalMart! The products are made with love, you respect the artist so much more, and there is a personal touch! I could go on and on about this, but I think if you are reading this blog you know what I am talking about. :)

8. What are your goals for 2009?

I would love to sell more of my new decoupaged bangles, I just got into it and I am loving it, and I would love to get feedback that it is a worthwhile venture. Here is the section: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5263188&section_id=5802382

I've sold one so far, but if I don't end up selling any, I will just keep them all to wear for myself! No loss there! I don't really have any definite goals, but I plan on listing one item every day, although that usually doesn't last very long! Anyway, a big thank you to you Nyblaque for featuring me on your blog! And thank you to everyone reading this! :)

Thank you Danielle for sharing your amazing work with us!

Feature Friday- Indie Interview Archive with a Cozy life

Here are the links to where you can find Cozy:

hop: http://cozy.etsy.com
blog: http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com

I had the pleasure of receiving an Interview from Cozy ....here it is:)

Hi Cozy, Tell us about yourself:
Name, Etsy Store Name and Location.
Kathy Johnston, A Cozy Life, http://cozy.etsy.com

Tell us a little about your Etsy store.
My store is filled with things done by hand that are either knit or crocheted.
I do occasionally sew or quilt but I really enjoy the process of taking a simple
piece of thread or yarn and making something out of it without a machine involved.

Where do you find inspiration?
I am a pack rat and gather books and fibers and like many crafters say wait for them to
tell me what they want to be. I guess I also filter the things around me like color, shape
and textures and use those impressions to make something new.

What made you decide to sell on Etsy??
From the very beginnings of ecommerce on the Internet I looked for ways to sell
crafts online. None of the early craft malls seemed like a good thing for one reason
or another. I had a website for about a year but keeping it up for no sales was so
discouraging. In the fall of 2005 I found a blog mention of a site called Etsy.
I looked around and fell in love. I lurked, learned, and waited until I moved from
Utah to Arizona and then signed up.

Name one weird fact about you or your shop
This one has really stumped me although I will tell you that my family thinks it is
weird that I blog.

How did you come up with your shop name?
I came up with the user name first. I wanted one word that would be
easy to remember. I got the idea for that from an early Etsy seller named Dyno.
Everyone knew who she was. I love the feelings the word cozy implies.
From there the shop became A Cozy Life.

What piece(s)in your store is your favorite or best reflect your style?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11470361
This headband would fit my personal style. I love the softness of the colors and
blue is my favorite color. I don't always work on things that would fit me
personally however. I like to try lots of colors and techniques just to see how
they turn out hoping that they would suit someone else.

What are your goals for this year?
Just more. I would like to get my act together and list more and of course
 sell more. I did craft shows for quite awhile in Utah and of course you always
s make more than you sell. All of that was carefully packed away when
I moved and I need to get more of that out, photographed and listed. I have
a lot of baby items and home decor like table runners in general and holiday fabrics.
I would also like to start quilting again. I have a lot of fabric
and designs sketched out in notebooks calling to me.

What is one piece of advice can you give to other Etsy sellers?
I think most crafters and artists make what feeds their inner self,
soul or what ever name you give it is something they feel driven to do.
I would say follow that, provide great service to customers that
appreciate that drive in you and it will work out.

Thanks Cozy..you ROCK! Take moment to visit her blog too at:http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com