Old School Etsians: zencreations04

Vanessa

Story by Vanessa

Published on June 26, 2009 in Read

Photo by zencreations04

In celebrating Etsy’s origins and its future, we continue the Old School Etsians series with this interview of Heather Nowell, a.k.a. zencreations04, who joined Etsy June 19, 2005.

Please introduce yourself and talk a bit about what you make:
My name is Heather Nowell and I live in Mercersburg, PA with my husband Lance and our daughter Zoe.  I started Zen Creations Jewelry shortly after my daughter was born and got the idea for the name from her initials.  I mostly work with wire and gemstones to create handcrafted jewelry, but I like to mix it up from time to time and use enamels, PMC, wood and various other materials.

Hearken back to the old days of Etsy…Any fond memories?
I remember I had to join the minute I saw Etsy! There were only a handful of sellers on at that time and some of the categories were empty or only had one or two items. I remember a time when there were only a couple hundred pages in the Jewelry Category! The Top Sellers and Top Items pages were some of my favorites. [The Top Sellers site feature was removed in November 2006 with the release of V2.] I remember checking them every day. It’s amazing how much Etsy has changed and grown over the years.
How has what you create changed over the past few years, if at all?
Before I started Zen Creations Jewelry, I worked as a jeweler making high-end jewelry, working mainly with diamonds, platinum and gold.  The pieces were very expensive and they were not something that everyone could afford.  With Zen Creations, I wanted to create jewelry that was beautiful and affordable.  In the beginning, I mainly worked with sterling silver, crystals and glass.  The first few items in my shop were the same cluster earrings, but in many different colors!  As time went on I added more styles, used a wider range of materials, and improved my wire wrapping skills.

Do you see yourself on Etsy for the long haul?
Yes!  I have a day job and a family that keep me busy and don’t leave me with very much time to create and maintain my own website.  I also vend at craft shows year round, but Etsy provides me with the perfect venue to sell my goods between shows.
What have you learned about selling?
Oh, if only I knew back then what I know now!  When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing. Since then I’ve learned how to better promote my shop, take better photographs, and provide my customers with the best customer service possible.
 
What do you want for the future of Etsy?
I would love for Etsy to continue to grow and evolve and to provide sellers the tools they need for success.

Read more Old School Etsians Posts | Shop Local Pennsylvania

Are you an Old School Etsian? Leave your memories of the early days in the comments! 

Discuss: 59 comments

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  • littlesaplingtoys

    littlesaplingtoys says:

    I'm sure many of us wish we had found Etsy so early!

    2 years ago

  • bylynnkrestel

    bylynnkrestel says:

    i love these glimpses back!! they are inspiring!! thank you...

    2 years ago

  • bluegiraffeshop

    bluegiraffeshop says:

    Well done Heather, your jewellery and shop look fantastic. Just hope all us other Etsians can emulate some of your success.

    2 years ago

  • BeadsInTheBelfry

    BeadsInTheBelfry says:

    hee hee! I saw a postcard of yours one time in a bead shop in MD! Nice to put a face to the card. Continued success!

    2 years ago

  • EJPcreations

    EJPcreations says:

    What a great story!! Beautiful shop!

    2 years ago

  • KOALACaddie

    KOALACaddie says:

    I find it so encouraging to hear the stories of Etsy pioneers. They are very generous to share their wisdom. Zen Creations is a great name. Many of Vanessa's pieces, such as the earrings shown, have a fluid calming feel. Thank you.

    2 years ago

  • odiliafu

    odiliafu says:

    I wish I joined Etsy earlier. I love the great resources and support from fellow Etsians. Great story!!

    2 years ago

  • erinelizabeth

    erinelizabeth says:

    I like these stories, they bring me back to the early days of Etsy. It's nice to see others who have been here since 2005.

    2 years ago

  • beautifulbridget

    beautifulbridget says:

    What a great story!!

    2 years ago

  • foamywader

    foamywader says:

    Wish I'd know about Etsy sooner! Great story :)

    2 years ago

  • Gothic61

    Gothic61 says:

    I think that it is great that it is working for you! I hope that it does for me. I am new and here I know I will learn just as well as sell items. I look forward to being here on Etsy.

    2 years ago

  • lovelygifts

    lovelygifts says:

    Good story!

    2 years ago

  • slumptown

    slumptown says:

    Great story and wonderful shop, wish you much continued success.

    2 years ago

  • breadandroses

    breadandroses says:

    I, too, wish I'd known of Etsy a lot sooner! Thanks so much for being here. Love these 'old school' features. Best wishes to zencreations!

    2 years ago

  • rntn

    rntn says:

    wow Beautiful shop!

    2 years ago

  • JoDyer

    JoDyer says:

    Cool story :)

    2 years ago

  • zencreations04

    zencreations04 says:

    Thanks everyone!

    2 years ago

  • That70sShoppe

    That70sShoppe says:

    Neat sotry, and yes, wish I'd found Etsy sooner also.

    2 years ago

  • That70sShoppe

    That70sShoppe says:

    Story I meant.. :-)

    2 years ago

  • rakubuttons

    rakubuttons says:

    I've been enjoying these segments.

    2 years ago

  • GatheringSplendor

    GatheringSplendor says:

    Love to read about other artists and what they are doing--nice story.

    2 years ago

  • baconsquarefarm

    baconsquarefarm says:

    Wonderful shop and thanks for sharing your etsy story~ Thanks for sharing.

    2 years ago

  • Waterrose

    Waterrose says:

    What a great feature! Love seeing the old school pals and find out what's going on in their lives now!

    2 years ago

  • dottedwithhearts

    dottedwithhearts says:

    Awesome for you Heather! you rock! This girl is such a pleasure to do shows with! :) xoxoxox

    2 years ago

  • siiri

    siiri says:

    Love this Old School Etsians series. It's a wonderful way for ETSY to show the support to its faithful long term supports!

    2 years ago

  • Mymothersgarden

    Mymothersgarden says:

    This was such an interesting article. It's great to hear about the Old School Etsians.

    2 years ago

  • CutieDynamite

    CutieDynamite says:

    Great story! Can't wait until I'm an old school Etsian!

    2 years ago

  • steinschmuckdesign

    steinschmuckdesign says:

    Congrats Heather! Looking forward to come so fare...smile!

    2 years ago

  • evihan

    evihan says:

    so manyyy great picksss:-)

    2 years ago

  • ToxicInk

    ToxicInk says:

    I'm so new I'm almost embarrassed about it. I ask myself often how is that I didn't find Etsy soon?

    2 years ago

  • ellainaboutique

    ellainaboutique says:

    ** I joined 7 days after you Heather! June 26, 2005 I remember only a handful of clothing designers back then too, and I loved that my clothing was always only a couple page clicks away. Congrats on your success!

    2 years ago

  • stitchesbyjulie

    stitchesbyjulie says:

    I don't know how I didn't know about this sooner as well. I would have been on the front line. Thanks for the "history" lesson and tips.

    2 years ago

  • babook

    babook says:

    what a succeed case on Etsy !!

    2 years ago

  • moonstr

    moonstr says:

    yaay! i love these articles!

    2 years ago

  • tigersanddragons

    tigersanddragons says:

    Lovely flower earrings Heather. Congratulations on your years of business at Etsy. We wish we'd been more on the ball and found this site sooner.

    2 years ago

  • sleepypillow

    sleepypillow says:

    Thanks for sharing your story!

    2 years ago

  • SweetwaterGifts

    SweetwaterGifts says:

    Wish I was more of a web-surfer. I had no idea Etsy even existed until last year.

    2 years ago

  • ArtBoxDesigns

    ArtBoxDesigns says:

    Would love to of found it sooner but better late than never!! Glad I'm here now! This Place inspires me to be even more creative! Love it!

    2 years ago

  • 1AEON

    1AEON says:

    go old school!!!

    2 years ago

  • indigoflameworks

    indigoflameworks says:

    Inspiring!! I love Zen Creations work. Great story.

    2 years ago

  • recycledwares

    recycledwares says:

    i was surprised to hear that etsy was so small back in the day. i love hearing each persons experience of what it was like 4 years ago, compared to now. keep growing etsy, keep growing :)

    2 years ago

  • casakidstudio

    casakidstudio says:

    What an amazing modern world we live in, when "back in the day" was a short 4 years ago! It makes you wonder where Etsy will be in another 4 years.

    2 years ago

  • kimbuktu

    kimbuktu says:

    So fun that Etsy "History" is only 4 years old. Such a groundbreaker website, and a great opportunity for crafters.

    2 years ago

  • 20BucksorLess

    20BucksorLess says:

    Great story and info! I really like dogartstudio's pictures...especially the pugs! I would liek to learn how to print my own photography on t-shirts someday. We have beautiful wildlife around our home, including a rare Albino Squirrel!

    2 years ago

  • sewlutionsbyamo

    sewlutionsbyamo says:

    What a nice surprise to see you featured here Heather! Etsy really has grown a lot and as a seller, so have I.

    2 years ago

  • inhope

    inhope says:

    Heather beats me by 2 months ! I remember back when there was only 100 spots in the treasury and if you snagged one, it was like winning the lottery.

    2 years ago

  • tldgrainwear

    tldgrainwear says:

    Etsy is the best!

    2 years ago

  • PawPawsWorkshop

    PawPawsWorkshop says:

    Some great ideas.

    2 years ago

  • MetroGypsy

    MetroGypsy says:

    Very nice feature! :)

    2 years ago

  • byEmilie11

    byEmilie11 says:

    Me too, wish I would of discovered this site when it first started. I only joined in Feb. of this year and I can't wait for the holidays to see what really happens. I've been in the cottage industry for over 30 years know a few things but on the internet it's all so new and hard to keep up. In some ways that's ok, as long as I can do my own thing and don't get bogged down in details. This site is pretty easy to work with been on other selling sites a lot longer but for hand made items this has been the best so far. Way to go Etsy would love to hear everyone's story no matter when they started.

    2 years ago