Search results (tags) for: "interview"

UK Edition: Crafty Mums and Daughters

2010-03-12T08:00:00-04:00

Happy almost Mother's Day, UK! It seems many of us were inspired by our mums from an early age. Mine spent literally hour upon hour making party costumes. I do recall being dressed as a knickerbocker glory with miles of ruched pink toilet paper painstakingly sewn onto a (handmade) bodysuit and hat. It rained and I melted somewhat. We missed the fancy dress contest!

I'll never forget the birthday cakes — in particular the excruciatingly detailed fairy castle, complete with ice cream cone turrets and chocolate finger drawbridge, which she stayed up all night to finish.

Several of our UK sellers have offered a little piece of their crafty family history along with some fab now and then photos (don't you just love looking through old photo albums?). Here's to our mums, whether they're crafty goddesses or have two left sewing machine feet.

PaisleyChainsaw and TurnedandTwisted (pictured above)

"Glue guns at dawn" is a great way to describe our crafting habits. If it's not me stealing mum's goodies then it's the other way around. We do seem to have a tendency of taking on each other's crafts. (Not that I can knit or crochet, so mum's safe with those.) We both fell in love with jewellery making, and, although our styles are different, we both like each other's designs. I always love seeing and photographing my mum's jewellery.

When looking back over old photos, and when I visit my parents on the weekends, I remember how daft we are and how much fun we have when we're all together. I really appreciate everything that my mum and dad have done for me, and through their humour and my mum's obsession with crafting I have developed a career out of something I love. My mum made many things when my brother and I were small, like snowmen that had candy in them and lots of clothes for me. Remembering her learning to knit with a machine brings back many memories of pretty scary jumpers (ha — sorry, mum). These things have really created who I am and my mum has always been there to give me encouragement and remind me that being different is good. I'd like to take this opportunity to tell my mum how good she is because I don't think she knows it.

ValSainsbury and AmandaSainsbury

My mum and I go way back: 28 and a bit years in fact, with the craft-obsession gene travelling even further back down the generations. My gran and great-gran both used to take in sewing from their neighbours to earn a bob or two, while my mum would make clothes for herself and others nearby. This is something I've yet to accomplish but it is on the list along with:

Cook a Sunday roast with all the trimmings
Develop at least one green finger

I can remember my mum always doing a craft of some type from an early age and encouraging me to do the same. From drawing pictures for me to colour in (I was clearly too lazy to draw them myself!) to teaching me to knit for a reluctant Sindy. She even loaned me her sacred garden shed, which was transformed into a studio. Mum dispelled any lingering creepy-crawlies while I retreated to a safe distance — I'm also a wimp, mum's the brave one!

Having grown up in an oldish house of 250 years, a love and appreciation of everything antique was perhaps inevitable in both of us. In recent years this has manifested itself in an almost religious compulsion to trawl various flea markets and charity shops. We can watch such TV gems as Bargain Hunt, Antiques Roadshow and Time Team, and put it down to "research" for my vintage shop. Alas, I cannot claim expenses on this.

Mother's Day has an uncanny habit of falling within a few days of my mum's birthday. I have a feeling this is to compensate for my birthday falling so close to Christmas. But I may be wrong.

Val and Amanda have recently suffered the loss of their grandson and nephew and now support WaterAid in his memory. Click here to donate.

joyfeltcreations and feltmeupdesigns

Mel: My mum has been making polymer clay bears for twenty years now. I spent my childhood being dragged around craft fairs: getting up really early, lugging boxes, eating squashed cheese sandwiches and getting muddy and cold in tents in big fields. It was fab and I loved every second of it! Growing up in a crafty household was a great experience, and my mum always encouraged me to be creative. The very first thing I remember making for her was a little purple heart, which I coloured in with crayon. I know she still has it somewhere.

I'm really proud of my mother. She recently started art classes, began submitting work for exhibitions and sold a felt seascape in Hull, at Ferens Gallery Open Exhibition. She went all giddy when she saw the red “sold” dot next to it. I try to encourage her: she doesn’t think she's good enough, but she just needs to have faith in herself. Looking at her work I know where I get my crafty, creative side. My mum is a real inspiration to me.

Joy: Melanie and I took a community course in felting together in 2006 and we both really enjoyed it. It’s nice that we started this journey together as the little felt class has opened so many doors for both of us. We both love felting but have gone in completely different directions: I prefer wet felting and making pictures and Melanie prefers needle-felt (because she can watch telly while she works!).

Inspired by my daughter, who had great faith in me and more confidence than I did, I followed on from that by taking art classes. There has been a bit of a role reversal for us recently: I always encouraged her to be creative and study art at university, but now I am asking for her advice and even borrowing her materials and art equipment. Melanie bought me some acrylic paints for Christmas and has promised to teach me how to use her Gocco printer as a Mother’s Day present. I'm very excited about it!

Many thanks to these Etsy ladies for sharing their stories for UK Mothering Sunday (March 14) — check out their fabulous wares in the Related Items below.

Did you inherit your crafty gene? Let us know in the comments section!

Shop Local UK | Mother's Day Posts | The UK Edition

Follow the Light: Lamp Animation With Lightexture

2010-03-09T16:00:00-04:00

After coming across one of Lightexture's incredible lighting animations I decided to find out a little more about the duo behind these luminous wonders. I asked Yael Ere and Avner Ben Natan to tell me a bit about themselves, their Lightexture collaboration and their dazzling illumination. Here's what they had to say...

Tell us a bit about yourselves.
Avner: I was born in Israel in 1974, and now I live and work with Yael in a studio apartment on the Lower East Side of New York. I’ve been writing Hebrew poetry and screenplays and also doing lighting for films since high school. In 2006 I moved to New York to be with Yael. She's an architect and designer, and we started designing lamps together. We inspire each other and contribute to the work from different directions, which keeps us motivated.

About a year after I started working with Yael we met the ceramic artist Sharan Elran and began collaborating with him on creating and inventing ceramic fixtures and chandeliers. It's beautiful for me to see how the many components that we bring to the table combine in the finished product. As for writing, in the recent years I have composed music for some of the poetry I wrote, and I’m more busy these days singing, recording and arranging my work.

Yael: I am an architect — I teach architecture at Pratt Institute and also taught at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Columbia University and Cooper Union. I was born in Israel and my mom is an artist, art history teacher and a poet. I was very much influenced by my mom to go towards the arts, while my father’s business background inspired my architectural direction. I see architecture as the mother of all arts — it is the largest scale form of art.

Avner and I were in the same class in high school and reconnected fifteen years later. Our relationship began when we were in very different creative focuses, and only a few years later we started to collaborate on the creation of lights and spaces. Our partnership is extending each of our sensibilities to unexpected zones.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Avner: I still work occasionally as a lighting designer or as a lighting assistant for films and television. I’m also in a band and lately I've been busy recording our music.

Yael: Most of what I do is creative to some degree; I'm a practicing architect and I teach architecture, which sets the stage for the development and creativity of my students. I am also part of the King Dancer band with Avner.

Please describe your work and your creative process.
Avner: There are many parts to my work. I design with my partners, and I consider myself responsible for the lighting properties, the electrical aspects and some of the ideas. Then I put everything together with my hands and tools: clay pieces by Sharan, kitchenware, hardware parts and lighting components I find on the Internet.

Yael: As Avner described, we work as a team. I mostly contribute from the design point of view, involved in design, drawings, concept, installation planning and all of the graphic design aspects. We develop our ideas together, usually Avner and Sharan physically construct the pieces. When we develop ideas about new adventures we either begin through building a mockup, a prototype, or developing sketches and drawings and improve from there. I build sketch models to explore ideas — materials vary based on the project at hand from computer generated models, plasteline clay to hammered sheet metal and ready-made parts.

Do you have any favorite lighting shops on Etsy? Leave a link in the comments.

Lighting Category | See More Lightexture Animations | Housewares Category

UK Edition: Interview With chrisparry

2010-03-05T08:00:00-04:00

I've long been a fan of chrisparry's craftsmanship so it's a real treat to gain insight into his techniques and daily life. I find the more avant-garde of his designs (such as his Nail Varnish Ring) deeply fascinating. What a pro — he's the kind of designer/maker I'm sure many of us would like to be when we grow up. In fact, you might even call him a Diamond Geezer (sorry).

Tell us a wee bit about yourself.
Hi, my name is Chris Parry and I am a professional jewellery designer/maker living and working in Gravesend, Kent, UK. You may not have heard of Gravesend, but Pocahontas is buried about 300 yards from my shop. I specialize in making bespoke pieces of jewellery, be it a sparkly engagement ring or a subtle pair of earrings. If it can be made from platinum, gold (red, white or yellow), palladium or silver, then I can probably make it for you. I started off working from home, which progressed to a shed, then a workshop, then my first shop and I am now in a large town centre shop. This comprises a retail space for my jewellery, other lovely goodies and of course my workshop.

How did you begin your foray into the world of designing/making?

I left a very good career at the age of 30 and went to study a degree in Silversmithing and Jewellery Design. During the degree program I set up my personal website and immediately started to pick up commissions. From that day onwards I have been self-employed.

Photos from Chris Parry on Flickr

Educate us a little on silversmithing; what's the physical process like and why do you love it?
Each commission or repair is unique for me so I have to call upon an array of techniques. A simple ring commission might involve working directly in bullion, hammering and bashing. It might require hand-carving a wax model, so that the piece can be cast, or it might need more modern technology like computer aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RPT). Within a week I can find myself smithing, carving, computer modelling, engraving, casting, enamelling, stone setting and doing a host of other techniques. It is this vast range of skills that makes my work life so enjoyable. I think most jobs become dull and boring because every day is much like the one before. For example, repairs have ranged from a 100 year old football trophy to replacing lost stones in rings.

What is the "Ring a Day" project?
The "Ring a Day" project is a task to simply create, as quick or as slow as you like, a ring every day from any material which may or may not be practical or serve a purpose. Think of it as a kind of 3D doodling exercise. I tend to run out of time to document all of my rings online, but the Flickr group is wonderful.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by my clients — I create unique designs for each of them! Every person has their own perception of beauty, and the old saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is very true. I try to be very, very neutral in helping a client realize their dream item and will offer opinions on scale or proportion or structural integrity. The beauty of working in this way is that one client might want a piece inspired by Art Nouveau, the next something minimalist and so on. I have had clients turn up with pictures of buildings, cars, flowers, tattoos or just dreamy descriptions. I work with each client to create a design and tweak it as required until they are happy.

What's it like to work on bespoke, custom commissions? Do you have a favourite memory of one in particular?
It may seem cliché, but every commission is rewarding. To be able to create something that the client has been dreaming about is so thrilling. Some commissions are even more emotionally charged, especially when I am given a fingerprint, hand or footprint of someone who has recently been lost. Sometimes I have wonderful meetings with mothers and fathers who have lost a tiny one, and to be able to create a piece of jewellery which carries a very special memory — this has to be the highlight of any day.

What does an average day in the life of Chris Parry entail?

I try to keep my work life separate from my home life, so work for me starts when I arrive at my shop/workshop at 9 a.m. I have already been up for a couple of hours and done the daddy stuff. One of the highlights of my day is walking hand in hand with my daughter to school. I don't check on work emails or Etsy sales outside of my working day. It's not that I am not interested, but it is too easy to neglect your loved ones by checking the computer every thirty minutes.

Working for yourself and running your own shop/workshop has many demands. The kettle is the first thing I turn on and I try to answer emails right away. I process any sales and set a list of things to do for the day. Eva, my apprentice, arrives at 9.30 a.m. and I give her a list of tasks for the day. She is a wonderful woman: we get on so well and I could not ask for a more hardworking helper in the workshop.

Sometimes I might be mentioned on a blog or in a forum, which, whilst really nice, might create 20, 40 or 100 email enquiries. The Internet is a truly wonderful tool and in the same breath it can create a ton of traffic. I once created an Instructable, which was viewed about 90,000 times and generated a shed load of emails. I also created a free pricing spreadsheet for the Etsy community, which was downloaded about 40,000 times from my blog and again sent me lots of emails, some of which were short novels asking me for further help! Needless to say, it can be overwhelming.

Eva and I then set about our daily tasks and we serve customers in the shop. Clients come in to ask about this and that or to bring in repairs. I don't have a typical day, as each is so unique. The kettle is never cold. I close the shop up when the town centre closes at about 5.30 p.m. and after a short trip home it is back to being a daddy and hubby again.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
Anything my kids have made. My great-great-grandfather made a beautiful chess table, probably circa 1900.

Do you have any advice for artists starting out in their career?
I have three hot tips for any artist in any field:

Pricing.
Pricing.
Pricing.

You need to learn the reality of pricing to earn a living. A self-employed artisan cannot rely on their craft alone. They need to understand the complexity of running a business equally well.

Anything else you'd like to tell us?
I have a saying that I try to live by. It can be applied for both my personal life and my work life: "Is what I am doing now getting me any closer to my objectives?" It reminds me not to waste time on trivia.

Thanks to Chris for taking part! You can see some of his beautiful work below.

Interview Posts | The UK Edition | More Jewelry Posts | Shop Jewelry

UK Edition: Wise Words With BridgetFarmerBooks

2010-03-03T09:00:00-04:00

With Mothering Sunday coming up on the 14 March in the UK, Bridget Farmer, a printmaker currently living in Belfast, Northern Ireland, sweetly offered to share the story of how her mother's wonderfully wise words inspired a unique gift.

Until recently, Bridget had been living in Australia. She has three Etsy shops and sells through a number of galleries and brick-and-mortar shops. She also has a personal website and a blog.

Australia is a long way away from my home in Northern Ireland and, of course, from my mum. I was used to living away from home, even before moving to Melbourne. I lived in Scotland for a good few years but we saw each other maybe only four or five times each year. However, just the sheer distance, being on the other side of the world, makes it harder. We always phoned on a Sunday — my evening, her morning. My Australian partner’s family is wonderful, his mum is very loving, but there’s nothing quite like a good chat with your mum, wherever you both are!

I’ve now moved back home to Belfast for a while and my partner wants to get to know my family and so we're living in my childhood home with my mum. She spends most weekends at her partner’s cottage in the country, but we still phone each other most Sundays, even though she’s just down the road for the day!

Last Mother’s Day, while I was still in Australia, I decided to make my mum a gift. I’m not very good at remembering Mother's Day, possibly because my mum is a bit dismissive about it, but my friend Anna (of AbleAndGame) had started making the most wonderful Mother’s Day cards and she inspired me.

My gift was a handmade book that contained all the nuggets of wisdom my mum used to regale me with. I’m sure everyone has a great list of these from their own mums. It makes me wonder what I will say to my future children. What will they remember of my "wise" words?

"If a cat had kittens in the oven, would they be called buns?"
My mum is Northern Irish and my late father was English. I was born in England but moved to Northern Ireland when I was about four. I don’t remember England — to me Northern Ireland is my home. My mum always told me to repeat this saying when people said I was English (since I don’t really feel English). England being the "oven." I think maybe it just confused people, but I like it!

"Never stand when you can sit."
My mum owns, and is the chef of, her own restaurant. It’s wonderful! I really miss it when I’m away from home. When I was younger I used to work there on Friday nights. After all the main courses had gone out, a stool would be called for and my mum would always declare: "Never stand when you can sit."

"Only boring people get bored."
Long summer holidays and probably lots of rain led to the ever-popular "I’m bored, Mum," and her answer was always the same!

"If you don’t like it, change it. If you can’t change it, put up with it."
I think my mum has taught me to be quite a brave, independent person. She brought my brother and me up on her own after my dad died; she’s very strong and determined in a lot of ways. I’ve often had this saying in my head when things aren’t going my way and it reminds me to not be afraid of changing direction or to accept when things cannot be changed.

"A rest is as good as a wash."
My granny, my mum and I are not the best at housework and therefore I really can’t see any poor child of mine having much hope either. I must point out that this saying refers to garments rather than personal hygiene, although, while I type this, realising many people will be reading, I don’t know if that is much better and I think I’m blushing slightly at my guilty housework secret.

I’ll be moving back to Australia in a couple of years. I’m trying to convince my mum to retire to a lovely beach house on the south coast of Victoria, Australia. I’m hoping she’ll listen to my wise words!

Many thanks to Bridget and Happy Mother's Day to Mummy Farmer!

Check out Bridget's Etsy picks in the Related Items below.

Shop Local Belfast | Mother's Day Posts | The UK Edition

UK Edition: Interview With MrWingate

2010-02-26T08:00:00-04:00

When I first met MrWingate at the London Bust Craftacular last December, I was immediately drawn to his t-shirts and sweatshirts, which at first glance looked as though they sported tyre track patterns. Upon closer inspection I realised that they were actually printed with cleverly positioned architectural designs. That's the thing about Sam's work, it rewards you for taking a closer look.

At the opening of his new studio and shop last week, I did indeed get a closer look at his Spring 2010 collection, which happily now includes an expanded selection of housewares. This time I was expectant and, I hasten to add, not disappointed. Some of his new designs are reminiscent of lace to my eyes (gorgeous!) and others, such as the pub pillows, have an irresistible British friendliness — with a contemporary twist — about them.

Let's take a peek at Sam, the man behind MrWingate...

Tell us a wee bit about yourself; your name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
Hello, my name is Sam Wingate, I'm 26 and I live and work in East London. I've just opened up a studio shop space on Columbia Road and that is where you'll most likely find me, drawing, printing and sewing.

How did you begin your foray into the world of designing-making?

As long as I can remember I've been making things. I come from quite a creative family and when I was a child, if there was a new toy I wanted, my mum's stock response was, "I'm sure you can make it yourself," which is pretty much (with a little bit of help here and there) what I did. Anything from soft toys to wicked bows and arrows. Bows made out of hazel that would let the arrows fly for miles! The one thing where we had to draw a line for was an Etch-a-Sketch, I had to save pocket money for that one...

By the time I came to go to Uni I wanted to study Architecture, but luckily I flunked my A-Levels and ended up on an Art Foundation course, where I discovered that I was really suited to Textiles. After graduating with a BA in Textiles I moved to London and got a market stall on Brick Lane selling my prints on t-shirts and bags. This grew and eventually it became my full-time employment and now I've just opened the shop where I'm selling more products for the home.

Photos by MrWingate

Educate us on screenprinting; what's the physical process like and why do you love it?

I think the main reason I love it is because it's so simple and instant. I can still remember the excitement of the first time I pulled a squeegee across a screen and ended up with a proper print!

The basic physical process is simple. You begin with two tools, a screen (a frame with a mesh stretched across one side) and a squeegee (a rubber blade attached to a handle). To make a print you have to pull ink across the screen with the squeegee, and to print a design you need to stop the ink passing through portions of the screen. To do this you block the holes in the mesh — the simplest way is with a paper stencil.

I've remembered another reason why I love it, the word "squeegee."

How are you inspired by where you live?

I've lived in East London for four or five years and I really love it here. There's such a diverse mix of everything. Food, people, architecture. The latter is what really inspires me. Buildings, from tower blocks to pubs. From a design point of view, they're full of patterns, especially the tower blocks. Floor upon floor reaching up to the sky, multiples of windows and balconies.

However, I do get yearnings for the country side quite often and to satisfy this I make regular trips back home to visit my parents in North Norfolk, where the huge skies and open spaces really give me a chance to think and reflect. I think it's good to have the contrast of the two places. Although I love them both, I don't think I could stay in either indefinitely.

Many of your motifs take architecture and classic design and completely reinvent the way it's viewed. How did you arrive at this unique style?

I mentioned that I had wanted to study architecture when I was younger. It sort of runs in the family a bit. My parents met studying architecture, my grandfather was an architect and so on. That's where it stemmed from, but I'm looking at buildings now from a textile design point of view. I think I mostly developed my style whilst at art school. Drawing buildings, then building up patterns by repeating my drawings. I quite like my patterns to have a texture about them, even if the print is flat it's nice to have an idea about what you think it might feel like.

What's it been like to work on commissions with companies like DKNY?

It's been really exciting. The DKNY show came about after exhibiting at a graduate fair. Working with such a big name and having my work shown in such a great setting was amazing for me as a recent graduate. The DKNY team did all of the work for the installation, and I remember turning up to set up just before my wallpapers arrived on the back of a van, all ready and mounted on three meter boards. For someone who is used to doing most of the graft myself it was a real treat to just sit back and watch the installation.

What does an average day in the life of MrWingate entail?

Ideally I start my day with a swim at the London Fields Lido on my way down to Columbia Road. But it's been a bit chilly recently and of course I've been very busy....

Otherwise I like to make it into the studio during Radio 4's women's hour, any later and I feel a bit guilty. Once in I'll either be drawing, printing or sewing depending on what stage I'm at. I try to have a few projects on the go at once so that I can swap between them. At some point in the afternoon I'll pop next door to my friends' shop, Jessie and Buddug, for a cup of tea and then it's back to the studio for more work. By about half seven I'm ready to call it a day and will either head home for food or if I'm lucky catch up with friends over a couple of beers.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

This question is really hard to answer. I own a lot of handmade items given to me by friends and family so it's really hard to decide. One thing that I no longer have but have really fond memories of is a matching set of pyjamas that my mum made for me and my teddy when I was little. I think that was a fun idea.

Do you have any advice for artists starting out in their career?

I think that if you want to be successful there are a few key things to remember:

Keep the money rolling in. Have a second job that you can fit around your creative endeavours. Ideally get one relevant to what you're doing. I've had plenty from working as a print technician at London College of Fashion to teaching craft at Holloway Prison.
Remember what you're about. This is especially good when working in those second jobs. Think "I am not a shop assistant, I am a jeweller."
Take internships. When you're starting out, internships offer a great way to experience the different ways people work. I did quite a few and it helped me to realise how I did and how I didn't want to work.
Be determined!

Anything else you'd like to tell us?

Yes! Come and visit me in my new shop, upstairs at 144 Columbia Road, London, E2 7RG!

Many thanks to Sam for taking part! Visit his personal website here.

You can see some of his fabulous work in the Seller's Items below.

Do you have a shop or studio in the UK that you think would be of interest to Etsy's audience? Then I want to visit you! Contact AmityUK by clicking here.

Screenprinting How-To Video | Interview Posts | The UK Edition

UK Edition: Interview With bonbiforest

2010-02-19T08:00:00-04:00

As your enthusiastic ambassador here in the UK, it's my pleasure to introduce you to some members of our local Etsy community. Lee May Foster, a.k.a. bonbiforest, answered some questions from her outpost in Cornwall.

Without further ado, welcome to the wild world of bonbiforest.

Tell us a wee bit about yourself; your name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Lee May Foster and I am an artist and maker of things living and working by the sea in deepest darkest Cornwall. I make lots of different things, from screenprinted tees, accessories and paper goods, to paintings and drawings that I turn into art prints. I love to make jewellery, too.

All of my screenprinted designs and jewellery have their roots in my drawings and paintings, which feature many a critter, creature and scape of trees, sea and sky. I like to explore patterns, rhythms and stories, and the connection of people to nature. The wild world shapes us and we shape it. You will see that I like shapes and I like colours.

In the past I have worked with Bat For Lashes, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, and Urban Outfitters, and my jewellery and clothing has been seen in Grazia, Look, Marie Claire, The Guardian and The Independent amongst others.

How did you begin your foray into the world of designing/making?

Completely by accident! I studied fine art painting at the University of Brighton, which was great for making me very self-motivated, but not so good for the job opportunities!

I was really skint one Christmas and decided to get some cheap H&M tees and stencil little birds and phrases on them as gifts. They were well received and I had a light bulb moment, taught myself how to screenprint and went from there.

My boyfriend was learning how to make websites at the time, so he used my fledgling business as a guinea pig and made me an online shop. I also had a break when my friend Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes asked me to make her first-ever tour tees. We were all kind of doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.

How are you inspired by where you live?

I live in a rural part of Cornwall, in a little fishing village on the south coast, and I work from a barn at my parents' farm a short distance away. I own a horse and, because of this, I spend a lot of time outside in all weathers and find myself surrounded by nature.

I see all kinds of birds and critters on a regular basis — buzzards and garden birds, pheasants, owls and foxes, and so many rabbits and toads. I recently found deer tracks in the field, which was almost too much excitement! On a clear night you can see so many stars that you can make out the Milky Way! All of this feeds into my work. I'm a lucky lady indeed.

What else inspires you?
Other artists inspire me a lot. I like reading about what inspires them to create, and I have inspiring friends and family who are passionate about all sorts of different things: music, film, books, horses, sport... I think I find passion in people really inspiring.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My engagement ring! My beau and I got it custom made for me by Etsy seller OneStoneNewYork last summer and I love it so much. It has a Herkimer diamond stone and white topaz and is a perfect mix of vintage and contemporary styling.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

My horse, Lauder, keeps me pretty occupied! I ride him nearly every day and compete in British dressage competitions. I like the discipline of dressage and the fact that, even if I am feeling lazy or unmotivated, there is a being that needs looking after and exercising. It's a great excuse to get outside too!

Apart from that I like to spend time with friends in the pub, going out dancing and walks with my beau when the weather is nice.

How do you promote your work?
I love Twitter! It's such a fast and easy way to connect with so many people. I also advertise on a few blogs to keep the word out there and the odd bit of magazine press really helps, too. Design fairs and craft shows are great for spreading the word locally. I give my business cards to everyone who comes within a sniff of my stall, whether they buy or not!

Do you have any advice for artists who are new to Etsy?

Well, I'm not sure I am qualified to give out much in the way of advice, other than be brave and tell everyone you know about your handmade adventure: word of mouth advertising is free and it works! Tweeting about your newly listed or sold and re-listed items also reminds people about your shop and your work.

If you want to make being an artist your day job, you have to put it before everything. For years I worked in an awful job, but when people asked me what I did I told them I made stuff. This allows people to think of you as an artist, not a telephone survey monkey! Just keep at it. It's not always easy and there are plenty of very steep learning curves along the way, but really, it's so worth it in the end.

Name your top 5 Etsy sellers...

Rose cut diamond bezel ring, $1200.

OneStoneNewYork: Beautiful jewellery made from reclaimed metals. He made my engagement ring and I love to browse his shop.

View Item | View Shop

Gold Quartz Necklace, $185.

LauraLombardiJewelry: Stunning work, I've had my eye on one of her necklaces for months and one day, one day it will be mine!

View Item | View Shop

Miss Libellule - digital art Print, $20.

Matilou: I love the girly style of her drawings and the video she made for Etsy's blog is so inspiring.

View Item | View Shop

Earth Angel Dress, $164.

TheGarbologistsWife: Her Earth Angel Dress is one of the prettiest dresses I ever did see!

View Item | View Shop

Stuffed Cat Portrait, $95.

Sian: Her stuffed animals are amazing (and custom). Awesome.

View Item | View Shop

Thanks to Lee May for taking part! You can see some of her beautiful work below.

More Interview Posts | More Posts in the UK Edition

The Collectors: Momerath's Vintage Passports

2010-02-16T18:00:00-04:00

Hope you'll just love this vintage women’s passport collection with momerath!

Oh, wanderlust!  What a thrill it is to travel and see the world, isn’t it? It's one of my favorite things: the endless possibility and education that unfolds as we explore new places.   How fortunate I feel that the freedom to travel has luckily become second nature to many women of my generation. We know it wasn't always this way for female travelers, and today's fantastic collection offers us a glimpse of eras when women traveling on their own, or without a male companion, was a rare and curious thing indeed.

Here’s to liberating ideas!

Who (are you): I'm momerath on Etsy.

What (are you collecting): I collect women's passports from the 1950s and earlier.

When (did you start): 2004.

How (many do you have?): Seven.

Where (do you find them): Ebay, mostly. And friends buy them for me.

Where (do you keep them): On the plate rail of what would be the dining room in a more civilized house, but in our house is the playroom.

What (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one): One of the first things you notice in these passports is how they were often created to be issued to a traveler and "wife" — husband and wife could travel on one passport, and the assumption was that a traveler would be male, with perhaps a wife coming along. Women traveling solo screwed up the system — the issuer would have to go through crossing out all the blanks for "wife." Children, too, could travel on a passport with their parent.

What (piece would you like to add): I wish I had my grandmother's passport. She moved to France in the 1950s. It was a difficult time for her, isolated with her young son, my father, in an unfamiliar place, unable to speak the language.

Why (do you love them): My own passport has always been a prized possession; it represents freedom, possibility, adventure. I like imagining why these women were traveling at a time when women weren't "supposed" to go roaming about, and certainly not unescorted. Their passports give tantalizing hints.

Which (one is your favourite) and why: I honestly cannot choose a favorite.

What (else do you collect): I take photos of informational and warning signs that show that little guy, Stick Figure Man, and all his adventures. He's a secret agent, I'm sure of it. I'm compiling a dossier.

Thanks so very much, momerath! What a wonderful part of history you're collecting!

On your cyber travels, be sure to visit this collector’s shop, too, where adventures await at every turn. It's a trip into the wonderful world of the stickman and his endlessly crazy capers.

Here's to adventuring, nicies!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!

The Collectors Series | Vintage Passports | Vintage Paper Ephemera

Etsy Love Stories: WieberArt

2010-02-09T14:01:00-04:00

I have been lucky enough to meet many wonderful artists while selling on Etsy, but one person who I instantly connected with is Grace Wieber. Her personality is infectious, her humor is adorable and above all, her willingness to support and promote other artists' work on Twitter and her blog is truly inspiring. Grace and her husband Will, the duo behind WieberArt, answered some questions for the continuing swoon-worthy series, Etsy Love Stories.

Tell us about yourselves!
Will is a generous, patient man and in my honest opinion, an inspiring artist. I believe our sons, Gregory and Vincent, attest to this fact. They too have pursued careers in the arts. Will studied painting at the School of Visual Arts, and I taught Italian for five years while dancing with Andre Evglesky Ballet. Unfortunately, I had a terrible ski accident (a no-no for a dancer) and left teaching to regroup and raise our family. I continued to choreograph instead of perform and it was during this time that I decided to study fashion design. In the 1930s and 40s, my father and his brother owned Bellanca Embroidery, where they made embellished evening gowns and handbags for the high-end fashion houses and department stores. These influences weighed heavily upon me. We moved to the West Village in the 1980s, and I took the plunge, designing men's parachute nylon-ripstop jumpsuits and pants for boutiques on Fire Island. Will has exhibited at the Annual Art Festivals at the Pines, Huntington, Montauk and in showrooms and galleries from Chelsea to Soho.

How did you hear about Etsy?
Our son Gregory knew about Etsy; several of his girlfriends were participating. He had told me a few years ago to join but our heads were not in the right place. We were still raising our children and getting them through college and out the door.

How long have you been in business as a team?
It was a dream of mine from the very beginning of our relationship to be in business together. It took maturing on both of our parts to finally realize this vision. In 1996 while still living in New York we decided to open a decorative finish business. When our familial obligations were winding down, Billy took me to Florida where we continued the business and on April 19, 2009 we went live on Etsy.

What's the best part about working together?
Work is play and play is work. We're still like kids, we just like being together. Even if we are separated by a studio wall, it's just great. I have also opened a shop called CrazieGracie. It's a form of therapy for me until I dig deep again for those new ideas.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
Difficulties have been ironed out over our 30-year relationship. As it is for most people, everyone wants to be the boss. Well, we all know that to work as a team, there can only be one captain. Sometimes, I get to be the leader. Most times, I am fine with him heading up the team. I have his respect. He knows that he can trust my instincts and when I get out there, I let him reel me in.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
When you are self-employed, it all runs together. We try to be flexible and structure time for our personal
lives. We make sure to get out and take walks, play tennis, and stay fit and healthy. It's during these outings that we reminisce, vent and revitalize.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
This may sound cliché, however, every day is Valentine's Day around here.

What are your future Etsy goals?
We are enjoying our experience with Etsy and look forward to building relationships and having continued success. We wish we had heeded our boys' advice to get online sooner. Leaping from the stone age into the cyber age, Etsy has proven to be a viable avenue for all sorts of opportunities.

Thanks to Will and Gracie for sharing their story.
You can see some of their creations below.

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories | Art Category

Etsy Video 2009: Year in Review

2009-12-31T15:12:00-04:00

Friend Etsy on Youtube & Blip.tv | Subscribe to Etsy's iTunes Podcast

As 2009 comes to a close, we here at the blog are taking time to reflect on an exciting year in video for Etsy. We met and collaborated with many incredibly talented Etsy artists and had a chance to delve deeper into who they are and what they make. We launched a new video series about home decor and collections called There's No Place Like Here. We look forward to 2010 as a year to explore more amazing spaces, discover new narratives and show how makers do what they do.

We compiled a playlist from our Handmade Portraits, Process and There's No Place Like Here video series to highlight some of the Etsy sellers who have worked with us over the past year. See our free iTunes podcast for all of our videos.

There's No Place Like Here
Artists and designers invite Etsy into their homes to reveal their collections, creations, and uniquely customized living spaces. Find out what captures these tastemakers' imaginations, where they unearth their treasures, and how they have fine-tuned their aesthetics. There's No Place Like Here! Take a peek at Made With Love By Hannah's German chalet, overflowing with vintage kitsch, in downtown Los Angeles. Design duo Something's Hiding In Here give us a tour of their renovated Philadelphia loft full of woodland vintage and an indoor porch swing. Tour the Santa Cruz grounds of Niki Silva's communal living paradise La Selva.

Handmade Portraits
What makes the creative mind tick? Discover the story behind the maker in this mini-documentary series. Handmade Portraits introduces viewers to the creative universe that is Etsy's community. Canadian artist Sarah Faber of Black-Eyed Suzie creates delicate, Gothic art dolls that evoke Victorian times. It took woodworker Fred Jakubiec from Birdhouseaccents 25 years before he made building birdhouses his full-time job. It was well worth the wait.

Process
Get into the creative flow with Etsy's Process series. These illuminating videos provide an intimate glimpse into the relationship between artist and material. Witness the techniques behind the design lifecycle. It's a truly transfixing experience to observe Kim Westad throw one of her signature Sweet Pea bowls on the wheel in her tranquil studio. BeyondthePicketFence is not just a soap maker; she's her own research and development lab — one might go as far as to call her a bathmatician.

[Clockwise from top: Recycled Cotton Tote Bag by forestbound, Maximum Fringe Necklace by iheartnorwegianwood, Vintage Paint-by-Number USA by somethingshidinghere, Ivory Tulle and Pearl Bridal Shrug by Holly Stalder, Girl with Band-Aids by mimikirchner, White Sea Glass Pendant by wildpen, Naked Twirly Vase by Kim Wested, Primitive Birdhouse by birdhouseaccents, Little Bunny Felted Mary Janes by prettylittle]

Thanks for a great year! Post your favorite Etsy video in the comments.

Watch more videos!

The Collectors: Jelene's Nutcracker Suite

2009-12-22T16:36:00-04:00

Woowee! This is such a magical time of the year: beautiful music, gorgeous festive colors, and a little fairy dust that seems to dance in the air everywhere we go. How grand!

For me, one of the most nostalgically captivating scenes of the year shines bright on the stages around the world as Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker Suite, thrills children of all ages. This whimsical fairytale, where toys come alive and vivid color swirls all around, tells the story of a world filled with whimsy, festive fashions, and something glorious to capture the imagination of every child.

So here’s the perfect collection for such a magical world. Hope you’ll love Jelene’s festive nutcrackers!

Who (are you) : My name is Jelene Morris — my Etsy shop is jelene.etsy.com

What (are you collecting) : Nutcrackers

When (did you start) : I started collecting nutcrackers when I was a teenager.

How (many do you have?) : I have 25 of them so far.

Where (do you find them) : I collect them from all over. I have some from Germany, some my family and friends have given me.

Where (do you keep them) : I keep them in my doll case, but during Christmas, I have them out on display for everyone to see them.

What (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one) : I became fascinated with nutcrackers when I first saw the play The Nutcracker at age 11. I wanted one for Christmas, but they were really expensive… so unfortunately I didn't get one that year. I think during that time, most of them were around $150 or more. Since they have become more popular with Christmas, now they are easier to find.

What (piece would you like to add): I've seen some nutcrackers that have costumes, or ones that look like chefs. Those would be fun to have.

Why (do you love them) : I've just always loved them ever since I saw them as a child. I think of them as dolls, but just in wooden form. Some of them are really detailed. I think it's funny how originally they were for cracking nuts, but now they are just mainly for decoration.

Which (one is your favourite) and why : My favorite one is the smallest one I have. It's about a 1/2" inch tall. I just love it so; it's so incredibly small.

What (else do you collect) : I also have tons of dolls that I've been collecting since I was a kid. I also love art toys and vintage toys.

How fun! Thanks so much, Jelene.

Continue delighting your senses this season with a visit to Jelene’s bright and beautiful studio, where her pop art playground-of-a-shop is a wonderland for every age. Her fun and festive designs are just the thing for the young-at-heart and sugar-plum fairies this season!

Happy Holidays, nicies!
And may all of your festive dreams come true!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!

The Collectors Series | Etsy Nutcrackers | More Collections Posts on Rikrak's Blog

The Collectors: My Favourite Dress's Vintage Pyrex Bowls

2009-11-25T15:16:00-04:00

I just love seeing what folks are collecting. I guess I feel it tells us just a little bit about what inspires them, what they love, and what they choose to surround themselves with in their homes. Today, I'm delighted to present the next in an ongoing series here on The Storque: The Collectors. First published on my own little blog, the rikrak studio, it's 11 and a half quick questions with a wonderful artist on what they're collecting (apart from their art supplies!). Hope you'll just love this vintage kitchenware collection with the charming myfavouritedress.

Yum!

As our thoughts turn to the upcoming holidaying seasons around the world, our kitchens emerge as our handmaking studios and workshops, where we each combine tradition and creativity to handcraft scrumptious feasts and delicious delights to share with friends and loved ones!

Indeed, cooking and baking are, for me, a wonderful part of the delight of holidaying time, and I thought you might just love a peek at this particular gorgeous collection of vintage kitchenware, which would surely inspire any home chef, and host(ess) as we look forward to the season of entertaining.

Psst: And just in case you’re like me and love the idea of baking, cooking, and entertaining, but it isn’t quite your forte (let’s be honest – I’m a wonderful disaster in the kitchen!) — fear not! Help is near! How about some delectables by the pros!

Who (are you) : Claire of myfavouritedress

What (are you collecting) : pyrex

When (did you start) : This collection here is about 6 years old.

How (many do you have?) : I have around 30-40 here in Vancouver, and a whole lot more in storage at my dad's in Australia.

Where (do you find them) : I find them all at the thrift stores (or op shops) and church sales.

Where (do you keep them) : I keep them in the kitchen. They get used every day.

What (‘s a crazy/interesting story behind one) : I have a friend who often picks me up little things at the thrift store, and one time we were sitting at the kitchen table talking when she casually reaches into her handbag and pulls out a huge butterprint bowl in perfect condition, and hands it to me — "Oh, I found this for you," and keeps on with what she was saying. Like no big deal. She's actually given me some beautiful pyrex and Fire King over the years. She is awesome.

What (piece would you like to add): Dots. I have absolutely no dots. And I love them.

Why (do you love them) : They're beautiful and functional, and they obviously last a long time.

Which (one is your favourite) and why : This tiny little blue bowl that is quite old, but I love the shade of blue and how it has worn away at the top.

What (else do you collect) : I have a pretty ridiculous collection of kitchenware and fabric, but I'd say what I really collect would be records.

Oh, how wonderful! I love how Claire USES her collection in a functional and wonderful way on a daily basis! How splendid! And I adore the ways in which she craftily combines her love of sustainable living in her home and in her own beautiful handcrafted works, too!

So let’s raise a toast: to the kitschy kitchen and all that is created in it! I think my perfect kitchen is like that ideal holiday recipe: You start with tried and true main ingredients, add a handpicked pinch of vintage, a dash of modern, and a teaspoon of eclectic to make something all your own!

Thanks so much, Claire. And be sure to visit her lovely shop and fabulous blog, Just Me and My Dad (What a brilliant idea this one is: dual photos by Claire and her dad! Love it!) and her deservedly popular and inspiring Flickr photostream!

Cheers! And happy celebrating, nicies!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!

The Collectors Series | Vintage Pyrex | More Collections Posts on Rikrak's Blog

The Collectors: themefragrance's Birds

2009-09-29T12:39:00-04:00

What a wonderful time of year! Sunshiney warm afternoons, beloved sweater-weather evenings, and the vivid colors of summer transforming into those sumptuous autumn hues. For me, it’s nature at its loveliest!

This is also the time in the calendar when I look for ways to bring the outdoors indoors, something I know so many of us universally love about interior design. As we cozy up our homes and indoor spaces, this month’s gorgeous bird collection brings the joy of the vibrant woodlands and the spirit of natural history alive inside. Here’s a wonderful collection interview to inspire us.

Who (are you?): Elizabeth of themefragrance
What (are you collecting?): Bird objects  
When (did you start?): Five years ago
How (many do you have?): Lost count!
Where (do you find them?): Antique stores, gifts, Etsy.
Where (do you keep them?): I live in an old brick house in Brooklyn that has six mantelpieces, and I rotate all my collections on them. 
What (piece would you like to add?): Bird prints from Etsy shops (so far I’ve collected prints by geninne and mincingmockingbird) .
Why (do you love them?): You can't have too many! The variety keeps you going!  
Which (one is your favorite?): My lovebird, Buddha (the real one).
What (else do you collect): Antique doll parts, typography blocks, hands, old magazines, perfume bottles, postcards, children’s books.

Like the modern perfumer she is, I love the way Elizabeth’s collection so aptly mixes design and modern handicraft with the natural world. Aren’t the rich and variegated hues of these lovely birds just gorgeous atop the classic white mantles of her brick home? Elizabeth’s brilliant use of color and hand-picked historical elements brings nature indoors not only with her beloved bird collection, but also in her delightfully vibrant shop. Like the splashes of antique history in her collection, Elizabeth’s work builds on the traditional to craft fresh, modern perfumes with enticing organic scents. I just adore her integration of nature in her collections, both in her home and in her shop. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Elizabeth!

What do you collect? I’d love to hear! Please post in the comments below!
And have a most colorful, vivid day, nicies!

The Collectors Series | Vintage Birds | More Collections Posts on Rikrak's Blog

Design for Development With HAND/EYE

2009-08-12T16:00:00-04:00

I was wandering through the craftivism blogosphere when I discovered the online and print publication, HAND/EYE. HAND/EYE explores the intersection of design, development, culture, commerce, art, craft, environment, and ethics. Featuring inspiring articles on traditional textiles and philanthropic fashion, HAND/EYE seemed like it could not be more relevant to Etsy. Founder and Editor Keith Recker kindly answered some questions for us on responsible consumerism and the future of design. Below the interview, check out "Happy Chaos," an article from their current issue that profiles a studio in Cape Town making housewares from discarded fabric scraps.

Tell us a little bit about HAND/EYE. What do you hope readers will get out of it?
HAND/EYE grew out of 20 years of volunteering, giving, and board service, and consulting with several non-profits devoted to artisan development — including Aid to Artisans, SERRV, The Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, Brandaid Project, and CARE International. I learned about the cultural riches being put to gorgeous use all over the world, and was surprised at how little most North Americans knew about the handmade world. Awareness and understanding are certainly better than they were 20 years ago, but I saw an opportunity to talk about the great intersecting points between art, craft, design, philanthropy and enlightened consumption...and HAND/EYE was born.

I hope that readers will see things that inspire them to create, to learn more, and to support what they are drawn to through their charitable giving or their purchasing.

Why do you think publications like HAND/EYE are important for our society?
We are all yearning for new ways to feel connected to what we eat, what we wear, what we see and hear. Our easy-to-buy and easy-to-toss society has created a strange alienation: we are so separate from the source of what we consume that we are not satisfied by all the buying we do. Quantity and quality have parted ways on many levels. If we can reapproach the things we surround ourselves with through an understanding of the traditions and innovations they express, and of the people and processes who produce them, we will be more thoughtful about what we buy, and better appreciate what we have. On a purely cultural level, learning about how and why people make things can only enhance our own creativity — as we make things ourselves, or even as we problem-solve in our daily lives.

How do you envision the future of design, craft, and retail?
I think that in about 20 years, every discretionary purchasing decision will be accompanied by questions about who makes the goods, how they make them, the cultural and economic background behind the making, and the environmental impact of production and disposal. We will need stories to nourish us and ground us. And we will need answers to justify our purchases.

Where's the most surprisingly eco-friendly place you've visited?
Africa, without a doubt, because the concept of waste is so different from a North American point of view. Refuse becomes fertilizer. Trash becomes treasure. Creativity IS survival.

What can artists and crafters do to make their work more ethically and environmentally friendly?
Paying attention to the materials one uses is, of course, an important step. As is controlling wastes and disposal of them. Supporting other makers whose circumstances are challenging is a fantastic way to connect to other creative souls on the planet. Getting involved as a volunteer is one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had: there is no learning like that which happens side by side with someone whose know-how and perspective is different, but whose goals and desires are so similar.

What have you found to be most inspiring from your work on HAND/EYE?
The creative community, from individual crafters to "big-time" decorators and fashion designers, is hungry for ideas and information. The desire to know and understand is universally human, and it gives me hope for the future. If we reach out to learn about others and their traditions, we build a web of respect which will support deep, meaningful, lasting human progress.

Anything else you'd like to add?
HAND/EYE's most recent issue is all about art, craft, design, and philanthropy unfolding in Africa — and we still have a few copies left, though we will be sold out, at latest, by the end of September. The next issue talks about The Future of Folk — about how folk traditions and processes are evolving to address new ideas, new materials, new influences, new customers, and new relevancies. It will be out in early November 2009. After that...possibly an entire edition devoted to the ancient (yet thriving) artisanry of Central Asia.

We would love to have everyone subscribe online here.

If you have suggestions on articles for future print or online efforts, please email me at keith@handeyemagazine.com. Check us out on Twitter, too: we are about to stage a competition for best folk-influenced outfit. It should be fun.

Happy Chaos

by Karen Gibbs

Photo by Edward Addeo for HAND/EYE

"If we don’t find ways of improving people’s lives, it will affect us negatively. If we do, it gives everyone involved nourishment, learning. And purpose." — Adri Shutz

Spinning straw into gold: that’s what they do at Cape Town’s Mielie Studio. Scraps from South Africa’s fashion and textile industries become hooked rugs, handbags, pillows, and very stylish ottomans like the Fluffball shown above.

Founder Adri Shutz, who defines her style as “happy chaos,” started her business in 2002 as a way of combining her love of color, fibers and fabrics, with her awareness of the need for social change and environmental responsibility. “You can’t live in South African and not be affected by poverty — whether it’s through crime or doing something good or just seeing what’s going on around you.

“But along with the difficulties, you see right away that the most amazing traditions of beading and sewing and design are handed from generation to generation by the poorer people of our country.” Shutz dove into the idea of starting an artisan-based business without any formal business training. Seven years later Mielie now employs 50 South Africans.

The Fluffball is just one of many designs brought to fruition by Adri and the artisans she works with. Their partnership does not stop at fabric and fiber goods, however. The latest joint effort is a plentiful organic garden, whose fruits and vegetables are shared by everyone working at Mielie. “It’s a way of addressing the economic situation right now. If we can’t create demand, we can create a way of making everyone’s cash go further by putting food on the table.

“What really turns us on, though, is creating something beautiful from stuff no one wants anymore. And it really is a turn on. When you see, for example, all the yellow scraps gathered from all the gown makers who work with us, it’s like a humming bird for your eyes. They shimmer.”

But perhaps not as much as Adri and her comrades busy at their work.

Photos by Adri Shutz

To purchase the Fluffball, contact Amaridian Gallery at www.amaridianusa.com.
For more information about Mielie Studios, visit www.mielie.com.

More Craftivism Posts | Environmentally Friendly Gift Guide | Shop Local Africa

Etsy Addicts: Top Hearters, Revealed!

2009-07-02T17:30:00-04:00

As an Etsy addict (yes, I admit it!), I make a point to "heart" any item that catches my fancy, be it for me, as a gift for a friend, to feature here on Etsy's blog, or just because it's an amazing example of craftsmanship that could only be found on Etsy. Today I'm unmasking other Etsy Addicts to reveal some of the top hearters on the site. These Etsy Community members (both buyers and sellers) have collected astounding numbers of Favorites, and they keep them public for your benefit. Here are the interviews we did with these fine folk.

MacraMe's Favorites: 2284 Pages (and Counting)
MacraMe was featured in yaelfran's Shop Local Argentina not long ago.

Why do you heart things on Etsy?
We heart for several reasons: because we love the item, to keep lists of items for our Treasury addiction, as a way of promotion, and we like to encourage new sellers.

Do you actively share your Etsy Favorites with anyone?
Our Favorites are open for everyone to see and we have an Etsy Mini of our Favorites on our blog.

Do you look at or follow other people's Favorites? Would you care to share any of their names?
After almost three years of being on Etsy we don’t follow other people's Favorites, but at the beginning we used the Connections tool as a way to search and browse.

Do you buy a lot of your Favorites? If not, what's the purpose behind bookmarking them?
We have bought on very special occasions. Unfortunately Argentina has an unfavorable exchange rate for making purchases — so we have all those hearts in the hope of someday being able to buy. We bookmarked them also for the reasons we mention before, and, if we hearted them, why un-heart?

You've been on Etsy for some time. What's your favorite thing about the site?
Etsy is full of beautiful things, but our favorite is Treasury. We don’t speak English very well so this tool lets us participate without the necessity of language. We have learned a lot making them, and it helps us to improve our store. Now, with more experience, we have a lot of fun making Treasuries, but the best thing is that it aided us in making friends with wonderful people whom we may never meet in person but whose affection we can still feel.

Another thing we love is the blog, The Storque, not only for the news, but for the old posts as well. We see them as records of the Etsy story. Also we must mention the opportunity of belonging to a Team. We are members of the Etsy in Spanish Team, where we can communicate in Spanish and meet every Friday with our Spanish-speaking comrades in the Chat Rooms. As we said, there are a lot of beautiful things on Etsy!

What are your hopes for Etsy's future?
We hope Etsy has continuity over time and that the economic crisis will be overcome quickly, in order for artists and crafters to be able to continue to develop in a positive way. We understand that Etsy has to evolve. Every day there are more people, more news, advances in technology and trade, but we hope Etsy doesn't lose the home spirit, the flavor of what was done by hand which made Etsy a very special place.

yaelfran's Favorites: 1452 Pages (and Counting)

Why do you heart things on Etsy?
I don't know exactly why, but I LOVE to heart items that catch my attention, and I LOVE to see who hearted me or my own items.

Do you actively share your Etsy Favorites with anyone?
Sometimes, if there is a special item I want to show to my husband or friends. For example, it was my friend's birthday, and I hearted four or five items to share with my other friends. We had decided to buy her a ring from Etsy, so I told my friends to look at my recent Favorites and from there we could choose one to buy.

Do you look at or follow other people's Favorites? Would you care to share any of their names?
ALWAYS. I think it's one of the things I enjoy most at Etsy: looking at my Favorites' Favorites. Of course I'd give you their names! elsita, irisschwarz, knots, iomiss, timssally, polarity, sushipot, prettylittlethieves, kjoo... and so many more.

Do you buy a lot of your Favorites? If not, what's the purpose behind bookmarking them?
No, I like to heart items here because of great photos, wonderful design, excellent composition, but not necessarily to buy them. I just love the idea of sellers knowing their creations are loved!

You've been on Etsy for almost three years. What's your favorite thing about the site?
Since I started, I've been saying the same thing about Etsy: I ADORE how user-friendly Etsy is. I really love the design, it is a pleasure to be a seller here, I enormously enjoy working on Etsy!

What are your hopes for Etsy's future?
I hope Etsy will be better and better every day, improving communication between the community and Admins and keeping honesty and common sense as their most important values.

Earmark's Favorites: 1418 Pages (and Counting)

Why do you heart things on Etsy?
Because I love the items, want to feature an item, want to use an item in a Treasury, must buy it or if I am comparing items that I want/need in the future. Basically, I heart items so I do not lose track of the item/shop.

Do you actively share your Etsy Favorites with anyone?
I put up the Etsy Mini of my Favorites on my blog.

Do you look at or follow other people's Favorites? Would you care to share any of their names?
I guess I do not follow anyone in particular. I look through MANY people's Favorites and I probably follow ThePeachTree's faves the most.

Do you buy a lot of your Favorites? If not, what's the purpose behind bookmarking them?
I do buy items from my Favorites, but I also use my Favorites as more of a wish list. I would love to be able to organize my faves into sections (wish lists, bags, edibles).

You've been on Etsy for almost three years. What's your favorite thing about the site?
Pretty much everything. I think Etsy has opened so many doors and been great at showcasing unique art and handmade goods from around the world. I love that. I have met so many awesome people and companies via Etsy. Without Etsy, it would have taken much longer to get to where we are today, and for that I am forever grateful!

What are your hopes for Etsy's future?
I would love to see some additional third party applications that improve and enhance the Etsy experience. Otherwise I just hope that more people shop on here and purchase stationery from Earmark...ha ha!

Dajellybaby's Favorites: 1823 Pages (and Counting)

Why do you heart things on Etsy?
I usually heart things on Etsy that catch my eye. I do this for several reasons. The first one is because I am planning to purchase that particular item. I often check Etsy quickly throughout the day, and if I spot something that I like, I may not be able to purchase it then and there. Hearting the item ensures that I have easy access to it later, and it means I don't have to remember or record the item or seller details — which is great because I have a terrible memory!

Another reason is because I really like the item and/or the seller's store, and I want to come back to it at a later date. I enjoy browsing the listings of items that I like, and I particularly love browsing the stores of favorite sellers who intrigue me. With a lot of the items that I really like, I enjoy revisiting the listing and having a good look at the item again, the different listing photos, etc. This also sometimes helps me to make up my mind as to whether I want to purchase the item. I find a lot of the pictures and descriptions fantastic and very alluring — it's hard not to fall in love. I often fall in love with the way a seller has marketed their product.

I also heart items or sellers' stores for future reference, for example, ideas for upcoming birthday gifts.

Do you actively share your Etsy Favorites with anyone?
Not really. I have shared the details of the Etsy site itself with others. I have also shared the details of particular Etsy sellers from whom I have purchased items. This usually occurs after people notice an Etsy purchased item and ask where I got it.

Do you look at or follow other people's Favorites? Would you care to share any of their names?
I don't really follow other people's favorites. I have actually only checked out five other people's favorites, and they are five Etsy sellers that I have purchased from in the past. I love these particular sellers, and I really admire their sense of style, their personality, their designs, etc. I thought I might be able to find some really fascinating and intriguing items from their favorites, as they are quite fascinating and intriguing people. They include Monique, a.k.a. ouma; Jessi Taylor, a.k.a. jessitaylor; Christine, a.k.a. BloomStudios; Allison, a.k.a. MmeFortuna and Katie, a.k.a. ktjean.

Do you buy a lot of your Favorites? If not, what's the purpose behind bookmarking them?
I do buy a lot of my favorites, although I think that I bookmark a lot more than I buy. I really wish that it was the other way around! The reason that I think I have so many favorites comes down to wishful thinking. I really love the designs, concepts and ideas of a lot of the items on Etsy, and I have found in the past that if I don't heart an item, I have trouble remembering any details to find it again. I find it's very convenient having a "Favorites section" of my profile.

What's your favorite thing about Etsy?
I love two things actually about the Etsy site. The first is the gorgeous sense of community and the friends that I have made since I joined. The second is the easy access I have to so many amazing and talented artists who handmake and/or collect, recycle and celebrate vintage and homemade goods. If it wasn't for Etsy, I wouldn't have access to these really talented folk. I would still be purchasing mass-produced, store-bought items!

What are your hopes for Etsy's future?
I'd really love to see Etsy continue to grow and blossom, welcoming even more fabulous sellers and items, and for sellers themselves to see a continued rise in new customers and buyers. In spite of any growth, I would really like to see the community side of Etsy continue — where customer service, the sense of trust, friendship and kinship are still paramount. I would really hate to see Etsy become like eBay, where both sellers and buyers can often be exploited. I think Etsy is wonderful and the Etsy site, its team and its sellers deserve every success.

Looking for more ways to share your Favorites? Read our recent Tech Updates about Facebook Connect and Favorites developments.

Check out the Related Items below for a sampling of dajellybaby's, macraMe's,
yaelfran's, and Earmark's Favorites!

Old School Etsians: zencreations04

2009-06-26T16:00:00-04:00

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.

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

Old School Etsians: MadebyMilla

2009-06-19T10:45:00-04:00

Camilla Stacey, a.k.a. MadebyMilla, is an Old School Etsian — one of the first shops on Etsy that is still active. She joined on June 18, 2005.

Please introduce yourself and talk a bit about what you make.
I'm Camilla Stacey, otherwise known as MadebyMilla. I am an artist and curator based by the seaside in the United Kingdom, making work with a strong basis in crafts. When I first came to Etsy I was making clothing, badges and my infamous "spooky doll face brooches." These days I am concentrating on making giant drawings, learning hand embroidery, and screenprinting rude pictures on vintage hankies.

Even though I've been on Etsy since the very beginning, I feel like I'm still not 100% sure of my identity here, which is why my shop is always a bit of a jumble of items ranging from $1 badges and zines to fine art pieces.

Hearken back to the old days of Etsy...Any fond memories?
When I first came to Etsy (via GetCrafty.com) I was one of the only international members, let alone sellers. I signed up within the first week, if I recall correctly, and registered as a seller (number 98) the minute it became possible for international members to do so.

I do really miss those early days when I made it onto the "Top 100 Sellers" page just by the fact I'd sold two things! [The Top Sellers site feature was removed in November 2006 with the release of V2.] I miss being able to see the entire contents of a category on one page. I miss knowing who everyone is and the personal communication between members and Admin. I think it's great that Etsy has grown as well as it has done, but I do miss the days when I could keep track of who sold what, and knew where to find whatever it was I felt I needed to spend money on at any given time. I also really miss how the Forums were in the old days — so s-l-o-w I could actually keep up with what was happening.

"Awesome" Ribbon brooch by minorthread.

How has what you create changed over the past few years, if at all?
My work has retained a lot of the same themes (I'm obsessed with ideas to do with memory, collection and nostalgia), but thanks to the fact I decided to go back to art school two years ago and take a second degree, I've moved away from some of the accessory/toy/clothing type things I used to concentrate on and now am focusing more on creating art pieces.

I still want to make work that is accessible to all, so I make sure that I have badges and zines available when I have exhibitions and in my Etsy shop. It's important to me that people are able to afford what I make so I create a wide variety of pieces that come in at all kinds of prices. I'd like to move into selling more of my "fine art," but I haven't yet found a way that I'm comfortable with. At the moment I'm still testing the waters...Ok, so it's taken me four years to get this far; in another four years I might finally have a cohesive shop! (I've sold some of my art via my other shop: www.camillastacey.etsy.com.)

Do you see yourself on Etsy for the long haul?
I think breaking up with Etsy would be very hard to do. Having been here from practically day one, it would be hard to leave. At times I wonder why I still maintain a shop (when sales are slow or I lack any enthusiasm for making new work), but I appreciate the way I find it so easy to run my shop here. Maybe having lived through all the changes to Etsy, it all seems pretty simple to me. Recently as my work (art shows, etc) has really increased I've found I've had less and less time for Etsy. I've never been someone disciplined enough to keep listing new items each day. I think that shows in my sales (not brilliant for four years), but I'm happy to keep ticking over and see where that gets me.

What have you learned about selling?
I've learned that it's much easier to make it into the Top Sellers list when there's only 97 other people! I've learned that good photos do make a difference, but I haven't learned enough to make myself sit down and re-do all of mine, no matter how many times I think I should get around to it. Promotion works, but spamming is supremely irritating (which is why I haven't signed up for Twitter, I'm afraid).

I've learned that creating networks amongst your peers can be a good thing and doesn't always mean someone's going to steal your ideas. I've had a lot of support from people online, and I wouldn't be here without my "virtual" friends.

I am always impressed when something I buy comes to me well packaged, but no matter how many little extras might be included, if the product isn't well made I'm not going to come back. I've learned that all of the good advice in the world won't help you sell stuff if you don't actually act on it. I have to say my shop is still home to poor quality photos, terrible descriptions and my gift wrapping leaves a lot to be desired...I hope that doesn't put you off!

What do you want for the future of Etsy?
While I welcome the chance to buy Vintage items on Etsy, I would love to see them separated off into their own website — the same with Supplies. I find it so frustrating to look for ways to spend my money and come across pages of commercially produced supplies. I also HATE that vintage starts in the 80s — I was a teenager in the 80s, can you imagine how old that makes me feel!

As I've started to develop my practice as an artist I've come to see the need for a more clearly defined space for Art amongst all the other items on Etsy. There have been long battles fought over the terminology of print and printmaking, and I don't think they are all over yet. I know you can't please all the people all the time, but there is some fantastic work from leading contemporary artists that gets lost amongst mis-catagorised stuff. It would be a shame if Etsy lost out on this talent due to lack of control over what happens in its shops.

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

Handmade Portraits: Birdhouseaccents

2009-06-17T16:11:00-04:00

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Two Dark Birds, animation by JuliaPott)

It took Fred Jakubiec from Birdhouseaccents 25 years before he made building birdhouses his full-time job. It was well worth the wait. After 13 years as Area Supervisor at various fast food establishments, a stint at a steel mill and years of driving for Fed Ex, Fred decided working for other people just wasn't fun anymore.

He and his partner Lynn Patrick regularly took trips to Amish country to go thrifting and flea market shopping. During one visit, Fred discovered primitive style woodworking, and it was then that knew he found his calling. Building birdhouses and decorating them with special recycled accents was the perfect niche for this one time woodworking tinkerer turned birdhouse entrepreneur.

Watch more of our Handmade Video Portraits. Know a seller with a great story? Tell us about them in the comments!

Visit the Woodworking Category | Find "Primitives" on Etsy | More Birdhouses on Etsy

TakeOffYourClothes Wins Leonard Lopate's T-Shirt Design Contest

2009-06-10T14:30:00-04:00

Congratulations are in order! Brooklyn clothing and accessories designer (and Etsian!) takeoffyourclothes was recently chosen as one of five winners in a T-Shirt Design Contest through The Leonard Lopate Show, a popular public radio talk show in New York. Entries were judged by fashion designer, author and television personality Isaac Mizrahi. Takeoffyourclothes' design is called the XL Godet T-Shirt Flesh/White 6, as shown above. To see all of the winners' submissions and hear their interviews with Isaac and Leonard, check out WNYC.

You can see more of takeoffyourclothes' innovative designs below.

Summer Fashion Guide | More Fashion Posts

Quit Your Day Job: KahiliCreations

2009-06-08T16:26:00-04:00

Marcia of KahiliCreations has been selling on Etsy for over a year and is already seeing enough success to contribute a significant portion to the household income. Marcia has not had to return to her day job of Power Point presentations and meetings; instead she's in a position to stay home with her family and get creative while making a living. The joy of working from home comes with the pressure of being responsible for her business' success, but Marcia has carved a definitive path for herself on Etsy. Today she will share some tips and tricks that she's picked up along the way.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
In the early nineties, I really wanted all of the cute necklaces the girls on Friends were wearing. Since I wanted about fifty of them and couldn't afford to buy them all, I went to a bead shop and made every necklace I ever wanted. Then my friends wanted to buy them. Around the same time, I got addicted to international travel, which is a bummer when you don't have a lot of money. I could always afford my plane ticket and hotel, but I needed spending money. A big gelato a day wasn't going to cut it for me in Italy. So, I started selling my pieces at work and jewelry parties.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I haven't had a real day job since having my first child six years ago. After years and years of working for other people, I knew that I would eventually have my own business. I was actually thinking about opening up a small bakery or sandwich shop before I discovered Etsy and all of its Etsy goodness. My main goal when I opened my shop was to sell enough jewelry to buy our weekly groceries. As soon as my sales increased after a few months, I knew that I could really grow my business if I put my mind to it.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Oh, definitely. Besides all of the usual business start up stuff, I sketched a bunch of designs, read The Tipping Point and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and the Lovemarks books by Kevin Roberts. I got a Tax ID number so I could buy my supplies wholesale.

I put a lot of thought into my branding and packaging. My all-time favorite packaging was when I bought a bottle of fragrance from a Comptoir Sud Pacifique boutique. Inside the perfect shopping bag, my bottle was wrapped in matching tissue paper which was placed in a gorgeous microsuede bag. I felt proud and special walking down the street with my CSP bag! Silly, but true. I tried to emulate that experience. So, I found the perfect paper boxes from Thailand to house my creations. Then I made jewelry like a mofo.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Other than listing or renewing every day, I'd say my most effective promotion was a large CPM banner buy over a network of blogs with high traffic, geared towards women. I bought 130,000 impressions to run over the course of three days. Even though only 342 people clicked through on the ad, I see them as 342 potential customers. Using Google Analytics, I could see that they were viewing at least 10 pages in my shop. Users from one of the blogs, a site where women dish about makeup, viewed an average of 12 pages in my shop and the bounce rate was only 20%. These people are quality leads. I'm not sure how that translated into sales, but I've had a lot of "new to Etsy" customers in the past weeks.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I find that sponsoring giveaways and such, while fun, has had absolutely no impact on my traffic or sales. I can't Twitter or blog to save my life. The few times I've participated in the Forums, you could hear the crickets. I also tried advertising through Project Wonderful, but I haven't found any sites that brought me any meaningful traffic.

Walk us through your typical workday.

5:30 a.m. - My 4 month old's favorite time to get up. I'll talk with him while I turn my computer on. Check email and answer any convos. Read the news online. Check my hearts on Craftcult.
7:00 a.m. - Attempt to get my 6 year old up and ready for school. Luckily, my husband makes breakfast and packs her lunch. I'm in charge of fashion and grooming. I'll pack up any orders that I don't have to alter, and he drops them at the post office.
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Coffee drinking, picture taking and editing, description writing and listing, all while making faces at the baby. Might do some Swiffering (as my beloved Roomba is broken) and laundry. I'll make a few things while the baby naps.
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch break. Husband comes down from his shop and we eat, catch up on our day and watch Gordon Ramsay yell at people on BBC America.
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Catch up on convos and pack up any new orders. Hubby picks up daughter at school and drops off my packages. If I'm lucky I can get a quick nap.
Usually, the mail person shows up around this time. I greet her by clapping and jumping up and down. I love getting new supplies!
2:30 - 7:00 p.m. - Family time.
7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. - This is actually when I get most of my work done. The kids are asleep and I have a chance to stare at my gemstones and findings and come up with some designs and make some pieces. I scan the web for more places to advertise, try to update my flickr and glance through the fora on Etsy. I also check my supplies and re-order what's needed.

This is a typical day if I don't have any sales: Wake up, no convos, no sales. I sulk all day, complain to my husband at lunch that I haven't sold anything. His eyes slowly glaze over. Then, I come to the conclusion that my shop sucks.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Other than a weekly paycheck, bonuses and paid health insurance? No! If I had to come up with one thing, it would be going out to lunch with my friends. I do not miss PowerPoint presentations, meetings, justifying my existence and pretending to work when I was really shopping online.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
I am responsible for the success of my business. I can't go to the Marketing division and tell them their campaigns aren't working. I'm also in denial about how much I spend on supplies, so I dread the financial end. Dealing with returns is also difficult. If someone says, "This really doesn't go with my skin tone," I need to understand that it's just that and not take it so personally.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
When I first started out on Etsy, I wasn't listing every day and my sales were sporadic. As soon as I found my groove I realized that the more I listed, the more I sold. I should have also really worked on my photography, as my pictures at the beginning weren't very good. I know it's been said ad nauseum, but pictures are key to success on Etsy.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I wish to cultivate more repeat customers. I have many loyal repeat customers, and they really sustain my business. I love them dearly. I eventually want to expand more into bridal jewelry, but then I catch an episode of Bridezillas and get really scared. Just kidding! I've worked with a lot of brides since opening my shop, and they've all been wonderful. Some just buy from my shop and convo me afterward telling me it's for their special day.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I do. In another life, I produced websites for a living, and I have to thank Etsy for giving me the opportunity to open up my shop with ease. Also, I get to stay home and be with my family, get creative and make some money! This is the first job I've had that I look forward to every day.

Thanks to Marcia for sharing her story. Have a your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with Marcia Wednesday, June 10th at 7 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of her beautiful jewelry in the related items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

“Talking Shop” Series Tries a More Talkative Format

2009-05-27T09:00:00-04:00

UPDATE: Hi All,
We haven’t yet finished the podcast but we wanted to let you know that we are working on it. As it turns out, none of us has a future in radio! I really hope we can post it next week. We’ll let you know when it’s ready.

Sincerely,
Maria

We've closed comments. Thank you for all the questions.

I am excited to let you know that we’re going to try a new format for our “Talking Shop” blog posts. The Talking Shop series was originally conceived to be periodic posts from Etsy’s leaders, including Chad Dickerson, Matt Stinchcomb, Sara Hicks and me.

Here are a few of the most recent posts in this series:

Talking Shop with Etsy CEO Maria Thomas 2/27/09

Talking Product with Etsy's VP of Product Sara Hicks

Talking Tech with Etsy CTO Chad Dickerson

Talking Shop with Etsy CEO Maria Thomas 11/3/2008

2008 Holiday Marketing (with Matt Stinchcomb)

We’ve been discussing whether there might be a more personal and effective way to communicate with all of you more frequently and how we can reach more people. At times, we’ve found that the written word in a one-to-many format doesn’t fully satisfy your needs or our goals.

So, we’re going to try a group audio podcast. Here’s how it will work:

You, the Etsy community, send us questions, comments, suggestions, etc. You can do so by commenting on this post prior to May 15, 2009.
We will read each of your comments, group them into similarly themed posts, and select the most commonly asked questions and highlights from them to address in the podcast.
Chad, Matt, Sara and I (possibly with additional colleagues depending on the question or comment) will get together to answer your questions and discuss your ideas, suggestions, etc. We will also use this podcast to follow up on comments in the threads from our latest blog posts.

This is an experiment. We are also considering other ways to interact more personally with large groups of Etsians. If you have other thoughts about how you would like to hear from Etsy’s leadership team, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Maria aka pesmou

Fresh Shops: Roadside

2008-07-03T16:12:00-04:00

I found a new shop, Roadside which opened in Apr 17, 2008, while browsing the Art category on Etsy to see what would catch my eye. I thought these paper creations were so whimsical and lovely; they really jumped out at me. I had to look for a long time at the print to figure out whether it was three dimensional or two dimensional. After carefully reading the description, I realized that Roadside's Jayme McGowan makes such excellent quality prints of her shadow-box paper cutouts, that the prints include shadows! You can buy both the originals and the prints in her Etsy Shop. To read more about her process, please see the interview below.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind Roadside?
My name is Jayme McGowan and I’m an artist living and working in Sacramento, California. I’m a recent college graduate, and I opened Roadside last April as an experiment, with the hope of exploring project ideas I couldn’t really pursue in school. I studied painting in college but have been making 3-D works with paper for several years in my free time. I thought that would be a good place to begin Project 001.

My boyfriend, John, contributes elbow grease in various ways. On the current project, he helped out with the construction of the wood frames that house my paper sculptures. We’re currently working together on some more utilitarian art for the shop.

What inspires you as a creative person?
Paper, music, and people. I’m moved by polka dots. I hoard patterned paper and shuffle through it randomly, hoping for something to pop out. I listen to music when I’m working and I watch people out my studio window. I work out of a second story apartment overlooking a busy street. There’s a post office right across the way (that’s really coming in handy lately!) and a bus stop below my windows. So I watch people go by, imagine their stories to music, and look at paper. That’s usually enough. I have an overactive imagination.

And of course having access to the work of so many amazing artists through Etsy is a huge inspiration, just seeing what kind of creative things other folks dream up.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
I absolutely love it. There’s such a strong sense of community here. People have been very helpful and encouraging; I feel like I’ve found a very receptive audience for my work as well. Etsy makes it so easy to reach people from all over the world that I would have never been able to meet otherwise. I’m a big fan of the “Favorites” feature. I think it’s a fantastic way to navigate the site — hopping from one shop to another by browsing a person’s favorite items and sellers.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome! (Your blog, etc.)
You can check out images of past and present projects at: Flickr.com/photos/roadside, or peek behind the scenes at projects currently in the works at my blog: Roadsideprojects.blogspot.com.

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!

Etsy World Tour: Canada with the Trans-Canada Team (Part One)

2008-06-23T11:17:00-04:00

The Trans-Canada Etsy Team was created out of a need for Canadian artisans to stay in contact, share resources, and develop group marketing opportunities. Team members benefit from having a solid sense of identity, as well as from having their different regional perspectives. On July 1, Canadians celebrate the day their country came together to become a nation. The Trans-Canada Etsy Team is excited to celebrate and introduce you to some of its Team members and regions. Dust off your atlas and follow along from East to West on a virtual road trip across Canada.

Beginning in the eastern most region of Canada, we find Enthral Designs, in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. This area is famous for its pastoral agricultural land and its proximity to the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. The province of Nova Scotia is one of juxtapositions; civilized and kind towns clash with the soaring and wild cliffs of the ocean side; the calm of the valley contradicts the fickle nature of the coast. Annapolis Valley is home to a number of apple producers, and has become a local food attraction. Sea food is also locally available and a short drive to Digby will reward you with the best scallops you have ever tasted.

It seems that there are more artists and crafters crammed into this province than anywhere else in Canada. There are a number of local artist communities, and they will always point you in the right direction for supplies or advice. Craft shows are numerous and held throughout the year. A friend introduced Enthral Designs to Etsy a little less than two years ago, and she has been a member ever since. Once a member of Etsy, the Canadian crowd reached out to her and she joined The Trans-Canada Etsy Team.

[Photo by Ocbaby]

Travelling down to central Canada and Ontario, we find seller Ocbaby in Huntsville, which is part of a beautiful area called Muskoka. Muskoka is famous for its beauty, and filled with gorgeous lakes and forests. The perfect area for campers and nature enthusiasts, Muskoka is know as "cottage country" and is the summer home to a wide variety of people from all over the world. Huntsville has a strong artistic community. The main street features a bronze statue dedicated to artist and Canadian Icon Tom Thompson. Ontario is populated with many beautiful forests and maple syrup is a fabulous product from the area.

Ocbaby began her internet commerce adventure with her own website, and found Etsy by accident while browsing Modish. She found the Trans-Canada Team through the Etsy forums and was thrilled with the idea of a supportive group of Canadians working together to promote Etsy and each other. As she lives in a more rural area, there are very few fabric stores and none that carry fun fabric that she loves to use in her work. She enjoys hunting down sources on the internet and finding new bold prints and colours for her next creations.

[Photo by Minouette]

Just a little farther southwest, we find Toronto, home to Etsy sellers Minouette and Designed by RJ. Toronto is incredibly multicultural, with many little corners of the city that make you feel like you're stepping into a different country. This diversity has been depicted in the many community murals painted in the area, like the one above. Roncesvalles has long been home to a Polish community, as reflected in the restaurants, churches, bakeries and delis. More recently, it has become home to an influx of new Canadians from Somalia, who were attracted to the north area of the city. The southeast has a Portuguese neighborhood and to the east is a Korean neighborhood.

[Photo by Designed by RJ]

Being an artist or crafter in Toronto has many advantages. Inspiration can be found at museums, like the Royal Ontario Museum, art galleries and many cultural influences. There are great opportunities for art and crafting courses and a large community of artists in general, which encourages many shows throughout the year.

Keep your eyes on the Storque for Part 2 of this cultural, edible and handmade tour through Canada here in the Storque! Check the Teams pages for more information on Etsy Teams, like the Trans-Canada Team.

Gotta Travel On | Travel Showcase | Etsy World Tour

Featured Buyer: Tall Firs

2008-06-18T13:02:00-04:00

This week's Featured Buyer is Dave Mies of the band Tall Firs. Tall Firs are a Brooklyn-spun band of three. Their roots, though joyous, often feel like punk ghosts in a dusty room at magic hour. Layers of folk and country ease you into the darkness with remarkable tenderness, but there is always hope in their songs. Like any band, they've taken their show on the road and know the pain and glory of being on tour. We thought they'd give a fresh perspective to our Gotta Travel On series.

You can find out more about the band at their website at TallFirs.org or check out their record label for tour info and CDs.

Dave, who does guitar/vocals in Tall Firs, answers a few interview questions and highlights his Etsy picks below.

Do you make anything crafty?
I've made our last two album covers. The first was a logo arranged out of the fallen needles from my wife's and my first Christmas tree, and the second was carved from a piece of cherry wood which was a gift from our friend Peter.

In addition, Ryan collects found photographs from all over the place ranging from graduations, to graduations from sanity. Technically, he didn't make them, but the art is in the tenacity and the hoarding.

How did you meet?
New York City, man! Just like any city, it works like a vacuum; sucks up detritus from all over and forms tightly knit clumps.

What was your weirdest place on tour or craziest story?
We stayed in an abandoned Ramada in Detroit once. Long story short, we spent most of the night chasing a runaway flying squirrel owned by our squatter hosts. I'm serious.

Where would you like to live (if not where you live now?)
Speaking only for myself, somewhere totally antithetical to New York. Nothin' but trees and breeze, I guess; only I like it here just fine for now.

What's your most cherished family item?
I have my great grandfather's railroad watch. I inherited it when my granddad died. If only it was as reliable as he was, damn thing hasn't told time for years.

What do men want?
That's easy, the same things women want: love, sex, protection, freedom, restraint, decadence, bigger dreams, better memories.

Figuring out what we really need is the tough one.

Aaron (the other guitar/vox) is on a street hockey league called The Unicorns. This print of a unicorn retching up a rainbow by nutandbee describes them effortlessly.

Pink skeleton lady's tank top by moresassvintage: it's so hot. Just imagine hot girl bullies in the Karate kid.

Crazy hippie guitar strap? Totally, man. Aaron and I pride ourselves on expressive guitar belts: it's the power tie of rock guitar. This one is by FatPatch.

Rad wooden pinball machine by DamonMcIntyre. It's a little pricey, but really neat. I thought Pinocchio was cool, but this thing works without magic.

This handmade wooden guitar stand by Ltnwoodworks would improve the look of my living room dramatically. Instruments look cool, the stands usually don't.

Purple Pie Man, man! This is the only French beatnik the old shortcake ever knew. I don't collect vintage toys myself, but if I did this dude would be "shortlisted." Found in trunkofprettys' shop.

Not sure if this dress is my girl's style, but holy smokes, these vintage rags will surely draw stares. Found in BlackandBrown's shop.

Looking for past Featured Buyers? Check out our archive! We've interviewed other musicians like Leslie Hall of Leslie and the LY's, John F. from They Might Be Giants, Lavender Diamond...The list goes on! Also, check out our other music related content here.

Gotta Travel On | Travel Showcase | Featured Buyer

Get'er Done: an Interview with Cartoonist Jessica Abel

2008-06-04T18:28:00-04:00

Jessica Abel is having a busy week. With a newborn baby on her hip, she is reviewing submissions to the guest-edited Best American Comics series. She's been doing interviews and press for her new book coming out — one of the few textbooks for teaching comics, entitled Drawing Words & Writing Pictures (see also Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art). Jessica co-authored the book with her husband Matt Madden (they both teach at the School of Visual Arts). Her popular graphic novel, La Perdida, was just released in paperback and Life Sucks, a comic book about teen vampires, just came out through First Second. On top of that, she's also gearing up for MOCCA, a New York indie comic book convention, where she'll be selling prints, originals, and her books in person. Oh, and she's in the midst of selling her next book project to publishers.

And while this week may seem especially busy, I have a feeling this is pretty much her pace of life. Jessica is living the dream of many would-be fulltime cartoonists. She's figured out a way to make a living from her art while also supplementing it with related editing and teaching (I think she's got a project in the works adapting comics to movies, too...).

I had the chance to speak with Jessica via phone and ask her to share some advice for emerging artists. While she was speaking specifically about cartoonists, her words might shed light on the experiences of all types of up-and-coming artists.

Jessica got started making minicomics in the '90s in Chicago and was working day jobs for the first 10 years. For her, the minicomics served as a way to show her work to editors, like a portfolio. At a Chicago comic book convention, she gave Art Babe to the editors of Fantagraphics, and while she didn't get a book deal immediately, she learned something from the process. True, it's really hard to make money from minicomics, but there's a value to self-publishing: with a whole lot of diligence, you can get the word out about your work.

Jessica insists that there's a lot of interest in comics and graphic novels right now and that the industry is desperately looking for talent. In his book Reading Comics, comics reader and critiquer Douglas Wolk declared our life and times right now the Golden Age of the Graphic Novel. Indeed, talk to any cartoonist right now about their chosen medium and they will undoubtedly get all excited about the unexplored territory of the art form. Cartoonists see comics as an unfurling realm of new possibilities — and yet, because it is such a labor intensive and specialized practice — there just aren't that many people making excellent, challenging work. So now is the time to develop a good piece of work, and then consistently send it out with each new issue. Even if you don't hear back — and you probably won't for the most part, Jessica stressed — you need to keep sending your work out. "Think of it as laying the groundwork," she put it. "If the work is good, you'll get noticed."

So is it all about getting a book deal? Not necessarily. But a lot of artists struggle to create art on their own time when working a day job. Jessica worked a day job for 10 years and when it got to the point where she really wanted to take it to the next level, she decided to move from Chicago to the much more affordable land of Mexico for a couple years to focus solely on her art. Ok, what else can you do if you can't move to Mexico? Unfortunately, selling the originals of your comics isn't really a viable option. In Jessica's opinion, the market for that type of work is undervalued. Many cartoonists do freelance work for hire as illustrators and some find success in selling prints and originals of that type of work. And these do even better as you start to make a name for yourself. Jessica pointed out that there's money to be made selling beautiful and unique work and comics at events like MOCCA, "especially if it's handmade in a really nice way, silkscreened covers and well-made." Of course, it sounds weird to be talking about art and money, but the goal here is to be able to support yourself as an artist and to get your work seen.

The web has also increased the number of venues where emerging cartoonists can show and sell their work. Jessica told me she's seen podcasts reviewing comics popping up all over the place, in addition to forums like The Beat, Drawn!, and the Comics Reporter (amongst many others — please leave your suggestions in the comments). Many established cartoonists sell through the Beguiling, and we're seeing more cartoonists set up shops on Etsy (either for their comics or for original drawings and prints). People are consistently publishing webcomics and blogging about their processes and inspirations, creating a direct dialogue with their readers. Even if there are drawbacks to that (Blogging?! That's time taken away from laboriously handlettering! Or what about the Marvel fan turned troll who loves to tell you how much he hates your take on the superhero genre?), having a web presence does increase your chances of getting noticed. You also put yourself in front of an expectant audience — and thus on daily deadlines that might otherwise be will-o'-the-wisps for the self-publishing artist.

There's tons to think about when you're on the cusp of dedicating your life to your art. But the main point of Jessica's interview, to my mind, is discipline. Even if you're a wily, creative genius, you need to be dedicated to your art and make an effort to get it seen...I know that makes it sound like, well... work. As Jessica puts it, "We didn't get into this because it's easy to be an artist. It's a tough life. But if the work is good, you just have to be diligent."

Further Resources:

Jessica Abel's website
Matt Madden's website
Her DIY resources for learning how to make comics
Best American Comics series
La Perdida
Life Sucks
MOCCA
The Beguiling
The Beat
Drawn!
the Comics Reporter
Reading Comics
Comics and Sequential Art
Understanding Comics

Fresh Shops: layerbylayer

2008-03-27T11:35:00-04:00

This week's Fresh Shops is layerbylayer of New Haven, Connecticut. Patrick's work is unbelievable textural, natural (the moss!) and beautiful. I have one on my desk as we speak! I recently talked to Patrick to get a little more insight into his work.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind layerbylayer? Who are you and what makes you tick?
Layer_x_Layer is primarily the work of myself, Patrick. On occasion you will see Objects done in collaboration with Leal from lealandmabe.etsy.com, who is an incredible knitter and seamstress. A never-ending amount of ideas is what keeps us busy.

What inspires you as a creative person?
Inspiration comes from many sources, but the thing that keeps me going is the feeling I get when an idea is transposed into something tangible. I still find it to be an amazing process.

Did you sell your goods before joining Etsy? If so, how has Etsy changed your business?
I’ve sold things in the past; however, everything that I am currently selling on Etsy is new work. The thing about the site that excites me most is the fact that someone whom I’ve never met can be interested enough to buy one of my pieces; I look at this as a litmus test of sorts that proves the worth of the work. It’s different from say a face-to-face sale, whereas you must sell yourself as an artist or designer in addition to selling your work.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site? What might you like to see done differently/new features?
So far my experience with Etsy has been quite positive. I’ve had a lot of interest and great feedback, met a bunch of interesting people.

I’m really into the interface and how the site functions — quite intuitive. Also, the fact that you can browse for items in a bunch of different ways such as by color, materials used, keyword search, etc., really differentiates Etsy: different is good.

As far as new features, I would be excited to see some sort of collaboration system implemented: just an easy way for people to “meet up” and create new pieces. (Alchemy, perhaps?)

What's your latest Fresh Shops discovery? Who's on your radar? Leave it in the comments!

Q & A with the Lovely (and Crafty!) Vanna White

2008-03-25T13:10:00-04:00

You may think you know Vanna White from her role as America's favorite letter turner on Wheel of Fortune, but did you know she's also an avid crocheter with her own line of yarn? That's right, her "Vanna’s Choice" collection from Lion Brand Yarn was launched just last June and has already become a top seller, helping to raise money and awareness for St. Jude's Hospital in the process. We took a spin with this crochet connoisseur to learn more:

Listen to the Lion Brand's Yarncraft podcast to hear their interview with admin from their visit to Etsy Labs!

Q: When and how did you learn to crochet?
A: I learned from my grandmother when I was 5 but I came back to it 25 years ago when my hair dresser encouraged me to crochet on the set of Wheel of Fortune. Whenever I have downtime on the set, I crochet. I find it very relaxing and I have something to show for the time I’ve spent doing it. I connected with Lion Brand Yarn when I spoke about my love of crochet on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 14 years ago. They contacted me and it’s been a great friendship ever since.

Q: What is your favorite thing to make with yarn?
A: I love to crochet afghans. I have made countless afghans over the years as gifts for friends and family. I put a tag in each one that says "Handmade for you by Vanna White."

[Fashion images courtesy of Lion Brand Yarns]

Q: Do you have any other crafty hobbies, or any that you'd like to learn?
A: Recently I've taken up cooking. I get recipes from the internet and my favorites are desserts.

Q: Have any handmade heirlooms been passed down in your family?
A: I treasure the doilies by grandmother made for the tables and I still have them.

Q: Have any of your Wheel of Fortune fans ever sent you crocheted or crafty items?
A: Yes, when I was pregnant, I received all kinds of baby items!

Q: What three things inspire you most?
A: I have two children and they are my greatest inspiration. I’m also very involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The amazingly talented doctors who work at this hospital inspire me by their dedication to such a worthy cause. Half of my proceeds from Vanna’s Choice are going to support St. Jude.

Q: I first learned of your crochet skills when you were emceeing a Lion Brand fashion show and now you have a line of yarn with Lion Brand named after you! Can you tell us a little bit about what the process of developing the line was like?
A: I worked closely with Lion Brand to develop a yarn that has an incredibly soft feel, yet would be practical in that it can be machine washed and dried. Once we found the right fiber and texture, we developed a color palette that has beautiful colors that are in the same range tonally so whatever colors you put together will match. Since I love crocheting afghans, we made certain that this yarn would be ideal for knitting and crocheting afghans. We’re adding colors since the line has been so successful and a new yarn called Vanna’s Baby Yarn with contemporary colors for babies and kids.

[Fashion images courtesy of Lion Brand Yarns]

Q: Any crochet trends you can forecast for spring?
A: People have been experimenting with crocheted stuffed animals of all different types and I just see them getting more and more creative. You can make almost anything with yarn!

Q: Any trends you wish would go away?
A: Not really. When it comes to something that has been lovingly made by hand, it's all good.

Q: What's one thing people don't know about you that you wish they did?
A: That I am a normal person and lead a normal life. I cook for my kids, take them to school, do homework with them, tuck them in at night. Exercise is important for me, too (so I can fit into those Wheel of Fortune gowns!). I'm not an extravagant or glamorous person at all.

Q: Any other thoughts you'd like to share?
A: I think that handmade gifts are so meaningful and more valuable to people than the most expensive store bought product. I love the look on people's faces when I give them a blanket for a new baby or an afghan for their home. I have this one friend who has a 13 year old and I made a blanket for him when he was a baby. After 13 years she tells me that he still loves loves it. That means everything to me.

Dear Etsians: for this week only (3/25-4/1/08), Etsy users can get 20% off catalog orders at Lion Brand Yarn. Just enter "etsy0308" at check out. Special treat!

Check out Vanna's top Etsy finds below:

Podcasting, Anyone? Craftypod interviews LittleputBooks

2008-03-04T11:36:00-04:00

This past installment of Craftypod with Sister Diane features Ryan LittleputBooks. Click here to listen.

Craftypod is a series of audio interviews, tutorials, and other crafty content with crafty person Sister Diane, who lives in Portland, Oregon and also runs a chapter of the Church of Craft. It comes out biweekly and she's been consistently posting since 2005. She focuses this interview on marketing, using Ryan's advice and real life experiences. She asks the question, "Why are we afraid of marketing?" And Ryan feels that this is a fear of failure, which cuts doubly deep when you've made the product yourself and put yourself into it.

Sister Diane also asks useful questions about photography and listing descriptions, to which Ryan gives insightful answers. The two also discuss Etsy's drawbacks (the site hasn't reached a mainstream market yet and it can be difficult to get noticed amongst all the sellers).

See LittleputBooks' articles on the Storque, including some tips about keeping up with the holiday rush and a Success Story. Check out more posts in our Podcasting Series.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: circularaccesories

2008-02-04T11:08:00-04:00

For Valentine's Day, we at The Storque thought we'd seek out the Etsy members who are the most beloved (or rather, be-hearted). We tracked five of out of the top twenty most-hearted users and sought them out for interviews. They were totally surprised and pleased to find out! The fifth, and last, in this series is circularaccessories.

Alison Albright has resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana all her life, except for a few years of college where she enjoyed living in New Orleans. She loves to work with her hands and enjoys working with new materials and learning new processes. Alison makes hand-screenprinted wares for her Etsy store, mostly clothing, with designs that are very much inspired by her surroundings. As a formal student of biochemistry and landscape architecture, elements of science and nature can be found in most of her work. When she is not printing, you can find Alison in her garden playing with her son or strolling around town people watching.

Without further ado, here is circularaccessories!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
I was actually "recruited" by an Etsy user while selling on another online venue. I am so grateful that she guided me here. Once I managed to get my first listing up, I never looked back!

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
My favorite Etsy feature is probably the treasury. I enjoy searching through the funny titles and browsing the beautiful collections made by other members. I have found so many new favorites this way and given out many of my hearts.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
What I really love about Etsy is the community. I try to participate in the forums when I have free time and have met some wonderful people there. When anyone asks for mentoring help, I will give the best advice I can and always treat everyone with respect. I really believe that what goes around comes around. I have a lot of love to share, so maybe that is why there is some returned.

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
I must say my heart is about to burst from all the love I feel right now from the Etsy community so I would say I have an Etsy crush on Etsy, but if I had to single one user out it would be SalmonStreetStudio; I have even professed my love for her in the forums! She can always make me smile even when things are rough, and is one of the most encouraging and helpful sellers I know.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
What am I doing for Valentine's Day? Oh, just spreadn' some more love I suppose ;)

Now that you've heard circularaccessories's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of circularaccessories's faves.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: joom

2008-01-31T12:05:00-04:00

Joom Klangsin is an artist and designer who lives in Oakland, California with her husband and dog, Seven. Currently Joom is working on her art work and pillow project, finding inspiration in the environment and the world around her. Her style is simple, clean, and full of color and unique shapes. She loves to make all different products that people use in everyday life. In her free time, she enjoys decorating her apartment, working on her garden, taking care of Seven, cooking and painting.

Without further ado, here's joom!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
I'd been trying to get my work out with little success. I discovered Etsy by accident while I was looking for a gift for a friend. I saw some really nice works here and decided to give Etsy a try. It's been almost two years now and things are going well for me.

[Tweetie Card Set]

What's your favorite item in your shop?
I like the mini pillow. It's cute and a lot of people like it. It was picked to feature on The Rachael Ray Show about Etsy last December.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I'm glad and feel honored that people love my work. I'm also a shopper so I try to come up with the products that I would like to see on the market. I like clean and simple design and that what I came up with.

[Framed Hummingbird Print]

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, whom?
I love a lot of artists on Etsy. Some of my favorites are belleandboo, kendrabinney and ashleyg.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
I will be on vacation on the warm sandy beach some where with my husband.

Now that you've heard joom's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of joom's faves.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: AliciaBock

2008-01-28T11:03:00-04:00

Alicia Bock grew up in Michigan and Florida, surrounded by water and color. Her photography is the search of light and shadows, pretty things in pink, the feeling of the ocean, and a blue moon. She strives to create photographs that evoke memories of our favorite days. Now living in Lansing, Michigan, she daydreams of a life on the Oregon coast.

Without further ado, here is AliciaBock!

First thing: I can't tell you how thrilled and happy I am to be included in this group! Thanks so much!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
Late one night (over two years ago) I was reading in some "work from home mom" forum, and saw Etsy mentioned as a new site to open up a shop. I hoped right over to check things out, and opened up my store a few minutes later. I have been there everyday since.

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
Though there are definitely some extra cool ways to search on Etsy, I am simple, and just love the front page. I find most of my new favorite items through it. I am happy to discover something new each time I look.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I think I have the best job, and love what I do, and hopefully that comes across in my photographs. But, I also try to put just as much effort into promoting my shop...because what good is a great store, if no one knows it exists.
I am really thankful to have been supported by some great publications and blogs in the last few years who have helped me spread the word.

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
I must have a thing for girls named Betsy, because I could buy up the entire stores of Betsy Walton
and Betsy from Foundling. I am always excited to see their new products, and they have been the sweetest sellers to buy from.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
Probably baking treats with my kids during the day, and snuggling up with the cutest boy ever (my husband of six years) in the evening. We don't really care too much about Valentine's day. But, I love any day that I can use as an excuse to order carry-out for dinner.

Now that you've heard AliciaBock's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of Alicia's faves.