Search results (title) for: "jewelry"

Etsy Finds: Basic Skills

2010-01-05T11:00:00-05:00

Did you know that we (editorial note: me) tend to wear our favorite 20% of our wardrobe, 80% of the time? (People who wear clothing, that is. I'm not including saucy nudists in today's wardrobe equation.) Those who worship at the altar of the jeans-that-fit-just-right and the trench that goes from staid funeral to the club should make room in their hearts (and closets) for new basics. Let's start by replacing that cratered, Swiss cheese-esque T-shirt: shall we?

Cropped Short and Sweet Jersey Tee

By lamixx, $22.

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recycled cotton tote bag

By forestbound, $70.

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Rockwell Earrings, 9k gold and silver

By thebeside, $280.

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Jersey Turban Headband

By BabooshkaBoutique, $11.

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Vintage Red Corduroy Jacket

From animalheadvintage, $32.

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Vintage Black Leather Ankle Boots

From shopgoodgrace, $36.

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vintage CLASSIC black bowtie

From DearGoldenVintage, $14.

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Corrente Handbags, Pocket Bag

By coriehumble, $176.

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ozetta slouch hat-linen

By ozetta, $25.

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Solitaire

By edor, $18.

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Walnut Wood Cuff

By inbloomdesigns, $37.

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Porridge Pintuck

By THIMBLEandACORN, $48.

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Ruffled Skirt

By tasifashion, $59.

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rough cut smoky quartz necklace

By minta77, $38.

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Organic Hoop Earrings - large

By eva666, $52.

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Felted Wool Knit leggings

By sandmaiden, $99.

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Colorblock Dress

By RiordanRoache, $55.

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Baerreis Hair Fork Pair

By DesignsbyBaerreis, $54.

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60's Belted Trench Coat

From luluvintage, $30.

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Medium Simple Bangle

By ericawalker, $26.

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Large Brown Leather Messenger Bag

By TheLeatherStore, $120.

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High-Rise Panties - black

By twinsyndrome, $20.

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Early to Bed Dress

By rareturtle, $69.

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wave ring set of 3 - 14K yellow gold

By Onestonenewyork, $255.

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vintage 70's brown CLOG heels

From secretlake, $64.

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Leather 'Audrey' Headband

By Hende, $18.

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Black sweatshirt dress with cowl neckline

By Lirola, $98.

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Zip Duffel

By warsaw, $105.

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The Classic 2-Piece Harness Belt

By DNTX, $89.

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Rust Red Two Piece Vest and Skirt

From DJVV, $70.

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Modern Meets Metal bangle set

By stellassilver, $62.

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white v-detail cotton-linen top

By BlueSeaBlue, $60.

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tiny golden honeyed dots necklace

By eRosasjewelry, $25.

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Cocktail Convertible Wrap Dress

By erinleighheart, $98.

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Origami Cowl Tunic - Bamboo

By Ureshii, $84.

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Size 8.5 Tri Color Oxfords 39

From santokivintage, $44.

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Vintage Levi's Denim Jacket

From parisburning, $40.

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Thin Studded Leather Belt

By HAUSleather, $65.

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Nori

By neikodesigns, $265.

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Hemp and Organic Cotton Cardigan

By stephanieteague, $85.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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Etsy Finds: Natural Instincts

2009-12-30T11:16:00-05:00

Growing up, my childhood home was only a few miles in either direction from the beautiful pine barrens and beaches of the Jersey shore. My brother and I spent most of our free time hiking, swimming, observing wildlife and types of trees, bird watching, collecting leaves, shells, driftwood and sea glass. Today's Etsy Finds are inspired by my experiences as a child that have led to my appreciation of nature and my mission to make smart choices in my daily life that contribute to the preservation our planet.

Forest Vinyl Mural Decal Kit

By holly, $95.

ORGANIC HOODIE WRAP

By Enuwbe, $69.

Driftwood Mirror

By blackeyedsusan, $235.

Vintage Boy Scout Canteen

From TheFancyLamb, $58.

Scarf with Evergreen Screenprint

By angeldamico, $22.

'Ocean Flowers' seaweed pressings

By AlgaNet, $38.

Brown Pebble Studs

By lilarubyking, $48.

Eco Friendly Flatware Set for Two

By ponyup, $28.

Baby Memory Book

By nouveaudesigns, $65.

Beach House Shea Butter Soap

By naiad, $6.50.

Vintage Explorer Manual - 1956

From sevenpoppies, $12.

Twisted Aromatic Cedar Walking Stick

By brazoswalkingsticks, $39.

Buffalo Plaid Camper Vest

From leasvintage, $32.

Green Seaweed 8x8 Photograph

By beautifuldarklight, $20.

Discovery Tote - A Day for a Hike

By HELICOPTERstudios, $60.

Seashore Bracelet

By TrinityLynn, $46.

Print of Birds 12x18

By RozArt, $50.

wild seahorse necklace

By makeit, $19.

Crochet Baby Hiking Booties

By HeathersTreasureBox, $24.

Navy Seahorse Pillow - Organic

By humblecollection, $34.

Ocean Journey Necklace

By japonicas, $48.

Grocery Bag - Tote Bag - Beach Bag

By NoCanHandleRandal, $10.

Take A Hike

By thewheatfield, $15.

Garden of Joy Olivine Bracelet

By ellejewels, $19.

seaweed - original

By pengwynneart, $65.

Bird on Cherry Blossom Pillow

By joom, $28.

Wood carved American Goldfinch

By handcarvedbyelaine, $65.

Starfish Necklace

By charms4you, $12.

Sea Urchin Collection Necklace

By staroftheeast, $147.

Birds of North America T-shirt

By isotope, $20.

Sea Coral Adjustable Ring

By dharajewelry, $99.

Napping on Marshmallow Branches

By krisblues, $20.

splash bowl SEA GREEN

By englerglass, $28.

Beach Glass Knob

By beachyrustica, $11.

Green Sand Dollar--original painting

By karingrow, $70.

Campfire Rock necklace

By SecretSmile, $10.

X. Nature

By maejane, $15.

Ambrosia Maple Burl Bowl

By JLWoodTurning, $125.

Ikebana-style Rock Vase

By madrivermud, $35.

brushed nickel drawer pull

By monkeyshines, $8.

Starfish, Illustrated Book Page

From elitas, $10.50.

The Road Not Taken - 8 x 10 photo

By livvielane, $18.

North by Northwest Necklace No. 2

By mswedowsky, $50.

Jardin de sable necklace

By Olaladesign, $105.

Branch earrings

By masaoms, $130.

Floating Away...

By Stilllily, $40.

Pod Necklace

By UnaOdd, $34.

beachy necklace

By offbeet, $13.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Etsy Finds: Fill the Void

2009-12-28T11:45:00-05:00

Now that the selfless giving season is over, it's time to indulge in what you really wanted. Grandma's Christmas check burning a hole in your pocket? Treat yourself to some Etsy Finds, where a gift receipt is the last thing on your mind. Your unfulfilled wish list will appreciate the follow-through!

Blown Tangerine Fluted Glass Vase

By wolfartglass, $60.

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Flora in red ostrich

By morrisb, $785.

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The Amoeba

By DrCraze, $35.

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Winthrop. Industrial Hanging Light

By LampGoods, $49.

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thisbe leather satchel messenger bag

By renneslechateau, $210.

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Cinnamon lip balm-PURE lips

By PUREnaturalMinerals, $4.

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Unknown- Pendant

By thesocialcellar, $45.

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1970 Wedge Shoe - White Leather

From yazberryfashion, $45.

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embroidered collars

By MissAmyPhipps, $100.

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Hemp Guitar Strap- Vegan

By islandprovisions1, $45.

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Lots of dots sugar bowl

By Ninainvorm, $39.

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ARM WARMERS. Gold and Cream.

By theyarnival, $19.

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WATSON. WOOD COASTERS

By mediumcontrol, $20.

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Julia Vol. 1 - Linen Tea Towel

By SaraSmedley, $16.

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Lemon

By jasminescott, $125.

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Fantasy Island Pincushion

By mck254, $60.

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grey fox

By kinkado, $82.

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Stunning Leather Bib Collar

By Lemka, $48.

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Porcelain Lace Wall Hanging - 8

By forestclearing, $175.

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MiMi's Glasses - Illustration

By NanLawson, $8.

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USB-Flash drive handfelted

By quackhandmade, $32.

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1960s PLAID dress...

From Solanah, $38.

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Argyle Shelving Unit

By lunarloungedesign, $450.

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Pop Art Inspired Hand Painted Pillow

By Mazizmuse, $37.50.

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magnetic vase set

By kmaclean, $20.

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Scallop details brooch - purple

By Evangelione, $10.

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Tiger Lily Moccasin Burgundy

By darlingtonia, $129.

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Cracked Time Clock

By AmysWoods, $42.

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Hazelnut Cookie Brittle - 1/2 Pound

By celebritybakesale, $12.

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Pretty Birdie's Military Jacket

By stephanieteague, $255.

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Blue Rose Headband

By yellowyellowdesign, $22.

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porcelain vessel no.3

By taylorceramics, $27.

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Large Volcano Serving Platter

By stephaniekao, $105.

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curly haired girl pillowcase

By threeheart, $25.

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Crochet flowers - Plum Blossom

By suili, $22.

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Navajo Spindle - Green Star

By Roosterick, $40.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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Vote for the Glitziest New Year's Eve Glamour

2009-12-15T16:03:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite items to dress up the New Year. Now it's your turn to vote!

Next Monday we'll announce the winner, which, along with some of the top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog. Show your favorite sellers some love and get out the vote!

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

How a Piece of Jewelry Leaves Its Imprint

2009-12-10T14:11:00-05:00

My husband's family has a tradition of setting an extra place at the holiday table for any family member who passed away that year. I'm always moved by this way to celebrate loved ones who can't be with us. Jackie Kaufman, Etsy jeweler rockmyworldinc, sent us this note, and I asked her to share her story of how, in her way, she plays a role in thoughtful remembrance. This post goes out to those of you whose holidays are times of reflection.

Have you ever thought you could create an item that could actually help people and change your own life in the process?

I am a jewelry caster, and per a special request from a customer, I created a Heart Fingerprint Necklace, taking two actual fingerprints from the customer and blending them to create a heart necklace. It was a great success, and I decided to put it up on Etsy.

Then the requests started coming in. I was overwhelmed by the stories I was hearing. One woman whose child just passed away wanted one with her and her child's prints together. A caretaker who had an elderly patient who she loved wanted both their prints on a necklace. A child whose parents died within one week of each other wanted her two parents' prints together and enough of the pieces to give to each child in the family. A woman with a heart transplant wanted to give one to her donor family. An army wife whose husband is going overseas in January wants one that he can hang on his dog tag. I could go on and on.

Of course there are many happy occasions as well. But the most emotional ones — the ones that have changed me — are the sad times in peoples lives.

When I make each necklace, I run my fingers over the prints, and I feel like I am able to feel the person, and the life they have or had. It is quite emotional, especially when people let me know the history of the prints. I am so grateful and humble this season that what I do is able to give joy to people going through hard times, and emotional times. It has changed me forever.

Etsy Finds: Klondike Kiss

2009-12-08T11:44:00-05:00

This past weekend, I found myself in Washington, D.C. for its first snowfall of the season. There is something so pure and blissful about a white horizon that from childhood onwards elicits an intuitive desire to frolic. What better season to celebrate one's matrimony with exuberance? The luxury of a winter wedding inspires me to keep warm by dancing in the glow of candlelight. These Etsy Finds explore the snowflakes of lace and frost of sweet confections. For more bridal inspiration, check out the Weddings and Celebrations Gift Guides.

Freya Nuno Silk Ruffle Cape

By glamourjunkie, $225.

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Boxed Woodland

By decadentdesigns, $5.75.

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Magnificent Gourmet Brownie Pops

By thecatsmeowfavors, $43.80.

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jeweled bridal feather fascinator

By onelittledove, $60.

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Simply White Felt and Gold Earrings

By 3FUN, $18.

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Custom Wedding Cake Topper - Penguins

By RedLightStudio, $65.

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Lace and Chiffon Wedding Dress

By bridalblissdesigns, $498.

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Wedding gloves in thin dotted ivory mesh

By malam, $50.

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Bird Seed Favors, Decorations

By naturefavors, $39.95.

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Natural Birch Tea Light Candle Holder

By snowowlwoodshop, $6.

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Snow White

By BoringSidney, $90.

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Handpainted Egg - Home Decor

By KimArt, $8.99.

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80s White Lace Boots

From ramblinvintage, $62.

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Bridal Pair of Tatted Slave Bracelets

By TotusMel, $52.

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Pinecone Boutonniere

By AprilHilerDesigns, $6.50.

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Beautiful wrapped wool shawl

By TheIcelandicWool, $190.

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1 lb. White Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix

By tetoncocoacompany, $18.

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fur .vintage. hat

From thevintagecloset, $68.

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Titanium and Wood Wedding Band

By ZoeAndDoyle, $199.

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Swag Invitation

By Cheerupcherup, $4.

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Cream Confection Capelet

By sundarose, $72.

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Magical Acorn Cake Toppers

By Fairyfolk, $25.

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Out All Night Ankle Boots

From 13bees, $98.

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Olivia

By jaybmillinery, $198.

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Poofda Wool Ring - Ivory Caramel

By beckaboodle, $20.

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snowflake silkscreened SILK necktie

By toybreaker, $40.

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Bridal blusher veil, convertible headband

By myrakim, $48.

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1890s Victorian Couture Wedding Gown

From TimelessVixenVintage, $425.

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Ruffle Wristlet- Frost Grey

By murwati, $24.

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Stretch lace headband

By GarlandsOfGrace, $10.99.

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3 tier cake stand Enoch

From mycakestand, $58.

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Large Tree Silhouette Papercutting

By jennyleefowler, $12.

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The Vintage Acrylic Lace Collar

From jessjamesjake, $32.

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Jatoba Cufflinks

By tkostura, $30.

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Le Katerina French Chantilly Capelet

By toccata, $170.

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3 Miniature Amber Glass Oil Lamps

From JodysVintage, $15.50.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Handmade Weddings Series

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Quit Your Day Job: lulubugjewelry

2009-11-30T16:00:00-05:00

Sue of lulubugjewelry began her Etsy shop as a way to help support her newfound passion for jewelry making using Precious Metal Clay (PMC) jewelry supplies; she never imagined it would be a means to quit her day job. Her previous jobs lent her skills not only in jewelry design and manufacturing, but also the business know-how to eventually run her own business. While she couldn't be happier being her own boss, Sue had to cut expenses, such as her love of motorcycle racing, to make her dream a reality. Her tip for others considering taking the plunge is to be prepared for less free time and to make sure you love what you do — as you will most likely be working much harder than you ever did for a regular paycheck.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I’ve always loved making stuff. I went to art school but didn’t discover metalworking until after I graduated. I loved it so much that I got a job at a small manufacturer of cast gold, silver and bronze jewelry. I’ve worked at several small jewelry companies since then, doing all aspects of manufacturing and most recently design. Working in manufacturing was a great way to build my skills, but grinding, filing and buffing someone else’s jewelry for eight hours a day left me with little desire to do my own work.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
My most recent job was as the designer for a small fabricated jewelry manufacturer. I was the entire art department — I designed and drew plans (in Spanish) for all the jewelry, set up photo shoots (experience that is coming in very handy now), designed and produced all the print materials (including a large 4-color catalog with over 800 photos every year) and designed, built and maintained the company website. Phew — I’m tired just writing all that. It should have been a dream job, but for a variety of reasons was pretty much the exact opposite. Despite the misery, anger and despair, I did learn a lot in the seven years I was there that is very helpful to me now.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
No, not at all! I’ve always liked having a regular paycheck and never thought about being self-employed. I started doing my own work again after discovering Precious Metal Clay (PMC) about two years ago, and saw Etsy as a way to hopefully help pay for my PMC habit. As my Etsy sales grew and the dissatisfaction with my job increased, I figured that after seventeen years in the jewelry industry, maybe it was time to see if I could do it on my own.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I did all the basic business setup (business license, bank account, resale number, etc.) before I opened my shop. The first thing I did when I decided to start working towards leaving my job was to take a hard look at my finances. I haven’t balanced my checkbook since Reagan was in office (seriously) so paying attention to money doesn’t come naturally to me. I knew that if I was ever going to work up the courage to quit, I needed to have a nice cushion in the bank to fall back on, so I looked at ways of cutting my expenses. I’m fortunate in that I had a huge expense I was able to cut — my unusual hobby, motorcycle racing. I raced motorcycles for seven years, and though it’s great fun it’s also ridiculously expensive and takes up a large amount of time. I knew that it had to go (at least for now) so I didn’t race at all this year. I researched health insurance costs and made sure I could get it, and started buying my materials in bulk. Those of us who work with precious metal have the added challenge of following the various metal markets, which have been quite volatile for the last couple of years. In the end I just couldn’t take my job anymore, so for my sanity I quit about three months earlier than I had planned. It felt great to leave on my own terms, and was the right thing to do. I haven’t been in a blood-curdling rage since then!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

I pay more attention to my product design and development than marketing, because all the promoting in the world isn’t going to work if your product falls short. I started off with a variety of different styles, and let my sales determine which concepts and styles to develop further and which to leave behind. If there’s a design that I really believe in but is not selling I try modifying it in some way, perhaps the size or shape, and see if that helps. It often does.
I find craftcult.com to be a great tool for seeing which products are getting a lot of attention but are not selling and may be in need of a bit of tweaking.
Introducing new designs regularly is a great way to keep your audience interested and encourages repeat customers. Repeat customers are the ultimate compliment, in my opinion.
I do have a blog (which I need to pay more attention to), and I recently set up a Facebook fan page. I’m always surprised when I look at my Google Analytics and see how much traffic comes from my blog, so it’s a worthwhile thing to have.
My best marketing tip is to read this excellent blog post from Etsy seller eyeful, these are great marketing tips!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I have to say that I do not like Twitter. I come back to it every so often and give it another try, but I just don’t care for it. I know some people have great success with tweeting, but for me it’s just one more thing to take me away from creating that has dubious results. And I prefer reading and writing in complete sentences, with correct spelling, punctuation and capitalization. I guess I’m just old fashioned that way.

Walk us through your typical workday.
It’s long, not least bit glamorous, and involves lots of coffee.

I get up a bit before 7 and join my boyfriend Kelly at our favorite local coffee house until 8. I don’t especially like getting up, but I enjoy this morning ritual that we’ve been doing for years and it’s good for me to get up and get my day started.
I return home and do all my shipping and any other business stuff that has to get done before doing anything else. I have to make chains and do a bit finishing work to just about everything before it ships, so if there’s a lot going out this can take awhile. I relist anything that has sold, answer Convos and do some renewing too. A varying amount of time is wasted on the Internet during this period, and more coffee is consumed.
I go to the mailbox (or the post office if shipping internationally) in the afternoon and run errands while I’m out. This is when it’s nice to have gotten dressed and presentable first thing in the morning.
If I’ve been up late the night before (which is usually the case) a short power nap is in order about now, and then more coffee, and perhaps a little more internet time wasting, depending on the work load.
I might do photography, new listings, work on custom designs, or do finishing work for the rest of the afternoon. I check my Convos throughout the day and try to respond as quickly as I can.
At some point in the early evening some exercise and dinner will likely happen.
I’m a night person and like to do the bulk of my creative work at night. I tend get going around 8 p.m., and will usually work at my bench until midnight or 1 a.m. I like doing design work at this time too. If I’ve had a lot of sales during the day, I print invoices and shipping labels to get a start on the next day’s shipping work.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
I enjoy the fact that my talents and hard work are fully benefiting me and that I’m responsible for my own success or failure. I like the fact that I no longer have to do something I disagree with just because the boss said so. I love not having to go to long, pointless meetings anymore. I can’t say that I miss one single thing about the job I left, other than a few of the people there.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Pretty much all the business stuff! I went to art school and not business school for a good reason, but having worked at small companies my whole life I’ve actually picked up quite a bit of small business knowledge. I don’t have the temperament needed for accounting (see earlier checkbook comment) so I figured out early on that it would be very worthwhile to pay someone else to do this for me. I also have someone else do my taxes. My time management is not quite as good as it was when I had a job, so I keep a small whiteboard on my bench and keep a running list of what needs to get done when. Finding balance between work and personal time is much harder now too. When this was not my only source of income it was much easier to take time off.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
To be prepared for even less free time. There’s an old joke about how you only have to work half days when you’re self-employed, and you even get to choose which 12 hours you work. This is very true! I would advise being sure that you really love what you do, because you will be doing a lot of it, and you will most likely be working much harder than you did for your regular paycheck.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I hope to do some higher-end, one-of-a-kind pieces and finally start doing some wholesale. I hope to keep my customers happy and returning to my shop and to keep creating whatever ideas pop into my head.

Thanks to Sue for sharing her story. If you have questions for Sue come by the VIrtual Labs on Wednesday, December 2 at 3 p.m. ET. You can see some of Sue's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Etsy Finds: Party Time, Excellent!

2009-11-25T10:00:00-05:00

When it comes to shindigs, it doesn't take much to please this party girl. Give me some spiked punch of a fluorescent hue, a bedazzled dress and bumping bass and I'm happy as a clam. However, primping for said bodacious bash is half the fun of attending. Put on your semi-formal game face with today's collection of glamorous Etsy Finds. Discover Etsy's Holiday Fashion style guide for more glitter and glitz as the disco ball turns.

routine (fits all)

By Kcoline, $349.

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GOLD DUST cluster ring

By museglass, $32.

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The Rock Ring

By saralagace, $75.

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Silver Organza Ruffled Skirt and Top

By reddoll, $195.

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Constellation Skin v. Dinosaur Sin

By ledthread, $300.

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Tea Party Bow

By itsokmydear, $35.

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Custom Lolita Dress

By rubypearl, $325.

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Grenache Earrings

By PoleStar, $45.

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Silver Drusy Gemstone Pendant

By dollybirddesign, $145.

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Vintage Brooks Brothers Blazer

From greasywaitress, $148.

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Green Stubby Brimm Pork Pie Hat

By solifemaycontinue, $125.

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Golden Leaves Brooch

By calloohcallay, $30.

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luxury yacht freestyle bow tie

By xoelle, $36.

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vintage faux furLEOPARD JACKET

From snappyfishvintage, $72.

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i can.t wait to say

By goodmorningmidnight, $130.

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Sidhe Stem Stockings - Choose Color

By undertheroot, $65.

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Feather & Red Velvet Headband

By VieModerne, $34.

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Red Cloak with Belt, No.1

By Loretari, $99.

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Sexy Lacy Dress

By pavlinadadakova, $65.

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I Love You Heart Bracelet

By EricaWeinerJewelry, $35.

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SLEEVELESS SILK DRESS

By gemmadegara, $175.

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Mademoiselle bolo knit bow tie

By YRose, $18.

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Men's leather neckwear

By appearences, $80.

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diamond seed 2pt. stacking ring

By blancamonrosgomez, $150.

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Tokyo in White / Oversized Dress

By desirapesta, $55.

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Black leather bow tie bracelet

By threehorses, $42.

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Wine Country dress

By sarahseven, $325.

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Hand cast brass holiday necklace

By dores, $26.

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Party Dress - custom sized

By missbrache, $98.

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vintage RED BOW Peeptoe Heels

From DearGoldenVintage, $48.

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Frost

By AftonRiver, $79.

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Daphne Silver Beaded Leaf Headband

By quirkybeauty, $28.

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Ranger

By chachashouse, $200.

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Vintage Handmade Cream Shrug

From DalenaVintage, $27.

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50's Satin Princess Dress

From thegreedyseagull, $148.

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Golden Lace Leather Necklace

By eninaj, $98.

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Vintage Over the Knee Boots

From thisyearsmodel, $55.

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You Old Trout Giant Bow Aliceband

By zaracarpenter, $30.

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Cowl Neck Jersey Dress

By stephanieteague, $95.

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Verla Heels

From TheGlassFinch, $40.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas | More Party Blog Posts

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Etsy Finds: Wandering the Manifolds

2009-11-24T12:00:00-05:00

Buddy Glass, my favorite character from all of literature, reflects at one point, "We speak a kind of esoteric family language, a sort of semantic geometry in which the shortest distance between any two points is a fullish circle." I consider my shopping experiences on Etsy in a similar fashion. Some of my favorite purchases could only have been found via routes of meandering. How would I have known to search for dental x-rays, organelles, or mature coloring books? Today's Etsy Finds come from six of Etsy's shopping site features: Treasury, Shop Local, Connections, Shop by Color, Pounce Undiscovered, and Editors' Picks. What will you stumble upon?

Treasury

The Dock-Post Coaster Set

By nautiandco, $35.

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Boudoir Stripes Sleep Eye Mask

By Naomilingerie, $16.

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Double Yin Yang Bowl

By spiritdancing, $35.

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El Viejo Balancin Ring

By mariagotijoyas, $260.

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Elisabeth in Lilac - nO.027

By annafabo, $195.

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Luminous Dresser

By SparrowsNest1, $490.

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Shop Local

Large Orecchiette Necklace

By ninadinoff, $325.

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Corked Easy Handle Teapot

By JuliesAtelier, $77.

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Missy Chic Bow Tie Hair Clip or Pin

By garmentcolorsknits, $18.

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Shaker Squares

By warpeDesign, $6.50.

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Old drawer shelf for small stuff

From foundbrooklyn, $64.

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Ginger Beer Soap . Vegan

By dirtylovesclean, $5.

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Connections

Recycled Copper Dish No.15

By WhitneyPotter, $150.

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The Eagle Nebula

By Egilpatr, $1200.

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Cinnamon Buns - Soap Smoothie

By freshandclean, $11.

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Mini Modern 2010 Calendar

By HelloHarbor, $9.

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Cascading Leaves Lace Necklace

By BejewelledBespoke, $25.

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Wildflower Silhouette Cut Paper Art

By catay, $40.

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Shop by Color

Jade Bolero. US Sz 8 (AU sz 12)

By PenelopeRed, $160.

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Salvaged Repurposed Wall Hook

By halfpintsalvage, $27.

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Nest, Medium Aqua

By heatherpalmer, $130.

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edie the large elephant

By rabbitsmoon, $56.50.

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Silk necklace YELLOW MUSTARD

By sleeks, $35.

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sunny saffron victorienne clock

By uncommon, $42.

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Pounce Undiscovered

little bear (honey eater)- print

By poopingrabbit, $30.

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La Lune- Sterling Earrings

By PreciousAlibi, $28.

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Porcelain Teapot

By RoseberryWinn, $110.

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Eazy E Tote Bag

By punkyagogo, $60.

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Flower in the Sun Mod 60s Dress

From RockitWear, $39.99.

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CURUBA TULLE Brooch

By VanessaLaCondessa, $16.

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Editors' Picks

Serpentine Plate

By dolamakes, $62.

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PEANUT BUTTER JILLY TIMES

By shortbreadnyc, $50.

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Concrete Block End Table

By tables, $600.

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Holy Basil Blend - Stress Relief

By HomegrownHerbandTea, $16.50.

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Antique Radio Computer (Delco)

By abrahambook, $550.

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Winter Warmer Kate Headband

By quirkybeauty, $28.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Quit Your Day Job: Damselle

2009-11-23T16:00:00-05:00

Melanie, the jewelry designer and business maven behind Damselle, was able to start her jewelry business and become her own boss after working as a store manager for The Discovery Channel. Melanie admits her sales took a little longer to take off than she originally imagined and walks us through the steps she took once she realized promoting her shop was just as important as having a great product. She stands by the fact that happy customers are her best viral marketing strategy, as well as marketing her personal story as a brand. Stay tuned as Melanie candidly discusses the personal and social sacrifices she's had to make in order to make Damselle a reality.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I have always made things with my hands. From a young age I went to art schools, most recently the School of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. I also came from a very creative family, the sort of family in which trips to the fabric store and the book store last hours and can be deadly to your bank account. We made alligators out of old carpet padding. We watercolored the cat. We took the clothing out of our dresser drawers and stored books in them instead. We lived a pretty out-of-the-box handmade life and were pretty fearless about it.

The story of how I started making jewelry and how it became a business is, like a lot of things that have happened in my life, a meandering and unexpected path. I was doing volunteer work helping to care for tigers that had been purchased on the black market and then abandoned by their owners. It was a very special time in my life and I really felt close to those animals, but raising funds to keep them fed while we waited for them to go to their new animal sanctuary homes was difficult. We decided to hold a charity auction, and I needed something to contribute, so I tried my hand at making jewelry.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
It has always been my goal to find a way to live a more creative life and do things on my own terms, but after school I got caught up in the daily grind with the pressure of paying my bills and lost focus. I was working for The Discovery Channel Store as a store manager. I had been there for four years and was recently promoted; it was a lot of work, and a lot of hours, but I felt like things were really coming together.

However, within a few months everything came tumbling down and I was streamlined out of a job. During that summer as I was closing down my Discovery Channel Store and asking myself a lot of questions about what I wanted for myself in the future, a few important things happened. I spent some quality time with my old college friends in Boston, the movers and the shakers, with whom I'd dreamed about my future. I started thinking hard about what really mattered to me. After years of working overtime for someone else, I realized that I needed to take more risks in my life to do what I love.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I have always wanted to quit my "day job," even before I had one. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to do it, and for a long while I thought I was going to open a tea business, but the high overhead and the idea of being stuck in one place all the time weren't ideal. I had hopes that my Etsy experiment would pan out in an exciting way, but to be honest, I was a bit of a slow learner when I first opened shop. It took me over a month to get my first sale, and almost a second month to get another. I opened Damselle in October, but didn't realize I would need to put real effort into it to become successful until February. I began to understand that promoting Damselle and getting myself out there was just as important as having a great product. Slowly, my business began to grow. Now I think that running a tea business would have been crazy, and my little online jewelry shop is the perfect solution to being a business owner in this economy.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Honestly, I am not necessarily the best role model when it comes to preparing to quit your day job. I did speak to an accountant about tax issues, and I did take a part-time job while I eased into running a successful business. However, I don't have any children and if things get rocky I can just take up a part-time job for a while. Most of my preparation involved learning to sleep through the night without a steady paycheck and building confidence in my abilities.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
I've had more business generated from free, word-of-mouth promotion by my customers than I could ever pay for. I've also been fortunate to have blog posts written about my work on several popular wedding sites by happy customers. This has brought me so much business, and I've had lots of referrals from friends and family of my customers. I don't think there is any secret recipe for marketing success. We all have to figure out what works best for our own business style and target customer base. Take calculated risks and try new things. Always look for new places to expose people to your product. Be fresh and consistent.

One thing that I have found to be very successful in my own marketing is to think of myself, in a way, as a brand. I am often selling myself as much as I am selling my jewelry. Because of that, I try to let my personality shine through in my correspondence with customers. One great idea I had was to make little printable artist bios, which I use to personally thank my customers and to introduce myself. One goes in each package I ship out. These are also great because, if the item is a gift, the recipient gets to discover more about my story and hopefully connect with me and my jewelry, as I am selling a handmade product. I think it's wonderful that Etsy customers care so much about the special uniqueness of the handmade items they buy, and the people behind the craftsmanship.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I have learned that, while I love the exposure of being blogged about, unless a blog has a track record of generating a lot of traffic to my target customer base, it isn't a good investment for me to send items for blog reviews. I can usually get more traffic for my money by simply buying advertising, and I think being blogged about by my happy customers is a lot more effective.

Walk us through your typical workday.

I get up every morning around 7:30 a.m. and make tea and breakfast for myself. Then I sit in front of my computer and check my emails while I have breakfast and try to wake up. I make a list of what I need to do for the day on a week-long sheet.
Then I work out (more often than not) and pack my orders, if I haven't done so already.
Then I shower, but usually still wear jammy pants or sweatpants if I'm staying in all day.
I spend the middle part of my day making and photographing jewelry, in between tea and cat snuggling breaks, while the light is good.
If I need to run to the post office or do any other errands, I also like to do this while most people are still at work.
I also periodically check my emails, relist, and update my social networking sites, to which I am addicted. (In my defense, I do get a good amount of traffic in my shop from those sites.)
In the evening, depending on how busy I am, I usually do a mix of promoting, answering emails, researching supplies, and having free time. If I have a lot to get done, however, I can work into the night.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
My favorite thing about not having a day job is not having my values dictated to me by someone else. I love having direct personal accountability for my successes (and failures). I am living my life on my terms, and I have never been so free. It's great to be able to take the time I need with my family and friends. If that time happens to be at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, it's not a problem for me to walk away from my work and come back to it later in the evening. I love being able to be creative, and I love hearing the stories from my customers about how my jewelry goes on to be part of their lives.

I do miss having a steady paycheck. Let's face it, becoming self-employed is not for the faint of heart. You need to really love what you do, because there are many sacrifices. I have had to cut a lot of things from my budget to make it work, like buying new clothes and eating out. Right now, I have a roommate.

I also miss the human interaction. It's harder to meet people when you work from home, and I have to be careful or I can become a hermit. Social skills: Use them or lose them! I recently joined my local Street Team, Handmade Dayton, and I'm so excited to get to know all of them.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
I think the most difficult part of running my business is dealing with change: learning to sleep through the night when you don't know what's coming, being able to push yourself out of your comfort zone to see what you are capable of, learning to recognize and act on changes when they do happen. How am I going to adapt my business strategy to be relevant in the current situation? I have already seen my business go through a major evolution from the novice designs I made for the auction, to a brief stint traveling at crafts shows, making the decision to focus on Etsy as my primary venue, developing the bridal line, handling wedding season and the holidays in different ways. I know Damselle will continue to evolve and I hope that I can keep up.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
Wow, there is so much advice I would have given myself. I wish I had had the courage to quit my day job sooner. I wish I had understood that I would only get as much as I put into my Etsy shop. I wish I had ignored the woman at the craft show who told me my jewelry was too gaudy for brides. However, hindsight is 20/20, and I think I've done okay.

My advice for other people quitting their day job would be to make sure your passion for what you are doing can carry you through the rough spots. Keep diligent and detailed accounting, even if it isn't your thing...you need to know where you stand financially. Don't be afraid to keep learning and trying new things. Celebrate your victories, no matter how small. And use a kitchen timer to keep yourself on task (especially in the Forums).

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
My goals for my shop are to continue to grow my business into a stable and successful career for myself in which I am able to live my life deliberately and with integrity, and to spread the word to the world about the benefits of supporting artists and craftsmen by buying handmade. When you buy handmade, you are directly supporting real people who have put a lot of attention and skill into their product, as well as making a choice that is less harmful for our environment and helping to grow our local economies.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
As I'm writing this interview, I've been going through the blog posts I wrote as I went through the process of starting my business, and coincidentally, today is the two year anniversary of quitting my day job. I am not afraid to admit that the road is not what I expected it to be. It is both harder and more amazing than I anticipated. My life has never been richer and I have never felt more excitement and anticipation for the future.

Thanks to Melanie for sharing her story. If you have questions for Melanie come by the Virtual Labs on Wednesday November 25th at 3 p.m. ET. You can see some of Melanie's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Guest Curator: Altered Couture

2009-11-11T15:00:00-05:00

Beth Livesay’s main thrill in life is to shop. Luckily for her, managing Altered Couture magazine entails a lot of browsing on Etsy, where she sources the most stylish upcycled clothing and accessories. Not only do these items leave her inspired, but she also enjoys sharing her finds with readers around the world, so that other people can shop, create, and be happy too.

Altered Couture prides itself on remaining at the cutting edge of artistic fashion. Nothing exudes personal style more than taking something mainstream and altering it to become a one-of-a-kind item, or accessorizing with a unique piece to make a fashionably green statement. The following pieces caught my eye for their execution and wearability. It’s hard to believe these items were once something else. They definitely make you look and think twice.

Superlarge Red Pull Tab Tote

Green never looked so gorgeous! Red is not only in fashion right now, but the sparkle from PopTopLady’s pull tab tote (1500 tabs, to be exact) makes this festive enough for the holidays. $80.

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The Opulent Satin Dress

I love dresses, particularly those with volume and a corset bodice. gaudycouture is anything but overdone. Their frocks offer playfulness à la Betsey Johnson, with upcycled and sourced vintage silks. Accessorize with the perfect necklace and you have party perfection. $200.

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It's Only Rock and Roll But I Like It....

As I said, I love dresses, and this piece by clairelafaye is glamorously bedecked. Draped with vintage lace and tulle, it's contemporary and girly with an added edge. This is the ideal New Year’s Eve dress. And did you see the back? $1025.

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Drop shoulder, over-sized sweatshirt fleece hoodie with crochet details

kaylim is a rising star in the altered fashion world. I love pieces that are cozy, a tad slouchy and loaded with detail. This sweater is perfect for layering and will definitely garner attention and adoration from fall to winter. $92.

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The Tell Me Truly Dress / Skirt

Maybe it’s the romantic picture, maybe it’s the name, or maybe it’s because I’ve been a fan of ArmoursansAnguish for over a year now, but the Tell Me Truly Dress evokes tiers of joy. This ethereal garment is 100% recycled, reclaimed, and cannot be duplicated exactly: words fashionistas love to hear. The best part? It can be worn as a dress or a skirt, which provides more options for the wearer, and is truly altered couture. $88.

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Tulip Dress

If I had a million dollars I would blow a huge wad of it in sarahseven's shop. It’s hard to play favorites when it comes to her line, but the Tulip Dress is straight from heaven. I especially love that Sarah uses recycled bustiers to make her confections. The color, the details, the possibilities: this lovely is couture craftsmanship at its finest. $475.

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Blooming Lemon meringue (( fabric bib necklace ))

One of my favorite shopping addictions is florabond. I love statement jewelry — and more so when it’s repurposed with added bling. Upcycled petticoat netting, fabrics from the 1950s, and the yummy color make this sunny stunner unforgettable. This necklace brightens my day every time I see it.

Another reason that I love shopping from Flora is that you get to choose your rhinestones and placement. I get compliments every time I wear her jewelry. $79.

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Crazyquilt Travelling Coat - Rainbow stripedelic - Upcycled-Recycled-Elf Couture

The embodiment of altered couture is katwise’s recycled sweaters. The colors and concept are so amazing; I’ve never seen anything else like it. $188.

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Cherry Blossom Felted Booties

Shoes can be altered too! Crafttastrophe has the funkiest shoe shop on Etsy, offering all varieties of altered shoes, from stamped wedges to painted pumps. $80.

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Peplum Evening Top

This top takes my breath away every time I see it. It’s the perfect winter look, complete with shine, silk, tulle, and a necklace clasp for a closure. The contrast between the different textures is what makes this piece extra luxe. Plus, it’s made from a 1920s flapper dress — my favorite fashion era. By brightpirate, $155.

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Nerdy Birdie In Blue Poly Blend Blazer Bag

There are a lot of bags out there right now, but this plaid print is on point. This is the perfect fall accessory, especially when paired with PineBlossoms' leafy skinny scarf and your favorite pair of boots. $62.

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ANGEL FOOD CUFF CAKE PAIR BY BOUDOIR QUEEN

BoudoirQueen’s cuff cakes are pure genius — I want to eat them up! All BQ accessories are made from vintage dresses and embellishments. Imagine these peeking out from beneath a blazer, or wear with your favorite dress for a night out. $126.

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If you love innovative clothing and repurposed fashion, be sure to check out Altered Couture. To glance at upcoming and past issues, submit, or learn where to purchase a copy, visit Stampington & Company. For more on Altered Couture, follow Stampington & Company on Twitter or Facebook.

Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive!

Etsy Finds: Shades of Citrine

2009-11-07T12:40:00-05:00

This month we celebrate the autumnal hues of citrine, November's birthstone. Buying a citrine-inspired item is a thoughtful gift for new babies and November birthdays, or an energizing burst of color for your fall wardrobe.

Check out the Etsy Finds below for all the November birthdays on your list or shop our Shades of Citrine Gift Guide for even more irresistible gift ideas.

Citrine

By masaoms, $95.

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Citrine Gloves

By LoveandKnit, $26.

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Yellow Citrine Shawl Perfect for Winter

By SRdesign, $26.

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Brass bunny and citrine necklace

By TornadoAlliDesigns, $28.

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Polaris-The Stella Collection

By pamelasusan, $99.

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organic baby and toddler quilt bedding

By SewnNatural, $120.

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Homemade Thanksgiving Pie Plate

By claycoyote, $29.

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Lotus flower and citrine -Earrings

By madebysam, $33.50.

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14 karat gold fill and citrine necklace

By awakenjewelry, $120.

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Romantique Scarflette - Honey

By EfiaFair, $50.

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Lemon Lime Muff Scarf

By MegnificentCo, $62.

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Oxidized Citrine Cuff Bracelet

By brightcreations, $29.99.

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rustic posy

By VernonBea, $92.

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CITRINE - Handspun Glitter Yarn

By pancakeandlulu, $26.

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Waffle Cone in Mustard Yellow

By YesJess, $18.

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Yellow citrine rhinestone button ring

By soradesigns, $24.50.

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Sideswept Citrine Ring

By onegarnetgirl, $92.

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Spanish Missy

By shir6ran, $115.

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Knitted beret 158

By aspasia, $31.

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Golden Chandelier Earrings w/ citrine

By ShoogiSpark, $31.

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Sertanejo Country - Madeira Citrine Ring

By MidwestAlchemy, $58.50.

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Butternut Vegan Shoulder Bag

By PansyMaiden, $42.

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Glass Vial containing Brazilian Citrine

By DreamsandJewelry, $85.

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Art Deco Filigree Bracelet

From nouveaumotley, $125.

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Saffron modern wall clock

By uncommon, $32.

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Made to Order - 20oz cup bike

By CircaCeramics, $40.

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throwback pillow in golden mustard linen

By theredstitch, $45.

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Honey Bee Earrings

By fairchilddesigns, $68.

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Drop-O-Honey Earrings-Long

By JillPopowichDesigns, $65.

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UPCYCLED Mustard Yellow Train Case

By GetReadySetGO, $69.95.

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Mod Ornaments - Set of 4 handcut cards

By Crafterall, $20.

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All That Glitters Earrings

By fussjewelry, $96.

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Stacking Button Rings--Set of 3

By OriginalHardware, $85.

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Industrial Wool Felt Messenger Bag

By kazzki, $59.

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Amber Glass Apothecary Jar

From RollingHillsVintage, $18.

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City Nights Citrine

By DominicMcCabe, $610.

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Citrine stone 14k gold ring

By riorita, $295.

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Bamboo Sugar Cane - shave soap

By ParadiseBodyShop, $4.50.

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Feeling celebratory? Say happy birthday to an Etsian with Etsy's Birthdays application!

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Shades of Citrine Gift Guide | Trends | Shop by Color | More Birthstone Posts

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Etsy Finds: Now It's Personal

2009-11-05T11:33:00-05:00

In today's Etsy Finds, you'll find personalized and monogrammed gift ideas for all ages and genders, holidays and milestone occasions. These instant heirlooms get my stamp of approval for being fun and creative takes on a traditional craft. Don't miss out on Etsy's huge selection of personalized and custom gifts, and be sure to shop the Personalized Gift Guide for the coming holiday season.

Print Portrait

By SpoolSpectrum, $75.

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Empire Letters - Metal Sculptures

By gaugenyc, $10.

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Custom Fingerprint Wedding Ring

By fabuluster, $150.

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White Gold Monogram Necklace

By EchodAmour, $990.

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Trio of Nantucket Basket Purses

By upmysleeveboutique, $425.

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Personalized Stationery Set & Folio

By InkspotWorkshop, $36.

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Personalized Night Light

By FogAndThistle, $27.

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Letter E Monogram Room Decor

By GennyDiddly, $45.

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Multiple Charms Necklace

By TheVintageChain, $36.

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Hand Stamped Collar Stays

By underhercharm, $54.

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Custom Belt Buckle

By QUID, $25.

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Initialized Note Cards

By postalpress, $36.

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Princess Glitter Cake Toppers

By bugandboo, $26.

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Vintage Monogrammed Forks

From sadieolive, $12.

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Loveprint Plated Brass Pendants

By loveprint, $75.

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Tiny Signet Ring - Personalized

By cherrycreek, $24.

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Monogram Pillow

By RedDoorHome, $69.95.

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Initial Monogram Tiny Bowl

By palomasnest, $24.

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Monogram Vase

By MaidOfClay, $48.

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Monogrammed Gingham Shortall

By PattieCakePretties, $34.95.

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Custom Silhouette Pillow

By TuttieLou, $75.

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75 Custom Letterpress Coasters

By redbirdink, $75.

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Personalized Snowflake Ornament

By SeptemberHouse, $25.

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Digital Personalized Christmas Card

By armatodesign, $20.

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Personalized Linen Stocking

By onegirl, $30.

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Baby's First Christmas Ornament

By BeadsInTheBelfry, $40.

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Couple Silhouette Ornament

By lepapierstudio, $34.

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Custom Pet Portrait Painting

By sharonlamb, $125.

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Hand Embroidered Dog Collar

By shopmimigreen, $37.95.

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Turtle Keychain

By patsdesign, $17.

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Custom Baby Shoes

By amujpn, $75.

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Heirloom Wooden Baby Ball Toy

By ElementalHandcrafts, $14.99.

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Embroidered Monogram Hoop

By SaysYou, $25.

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Mom's Nest - Set of 6 Stones

By sjengraving, $68.

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Custom Wedding Cake Toppers

By RedLightStudio, $180.

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Personalized Christmas Ornaments

By lavecar1124, $12.95.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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Quit Your Day Job: tigerlillyshop

2009-11-02T16:40:00-05:00

Allison of tigerlillyshop claims that running her own business closely resembles the life cycle of the perennial tiger lily. Her background skills in working for other professional artists combined with a little bit of risk-taking have lent Allison the necessary tools with which to pursue her own full-time creative business. Her husband has recently been able to quit his own day job in order to help Allison run the business and make their Etsy shop a venture that now supports their family. Allison says she knew they would have to work really hard to make this all happen, but she couldn’t see it any other way, even though this means the occasional "saying no to fun." Keep reading to find out some of Allison's best marketing tips including testing out new lines of work and the benefits of joining an Etsy Team.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I am a fine artist with a sculpture background. It was natural for me to gravitate to jobs where I used my hands. I worked for a few professional artists and self-employed people early on. I even apprenticed with a furniture upholsterer after my undergraduate studies. It never seemed out of reach to do it on my own.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
My daughter was six months old when I found Etsy. Looking to sell online, I had been researching consignment and wholesale. I was really desperate to pay my end of the bills since I wasn’t going back to the software/textile production job I had before having my baby. My painter husband’s income couldn’t cover everything, and we relied on my income. Although I had my upholstery shop and working studio set up, there was no way I could work the long hours I was accustomed to. I found Etsy and signed up immediately, and that is the beginning of the wild growth of my tigerlillyshop.

Little did I know, my Etsy shop would take on the characteristics of that old time perennial. Tiger lilies are known to be invasive wild plants. If left unchecked, they grow out of control, just as my shop has done! And it’s a great thing because last year my husband left his mural painting job to make this our sole venture. My sister Maria helps me too; even though she is far away in New Orleans, she has been there for me when I need her. All we can do is try to keep up with it together!

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I never took a business class or learned about marketing myself as an artist. This was all built out of necessity and intuition. My Shrinky Dink rings with original drawings were my first real success here. I am so thankful that I had that original pack around while I was trying to figure out what to sell. I started my shop with those rings. From there I branched out over time to include vintage component jewelry, the button jewelry line, one of a kind metalwork, and electroforming. All of these lines are informed by my personal material sense and skills as an artist. I make what I want to and luckily, people seem to like what I make. My education at MICA and having my MFA from Edinboro University of PA informs this, I am sure.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
When I began, I hung out in the Chat Rooms and the Forums; it was about building a community for me at that point. Since then, I have used online networking sites like Flickr with great results, I started my blog, then ventured into Facebook, and I even tweet a tiny bit. But my absolute greatest marketing weapon has been with my BEST girls. The motivation and professionalism in the Baltimore Etsy Street Team has been a powerhouse of promotion. We have done a ton of online promoting with each other and all contribute to our Team blog (which just won an award!). The sheer talent of these ladies is probably enough for them to succeed, but we have capitalized on group networking at shows with Team business cards both locally and regionally. We all volunteer, using our talents in different ways to promote our group. This hard work has paid off with some major printed press in Baltimore Magazine last holiday season.

We have some rockstar sellers on BEST like blockpartypress, TheBrokenPlate, elisasherejewelry, greenstarstudio, just to name a few of the now sixty members. It doesn’t hurt that we have a diverse group with backgrounds ranging from marketing, web development, wholesale gallery experience, teaching, photography, and more. We all work hard at it, especially our Team leader, jenmenkhaus.

I did the Baltimore American Craft Council trade show this year, applying as an AltCraft Artist. This program is an opportunity for artists and indie designers to gain national exposure at a well-established show. As a result of showing there, I got a ton of press on TV, in print, and online. I was proud to be there with my fellow BEST teammate sweetpepita, who showed in the same section! I was not aware of how powerful the marketing behind these major trade shows are. Artists get really good promotion out of these types of venues.

Because of my ACC experience, I took a chance on applying for the Etsy Pavilion at the NYC OOAK Show in December — and got accepted! I am really looking forward to seeing what happens in this show’s premiere year in New York City. I had a peek at the marketing package this show has lined up and it is going to be advertised everywhere.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I paid a lot of money once to be part of an open studio tour event — total bomb. I got to drink all the beer we bought for our no-show visitors, though!

Walk us through your typical workday.

I get my daughter breakfast and watch PBS with her. Coffee and check in online.
Then studio time most of the day. By studio time, I mean anything from ripping down the latest upholstery job, sewing, pattern-making, doing metalwork, electroforming, making buttons, taking/editing photos, listing online, networking online, assembling orders, shipping and the boring data entry part of the business.
My husband and I take turns throughout the week taking care of preschool days, parenting our daughter, and alternating studio hours.

Working from home and being full-time parents is a really tough thing to balance. We try to keep to our weekly schedule. It runs smoothly most of the time since we live where we work and have a large studio to spread out in. My daughter has her own corner of the studio here, where I try to keep her busy if she wants to be around during production time. She is now 4, so if she is not painting or creating something, she is most likely riding her scooter underfoot or “playing ponies” all day.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
I love not having a boss. I hate having someone tell me what to do, and I have too much ambition, too many ideas and I work too hard to give my energy to anyone other than my own family. I knew we would have to work really hard to make this all happen, but I couldn’t see it any other way. I know my husband feels the same way about leaving his job. We do miss the social element of a “job” but we have made up for that by making more of an effort to visit with friends.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
First, being disciplined enough to deal with the boring paperwork end — yuck. But at least my husband and I are working on this system together. When you are in business for yourself, the work doesn’t ever really go away, something is always up next. The next hardest thing is having to say no to fun occasionally. There are times when my husband and daughter are out doing fun stuff while I buckle down in the studio. Or maybe we are at a craft show somewhere, and we all miss a great party or something. We do have to say no to fun sometimes, unfortunately. But we do get to spend a lot of time together, and this is great.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?
To myself, I would say, “You need to get more organized, crazy lady. Really. You should start on that NOW.” To someone else, I would advise, "It is SO worth it, go for it! Research and be smart about your decisions. If you are motivated in your talent, you can do anything you want to do. In this great nation we live in, the sky is the limit.” I would really say that to any of you out there, I truly believe it!

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I will be picking up more wholesale accounts for my different lines of jewelry. I also hope to offer more upholstered and soft home goods in my shop this year. Stay tuned!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
The growth of this business has not been linear. I have had to learn many things along the way. Attending workshops and the support from my BEST girls have helped me to fill in the blanks as needed. Yes, this is all a lot of work, but I have been able to achieve a manageable balance of art-making and motherhood. I am still learning and anticipate great things on the horizon. How wild will this tigerlillyshop grow? Come visit me at the Etsy Pavilion at the NYC OOAK Show in December! I can’t wait! Long live Etsy!

Have another question for Allison?

Chat with her live in Etsy's Virtual Labs on Thursday Nov. 5th at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Thanks to Allison for sharing her story. You can see some of Allison's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Etsy Finds: Libra vs. Scorpio

2009-10-27T12:31:00-05:00

Today's Etsy Finds collection is a spirited duel between the autumnal star babies, Libra (September 22-October 23) and Scorpio (October 23-November 22).

Governed by Venus, the planet of beauty, Libras are true connoisseurs of high culture: flowers, designer clothing, entertainment, art, fine food, perfume, social events and travel. Unyieldingly particular about what they will or will not bring into their homes, Libras are tastemakers who seek luxurious fabrics like silk and cashmere. They enjoy elegant prints and precious fine jewelry. Represented by the scales of balance, a Libra will find her emotional center with spa treatments and yoga, especially after a decadent night of dining and dancing.

Scorpio is governed by the planet Pluto, which represents power. Known for intensity of emotion, sexuality and darkness, the Scorpio is often summed up by her piercing, unflinching gaze — "The Scorpio Stare." Scorpios are still waters that run deep, reflected in their fascination with caves, the spiritual and occult, the underwater realm, tattoos, piercings, strategy games, dimly lit rooms, forests, secrets and photography (think spy equipment). They have a tenacity for daring styles that best express their flirtation with danger, and they prefer form-fitting jersey or synthetic fabrics that improve stealth. Their homes have touches of cool modernist aesthetic with private collections of oddities. The Scorpio style is often simple but always sensual; allowing the inner vamp to seep through.

Find items inspired by your sign by searching for "zodiac" in the main search field!

Clothing

LIBRA SCORPIO

Blanchett Raglan Coat

By DeNovoStyle, $338.

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Purple Faux Fur Vest

From MyVintageSecret, $28.

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Pink Strapless Metallic Dress

By paulnkc, $86.

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Maslinda One Shoulder Dress

By maslinda, $75.

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Barquentine Skirt

By Makool, $128.

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High Rise Thong

By twinsyndrome, $20.

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Accessories

LIBRA SCORPIO

Vintage Ferragamo Riding Boots

From nstylevintage, $177.

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Vintage Victorian Style Boots

From zorra666, $24.99.

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Lilly in Stripe Purse

By myTida, $55.

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5 Pocket Okinawa Bag

By valhallabrooklyn, $198.

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Excellent Vintage White Sunglasses

From VintageEtc, $20.

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POM QUEEN HAT Boudoir Queen

By BoudoirQueen, $65.

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Jewelry

LIBRA SCORPIO

Seed Pod Flower Stacking Ring

By blancamonrosgomez, $115.

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Faceted Amethyst and Horn Ring

By galerieurbana, $150.

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Rose Feather and Chain Necklace

By noemiah, $40.

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Zipper Fringe Necklace

By wildcatters, $35.

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Tiny Stud Earrings - Gold

By ShanaAstrachan, $45.

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Titanium, Leather Knit Bracelet

By pipertree, $188.

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Home Decor

LIBRA SCORPIO

Two-Faced Vase

By DishfulsOfDoodles, $101.50.

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Mod Snap Glasses by Corning

From junkculture, $18.

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Block Printed Lampshade- Medium

By HomeSweet, $80.

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Mid Century Danish Orb Mirrors

From cutfromthesamecloth, $34.

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Sassari Ikat Cushion - Navy/Natural

By plumcushion, $85.

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Mod Cube/Sphere Ice Bucket

From ThePeriodPiece, $8.

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Spa Style

LIBRA SCORPIO

Luxury Handmade Soap Trio

By sweetpetula, $18.

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Esoterica Sugar Scrub 8 oz.

By skinandtonic, $12.

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Hawaiian Gardenia Soy Candle

By karingrow, $19.50.

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Upcycled Saki Cup Soy Candle

By ChicEarth, $8.

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Cocoa Butter and Mint Lip Balm

By dennisanderson, $3.

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Poison Ivy Lip Balm

By ForStrangeWomen, $6.

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Essentially You

LIBRA SCORPIO

Libra Zodiac Charm Necklace

By ArielGordonJewelry, $260.

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Scorpion Charmer Screen Print

By horsedrawncarriage, $40.

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Balancing Herbal Skin Toner

By SpaTherapy, $8.75.

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Hidden Compartment Book

By ScreaminMonkeyCircus, $12.

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Repurposed Yoga Strap and Handle

By YogaSunsations, $10.

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Extotic Wood Chess Boards

By jjjeffery, $42.95.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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Quit Your Day Job: goodgirlsstudio

2009-10-26T16:00:00-05:00

Johanna of goodgirlsstudio brings her longstanding background in the fashion and culinary fields to the forefront with her unique designs. She began making her pieces from the broken bits of jewelry and leftover fabric in the shop where she worked. After spending many years in retail, Johanna was able to turn a negative (the shop where she worked being liquidated) into a positive life change that allowed her to fulfill a dream of running her own Etsy business. Johanna admits becoming her own boss has been a challenging learning curve as she is now her own accountant, photographer, writer, marketer, outside sales rep and creative designer, all while raising her son. Johanna's favorite part about being her own boss is the time it has allowed her to spend one on one with her son and she reiterates the importance of following one's heart.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
Other than a few jobs in the culinary field, the only jobs I’ve ever held have been in the fashion industry. I was always able to up-sell my clients by showing them how to accessorize and give the outfit a whole new look just by changing something as simple as a necklace. I started making jewelry from bits of broken pieces of jewelry and fabric from the shop I managed and luckily there was a bead shop right across the street! Customers and coworkers started commenting on my creations and my hobby slowly began making me money. It just seemed a natural flow of events to begin to design my own accessory line.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I’d dreamed about quitting my day job ever since I had my son. Retail had become a grind but once I began selling pieces to my coworkers and friends it seemed like a viable form of income. When the company I was working for liquidated, I used my severance and unemployment checks to float until Good Girls Studio could bring in enough money to support us. So in a serendipitous fashion, my bad luck was the catalyst to making my dream a reality.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I’d like to say that I budgeted, planned, saved and figured it all out ahead of time…but I didn’t. I incorporated my business and opened up shop all the while thinking I would keep looking for a “real” job, because there was no way I could make ends meet by working for myself. I didn’t really have the faith that I could make this happen. Managing your own business is a completely different animal than running someone else’s! How was I supposed to become an accountant, photographer, writer, marketer, outside sales rep and creative designer, all while raising my son on my own?! There was a huge learning curve but thankfully I had friends and family who all offered such a wealth of knowledge and emotional support!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

I try and blog several times a week and I post on relevant blogs as well, which has made me both friends and customers!
Utilizing Facebook and Twitter has done more for me than anything else. I post on both of those regularly.
Customer service also plays a big role in marketing. My customers constantly send me more customers! They are my biggest cheerleaders (aside from my mom, of course).
I also try and send 25% off coupons with every order and that has generated more repeat business.
My number one marketing tip: Make what you love and wear it with pride! Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself; be passionate about it!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
Having a giveaway on my blog, or on someone else’s, has never generated any sales, to my knowledge. It’s nice exposure but I’ve never found it to be profitable to give away something I could have sold.

Walk us through your typical workday.

I get up at 7 every morning and get my son ready for school. I’m back home by 8 and have my quiet time. That is the only constant in my day! My favorite flow of my work week involves making jewelry in the beginning of the week, followed by taking and editing pictures and then uploading the new goodies to my shops.
I’m most creative in the morning, so that’s when I try and make jewelry. Some designs take weeks to finish as I gather and pile up little "collections" of vintage baubles and work them together. Others "speak" to me right away and I’m done within an hour or so.
If I’m really not feeling creative I’ll go to one of the local antique malls. Loading up on treasures and touching pieces of the past clears my head. Hopefully I remember to stop and have lunch — if not…watch out!
I schedule my meetings with shop owners before I pick up my son from school around 2:30, then try to finish up whatever I’m working on by 4. From there it’s usually time to take my son to the park, do homework and make dinner.
I try and blog and plan out my next day after he goes to bed.
Each work week is as different as each day. Lately I’ve been involved in several local fashion shows and photo shoots, so there’s been the added running around, meeting with clothing designers, planning out hairstyles and makeup and the general craziness of putting together a show!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Being able to spend quality time with my son! It is very important to me to be able to pick him up from school and volunteer in his classroom, which was such an impossibility when I worked retail hours. I love having the flexibility to run out to help a friend or just grab a cup of coffee with my mom. Not working nights, weekends and holidays is amazing!

I do miss the one-on-one interaction with customers since most of my sales are wholesale orders and Internet purchases. Trunk shows and participating in local markets give me the opportunity to meet my local customers. It’s great when I meet someone in person and they recognize my jewelry because they’ve bought pieces at a local shop!

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Being a one woman show! I’m such a great delegator and there is no one to delegate to! Seriously though, it’s hard to find time to do it all and I have a hard time asking for help. Luckily I have friends that will work for free jewelry! I’m also terrible about visiting new shops and marketing myself to them. I really need to get some new wholesale accountants and I get so nervous even thinking about it that I don’t make it out of the house! I’ve gotten much better at this and have found that wearing my jewelry is usually a big conversation starter. Once they ask me about it, I ask if they are the owner and take it from there.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
Believe in yourself! If you’re not excited about what you are doing no one else will be either; it really does show in everything you do. Also, follow your heart! I really feel that God gave me this talent and this is what I was made to do. Sometimes I forget this and start floundering, questioning myself and getting discouraged with my business. I start looking for a “real job,” you know, the one with health insurance and benefits. I never find one and am always reminded that I already have a real job, one I love and while it doesn’t have insurance benefits, it does have one great benefit: I can’t be fired! The emotional benefits of being home for my son and being creative all day far outweigh any negative ones!

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?

I’d like to get my jewelry into fashion magazines.
Opening up new wholesale accounts is a constant goal for my business.
Seeing a movie star on the red carpet being interviewed and saying, “This is a Good Girls Studio necklace,” — now that would be amazing!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Be true to yourself! There will always be other people who don’t want to see you succeed; it is a sad fact of life. If you believe in yourself and use your God-given talent, there is no end to what you can accomplish!

Thanks to Johanna for sharing her story. You can see some of Johanna's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Etsy Finds: The Space Between

2009-10-21T11:36:00-05:00

Editing has always been inherent to my meaning; as a journaler, I tend to erase before I reach the end of the clause. In art and nature, negative space suggests a graceful inverse of our experience, a non-design for every design. The technique of laser cutting creates an absence of material that evokes intricacy in both texture and light. These Etsy Finds experiment in the tangible: paper, felt, metal, wood, vinyl, leather, and plastic, but also in that alluringly elusive medium of space.

Art Deco Teardrop Earrings

By infraredstudio, $90.

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You Are The Beez Neez UNFRAMED

By julene, $65.

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Spirograph Wooden Magnets - Set of 4

By Polymath, $12.

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Laura Necklace

By clementinerex, $52.

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loop leaf ottoman

By meganauman, $750.

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Shadow Petal Bracelet

By aOlive, $30.

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Vinyl record necklace

By arohasilhouettes, $50.

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PinUp Mobile

By SaltyandSweet, $30.

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Golden Lace Leather Necklace

By eninaj, $98.

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Reflection Red Oak Coffee Table

By tloewy23, $999.

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Little Celtic Purse in Olive

By twilightandfiligree, $68.

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Chunky Folded Bangle

By muku, $40.

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Thumb War by John Hersey

By imprintsfcb, $45.

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Charming Wood 'Rounds' Necklace

By hendersondrygoods, $155.

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Waves Notebook Cover

By engrave, $60.

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Laser Cut Wood Lamp - Rain on Water

By RonMacken, $128.

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Victorian Doll House Kit

By VictorianDollhouse, $87.95.

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Spoke Bracelet

By andrea8779, $39.95.

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WING AND PRAYER Black

By MijuAndYou, $32.

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Thumbelina / Laser cut Shadow Puppet

By IsabellasArt, $20.

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Owl Family - Bamboo Mobile

By petitcollage, $68.

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Flowers Salvaged Paper Notebook

By ohsogood, $12.

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Deer Trivet in pink felt

By peppersprouts, $35.

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small gray laser head

By sfettingis, $75.

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5 Wooden Birds

From littlearty, $2.50.

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podling- silver stardust

By J2Jewelry, $32.

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Laser Cut Felt Necklace Red

By chiharusato, $20.

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Ship in a bottle bar stool

By Slowshirts, $395.

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Modern Animal Clock - Owl

By decoylab, $68.

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A feather in your cap (brooch).

By littlemiso, $14.

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world landmarks acrylic ring set

By plastique, $24.

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Leather Pleated Scarf

By MaidenArt, $591.

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Laser cut Leather clutch bag

By hannahsas, $65.

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Abstract Coral Necklace

By BeauAndStella, $36.

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PopMat Paper Placemats - Birdcage

By PubliqueShop, $20.

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ACRYLIC 7.5 inch FAUX glass DOILY

By archicraft, $8.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Facts and Fancies Blog Series | Trends | Items Tagged "Laser Cut"

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Guest Curator: Not Martha

2009-10-21T10:20:00-05:00

Megan Reardon studied costume design and construction in college before being distracted by making websites. After moving to San Francisco she found herself building a website about all the projects and inspirations she was obsessing over while building websites for other people. After moving to Seattle she started a small business selling handmade knitting needle cases called The Organized Knitter. These days she is a founding member of the Grassroots Business Organization and continues to keep track of all the things she hopes to find again over at Not Martha. She has several knitting patterns published in books and at Knitty.com, and once wove small baskets out of bacon in the hopes that the dazzle would disguise the fact that she isn't such a great cook.

I have always loved Halloween. My birthday is in October and as a child I thought Halloween was just for me (confession, I still sort of think that). I've picked out a few things for costumes and Halloween parties that delighted, surprised or downright frightened me.

Instant Cemetery Display

This Instant Cemetery Display will have your buffet spread covered for spook factor. By crafterella, $35.

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Little Miss Muffit Burlesque Style Corset

I am afraid of spiders and find this Little Miss Muffit costume clever and absolutely terrifying. By TheBohemianGoddess, $165.

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big 'ol ceramic monster cereal bowl

skeletaldropkick's shop is full of spooky faced dishes. I sort of want to comfort this guy. $27.50.

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Bat Wing Neck Corset

This neck corset is mesmerizing. Pin your hair up, put on a strapless dress and it's a costume. By idolatre, $50.

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Glass Bird Skull

vandycraft's hand blown glass bird skull is delicate and spooky. $80.

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Zombies Attack Pack Vinyl Wall Art Graphic-CHOOSE ANY COLOR-

They are coming for you. When I came across this vinyl wall art, I had to look away for a while to calm down. By Pillboxdesigns, $35.99.

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Small Curly Curly Duo - Octopus Tentacle Earrings

Everybody needs tentacles for their ears. These mismatched earrings are awfully creepy. By OctopusMe, $65.

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Bite Me Hand-Painted BCBGirls Patent Leather Peeptoe Platforms Size 10 Orange

These would complement a little black dress for Halloween so nicely. By electricbluebird, $48.

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Lacy Leaf leather Art Nouveau mask in black

This mask is ethereal and looks very comfortable. By TomBanwell, $39.

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Sea Nymph Pigtail set- IN STOCK

These pigtail falls are named Sea Nymph, but I hope she doesn't mind if I suggest that would work equally well as hair for a perky witch. By cleowolfus, $82.

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Jurassic Amber Soap (with insect)

This amber soap with bugs would make a great hostess gift for your friend who throws the best Halloween parties. By amandalouise, $6.

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Autopsy T-shirt in Black

The autopsy t-shirt was hand stitched by a former funeral director. Enough said, yes? By nancygamon, $29.

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Sterling Silver Spider Earrings - Along Came an Arachnid

BeadsInTheBelfry has found a sweet and creepy spot with these spider earrings. $52.

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The Incredible Visible Man

I want the Incredible Visible Man to watch over the guacamole. From bellalulu, $27.50.

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Finger Puppet (Jumbo)- Mr. Wonderful

madebymoxie's hand puppet comes with his own mustache on a stick, clearly he is ready for a costume party. $125.

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handsoap set

A group of baby hands reaching up to... clean your guests. By foliage, $18.

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undeadWe Tshirt (51 icons of re-animations)

A collection of undead horror and fantasy characters. If you end up waiting in a long line you can pass the time by trying to name them all. By chopshopstore, $23.

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Gothic Halloween Party - Printable Download PDF

If you're short on time, this collection of downloadable and printable Halloween decorations will make you look more on top of things than you are. (Nobody needs to know.) Includes bag toppers, napkin rings, cupcake wrappers, window decorations, snack bags, bottle labels, a Halloween banner and more. By paperandcake, $8.

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vintage party tray

This party tray is darling, and so useful. From leVintageMaison, $68.

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SPIDER Temporary Tattoos (Set of 5)

Buttonhead's spider temporary tattoos creep me out. I want them. $5.

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Pumpkin pie truffles

These pumpkin pie truffles would make a great hostess gift. By VintageConfections, $12.

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sexy BATS TATTOO knee-high socks LIGHT MOCHA

Appropriate for the office and perfect for Halloween. I really like all of post's tattoo socks (hope she brings back the peacock feather design, it was stunning). $13.

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Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive!

Tricks, Treats, and Parties Guide | Halloween Blog Posts | Halloween Category

Etsy Finds: Cool to the Touch

2009-10-20T11:22:00-05:00

As a blogger, a style addict and a shopper who enjoys the thrill of the hunt, I'm continually in search of originality to sate my design thirst. (I guess you could call it style ADD.) New workings of classic looks never fail to get my attention. Get out of your rut and into a fresh aesthetic with today's collection of trend-focused Etsy Finds.

Tribal Inspired

Bring an exotic bent to your wardrobe with the vibrant patterns of tribal inspired clothing and accessories. Look for fringe, feathers, geometric and animal prints, and jewelry inspired by ancient artifacts.

Ethiopoque dress

By LesEnfantsSauvages, $80.

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Maya Earrings

By KiraFerrer, $68.

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Whimisical Fringe Leather Cuff

By spirocreations, $40.

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Textile necklace nO.445

By kjoo, $160.

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Enchanted Mesa Turquoise Earrings

By SocietyHillDesigns, $180.

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Dylan - Feather and Chain Necklace

By noemiah, $50.

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Running Salmon Feather Earrings

By bonesandthings, $30.

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Ethnic Vintage 70s cape

From cloudninevintage, $42.

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Depression Era Design

Invoke the authenticity of a simpler time with the functional designs of 1930s interiors. This collection was inspired by the Whistle Stop Cafe of Fried Green Tomatoes fame. Reclaimed barn wood, etched mirrors, Mason jars, globe lamps and cozy rag rugs add to the primitive feel.

Semi Sparkle Sheer curtain

By mmmCurtains, $25.

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Repurposed Vintage Lamp

By LampGoods, $149.

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dick tracys lamp

From FromGraytoGold, $22.

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Rag Rug Retro Teal OOAK

By WebWorksFiber, $52.

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Antique Leather and Wood Chair

From Hindsvik, $95.

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Farmhouse Dining Kitchen Table

By blackberryfurniture, $3850.

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Antique Wood Mirror From Cabinet

By RowansRoom, $65.

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cozy mug

By brookhousepottery, $18.

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two vintage large TINCTURE bottles

From littlebyrdvintage, $24.

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Hunter Green and Buttercream Frame

By SecondLineFrames, $65.

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Mason Jar Votive Lantern

By PigeonToeCeramics, $28.

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black cross hemp and kapok pillow

By enhabiten, $30.

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The Modern Warrior

The Mayan calendar's end is quickly approaching (2012!), and post-apocalyptic fashion is here to greet it. The modern warrior look takes crucial style cues from Mad Max, with rugged and distressed details fit for dystopia. Prepare to get tough (and look good doing it) while fighting off a zombie or two.

Shredded T-Shirt Dress, All sizes.

By UrbanRevisions, $80.

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SILVER METALLIC Cuff Bracelet

By AroshaTwists, $50.

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Embellished Tights

By CocoNo5, $85.

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Changeling.

By PeaceImages, $40.

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black leather studded BIKER boots

From 20twentyvintage, $60.

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perpetual necklace - 00

By ofmatter, $20.

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The Iron Maiden

By thechainsoflove, $40.

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Black Leather Cuff Bracelet

By UNEARTHED, $95.

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Asymmetrical Leather Corset

By AntisepticFashion, $650.

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Tire Wire Long or Short Necklace

By SASessories, $39.50.

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Cozy Capes

Why submit to the confines of a jacket when you can fly loose and free in a cape? This classic piece of outerwear history is seeing a revival (and not just for vampires) in warm knits, waterproof neoprene and even child-size formats.

The Tied Capelet in Pony

By fglass, $40.

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ruffle cape in sky blue wool

By redpossum, $60.

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convertible cloak hoodlet - wool/silk

By rimadesigns, $120.

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hand dyed handwoven poncho

By larimeloom, $150.

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Charcoal Gray Fleece Wrap

By youngbear, $24.

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Neoprene Coat

By gemmadegara, $80.

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What's your favorite emerging trend? Leave it in the comments!

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Etsy Finds: Fade to Black

2009-10-14T11:42:00-05:00

Picture it: A foreboding shadow in a dimly lit room, the glistening kohl-rimmed eyes of a 1930s rapscallion, the vast darkness that beckons inside every Pandora's box, and a resonant swelling of the orchestra as the silent film fades to black. The evocative tone that is black conjures an endless array of seductive, chic, and ominous associations. Today's Etsy Finds collection pays homage to the sinister shade that waits behind every closed door. Peruse the Noir Style Guide for more dark lovelies.

Nightingale Little Black Dress 0/2

By itsokmydear, $240.

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Diamond in the Rough

By dollybirddesign, $48.

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Antique New York subway rollsign

From luckylittledot, $335.

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Recording Diary - Black

By 7321Design, $20.

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fancy chandelier

By uncommon, $45.

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Fritz Pullover

By reifhaus, $132.

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Wilhelmina

By alisondahl, $112.

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1930s Hollywood Film Illustration

By violettdrakt, $25.

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Fleures Noires Ring

By mariagotijoyas, $54.

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Black Beanie

By moocowhandknits, $28.

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3d Triangle stud earrings

By ToTheMetal, $48.

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X-Ray Notecards

By scodioli, $14.

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custom silhouette pendant

By luckymebeads, $60.

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Black Leather Lace Up Riding Boots

From santokivintage, $175.

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Retro Lounge Chair and Ottoman

By lunarloungedesign, $899.

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Hand Embroidered Eye

By Samskiart, $130.

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BlackMuse for cold days...

By LeMuse, $79.

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Vegan Iphone sleeve - rabbit

By squirrellicious, $31.50.

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Mobile nite frond earrings

By MiniCyn, $42.

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Alven Tap Panties - Made to Order

By undertheroot, $35.

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Vampire Slug 2.0

By cheezombie, $22.

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Beard Face screen print

By Workerman, $5.

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Mercy - giclee print (8.5 x 11)

By ryancolemanart, $20.

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avant garde typography necklace

By plastique, $20.

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Lucky Paw Keychain

By astulabee, $22.

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Black Kitty Tutu Including Ears

By sweetmarguerite, $44.99.

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Coal Black Artisinal Wool Coat

By patriciaayres, $535.

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Black Lace legging

By PinarEris, $45.

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cozy/cuff

By meganauman, $38.

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Big, Black, Beautiful Leather shopper

By bagonia, $370.

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Clock from a recycled JVC turntable

By pixelthis, $97.

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Vintage 60s Faux Fur Maxi Coat

From Erstwhilestyle, $150.

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Nuno Felted Shawl - Black Elegance

By vart, $138.

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sevens

By locallibrary, $28.

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Black Halloween Wreath

By electricbluebird, $55.

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Mariner sailor sweater

By FloremarkShop, $90.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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Quit Your Day Job: laralewis

2009-10-12T16:30:00-05:00

Lara of laralewis has been able to successfully quit her day job in the teaching field and move her family closer to her hometown as a result of her Etsy success. Lara swears by a daily list of goals and was able to make quitting her day job a reality by planning ahead and making life changes that contributed toward her dream. Today Laura provides some of the most practical, useful and detailed tips for running a successful business that I've ever come across in the Quit Your Day Job series; you're in for a treat!

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I have such busy hands that I am always making or creating something. It wasn’t until just recently that I thought I could actually make a business out of it!

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
No, not at first, but I have dreamed for a long time of moving back to my parents’ hometown to be closer to my family. With teaching jobs becoming scarce and the economy being what it is, I didn’t think it was possible to be able to afford to quit my job and relocate. However, that was about three months before we actually did! Once we made the decision, things happened pretty fast.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Yes! Here are the nitty-gritty details; I hope I didn’t forget anything!

My fiancé, Jesse, and I reevaluated our monthly budget and started to utilize Quicken to manage our finances. This made a huge difference when we realized where our money was going, and we stopped doing things like eating out and all those other little extra things that add up.
After we looked at our budget, I figured out how much I would need to make if I was actually going to quit my day job. Then I added in the expenses needed for us to move and cut out the money we’d be saving from me working at home instead of driving to work every day. This gave us a goal to work towards.
I buckled down and worked extra hard in order to pay off debt that I owed. This is really important, because there will always be slow periods. You don't want those extra bills hanging over your head.
I met with an accountant to make sure there wouldn’t be any nasty surprises at tax time. He also helped me keep track of expenses that I didn’t realize were tax deductible!
While I still had my steady income, I stocked up as much as possible on supplies.
Right before our move, we traded in both of our cars for one smaller and more economical vehicle. I called our car insurance company and lowered our rate based on our only having one car, and it being driven so much less.
We still clip coupons like maniacs and plan meals in advance. You’d be surprised how much money the Sunday paper coupons save.
We’re much thriftier shoppers. If we can fix something rather than buy another, we do, and if we need something, we always hit up places like Salvation Army before going to the retail stores.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Most importantly I feel it’s crucial to stay visible, and these are the three main ways you can do this:

Take great pictures of your products and you will inevitably be featured in Treasuries, homepage collections and The Storque. Also, fans will blog, Tweet, and Facebook about you like crazy. I use an “old” digital camera and I don’t own a tripod, so I can tell you with certainty that you don't need anything fancy to do this. Here are some tips I have learned that have helped me:

Photograph in natural light and turn off the flash.
Find the sunniest location in your home to set up your shots.
Only shoot in filtered sunlight, because otherwise the shadows are too harsh. If you need to, stretch a piece of tracing paper over your window where the sun streams in.
Take a piece of cardboard and wrap it in aluminum foil. Use it to reflect light onto your subject.
Don't go too crazy with your backgrounds, but definitely choose something that tells the story of what you are trying to sell. When in doubt, go neutral.
Set your camera on macro and after your camera focuses, pull back just a smidge before you take the picture. Take several shots and use various angles.
Set up your pictures knowing that you might want to crop them to a perfect square to look best in your thumbnails. Pick your best one as your "money shot!"

Frequently Add New Items/Renew

I have found that customers will regularly “check in” on your shop to see what you’ve been up to. Keep your store fresh, and your customers interested, by regularly adding new items.
Facebook Connect is a great new feature! I also Tweet and blog about items I am excited about and explain a little more about the impetus behind them.
Renew items that might be in a category that is broad and/or trendy. I know this is highly debatable, but I don't think there is a perfect time of day to list or renew items. Just try to be consistent.

Provide Excellent Customer Service

Customers who are happy with their purchases will tell their friends and family, blog about you, include you in their Treasuries, etc.
Treat customers how you would want to be treated. It’s the golden rule! Provide quick responses to their queries, ship as quickly as possible, use beautiful packaging, and include a little thank you note. Make each and every one of them feel special, because they truly are!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I honestly feel that if something brings in just one new customer or brings a little more attention to my store, it was a successful promotion. However, what works for some, might not work for you...so do what you feel most comfortable with!

Walk us through your typical workday.

I’m up before the birds to say goodbye to Jesse as he heads off for work and to get our teenage daughter ready for school. After they leave, I sit down with a cup of coffee and check for messages, print receipts, and make a daily goals list. If I don’t make lists, nothing will get done because I am so easily distracted.
Usually the mornings are spent creating new items and listing them in my shop, while jotting down lists of supplies I need to reorder. I email back and forth with my mom a lot because she also works from home.
Around lunchtime I practically attack the poor mailman when he arrives to see if I have received any new supplies. Then I continue to make and list new items. Because I can multitask like a pro, I am also doing laundry, answering emails, blogging, Tweeting, sketching new designs, and squeezing in food and drink somewhere in there.
By mid-afternoon, I start packaging any sold items to go out in the late afternoon mail run. I also start thinking about dinner because when my daughter comes home, she is like a hungry Velociraptor and there had better be food ready.
Jesse prints out my shipping labels, puts them in their envelopes, and delivers them to the post office. He’s the best! Then we all sit down to dinner, go over homework, talk about our day, and they patiently listen to me blah, blah, blah about my business.
After that, Jesse goes to work on his college classes, and my daughter and I spend time being silly together. If it’s not too late, we will take long walks on the trails surrounding our home, and being the nerd that I am, I love taking pictures of the various trees and wildflowers we see.
After that, I’m back in the studio stocking up on inventory, ordering supplies, working on new designs, answering emails, etc. until around 11 p.m. when Jesse drags me back out and tells me it’s time for bed!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
What do I enjoy most? Where do I start?! Being “forced” to simplify, we have actually found that our lives are greatly enriched. Now that I am working from home, and not driving 100 miles a day to get to work, I can spend more time with my family. Now that we've moved closer to my grandparents, I love that I can be there when they need me. Also, fellow teachers will appreciate that I now don’t have to wait until planning or lunch to go to the bathroom! I do miss my friends with whom I was lucky enough to work and I truly miss my students. I am so proud to have once been part of the teaching profession and have the greatest respect for those who make it their life work.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
You can’t walk away from it! I think about what I can do to improve constantly, and I’m a really tough boss. Also, with working from home, it’s hard to not get distracted by things like the dishes in the sink and other housework to be done. It can be really scary, too, knowing that I am the only one responsible for my success. Yikes!

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?

Take a class with your local Small Business Development Center early on. It’s free and they provide excellent advice.
Get organized right from the start with an excellent filing system and create a spreadsheet to track sales and taxes.
Plan ahead by organizing a studio and shipping area that can handle the workload of a bigger business. If you’re not there now, you will be eventually, and you will save yourself the trouble of having to rearrange by starting big!
Google your business name from time to time and see what comes up! Use Google Analytics to see how traffic is being directed to your page, and upload shop content to Google Base. Buy a domain name for your shop even if you don’t plan on using it yet; along the same lines, establish an account with the major social networking sites, so someone else doesn’t grab your name first.
Try not to compare yourself to others, it will just make you feel bad and prevent you from developing your own style. Most importantly: Don’t give up!

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I have been working on some new illustrations, and I hope to open another shop soon to offer paper goods and prints of my artwork. (*Cross fingers*)

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
My most heartfelt thanks to Etsy, my customers, my family, and friends who have all been so supportive. Without all of you, I wouldn’t even be in this position to share this story, and I only hope I can pay it forward to help someone else!

Thanks to Lara for sharing her story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with her Wednesday, October 14 at 5 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of Lara's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Etsy Finds: Cowboy, Take Me Away

2009-10-12T13:14:00-05:00

A girl may spend her single life dreaming about the special day she'll utter the words, "I do." Being raised by high school sweethearts, I learned firsthand the many special ways a couple can keep their love burning strong for over 30 years: home cooked family dinners, walks in the park and impromptu dances to old country love songs. These romantic moments instilled a twang deep in my heart.

One day, when that perfect man manages to lasso my affections, we'll have a wedding that celebrates the folks who taught me about true love and the importance of honoring passed down country traditions. It'll be a simple wedding, with plenty of handmade touches, a borrowed family heirloom, a worn piece of denim as our something blue — and of course, lots of lace and boot scootin' boogie.

The Etsy Finds below highlight just a few handmade and vintage pieces that will give your guests somethin' to talk about for years to come.

Honky Tonk Angel

Couture Eco-Friendly Wedding Dress

By NaturalBridals, $4800.

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Grand Ole Opry. OOAK necklace.

By lambrabbit, $95.

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Vintage cream leather knot booties

From brownbagvintage, $40.

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Daisies with Mini Flowers & Berries

By Mandizzle, $36.

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Green Ruffle Flower Ribbon Sash

By tinarie21, $26.

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Medium Handmade Clutch

By mollusa, $59.

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Cherry Blossom Bangle Bracelet

By amy987, $28.

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French Country Cottage Garter Set

By PetereneDesign, $37.

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Van Lear Rose

W E D D I N G --- Custom Bridal Gown

By ktjean, $1700.

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Denim Rose Necklace

By heatherberry, $28.

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Mixed Flower Fascinator with Veil

By TessaKim, $64.

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Lace and Bead Wristlets

By webs55, $15.

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Hand Embellished White Pettipants

By cheapfrillz, $20.

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Cream Silk Garter with Handmade Rose

By GarterLady, $30.

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White wedding gloves with pearl buttons

From katesy, $39.

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White COWGIRL Boots 8 to 8.5 M

From VintageDove, $85.

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Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

Wool Herringbone 3-Piece Suit

By MacheteNSons, $535.

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Mandolin or Banjo Cufflinks

By Enthral, $35.

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Vintage Cowboy Boots Mint

From elmstreetvintage, $55.

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Tooled Western Floral Leather Belt

By RHolmesCustomLeather, $185.

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Hat Band- black leather with rivets

By mygustin, $20.

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Vintage Square Dance Bow Tie

From RubyBeets, $12.50.

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Fall boutonniere

By PixelandHank, $7.

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Woody Flask - Leather in Antique Brown

By moxieandoliver, $65.

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Made For Loving You

3 Signs: 1 Personalized and 2 Wedding

By Funkifolkart, $84.99.

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Vintage shabby bird cage with love birds

From Shabbylull, $52.

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Coptic stich wood journal

By crearting, $40.

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sweetheart

By goodguest, $25.

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CAKE SET - Beaded Knife And Server

By Beadz2Pleaz, $56.99.

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Custom Love Birds Wedding Cake Topper

By LittleVale, $45.

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Rectangle Custom Vase, Set of 3

By SimplyPerfectParties, $45.

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Succulent Wreath

By AprilHilerDesigns, $250.

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Personalized Just Married Car Decal

By WallspokenWeddings, $20.

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Cowboy Hat Cupcake Wrappers

By OliviasPaperShoppe, $6.

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Shotgun Shell Wedding Reception Lights

By awelldressedbullet, $23.

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Rock Coasters - HANK WILLIAMS Kaw

By rockcoasters, $5.

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We'd love to see photos showing off the vintage or handmade aspects of your wedding! Submit images of your special day to the Etsy Handmade Weddings Flickr pool today! (And even if you're not married, the Flickr pool has tons of inspiring images to make your heart swell!)

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Wedding Decor Guide | Handmade Weddings Series | Artful Entertaining Guide

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Etsy Finds: Culture Vulture

2009-10-10T10:00:00-05:00

When it comes time to assemble a Halloween-worthy costume, I worship at the altar of the visual bon mot. Zombies and sexy nurses — I can take 'em or leave 'em. The costumes that get my attention tend to be elaborate puns ("Freudian slip," anyone?) and clever pop culture references. There's something so thrilling about running into a beloved character from stage or screen on a witch and vampire-laden sidewalk (I almost had a panic attack when I bumped into a sassy Officer Dangle lookalike a few moons ago). Today's Etsy Finds were inspired by the many pop culture references ripe for reinvention. Peruse the Halloween Costumes style guide for more out of the box ideas.

Lady Gaga

If there's one musician whose wardrobe beckons imitation, it's Lady Gaga. Her over-the-top getups have revived the lost art of costumes as showmanship. Gaga is infamous for her "hair" bows, dresses composed of plush animals and three dimensional geometric outfits.

Giant Bow Head Band

By TheLibertarian, $40.

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Monster Dress all sizes

By devaniweaver, $335.

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Devil girl SPIKE SKIRT pvc gothic

By melissae, $150.

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Lavinia Feather Collar

By LoulouLovesYou, $155.

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Gaga for Gaga Hairbow

By Imagined, $14.

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Bat Wing Neck Corset

By idolatre, $50.

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LADY GAGA INSPIRED MINI GLOVES

By youneedunique, $20.

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Masquerade

By juliaemily, $50.

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Fancy Feather Eyelashes

By intrinsicimagination, $25.

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Ruffle drama mama

By crutch, $8000.

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The Disco Ball Bra

By mleiladast, $80.

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Josephine Baker

By BoringSidney, $850.

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Tim Burton Inspired

If you're looking for a font of Goth-friendly costume inspiration, look no further: Tim Burton's oeuvre will not disappoint. Be it a "bio-exorcist" with a penchant for stripes, the muted velvet of a mysterious chocolate purveyor, or his characters' signature deathly pallor, Burton's aesthetic is instantly recognizable.

Black and White Carnival Costume

By CrudeThings, $265.

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Whilamena Wonka

By dirtybirdyvintage, $100.

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The Evelyn - Victorian Top Hat

By topsyturvydesign, $229.

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Gothic Hand Painted Costume Sale

By TheBohemianGoddess, $300.

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Black, White, Gray Arm Warmers

By deSamothrace, $17.

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Royal Mask-GREAT PRICE

By EnRapturingReVisions, $180.

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Two blackbirds Perch Headband

By charmschooldesign, $44.

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Beetle - Fine silver ring

By MilicaBubanja, $50.

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Gothic Lolita Skirt and Coat XS to XL

By gloomth, $140.

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Brown Velvet/Satin Top Hat

By GypsyLadyHats, $135.

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Vintage Burtonesque Carnival Dress

From modularparallel, $459.

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Skull and BLACK LACE Hair Clip

By artisansagogo, $14.

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Michael Jackson

The King of Pop's passing left many a sequin glove to fill. Celebrate your love of all fashions M.J. with your best loafers, cropped pants and jauntily tilted fedora.

Military Inspired Jacket

From joules, $55.

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the gloved one

From chainchainchained, $12.

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vintage BLACK FELT hat

From greatestfriend, $48.

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bed and board buckle oxfords 8M

From persephonevintage, $44.99.

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vtg beaded tuxedo jacket

From evamaniadesign, $38.

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Michael Jackson Sequin Glove

By PaulaAndErika, $8.

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vtg CHAIN BLAZER studded gem

From HoldMyGoldVintage, $34.

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Polka Dot Red Bow Tie

From putonthatdress, $7.

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vtg JUMPSUIT slouchy pant

From HoldMyGoldVintage, $20.

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Black Sequined Bolero

From GingerKisses, $75.

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Vintage 80s stretch JUMPER

From vintagemarmalade, $34.

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Studded Black Leather Slip On Flats

By twostringjane, $85.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Items Tagged "Halloween" | More Halloween Posts | Halloween Gift Guides

Halloween Category | Search for Costumes

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Etsy Finds: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2009-10-08T11:45:00-05:00

Referencing the 1980s to your friends tends to elicit the full gamut of strong reactions. If you lived it, you may conjure up rattling memories of bad perms, yuppie s and an excess of palm tree iconography. However, the '80s style was also a refreshing burst of color and light after the sleazification of disco and the Jacuzzi. It was a time when girl power gained traction in pop culture and its feminine flourishes influenced fashion and music in ways that inspired even men to pick pink. Now that the fall runway collections have tapped into the playful '80s aesthetic, Etsy sellers have been offering new takes on neon, shoulder pads and leggings (to name a few). Enjoy a few of my favorites in today's 1980s inspired Etsy Finds!

Vintage Neon Purple Dress

From hotvintage, $22.

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Neon Pink Felt Bow Brooch

By lupin, $13.75.

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Vintage Grey Check Boyfriend Blazer

From blackmarketvintage, $38.

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Mondrian Retro Ring

By lrjewellery, $70.

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Neon Orange Sailcloth Wallet

By RAGGEDedgeGear, $35.

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1980s Vintage Aviators

From sustalux, $14.

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Vintage Gold LA Gear Sneakers

From pascalvintage, $35.

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Necklace and Scarf

By psarokokalo, $30.

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Vintage Black Leather Biker Jacket

From santokivintage, $125.

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Vintage 80s Brocade Corset Boots

From hotdate, $36.

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Neon Felt Pouch

By nanno, $10.

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Shoulder Pad Pocket Tee

By takeoffyourclothes, $20.

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SALE Grey Checkered Romper

By imyourpresent, $36.

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Set of 3 David Hockney-ish Pillows

By ouno, $200.

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Lucky Star Decor/Garden Stakes

By sierrametaldesign, $9.99.

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Geometric Ruffles Ribbon Necklace

By 2ndRecollection, $40.

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Mr. Awesome Skull Mouse Pad

By inhope, $14.

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Lola Dress

By eclecticcut, $25.

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Wool Felt Love Song Mixtape Pouch

By BraveMoonman, $50.

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Neon Floral Dress

By paulnkc, $59.

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Electric Blue/ Silver Stripe Leggings

By bunnymassacre, $24.

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High Waisted White Wrangler Jeans

From Furburger, $14.

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You Complete Me Tetris Cross Stitch

By ArgentaCollaborative, $20.

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Vintage Where's the Beef Mug

From jemporium, $7.

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SALE Naples Neon Necklace

By sparklecouture, $29.40.

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Vintage 80s Neon Orange Frames

From eyeseevintage, $59.95.

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VINTAGE 80s Valley Girl Telephone

By PenelopeLove, $30.

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Polaroid Cool Cam

From elksme, $50.

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Supersonic Disc Necklace

By kitschyc, $38.

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Head On Dress

By CallMeCaptain, $75.

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My Pony Shirt

By flutter, $44.99.

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Rainbow Chainmaille Bracelet

By ToraJewelry, $15.

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Reusable Flamingo Wall Sticker

By SolanaGraphicStudios, $24.

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Vintage Jordache High Tops

From dollypopvintage, $59.

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Vintage Cheetah Tee

From nickiefrye, $32.

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Colorful Friendship Bracelets

By AmbieandAshiesArt, $6.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Search for Items Tagged "80s"

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How-Tuesday: Three Projects From the Blogosphere

2009-10-06T14:00:00-05:00

In true DIY fashion, Etsians know that craft expertise doesn't necessarily have to come from book deals or extensive degrees. Sharing the bliss of trying something new and learning tips along the way is ever-present in the Etsy community. This week's How-Tuesday is a sampling of some of the fresh tutorials Etsy members are exhibiting on their blogs, including reupholstering a thrift store sofa courtesy of jstephens13, vibrant watercolor portraits from SusanFaye, and delicate wire knot rings thanks to decors. What I love most about these how-to's is the emphatic encouragement and excitement throughout, sure to ignite your creative fire.

Loveseat Upholstery from jstephens13

An all furniture thrift store was recently introduced to my town. Being forever inspired by "old treasures made new," I immediately gravitated to the Vine Home Thrift. Having spent the last 20 years sewing, creating and designing smaller scale pieces of fashion, recently, I have been pushing for something more, something larger!

My first upholstery installation was an 80s headboard passed down from my parents years ago (a large half-moon shape with plenty of faux bois paneling). From there I covered many dining chairs, a headboard for my sons’ toddler bed...mostly 1-sided objects. When I found a sweet little loveseat on sale for $10 at my NEW FAVORITE STORE, I knew I had nothing to lose.

The emotion and therapy available in tearing a piece of furniture limb from limb is fantastic; stretching your chosen fabric tightly for a finished look can be breathtaking. Upholstery immediately grabbed me. Returning to the store and feeling a bit cocky, I sought the ugliest monstrosity in the store.

This photo tutorial will demonstrate upholstery techniques and furniture modification (once an enormous davenport/sleeper sofa, now a modern loveseat). Re-use what you can, seek new where needed, and in the end, curl up with a great book!

You can find my upholstery tutorial here.

Watercolor Portrait from SusanFaye

For me, watercolor painting is all about the luminosity, flow, and clarity of colors. I began flirting with watercolor during high school, took a class in college, and designed and marketed my first set of watercolor notecards shortly thereafter. Happiness ensued until a chance encounter with clay distracted me for the next 20 years as I became consumed with all things ceramic, porcelain and stoneware. Then carpal tunnel syndrome reared its ugly head. Clay and I were forced to part ways.

It was then that I took up again with my old flame, watercolor, and discovered true bliss. In addition to painting and selling traditional nature studies of flora and fauna, I also create whimsical custom Pet People portraits right here on Etsy in my shop. I have painted portraits of feline fanatics from across the U.S., plus cat ladies and lads in Canada, Great Britain, Greece, and Finland! You can see many of these portraits and read their stories on my daily blog.

As an occasional workshop instructor, I have discovered that watercolor is one of the most-feared mediums in the art world. Trust me when I tell you, it DOES NOT have to be so scary! I have put together a step-by-step tutorial on "How to Paint a Cat Lady and Lad" in a fun, illustrative style that I hope will inspire you to give it a try!

I cover a few watercolor basics such as materials, tools, and color mixing, then show simple techniques for creating an image by painting just one section or shape at a time, with a little blending and layering. Just remember to take your time, and if you goof up, IT'S ONLY PAPER! It's okay to try, try again as many times as you want to (as long as you remember to recycle all that paper)!

Important note: It is not cheating to trace, or to pencil in your lines first! (I once "got hell" from a student who had been taught at parochial school that tracing was CHEATING!) A real artist knows this simple rule of thumb: Try everything, and whatever works, just do it... and have FUN!

You can find my watercolor how-to here.

Wire Knot Ring from decors

Born and raised in the bustling suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I graduated from my adopted home of Melbourne, Australia, with a Bachelor's Degree in Computing. Starting with basic jewelry craft in December 2007, I quickly moved on to wire jewelry two weeks later and was instantly hooked. Thinking of a way to innovate, I realized that the art of Chinese knotting would introduce a certain je ne sais quoi to my creations, and thus began my fascination and passion for creation in this style and medium.

Amidst the encouragement that accompanied my first tutorial, though, there were some who felt that I should be writing tutorials in my mother tongue, on the narrow-minded pretext of there being a glut of tutorials for the English speaking audience.

I believe art should live naturally and be expressed as freely as breathing, which is why I continue to write and design as much as I can, in as many languages as I can. Wires taught me to be humble, and I give a short prayer of thanks each time they survive my designs.

You can find my wire knot ring tutorial here.

Do you include how-to's on your blog? Share in the comments below! Thanks to jstephens13, SusanFaye, and decors for these inspiring tutorials. I am grateful for how much I learn every day from the Etsy community!

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Etsy Finds: October Shopping Guide

2009-10-01T11:00:00-05:00

The October Shopping Guide is a sampling of this month's festivities, including creative inspiration for Halloween, decor solutions for the change in season, the latest in fall fashion (you saw it here first!), a collection of gift ideas for the October birthdays on your list, autumn wedding and celebration looks made simple, and fall's emerging trends. Discover additional tricks, treats, and October inspired finds in Etsy's Gift Guides.

A Creative Halloween

Lion Costume

By creations4children, $90.

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4 Black Widow Wine Glasses

By marywibis, $66.66.

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Psycho 3 pack of olive oil soaps

By chasestreetsoapco, $18.

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pumpkin patch

By littlepapoose, $30.

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OCTOBER NIBBLER

By BlissCandies, $17.95.

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Pumpkinrot Groundbreaker II

By pumpkinhollow, $200.

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Harvest Home Decor

Natural Edge Apple bowl

By massmans, $75.

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Patchwork Pillow

By nellgleason, $30.

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Fall/Autumn Wreath

By theferngate, $42.

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3 Peg Country Tavern Mirror

By blackberryfurniture, $98.

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Autumn Fall Candle Set

By aBreathofFrenchair, $40.

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BIRCH TREE FORREST DECAL SET

By HutchMe, $70.

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Dynamic Fall Fashion

cashmere cape

By Golie, $300.

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80's SUEDE knee-high boots SIZE 8

By 20twentyvintage, $62.

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Tweed Racer Dress with jacket

By genevievedietz, $120.

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Lone Tree Elk Leather Bag

By stacyleigh, $265.

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GEISHA CARDIGAN

By designbynihan, $246.

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Jane

By alisondahl, $254.

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October's Symbols and Signs

The way I look at you

By artisanimpact, $338.

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Libra Constellation Ring

By onegarnetgirl, $118.

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The Astrology Fringe Cape

From jessjamesjake, $42.

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L I B R A - Sterling Domed Cuff

By NicoleLorentz, $30.

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Tribal Opal Earrings

By stoneaddict, $125.

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Vintage Scorpio Astrological Mug

By VintageIsForLovers, $7.

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Autumnal Weddings

LOVE IN THE MIST

By joanshum, $5000.

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Bouquet Wedding Cake Topper

By HaveAndHold, $72.

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Paper Leaves Place Cards

By JenniferAitchison, $40.

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harvest butterflies fascinator

By thehoneycomb, $35.

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Autumn Lanterns (set of four)

By MidwestFinds, $26.

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3 pc dinnerware set

By OneClayBead, $80.

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Fall Trends

Crisalide bag in three

By ninu, $94.

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amethyst scepter bullet necklace

By anotherfeather, $40.

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Vintage Slr Camera

From LaBellaAmour, $70.

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2010 Letterpress Calendar

By smeurer8, $26.

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Miniature Custom Heart Sampler

By MiniatureRhino, $28.

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70s Tribal Print Fitted Dress

From desirapesta, $74.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Etsy Finds: Something Old, Something New

2009-09-30T11:00:00-05:00

My wedding fascination started not with dreams of tiaras and glass slippers, but with a well-loved photo album filled with lime green bridesmaid dresses and thick sideburns. My parents were married at the height of disco glam, and my mother wore a hooded jersey gown lined with maribou feathers (very Halston). Now I find myself brushing up against racks of softly whispering tulle, analyzing the silhouettes of perfectly coiffed wedding toppers, and poring over photo albums of decades I've never known.

As such, I can't help but take that old wedding adage "something old, something new" into consideration for my oft-daydreamed wedding. The only question is which kind of vintage bride would I be: a dreamy 1920s flapper, coy and classic 1950s gal, or a beehived Rat Pack tagalong of Vegas in the 1960s? Today's Etsy Finds are inspired by the stylish decades that set the standard for bridal glamor.

If you're looking for vintage-infused nuptial eye candy, be sure to check out Once Wed's Real Weddings section. For more wedded bliss, check out Etsy's Wedding Attire style guide and the always inspirational Handmade Weddings series.

The Jazz Age

A 1920s inspired wedding wouldn't be complete without the requisite flapper details: intricate beading, antique lace, feathers, filigree, Art Deco details, jazz and knock-kneed Charleston frolicking. Check out Ed and Ginny's breathtaking wedding album on Once Wed for more twenties exaltation.

La Carmaux

By Makool, $820.

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Art Deco Diamond Ring - Circa 1920

From nouveaumotley, $185.

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kelly earrings

By eliwill, $19.

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Silk Wrap with Nuno Felted Flowers

By glamourjunkie, $120.

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Wedding Headpiece

By quirkybeauty, $30.

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Deco Ring

By thebeside, $175.

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WISP capelet

By katetowers, $144.

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1920s Silk purse

From Bellasoiree, $225.

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The Helen

By austie, $225.

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Two heart lockets necklace

By worksandfinds, $22.

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Wedding / Cocktail Dress

By forEvaMore, $100.

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Antique 1920s headpiece

By YuliaKunze, $98.

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Retro Classic

The 1950s set the gold standard for the wedding silhouette: full circle skirts, crinolines, costume jewelry and an emphasis on demure glamor. If you're a traditional gal at heart, this is your decade: just put "Sleep Walk" on the hifi and sway the night away. Elizabeth Taylor's grandiose 1950 wedding to Conrad "Nicky" Hilton should help in the inspiration department.

Kielle Veil

By veiledbeauty, $80.

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La Femme

By LittleMissDressUp, $64.

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Diamond Ring

By beyondtherockz, $1395.

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Gold Garden Belt - Custom

By LittleWhiteDresser, $32.

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Blue Fascinator With French Veil

By AtomicSweets, $25.

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Josephine Earrings

By LostAndFawned, $20.

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1950's Embroidered Organza Dress

From TimelessVixenVintage, $390.

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June - Tea Length Wedding Dress

By LizzieJayne, $650.

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Vintage Crystal Teardrop Earrings

By ShySiren, $36.

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Fingertip Veil (U.S Shipping Free)

By heknowsmyname, $69.

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Fly Away With Me Clutch

By rejenerate, $79.

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Vintage Floating Wedding Dress

From fabgabs, $225.

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A Swinging Time

If you have modern sensibilities with retro inclinations, this is the decade for you. A 1960s wedding is all about the tiny Las Vegas chapel, beehives, heavy eyeliner, nude lips, lucite jewelry, long sleeved gowns, and fitted sheaths. Break out the bubbly, turn up the Sinatra and peruse photos from the 1967 union of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu to get in the mood.

Vintage Airy Chiffon Wedding Dress

From adVintagous, $125.

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Rough Herkimer Solitaire - 14K

By Onestonenewyork, $350.

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Four Piece Mod 60s Suit

From DressUpDollVintage, $36.

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White Flower Bouquets

By raquelcastillo, $26.

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Silk Lined Silver and White Clutch

By BrianaEdelmanDesigns, $67.

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Vintage 60s MOD wedding dress

From BetaBoutique, $56.

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1960s Pumps with Rhinestones

From VintageDarling, $38.

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60s Vintage Calmy Classic Dress

From DalenaVintage, $37.

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Vintage Lace Wedding Gown

From hayleybritt, $160.

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Large Enamel Daisy Earrings

By nycbird, $115.

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I Do - Pair of Imperfection Bands

By bmjnyc, $755.

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Vintage Lace 60s Mod Mini Dress

From oldage, $64.

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Planning a wedding? For inspired bridal party gift ideas, check out our post with Brides Local Magazines.

Which decade suits your vintage fancy? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Wedding Attire Guide | The Handmade Weddings Series | Weddings Category

Search for "Vintage Wedding"

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CPSIA: Overcoming Obstacles and Fighting for Change

2009-09-28T17:00:00-05:00

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was passed just over a year ago, and since a stay was put in place in February, Etsy makers of children's items have kept the conversation going on the special Etsy Forum. From major newspapers to the blogosphere, from mom and pop stores to multi-national corporations, the CPSIA has continued to provoke confusion and ire. We invited Cecilia Leibovitz, a.k.a. paperdreams, to give us an update on the state of affairs. Cecelia is not only the founder of craftsburykids.com, a shop specializing in unique handmade toys and gifts for children — she is also President of the Handmade Toy Alliance, a grassroots organization advocating for makers of small batch children's products.

Many who produce small batch items for children are well aware of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). You may already know that fabric has been exempted from CPSIA and that crafters are not necessarily required to label their items, but must keep an accurate record system in place in the event of a possible recall. There are very specific stipulations that go along with these exemptions (for example a screen printed T-shirt would not be exempt due to the inks used in this process). I urge you to take a look at the pages linked below for more information.

While many are breathing a sigh of relief now that fabric is exempt from CPSIA, more is needed. Dan Marshall, founder and Vice President of the Handmade Toy Alliance is concerned that while fabric used in a hair bow is exempt, the barrette itself is not, along with zippers, snaps, buttons, etc. used in clothing.

Painted items are not exempt from CPSIA, nor are they part of the one year stay that expires on February 10, 2010. If component testing is not allowed, it will be indefinitely illegal to produce painted items for children without third party testing, unless of course you’re Mattel. The Handmade Toy Alliance has been a strong advocate for component based testing, as the organization recognizes how crucial this point is for crafters and micro businesses, if we are all to survive.

Certain components contain lead that is bound into their structure, and thus not biologically available, even when swallowed. Crystals, some rhinestones and other glass embellishments fall into this category.

In July 2009 the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association (FJTA) requested an exemption from the CPSIA lead limits for crystal and glass embellishments. This request was denied by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in spite of the fact that test data and analysis were presented, showing that ingestion and mouthing of leaded crystal would result in absorption of so small a quantity of lead that it may not even be detectable in a child’s blood stream.

According to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum, denial of the FJTA’s request was due to CPSIA language, which states that the possibility of *any* (without specification of whether the amount must be determined harmful or not) ingestion of lead renders an item unacceptable under CPSIA standards. In an official CPSC statement, Tenenbaum said that “...while Commission staff recognized that most crystal and glass beads do not appear to pose a serious health risk to children, because ingested crystal beads that leach lead will result in some lead absorption, the request for an exclusion must be denied.”

At this point, various distributors claim to offer low lead and lead-free crystals and rhinestones. If you are using these items on products for children, you will want to be sure they truly comply with the law.

“The test data I’ve seen for these alternative rhinestone products is based on modified EPA Method 3051,” says Sheila Milar, a partner with Keller and Heckman LLP and counsel to the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association. CPSC specifies use of modified EPA Method 3052 to test crystal and glass. Method 3052 uses hydrofluoric acid in the solution to digest crystal, which can’t be completely digested using hydrochloric acid.” Ms. Milar added, “Many laboratories will not handle hydrofluoric acid and the fact that such a strong and dangerous acid is required to fully digest crystal and glass is another indication of how lead is bound into the structure of the material.” It is still not clear whether test results based on Method 3051 would be acceptable, and the jewelry industry is seeking clarification.

Heather Flottman, a board member of the Handmade Toy Alliance and owner of children’s clothing label Liliputians NYC, hasn’t let stringent regulations stop her from creating and selling her work. “I use some flat back buttons that look like jewels. I XRF tested them and they came in less than 10ppm for lead,” says Heather.

“There are safe alternatives to the classic Swarovski crystal out there. People do not have to give up nor do they need to report every sparkly thing they see to CPSC,” adds Heather. She uses plastic button eyes for her appliqués, has certification from the manufacturer that they are lead free, and XRF tested them herself just to be sure.

If as the CPSC has alluded to, component testing is allowed in the near future, items like Heather Flottman’s buttons will be tested by the manufacturer, and it will be affordable and easy for crafters to use them. In the event that this doesn’t happen, Heather says she will switch to buttons made of natural materials exempt from CPSIA, such as unpainted wood and shell.

As we move forward, let’s work together to fix the CPSIA, as well as network and find creative ways to navigate the law. Now more than ever, it is of the utmost importance that we do not turn against each other.

Further Resources:

Join the HTA to effect change in the CPSIA — http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org
Explaining the facts and dispelling the myths about the CPSIA — http://www.whatiscpsia.com
Official CPSIA Website — http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html
Tracking Label Policy (Number 9 refers specifically to crafters) — http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/sect103policy.pdf

Check out the CPSIA Forums for More Discussion

My Top 10 Fall Ensembles

2009-09-17T14:00:00-05:00

Can I get real for a moment? You see, I can wax poetic about the merits of convertible cruising under a cloudless sky, the radiance of a razor sharp icicle and the first toe-curlingly fragrant whiff of fresh-cut lilacs in spring, but I must be frank: fall is the season for which I live. It is the apple cider in my mug, the pile of leaves in which I roll (ticks be damned), and celebrated annually with a rapt viewing of Rushmore while wearing a jaunty beret, à la Max Fischer. As a salute to the beginning of nippy temperatures and covered legs, I've put together a collection of my Top 10 fall ensembles, for your wardrobe's pleasure.

1. Flea Market Morning

Vintage Levi's Jean Jacket

From LaVictoire, $40.

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extreME COWL in GREEN

By thehouseofhemp, $50.

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The Joan Leslie Dress

From Thrush, $58.

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vintage 70s tall BROWN boots

From secretlake, $68.

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2. Fashion Week Chic

Oversized Asymetrical T Shirt Dress

By BabooshkaBoutique, $50.

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Maeve Harness Necklace

By girltuesdayjewelry, $95.

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The Medulla in Black Forest

By Yokoo, $80.

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Vintage Over the Knee Boots

From LovebirdsforKitKit, $258.

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3. A Day of Apple Picking

Fab Navy Cowl Hoodie Tulip Dress

By CASTCOUTURE, $48.

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MULTI CHAIN 3 KNOT NECKLACE

By lavien, $130.

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Vintage brown lace up boots

From CapriciousTraveler, $49.

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Sidhe Stem Stockings - Made to Order

By undertheroot, $65.

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4. Pit Stop at the Biker Bar

Leather Bondage Jacket

By blackmarketbaby, $275.

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BLEACHED vintage DENIM skirt

By principessaemicranie, $39.

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Buster Ring

By whitemetal, $180.

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Vintage Black Leather TAPESTRY Boots

From santokivintage, $84.

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5. Poised for a Job Interview

Tweed Coat

By amandaarcher, $500.

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Amelia

By neikodesigns, $275.

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high waisted pencil skirt.....in tartan

By sohomode, $55.

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Japanese Chirimen Black Top

By kaoriyatsumoto, $50.

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6. An Evening at the Opera

Body Con Spinal Dress

By farentami, $250.

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Wine red velvet CAPE

From savagespider, $65.

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Pochette in Cranberry

By morelle, $92.

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Vintage IRENE suede anklet heels sz 7

From brownbagvintage, $36.

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7. Casual Friday

grey pleated jacket

By 13threads, $295.

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green woolen ear flap CAP

By littlebyrdvintage, $36.

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Vintage Calvin Klein Jean Skirt

From trivialpursuit, $26.

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Scrunch Boots Made to Order

By spirocreations, $225.

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8. Train Ride to Foliage Gazing

vintage LEATHER JACKET

From snappyfishvintage, $64.

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dress sportif - brown herringbone

By modaspia, $150.

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Apache Gold Tassel Necklace

By dollybirddesign, $245.

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Vintage BRUNO MAGLI Boots

From thegreedyseagull, $68.

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9. Annie Hall Inspired

Vintage OVERSIZED blazer

From vintagemarmalade, $35.

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Vintage Tweed Trousers

From bewakeful, $35.

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Camel Trilby/Bowler Wool Hat

From babydeeer, $12.

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vintage Oxford WINGTIP Heels

From DearGoldenVintage, $110.

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10. Leisure at the Library

adorable vintage plaid blouse

From faithfullvintage, $42.

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Preppy Red Wide Leg Trousers, Small

From leolucaescobar, $29.

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Tan Leather Pleated Tote

By TheLeatherStore, $120.

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Vintage Bally Oxford Shoes

From thecrumpetcloset, $39.99.

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What's your favorite style? How do you switch things up when the weather gets chilly? Leave it in the comments!

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Quit Your Day Job: DolorisPetunia

2009-09-14T16:36:00-05:00

Courtney of DolorisPetunia has a unique version of the quit your day job story. You see, Courtney was able to successfully quit her day job in the corporate design world to sell her artistic jewelry pieces on the streets of New York before she ever heard of Etsy. After gaining a small following in the city, she and her boyfriend decided to move to Los Angeles. However, Courtney found it difficult to survive in the LA scene like she had in New York and almost gave up. If not for a chance encounter with Etsy, she might not be telling this story today. Courtney's success on Etsy has allowed her to make more contacts and accounts than she ever had before and opened up doors that might not have been possible without the success of her online presence. Keep reading to find out how Courtney uses Etsy to support herself and get a glimpse into some of her best tips for marketing effectively on Etsy.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?

Although I have been making things my entire life, I will have officially been in business for about a year this coming winter. I started making accessories for myself when I was unable to find in stores what was in my mind. When my friends saw what I was making, they started asking me to make things for them too. That then turned into their friends making requests and then their friends' friends. Finally, with the help of a good friend, I decided to quit my job and go stand out on the streets in New York City's Soho and West Village neighborhoods with a card table full of handmade accessories and a warm winter coat. I would create my items Monday through Thursday each week and sell all day on the streets Friday through Sunday. In the spring of 2009 I officially created Doloris Petunia LLC, which I named after my 8-year-old Maltese, Lolita.

After a few months, I was starting to develop a small NYC following, but my boyfriend and I decided to move to Los Angeles. After being in NYC for 13 years, I had no idea how to market myself in LA. I was just about to give up and go back into the corporate design world, but I found Etsy.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?

Etsy saved my design life and turned my hobbies into a career. I can't say that my relative success is the typical quit your day job story, because I looked at it more as a sink or swim situation. My goal was not to get a corporate job in LA. Beyond that, the economy had taken a major downturn and I didn't know the first thing about how to go about creating job opportunities for myself in LA. I then began researching online marketplaces, and I turned exclusively to Etsy to help me create a market for my brand. Within a few weeks, I had the site and the nuances more or less figured out and began to be able to support myself solely based on the sales and contacts I was making through Etsy. I have never used any sort of PR, nor do I have any connections, yet through Etsy and my own passion for design, I have been connected to a few major retail stores, hundreds of brides, and thousands of wonderful prospective clients, who like myself had a vision of what they wanted to buy, yet were unable to find it elsewhere.

I was surprised by several things about Etsy: first, how quickly Etsy worked. I was also pleasantly surprised how quickly I was able to establish a base for myself within Etsy. Etsy allowed me to be able to consistently get out as much as I was putting into my online shop and my budding design studio, Doloris Petunia.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time, feel free to give us the nitty gritty business details?

No, I leapt before I looked. This could have been quite a sad story if not for Etsy.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

I think what really helped me at first was buying Showcases as often as I could afford. This is a great way to get your products seen. You can be selling the best and neatest things on the web, but if they are not seen they will not sell.

I also think you need to update your shop as often as you can, thus getting your items in the "just listed" categories so buyers remain interested in your shop. It also goes without saying that you need to have the best possible photos of your items. I have found the key to getting selected for the Treasury, which is a great way to make the homepage, is to have beautiful and interesting photographs. I am not at the point where I can hire a professional photographer and/or model. Instead, I use my own digital camera, find the spot in my house with the best lighting, have the help of a good and very beautiful friend (who used to model and now accepts lunch as a form of payment), and try to create the best shots I can. At each photo shoot, I learn what works and what doesn't. One day I hope I will be able to leave all that stuff up to the professionals, but I am learning so much about my products and how best to feature them by being the stylist, photographer, make up artist, and designer all at the same time.

I also think it is important to really look around Etsy and support other artists and designers. I "heart" sellers who I think are doing a great job and will write sellers whose Treasuries I think are great. Why not be on the radar of people who are doing great work? Especially in the Treasury department!

Overall, I think the real key to Etsy is getting seen by as many people as possible and using the many free ways to do so. The easiest way to do this is to take time and really browse the site. Take the time to see who is doing what and interact with those sellers when their work has moved you. Nothing is better than receiving a note from someone saying that they admire what you do.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?

I can't say I love Twitter. Maybe I just don't understand it yet.

I have really been pleased with how Etsy now links to Facebook. Beyond Etsy, I have found Facebook to be one of the best free selling tools out there. I tend to feature my full collection and past collections on Facebook (add Doloris Petunia as a friend or become a fan!). This is an easy way for friends to share you as a designer with their friends. I will advertise my Etsy success in my Facebook status and use it to let my friends and clients know when I am having trunk shows or being featured elsewhere.

Walk us through your typical workday.

I wake up and answer email requests and do all administrative stuff.
Then I either go out and shop for supplies or I start working on orders. I try to create something that I am inspired by once a day, meaning beyond filling orders.
I make sure to take some design time and experiment with a new idea each day. I use this sort of as my design recess, giving my mind a bit of a break from the pressure of making things for other people. Nine times out of ten this new creation ends up being listed in my shop, but I like to give myself the opportunity each day to remember what it is I love about what I do, which is creatively making something I would want and can't seem to find elsewhere.
I usually go to the post office at the end of the day and then come home and finish a few more orders before or after dinner.
I tend to work 7 days a week, but need to take creative breaks every 10 days or so, when I make sure not to go in my office at all. This break gives my head, eyes, and hands time to rest. I find that I do not work well when I am not excited about what I am doing, and whenever I get overwhelmed I know that a few days away from my company will be all I need to get passionate about creating again.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?

I love the "no degrees of separation" contact with my clients, meaning that I know my clients are buying something I have lovingly made with my hands for their wedding day, or a big party, or just to go to the movies. I love knowing that I am listening directly to what they want, working with them closely, and helping them have something that makes them feel more beautiful. It is an especially huge honor for me to work with brides. Helping women to create the perfect look for THEIR day is something I take very seriously.

I also love being able to make my own schedule and working in a way and on a timetable that is best for my constitution, not someone else's.

What I miss is the safety in a "day job." It can be scary to know that I have created something where if I stopped doing all that I do, it would cease to exist. I guess it is the same with anything in life, in that whatever you "put in" is what you hopefully "get out." Not having a day job makes this feel even more true and it can be scary. I think it is the difference between playing on a team and being an individual athlete, and occasionally I wish that I had someone to pass the ball to.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?

Having only two hands. I am actually in the process of looking for an intern.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?

What advice would I have given myself? Trust myself sooner. Do what I have done sooner. It's hard to believe anyone would want to buy something you have made in half the time. I wish that I would have listened to others and trusted in my ability. Without the organization of Etsy I don't think I would have had the discipline, ability to develop a reputation, or the financial means to do so.

What would I say to others? Well, oddly enough, I get emails a lot on Facebook and Etsy asking for advice about how I got started doing what I do and if they to should just trust their gut and take the leap. I guess as cliche as it is, I would say that life is too short to not do what you love. Doloris Petunia is as much of a full-time job as I have ever had; in fact, it is even more so. It is what I eat, breathe and sleep. It is my obsession and it is fun. That is what I want my life to be about: creating beautiful things that others, including myself, can enjoy. This never feels like a job: instead it is my life.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?

I would love to have 10,000 hearts.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Here is a blog that just did a nice little posting on my company and my inspirations. One thing I make sure to do every day is Google my company's name (you can also set Google up to email you updates automatically). This is a great way to see who is saying what about you. It is amazing how many blogs are out there that could be writing about your work and you don't even know it. I love to contact the blogs and thank them for their support. I will also usually offer 10% off orders to their readers if they mention their blog when ordering from my Etsy page.

Thank you for your time in reading this. Please add Doloris Petunia as a Facebook friend to see my full collection, my designs that were worn on the red carpet of the Emmys, as well as the skating dress I recently designed for Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan. You can also add Doloris Petunia on Twitter — and maybe show me that it is a great promotional tool after all!

Thanks to Courtney for sharing her story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with her Wednesday, September 16 at 5 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of Courtney's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.