artsyana

WHY DID I START MY BUSINESS IN ETSY?

I had a business for 12 years in the pet industry and loved it. 9/11 made
me close it for a while, then came a bad car accident with health issues
that took a while to overcome until now. My whole family for generations
has always work for themselves, I grew up with this notion so this is why
I opened a store in Etsy.When I was nine and I got a watercolor paint set
for my birthday I knew right then that I would always be an artist.I love
making a living with color, design and new ideas and be creative, make
something from nothing and make people smile with pops of color, whim
and a personal touch in everything I make.

Figuring what I wanted to do was the difficult part with so many ideas
popping in my head, but I was in the pet industry for 12 years and dogs
and animals in general make me smile and my heart sing. BUT, I also
love flowers and nature, I love to do gardening, can't stop taking photos
of flowers and exotic plants so I am combining these two loves in my
second adventure at running a creative business.

I started my first business in 1992 due to the fact my parents got a divorce
and I had 2 young brothers still in school, my mom was a stay home mom
and I only had one talent “ART”. I started that business with $2,500
( savings from two years working 2 jobs 7 days a week) I built it to
400 stores, did 2 trade shows a year in Chicago/Atlantic City, was in
5 national catalogs (Petsmart Pedigree Catalog, Winthethur catalog,
Casual Living, Charles Keath , and In the Company of Dogs) had 2
wonderful sales reps and a japanese distributor.

I did not go to school for business my degree was “ Commercial Art”
and marketing and sales were new to me but I did it. Lots of work, sweat,
long hours, tried new ideas that failed until by accident I did a
hand-painted doggie in wood for a pet store owner who used to make
her own inventory of pet clothing and bows so we could go together to
our first trade show in Chicago back in the 90's. I had craft show
experience and she had signed up for the trade show. We met
when I saw her painting the walls of her new
store I was just walking down the street.We started talking and at
the time I was doing children's furniture and faux painting and an
occasional dog house. She put the doghouse in her new store and
we became friends. Did the trade show and got $2000 in orders
that weekend and when I got home had thousands of doggie
doorstop orders to full fill and started the adventure of my first business
which took off and took me into a 12 year strapped to a rocket adventure.
This is also what I miss of not running a business, all the adventures
and the wonderful people you meet to help you grow your business.

Etsy is the perfect vehicle for me to make items for people and be
able to share my designs and creativity. You will deal with me, I make
everything, design everything and you will be talking to me.By making
the items myself I am able to give you something you really want that
you never seen before and cannot get anywhere else.You can wear my
jewelry or display what I make in your home and they will make you
smile and if you are getting it for a gift to someone else you will be the
one giving them a cool gift, a thoughful gift and they will know you
went looking for something that is all about them and their loves or likes.
How COOL is that.

The comments I get when I sell locally in craft shows or thru my website
and Etsy shop are: love it! unique and beautiful, perfect for my girl's, it
spoke to my heart, I will cherish it, extremely well done, great seller to
work with super fast and very friendly shipping and customer service.
Talk about me glowing and enjoying what I do when I hear this or read
it in my comments or emails.It makes my day that I MADE SOMEONE'S
DAY with what I made.

My items are unique, quirky , colorful, and charming that I created
myself in my very own unique artistic style

I want my customers to feel excited, delighted that they bought a gift
that has a personal touch and was a special gift custom made for
them or their love ones and during the whole purchasing process
they were happy.That it was a pleasant, easy and fun interaction with
my business. They were looking for a special gift and I was able to
deliver something they had fun buying and will treasure it.

In the end I want to elicit feelings of fun, delight and satisfaction when
you buy my whimsical items just for you.

Go ahead and click on the store icon above and check out what gifts are
waiting for you to love.