Our Etsy Journey
I (Justin) joined Etsy in 2012 where my shop was created fairly randomly. My wife and I were planning our wedding, and creating our own centerpieces using recycled wine bottles. I decided to open "ABottleADay," where I sold decorative, painted wine bottles. I began to become more invested in Etsy and my shop, but I wanted my items to become something I was more passionate about; I wanted to move away from the decorative wine bottles, and focus on graphic design and artwork. So I re-branded under the name "greyHEARTdesign," where I originally created art pieces that had an urban style and feel. Over time, the desire to create more original work pieces evolved into where my shop is today: stickers!
My wife decided to be fully involved in our current shop, and now it is a full, husband-and-wife operation. Ani & Bear is named after our first two cats, Animal and Bear. Animal (orange & white) was fiercely independent, but was always by our side, especially as we created artwork. Bear (black & grey) is our super loving and curious one. Both of them have brought joy and excitement to our lives over the years, and we hope this shop shows that.
I like to remember where my Etsy journey started at when I first joined, and how it has evolved and developed organically over time. As humans, our interests and passions change as we grow, and my Etsy shop is a reflection of that.
We appreciate you taking the time to visit, and hope that you enjoy our items just as much as we do.
- Justin & Gelsey
