• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Stephanie and I live in Southern Ontario, Canada with my husband Daniel and our cat, Yuki. Though I work full time for a full service hotel in Niagara Falls, I am currently studying to be a professional makeup artist and have completed formal training in SFX (Special Effects) and VFX (Visual Effects) artistry.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Bubbles N Suds Soap Company

• Please describe your creative process.

It takes a lot of time from something to go from just an idea to a product on the site, even if it seems as simple as a bar of soap. I’ve needed to educate myself on products that are beneficial to the skin, what is best for people with certain skin conditions and of course how everything is going to come together. I love doing custom work, because it makes me feel like I can connect with my customer a little better by being able to put together something that will be uniquely them, or something given as a gift.

• Where do your ideas come from?

Some of my ideas tend to formulate from other ideas friends and coworkers have. I like to get their input and try things out to see how I like it before offering anything up for sale. People tell me what they want to see and I make what I will enjoy using, and I just go from there. For Valentine’s Day, a coworker suggested something that mimicked the cinnamon heart candies; I used cinnamon leaf essential oil, some glycerin soap and red dyes with heart molds and voila! It was a great seller at a craft show!

• How did you get into your craft?

I have very sensitive skin, and suffered frequently from acne breakouts; my skin was either too oily or too dry. Products like Proactive had too many chemicals in them so after a lot of reading and research, I decided to create my own bar of soap. I crafted the Acne Bar, its active ingredients being tea tree essential oil and French green clay. My skin cleared up in days and friends started to ask what I used and they all wanted to buy some. I guess it all went from there!

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I work full time, and I am currently studying to become a licensed makeup artist for HD television, film, fashion and photography. Its a lot of work but I am a makeup fanatic, and I’ve wanted to do this since I was twelve. I am also working on getting a beauty blog started, in which people will be able to find informative articles on skin care, makeup and reviews of products, including many handmade products from fellow sellers on Etsy.

• How do you promote your work?

I have my own website which is printed on all my business cards. I attend a lot of craft shows both as a vendor and buyer, and bring my cards with me. Sometimes I have a soap sample attached to the back. I’ve also begun using Twitter as a main gate for some exposure as well.

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The Friday, April 24th, 2009, was declared Etsy Day and will be the big day to promote Etsy everywhere.

Here are some ideas from the Etsy Admin:

• If you get people to sign up for Etsy on Friday make sure they mention your Etsy username in the Referrer Username box at sign up! If we see a user who really rocks this, we’ll automatically include you in our Etsy Day follow up post. So if you print out flyers, get on the news, or get Ashton Kutcher to tweet about Etsy, make sure you get your username in there, too!
• Tweet your endeavors via Twitter and make sure to add the hash tag EtsyDay. (And send it to @aplusk. Let’s get Ashton Kutcher’s attention on Etsy Day. Ha! Mr. Most Twitter Followers.)
• Support a new seller on Etsy Day! Buy an item from someone with no sales (you can find them on Pounce Undiscovered), and wish them a “Happy Etsy Day” in the Message to Seller field when you check out.
• Print out schugirl’s Etsy sign to stick in your car window or download and print out the design Anda made for Etsy Day!
• Get an Etsy tattoo!
• Dress your family in all orange. When you get weird looks, whisper “Etsy”.
• Decorate your Etsy banner announcing the Etsy Day.

For more information please read the Storque article.

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My Etsy book is an application that enables any Etsy seller to have his own self update webcatalog with all the info of his shop: photo of each product, description, title and price. It also lets you see your profile, photo and name of the shop. Each page links with the product on Etsy.

On My Etsy Book you create your free catalog only with your Etsy username. Next you can edit it, choosing between our various templates or uploading your own images for background pages. Also, elements position and style can be fully customized.

After the book is saved it gets a unique address at myetsybook.com/etsyusername
where the published book is. This can be embedded into blog post, websites, etc. using its Widget, or reduced version of the appi. This widget has a list with all the photos of the products on sale. Each photo takes you to the page of the catalog that belongs to.

Other benefit is a pair of pages that contains, one, your Twitter account, the other one,
your blog RSS. Both link with their respective sites.

My Esty Book is an excellent promotion tool in which we are still working to give you a better service.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

I am a former critical care nurse who now enjoys staying at home with my creative active kids. Thank fully I have a wonderful husband who supports all my ideas with a smile.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Warm And Fuzzy Baby. Love the name because it makes you feel welcomed.

• Please describe your creative process

Creative process starts with the vision and motivation. I have to actually, mentally invision it before I can wrap by brain around the project. The actual making of the items, followed by creating the pattern or item.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I am inspired by seasons, colors, children, so many many factors I could literally give you a different reason every day. My ideas come from from many areas, specially what I do not see out there.

• How did you get into your craft?

I have been crafting since age four when my mother taught me to sew yo yos. “Motitas” like she would call them.

• How do you promote your work?

I enjoy the company of my family and friends. There is nothing more valuable.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Shawn. I’m a 26 year old guy from Watertown, South Dakota. I’m a homebody for the most part. I like to stay up late and sleep-in, but who doesn’t.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Wall Stickz
Decorate your walls the fun & easy way. Peel, Stick, & Enjoy!

• Please describe your creative process

I use self-adhesive vinyl for my creations. Blank walls are my canvas and vinyl is my paint. I’m usually up into the wee hours of the night creating new stuff or finishing orders. I do my best thinking after midnight.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I get ideas from all over the place including tv, t-shirts, artwork, internet, friends & family. I like to take notes, otherwise I forget stuff.

• How did you get into your craft?

One of my good friends makes decals for vehicles. If it wasn’t for him I would never have even thought about making vinyl wall decals.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I work 50 hours a week as an Assistant Manager for an auto parts company. That takes up alot of my time, but I’m always thinking about making things while I’m at work.

• How do you promote your work?

Twitter – Facebook – Etsy – Shophandmade.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

Hi, I’m Catherine Gibb and I live in the suburbs of Detroit. I am a member of the Photographers of Etsy (POE) Street Team and the POE Michigan/Detroit Street Team here on Etsy.

• What is the name of your Shop?

My username is racergirl1313 and my shop name is “Gibb Photo”. I signed up for Etsy as a buyer first and didn’t realize that my username would end up as my shop name if I decided to sell.

• Please describe your creative process

I spend as much time as I can out and about with my camera, leanses and gear. In the spring and summer I go to the local car shows, and to Woodward Avenue on Friday and Saturday nights to shoot the classic cars. My husband and I go to the local parks for hikes and to events around town and I bring my camera along. I also take my camera on all of our vacations.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I am inspired by most of what I see around me. I love the lines of classic cars with their graceful curves and artful applications of chrome. I love the twists and turns to tree branches, the way the spring blossoms cover the trees and as quickly as they appear they disappear.

• How did you get into your craft?

I have loved photography since I picked up my first camera. When I was a kid I used to go to the park in my neighbourhood and take photos of everything. I was always taking pictures of my friends and family and the world around me. In high school I took formal photography classes and further honed my skills. Since then I have rarely been without a camera and have enjoyed photographing the world around me.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I work full time for a business services company. I also am a voracious reader and enjoy sewing and crafting. I love baking and love trying out new recipes.

• How do you promote your work?

Sadly, I don’t do nearly enough! I have my own website at GibbPhoto and a blog at gibbphoto.blogspot.com. I also have a Flickr account and I am part of POE, the Photographers of Etsy Street Team. I am also the lone member of the POE Michigan/Detroit group, hopefully we can find more POE members in Michigan to join me!

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Eniko, I am recently married and live in the seacoast region of NH, I am a freshman (almost a junior lol) photography major in college. I like to go to antique stores, make jewelry, ride horses, go hiking.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Lilly Eve Designs.

• Please describe your creative process

I only recently last year started to make jewelry and it is very very fun and I love it! I use stones, semi precious stones, glass, pearls, charms, metal and antique materials.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I love nature and animals, so I always try to incorporate birds and trees etc into my work, I usually pick out the colors I want to use, then I place them out to see which way would look best and I finalize it all and put them together.

• How did you get into your craft?

I have always loved jewelry and decided that I would try to create some pieces and see how I like it.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I go to school part time and help around the apartment while my husband works, I also take photos as much as I can and I maintain my photo art shop also here on Etsy.

• How do you promote your work?

I post on the Etsy forums, chatroom, update my blog and twitter.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Audrey. I live in Manitoba Canada, have a wonderful hubby and 2 great teenage boys.

• What is the name of your Shop?

The name of my shop is “Audrey’s Country Crafts”. My imagination isn’t that great, so I thought I’d use my name and basically describe what I did all in a title. After starting on Etsy – I see a lot of shops with wonderfully imaginative names, so mine looks pretty boring. But I was looking for something that is self explanatory.

• Please describe your creative process

I’ll paint anything that sits still long enough. I love to work with wood, and old jeans. The jean blankets was a nice way to paint on something new, and also sew, for a change from the wood shop. My days are pretty full, but usually on the weekend I’ll manage to find a little time to craft.

• Where do your ideas come from?

Most of my ideas come from books, magazines, craft shows, internet or just some cool surface I find to paint. Sometimes while at a craft show or looking on the internet, I’ll see something that can be adapted to wood, cloth or canvas and try it out.

• How did you get into your craft?

I was a stay-at-home mom and when our youngest son was about 2 years old I saw an ad in the local paper for beginner folkart painting classes. My husband was very supportive, thought it was a good way to get out of the house one evening a week and talk to adults. He didn’t know it would become an addiction. I think he’s sorry now. (LOL)

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I guess you could say my “day job” is driving a school bus. I started driving about 13 years ago, when the oldest started school. It’s a great job!! Days off when the boys had days off, summer holidays, 2 weeks at Christmas etc. The perfect job for a mom.

• How do you promote your work?

I have 2 blogs where I post about my crafts, but also do 2 features/wk on Esty shops and giveaways, plus Etsy. The forums on Etsy have been a great way to promote my shop. The blogs are fun too, it’s a blast doing features on other shops, “meeting” new people and seeing their shops and blogs.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

Diane Paone, Lake Hiawatha, NJ. I belong to several online communities revolving around my craft of miniatures as well as a local miniature club, the Morris Mini makers. I am married and have a tortoise shell cat named Maggie and red doberman named Rosemary. I love to travel when I am able.

• What is the name of your Shop?

dpaone.

• Please describe your creative process

When doing computer design work I usually just listen to music I like. When I am making art I love to have old movies on in the background- no commercials. I prefer old movies because they are easier to follow by listening than the newer ones, since I can’t be “looking” at what I am doing at the same time watching the screen. The best is the musicals, then you’ve got a story to follow as well as some great music. When I am making masks I usually have an idea of what I want it to be but it often changes as i make it kind of evolving before my eyes. I may be making a pink mask but then this gorgeous purple feather looks irresistible and finds its way into the design.

• Where do your ideas come from?

My ideas come from everywhere, from the paper of the invitation in today’s mail which may end up in one of my creations, to the roast chicken I had at diner which I may replicate in miniature. If I am ever stuck for an idea, I jump on the internet and do a search, within seconds a flood of ideas come my way, and that is wonderful.

• How did you get into your craft?

I bought some polymer clay and decided to make shoes for a Barbie doll I bought. Although that first pair looked more like a pair of shoes for Frankenstein! I made a few pairs and got better at it and decided to sell them. That is when I discovered the world of miniatures on the internet. I became a miniature artist and just started trying different things using materials I had on hand. I wanted to make a miniature mask using my stash of glitter and beads and that really became my niche. I began to get recognition from the miniature magazines both in the US and abroad. Now I am doing shows for miniatures. My next one is coming up this Fall, November 7th-8th, at the Philadelphia Miniaturia show, Cherry Hill, NJ. This is a huge miniature show with miniaturists in attendance from around the world. To learn more about the show visit their web site.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I am a designer, both graphic design as well as web site design. As an artist, I paint, draw, sculpt, like making jewelry, and miniatures. Both of these disciplines constitute full time work for me. Outside of this work, I love sports and gardening.

• How do you promote your work?

I work hard at promotion. Every sale I make I invite that person to be on my private mailing list. I pass out my business cards whenever I am able. I occasionally do giveaways or donations to charitable causes. Lately I have been focusing more on a more global and community approach by blogging, and other online communities. My blog is new and is going to feature my work, inspirations, other artists, giveaways and tutorials. To visit my blog.

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Thank You, Glitzer for giving me the lemonade award. This award is given to blogs that show attitude and/or grattitude.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Inta Rigava, I am bead artist and tailor from Latvia, North Europe. I’ve been beading for two years now, joined Etsy last November. I’m a mother of two wonderful kids

• What is the name of your Shop?

binkaminka.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I bead mostly at nights when family and kids are quiet, ideas and inspiration comes from art, nature and poetry. I feel that beading is kind of therapy for me. My favorite materials are seedbeads, delicas, glass beads, but I love to use lots of natural materials as well- leather, fur, feather, shell, wood.
As about sewing- I love create vintage feel costumes, corsets, wedding gowns and accessory.

• How did you get into your craft?

I’ve been sewing as long as I remember- My mum had sewing machine and I used it a lot to create dresses for my dolls and myself. As about beadwork- I just started to do it with some simple techniques from internet, and through the experiments learned how to do it. We have a lot of beaders here in Latvia, so they inspired me too.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Actually I’m a full time mom for my 2 and 5 years old son and daughter.

• How do you promote your work?

I’ve started my blog, you are welcome to see and comment it too.

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My name is Kris Kluempke and I live just outside Portland, Oregon. I worked for the last decade and a half in the beauty industry. I was a hairstylist and then worked for a beauty wholesaler. I am now starting up my own business so I can finally have the chance to run my own business and get out of the 9 to 5 rut.

The name of my shop is LaughingVixenLounge. The first part of the name comes from the girls I love to use in my designs. Lounge was picked to add the feeling of a place you could go to and hangout. I sell mostly jewelry but have other odds and ends too. I am just starting up so I am constantly adding more styles to my store. My items feature my great love for pop culture. I love to use anything from Pinup girls, Pulp Fiction cover art, Rockabilly, Vintage Horror and so much more. I can’t make designs fast enough to keep up with the ideas in my head.

I use mostly photos glazed on to different items. Right now I’m using glass tiles for pendants and will soon be adding silver pendants. I also have a line of charm bracelets I’m just finishing. I’ve always been a crafty person and I love to create things. I see something and say “I can do that!” and then set out to figure out how it’s done.

I try to keep active on etsy to promote my work but I also have places outside as well. I’ve started a page on myspace, indiepublic and deviantArt to start getting my shop out there. I also plan on starting up a blog where I can feature other works I find on Etsy as well as my own.

Aside from my creations I’m a huge movie buff. There is just never enough time to see all the movies out there to see. I love all horror films and a really good romantic comedy. That’s where I spend way too much time and you’ll see that reflected in my work. I also wish there was more time (and money) to travel. I love to jump in the car and just go.

I hope to make my shop on Etsy a place where people can come to enjoy themselves and walk away with a little something unique. Something you can’t find anywhere else. Something that shows the world a little piece of you.

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