Less Than Three Designs <3

2009-06-13T13:14:00.004-06:00

I am SO stoked about today's developments. Remember the Teeth Love cards I used to make?

I have decided to expand upon this idea. I'm making a bunch of different kinds of cards: invitations, thank yous, birthday cards, and baby announcements and congratulations cards.

Introducing the baby teeth, Pat (yellow), Sam (blue), and Sarah (pink):

I can't wait to put these on cards and send them out! :)

2009-06-13T00:49:00.007-06:00

Okay, so I'll admit, I've been slacking off a bit on my card production. It's been... slow to start, but tomorrow I am going to buckle down and really produce! However, I have been networking like a fiend today, and of course, I found some really great Etsy shops!

SleepyKing

This entire shop is just filled with things that are so so so cute! I found something very special that I can't wait to purchase, but I'm not going to divulge what it is, because it might just be a surprise for a very special person! :)

KilnGoddess

You know, there's not really too much I can say about this shop. I mean, look at it! The work just speaks for itself. Now, I know that I'm a little obsessed with pottery, but as such, I have a very discerning taste. And this shop is just fantastic. I know that when I get a place of my own, I'm going to want an entire dish set made by KilnGoddess!

SaaraReidsema

Dare I say it out loud? These rings would make the most divine wedding bands. And if it's superstitious to say that, then they would look really cute with a casual outfit, too. Either way, I'm sure I will be back, cheering for more!

2009-06-10T19:45:00.002-06:00

I AM VERY EXCITED!
Why is that? I'm re-opening Less Than Three Designs! The grand re-opening is going to take place on July 1, 2009, but things should be trickling in slowly before that. Just in time for those summer BBQ invitations you needed, right?

Stay tuned for updates, pictures, blurbs, et cetera! :)

2008-02-07T00:07:00.001-05:00

So, apparently, I have an ear infection.

These are my pills.

It hurts.

Pity me.

Long Live Kucinich!

2008-01-26T11:01:00.000-05:00

I found out a few days ago that Dennis Kucinich withdrew from the Presidential race. Since then, I have been very distressed. Kucinich was sure to garnish my vote, as well as several others from people who love him. His policies were amazing: national health care, anti-Iraq war, and not asking the underdog to sacrifice anymore.

About a week before he withdrew from the election, several news stations stated that they would no longer be covering Kucinich's progress in the primaries (along with several other candidates). After reading the article on CNN (which I can no longer find a copy of, sorry), I was livid. I wanted to know why.

And now I do.

Kucinich has a big mouth, and he's not afraid to speak his mind. This is both a terrible and terrific thing. After watching this Youtube video, it became quite clear why Kucinich was forced to withdrawal. He wants the rich to be the ones to sacrifice. If it's not clear how this speech had an effect on his candidacy, let me spell it out for you.

A) Kucinich makes speech.
B) Media hears speech.
C) Media feels threatened, being one of the big guys who would be called on their b.s.
D) Media decides to put an end to Kucinich before he can do them any harm.
E) Media cuts Kucinich's coverage.
F) Since Kucinich isn't getting any coverage, people begin to think he has already withdrawn.
G) Kucinich gets no votes in the following states' primaries.
H) Kucinich withdraws due to no votes.

It's a shame how some people have all the power, and the little guy has none. Kucinich is such a radical in his own way. I think he's about ten years ahead of his time.

And I think it's about time we, the little guys, stand up for what and who we believe in. I believe in Kucinich, and I think it's time for change!

2008-01-22T00:18:00.000-05:00

An Armada of Whales

Today I felt creative!

I made things for the first time in a loooooooong while.

What you see above is a photo I like to call An Armada of Whales. Basically, I screen printed twenty-four cards to use as thank you notes for the Christmas and birthday gifts I received from my wonderful family. I decided on whales. I'm not sure why, but I think they're cute. Since I screen printed them, I still have the screen, which means I can make more for my Etsy shop.

Then I got really creative. I started my Valentine's Day collection. I made a few screens, and I also made these cards. I call them Lovebird cards.

There's four different backgrounds on them, so I'll be listing them all separately. The first listing will probably go up tomorrow, assuming I get to take the pictures. Hooray!

In my last entry I said I would talk about what made me switch my major from Music Education to Business Administration. So, here it goes.

A year ago, I embarked on an incredible journey. I was an unemployed twenty-one year old college student studying to become a music teacher. I forced myself to get up to go to classes, never enjoying a minute of it. Then, I discovered Etsy. I figured, what do I have to lose? I NEED to make some money. So I opened my shop, Less Than Three Designs. I had NO IDEA how absolutely gratifying it would be and how enamored with Etsy and the handmade process I would become. Since then, I have discovered new processes of creation, learned how to advertise, honed in on better photography skills, and above all, I have made friends. Friends with the same goals that I have: to better themselves through the handmade process. What makes the handmade process so special? Well, I guess it's different for everyone, but personally, I like buying from friends. I like knowing the person that made what I'm using. I like proudly telling people that I have something that's one of a kind and that I know what's in it and how it's made. It's thrilling. I like not supporting unfair labor. I like knowing people are receiving the wages they deserve for the work that they do. I am so in love with the handmade process that my life plans completely changed. I am going to open my own boutique filled with handmade goodness. I plan to consign with artists from Etsy as well as some locals that I know. It's going to be great. The more I think about it, the more I know I've made the right decision. Teaching isn't for me: I don't even really like kids that much. For the first time in four years, I feel like I've made the correct decision regarding my career. Thanks, Etsy! :)

That's about all for now!

With love,
xoxoxo

2008-01-20T23:39:00.000-05:00

Teeth Love Cards

Wow. I haven't updated since October. That's kind of sad. I think I should probably start. Here goes nothing.

I think for now, since I'm so tired, I'm just going to do a little list which I will elaborate on tomorrow.

+ Serious plans for future renovations in my shop. Actually, all this is really referring to is the fact that I SERIOUSLY want a Gocco. Not only could I screen print cards, I could do t-shirt and just about everything under the sun. Even a puppy! Okay, maybe not a puppy, but... you get the idea. Only two things are keeping me from getting one: money and the fact that they are no longer in production so who knows how long the inks are going to be available... But I really, really want one!

+ Change of plans school-wise. I don't know if I ever posted here what I was doing with school, and I'm not about to read through it all to find out. I was a music education major. And I switched. I'm now a Business Administration major at a local community college. I will be done my associates degree after fall semester, and then I plan to transfer somewhere to finish up my bachelor's degree. It's going to be pretty sweet. My next entry is going to focus mainly on this topic, by the way...

+ Valentine's collection is almost finished. I should have, like, five different designs ready to go in the next three to five days. I'm VERY excited, because I'm trying a new technique on all of them! Yay!

That's about it for now. This time I'm seriously going to be more diligent about updating my blog! SERIOUSLY! <3

<3 <3 <3 ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT! <3 <3 <3

2007-10-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

Craftjuice.com is holding a contest right now to find the coolest crafts on the net. Right now, I am in fourth place. I REALLY want to win this thing.

The contest deadline is approaching quickly: October 31st. Please help me win!

If you feel so inclined, please click here to vote.

Thank you so much! :)

<3,
Less Than Three Designs

Vote for Me!

2007-09-19T05:59:00.000-06:00

I just entered a contest on Craft Juice.

If you could just do me a favor and take a second of your time to go over there and vote for my item, I'd be SO grateful! All you have to do is click here to go to the page and click the word "vote" under the number of votes I have.

Thank you so much! :)

2007-09-13T10:27:00.000-06:00

Oh boy. So it's been VERY busy lately...

I've been working on onsies for Wonder Cousins Unite. It's been a huge undertaking for me, but I'm pretty sure it'll get easier as time goes on.

In addition to this, SweetyPrize and I have been organizing a Red Room Cookie Swap. Basically, we're capping it off at about 16 people. This is a trial run, but we hope to do a huuuuuuuuuuge swap (maybe 50 people) closer to the holiday season. How it works is like this:

Step 1: Convo LessThanThreeDesigns to participate.
Step 2: Include your address and your likes/dislikes/allergies/etc
Step 3: When we reach 16 people, we will close it off, match people off, and convo you the address of your partner.

That's it! :)

In other news, I got a Treasury today. It's pretty awesome, and you should check it out!

That's about it for now. I'll catch you all later!

2007-09-04T12:41:00.001-06:00

Forget ALL about the cards I was talking about in the last post. I've got something else that's pretty awesome... Check it out. Chat room pins!

Chat Room Censored Words Pinback Set

Oh God, YES. I'm so amused by this idea. I'm just surprised I didn't think of it sooner.

In other news, my cousin Vica (yes, the one who drew the comic strip that inspired the teeth cards) just moved to Philly to go to college, which is 20 minutes away from my house. I'm SO EXCITED. She, my sister, and I are opening our own Etsy shop called Wonder Cousins Unite. It's going to be reconstructed clothing (and we are going to have plus size in addition to regular sizes), pinbacks, plushies, purses, and maybe even some furniture. It's going to be awesome! We plan to have it up and running in two weeks or so (just in time for Christmas--haha). Yay! :)

2007-08-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

Wow. I haven't made a new Etsy product in FOREVER...

I did revamp my shop not too long ago... I'm going to include a screenshot of the first page of my shop. You can see how the photography is changing and stuff like that. Plus, I also made an awesome new banner.

See?

So, maybe the picture's a little too small. You'd probably be better off just checking it out for yourself if you feel so inclined. That's REALLY not the reason for this post, though.

As I said before, I haven't made a new product in FOREVER. So, I was in the Red Room Chat on Etsy last night, and I was saying how I wanted to write Bryan an email completely in binary (which I did do--I used a translator. It was hard.), and another girl asked me if I was fluent. I said no, and she said that she was fluent in both binary and sign language. And of course, I was like, "That's so cool! I want to learn!" She told me that her mother was deaf, so it was really her first language. And then another girl in the room said that she, too, was fluent in sign language because her daughter was deaf. And then it hit me. Make sign language cards. So, right now, I'm in the process of making cards with a font I found that's all finger spelling. So far I have "Happy Birthday" and "I Love You". You know, the basics. I'm thinking about making some birthday invitations, though. They would be MAD cool...

I'm VERY excited about all of this. Pictures shortly. :)

In addition to all of this, I upgraded my Flickr. I'm now a pro! I'm in the process of joining lots of REALLY neat groups. Also, pictures from my Boston vacation are up there. Take a look!

I guess that's it for now. Last post left a bit of a cliffhanger... My knee is fine. It only acted up that one time. I don't get it, but I don't care. I figured out what to do for the The Crafting Patch Etsy Market, and I've started getting my stuff together for that. I'm not moving to Boston. Although my vacation was great, it is FAR too expensive to live there right now. I'd have to be homeless or something, and I don't think that'd be conducive for studying, you know? Work isn't as bad as it was before (although I did have a co-worker tell me I was fat), and I think it'll be a nice change of pace for school to start.

So, in a nutshell, that's basically it. I should be back in a while to add some pictures of the new line of cards. Yay!

2007-08-07T14:07:00.000-06:00

Woooooooooooooow. It's been quite a long time since I last updated. What happened? Welllllll... basically life in general. I ran into some snags as far as time goes. Let's see... A list of things that have been taking up my time:

Number One: Knee Problems
Well, first of all, I've been having knee problems. I went to the doctor's office, and I found out that I have a deformed femur. How did that happen? Well, we're not really sure yet. It could have happened during an injury when I was young (but I've never had a real accident) or I could have been born this way. Who knows? All I know right now is that I have to go to an orthopedist and get an MRI, both of which I am dreading. I really need to figure all this out now, because I am 21, and I shouldn't be having knee problems for another 30-40 years...

Number Two: The Crafting Patch Etsy Market
I am going to be selling at The Crafting Patch Etsy Market in October. Because of this, I'm starting to get my inventory ready. I just have no idea how much/what to bring. Anybody have any suggestions? By the way, if you're interested in selling, I think there's still a few tables left. Contact SoCaliGirl for details.

Number Three: Possibly Moving
That's right. I might move. I've been fighting too much with my family. We have a much more pleasant relationship when I'm out of the house. Therefore, I've been looking at a ton of options for where I can go/what I can do. I need to finish my undergrad, so I really have two options: transfer or become a resident assistant (free room and board) on the campus that I go to now. I'm still trying to decide which one. The soonest I'd be moving would be January, but this requires a TON of research.

Number Four: Preparing for Vacation
My brother and I are taking a road trip to Boston starting on Sunday. I am so stoked! I have been there twice before, and I love the city (it's actually a consideration for where I'd transfer to). We're going to see two Red Sox games and just hang around the city. It's going to be great. In addition to this, we went to the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and saw Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr get inducted. It was an eleven hour drive. We did the whole thing in one day. And by we, I mean, I drove the whole thing. It was crazy. And fun.

Number five: Work
I've been covering so many other people's shifts. Apparently, everyone else can take off two or three weeks during the summer, but if I take off four days, I get crap. What the hell? It's crazy. I turned in an application for another job, but it's a half hour away from where I live now, so I'm not sure if it'll work out. We're getting a new manager, too. And by this I mean, the owner of our store demoted our old (amazing) manager in the middle of Starbucks at lunch hour and then asked her to train the new manager. The kicker? He was the assistant manager at the owner's other branch that closed due to bankruptcy. Oh yeah. This is going to be REAL good... o_O

Number six: Enjoying My Summer
While I haven't done too much or gone too many places, I have been enjoying my time. It's great. I know once September rolls around, I'm not going to have as much time to myself, so I'm trying to get everything in now!

Well, I hope this satisfies your curiosity for now. Until next time! <3

Skiingweaver

2007-07-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

Oy. What a day. It has been SOOOOO busy. I don't really have energy for, like, ANYTHING. All I can say is... make sure you check out my Lucky 7s sale which is going on in my shop tomorrow (7/7/07)! If you need more info, please check out the entry before this.

Since I have no entry and no will to even try to segue into this, here's an interview with a great Etsy seller. Without further ado, here is the wonderful and talented Skiingweaver!

Pink and Brown Ms and Os Handwoven Merino/Silk/Bamboo Scarf

1) Your shop name:
Skiingweaver

2) Your real name:
Kristin Kelley

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I've been eating a lot of Multigrain Cheerios lately, but I really like Special K, too. And granola when I get around to actually making some (and not burning it). Crunch crunch. LOL.

4) When did you begin creating?
Well, I started weaving about six years ago, but I've been into fiber arts since college-ish (twenty years ago! EEKS! How the heck did *that* happen??). My roommate was into cross stitch so I did that for a while as stress-relief, though I got fed up with all the hokey cutie-pie designs pretty quickly. Another housemate taught me how to knit, which I still really enjoy but have a terrible time actually finishing anything. And I stumbled upon weaving more or less on my own, while I was working as a lawyer at a huge Boston law firm with way too little time for a new hobby but a real need for a creative outlet. I bought and built my little four-shaft loom, wove some really hideous dishtowels as my first project, and have been hooked ever since!

5) Got a day job?
I used to be a (very unhappy) lawyer (a litigator, no less). Now I'm a stay-at-home-mom, a day/night/weekend/forever job, I suppose, and I'm a lot happier, though probably more sleep-deprived.

6) Your inspirations:
Fellow weavers. I belong to the Boston Weavers' Guild (the oldest in the country!) and attend monthly meetings, always a huge inspiration. Otherwise, I like to keep my eyes open and really observe the colors in the world around me - I've starting dying yarn (had to stop for a while when I was pregnant with my son) and it's really amazing the color combinations you can come up with when you open your eyes... My mom's garden is a HUGE inspiration!

Stone/Fiber Mixed Media Magnets

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Weirdest? Apart from those hideous dishtowels? Hmmm. Well, I did knit a pair of giant mittens once, intending to felt them into normal sized mittens... They stayed pretty giant and wound up potholders.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
Daughter Bella (3 years old) and son Conall (four months old). :) Hope they count.

9) Explain your shop name:
It's skiingweaver because they're two of my favorite things to do! Hubby and I are absolutely fanatic skiers/snowboarders/telemarkers (I can wax lyrical about Alta for hours on end) and we've got our daughter on little cross-country skis already too. A perfect day for me would be some fresh tracks in the morning, preferably at Stowe (Vermont) followed by a productive day in my weaving studio... Hopefully someday we'll be able to move further North!

10) Final thoughts?
I'm so happy I found Etsy! The folks here are wonderfully supportive, kind and friendly. It's just a great community, I think. And it's great that it seems to be helping people get their handmade merchandise out there - I love owning something that someone has put time/thought/hard work/love into instead of just another mass-produced widget from Target.

Handwoven Wool/Silk/Bamboo Scarf

Please go visit , and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Lucky 7s Sale!

2007-07-04T09:46:00.000-06:00

And now the moment you've all been waiting for (or, the moment you all SHOULD have been waiting for-- geez, pay attention!)!

THE LUCKY SEVENS SALE!

I have chosen seven items from my shop. These are the items I like the very, very best. On Saturday, July 7, 2007 (that's this Saturday - 7/7/07), I am going to be discounting these seven items by 50%!

Which items?

Here we go!

Teeth Love Cards

Tell someone you love them with this set of two adorable wisdom teeth cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

The picture was drawn by my amazing cousin who should open an Etsy shop of her own. Enjoy!

(And if you put the card under your pillow, you'll receive a shiny new tooth!)

Etsy Pinback

Etsy is addictive. Show your addiction with this 1" Etsy pin.

This pin can be custom ordered in any quantity and can be used to promote your Etsy shop.

Music Hearts Card

Be a songbird with this set of two cards made out of card stock and sheet music. They are blank on the inside. They are 5.5" x 4.25". These cards come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Toasty Cards

Drop someone a line in the most adorable way with this set of two toasty cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Rock On Records Cards

Rock out in style with these two awesome cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Music Geekery Cards

What's the seventh item? Why... It's none other than the secret project I've been working on! But you're not getting any more information on that until Saturday!

Hope to see you all stop by my shop! Thanks! :)

Haley's Handmades

2007-07-04T09:34:00.000-06:00

Ah. Day one of my two day break from work. Time for some serious Etsy-ing!

What am I up to? Funny you should ask! I'm smoothing out all of the details for my Lucky 7s sale. When's that going down? 7/7/07! (AKA, this Saturday!) In just a few moments, I'm going to be releasing the information as to which products are going to be on sale. It's going to be AWESOME! By the way, the secret project that I've been working on will also be unveiled during the Lucky 7s sale. Hope you check it out!

And speaking of things you should check out... Look at this shop by Haley's Handmades!

Poodles at the Piano handcolored greeting card

1. Your shop name:
Haley's Handmades

2. Your real name:
Haley P.

3. Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Trix :-)

4. When did you begin creating?
I started my business in December of 2006 but have always enjoyed art. I did art throughout high school and college and ended up with a major in Printmaking and Drawing.

5. Got a day job?
Not working for someone else, just me!

6. Your inspirations:
My favorite artist of all time is Winslow Homer and I look at his technique and compositions often. I also love Tasha Tudor and all of the crafts she does so well. And of course poodles!

Bluegrass Poodles greeting cards - set of 4

7. Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Well, I like to think of my poodle cards as unusual and not too weird, but some say differently.

8. Creation you're most proud of:
My large 3 foot by 5 foot print of Poodles Crossing the Delaware.

9. Explain your shop name:
My name is Haley and I personally hand-color all my cards, thus the handmades. I wanted a name that would grow with what I offer too and not limit what I produce.

10. Final thoughts?
Visit my etsy page or my website.

The Birth of Poodles handcolored greeting card

Please go visit Haley's Handmades, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Kiley's Handmade Books

2007-07-03T13:44:00.000-06:00

I'm officially on break! Two days off from work! Woooo! I have the Fourth of July off, along with the day after. And you know what my plans are? Sleep! Yesssss!

Things have been really great, though. Well, aside from those awful, demanding, mean customers we had in today. I'm still developing my "secret item", and plans are still in the works for the Lucky 7s sale (which will happen on the same day as the wedding of Kiley's Handmade Books, incidentally).

And speaking of Kiley's Handmade Books...

Stars and Silk Upcycled Kimono Remnats

1) Your shop name:
Kiley's Handmade Books

2) Your real name:
Kiley Watson, Will be Kiley Gwynn on July 7th of this year! Which I know is like *the* wedding day of the year 7/7/07 and really lame- but we didn't pick it for the lucky 7's. We picked it because it happens to be our five-year anniversary- and it happened to be on a Saturday!

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I'm really not a cereal person. If I have to pick one it would probably be malt-o-meal. Crazy I know, I mean hot cereal is still cereal right? My big problem with cereal is I don't like the taste of milk.

My favorite breakfast is fresh fruit and a breakfast bar of some sort. For months I've been eating two apples, crisp ones like pink ladies or brae burns, but they are way out of season right now, and I had to give them up a few weeks ago. It's not quiet Oregon berry season yet so I've been struggling to find good fruit. I also have a breakfast bar with it, I usually pick those up at Trader Joe's. On the weekends I treat my fiancé and myself to marionberry streusel muffins at a little shop down the street.

4) When did you begin creating?
When I was very young. I don't even remember the first time a paint brush was stuck in my hands. My dad was an art student working towards a BFA when I started grade school. I have always been surrounded by creative people and have learned a lot from them. My favorite item I created when I was young is a glass paperweight I blew one afternoon after school. I went to a "lab school" on campus that was just across the lawn from the art school. I spent many afternoons in the art labs "taking" college art classes.

5) Got a day job?
As far as day jobs go I have a pretty good one. I am a "wholesale operations manager" for African Imports company that imports African Handicrafts. Like my fancy title I made it up myself? We are a small company and I do everything. I'm #2 and in charge while the owner is in Africa and often when she is in charge. Each of our items is hand crafted and designed by us. We have a working relationship with all of our artisans. We use recycled or "upcycled" materials whenever they are available to use; for example, our bone products are made with bone that is procured from local butchers. I have been there for two years but will leave my fancy titled job in the fall to go back to school to take a year of chemistry in hopes to be admitted to a book conservation program.

6) Your inspirations:
My inspirations for my books come from wanting to make the perfect book. Okay, thats a strange answer- the reason I got into bookbinding was to build a 3-D portfolio for admission to graduate school. I think my books show my artistic side more than the more traditional binders I know. I would like to think mine have quite a bit of flair to them.

Stamped and Stabbed

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I made a Jayne hat for my fiancé last Halloween- it was great. My crochet skills are mediocre but it came out great! Very much so out of my realm of paper!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
At this point it is the wedding books I made for my aunt's wedding presents. They were stunning, and I really didn’t want to part with them! As they were a gift for a family member they aren’t on Etsy but you can see them on my blog. I hope that as I start the books for my approaching wedding they will become what I am the most proud of.

9) Explain your shop name:
Pretty simple really- Kiley’s Handmade Books- My name is Kiley and I made handmade books- lol. I guess I wasn’t feeling very creative. The KupoKiley part comes from the video game series Final Fantasy- The Moogles (adorable little fuzzy creatures) say it- I’m a big gamer and Final Fantasy III for the SNES is one of my favorite games ever.

10) Final thoughts?
I didn’t mean for this to be so long-winded :P
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little bit about me and please stop by lessthanthreedesigns store! She’s a got some great stuff and is a great addition to etsy! Thanks!

Dream Journal Swirls and Stars Hand Decorated Coptic Hardbound Book

Please go visit Kiley's Handmade Books, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Mosaico

2007-07-02T11:13:00.000-06:00

Wow. It has been EXTREMELY busy around here lately. In the last 4 days alone, I worked 37 hours. That's almost full time. Except for the fact that I did it in 4 days. Wow. That's PROBABLY why I missed making an entry on Friday...

Today is my "slow" day. I only have to go to work from 2-6. Not that I REALLY feel like going at all... but... at least I only have to be there for four hours... It's practically a day off!

So, in honor of this needed "day off", I present to you Mosaico!

Blue Explosion Light Switch Plate

1) Your shop name:
Mosaico

2) Your real name:
Gina

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Old Fashioned Oatmeal.

4) When did you begin creating?
I began creating when I was a teenager. I started by making woven belts on a loom. What can I say? It was the 70s.

5) Got a day job?
Creating is my day job.

6) Your inspirations:
I’m inspired by the belief that everyone’s world would be better without beige switch plates.

Tropical Punch Decorative Switch Plate

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Barbie doll clothes out of Kleenex. Ken was never so happy!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My home life.

9) Explain your shop name:
As it evolves, my shop will become more of a reflection of the name mosaico. Mosaic inspired switch plates, boxes, and jewellery will become a big part of the picture.

10) Final thoughts?
I've never been so happy working so many hours. Thanks for interviewing me.

Ivory Coloured Light Switch Plate

Please go visit Mosaico, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

JKRAL

2007-06-28T22:31:00.000-06:00

The world is coming to an end! I sense doom, despair, and destruction. Today, all of my limbs are going to fall off, I'm going to get punched in the stomach twice, and I'm sure I'm going to get hardware thrown at me at LEAST six times. Why is that? Because the hardware store I work at is having a sale.

Now, I know what you're thinking... How bad could it REALLY be? It's a hardware store. How bad could it be? Bad. Very bad. In fact, it could be downright awful. How do I know this? Well, I worked the sale we had at Memorial Day. See, we don't just sell hardware. We sell pool chemicals, planting supplies, animal traps, lawn chairs, grills, outdoor patio sets, housewares, the list goes on and on. Aaaaaaaaand... today it's all on sale. I sense at least six fist fights over bug spray. Why do I think this? Because over Memorial Day, two old ladies got in a fist fight over a gazebo, and the other cashier working with me got a handful of heavy nuts and bolts thrown at her face.

Today should be swell. You know what else is swell, though? This shop by JKRAL!

I Love The Rain The Most...When It Stops 2

1) Your shop name:
JKRAL

2) Your real name:
Joe Kralovich

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Cocoa Pebbles, of course ;-) Although, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is quite good...

4) When did you begin creating?
Probably around 5 or so. I stopped for a while after college, but have really picked the passion back up again in the past year.

5) Got a day job?
Teaching special ed for group home children.

6) Your inspirations:
My parents and grandparents.

Statehouse P.M. ACEO ATC Card

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Lil Loverboy, no doubt. Even I can't believe that I could create that kind of cheese.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
Hmm, maybe my statehouse image, mainly because it took a long time to get the details right. Right behind that would have been my Mother's Day print.

9) Explain your shop name:
Its my name abbreviated... No real exciting story behind it... Sorry.

10) Final thoughts?
I'm quite surprised that my images have gotten the attention that they have. Thank you to all of you out there that have supported me and given me some great tips on how to be successful. Keep on truckin'! :-)

Everyone knows you are insane ACEO ATC card

Please go visit JKRAL, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Did It Myself/Happi Commi Press

2007-06-28T13:14:00.000-06:00

I didn't think the day would ever come, but it finally did. I actually missed a day of blogging. I extend my apologies, and it'll never happen again (well, you know what they say -- never say never!)!

Also, I just dropped a lightbulb at work, and it shattered all over the floor. It wasn't really a huuuuuuge issue. It was actually funny, because it scared the crap out of the other cashier and my manager, who were both standing next to me having a discussion.

And speaking of lightbulbs, one just went off above my head. I think it would be a great idea to introduce you to Did It Myself/Happi Commi Press!

The Totally Reversible Bag

1) Your shop name:
Did It Myself/Happi Commi Press

2) Your real name:
Erin Korda. I was named after the Walton from the "Waltons" TV series.

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Golden Grams. They remind me of my grandmother.

4) When did you begin creating?:
Ever since I could remember. One day when I was about 7, my father had visit a friend of his that repaired violins. Well, beinging a bored 7 year old, I was looking though his friend's waste paper basket and found a few discarded violin parts and made a necklace.

5) Got a day job?:
I work in the motion picture industry.

Pick Your Pack Button Badge Set

6) Your inspirations:
Beautiful fabric and wallpaper designs and Andy Warhol.

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
My Uppcycle entry. A purse mada of chopsticks and kitchen twine.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My chopstick purse.

9) Explain your shop name:
The Did it myself comes from that I make everything myself, from the product to the labeling to the packaging. The Happi Commi Press comes from this strang obsession with Chairman Mao. The first graphic designing I did was that I made that "Chairman Mao Pen Pal Kit".

10) Final thoughts?
I like creating things, if it's knitting something, sewing, cross stitching, making jewerly, graphic designing, or what ever I might try, it makes me happy. It also makes me happy to see somebody enjoy something that I have created.

Measuring Tape Hip/Purse Pouch

Please go visit Did It Myself/Happi Commi Press, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Art n Joy

2007-06-26T13:01:00.000-06:00

I have a feeling that now that my mom is home from work for the summer (she's a teacher), things are going to be different. As in, even on my day off, I'm going to have to work. WTF? She ran into the mother of someone I went to high school with (and HATED because she was a self-centered egomaniac), and apparently the girl is substitute teaching. Now, my mother has been talking about substitute teaching and how I should for about 2 months. I HAVE a job. I don't NEED anymore work to do. I have too much to do as it is: going to school full time, working almost full time, running my Etsy business and this blog, starting a theater company.... It doesn't end. I don't want to hear about this girl and her substitute teaching job and her online courses and that she'll have a masters when she's done. So will I. So, stop telling me about her! Nothing I do is EVER good enough for my family. UGH.

But that's really not why I'm posting today. I'm posting because I want to introduce you to an excellent shop called Art n Joy!

Alphabet Queen ORIGINAL Mixed Media Collage Journal Page ZNE

1) Your shop name:
Art n Joy

2) Your real name:
Darcy Altaville

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Rice Chex

4) When did you begin creating?
I've been doing art ever since I was a kid!

5) Got a day job?
My day job is taking care of my three beautiful, kind, creative children. It's pretty
much a twenty-four hour job actually! {:

6) Your inspirations:
To be a great mom and raise great kids. And to make at least a part-time income
from selling my art on etsy.

The Gift ORIGINAL Mixed Media Collage Print

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
That would have to be some art dolls I did a couple of years ago!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My children first. And in my Art n Joy etsy shop, there is a piece called
"The Gift" that I am very proud of. I also love "Summer Rose".

9) Explain your shop name:
My art brings me great joy and I hope to evoke that emotion in my viewers and
buyers. At the very least I hope that my art will make people smile!

10) Final thoughts?
I feel that art should be accessible to everyone no matter what their budget. So
I try to keep my pieces affordable so everyone can add a little art to their
everyday life!

Love Potion 9 ORIGINAL Mixed Media Collage Print

Please go visit Art n Joy, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Jen Nixon Designs

2007-06-25T13:52:00.000-06:00

I'm inspired! In about five minutes, I am going to start on the most AMAZING project, and it's going to be the start of my complete overhaul on my shop, the kickoff of which will be on July 7, 2007 when I start my Lucky 7 sale. More information about that will be posted on Saturday! I'm very excited. This new project is going to be AWESOME!

But, you know what else is awesome? Jewelry by Jen Nixon Designs!

Grapes and Berries Necklace

1) Your shop name:
Jen Nixon Designs

2) Your real name:
Jennifer Jeffcoat Nixon

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Kellogg's Yogurt and Berries.

4) When did you begin creating?
I began making jewelry in November, 2006 due to my doctor's suggestion to lower stress.

5) Got a day job?
I was working as an elementary teacher, but now I stay and home, and I am devoting my days to launching my jewelry business.

6) Your inspirations:
Beads! I think beads are so pretty. I love to go to the store and look at them and touch them all. Then I bring them home and let them show me what they want to be!

Pink Ice Cubes Set-Necklace, Bracelet, and Earrings

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I tried to make a brooch for my husband's grandmother. It was SUPPOSED to look like a bouquet of wrapped flowers. Instead it looked like a tangle of weeds! My husband says it is kinda neat and now the cat plays with it!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I am currently most proud of the pearl ring in my shop because I am just learning. I am also pretty proud of my blueberry quartz necklace.

9) Explain your shop name:
Well, I really wanted to have a super cool play on words type name. It never happened. Since they are my designs, I gave it my name.

10) Final thoughts?
I love it when someone buys one of my pieces, but I also hate to see them go :(

Visit Jen Nixon's blog here:
http://jennixondesigns.blogspot.com

Beaded Memory Wire Bracelet

Please go visit Jen Nixon Designs, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Sinnerlady

2007-06-22T17:10:00.000-06:00

I found out something awesome in the Blue Room Chat last night. I have a following! People actually read my blog. Faaaaaaaantastic! I'm totally excited about that. But, you know what else I'm totally excited about? This awesome art by Sinnerlady!

Church i. Original 8x10 in. color photograph

1) Your shop name:
Sinnerlady

2) Your real name:
Kimberly

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Crispix.

4) When did you begin creating?
I probably began creating around three years of age. I remember drawing, coloring, and making collages with my grandmother (who is still a great support). In third grade, I determined I would be an artist in response to a career project, and here I am.

5) Got a day job?
I am currently a special education teacher for emotionally disturbed (but wonderful and creative) students at a non-profit.

6) Your inspirations:
The inspiration is never ending. I tend to draw from world news, history, and often attempt to convey a message with some of my works. My friends, family, students, and emotions also have their influence.

public expression in baltimore. original 8x10 in. color photograph

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
The weirdest thing I ever made... Hmmm... I created an oil painting of a young girl and over her eyes I painted the staples I had from surgery years back (yes, I had photographed the staples... How could I resist something so visually captivating?).

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I am either most proud of my stich girl or my portrait of Nelson Mandela.

9) Explain your shop name:
Sinnerlady is part of a Charles Mingus album title, "The Black Saint and the Sinnerlady".

10) Final thoughts?
This is the pressure question where I need to divulge something of significance, eh? To be serious, over the past three years or so I have truly renewed my vows to develop my art. Art is an integral part of who I am, and I hope that my creations will bring joy and visual excitement to others. I also hope that I can create art that is thought provoking and meaningful for others.

Billie s Blues. Original 8x10 in. Color Photograph

Please go visit Sinnerlady, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Indiaylaluna

2007-06-21T14:47:00.000-06:00

Hoy ha sido un día ineresante, lejos...Me levanté esta mañana y tuve que ir al doctor. Aparentemente, todo está bien, excepto que, tal vez, tengo un quiste en uno de mis ovarios. Tengo que hacerme un ultrasonido. Blehhhh.De todas formas..Apuesto que estarán preguntándose que hay con el español. Hoy, estoy mostrando a Indiaylaluna. Ella es de Argentina, y su primer lengua es el español, por eso pensé utilizarla para que se sienta bienvenida (y porque además amo la lengua y la cultura) es que haré una entrada bilingue. Aqui está!!! (Por favor perdonen mi español, tomé clases durante cinco años en la secundaria, pero casi me olvidé de todo, así que utilicé el traductor Google para el resto.)

Today has been interesting so far... I woke up this morning and had to go to the doctor's. Apparently, everything is fine, except that I might have a cyst on one of my ovaries. I have to go for an ultrasound. Blehhhh. Anyway... I bet you're wondering what's up with the Spanish. Today, I am featuring Indiaylaluna. She is from Argentina, and her first language is Spanish, so I thought, to make her feel welcome (and because I love the language and culture) I would do a bilingual entry. So here it is! (Please excuse my Spanish-- I took five years of it in high school, but I mostly forget all of it, so I used Google Translate for the rest.)

Small Half Moon Earrings in Sterling Silver

1) El nombre de tu shop/Your shop name
Indiaylaluna

2) Tu nombre real/Your real name
Gabriela Hughes

3)Tu cereal favorito para el desayuno/Your favorite breakfast cereal
Tres Arroyos Cereal Mix, si visitan Argentina, deben probarlo!!

Tres Arroyos Cereal Mix, if you come to Argentina, you must taste it!!

4) Cuando comenzaste con tus creaciones?/When did you begin creating?
Recuerdo haber comenzado a crear cosas desde pequeña, mi mamá tenía una máquina de coser y recuerdo que ella hacía los vestidos de mis muñecas, y, de esa manera, yo comencé a hacerlos con ella...Amo crear cosas y, desde entonces, nunca he parado de hacerlo.

I've been creating since I was a little girl. My mother used to have a sewing machine and I remember her making my dolls dresses, and I begun making them with her. I love to create things, and, since that time, I have never stopped.

5) Trabajás de otra cosa?/Got a day job?
Soy maestra jardinera de sala de 4 años de 1 a 4 de la tarde.

I'm a kindergarten teacher to a room full of 4 year olds from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

6) Qué te inspira?/Your inspirations
Mi hija, las estrellas, el silencio, joyas antiguas, joyas indígenas, mis pensamientos,mis sentimientos, mi experiencia de vida, una foto...casi cualquier cosa puede inspirarme cuando estoy inspirada!!! ;-)

My daughter, the stars, the silence, ancient jewelry, Indian jewelry, my thoughts, my feelings, my experiences in life, a picture... Almost everything becomes my inspiration when I'm inspired!!! ;-)

Cleopatra - Sterling Silver Earrings

7) La cosa más extraña que jamás hayas hecho?/Weirdest thing you've ever made
En 1996 estaba trabajando en el Club Med en Itaparica, Brasil, y se organizó un concurso en el cuál, cada equipo, debía crear trajes para desfilar, sin usar telas ni máquina de coser, entonces decidí crear trajes de novios para tres parejas usando sólo papel higiénico, sábanas y pegamento. Aún conservo las fotos y realmente amo esas creaciones!!!!

In 1996 I was working at The Club Med in Itaparica, Brasil, and there was a contest in which each team had to make costumes without using fabrics or sewing machines, so I created three couples of brides and grooms, using only toilet paper, sheets and glue. I have the pictures and I love those creations!!!!

8) Tu creación de la cual estás más orgullosa?/Creation that you are most proud of
Mi hija, por supuesto :-)

My daughter, of course :-)

9) Explica el nombre de tu shop/Explain your shop name
El nombre de mi hija es India Luna, por eso, inspirada en ella y como homenaje hacia ella, elegí este nombre que significa tanto para mí. India puede relacionarse con el país o con los indígenas y luna significa moon, entonces el nombre de mi shop se traduciría como "India and the moon"

My daughter's name is India Luna, so, inspired by her and in tribute to her I choose that name that means a lot to me. India means Indian or the India country, and luna means moon, so my shop name means "India and the moon".

10) Pensamientos finales?/Final thoughts?
Amo Etsy y a las personas que lo integran, he encontrado aquí cálida comunicación, respeto y sentimiento de camaradería, y me gustaría que estos sentimientos puedan desparramarse alrededor del mundo!!!!

I love Etsy and its members, I find here warm communication, respect and a feeling of friendship, and I would love if this feeling can spread everywhere around the world!!!!

Pinky Pinky - Everyday Tote

Por favor, visiten Indiaylaluna y continúen chequeando mi blog para más entrevistas con asombrosos vendedores de Etsy!

Please go visit Indiaylaluna, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Vintage Poppy Creations

2007-06-20T15:39:00.000-06:00

Today has been glorious so far (except for that weird dream I had last night, but I'm DEFINITELY not going to get into that here). I was featured on the EtsyGreetings blog, which you should all go check out. I went down the shore yesterday. I didn't have to go to work early, so that was good. After I get done at work (2 hours left!) I am going out for drinks with my boyfriend and his friends. But wait! There's more! I found this totally awesome shop called Vintage Poppy Creations! Check it out!

I love rainy days brooch

1) Your shop name:
Vintage Poppy Creations

2) Your real name:
Amanda

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Mmmm...I like kid cereals. My favorite is probably a tie between Fruity Pebbles and Froot Loops! :)

4) When did you begin creating?
When I was little! My mom is really crafty and I was always in the middle of some project.

5) Got a day job?
I'm a nanny for a 3 year old boy. 8:00am - 6:00pm, Monday - Friday!

Sweet Robot T-shirt

6) Your inspirations:
COLOR! I love lots of color. Things that remind me of my childhood (the late 80's!), and things that make me happy... Like cupcakes and robots and such!

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Umm...not sure. I haven't really made anything too weird. But when I was younger I painted some really ugly-weird paintings that I am now totally embarrassed of but my mom won't let me get rid of them!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I'm still working on it. :) But I'm proud of most of the things I make. If I weren't I sure wouldn't sell them or share them with others! I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to making things for other people.

9) Explain your shop name
Well.... I love poppies and I love vintage/vintage inspired things (particulary home decor). However, I have nothing that is actually vintage in my shop at the moment other than some vintage buttons and lace! I thought the name had a nice ring to it!

10) Final thoughts?
I've always had a dream of opening my own shop to sell my creations from. When I first started getting into selling the things I made, I hated going around to shops asking if they would sell my things because around where I lived, the answer always seemed to be "No". So one day I hope to open up my own shop and open it to other young budding artists/crafters. I feel that Etsy is just another step towards that!

Tooth Pillows

Please go visit Vintage Poppy Creations, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

EtsySecret

2007-06-19T09:20:00.000-06:00

Hurry, hurry, hurry! The submissions post for the first ever EtsySecret is going up in 40 minutes!

Have you all seen PostSecret?

I have, and I enjoy it greatly. That's why I think we should have an EtsySecret.

Here's how it works. Today at 12 noon, I will create a submissions post on my blog. What you need to do is to create a picture secret. It must be 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high (or less). Then, you must upload it to a website that will give you a direct URL to the picture (as in, Photobucket or something like that). I would suggest using one that is different than the one you usually use. I don't want to know who made each secret! During the submissions post, I will accept the first 100 secrets that come in (don't worry--comments will be moderated, and nobody will see them but me). 50 of them will be posted on Saturday, June 23rd, and the other 50 will be posted on Saturday, June 30th.

If this does really well, I will probably create a blog just for this, but until then, I will be using my blog.

I hope you guys enjoy the idea and want to participate. Personally, I am VERY excited! :)

Rocca Designs

2007-06-19T08:31:00.000-06:00

I'm getting my hair cut in two and a half hours! I'm so excited! It's going to be very choppy with bangs. I'll probably post a picture here after it's done. I hope it doesn't suck! What do I need after all this? Gorgeous jewelry by Rocca Designs!

SERPENTINE NECKLACE

1) Your shop name:
Rocca Designs

2) Your real name:
Carolina Estrada

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Kellogg's Special K. It is actually the only one I'll eat!

4) When did you begin creating?
I started in middle school. I made little seed bead necklaces. I started selling to others about 5 years ago, and it became a business last year.

5) Got a day job?
Yes, I work full time, and I am a wife and mommy.

6) Your inspirations:
Silvia Tcherassi. She is a Colombian fashion designer who has made her own way in the world fashion scene. I want to emulate her drive and admire her vision.

ROSE AND AVENTURINE EARRINGS

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
The other day I made an ID badge holder, the 1st one ever. It was a special request for someone. That is weird for me because I had never made one before, but my business is branching out to other accessories besides jewelry.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
A painting I made for my mother in high school. It is a beautiful landscape. She still has it hanging in her bedroom.

9) Explain your shop name:
Rocca: the first part represents my husband's name and the 2nd part, mine. The "c" in the middle represents the creative process.

10) Final thoughts?
Thank you for letting me participate in this blog.

AT ART HOUSE - CHERRY QUARTZ NECKLACE

Please go visit Rocca Designs, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Decadence Designs

2007-06-18T07:28:00.000-06:00

Today is my day off from work. Seriously. I am so incredibly excited I don't even know what to do with myself. Oh wait, yes I do. ETSY! I had a super-cool idea for something SUPER FUN to do with the Etsy community, but I'm going to put it in a separate post, because I do NOT want to take attention away from the wonderful shop I'm featuring today: Decadence Designs Check it out!

Silverware Windchime

1) Your shop name:
Decadence Designs

2) Your real name:
Heather Whamond

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I usually don't eat breakfast, but when I do I LOVE cold pizza :D

4) When did you begin creating?
I've always been creating, but I didn't kick it into high gear until last summer :)

5) Got a day job?
Yep! I am a software tester.

6) Your inspirations:
I find inspiration all around me, mostly in nature and my daughter. The oddest source of inspiration was a slice of lime that was garnishing my breakfast one Sunday. Each little juice pocket was perfect and it looked like a stained glass window.

Mabel and Evelyn, 1939 - ACEO

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I wouldn't say that I've made anything weird, but my first windchime was a bit... awkward.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I love my windchimes! They are made out of old and tarnished silverware, some beautiful glass beads and some wire.

9) Explain your shop name:
My boyfriend came up with the name. He calls me Princess Decadence, which makes my creations Decadence Designs. I also like the fact that, IMHO, to be decadent is to be spoiled and I am all about spoiling myself! :D

10) Final thoughts?
I feel that all of my creations are little pieces of myself. If I don't feel that a piece is ready to leave the nest, it does not leave my home for a craft show or get posted on Etsy. I only ever broke this rule once - because I had less than 12 hours to get ready for a craft show. I grabbed every item in sight, including a box that I wasn't thrilled about. We set up the night before and the women running the show shopped the night before, picking out their favorite items to purchase the next day. The box that I wasn't sure about was the first thing that one of the organizers bought :) Shows what *I* know about my pieces! :D

Green Dragonfly Repurposed Cigar Box

Please go visit Decadence Designs, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

EtsyGreetings Street Team

2007-06-17T14:41:00.001-06:00

I don't usually do updates on the weekend, but I feel absolutely obligated to do so today. I am a member of the greatest street team ever! What street team would that be? Why, the EtsyGreetings street team, of course!

This street team is full of MANY talented people, and you owe it to yourself to take a look at the many different items being made by these fine folks. How can you do that? You can visit the EtsyGreetings blog. The blog features different members of the group daily (my feature is on Wednesday, June 20th--I'll post a link!) and includes a list of the different shops that participate in the street team along the left hand border.

You owe it to yourself to check out the group! Great stuff! :)

Fairiesnest

2007-06-15T14:17:00.000-06:00

I'm about to head down the shore! I'm so excited!

You know, I haven't been doing much crafting lately, but one thing is for sure: I've definitely discovered a LOT of great Etsy shops. Please allow me to introduce you to Fairiesnest!

Nalynne Fairy Cloth Artdoll

1) Your shop name:
Fairiesnest

2) Your real name:
Cynthia Toy

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Hmm...Raspberry-Ginger Peace cereal. I know, how crunchy of me!

4) When did you begin creating?
I made my first doll at age 7! But I really got back to it about 15 years ago making dolls for my kids. After that I couldn't quit and it kinda just escalated!

5) Got a day job?
I sub some as a teacher, but I'm really working on making it as an artist... Fingers crossed!!

6) Your inspirations:
Nature, fairy tales, my own crazy musings.

Autumn Leaf Fairy

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
My crow ladies are probably the weirdest but they are also my favs!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My Merfae. Her tail is made from collage fabric that took hours to make! And I love her hair with all the sea glass and shells in it.

9) Explain your shop name:
The nest where fairies are born!

10) Final thoughts?
I've just really started on Etsy but I have to say I really like it so far, the people are amazingly helpful and friendly.

Alyssandra

Please go visit Fairiesnest, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Paperflowergirl

2007-06-14T16:44:00.001-06:00

Today has been WONDERFUL. I have done absolutely nothing. I slept in until noon. Then I woke up and played video games with my brother. Then I played on Etsy for at LEAST three hours. I haven't had a day like this in a good, loooooooong time, and I couldn't be more thrilled. You know what ELSE I couldn't be more thrilled about? Finding this AWESOME shop by Paperflowergirl!

AN EASTERN FAIRYTALE Sunset Necklace

1) Your shop name:
Paperflowergirl

2) Your real name:
Isis Sturtewagen

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I never eat cereals for breakfast. I rather make myself a milkshake, or eat yochurt with fruit.

4) When did you begin creating?
I have been creatng things as long as I can remember,... I have been messing around with beads, yarns, fabric, paper, pencils, paint and glue since I was old enough to hold them in my hands. One of the first things I can remember making is a little book in which I would write (not really words, becasue I was couldn't really write at that time, but just spirals and loops en stripes and lines) in a little book, when I couldn't fall asleep at night.

5) Got a day job?
I'm studying Archaeology, so no dayjob yet for me.

6) Your inspirations:
I'm inspired by lots of different things. By nature. By small forgotten details nobody ever notices. By other artists. By historical costume.

FORBIDDEN FRUITS Spiral

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I can't think of really weird things. I did make a lot of stuff modern people would consider weird though. Apart from making jewelry I also make historical costumes. My favorit period is the Middle Ages. So probably medieval drawers are quite weird, and also some types of medieval women's headwear might look quite odd to many people.
You can read more about my historical costume and accessories making here: http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
At the moment that would be this pair of earrings, since they are the result of my first attempts at hammering metal.

9) Explain your shop name:
The name I gave to my shop, Paper Flower Girl, goes back to a story form my early youth. When I was a kid, in summer me, my parents would take me and my little sister to the beach. It was tradition to make paper flowers and then exchange these with the flowers other kids made, or 'sell' them to each other for beautiful shells we found on the shore.

10) Final thoughts?
I'm really happy that I found out about etsy and the online crafting world half a year ago. It's a hard job to get noticed, but, there is always light at the end of the tunnel!

FORBIDDEN FRUITS Teal apples

Please go visit Paperflowergirl, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

AddictedToArt

2007-06-13T17:11:00.000-06:00

Wow. I am EXTREMELY late at posting this entry today. I went to the Phillies game. It was AWESOME! We had Graham Slam ice cream. I SERIOUSLY feel bad for anybody who doesn't live close enough to Philadelphia to have this ice cream. Also, Aaron Rowand hit a grand slam. And the Phillies won by a LOT. Yessssss. Now all we need is for the Braves and Mets to lose... YESSSSSSSSS. I've been having a great day. The icing on the cake was discovering AddictedToArt!

Berries in The Forest Yarn

1) Your shop name:
AddictedToArt

2) Your real name:
Johoanna Boykin

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Muslie with almonds, dates and apricots

4) When did you begin creating?
I've always been creative, I don't remember a particular time when I started. It was always something I did.

5) Got a day job?
No. I have a bad back and am currently going through rehab for that. I'm hoping to be making some sort of income greater than welfare payments so I don't have to go back to work.

6) Your inspirations:
Mostly what other people are creating, Shunklies is a huge inspiration to me. Also CubistLiterature. I love to spend time in nature and find that is slowly starting to find it's way into my artwork.

Caramel Vanilla Lip Balm

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
When I was in primary school (or Elementary School) we had to carve a piece of soap. I had no idea what to make so I made a table. It turned out really lame.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My yarn is what I am most proud of. I am learning and getting better each time I make yarn. It's also the thing I love doing the most.

9) Explain your shop name:
Um, I'm addicted to arts and crafts :D

Good Morning Sunshine Soap

Please go visit AddictedToArt, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Erica Leigh Designs

2007-06-12T07:25:00.000-06:00

I must admit, I'm in sort of a rush today. I'm performing with my choir. We're singing at a friend's wedding. My secret life as a musician, heh heh heh. Anyway, I'm supposed to be leaving my house in four minutes, but I could help but do a feature before I go. Today's victim, er... featured seller is Erica Leigh Designs.

Jailhouse Jumper

1) Your shop name:
Erica Leigh Designs

2) Your real name:
Erica Leigh! :)

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Ha, that's a hard one. I'd have to say Apple Jacks!

4) When did you begin creating?
Um, around sophomore year of high school? That was about 4 years ago. My mom taugh me how to make tote bags and she made me make them for all my friends when they had birthdays. I started experimenting with making purses and clothes last year though.

5) Got a day job?
I'm a college student. Does that count?

6) Your inspirations:
Vintage fashions, art, films...anything and everything that catches my eye.

Vintage Paisley Olive Green Hobo Bag with Satin Bow Tie and Buttons

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
A friendship bracelet out of a plastic lei.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
The black hooded top with pink trim and bow. it was one of the first tops I ever made!

9) Explain your shop name:
Well, it's really simple. it's just my first and middle name with "designs" added on. i couldn't think of anything else to call it at the time.

10) Final thoughts?
I love making things! i think that sewing is a great creative outlet. Plus, I love fashion and think that it's one of the best ways a person can express themselves with. Also, anyone who wants to add me on myspace: www.myspace.com/ericaleighdesigns.

Thank you!!!

Hot Pink Mod Tunic Top with Short Sleeves and Black Lace Overlay

Please go visit Erica Leigh Designs, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

The Crafting Patch Etsy Market

2007-06-11T22:55:00.000-06:00

Guess what? I totally just applied and got accepted to The Crafting Patch Etsy Market, which is being hosted by the NC Etsy Street Team. The market is on October 13, 2007 9a-5p at Freedom Park, Charlotte, NC. The street team is still accepting applications, so if you're interested, contact thecraftingpatchmarket@gmail.com for an application! If not, please come visit anyway! It should be a VERY good time!

WebGal

2007-06-11T08:49:00.000-06:00

My mind is racing, my heart is beating fast, I have the chills. Am I sick? Nope. Did I just run up fifteen flights of stairs? Nope again. What is it, then? I'm in love. I am head over heels in love with the fantastic jewelry by WebGal!

Funky Purple Passion Bracelet

1) Your shop name:
WebGal

2) Your real name:
Anne Moss Rogers

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
It varies but this week it's pecan granola mixed with Great Grains. Next week it could be chopped tree bark over grits. I'm just living on the edge!

4) When did you begin creating?
At birth. I painted a copy of the Sistine Chapel on my attic ceiling at the age of 2.5. Okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration. I started early, though. I've been making things ever since I can remember. I was 12 when someone asked me to make things for her gift shop. I was thrilled.

5) Got a day job?
Yes. I'm a freelance writer, web developer and webmistress for some websites. I have written ads for the majority of 20 years. Radio, TV, magazine, newspaper and brochures. In the last few years, I've gotten into web sites. I design some, write all and am hired to basically market things on the web.

6) Your inspirations:
My mother, Warhol, John Hardy and jewelry designers who design for the upscale stores on Saks Fifth avenue. I work with a diamond dealer in NY and when I go up there (I live in Virginia), I meet some really nifty people.

Bracelet with Attitude is not for the Faint of Fashion

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
A palm tree from coat hangars and sewn cloth.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My boys. I am a mother after all.

9) Explain your shop name:
I guess I spend lots of time on the internet creating things for clients. My screen name on a web forum I manage is webmistress. I go by webgal on another forum, so it sort of defines how I spend a lot of my time.

10) Final thoughts?
You don't mean final as in, dead sort of final. No, you don't mean that. You are welcome to see my website: annemoss.com. I love writing, it pays well but I miss creating with my hands. So that is why I started making jewelry. I've made many different things but I always go back to jewelry. It's my grandmother's fault.

Ivory and Lace Double Strand Causes Double Take

Please go visit WebGal, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

GalleriaLinda

2007-06-08T14:15:00.000-06:00

Today has been stressful. I woke up quite early. I got ready for work. I force-fed the cat his medicine (QUITE a task, mind you). I drove my brother to school, picking up his friend along the way-- I'm just a nice person like that. I went to the post office. I went to work. I worked all day. I just got home. My mother made fun of me. My dog wet his pants. I have choir rehearsal later (not that I don't like it--I'm just tired). Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I just found a great Etsy shop which is brightening up my day! Behold, GalleriaLinda!

Spring Basket Bracelet

1) Your shop name:
GalleriaLinda

2) Your real name:
Linda

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Hmmmm...I stopped eating breakfast cereal about three years ago. I will eat 8-grain wheatless cooked cereal though and it is g-o-o-d!

4) When did you begin creating?
Gosh, when did life begin? My mother was quite crafty and a master Crewel needleworker. She was always trying lots of new and different things, so I was her "little helper." I also enjoyed a variety of art classes in College (I especially loved pottery and making collages), as they were required for my degree in Interior Design. As a young adult, I enjoyed crewel needlework, sculpting from bread dough (see below), home improvement projects, and of course, making jewelry for myself.

5) Got a day job?
I work full-time as a marketing communications consultant - another business I run! This involves a lot of graphic design and copywriting. I find that my creative energy is best during times where I take time to create art for myself. It goes hand-in-hand.

6) Your inspirations:
I get inspirations from nature, as most do, but I also love to research historical jewelry and architecture. I especially love the Art Deco period because the designs were fabulously linear, simple, and modern in their own way. I love to interpret designs I see and translate the shapes into other materials and in other ways.

Boardroom Sophisticate-Casual Neckwear Collection

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
No need to think long here! Back when "bread dough" clay was popular to make at home, I sculpted an entire nativity scene. You have to bake it for a while and all my wise men squished down into little fat wise dough boys! It was so hysterical it was cute. This was intended for a Christmas present for my in-laws and I gave it to them anyway. They (bless their hearts) proudly displayed it every year, and every year I chuckled!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
Well, aren't most artists perfectionists? I am a recovering perfectionist so I take my cues from customers, friends, and family that see my work. Whatever they express interest in, I feel like I did a good job. When I finish a piece, I always have thoughts about how it could or should be improved. You could call that innovation. Yes! Let's call that innovation - ok?

9) Explain your shop name:
When I was a young girl, I lived in Brazil for several years and learned Portuguese. (I live in the US). The word "linda" is translated as "beautiful" in both Spanish and Portuguese. Therefore, I named my shop GalleriaLinda for "Beautiful Gallery" with a play on my own name.

10) Final thoughts?
I am astounded at the Etsy community, both for the exceptional gifted talent Etsy represents and for the "just darn nice folks" I have met on the forums.

I must confess that I allowed my creativity to wane for years while I was working the corporate world. Even though I always had positions that required an "artistic nature," it was always to solve problems and never was mine. Getting back to creating for myself on my own time has changed my perspective on life. I look back and realize that we must create to be whole. At least I do.

Tiger Stripe Bracelet

Please go visit GalleriaLinda, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Spiderbite Boutique

2007-06-07T16:36:00.000-06:00

Ok. These journals are furrrrrrryyyyyyy! Is it wrong that the first thing I thought of when I saw these was Monsters, Inc? No, it's not wrong? Well... is it wrong that the second thing I thought of was Avenue Q? I have no idea, but I definitely know one thing: I am going to be purchasing one of these amazing journals made by Spiderbite Boutique!

Crubbly the Nightmare Snatcher

1) Your shop name:
Spiderbite Boutique

2) Your real name:
Sarah Jane

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I don't really like breakfast cereal, but I remember being a big fan of Frankenberry as a kid. Now I mostly just eat a pop tart or a bagel for breakfast.

4) When did you begin creating?
I guess you could say I began creating when I started art school around 2001. Prior to that I never really painted or crafted, but I found out it's kind of a requirement for art school. I went to be a web designer, so the majority of my portfolio was design work and websites. But once I started school I found a love for handcrafting items and illustrative work, so I changed my major. My product the Nightmare Snatchers were created around 2005 as a project for one of my classes.

5) Got a day job?
I guess making the Nightmare Snatchers is my day job. My side job is writing and illustrating children's books that I hope to one day get published.

6) Your inspirations:
Stories about mystical or fantastic adventures are a big inspiration to me. Fairy tales, scary stories, and epic adventures just make me want to create things of my own. I create books because I love books myself. Books always seem so magical to me. A whole adventure could be contained in a book, just waiting for you to wander in. You open a book and there's no telling where it might lead you.

Swampmop Nightmare Snatcher

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I've made many a weird thing in my journeys through art school, so it's hard to narrow it down. I once made a corset entirely out of dried roses and wire for a school project. Never tried it on as the wires were very pokey! Cost me a fortune to make.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I guess my Nightmare Snatchers are what I am the most proud of. They've come a long way since my first craft show in 2005 and I hope they'll keep going.

9) Explain your shop name:
My shop name actually comes from the nickname my dad had for me as a kid. He called me 'Spiderbite' because I had an allergic reaction to being bitten by a spider. I felt the name just fit my work, which I like to think is creepy yet cute and whimsical.

10) Final thoughts?
Thanks for the interview you happy little teeth!

Lomper the Nightmare Snatcher

Please go visit Spiderbite Boutique, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Renee Fensin Designs

2007-06-06T10:36:00.000-06:00

I work at a hardware store, in case you haven't picked that up from every other post I've made. You know what I find fascinating? This jewelry by Renee Fensin Designs. She has taken washers and made them into jewelry (among the other fantastic pieces she has in her shop)! Take a look!

Anni Necklace

1) Your shop name:
Renee Fensin Designs

2) Your real name:
Renee Fensin

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Peanut Butter Captain Crunch - but I haven't eaten it in a while.

4) When did you begin creating?
I started creating when I was young. I can remember selling barettes and embellished t-shirts in grade school. I started making jewelry in college.

5) Got a day job?
I am an Associate Wealth Management Advisor (how's that for a fancy title?) Basically we help people reach their financial goals.

6) Your inspirations:
Anything and everything. Nature, the city, and especially my daughter.

Vivienne

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I once made a belt out of washers and ribbon (similar to the Anni necklace in my store) it looked really cool but weighed a ton.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My Vivienne necklace. It is named after my daughter and a portion of the proceeds go to an organization helping orphans in China who are waiting to find their forever families.

9) Explain your shop name:
Not very unique but I wanted people to be able to identify my jewelry with me.

10) Final thoughts?
I love the process of creating jewelry and I hope that people love my creations. Nothing gives me more creative pleasure than when my pieces find the right home.

Moonstone Blossom

Please go visit Renee Fensin Designs, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

fiftyseven-thirtythree

2007-06-05T08:34:00.000-06:00

You know, usually I can do pretty well writing intros for these blogs, but today I'm having a bit of a hard time. It's not that I can't relate to anything about fiftyseven-thirtythree. Believe me, it's not that at all. I mean, we have TONS in common, including our love for Cap'n Crunch. I guess maybe it's just that I'm speechless. There's SO MANY visually fascinating items in fiftyseven-thirtythree that I just don't know what to do with myself. Go see for yourself if you don't believe me...

Frankenstein Waffle shirt

1) Your shop name:
fiftyseven-thirtythree

2) Your real name:
James Patrick Dawson

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
It used to be King Vitamin, but I think they stopped making that. I really love Cap n' Crunch. It's absolutely delicious, however if you don't let it sit in the milk long enough before you eat it, it cuts the roof of your mouth.... I guess every rose has its thorns

4) When did you begin creating?
Ever since I can remember. My Dad liked to draw, he was a compulsive doodler, he sketched all day long, while he was at work, on the phone, in meetings. We'd draw together. I use to have a binder full of the drawings we did together. He was much better than me, but he always told me I was really good. One Christmas I decided to help decorate, so I took out my crayons and started drawing pictures all over the living room walls. I got my ass whooped for that (yes, a long time ago parents actually smacked children for misbehaving).

5) Got a day job?
I'm a photographer mainly, I shoot a lot of music stuff and fashion stuff. I've been published a ridiculous number of times all over the place. I've had pictures in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, countless music mags. I've met all kinds of great people, it's a great job. I photographed The Killers, The Arcade Fire, The Back Street Boys, Scott Adams (dilbert), Billy Beane (the oakland A's) all kinds of people who are very accomplished. I just started shooting music videos. Back in the day, I used to hang sheet rock and do construction, I even had a job working for Clairol answering phones at the help line. I'd help people who messed up their hair. That was hilarious. It was a great job for meeting women because there were only like 2 straight guys in the whole office.

6) Your inspirations:
I get inspired by the strangest things, some artists, but more often stories. I like people who've done things that others said were not possible. That's why I use images of people like Anna May Wong and Josephine Baker. They were way ahead of their time, and they lived their lives as they wanted, not as they were suppose to. I live in an old industrial neighborhood in East Oakland; I find that inspiring. The decay and abandonment are beautiful in a way. These things that remain from a time that is long gone. They tell the stories of that time, they stand as monuments to what was, when this country was very different. There is something inspiring about the fact that these things (buildings, railroad tracks, machinery) still remain despite there neglect. They endure.

Josephine Baker silkscreened embroidered Hoodie with applique

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made
I'm not sure what the "weirdest" was but a few stand out. I wrote an illustrated book called "A Brief History of Gender Relations for Children". People liked it, but no one ever let their children read it, so I guess it was a failure. I also did another book called "My Miserable Life and Flatware" All the pages were made of duct tape, and it was a mixture of cartoons of terribly traumatic things happening to me and bad illustrations of fine flatware. I also painted a nude portrait of Pat Benatar when I was like 12. I hid it inside the record sleeve so my Mom wouldn't find it. It seemed reasonable at the time, but looking back it's a little weird.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I can't really answer that. I have created so many things and I have attachments to all of them. That's like asking a Mother which is her favorite child. I'll say this though, I've made a couple of books of vacation pictures for my girlfriend. You know, of trips we've taken together. I don't consider them particularly creative or works of art. My girlfriend, however, LOVES them to death. So maybe I am most proud of them because they make her so happy.

9) Explain your shop name:
My studio address is 5733 San Leandro St. I like where I live.

10) Final thoughts?
Should you ever be walking through a rain forest in Hawaii and come across a gorgeous 40 foot waterfall that local kids are jumping off. You'll probably think "Wow that looks Fun! I wanna do that." Resist the urge to climb that waterfall and leap off it like those kids....
'cuz it's a lot trickier than it looks.

Oakland T-shirt

Please go visit fiftyseven-thirtythree, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Craftymoose

2007-06-04T08:54:00.000-06:00

It is 11:03 am. The day has already been somewhat of a fiasco. I had to wake up pretty early to bring my cat to the vet. He's getting declawed today (my mother's choice, not mine--don't tar and feather me!), but... nobody told us that we had to fast him... So we didn't. Luckily, they decided to take him in, anyway, since they're keeping him two nights. They'll do the surgery later today... I pretty much threatened them, "If anything happens to my cat, I SWEAR to you, I will flay you within an inch of your life. Consider yourself warned." Okay, so I didn't say that, but I sure felt like it... So, here I am, sitting here, being haunted by thoughts of something bad happening to my kitty, and what do I find? This lovely piece by Craftymoose, which instantly made my day that much better by bringing a smile to my face.

Stripes Tiger Beaded Art Doll

1) Your shop name:
Craftymoose

2) Your real name:
Debbie DiJusto

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Hot oatmeal in cold Weather; Honey Bunches of Oats in hot weather.

4) When did you begin creating?
With the idea of selling: 1992, but I have been creating things as gifts & to decorate all my life.

5) Got a day job?
Not outside the home.

6) Your inspirations:
To continue to do what I love & hopefully share with the world my creations.

Forsynthia, Marrigolds and Bellflowers

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Perhaps a paper mache cactus out of a tissue box & newspaper that still resides on our fireplace.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
A recent custom order I had to make 3 headpieces for flower girls using french beaded rosebuds.

9) Explain your shop name:
The name Craftymoose came about because of my love of crafts and my husband's love of moose. My avatar is the head of a 4'+ tall moose I made him one Christmas!

10) Final thoughts?
Handcrafted items make the world prettier! Thank you for this opportunity!

If Only I Could Be A Rose ACEO

Please go visit Craftymoose, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

McFarlandDesigns

2007-06-01T07:35:00.000-06:00

I am at work. We just spilled ammonia on the floor. And it smells. Bad. I need some kind of relaxation. Something pretty to look at. How about.... McfarlandDesigns!

Labradorite and Sterling Silver Ring, size 8-1/2

1) Your shop name:
McFarlandDesigns

2) Your real name:
Tamara McFarland

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Peanut butter puffs with chocolate almond milk

4) When did you begin creating?
Well, if you mean really seriously creating jewelry with a mind towards selling it, then only about a year and a half ago. But if you mean creating in a broader sense, I've always been creative. I was artistic as a child and during high school was drawn to graphic design and architecture. Somehow I ended up doing bookkeeping/accounting instead, which was a big mistake! After 10 years of that, I finally quit and now I have the time and energy to devote to being creative nearly full-time. Over the years, I've dabbled in jewelry, knitting, sewing/quilting, and other crafts. I feel like I've finally found my right place with jewelry, although it's always fun to try new things... Who knows where I'll be in a few more years. :-)

5) Got a day job?
Not anymore - see above, although I do spend the bulk of my days taking care of my 18 month old son. Jewelry work happens during naptime and after bedtime, often until the wee hours.

6) Your inspirations:
My inspirations are all across the board, from my family and friends, my animals and all the animals on the planet, to the beautiful part of the world where I live (Humboldt County, CA - redwoods + pacific ocean), to the other Etsy sellers I see creating amazing things.

When Life Gives You Lemons... Bracelet

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Once I was playing around trying to make something to donate to a high-dollar animal charity fundraiser and I made a glitzy mosaic-style dog bone pendant. It never made it to public view, but I still have it. I have no idea what to do with it.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
The creations that I'm most proud of at the moment, although this may change depending on the day you ask me:
Fancy Wrapped Green Garnet Necklace with lots-o-gemstones
Citrus Sorbet Necklace

9) Explain your shop name:
My shop name doesn't need much explanation; it's not particularly clever - McFarland is my last name.

10) Final thoughts?
Thank you so much for the opportunity to show my work on your blog. I really appreciate it. If anyone wants to visit my sites or drop me a line, here's my info:
www.mcfarlanddesigns.com
www.mcfarlanddesigns.etsy.com
www.bestbeads.etsy.com (my second shop, where I sell gemstone beads)
www.mcfarlanddesigns.blogspot.com
email: orders [!at] mcfarlanddesigns.com

Lemon Drop Necklace - Lemon Quartz and Sterling Silver

Please go visit McFarlandDesigns, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Dark Temptations

2007-05-31T07:30:00.000-06:00

It's true that on Etsy, there is a little something for everyone. I can tell you this for sure. The shop I found today takes gothic, combines it with vegan goodness, and makes WONDERFUL products. Who am I talking about? Dark Temptations, of course!

Fever Revitalizing Foot Polish 8 oz

1) Your shop name:
Dark Temptations

2) Your real name:
Jacquelyn Michelle Scott, known by Michelle

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Apple Jacks

4) When did you begin creating?
I've always been involved in arts & crafts since I was young, but I started with my soaps, perfume oils and bath products 2 years ago.

5) Got a day job?
Yes, I'm a Manager for our transit system

6) Your inspirations:
Gothic, Victorian era, ancient Egypt, dark romance, things that run toward the not so main stream.

Bubbles for Charity Lemon Poundcake

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
That would be my In Shower Moisturizer bar, you rub it on while wet and dry yourself off and your skin ends up soft and moisturized.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I'm most proud of my Bliss! 3-in-1 scrub, it cleans, exfoliates and moisturizes.

9) Explain your shop name:
It embraces my bit of a gothic, quirky nature and tempting products.

10) Final thoughts?
I'm happy that I can combine my passion to create with my vegan ideals. I'm having a blast and I plan on doing this for a long time to come.

Gingerbread Baby Warming Scrub 2 oz/ 8 oz

Please go visit Dark Temptations, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Tigergirl

2007-05-30T12:33:00.000-06:00

I think I need a nap... I forgot just how early 6 am is (especially when you went to bed at 2 am). The good part was how green it was outdoors today. The color kind of matched my envy of the products in Tigergirl.

Green With Envy Chaos Necklace

1) Your shop name:
Tigergirl

2) Your real name:
Linda-Maree (everyone calls me Lou)

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Muesli with water zapped for 30 sec in the microwave then a dash of 99% ff milk (Oh, sometimes when we're staying at a hotel I'll have Coco Pops if they have them - so unhealthy but so yummy)

4) When did you begin creating?
My memory doesn't go back that far - a few too many beers and wines ago.

5) Got a day job?
Not at the moment. My 'trade' is Software Developer, I'm still trying to decide if I want to stick with it or not.

6) Your inspirations:
Everything and anything, usually I have no idea where my ideas come from.

Green Tea Chaos Necklace

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Hmmm, I don't think I've made anything very weird, maybe that should be my next project?

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
That's tough. Probably my chaos necklaces but then again, I'm very proud of some of the clothes I've made, especially tailor made men's shirts.

9) Explain your shop name:
A long, long time ago I got a tiger tattoo, ever since then people are always giving me tiger things, so it's a theme. Until recently my motorbike helmet had tiger ears on it (one fell off somewhere while I was riding, so my hearing isn't as good anymore ha ha).

10) Final thoughts?
Don't dwell on what can't be changed - either change it, or move on to something else, life is too short.

Blue and Green Geisha Pendant Necklace

Please go visit Tigergirl, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

PamelaMichelle

2007-05-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

I love this time of year! The birds are chirping, the weather is warm, the flowers are starting to bloom (although, not in MY front yard, because we never actually PLANTED flowers this year)... I love the weather. You know what else I love? PamelaMichelle! It's like she and Mother Nature have been conspiring to create together some pretty neat, geometric, nature inspired art. Check it out!

Tree Print

1) Your shop name:
PamelaMichelle

2) Your real name:
Pamela Michelle, but I usually go just by Pam.

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Oh...I haven't had breakfast cereal in so long. But I do miss getting those little toys from the bottom of the boxes. My sister and I would fight over a box of cereal to get the toy out before the other, which usually ended with cereal all over the table and floor.

4) When did you begin creating?
I been creating my whole life. I've always been the crafty type, not afraid to try new things. Just recently I started selling prints of my paintings on Etsy, and that escalated into turning those prints into jewelry.

5) Got a day job?
My day job is tons of fun. I'm a graphic designer/illustrator for a major in-house design studio in Dallas, Texas. I work with energetic, talented, inspiring people, so it not a boring 9-5 by any means.

6) Your inspirations:
Right now I'm inspired by nature, modern design, and graffiti art.

Green Leafy Pendant Necklace

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I've made many weird things. For Halloween last year I took a white sheet and cut and sewed it into a 'sexy ghost' costume (mind you I'm not properly trained how to sew, and all of it was done by hand). It turned out pretty weird. It covered my head, with strands of white strips draping down from the top (hair), I cut out holes for my eyes, and mouth and drew the most horrible lipstick and eyelashes on it, then it flowed down to a mid-length dress. I showed up to a party, where people asked me if I was a ghost nun or a white Klingnon. Let's just say I've since given it to goodwill, so someone else can enjoy it.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
I'm most proud of my new necklaces. I had a blast creating them and I'm extremely happy with the outcome

9) Explain your shop name:
My shop name is my name. I just used something simple, so people I know or meet can remember it easily.

10) Final thoughts?
Whew! I'm going to need a big bucket of cookie dough ice cream now. Would anyone like to share? Grab a spoon! :)

Spring Time Flowers Print

Please go visit PamelaMichelle, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

green loves you.

2007-05-28T13:16:00.000-06:00

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Since today is such a special day, I'm interviewing an extra special Etsy seller. Her name is green loves you. I'm pretty much in love with everything in this shop. :)

The Key To My Heart Necklace

1) Your shop name:
green loves you.

2) Your real name:
Jamie Lee Ferraioli, but people call me Jamie Green.

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
There was this cereal I can't remember the name of when I was younger that was shaped like little stars and had frosting on top of them and little non-pareil sprinkles. I think the mascot for the box might've been a genie. I wish I could find that cereal again, because it's my absolute favorite!

4) When did you begin creating?
I don't think I can remember a time when I wasn't creating something. Making things is definitely my passion, so I'd say the second I was old enough to pick up a crayon I was on a roll.

5) Got a day job?
I WISH I didn't have a day job, but I do. I work for Eckerd Drugs doing merchandising and stocking. I just graduated college so I'm now on the prowl for a job in my field, so we'll see how that goes. Know anyone in need of an illustrator?

6) Your inspirations:
My biggest inspiration is food. I LOVE food. If I could have a job where I draw and create pretend foods all day I would be so happy.

Chocolate Sprinkle DOUGHNUT Cellphone Charm

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
A few years ago, when I was bored and playing with some polymer clay I decided to sculpt out the likeness of my boyfriend sitting playing a video game. Somehow he ended up looking like a melting muppet. Not a good look for him.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
For a project in my 3D Color & Design class I made a beaded curtain out of paper beads. It took days and days and piles of magazine strips and Elmer's glue. I got the inspiration from a celebrity showing off her house on TV and she showed a beaded curtain she loved that she bought for $4,000. I thought "I can make that.", so I did! It's so stunning, I would love to make a second one one day.

9) Explain your shop name:
My nickname in highschool was Jamie Green because I was obsessed with the color green. We're talking insanely obsessed. One day, I just started ending notes and emails and even tests and quizzes with "green loves you.". It's stuck with me for so long that I didn't think twice before naming my shop that.

10) Final thoughts?
My final thoughts...If you haven't played Tales of Symphonia for Gamecube yet you haven't lived! Oh, and green loves you.

Petal Pusher Earrings

Please go visit green loves you., and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

New Treasury

2007-05-28T10:22:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, I owe you guys an interview.

Buuuuuut... in the meantime....

I snagged a Treasury!

It's watermelon themed, and it's very cute. See?

Please, go visit and leave me comments! :)

All Things Etsy

2007-05-27T18:04:00.000-06:00

So, let's do a quick update about what's going on in my life. Right now, I'm working a TON. Like, in the last three days, I worked 24 hours. That may not SEEM like a lot, but the store I work at was only open for 28 hours. It's a holiday weekend. Waaaaaaaaaaaah! Haha, no, it's all good. At least I'll have a little extra cash...? LOL.

As for Etsy, I brainstormed some new ideas for pins and Father's Day cards (and stuff of that nature), and right after this post, I'm probably going to start designing them and stuff of that nature. I'm also going to start my entrance for the Etsy & Instructables: Sew Useful Contest. I'm not even going to HINT what it's going to be here, but I will DEFINITELY post a link here when it's done. Trust me, it's nothing TERRIBLY innovative, but I can promise you that it will be something that can save you quite a bit of money. Plus, the commentary will be PRICELESS. :)

In addition to all of this, I just started helping a little bit with the "All Things Etsy" project. Here's a quick little synopsis of what's going on that I found from this forum post:

"Q. what is 'all things etsy'?

A. all things etsy (named in a forum contest by kreatedbykarina) is a way to get your store noticed. it basically works like this:
-you send me your items (samples, promos, coupons, business cards)
-i repack them into pretty organza bags (now with handstamped i heart etsy.com tags - thanks to sssmommy for the perfect custom rubber stamp!)
-these bags are available individually in my shop, or in larger numbers as custom orders

*much like etsy itself, this promotion is constantly growing and evolving to better suit its community. please feel free to post any questions, comments, or suggestions in this thread*"

This whole thing is being run by an Etsy seller named octarine. What have I been doing for the project? Blog interviews, of course! If you're interested, you can visit the blog for "All Things Etsy" or you could get some more information about the project on this forum thread. Check it out. It's pretty neat! :D

I'm pretty excited with everything that I'm working on right now. Hopefully I won't botch any of this up. You should start to see some new products in my shop sometime this week! Yaaaaaay!

Enjoy your Memorial Day, everyone! Over and out!

Brooklyn Nite Owl

2007-05-24T15:31:00.000-06:00

Little update on work. They sent me home early yesterday. I was supposed to work a six hour shift. They sent me home after one hour. Apparently, I am REALLY inept when I am sick. I can't count change, I can't bag items, I can't remember to give the customer his or her receipt... And I had lost my voice. They were like, "Wow. You are special. No, seriously. Just go home." So I did. And you know what I did right after that? I browsed Etsy. And I saw this cute shop by Brooklyn Nite Owl!

Sweet Zoe Scents - Bibianna Goat Milk Soap

1) Your shop name:
Brooklyn Nite Owl

2) Your real name:
Heather Kunka

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Cream of Wheat with honey and tasty little Sunmaid dried fruit bits (stop laughing!) (Or it was my fav before I went low carb again -- down 10 pounds and counting! Now fav breakie is bacon, lots of bacon!)

4) When did you begin creating?
I began creating with finger paints at age 3 on freshly painted apartment walls (yes, really). Mom and Dad were less than thrilled with my creative genius. Never leave a 3 year old unattended! My grandmother was a terrific artist though, and very encouraging!

5) Got a day job?
Cool actually, customer service for a heating oil cooperative -- I help people all day, and enjoy it!

6) Your inspirations:
Abstract patterns are my inspiration, and I find them everywhere: nature, architecture, reflections, broken glass, in light, shadow, mist, rain... The simple play of sunlight on leaves amazes me!

June Raspberry Metalwork Bracelet

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Some of my paintings have been a bit, uh, unique... One of the most memorable is a whirling dervish of color that I think I titled "Riding the Carousel After One Too Many Tequilas!" I still have it, and I think it's cool!

8) Creation that you are most proud of
I am very proud of my Metalwork bracelets, since each one is done from scratch without bracelet forms or anything like that. I love the whole process of forming the sheeting, making the bracelet (I use an old fashioned rolling pin!), and building up layers of sheer tints to add depth. I really like the drama of them!

I am also very proud of my pies, which are not available on Etsy. I made damn good pie! Today's pie was blueberry/blackberry/strawberry, with tiny chunks of candied ginger, cinnamon and allspice. My boyfriend is gaga for pie, so I usually make one every week!

9) Explain your shop name:
Shop name, huh? I've lived in Brooklyn for over a decade now, in very diverse areas, and given the opportunity I love being up late at night, working on a project... Though I confess I'm probably even more of a morning chick, since I love the dawn! But Brooklyn Morning Owl just sounded stupid.

As for the owl, I adore birds, even the ubiquitous sparrow, even starlings (whom no one seems to like), crows (very regal), and, yes, even pigeons (ok, so they're rats with wings--most of them are exceptionally pretty!). My favorite birds are: Stellar's Sea Eagle and the Junco and any type of owl. Whooo can resist owls, with their amazing hunting skills (even when blindfolded), their huge eyes, and their haunting hoot? Such cool birds.

10) Final thoughts?
I like creating something original. Ideas come to me all the time, so I've learned to scribble them down so I don't forget them (damn, forgot the great creative thought but remembered to pick up eggs!). When I was in high school I won lots of medals for paintings and drawings, all very realistic ... and heave a little sigh of regret ... I was forcing myself to conform to what was expected of me. NOW -- hah! I do what I want!

For someone with a sunny disposition most of my paintings are fairly dark in nature (but not in color!) In fact, I've just about finished one, painted on metal sheeting, that I'll be posting in a couple of days. But my jewelry is cheerful and bright and definitely wearable!

Pink Sandstone Pendant

Please go visit Brooklyn Nite Owl, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Unique Expressions

2007-05-24T07:32:00.001-06:00

Wow. I cannot believe how hard I am busting my ass to get to work at the hardware store today... I have the a VERY sore throat, I am FREEZING, and I'm just not sure how I'm going to make it through my shift... It's pretty much going to suck...

But you know what doesn't suck? Unique Expressions!

Earrings (A Dainty Compliment)

1) Your shop name:
Unique Expressions

2) Your real name:
Jessica Mattingly, aka jes or jessprkle

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Kashi, Go Lean!

4) When did you begin creating?
For as long as I can remember, I have always been creating something. I had imaginary friends. I created jobs for my stuffed animals to complete while I slept. I believed my life was a movie, then I thought my life was a dream and that I'd wake up an infant still in my crib aware of all my life held. I made refrigerator boxes into houses. I collected cereal boxes, egg crates, and milk cartons and made a little city that I worked on during recess rather than going out and playing with the other kids. I created endless obsessive and compulsive rituals as a child that morphed into my adult life. I created music for a major portion of my life. I created characters on stage after my initial departure from music. Now, I create therapeutic environments during the day and fun stuff at night for my online venues.

5) Got a day job?
I work full-time as a mental health professional on a FACT team. I'll be starting my PsyD studies in clinical psychology this fall at the Adler School of Professional Psychology and will be a full-time doctoral student.

6) Your inspirations:
Human behavior and emotions, nature, my seven siblings, butterflies, rain, my cats, my husband, animal behavior, music, art, and dance.

Barrettes (Teal BLING for Your Hair)

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
A birthday breakfast for my husband. I burnt the hell out of the pancakes :( I am definitely no chef.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
This is a tough one. I guess it would be all the music I made--those sound waves are energy that will never be destroyed; I believe they continue to exist somewhere, and that is a wonderful feeling.

9) Explain your shop name:
My store name, Unique Expressions, sums up each item I create. It is unique, and I intend for it to express something. That 'something' is unique to the buyer.

10) Final thoughts?
My feelings are too big for my body. That's why I create.

Magnets (Promote and Market Yourself)

Please go visit Unique Expressions, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

The Sea Within

2007-05-23T16:03:00.000-06:00

It's been a long day. I know I post this EVERY day, but seriously. I just went to the world's most difficult funeral, and I could use a chance to unwind before the American Idol finals. So, what am I doing? Perusing Etsy, of course. What did I find? The Sea Within!

Animal Crackers Purse

1) Your shop name:
The Sea Within

2) Your real name:
Nadine H.

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Granola and yogurt. Does that count? I don't really like cereal.

4) When did you begin creating?
I can't remember ever not creating something.

5) Got a day job?
I'm learning to be a Guide Dog Trainer, which will eventually turn into a 'real' job for me.

6) Your inspirations:
Nature.

Beehive Purse

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Hmm...I'm sure I made lots of really weird stuff as a kid. I can't think of anything in particular though.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My pleated purses because they are the first pattern I made that I really liked. I am incredible in love with a lot of the new fabrics I have been finding, especially my beehive one.

9) Explain your shop name:
I used to be working on a PhD in Zoology because I switched gears to train guide dogs. While in my PhD programme, a friend of mine and I found this old science book at a book sale called 'The Sea Within'. It was all about body fluids (water and solute balence) and had some great figures and hilarious figure captions such as 'disease will shrivel you up like an old apple' and 'excess potassium will result in death' with a skull and cross bones as the figure.

10) Final thoughts?
Etsy is the best! I love it!

Rethinking Pink Purse

Please go visit The Sea Within, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Ambient Design

2007-05-22T09:09:00.000-06:00

So, things have calmed down considerably since yesterday. I have the day off from work today. I'm going to hang out with some friends. I'm not sure what we'll be doing, but I AM sure of one thing: I am going to HAVE to show them the items in a shop called Ambient Design. GORGEOUS!

Capistrano Necklace

1) Your shop name:
Ambient Design

2) Your real name:
Angela Burke

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I'm not generally a cereal person, but when I need my fiber, I like Kashi GoLean! Crunch with some soy milk and berries.

4) When did you begin creating?
From the age of three. My grandmother taught me how to sew my own doll clothes at that age.

5) Got a day job?
Yes. I'm a high school English teacher. Sometimes it's inspiring, and sometimes it's just plain exhausting.

6) Your inspirations:
Nature, my favorite works of literature, found and vintage objects like old textiles and old books, high fashion, my favorite pieces of music, and the people in my life.

You Are So Deer To Me Card in Leaf Green

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I don't know if I've ever made anything truly bizarre, but I did knit my dog a sweater (sans pattern!) that my husband-to-be is pretty embarrassed by when he walks the dog in cold weather.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
EVER? It's so hard to choose. I'm quite proud of the sexy off-the-shoulder sweater I knit myself. I'm also designing jewelry for my bridesmaids right now that I think will be quite stunning. In my shop, I'm very proud of my shell dagger earrings. I think they're pretty without being saccharine.

9) Explain your shop name:
My initials are A.M.B. I wanted something that reflected me but wasn't necessarily my name. "Ambient" means to completely surround or envelop something--- I liked the idea of being enveloped by creativity and independent design all the time. That's what I enjoy most about my life.

10) Final thoughts?
I love Etsy and am amazed by so many people's work on the site. I hope it continues to grow as an amazing gateway for artists!

Silver Shell Dagger Earrings

Please go visit Ambient Design, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

ZAJA Natural Handmade Confections

2007-05-21T08:56:00.000-06:00

Hello, everyone!

I am feeling incapable of a normal thought process today. I have had the busiest weekend ever. Most of it was good, but... a great deal of it was not. We're having a major crisis in my family. Most of them could just use a break for a bit. I'm thinking about buying them some of these adorable products from ZAJA Natural Handmade Confections. They could sure use it...

Black Raspberry Vanilla Handmade Soap

1) Your shop name:
ZAJA Natural Handmade Confections

2) Your real name:
Zaidat Bombata

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal
I like Honey Bunches Of Oats, Special K Vanilla and Almonds.

4) When did you begin creating?
I began creating in the early 90s.

5) Got a day job?
Yes, as a Mom ;)

6) Your inspirations:
I am inspired by my family, primarily my children. My success = their success.

Dead Sea Mud Foaming Face and Body Scrub

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Once, I made this weird rice dish that turned out pretty yummy, even though it looked like 3 day old garbage.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My babies :)

9) Explain your shop name:
ZAJA is a combination of my name, Zaidat and the first 2 letters of my husband's name. It stands for Zestfully Ambrosial, Joyfully Aromatic.

10) Final thoughts?
Catch ya later!

Skin Rescue 911 (tm) Total Body Kit

Please go visit ZAJA Natural Handmade Confections, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Meeting FortCloudy!

2007-05-19T01:46:00.000-06:00

Well, I forgot to post it earlier, but I got to meet Sarah of FortCloudy on Thursday. I took some random video footage. Because we are cool like that. Here we go:

Video one of six

Video two of six

Video three of six

Video four of six (WARNING: MATURE LANGUAGE!)

Video five of six

Video six of six (WARNING: MATURE LANGUAGE!)

I hope you enjoy these videos. Yeah. I'm a nerd. I'm silly. Whatever. Sue me. We had fun.

And seriously, I was NOT drunk when I drove home. I just did NOT realize that South Street was a one way street. I was VERY responsible (except for that whole "making a turn without checking to see if it was a one way street" thing...)!

Greenwillow

2007-05-18T09:13:00.001-06:00

I have to go to work in about an hour. Rawr. I need something soothing to calm my nerves before I get there and have to deal with all those crazy customers! Maybe looking at some pretty Etsy things would help. Luckily, I've found the right shop for that! Enter, Greenwillow!

Flower Notecards, set of 4

1) Your shop name:
Greenwillow

2) Your real name:
Ann Todd

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Cheerios

4) When did you begin creating?:
I've always loved to create. I began designing and sewing doll clothes as a child.
I've always have loved crafts of any kind--just doing things with my hands. I have always enjoyed making my own cards and creations. I added art photography about 5 years ago.

5) Got a day job?:
I've been retired almost 4 years ago from career in National Retail Advertising for a
newspaper.

6) Your inspirations:
Anything beautiful--including my grandchildren.

Flower Fairy

7) Creation that you are most proud of:
My daughter's wedding dress and her professional acapella singing group 19th century
costume.

8) Explain your shop name:
Greenwillow is the name of a street we built a house on years ago. My husband picked
the street name from a record jacket. My daughter lives there now, and she and I
began a craft business about 5 years ago and named it after that street.

9) Final thoughts?
I create to make myself happy and others happy. I've always loved to create gifts
for others, thinking that when they saw my creations for them, they would feel my
love for them. When anyone actually likes something of mine enough to buy it, I am
still thrilled.

Stitched vine pictures (pair)

Please go visit Greenwillow, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Flame Works, LTD

2007-05-17T08:45:00.000-06:00

It's been a hectic week with work. I am stressed out to the max. I just accepted a second job on top of Etsy and the hardware store I already work at. Summer classes will be starting soon. All I want is to lie down and have a nap.

...Or maybe a bubble bath...

I just found the most incredible Etsy shop. Flame Works, LTD has everything I could ever need or want for bath time and pretty much every other time of the day. You owe it to yourself to check out this wonderful shop, and with products like these, why wouldn't you?

Silky Foaming Bubble Bath by Flame Works, LTD

I quickly contacted the seller for an interview so I could let all of you know a little bit more. Here's what I found out:

1) Your shop name:
Flame Works, LTD

2) Your real name:
Michelle Saltsman

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Frosted Shredded Wheat

4) When did you begin creating?:
I started creating in 2002. I began making candles and then my creativity took me towards bath and body products.

5) Got a day job?:
My day job is being a full time mother to 2 beautiful boys. They are 8 and 4 1/2.

6) Your inspirations:
I get some of my inspiration from textiles such as marble. Food is a great inspiration since I seem to enjoy that pastime. I like earthy colors so the outdoors always seems to come into play.

Hemp and Jojoba Lip Balm in Chocolate

7) Creation that you are most proud of:
I am most proud of my soaps.

9) Explain your shop name:
My shop name is a combination of the 2 creations I enjoy to make. Candles=Flame and Bath and Body Works=Works. Kind of silly huh?

10) Final thoughts?
Thank you for interviewing me. I love what I do. I am always working on new products and formulations. My friends call me 'the mad scientist'.
I have been married 14 years and have 2 sons. I love warm weather and wish I lived in the south. I like to listen to contemporary country music. Thanks again!

Blue Sugar Vegan Soap

Please go visit Flame Works, LTD, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Update on my life

2007-05-15T08:46:00.000-06:00

Wow, I can't believe how well things have been going lately.

Etsy's been going great. I found a new way to photograph my items, so I think I'll be doing that from now on. I've made a few sales. I'm making friends on the forums and in the chats. I've been advertising like crazy. My shop is really starting to flourish! So, that's all exciting.

Also, I got offered a third job yesterday (I work in a hardware store and Etsy is my second job). A pediatrician's office that I applied to, like, three months ago called to offer me a job there, so I'm meeting with them tomorrow after I get done at the hardware store. This means that I'll have a little extra disposable income. Awesome.

One last thing: Hey Pretty Cupcake is up and running! Paper Zombie from Etsy contacted me about a month and a half ago to ask me if I'd like to consign with her, and I agreed, and now it's actually happening. So happy! The website is ADORABLE! I'd definitely suggest checking it out if you can. Awesome.

So, that's my brief update about what's been happening in my life. Hopefully sometime this week I'll be starting to post the interviews with the Etsy sellers that I've been in contact with. It should be good. Yay! :)

Interviews!

2007-05-13T17:53:00.000-06:00

Ok, for anybody who saw my post here, the questions for the interview are as follows:

1) Your shop name
2) Your real name
3) Your favorite breakfast cereal
4) When did you begin creating?
5) Got a day job?
6) Your inspirations
7) Weirdest thing you've ever made
8) Creation that you are most proud of
9) Explain your shop name
10) Final thoughts?

If you would like to answer them, please copy/paste these questions from the blog and into a convo and send them to me at lessthanthreedesigns!

Thanks! :)

2007-05-12T19:27:00.000-06:00

Wow, I haven't updated this dealie since February? This warrants an update, I think.

Let's see... what have I been up to?

Well, for starters, I have a new job. I am a cashier at a hardware store. While this is wonderful, it makes for MUCH less time for Etsy and making new items in general. I am very sad about this, but I honestly just needed a much steadier income that I could count on. Besides, the hardware store isn't half bad. Since it's a small chain store, it's not busy ALL the time. This means I can troll the Etsy forums and I get to talk to my co-workers a lot. Plus, sometimes I have time to fill orders for my Etsy shop and I can ship them out during lunch breaks. Also, I get 20% off, and some of the things that we sell can be used for new items in my shop! All in all, it's probably the best retail job I've ever had. Except that I'm exhausted... But whatever.

As for Etsy and making things in general...

I got a button maker. Now I can make goodies like this:

I kinda like the button maker a lot. I'm currently brainstorming a WHOLE slew of ideas of things to do with it. Also, now I can do promos.

Speaking of promos, I just finished making a whole lot of promos to be sent out with my orders. They are REALLY cute, but VERY time consuming to make. They are little books: they have a green paper cover and some white paper inside. The front has my signature "teeth" on it and says "Less Than Three Designs". The back has information about my Etsy shop and my website on it.

OH! My website! Yes. I launched my website at the beginning of April. It's a lot of fun, but as of right now, it doesn't do too much. I'm redesigning it so that it's more useful/easier to navigate/not so juvenile. We'll see how that goes. I think I'm going to have to buy HTML for Dummies or something... :P

One last thing before I go: my sister and I are planning on doing the Artist's Alley for Otakon, an anime festival in Baltimore. It's in July (the same weekend the new Harry Potter book comes out--I'm going to pre-order mine and pick it up while in Baltimore because I AM that much of a loser). Hopefully we'll be able to get our stuff together by the festival! It should go pretty well. Hopefully. We'll see!

Until next time,
Allison

2007-02-24T02:37:00.000-05:00

My friends and I used to run a theater company back during our high school days. We got shut down by our township because they no longer had a free facility for us to use due to the fact that they gave the middle school auditorium that we had been using to a sports team. We are not a poor township by any means. We are just in a place that cares more about sports than theater or music or art or anything else, really. Our high school won a Grammy award for excellence in music (the only school in New Jersey, might I add). It is ridiculous that there is no summer theater for these same children to participate in.

My friends and I have recently started a theater company called Standing Room Only. It is a community theater group, and anyone who wants to participate is welcome. However, since we are college students, we have no spare money at all to put towards our show. We have started an intense routine of fundraising, including a Friendly's night. How this works is basically as follows: On March 14th, from 5 to 8 pm, the Friendly's in our township is donating a portion of anyone's bill who comes in and says they are here for the fundraiser. In addition to this, Friendly's has generously donated a dinner for two that will be raffled off during the evening as well as has given us permission to raffle off gift baskets during the fundraiser. I am asking for donations from the Etsy community for gifts to put into these baskets. I am absolutely smitten with the Etsy community and their hearts of gold, and I am sure that many know what it feels like to want to have somewhere to exhibit your talent but know in your heart that it will never happen. We want to save others from feeling that way. If you would be generous enough to donate an item, if you sent business cards, we would place them in the baskets, on the table displaying the baskets so people could take one, and on a bulletin board near the display. You would be doing something nice for others, and you would get some decent publicity because we plan on having around 400-500 people at this event. If you feel so generous as to donate something, please send me a convo at lessthanthreedesigns. Thank you so much!

2007-02-19T14:00:00.001-05:00

My President's Day Sale:

FREE SHIPPING on all orders!
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE on everything in my shop!

Just enter the code BOGO in the notes to the seller section, and wait for a revised invoice! :)

Shop away! :D

2007-02-18T12:23:00.001-05:00

It's never too early for St. Patty's Day! :)

Here's my new Treasury. Take a look. There's some really nice stuff in there!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?id=1171818648916U5030849

Hope you like it!

2007-02-16T17:43:00.000-05:00

Wow. It has been a good, long while since I updated. I wonder if anybody even reads this thing anymore... Probably not. Heh.

I'm on crafts burnout. I can't seem to think up anything original lately, so I haven't made anything at all. Hopefully that'll change tomorrow. I'm going to a beading party. It should be a lot of fun.

Also, I'm participating in Palchemy through Etsy. I have to send three or more items to my pal, and then somebody sends me items, and I make something out of them and post it for sale on Etsy (crediting them, of course, for the items). Sounds like fun, and I'm up for the challenge!

That's about it for now. Hopefully things have been more eventful for all of you! :)

2007-02-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

Ok. Wow. What a weekend.

I am so tired. And hungover. So bare with me on this entry... :\

But I'm going to do a quick recap. Because it was amusing. So, Friday night, I was sitting in the Etsy Red Room Chat. Because I love it. Shane called. So, I talked to him for a bit. But while I was talking to him... Evan called! He told me that I should visit him. So, I took the hour drive to his college. When I got there, Danielle was there, as well. Happy! So, we hung out with some of his college friends and had margaritas and ate steak sandwiches. OMGYES. After a little bit, Jon called us, so we went to his apartment, talked about hookups, random people, and school, and got drunk. I am not so sure what else we did. I do know, however, that I drew a penis on his table with chalk. It was amusing. After a while, we went back to Evan's and crashed (around 3 am).

The next morning, Danielle got up and went to her voice lesson, came back, and we all went to Panera for breakfast. Sooooo goooooooood. On the way back to the car, we saw the record exchange. And of COURSE, we went in. Three choir nerds pass by a record store without stopping? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. That'd NEVER happen. So, we shopped around a bit. Evan bought De-lovely, and Danielle bought some CDs. And we went back to Evan's and watched De-lovely. Which was AMAZING. I highly recommend it. After the movie, we took Danielle to the train station so she could get back to school at a reasonable hour, and me and Evan went to Target and Wendy's before we went back to his room to just chill before he had to go to rehearsal and I had to leave. We sat around and watched the end of some movie, talked to Randy, and thumbed through the score for the Music Man, and at 6:30 I got in my car and started to drive home.

And then I had a stroke of genius.

I decided to call all my college friends who I used to go to school with before I transferred. The college is on my way home, so I wanted to see everyone before I went back to my house where NOBODY IS! So, I called Jenn. And told her I was on campus. And she FREAKED OUT! It was so exciting. While I was waiting for her, Shane called, so I talked to him for a bit. That was fun. But then my phone died. So, I called him on Jenn's phone, said good-bye, and we went to get some food. Actually, Jenn got food, and I sat and talked to her. I told her about all the boy drama I had (since I hadn't seen her since, like, September, and I had dispensed, like, four guys since then... o_O). It was interesting. After that, we ran to the student center. There's this thing that the school does called Wired. Basically, how it works is that there are six teams of writers. Each team has two writers. At 8:00 pm on Friday night, the teams of writers gathered in the library and wrote one script per team. Throughout the night, the judges came in and gave them plot twists such as: include one sickness in your play, three lines of iambic pentameter, the line "drink some orange juice and take a nap, you bitch", an article from the school's newspaper about a kid buying porn with his roommate's credit card, and so on. At 5:30 am, the scripts were collected. At this point, the shows were cast, and the directors had a little over 14 hours to put together the shows: costumes, props, set design, blocking, helping actors memorize their lines, and everything else. The show went up at 8:00 pm on Saturday. Nobody slept before the show. Basically, they put on six different "shows" (vignettes, if you will) within 24 hours. And there were prizes in four categories: best male actor, best female actor, best written script, and best overall performance. These shows were amazingly funny. I want to do something extremely similar to this at my school. I wonder how it'd work out... Anyway, after the show, I folded my program into a paper airplane and threw it over the railing in the student center. And we went down to go get it, because I felt bad. And also, I had to use the bathroom. So, I picked up the paper airplane. And there was a guy sitting at the information desk. So, I approached him and said, "Here! I made this for you!" I gave him the paper airplane. And me and Jenn went potty. And then we went to 7-11 so we could get soda and paper cups so that we could exercise our rights as 21 year olds. So, we played Guitar Hero and had some vodka and coke. And then we fell asleep. I woke up today with a headache (which I deserve). We had some lunch, and then I left the school at around 1:00. I got home around 2:00, and I've been sitting around ever since.

Damn. What a good weekend!

I need to start crafting again tomorrow... o_O

2007-02-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

I made two new sets of cards today. I'm pretty excited about them. I got my inspiration from two shirts that I saw at Kohl's. While the designs on my cards are completely different than what was on the shirt, the general idea is the same: rows and rows of the same thing, but one thing about them is different. I think that's generally a trend on shirts lately. At least, that's what I've been seeing. What do you think?

Red and Green Apple Cards

I kind of think these are perfect for, like, teachers and stuff of that nature. People can write, "You're one in a million," on the inside and give them to their kid's teachers or whatever. Hey, I just like apples...

Hearts and Lightening Cards

I don't know. I just kinda like the color scheme and design of these cards. I think they're cute. :)

Now, onto making my mom a birthday card... Lord only KNOWS what that's going to look like... o_O

2007-02-02T00:21:00.000-05:00

I made some new cards todaaaaaaaaaaay!

I'd talk more about these cards, but... it's 12:30 am, and I'm tired. So, maybe I'll just talk about them tomorrow. Or not. Whatever. Heh.

2007-01-31T19:15:00.000-05:00

New Treasury about the piano!

Check it out!

I hope you like it! :)

2007-01-31T12:38:00.000-05:00

I am absolutely drained for crafting ideas.

I am so stressed over nothing right now. I just don't feel right, and I don't know what to do but watch old reruns of 90s television shows on ABC Family.

Ugh.

Any suggestions so I can stop moping?

2007-01-30T19:05:00.000-05:00

I got the most amazing package in the mail today. My mom's friend knits to keep herself occupied, and she sent my mom a scarf about a week ago. My mom called to thank her, and I told her that she needed to sell them, because she would make a ton of money on Etsy. And she would. So, today, I went to the mailbox. She sent me three scarves! I'm so excited! Look how gorgeous they are (please excuse my ugly mug...):

This is the first scarf. It is a dressier scarf (meaning it's not meant to keep warm, basically. It's just for show!) in a really pretty hot pink color. It's sparkly, and it's really long, so I really adore it. I think this would probably sell in a heartbeat on Etsy!

This is the second scarf. It is a little warmer than the first, but still, I'd consider it more for looks than function. It is several different colors, as you can see from the picture (green, blue, yellow, pink, red, etc.). It's so fluffy! :)

This is the third scarf. My favorite. It is mainly black, but it has accents of red and silver in it. This scarf could definitely keep you warm! It's so fluffy (the black yarn has extra "hair" or whatever that hangs off of it) and soft and comfortable! I love it!

This is a picture of all three scarves together. Pretty, no?

And since she did such a great job with all these scarves, I decided to reciprocate and send her a card set. It contains eight cards that look like this:

4 puppy cards

-AND-

4 kitten cards

I'll probably add more cards or something. I think she'd like a big ol' package of stuff to open! :)

2007-01-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

Oh, my poor friend...

He is having the worst semester EVER so far. Everything that could possibly go wrong for him has gone wrong. So, I made him this card:

It's a picture of Miles Davis, the famous jazz trumpet player (my friend is an avid trumpet player and composer, and he loves jazz). He quote says, "My future starts when I wake up every morning... Every day I find something creative to do with my life." -Miles Davis

Hopefully, this card will cheer him up a bit. I feel so bad that nothing is going right for him! :(

2007-01-28T17:03:00.001-05:00

Starting at midnight EST on January 29th, all Valentines day stuff is being discounted at 25% off!

$3.50 becomes $2.60, $3.00 becomes $2.25, $2.00 becomes $1.50!!!

In addition to this, for every purchase you make, you will be entered to win a customized set of four greeting cards!

Shop away, everybody! :)

2007-01-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

I think today I will post some of my favorite things by some of my favorite people on Etsy.

Number One
My Personal Tribute to Andy Warhol
MajesticInc

This item is VERY appealing to me mostly for the colors. I loooooooove the cute little banana on it.

Number Two
Boob Button/Magnet Set
PaperZombie

It's boobs. What more is there to say?

Number Three
Hearts You Pocketbook Slash Checkbook Holder
QuietDoing

I absolutely love the pattern and colors on this checkbook holder. Very, very cute hearts pattern!

Number Four
ILITT-500 Keyboard Clutch Wallet
TooToo

What can I say? I'm a piano player, so of COURSE this would automatically appeal to me. The thing is, though, I adore the detail on this wallet. Very professional looking.

Number Five
Neon Green Fur Caplet
EclecticCircle

This is so amazing! I love the lime green and pink combination. So fluffy! This would be a perfect addition to any wardrobe, mine included!

Number Six
LoveHate Relationship Tee
loudxmouse

I think this kind of sums up a lot of our feelings on the subject of love. I just think the shirt was a very novel idea. Depending on the way you read the shirt, it could read "love" or "hate". Adorable!

Number Seven
I'd Rather be Making Out Button
exboyfriend

It's true. So sue me. I'd rather be making out. Wouldn't you?

Number Eight
Mosaic Pendant
SarahsSky

Originally, I had this pendant in a different color saved in my favorites, but when I clicked it, it had sold out! I actually like the color scheme in this one a lot better, anyway, so it's just as well. This piece is just so beautiful. I love it!

Number Nine
Naughty Firemen Duck Soaps
Halflyng

Just in time for Valentine's Day! I think these ducks deserve a good time. So, so funny!

Number Ten
Skull Bracelet
AuntieDis

Ok, I'll admit it. I've never been much of a skull and crossbones kinda gal. I have to say, though, AuntieDis has pretty much changed my mind with this bracelet. It's the perfect combination of tough girl and girly girl, which is totally me. I like this a lot.

Well, that's about all I have for now. I hope you enjoy these products as much as I do! :)

Teeth Cards

2007-01-27T16:00:00.000-05:00

The dog just bit me. I am rather... upset by this. All I was doing was petting him. Annoying. So now I will focus all my energy on crafts. Because if I don't, I will throw the dog. Well, probably not, but he'd sure deserve it...

These are my favorite Valentine's Day cards. My cousin Vica drew the teeth as part of a comic she did about her wisdom teeth getting removed. I think the teeth are very, very cute, so I took them (with her permission, of course), and I put them on some cards. They are up for grabs on my Etsy, but I'm also mailing my friends a whole slew of them for Valentine's Day (or maybe not as valentines--maybe just as "I'm thinking of you" cards.). I miss my friends when they're away at college. I'm one of two of my circle who decided to stay home and commute. But that's a digression...

These are the other teeth cards that my cousin drew the pictures for. They are get well soon cards for someone who has just had their wisdom teeth removed. I just really, really think the teeth are adorable. And maybe that makes me weird. But then again, I've never really been normal...

What do you think of these cards? I <3 them. A lot.

Wow. Today hurts.

2007-01-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

Oh, I think I am dying here.

Every single muscle I have hurts. I have a sore throat. I think I'm coming down with the flu. And on top of all of that, I have "girl issues", if you know what I mean. Ick, ick, ick.

But I did this thing online, and I think it's really cool. So, I'm going to post it here.

Well... I think it's spectacular. More crafts to come! :)

First post!

2007-01-26T23:22:00.000-05:00

So, this is my new blog! I loooooooove it! :)

And I love Etsy! And I think I had too much rum. Oops. But I love Red Room Chat! :D