05.08.08
Introduce Yourself
We are Angelika and Vanessa - a mother/daughter jewelry designer team. We really enjoy creating fabulous jewelry together.
What inspires you?
We are inspired by what a difference the right kind of jewelry can make on the impact your outfit has on your looks. It’s just amazing to us how this can take you from bland to fantastic looking.
Your current favorite peice?
Our current favorite piece is this necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9547608
We just love the asymmetrical look of bold gemstones, linked together with Sterling silver, in a seemingly random, yet extremely eye-catching way.
What got you started in this?
We got started when a few years back Vanessa wanted to give Christmas presents to a very long list of girlfriends. There was no way she had enough money to buy a gift for everyone on the list. So we started to make inexpensive jewelry sets for everyone. They loved our jewelry so much, orders started coming in from fellow high school students and even teachers. Our friends and family members also loved and bought our designs, and our business evolved from there.
One weird fact about you or your shop
We are just weird, because we find a common ground for two generations to work together and enjoy it, too!
How did you come up with your shop name?
When we started, Vanessa was only 14 years old (she’s almost 17 now). I thought it was pretty cool for a teenager to own a business, so I wanted our business to be named after her. The first part of our business name, Van, is named after Vanessa, and the second half, Diva, is for every diva out there who needs beautiful jewelry to complete her outfit!
Give some advice to other Etsians
Our advice to other Etsians would be provide the best possible photograph quality for their shop listings. The photos should be bright and clear. Ask questions in the forums if you need help with photographing. There are so many friendly Etsians more than happy to give advice.
Your goals for this year?
Our goal this year is to make our first sale on etsy.com, and hopefully for our store to become successful.
VanDiva can be found at: http://vandiva.etsy.com
Posted in interview at 10:10 am | Permalink |
05.01.08
Give a warm welcome to The Dreamy Giraffe! She is today’s treasure find. The Dreamy Giraffe is a painter that creates fun, beautiful worlds in acrylic. There is certainly something for everyone in her Etsy shop, from 14″ x 11″ full paintings on canvas to 5″ X 7″ reproduction prints. She certainly has her own style, which is colorful and vivid! Don’t forget, if you do not find something quite up your alley, you can also request a custom order.
The Dreamy Giraffe can be found at
Website: http://thedreamygiraffe.com
Etsy Shop: http://thedreamygiraffe.etsy.com
Posted in art at 10:44 pm | Permalink |
04.30.08
Introduce yourself
Hi! My name is Jennifer Ladd. I make handmade bags, purses, and baby items. I just quit my “real job” as a French teacher to take on a much more important role: a stay-at-home-mom to my little daughter. I opened my Etsy shop in December and I am LOVING the experience!
What inspires you?
Pretty colors and pretty patterns. When I see beautiful color combinations, my brain does a happy dance.
Your current favorite piece?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9998204
What got your started in this?
I have been sewing for as long as I can remember (my mom says I started when I was 3 - I think she’s exaggerating!!). I learned to sew by watching my grandma and then copying what she did. I have always said my “dream job” was to run my own business and sell my handmade items, and when I quit being a teacher to stay home with my girl, I realized I would now have the time to do it. I gave it a try, and it’s worked!
One weird fact about you or your shop
Since I opened my shop, I am being attacked by thread. It is everywhere! At any point in the day, I can look down and see thread somewhere on me, somewhere on my daughter, and somewhere on my husband. He takes it to work with him, it is in my car, it is on my furniture and curtains. I found a piece on my toothpaste the other day. Anyone who visits my house invariably leaves with a piece on them somewhere. I’m starting to think it is breeding and plotting to destroy me!
How did you come up with your shop name?
I had a more creative name picked out, but someone gave me the advice to use my own name so that when I sold of of Etsy, people would recognize the handmade nature of my items. I’m not sure if they were right (I loved the name I had picked out), but at least it’s easy for me to remember!
Give some advice to other Etsians
Have fun with what you are doing. Don’t get so caught up in the sales and the hearts and the money that you stop having fun. We have the best job on earth! Enjoy creating!
Your goals for this year?
I am excited to see my shop grow! I love my little store, and when I see it do well, it makes me really happy.
Jennifer Ladd can be found at http://jenniferladd.etsy.com
Posted in interview at 10:06 pm | Permalink |
04.29.08
Today’s DIYer is Groovy Glass Girl, a fused glass crafter with a real knack for color and layout. You can find her blue pendant necklace shown above in her Etsy shop. It is $25 USD, wrapped in copper and embellished with cascading glass beads on gunmetal chain. The other pendant, in black oil slick, is $15 USD. There are 153 more items to be seen at the Groovy Glass Girl Etsy Shop, so head on over now!
Groovy Glass Girl can be found at
Etsy Shop: http://groovyglassgirl.etsy.com
Posted in jewelry at 10:28 pm | Permalink |
The WildMagic Design Studio located at http://wildmagic.etsy.com is offering a free custom banner and avatar set with every purchase made this week! Be sure to get on over and purchase:
Business Cards
Earring Cards
Product Tags
Logo Design
and much more!
Posted in graphic design at 8:00 am | Permalink |
04.25.08
The big thing right now is Revolution Money Exchange (RME)! It is very similar to PayPal in that you can send and collect money for your handmade items. However, right now RME is offering a $25 sign-up bonus! Also, they do not have any fees, like you find with PayPal. It is definitely worth checking out!
You can add it to your Etsy shop today! Then, you can spend the money in your account buying great new Etsy treasures or you can send it along to your bank account.
Free to sign up. Quick and easy. Click on the button below to sign up and get your $25!
Posted in news at 1:44 pm | Permalink |
04.24.08
Introduce Yourself
I’m Jenny, from Jennysjewels. No big surprise there.
What inspires you?
Everything inspires me! I’m constantly looking at beading magazines. Even fashion mags. When others are looking at the clothes someone is wearing I am looking at their jewelry. I even find myself staring at peoples jewelry in my everyday travels. They probably think, “Who is this lady staring at me?”. I’m just admiring their jewelry and thinking, “How could I make that?”
Your current favorite piece?
My current favorite piece is my Violet Bubbles bracelet. Although I really love my chain maille pieces, I love this bracelet because It’s so summery and fun. It’s been a long winter here and I just love the colors in this bracelet.
What got your started in this?
I got started beading about 2 1/2 years ago. I always had a facination with making my own jewelry so I took a class with my sister and was completely hooked! Since then I’ve taken several classes in everything from basic beading, chain maille, weaving, knotting with cord etc… I’m always on the hunt for a new and exciting class.
One weird fact about you or your shop
I don’t really have any weird facts about my shop but I’ll give you a weird fact about me. My nickname in my family is “Jenny Pancakes”. I love the scallion pancakes at the local chinese restaurant. One day my sister in law started calling me “Jenny Pancakes” and it just stuck. I hated it at first, but it’s grown on me.
How did you come up with your shop name?
I’m afraid my shop name isn’t very original. I just thought “Jenny’s Jewels” rolled off the tongue a little more than “Jen’s Jewels” or “Jennifer’s Jewels”.
Give some advice to other Etsians
My advice for other Etsians is, make what you love! If you love it and it’s a good quality product, your customers will sense that. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get alot of sales at first. Patience is key, and promote yourself in and out of Etsy! Most of all have fun!
Your goals for this year?
I have alot of goals for this year. Of course I’m always taking more classes and continuing to branch out and try new things. I really want to improve my picture taking skills. That is a must! Most of all I just hope to keep doing what I love!
Jenny’s Jewels can be found at http://jennysjewels.etsy.com
Posted in interview at 12:20 pm | Permalink |
04.22.08
There are several new advertisers on the site! It’s time to give them an introduction.
Aimee Dars Designs - “Handmade jewelry and accessories for you!”
Nikii Handcraft - The most adorable amigurumi dolls!
JenniBOriginals - Unique Faux Foods & Displays
Delightfully Simple - Wondeful crotchet items!
BeepBeepHello - Jewelry and Knitted accesories!
Colorado CatNip Toys - The best toys for your kitty!
Peacox Creations - “Crochet items and hand coiled pine needle baskets”
Posted in news at 9:19 pm | Permalink |
04.16.08
Introduce yourself
My name is Kim and my shop is BirdUncaged. I create unique and colorful accessories to adorn yourself or to feather your nest. I am a part-time Etsian/crafter/artist and a full time cubicle worker/student/daughter/sister/obsessed dog owner/film geek. My dream is to leave the cubicle behind and have my own brick and mortar shop showcasing indie crafters and artists.
What inspires you?
Contrasting colors, unusual images, films, music, thoughts and feelings. Different stimuli inspire me different ways. Right now my accessories are inspired by bright color combinations and images that I’m drawn to but my collage work is inspired by pure emotion and feeling.
Your current favorite peice?
My current favorite piece is my collage, “Escape Plan”. I won’t share my thoughts and feelings on it because I think art is personal and people relate to things in different ways. There’s nothing worse than loving a piece of art or music and have it have a special meaning for you, then finding out what it was really about and losing that special connection!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9549267
What got your started in this?
I’ve been creating things since I was little - paintings, sculptures out of play-doh, melted plastic jewelry. I was lucky to have parents that encouraged me to color outside the lines. I started making my magnetic fabric picture frames, magnets and keychains for a little Christmas Bazaar my work had last year and people loved them so much that I started looking for other places to display and sell me work. Somehow, I found Etsy and have been in love with it ever since!
One weird fact about you or your shop
One weird fact about me is that in the sixth grade I had the assigment to write a term paper about any topic I wanted. I chose the Manson Family murders. Why my parents didn’t take me to a therapist, I don’t know.
How did you come up with your shop name?
The name BirdUncaged has double meanings. My great aunt was a huge influence in my life. She loved art, poetry, astrology, nature and she loved to teach me about all her interests. Before she passed away from breast cancer when I was a teenager, she always used to tell me that she hoped she would be reincarnated as a bird. BirdUncaged is my homage to her being freed from her battle with cancer. It is also how I feel about myself, I am never more free or myself as when I am creating!
Give some advice to other DIYers
I don’t know if I have been around Etsy long enough to give advice. But the best advice that I’ve received is to be patient! Nothing happens over night! Work hard, promote yourself and your product, constantly strive to improve, and good things will happen!
Your goals for this year?
My main goal for this year is to get organized and build up my Etsy shop and craft show inventory. I also have the goal of getting myself organized enough to approach 5 local brick and mortar stores about selling my items wholesale. That’s a huge goal for me - I’m very shy and get very nervous!
BirdUncaged can be found at http://birduncaged.etsy.com.
Posted in interview at 11:02 pm | Permalink |
04.11.08
Today’s DIYer is a fabulous jewelry designer by the name of Tigergirl! Her vintage creations are beautiful in their use of color and shape. The pink necklace featured above is made from an acrylic feather and vintage flowers, hung on a 48cm copper finished chain. It can be found in her Dawanda shop for 18.90 EUR. The Blue Tooth necklace has a silver knot with a czech glass flower below it, a blue tusk and a silver bead with a blue czech glass bauble beneath it. This necklace is a great 15.90 EUR. There is much more to see at Tigergirl, so head on over now! Everything is one of a kind or limited edition, so be sure to get yours quick!
Tigergirl can be found at
Dawanda Shop: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/tigergirl
Posted in jewelry at 12:01 pm | Permalink |
