The Monthly Challenge for February was Red by Edi of memoriesforlifesb. Her words about this challenge were as follows: "February is about hearts, love, roses...the color red. Create any project you like using the color red!"
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Artisan Spotlight - Oh Nostalgia
7 Questions is our spotlight on our favorite artisans. Please welcome...
2. What is your favorite thing about etsy? There are so many things I like about it. The community is probably numer one and I've made some great friends because of it, but I also like having my shops on a well-known site with name recognition. The whole setup is much easier (and cheaper!) than having my own website, that's for sure.
3. What is your least favorite thing about etsy? Sometimes it can be cliquey. And I don't like the curated landing pages for certain categories because I think they're misleading, but that's another rant for another day.
4. What does your studio/workspace look like? Most of the time it's messy. Before I went back to school I was a lot better about keeping it clean, but now that I have another plate to spin it tends to stay cluttered. (Oh well.) In terms of space, it's great. It's a small room but since I make small things, it works out. We recently put up a cork wall above my work station, and I plan to get a TV in there sometime this year so I don't have to keep dragging my beads to the family room when a large order rolls through.
5. What do you do to relax? I do all sorts of things. Watch TV or movies with my husband, read books, decorate my house, have wine-and-cheese nights with my friends, try new restaurants, travel...
6. What accomplishments are you the most proud of? I still get a little misty-eyed thinking about it: quitting my day job. I opened my first shop in the fall of 2009 with a $30 bead purchase. Two years later I was earning as much making jewelry as I was going to work, so I pulled the plug and became my own boss. Granted, I'm not rolling around on a pile of money or anything, but I make a decent living and I got here without taking on any debt. It was a lot of hard work and planning, but totally worth it and I'm so proud of my little company.
7. What are some of your goals for the next year? I still love both shops but now that I've been married for a few years, I'm getting interested in other things and want to take some of the focus off of my wedding line. I'd also like to think of a few more non-jewelry products for Oh Nostalgia, but I'm not sure what yet. (Maybe some prints? I don't know.) Ultimately I'd like my company to become more of a lifestyle brand, but that's not going to happen this year unless I learn how to clone myself or time travel.
Find more of Paige here:
Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OhNostalgiaDesigns
Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlewhitechapel
Blog: http://littlenostalgia.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @paigeronchetti
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lwc_style/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/littlenostalgia
Monday, February 11, 2013
Artisan Spotlight - Stalking the Wild Snark
7 Questions is our spotlight on our favorite artisans. Please welcome...
1. What do you sell in your shop? My
shop started with a few knotwork items made in rope. I made these items
using traditional maritime knots I learned when I used to sail on
wooden ships. One day, I got the idea to shrink them by using thread
instead of rope and my nautical knot earrings were born.
Today,
most of my items either contain something nautical, something recycled,
or something found in nature. I have jewelry, home decor pieces, and a
smattering of other items.
2. What is your favorite thing about etsy? There
are many things I enjoy about etsy, but I think what I like most is its
professional appearance and the ease with which I can create a
professional-looking shop using etsy.
3. What is your least favorite thing about etsy? I'm not complaining because etsy
offers fantastic opportunities, but I wish fees were lower, even a
little bit. A 20 cent listing fee doesn't seem like a lot, but if you
make something small that shouldn't cost much, having to account for
that 20 cents can really bump up the price of something/cut into what
you make.
4. What does your studio/workspace look like? I
live in an apartment, so I converted the dining area into my workspace.
It gets decent natural light and opens straight into the kitchen, which
is where I do my metal working. Two wire shelves above my desk hold a
lot of my supplies, and three big plastic drawers next to/under my desk
hold everything else.
5. What do you do to relax? I
do my best thinking when I'm running or biking. The repetitive motion
keeps my body occupied, allowing my mind to be free. It's almost like
some strange form of meditation for me.
6. What accomplishments are you the most proud of? They
don't get as much love online as they do in person at shows or the
local shop where I sell my jewelry, but I really like my knotwork
earrings. As far as I know, I invented the idea - I've never seen
anything else exactly like them.
7. What are some of your goals for the next year? I
am finishing up my master's and have to student teach during the fall
2013 semester. Student teaching is a full time job without pay. I've
been saving for it and I can use student loan money to pay my rent and
feed myself, but I am very anti debt. I would like to make enough online
by next fall to cover at least half of my monthly expenses so I can
minimize the amount I need to borrow.
Find more of Natasha here:
Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/StalkingTheWildSnark
Blog: http://www.diaryofaplagueyear.com/
Twitter: @natasha5887
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/natashalh/
G+: https://plus.google.com/101728681318768552003
Twitter: @natasha5887
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/natashalh/
G+: https://plus.google.com/101728681318768552003
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