#17 unofficial etsy featured seller - BugUnderGlass

#17 unofficial etsy featured seller - BugUnderGlass
Date joined etsy - 1/30/09
Sales to date - 476
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name is Kevin and originally from New England. I am married to a wonderful & beautiful California girl and have two Madagascan hissing cockroaches as pets, Carl and Carla. Yes, not your traditional pets. I live in what I believe is the most beautiful city in the world, San Francisco, that has great food, culture and natural & architectural inspiration all around. I am a biologist with a background in conservation and ant ecology.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

My average day starts out very early with a cup of Blue Bottle coffee (my favorite) and relaxing on the couch replying to emails and reading all the news headlines of the day. Then I move to my workshop and start attacking a “to do” list I made the night before. I typically spend about 12+ hours a day working on my business. I absolutely love what I do and very thankful for that!

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I was never a very good illustrator or writer growing up and focused my creativity and curiosity on exploring the world around me, which was the wooded lot next to my home. It was here that I built creative homes for insects and other animals I found. I also had a very large train set where I played with miniatures and models, definitely an influence on what I do now. And yes, I was (and am) a total dork!

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I have been selling my framed insect displays for over 8 years and never sold anything online until this year. My friend told me about ETSY and I thought it was the perfect place to start. I have purchased many insect displays online in the past and none of them were made really well, so I figured I had a better product than anyone else and ETSY was the place to do it.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

I believe it was about 3 weeks before I made my first sale. I finally realized it was about posting at least once a day so people will find you, and that has helped sales. Just think of that 20-cent posting fee as a virtual billboard of your products and set a little budget for yourself, it will pay off in the end.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Favorite foods: Deep dish pizza, sushi, peanut butter ice cream, Thai Food, burritos
TV: Don’t’ have time to watch anything but if I do it will be PBS.
Music: Ryan Adams, Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket, Gotye, singer/songwriters.

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I love craft and experimenting with different forms and techniques. I am willing to try anything and right now I am learning to work with resin for a new product that will be coming out soon.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

Well, I have to say the single most important thing is to take good photographs. If you don’t know how, learn online as there are lots of sites dedicated to this. Second, post at least once a day if not more. Once you build up a fan base, I would utilize facebook and twitter to make it more personal for people. I am all new to this myself but the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ErinTyner
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Maryjanesattic (my wife loves this shop)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/doodlebirdie

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.

I would love to double my sales




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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#16 unofficial etsy featured seller - originalfindings

#16 unofficial etsy featured seller - originalfindings
Date joined etsy - 2/7/08
Sales to date - 5975Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My two Boys (Austin and Levi), my Husband and I live in Northern California and I do mean Northern we are in between the the Oregon Boarder and Sacramento. We have two dogs that drive us all crazy. We love them but they are a hand full. One is a Chawinnie (Chuwawa and wienner Dog mix) and the other a boarder collie. Both love to play.

I can not eat ice cream but my favorate would be Chocolate. Chocolate anything is wonderful.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

My day starts with getting my oldest boy off to shcool. Then the youngest and I go to work. Levi loves to help with packing the orders. Everyday he packs his own packages up and takes them to the post office. They have a special spot where they put all Levi mail.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I have done some sort of craft all of my life. When I was young my Great Grandmother watched me while my mom and dad were at work and she crocheted and sewed and just did all sorts of things, so I learned many of them from her. My mom is very talented as well and has also passed on may craft trades to me.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I have made Jewelry for a long long time now and have paticipated in many many craft fairs. When Austin (my oldest) started playing sports it was time for me to take a break from that part of my life so that I may enjoy him with his passion. I didn't want to stop making jewelry and a friend had mentioned Etsy. I do have a little shop with my jewelry in it. I had been selling supplies on other venues and once that was going decided to added Etsy as a selling place as well. Being in such a rural area it was very difficult for me to get items, so I decided to start carrying them myself. My favorite part about selling on Etsy is when customers convo me and ask if I can find something for them. I love tracking things down. I would have to say I am not always successful at it, but I love when I can send a convo back and say I found it!!!!!!
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

With my Jewelry it seemed like it took for ever, but with supplies not so long.
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I would love to learn how to knit, no one in my family knits. I have never learned it and I see such wonderful items on Etsy that people have Knitted.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

I love Craft Cult. I would highly recommend advertising there. http://craftcult.com/
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

This changes constantly for me. I love right now how everyone has come together for Haiti, so my fav is http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti
- for something yummy http://www.etsy.com/shop/mermaidcaramels

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.

If I doubled last years sales, I would be extactic


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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#15 unofficial etsy featured seller - monkeyandsquirrel

#15 unofficial etsy featured seller - monkeyandsquirrel
Date joined etsy - 4/26/09
Sales to date - 713-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

Hello there! My name is Jenn Pierce, I’m originally from NY but I currently call Charlotte, NC my home. My husband and I just recently purchased our first home where we live with our 3 cats (Zaboo, aka Monkey, Squirrel and Juan), and our 7-month-old puppy, Barkley. Here’s the run down of me…

LIKES: veganism, polaroids, olive green, lemon juice on everything, rainy Sundays, Uno attack, family gatherings, coffee, scarves, Buffy the vampire slayer & tofu!
DISLIKES: animal abuse, neglect, and exploitation, the fact that I clench my teeth at night, ignorance, living far from my family, women who feel the need to play dumb, the cost of gasoline, Barkley being unable to not chew on my shoes, bad drivers, and raw onion.

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Creating and making things takes up most of my days. When I find the free time to do other things I mostly enjoy them to be, quality hangouts with friends (the above mentioned Uno attack often comes into play here), take Barkley on play dates or to the dog park, bike rides, cook up some wicked vegan goodies, volunteer at events with the dog rescue I’ve worked with for the past 2 years (northmecklenburganimalrescue.org), read lots and lots of blogs, attempt to organize our house that is currently in demo mode and an absolute mess!


-What first made you want to become an artist?

I’ve loved creating things for as far back as i can remember. When I was young I was always drawing and coloring pictures, making potholders, painting seashells, making candy or busting out some friendship bracelets. It’s just a part of who I am. When it came time to decide what college to go to, it was a no brainer, I was going to art school. But even after getting a degree in illustration from F.I.T I still didn’t see making a living from art a possibility. I floated around to different jobs. A small music shop, an art supply store, an educational toy store, a vet… you could say I was a bit undecided on which direction to take. It wasn’t until I moved away from NYC that I saw making a living from art as an option. With the lower cost of living in the south I could finally take the time to give to open up an ETSY shop of my own and see just where it would take me. I had heard from so many people in the past, when I would make them gifts, “you should sell this!” I guess it finally sunk in.

-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

I get inspired by materials, old wood, rusty metal, beautiful fabric, anything really. I have so many ideas floating through my head at any given time that I’ve finally made myself start writing them down. It takes away the pressure of trying to remember your good ideas. Then when I’m feeling uninspired I can open it up and I have tons of ideas to chose from. As far as my day-to-day process, that changes all the time. I generally go cast iron hunting once a week. My favorite spot is an hour away and I like to spend a good amount of time there when I go, so I tend to just dedicate a whole day to “the hunt”. On other days I like to get up, make some coffee, pour a bowl of shredded wheat (my current favorite cereal) and read some blogs over breakfast. I catch up on other people’s creativity and I find that it’s a great way to get my mind ready for the day. From there I don’t really plan, I just work! Painting, sewing, sanding, responding to convos or emails, packing orders, the day flies by all too quickly. By late afternoon, Barkley and I are feeling the need to get out of the house. We drive over to the post office to drop off packages, run errands, make sure we have anything resembling food for dinner, ya know… regular daily stuff. By the time we get back the hubby is usually getting home from work and we have some quality time. Dinner, movie, run Barkley a bit to get him good and tuckered out, or perhaps watching past seasons of Lost in an attempt to catch up. I do any end of the day ETSYing that needs to be taken care of and then call it a night!

-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

I have lots of little drawings that my husband used to leave me at work (which is where we met. office romance... so scandalous!) when we first began our courtship. They bring me right back to days of first kisses and butterflies in my stomach. When we’re old and grey, without our teeth, it will be nice to break those out and remember the days we were young and dumb.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

BOOKS-
Lord of the Rings, Where the Red Fern Grows (first book to ever make me cry), Water for Elephants, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and I’m in the midst of reading Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart. I’ve wanted to learn embroidery for quite some time now and have made 2010 the year to do so!
MOVIES-
Lord of the Rings (yes, again), Amelie, Jesus’ Son, Shop Girl, and anything Wes Anderson.
SONGS-
“He War” by Cat Power, “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips, “Smoke in Our Lights” by the Avett Brothers, “Comme des Enfants” by Coeur de Pirate, “Ain’t no Sunshine”, Bill Withers
WEBSITES-
Flickr.com, poppytalk.blogspot.com, indiefixx.com, calivintage.blogspot.com, and 私信
(In English http://sisinmaru.blog17.fc2.com, an adorable little blog about the adventures of one kitty named Maru!)

-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

I would love to say that I planned ahead and had every aspect of my shop all laid out when I opened it, but that just isn’t so. I jumped in headfirst and figured it out as I went along. I am a firm believer in research though. I read lots of storque articles, and still do. I’m still learning new things almost every time I read them. I also know that my shop can always be better. I think you should always be willing to retake photos, redo tags, read over descriptions of items that have been listed for awhile and not sold to see if there is anything to improve upon. Constant tweaking is really important. I doubt it will ever feel perfect, but I think that drive to always improve is key to a successful shop. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to fellow sellers in the forums is you have questions, everyone is super helpful there. pay attention to those who are successful and see what it is they're doing right. for the most part it's what has been said a million times before, photo's are everything!

-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

I love love love that I can rearrange my shop now. I don’t really do any big overhauls with it, but it’s so nice to be able to set things up in a way that’s pleasing to my eyeballs. As I’ve already said I’m also a huge fan of all the storque articles. So many helpful hints are just handed to us on a daily basis! I also love the shop local option. I think it’s fun to set it for places on the other side of the world, just to see what’s going on over there.

as for what i would like to see in the future... I would love to have an east coast/west coast shipping option. With most of my pieces being heavy cast iron the shipping rate greatly varies between the two coasts. I hate that I have to either over charge and then refund, or under charge and then eat some of the shipping cost. Perhaps one day I’ll see my dream come true.

-How do you promote your work?

I do have a blog (http://monkeyandsquirrel.blogspot.com) as well as a Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/monkeyandsquirrel/83804302371?ref=sgm). I think these are great ways of keeping your customers up to date on what you’re working on, or new products, and they’re free! I think for me the biggest promoting of my shop has been done by other bloggers. The blogging community has been so unbelievably great to Monkey & Squirrel. To say I’m grateful is an understatement. I’ve done a few paid advertising spots, and have also been super lucky enough to be featured by ETSY here and there. all little things that just add up i guess.

-In ten years I'd like to be

Hmmm, that’s tough. I’ve never been one to plan what will happen next month let alone ten years. This sounds nice though… my husband and I, dogs, cats, a couple of kids perhaps, living in the country, an old barn in the back that’s been converted into a studio/work space, still making things, still loving it. Pretty much in ten years if I’m happy and healthy I’ll consider myself lucky!

blog - http://monkeyandsquirrel.blogspot.com/



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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#14 unofficial etsy featured seller - applenoggin

#14 unofficial etsy featured seller - applenoggin
Date joined etsy - 1/24/07
Sales to date - 1148-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name is Jody Sternhagen and I am the creator of Apple Noggin, a t-shirt, jewelry, and accessories line. I live in the magical land of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I have a radical boyfriend who can grow more facial hair than you can shake a stick at, two parakeets, and three small dogs. My all time favorite ice cream flavor is mint chip. In summer I will live for weeks off of mint chip alone.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

Wake up at about 10am to 12pm depending on how late I stayed up crafting the previous night.

Let my dogs outside to make peepees and doodoo browns. What like you don't say weird things to your pets?

Have some cereal or cold pizza while checking my email.

Jot down a list of things I want/need to do that day.

Lock myself away in my craft room and make felt pins for orders I need to ship.
Realize I'm missing some sort of button or color of embroidery floss that I need for an order I want to ship that day and run around to different local craft stores trying to find said item.

Package orders and walk to the post office to ship.
Come home and work on producing items. It might be cutting out felt pins or barrettes, making jewelry, designing a t-shirt, bedazzling nerd glasses, who knows? I like to live on the edge.

Then I'll randomly work on things like ordering blank tees and other supplies, editing photos, designing promotional items such as business cards, you know all the boring stuff. Can I go daydream new ideas now and plan my cuteness take over of the world?

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I was extremely creative as a kid. I think everyone starts out super duper creative and then a whole bunch of people stifle your creativity and tell you to "grow up and mature, and stop daydreaming and do your homework, and act how you're supposed to act, and dress how you're supposed to dress". When I was a kid I made up bizarre games with my brother and sister, like heater vent fishing. It's where you lower a headband covered in duct tape down a heater vent from upstairs on a long string. You catch all sorts of neat things that fell (or were chucked) down the heater vent through the years. We even caught a little yellow plastic fish! I also loved creating art. My mom was always doing projects with us. One of my favorites was a huge cardboard play set we all made together that featured the characters of our favorite stories. I was in charge of the little red hen. I remember making some flowers on the board and my brother telling me I didn't make them right because I drew the stems on them and if you were looking at them from above them you wouldn't see the stems. I was 5 years old and I thought, "they are my flowers, I can make them however I want, go back to your billy goats gruff". That's still my attitude today.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I've wanted to own a business ever since I can remember. I was constantly starting up little business ventures where I'd hire my little sister as secretary. I began selling on ebay at some point. Ebay changed and handmade didn't do well on there anymore. My sister-n-law had already made the switch to Etsy and I thought I should at least give it a try. I'm so glad I did!

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

It took me a little over a month before my first sale. It felt like even longer. I drastically reduced all my prices. I definitely wasn't paying myself anything at that point, I don't think I even covered my supply costs!

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

foods - hummus, pasta with fried zuccini, tofu rice, pizza, chocolate milkshakes
tv shows - How Clean is Your House (British version only), Dexter, Sopranos and that's about it. I don't have a t.v. and I don't watch a lot of it.
bands - Bjork, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bright Eyes, Gogol Bordello, Justin Timberlake!

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

YES! There are so many mediums I'd love to try. I have a pottery kiln sitting out in my garage that I've never got around to using yet. I'd love to learn how to create clothing patterns and sew from patterns. I want to make those little glass beads with a blow torch. I just really want a reason to own a blow torch.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

The internet basics: Flickr, twitter, myspace, facebook, blog. Also you should always have business cards on you. There has been so many times people have complimented something I was wearing that I made and showed interest but I didn't have cards on me! If you have the opportunity do some craft shows and hand out cards and get to meet potential customers in person. Try to find blogs to link to your shop or feature some of your items.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

magicbeanbuyer
boopsiedaisy
imyourpresent

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.

a buttload



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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#13 unofficial etsy featured seller - twolefthands

#13 unofficial etsy featured seller - twolefthands
Date joined etsy - 4/16/07
Sales to date - 786

-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

I'm a pretty dull girl! I live on a little lake in Michigan. I have been married for 38 years, yikes! My three grown kids, their spouses and my nine grandkids live within walking distance which makes it fun in the summertime. The grandkids hangout morning, noon and night! I have 2 spoiled dogs, Muffy is a Shitzu and Poker is a Cocker Spaniel. I would be lost with out them!

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

An average day...make coffee, check Etsy, start a project or finish a project, check Etsy again. Make a treasury if they are coming, do some more stitching, check Etsy....take pictures, list, go to bed!

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I think I was creative. I loved drawing and I have loved embroidery since I was about 12.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

My daughter Natalie, www.humblebea.etsy.com opened her shop about a month before me. Then she got me hooked. We love it!

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

I got my first sale 2 1/2 weeks after joining Etsy and got 2 at the same time!

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

I love all Italian and Chinese food. I love Desperate Housewives, The Tudors, and The Middle. I am a huge fan of Matchbox Twenty and the TransSiberian Orchestra (I listen to them all year long).

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I always wanted to knit or crochet and admire anyone who can do it. I have tried to learn but never been able to get the hang of it!

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

I am not very good at promoting. I do try to list something new everyday. If I have nothing new to list I renew something. I do make a lot of treasuries, which is also a great way to meet friends on Etsy and get your name out there. Also good pictures are very important!

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

Wow! Only 3 shops? I love my daughter's shop www.humblebea.com, www.silvia66.etsy.com,
and www.boringsidney.etsy.com. plus about a 1000 more shops!


-By New Years Eve 2011 I hope my number of sold items is ______.

I hope to hit 1000 sales in 2010!




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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#12 unofficial etsy featured seller - WilsonGraphics

#12 unofficial etsy featured seller - WilsonGraphics
Date joined etsy - 7/24/06
Sales to date - 2114



-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

My name is Paul David Wilson, I live in Panama City, FL and make my living creating vinyl wall decals. I showcase these in a variety of shops on the Internet. All through school I enjoyed art an it's ironic that in high school on more than one occasion I got in trouble for drawing instead of paying attention to the subjects being taught. My hobby became my lively hood and for many years I worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. I got tired of the rat race and in 2007 I went full time working from my home studio and selling wall graphics around the world.

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

When I'm not working I'm either writing, reading or gaming. I find that having my own business though and being on the Internet means I get emails and requests every day of the week and just about any time of day. So I have to take my breaks when I can.

-What first made you want to become an artist?

I was one of those kids who just started drawing and never stopped. It's one of those things where an idea inspires you and you can't stop thinking about it until you've created the idea. Wall graphics have been around for a while but I've got a number of themes which are unique and can't be found anywhere else. It's nice to be able to see your art bring satisfaction to someone else and I think that keeps me going just as much as the need to make a living.
-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

The creative process itself is fascinating to me. I try to soak in as much information as I can and let it "brew" for a while and then see what comes out. You never know exactly what the results will be and its always a bit of vindication when you start getting alot of positive feedback about a particular creation.
-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

Hmm...good question. I'm a big fan of Tea, not the average store brands but the ones made by the smaller companies. Each tea is different even those with the same ingredients and it's nice to just sit with a cup of tea and relax.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

Books:
1. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
2. The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
3. Anything by Ray Bradbury
4. The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
5. Steampunk by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer
Music - Just about anything except jazz. It depends on my mood and what I'm trying to get done.
-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Always take care of your customers. Good customer service is good marketing. Building a positive reputation by satisfying people is more important than pouring money into advertising and offering mediocre service. Also, make sure you take time each week to think of ways to grow, change and improve. If all you do is maintain your present work then all you're doing is treading water.
-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

The reason I like Etsy is the visibility, size and attention it gets. This brings more traffic to the site and more sales to stores. Right now everything works for me so I have no suggestions for changes.
-How do you promote your work?

I always do whatever it takes to make customers happy, this generates positive buzz and referrals. I also send along a business card and thank you letter with each order. The letter simply asks them to tell someone about me if they are happy with the service. If you get a moment check out our blog too: www.stliving.com
-In ten years I'd like to be

...No idea, I don't live that far ahead in time. My experience has been that our expectations are never met, we may achieve more or less than we expect we will. I live most of the time in "today" with the realization that the past is dead and tomorrow is just a potential. I do my best to enjoy the moment I find myself in.


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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#11 unofficial etsy featured seller - sugarandflour

#11 unofficial etsy featured seller - sugarandflour
Date joined etsy - 1/7/09
Sales to date - 812


-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name is Karen Herrera and I live in Franklin Wisconsin which is a suburb of Milwaukee. It's a nice place to live. I am married to a super guy who also happens to be a professional chef, and together we have 2 little kids. Oh - and there's also our dog Charlie. He sleeps almost all day every day. Life is good for us.

Random things that I would consider my favorite: chocolate with marshmallow fluff swirl ice cream, 100 calorie bags of microwave popcorn, sleep (don't get enough of that one), most things that are pink, flower gardens, flip flops, sleeping children, and curling up in a blanket on the couch with my husband at the end of the day.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

I suppose a day in the life of Karen would start with cleaning myself up and getting the kids off to school. Then, I head home and get to work. Cookies have to be made at the last minute, so I'm constantly working with short deadlines. I decorate almost every day, and there's also days that I mix giant batches of dough or get paper goods and shipping supplies ready. Since a lot of my stuff is custom for parties or whatever, I spend a lot of time emailing clients about their cookie specifics. It can be a long process. Once I realize it's almost time for the kids to get home from school, I race around cleaning up my mess and get supper started. Then I get back to work while also keeping them entertained. Once my husband gets home, I try to have things wrapped up, but sometimes I wind up working after he's gone to bed. Once I stayed up till 2 a.m. finishing some cookies. That was terrible. I used to have time to shop and spend tons of time in my garden, but I don't have that luxury anymore. That's ok though!

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I wouldn't say that I was hugely creative growing up, but looking back I can see some signs. I did a bit of painting for awhile and my mother also taught me how to sew. I even made my own Halloween costume one year. I wouldn't even consider myself creative now... baking cookies is really more science than creativity.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I started selling on Etsy because I was bored. There. I said it. I am also a stay-at-home mom and things were getting a little boring. I made some ladybug cookies for my daughters preschool class and things took off from there. I got my first sale on Etsy within the first month. It was to my sister-in-law, but then I got pounced and got a "real" sale.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

My top 5 favorite foods in no order:
sushi
candy
popcorn
soup
warm bread

tv shows:
CSI (not the NY or Miami... the real deal in LV)
Criminal Minds
The Closer
Top Chef
Barefoot Contessa

As for bands, I like most of whatever my husband has on his ipod. I don't really care about music. I do like the Foo Fighters, Bush, and a few others but I can never remember who they are.

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I would say that I would love to learn how to knit, but actually my mom taught me over Christmas. It's so much fun! I've made 3 scarves so far and right now I'm working on a bigger shawl type thing that will have a button. It's a nice way to unwind from making cookies all day.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

I don't actually promote my Etsy shop. I know some people use Twitter and all those things, but I actually don't have time to do all that stuff. I started a blog about a year ago with the intention of showing cookies in process and stuff like that, but after one day I realized how boring it was and how time consuming the whole thing would be. So I quit that. Sometimes I think that just being on Etsy is really all the promotion I need right now. Oh - I do put a sticker on all of my cookies that has my shop address on it. Is that promotion? If I send out 50 party favors, 50 people get exposure to my shop. Can't beat that!

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

My absolute favorite Etsy shop right now is flourishbathbody.etsy.com. She has these sugar cube scrubbie things that are just amazing. In fact, I used some this morning - they were grapefruit ginger and were really just so nice. I also like truluxe.etsy.com. She makes felted acorns. She was a featured seller right before the holidays and her business has completely gone crazy. Hmmm... I guess I really only have 2 favorite shops. I don't get to shop around a whole lot.

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have at least _____ sales.

By January 1, 2011 I would like to have more than doubled my sales. Since this was my first year and things were slow at first that shouldn't be too hard to do. What I'd really like to accomplish this year is to get out of my home and into a professional work space. Keeping my fingers crossed for that one!




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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#10 unofficial etsy featured seller - SmokymistGardens

#10 unofficial etsy featured seller - SmokymistGardens
Date joined etsy - 11/20/08
Sales to date - 817

-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name is Cheryl Morgan, I live in East Tennessee where I can see the Great Smoky Mountains from my home or be there in 20 minutes. I am a single mom, have been for 17 years, and I have two wonderful, creative children who have their own Etsy shops. We do animal rescue, and
my son works at the zoo. Our house is always full of animals..currently ... over 30 reptiles, 7 rabbits, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a Ferret and a hamster. We hope to move someday to a farmhouse so we can have more room to garden, and room to take in horses and other farm creatures in need of rescue.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

I have my days and nights mixed up, but I always have. I homeschool, and because my daughter is older (18) and works two Etsy
shops herself she and I can be known to stay up until 2 or 3 a.m. working, sleeping in a bit in the morning, then hit the floor running.
My full time business for 12 years has been my website Funbows.com, which I also have a fledgling Etsy shop for, so I spend alot of my time answering emails, making up samples, etc. for THAT business. For my SmokymistGardens business I get in orders, pack up seeds, and in the spring I ship out plants, so there are the added chores of the garden.
Somewhere in there I manage to get homeschooling , and household things done, but I have two
great kids that help with everything. I am also a writer for Tennessee Gardener magazine, so every now and then I get to enjoy writing which was a childhood dream of mine. I always say when I can sit my canning pot on the stove and heat up the kitchen making a batch of some yummy jam or jelly, THAT is relaxing to me !

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I grew up crafting, canning and gardening with my mother. I remember sitting one Christmas and blowing the yolk out of eggs so she and I could make egg ornaments for the tree, and she still has those ornaments on the tree. Mom taught me all about gardening, then when I started getting obsessive about my garden collections, I taught her a little bit back. I enjoyed going with my mother to the Fair as she entered her canned jams and jellies, and now all of us go together with ALL of our canned goodies to enter.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

Etsy is a smart business move for anyone. Free setup, easy setup, great listing price, and your item stays on for a good amount of time. Google search engines pick up on Etsy shops better than my own website. There is great potential for anyone selling on Etsy, so hang in there if your sales start out slow.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

Took me a week, and that felt like the longest week ever !

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Hmmm ....well as I've given up certain foods over the past 4 years, and lost 87 lbs so far ..I dont' eat red meat, etc.. I do LOVE pizza, but I can only have that once a week lol. Southern pinto beans, cornbread, and my chow chow.. I love Brussel sprouts, good salads, am currently obsessed with Turkey Bacon...artichokes, yeah those are awesome too. Love fresh produce straight from the garden. Biscuits and Gravy...but in moderation !
Now if I were to pick my 5 favorite foods if I could have anything ? That would be anything my mom makes because she is one good southern cook.

Tv Shows..anything paranormal..Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International ( Barry wears one of my handmade fleece hats !), Ghost Whisperer, Ghost Adventures, and I also really enjoy HGTV.

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I also paint, but haven't been able to do much at all lately, so I would like to get back into that more. I would love to learn how to crochet , so that I could sit and do that with my daughter Catie.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

Don't...Give..up..
So what if you have 20 items listed and no sales...maybe it will be that 21st item that will be THAT sale you need. Keep adding items to your shop, think of all the people out there and their diverse tastes . When you make a sale, communicate with your customer. Mail your item on time, and if you think you're running late, send them a little note to let them know.
I also always send something free in their package, a free pack of seeds, etc, and they love that!
Remember, that first description line is what potential customers will see if they do a search say on Google. Be very descriptive !
Every other night I try and hop into an Etsy chat...you meet other artsy people, and when you leave you usually have more people who have made you their favorite. Make a Facebook account for your business, some people even twitter their businesses.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

Well...I would have to say my children's...because I do seriously love them.
http://www.aricmorganphoto.etsy.com
http://www.catiescritters.etsy.com
http://www.craftycatie.etsy.com

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have at least _____ sales.
2000





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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#9 unofficial etsy featured seller - MaruMaru

#9 unofficial etsy featured seller - MaruMaru
Date joined etsy - 5/31/07
Sales to date - 780
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

Hi! My name is Michelle and I've been living in Honolulu, Hawaii for the past 16 years. I attended University of Oregon and finished up my Communications degree at University of Hawaii with a minor in Japanese in 2008. I live in a condo in Waikiki near the beach with my cat named Neko (it means "cat" in Japanese) :)

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

When I'm not playing around in my jewelry supply box, I'm either watching movies or drinking champagne. The latest film I've watched and enjoyed is Lymelife with Alec Baldwin and the Culkin brothers. Yes, I will watch any movie with the Culkin brothers hehe. I mostly enjoy watching indie/foreign films.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

Growing up, I traveled a lot back and forth to Japan visiting my grandparents in the countryside. I used to like dressing up in kimonos and getting them dirty playing around in my grandmother's garden. I'd walk the dog in my kimono, sleep in my kimono, and go to Karaoke in my kimono. However, I always felt like an outsider as I do not look very Japanese. My mother is full Japanese and my dad is Irish, Polish, German, and Russian.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

A few years ago I came across an etsy shop link on MySpace that is no longer available, and thought about selling little trinkets I'd make. I worked part-time in the jewelry section at Macys and I'd stand around all day trying stuff on and a lot of the times I would go home and take off parts of the necklace and add my own charms.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

The first listing I had was a $2 earring which took 9 days to sell. I was checking my Hotmail account at a computer store and noticed I had a sale and was surprised. Then I realized I think I even lost money since I only charged $2 and spent more money on materials lol

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Hmm it's always hard choosing a top 5 for anything. I love to eat escargot, but don't get to eat it enough. I love breakfast food, and I could never give up cheese, potatoes, and eggs. My favorite T.V. shows include It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Weeds, Skins, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Bands I currently listen to include Elliott Smith, Radiohead, Blonde Redhead, The Black Lips, and of course, The Beatles :)

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I've always wondered how people make soap, but never really looked into it. I have extremely sensitive skin, so I usually stay away from things with fragrance. I actually don't cook at all, so I have no idea how to bake. I don't even own a microwave lol I've tried woodworking only once. I carved my name into it with this woodcutter machine, and then decided to paint it blue. I let it dry on toilet paper and the next day, I found it fell on the toilet paper while it was still wet so there were pieces of toilet paper scraps stuck onto my wood haha I still have it on my desk, except I turn it the other way around where there's no toilet paper on it so instead of Michelle it's displayed backwards as Ellehcim

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

I suggest new sellers on Etsy to take advantage of the bookmarks Etsy offers such as Kaboodle and Stumbleupon. I also recommend submitting on Craftgawker, StyleFeeder, Stylehive, and other bookmarking sites. When I first started out, I used MySpace and currently have over 35,000 friends, but a lot of people don't use MySpace anymore, so I opened up an account with Facebook and a Facebook Fan Page. Anything to get your items seen is good for your shop.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

FunWallArt - I purchased two boxes from them because their boxes are so adorable! I gave to one my sister and we keep our jewelry in them. SisterButterfly is also another good jewelry box shop :)

SunshineandRavioli has a lot of cute vintage style tags you can use for your gifts and invitations

ChelseaVanTol is a shop that always has pretty girly items full of pinks and blues, I love it!

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.

I hope to make 300 sales this year! It's been a very slow start this year compared to last year, so I hope things will definitely pick up for Valentine's Day :)


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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#8 unofficial etsy featured seller - blacksatinshoes

#8 unofficial etsy featured seller - blacksatinshoes
Date joined etsy - 4/3/09
Sales to date - 509

-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My Name is Chante` Magpusao and i currently live in the bay area with my fiance Derek. I currently go to San Francisco State University full time majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I grew up in Monterey County with my parents and two sisters.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

When on school breaks my average day revolves around Etsy. I wake up check sales and make a fresh pot of coffee. I reply to convos. Then its off to crafting. I turn on the glue gun and start making feather headbands, shoe clips, flower headbands, gaga bows, or other facinators. My house looks like a tornado hit it after an hour. I tend to take every bit of counter space we have. If i remember i will eat lunch. I try to take my pics by 4pm since it gets dark right after that. I package all things that need to be shipped then go to the post office, i make it there by 6pm (thankfully its open that late). Then i go to Michaels or the fabric store. I order most of my supplies online so i dont have to do a lot of shopping outside the house. I then clean the house before my fiance gets home and then we make dinner and watch a movie. If i have a lot of orders i will continue crafting through the night.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I was! I was a dancer growing up. I loved all things girly and ballet was my favorite, i did intensively for 10 years and studied at Joffrey School of Ballet for a summer. I also played the drums. I got my first drum set in 8th grade and played that for 7 years. I loved it i competed and performed in China, Hawaii and Canada. It was a great experience.
I never really made hair accessories like i do today though. I grew up on 45 acres, so my sisters and i got very creative. We would make Tee pees with large eucalyptus branches and old sheets and we would draw symbols on them. Then we would make Indian dresses out of pillow cases and cut fringe on the bottom. Or play house in a forest of pine trees that took us a half hour to hike to. Our dad would come get us on dirt bikes, we would hear him honking and we knew it was dinner time.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I had heard of etsy for the first time this past April form a girl i worked with at school. I went on and said "hey, i can make tings too!". I love accessories, especially for the hair. That is when i started Black Satin Shoes.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

It took 2 weeks to make my first sale, and it was from my sister. Then the next day i had a "real" customer buy a headband. Then it was Dead for a month.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Dried Mangoes
Lasagna
Bruschetta
Sushi
Salad (most kinds)

Burn Notice
Criminal Minds
History Channel
Flight of the Concords

Incubus
Yelle
Joss Stone
The Bravery
Amy Winehouse

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I love baking and do it often. In my dream world i would make shoes, but realistically i would love to make myself clothes. That is my next step.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

Word of mouth! i just got a twitter account like a week ago, so i cant say it has really helped me and i dont have a blog. I suggest participating in forums. I have gotten many sales in the forums. I like the community aspect of it. I did a craft fair in October and that helps because people can see your product in person. Also wear your stuff. I always get asked where i got my accessories and then you can give them your business card.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

Timelessvixinvintage.etsy.com
clairelafaye.etsy.com
sarahseven.etsy.com

-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have at least ____ sales.
2000



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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#7 unofficial etsy featured seller - Crafterall

#7 unofficial etsy featured seller - Crafterall
Date joined etsy - 11/1/07
Sales to date - 565

-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name is Marnie Karger. I live in my home state of Minnesota near the southern end of beautiful Lake Minnetonka. I’m lucky enough to share my home with my handsome husband, our two clever daughters, and a goofy retired racing greyhound. My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate chunk mostly because the ice cream acts as a vehicle to get the chocolate chunks into my mouth.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

7:30 – I’m awake, probably still in my jammies, and readying my oldest to head out the door for school.
8:30 – 11:30: A chaotic balance of entertaining my youngest, getting some crafting done, checking my inbox, Etsy shop, Twitter and Facebook accounts, listing new items, running errands, and making sure any new orders are ready to ship – oh, and getting dressed at some point too.
12:00 – 2:30: lunch is done, it’s naptime for the little one, and uninterrupted (yeah, right) craft time for me.
2:30 – 7:00: little one’s up again, bigger one comes home from school, more entertaining, dinner making, family time, and getting both girls to bed.
7:30 – “way too late”: solid work time in my basement studio. I usually have either the radio on (89.3 the Current), a cd in, or I’m listening to pod casts (Radio Lab, This American Life, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, or CraftyPod).

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I have always had fairly fidgety hands and enjoy pretty much anything I can do with my hands be it crafting, gardening, baking, sewing, or putting pony tails in my daughters’ hair. As a kid, I loved working with paper as it was a readily available resource and the possibilities for use were enormous – I drew, I wrote, I folded, and I painted. Today, paper is still my favorite medium and the one with which I have the greatest familiarity and success.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I had been making cards for friends and family for a couple of years and every so often someone would say, “you should sell these!” I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur and the idea of making a living by selling my handmade works seemed to be the dream that would pull it all together. When I looked into Etsy, it was such an inviting, low-risk opportunity, that I lurked for a bit and then jumped in. Since then, I’ve learned that trying to make a living by selling my own work is far from easy but is still the coolest way I’ve ever earned money.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

I waited impatiently for a long, interminable two weeks before I sold my first item. At that point, I squealed with delight, kissed my newborn, did a happy dance, called my husband at work and told him that we were going out for dinner to celebrate. The item, by the way, sold for a whopping eight bucks!

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Foods:
1.) My mom’s turkey pie
2.) Good Coffee
3.) Good Chocolate
4.) Breadsticks from Fazoli’s
5.) Honey Greek Yogurt

TV Shows: (I don’t watch much t.v. these days, but here’s some that whenever I catch them never fail to entertain and/or enlighten)
1.) The Simpsons
2.) 30 Rock
3.) Scrubs
4.) Frontline
5.) CBS Sunday Morning

Bands: Too many favorites, so I’ll narrow it down to the ones with alliterative titles – just for you!
1.) The Temper Trap
2.) Passion Pit
3.) Kings of Convenience
4.) The Ting Tings
5.) The Beastie Boys

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.

I’ve never thrown pottery on a wheel, but have always wanted to. I know it’s not as easy as it looks, but I love a good coffee mug and would love to make one for myself someday using this method.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

First, I recommend having a shop FULL of items worth promoting and presented clearly and professionally enough to essentially promote the shop itself. Amazing items, awesome photos, and excellent customer service will go a long way. Skip the ads and the fan pages until you have those three things in place first. Then, list or re-list something every day, be as active online as you have time for, and love what you do. No whining.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

1.) Green Post - The amazing and multi-talented artist, Kendra Zvonik is the genius behind this shop. She creates these amazing tags and notecards by recycling the scraps sent to her from me and other paper artists on Etsy thereby “upcycling” paper that might otherwise end up in a landfill or a boring egg carton. If that weren’t cool enough, she embeds seeds in these tags and cards so that, when planted and watered, they sprout wildflowers or organic lettuces. So cool.

2.) Whimsy And Spice - Although I may never shell out the dough needed to buy any of these luxurious goodies, I love this shop for it’s tantalizing product photos and tempting treats. I always stop to click on their listing when I see it on the front page, just to drool.

3.) Ward-o-Matic - This is a new discovery for me and I absolutely adore everything in Ward Jenkins’s shop. His work has movement, energy, color, and cheer. I want one of everything. Maybe two or three of everything. And then I want him to make more so I can get those too.

-By New Years Day 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.

A ka-gillion! O.K., I’d be thrilled with 1500 as a new total.



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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#6 unofficial etsy featured seller - FaeriedTreasures

#6 unofficial etsy featured seller - FaeriedTreasures
Date joined etsy - 7/13/08
Sales to date - 1864

-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

Hello!
My name is Drea, and I'm lucky enough to share my life with my adorable husband Aaron, my co-dependent cat Edward Zuckerman and a mouse named Courtney.

We live in a little tiny town named Maple Valley in in Washington state. We just moved here, but I enjoy it a lot. The list of tiny towns that I've lived in during my 28 years is long. Born in a tiny town, raised in another tiny town... I'm sort of a tiny town collector.

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I'm fortunate enough to have been able to quit my "day job" back in 2007. So FaeriedTreasures is my full time job.

That's not to say that I only create things for FaeriedTreasures. I do a lot more than just create Jewelry. Prior to running my own business, I was a childrens book illustrator and a painter. I also sculpt. Art is my true passion, and although physical limitations keep me from indulging too much, I do spend much of my time creating visual art in other mediums.

When I'm not creating, I'm usually sitting in the window with my cat, reading a book, watching a movie or enjoying nature with my husband, or sleeping. Oh how I love to sleep. One of the great things about working for yourself and working from home, is being able to take naps.

-What first made you want to become an artist?

The challenger space shuttle explosion.

No, seriously. Up until the moment that I witnessed that tragedy, sitting on the floor of my elementary school gymnasium... I knew I was going to be either an Astronaut or an artist.

...lets just say that that day when those brave people lost their lives was the end of my astronaut career aspirations. I was 5. After a few days to recover (I was 5, dont blame me for my short attention span) I set myself into artist mode, and haven't turned back since... Although there are many nights where I can be found staring up into the sky, enjoying the dark wonder and sparkle from the heavens above.

Don't ask why my options were decidedly Astronaut or artist. It was probably an alphabetical thing. I was 5! :)

-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

Step 1. Collect beads.
Step 2. ?
Step 3. Profit.

Ok ok, I'm kidding. Sort of.

The creation process just sort of happens for me now. I get inspired by the beads and gems themselves, I sit down in my little studio room with my radio blaring, I open the window and I create. I take my photos in the same window, since its the only window in the house which gets full light. Its the front window in my apartment, so sometimes I get a lot of awkward stares and glares from my neighbours who assume I'm taking photos of things beyond the window sill.

-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

I have a few. The first is this scrapbook that my husband made for me last Christmas. He found photos from before we were together, through when we first met, our first dates, marriage up through the time he made it.

My second favourite handmade possession is actually a collection, I've saved every love letter, drawing, card or note that my husband has written for me. Someday I want to put them in the scrapbook that he made for me.

Finally, my giant stuffed panda bear that my mom made for me when I was little. When my husband is away or if I'm sad, I still pull him out of the closet and snuggle him. My mom is an amazing artist and such a creative person. When we had very little money when I was a kid, she made all of my toys.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
Books-
The BFG or anything else written by Roald Dahl
Dune
Watership down
Ozma of Oz
A collection of Edgar Allen Poe's works.

Movies-
Return to Oz
Everything you ever wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask
Neco z alenky (Jan Svankmajer's surrealist Alice)
Brazil
The adventures of Baron Munchausen

Music-
Only FIVE? Thats hardly fair. :)

My favourite song of all time is "Think" by The Information Society, followed closely by "Happy together" by The Turtles.

My favourite bands are a mix of folk, funk and the beatles from the 50's and 60's, New wave from the 80's, punk, screamo and EBM from the 90's, and current "alternative" rock... but if I have to narrow it down to five bands...

Depeche Mode
Yes
Colin Hay
Delerium
Nina Simone
...and because I refuse to conform, I'd like to add a 6th, Daft Punk. :)

Websites-
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com
http://www.psycho-donuts.com/games/aquaplay.swf
http://fark.com
www.isitchristmasyet.com
http://totallylookslike.com

-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Rome wasn't built in a day. Have patience, be proactive, dont get bogged down in worry, and be realistic. Oh, and understand that just because you put it on the internet doesnt mean that everyone is going to rush in to buy it. Spend your slow days trying to improve, even if you think you can't improve any farther.

-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

My favourite features on Etsy... I like chat. I'm excited to see the improvements that Rob Kalin is planning to make in the coming weeks/months/years. I would like to see a way to have a "Sale" in your shop, so that you can mark down all items from a single page. I'd also like to see a way to use a discount code or a gift certificates. Oh, and it would be neat to be able to put items in multiple sections in your shop.

-How do you promote your work?

I don't, really. I use twitter, but rarely promote my shop. I go into chat on Etsy, but I don't pander. I'm afraid to go into the forums anymore. I have a facebook, but its a personal page and I try to keep any advertisements to a minimum. I don't pay for advertising, either. I think that having been on Etsy's front page has helped me a great deal, and just generally having an online presence. I also add new items to my shop frequently, and renew a few things a day.

-In ten years I'd like to be...

Snuggling with my husband on our cozy couch in a home that we own, close to family and friends, enjoying life. It would also help if we were financially stable, but I hear thats a myth anyways. :)




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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#5 unofficial etsy featured seller - myotherprincess

#5 unofficial etsy featured seller - myotherprincess
Date joined etsy - 2/6/08
Sales to date - 462

-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

My name is Miranda. I'm a military (Army) Wife, Mom x 2 (newest just turned 2 months!), a scrapper and soaper and just really crafty and creative all around. We curently live in a little town in Missouri.

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Well I dont work, so I'm a mommy and a wife. Taking care of kids and the hubby and the never ending mountain of laundry... where does it all come from?

-What first made you want to become an artist?

I'm not so much of an artist (though I do considering my scrapbooking art) I'm more of a creator. I love making (and buying) things that are unique. I like the character of handmade items and the passion that goes into making them.

-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

I need a clean work area, for obvious reasons. But I also like my scrap area to be clean, tidy and oragnized as well. I like to know where everything is so I dont have to hunt around for it. My time is limited now, with the baby, so finding things quickly is a must. When I'm making my cupcakes and soaps, I like to lay everything out before hand, then I clean up the messes as I go... and believe me, I can make some messes!

-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My brother is a wood worker. I've bought many of his pieces over the years. But my favorite would be the country cabinet he made me.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

I dont really get a chance to read anymore. In fact the last time I read a book through was 8 years ago, while I was pregnant with my son. My favorite movies are Goonies, Home Alone, Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing. I'm a rock n roll girl. Seether is probably my favorite band. As for websites, besides etsy, well facebook, and twitter.

-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Dont give up! Your first sale can take a while. Good pictures are really important. I'll buy an item if the picture looks great, and the presentation of the picture can make me want it all the more. Imagine your item in a catalog and the picture representing it. Advertising outside of etsy is important too. Facebook and twitter are great tools.

-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

Pounce! I'm the pounce queen! I also like the chat. It's a great place to interact with other members and get your work seen, and even maybe make a few sales in the process. I would love to be able to organize my favorites and add sub catagories to the sections in my shop.

-How do you promote your work?

Facebook and Twitter for now. Once in a while I'll post my items on Flickr and to Craftgawker and Indiespotting.

-In ten years I'd like to be...

Well if you had asked me a year ago my answer would totally be different than today. As long as I can be creative on a daily basis, I'll be happy, doing whatever that may be.



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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#4 unofficial etsy featured seller - AuntieDis

#4 unofficial etsy featured seller - AuntieDis
Date joined etsy - 1/24/06
Sales to date - 1861


-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

My name is Diann Morris, and I am 35 years old. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but now I live in a quaint, old town in North Carolina with my husband, three kids and my dog. At a young age, I took the pilgrimage to the West Coast, served my country for 4 years in the Marine Corps, did a variety of jobs, and then decided to come back east, where I've settled into stay at home mommyhood.

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Read, surf the net, nature watch, shop, take day trips to the beach or mountains, hike, did I mention shop? I really like that a lot! LOL

-What first made you want to become an artist?

About 10 years ago, I decided that I could make better candles than one of the big boys. I started researching and testing, and haven't looked back. I have somewhat of an addictive personality, so the bead addiction and paper addiction I have eventually required being turned into something to consume them before they overran the house, so here I am...

-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

I am not a neat person. I have stuff spread everywhere. Sometimes I put a bunch of stuff on the table, and push it around until I say "Self, that would look great together..." Other times I go with tried and true recipes. If I clean up my area, I can't find a thing, and my creative juices dry up. Make a mess, and I'm right in the middle of it!

-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

A song my husband wrote me when we were apart for an extended period of time once.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

I would like to name all these deep books and movies, however, I'm so not a 'deep' person. Quite shallow really. I don't watch much TV, however I love to read! The Stand, anything fiction or horror (especially vampire or werewolf based) really floats my boat. My favorite musician is Kid Rock. I like everything by him..otherwise I'm old school 80's rock..KISS, AC/DC, Aerosmith, etc. As for websites, flickr, facebook, google, foodnetwork

-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Experiment, try new things. Don't rely on someone elses recipe for success to be yours. Create your own recipe. Photographs are HUGELY important! Be sure to have great ones! Don't sit on your duff and expect it to come to you...go find it! Do your best to set goals and achieve them.

-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

I love pounce! I would like to be able to add tracking information to sales orders.

-How do you promote your work?

I cross promote between my three shops. Occasionally I do blog giveaways, I do craft shows. This year I've set a goal to advertise more (the paid kind).

-In ten years I'd like to be...

Owning my own shop with my retired hubby, here in my home town.





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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)

#3 unofficial etsy featured seller - theclackhouse

#3 unofficial etsy featured seller - theclackhouse
Date joined etsy - 9/23/08
Sales to date - 379-Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

My name is Chasity Clack. I live in a very small town here in South Georgia. I'm married with 5 boys, 2 Step-daughters, 2 bulldogs and a pomeranian named Toby. =)

-Apart from creating things, what do you do?

With five boys at home I NEVER get bored. Most of time you will find me doing the normal housewife duties such as running errands, cleaning house and cooking (which is a favorite duty of mine, believe it or not) =)

-What first made you want to become an artist?

I started selling baby clothes and unwanted things around the house on ebay about 4 years ago. I fell in love with wax tarts when I did a search on Ebay for candles. After buying many that were not that strong, I thought "I could make these!" So I bought a small kit and it took off from there. I found Etsy two years ago and fell in love..I love how creative everyone here is.

-Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

My creative process often begins with inspiration from some type of food. My favorite thing is to add "frosting" to just about anything, as You can see in most of my listings. And most of the time trying to go to sleep but can't because I'm "working" in my mind. Once I've had my coffee I'm off to the kitchen to set up for the day. I usually start off by covering all the counters with wax paper, setting the molds up I need and any other supplies such as oils and dyes. I keep at least 50lbs of wax in the kitchen at all times so It can be easily accessed. My Hubby is in the process now of building an x-tra room just for my candle making! YAY!

-What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My most cherished handmade possession is a wooden toy box my Grandfather made for me when I was little. It even has my name wood burned on the top. He past away last year so I keep it close to my heart.

-Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

My Bible
Lessons in Service by Charlie Trotter
Little House in the Prairie (the whole set)
I'm a mag kind of girl too ;)

The Gladiator
Pretty Woman
Steel Magnolias
The Goonies (classic)
The Lost Boys

Nickleback
Smashing Pumpkins
The Shinedown
A Static Lullaby
Weezer

Websites:
blogger.com
flickr.com
picnik.com
Facebook.com
Myspace.com

-What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Taking great pictures is so important. It’s the only way your customer is viewing your work before they decide to buy. I find that re-listing is also very important to keep your work seen on Etsy. It’s really incredible and I’m honored to be a part of this community. Working really hard, and making quality work really pays off in the end.
Also, have GREAT customer service! I strive to give excellent customer service. I treat buyers how I want to be treated. After all, I am a buyer too!

-What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

I like the treasuries. And the Gift Guides. It helps me search that special item geared for a specific person. I also LOVE the forums. You will always find me "lurking" in there. When I first started I got so much info from the forums. A lot of helpful sellers there. And buyers!

-How do you promote your work?

Oh gosh, I do just about everything..
Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, Myspace, theblogfrog. Send out biz cards. Post flyers and attend local and non-local craft shows. I've had many sales come just from posting in the forums on Etsy! I'm still working on it. At first I hated promoting, but I have met so many wonderful people on the Web that way!

-In ten years I'd like to be...

In my own candle shop making TONS of sales!




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Want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)