Date joined etsy - 3/25/08
Sales to date - 374
Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.My name is Licia (Like Alicia without the first A).
I live in an unincorporated area of Snohomish county just outside of Mukilteo, WA USA A little seaside town North of Seattle, complete with lighthouse, ferry crossing and waterfront train. There is even a tiny park with an ancient looking pear tree that has been spared in memory of the woman who kept an orchard long ago.
I have lived in this region my entire life and even when I travel I miss the water the feel of the air that is here. There are many inspiring aspects to this area. We are set between mountain ranges with Puget Sound lapping at our feet. All four seasons are distinct and that lends to a rather short but lush growing season which allows us to make a living designing and building gardens for our other work. In winter the days are short and the nights cold which makes the holidays a perfect time to shift gears a little and concentrate on beads while the plants go dormant for the season.
We have two cats, Maggie Magpie, and Rocky Tom Glamour Boy Shock and Awe Rockstar. They are both rather insane. Maggie is like a cheese seeking missle and Rocky talks to himself in a cat style Chinese dialect. She sits on my lap during the noontime and Rocky prefers James’s lap.
We don’t have kids yet. This autumn we are finally getting married after 10 years of togetherness. The mothers are thoroughly ready. I am anxious to involve many handmade sellers in the festivities too. I am not the kinda girl that has thought about the “perfect day” for her whole life but know that I will enjoy shopping for it.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
My average days can vary widely. Recently most of my time is spent right here at my computer and work desk creating and recreating, editing and photographing and re-editing and of course re-photographing. It’s a constant process and I am delighted to be able to make a small living doing it. I spend plenty of time conversing with my online “partners in sparkle” and deciding what is for dinner.
During landscape season the schedule revolves around the weather and our current installation projects. My love of incorporating lazy into my life has led us to get much of what we need delivered, including groceries. It works out well since during landscape season we usually come home late, sweaty, and muddy and the last thing I want to do is leave again to run errands. Usually those days are spent digging holes, building fences or decks, mixing concrete or stucco, laying pavers or spreading compost. The before and afters in the new gardens are amazing though, and it is so rewarding for both us and our clients to have a beautiful outdoor space to come home to and relax in.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I made awesome mud pies growing up. Dad was really sweet about it and always made yummie sounds while eating them. We spent each and every weekend (during non freezing weather) camping at my grandparents property on Campbell Lake doing everything from running to jumping to climbing trees. :) We would find snakes, baby bunnies, tiny mouses and all manner of plants and creatures in our weekend adventures and it really helped me develop the ideas I have about the natural world I have today. From the age of 14 on I also brought beads on the adventures and spent plenty of time reading, writing and drawing. The beads never left and I usually bring a project wherever I go.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I had always thought that selling online would be a perfect venue for me. I found it in 2007 by clicking on an Etsy mini on a knitters blog. Shortly thereafter I located the forums, and could be found chatting in the “red” room regularly. They convinced me (it was pretty easy though) that “it only takes 20 cents to find out” if people will buy your work. Which asside from the constant need for promotion, usually at some expense, they were right.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
About two months. I didn't know what to expect when I first started and knew ahead of time that the world of Etsy was quite saturated. I didn’t expect to be overwhelmed with sales and don’t think I could have managed that anyway. It’s been a slow and steady learning process about how to run an online business solo. Since I started I changed my original store name and a year later delved headfirst into selling gemstones in my Vault store too. When I think about all the staff that larger online retail businesses need to operate I realize just how many hats I am wearing to do this, in addition to creating all the work on my own. It’s a lot of work and there are so many sellers online who do a remarkable job, I admire their ethic and stamina.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
Well executed Thai, Italian, Neapolitan Pizza, Sushi, and most any Mediterranian dishes are among my favorites.
I find that I will alter my “schedule” to watch The Office, Greys Anatomy (which used to be much better), I still like the silly Judge shows, Ellen cracks me up, and I watch The Daily Show online sometimes. I cannot wait for Coco to come back.
Bands…. Nora Jones, Black Eyed Peas, the Kate Nash, Lilly Allen, Adele sound, Vampire Weekend, Madeleine Peyroux, Jack Johnson, I’m kinda all over the place depending on my mood and the cats don’t like it when I dance, especially to techno. :)
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.
Hm…. Lampworking is something that I think I would enjoy. At this point I don’t need any more crafts to add to my list. I have found that many Etsians are multicraftual, and I am no exception. My initial idea was to earn enough money selling jewerly to build a pottery studio. So far I am selling enough jewelry and gemstones to buy more jewelry and gemstones.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
Well, it depends on what their goals are. Some are happy just being part of the Etsy community, and others truly want to or need to earn a living doing it. It’s not easy, by any means and I always tell people to be proactive and expect to spend double overtime if you want a full time income. Of course, there is usually at least a one year delay in payoff toward that goal. It means being good at everything too, including photography. Each portion of the work that goes into a design, from concept to promotional marketing thru sale/delivery would take a commercial business probably 10 different employees to complete. Above all, patience, courtesy and honesty need to take top priority.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
3? Well, all my peeps and fellow jewelry sellers are already in the top 100 so I will mix it up a bit.
I drink my daily coffee from an awesome mug made by this seller http://www.etsy.com/shop/Adornyourself
This local seller makes the most outstanding lampwork beads http://www.etsy.com/shop/JavaBead
The whimsy and beautiful photos of Mireio are so soothing http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mireio
I can’t count:
I just adore this artist http://www.etsy.com/shop/budanART
-By New Years Eve 2011 I'd like to have _____ amount of sales.
Oh… more than I have now. I figure it is up to me and if I want more, I’ll just work harder. It takes a while to develop a following, and I appreciate all the support from my customers and feel like I am doing something right when they come back. I feel best when people repeat buy, rather than just getting numbers.
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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 :)
