Date joined etsy - 1/13/07
Sales to date - 6656
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.Hello, my name is Alicia Murphy-Rodriguez but I go by Ali and I just turned 25. I currently reside in Ft Wright, KY with a supportive, loving husband, crazy four year old twin boys and a chubby little hamster named Kvetch. I’m an art school drop out and running my business (Etsy, craft shows, etc) is my only job... Other than being a mom.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
It’s safe to say that I have my hands full taking care of twin toddlers but when I can I run my business. I make jewelry, answer emails, supply shop, post office runs, update my Etsy, flickr, twitter, do craft/art shows, all that jazz and everything else that comes with it. If I’m not working I am on my treadmill, reading, watching TED talks, watching past episodes of Star Trek TNG or taking a break... Cause even I deserve one every once in a while. ;-)
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I believe everyone is creative growing up. Whether or not you chose to allow your creative side to take over is a whole other story... Mine did. I loved making greeting cards for people when I was young. I was in drama and art classes and decided in high school that I would pursue a career in fashion, but a sewing machine and I don’t get along so I took another route... Accessories!
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
To be honest... Boredom and desperation. I was a stay at home mother in need of a hobby when my bff introduced me to Etsy. I fell in love with the idea of people appreciating the handmade quality and uniqueness of an item that they would pay for it. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what I wanted to “hand make” and I’m really glad I made the Etsy leap.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
I started my Etsy shop January 13th, 2007 and I had my first sale on January 19th 2007. I started my business at a really good time. There was less competition and it was easier to find items. Now there are a ton of sellers and tons of items being listed all the time so it’s easy to get lost in all that fuss. I hear you should list often.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
foods: 1. nachos 2. katsu-ju 3. sushi 4. nutella on toast 5. tea
tv shows: I don’t watch a lot of tv but... 1. Bones 2. Star Trek: TNG 3. CSI (original series) 4. Dexter 5. Clean House
bands: this list is ever changing and in no particular order... 1. Santigold 2. MGMT 3. Fujiya & Miyagi 4. Spoon 5. Phoenix
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, etc.
I’d love to get along with a sewing machine to make my own clothes, me and the sewing machine are not best friends. I would also love to work with resin and polymer clay, I’m intimated by them.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
When I started my shop in 2007 there was a lot less competition on Etsy. The only promoting I did for my first year was word of mouth. It’s always a good idea to add a business card with every order you ship out, sometimes a few so they can give one to a friend. I currently use a blog, flickr and twitter to promote my business. My blog is www.thelovelyteaspoon.com and my flickr is www.flickr.com/thelovelyteaspoon My twitter is @lovelyteaspoon. Another great way to promote yourself is with art/craft shows. It’s a great way to meet your customers, meet fellow artists, promote and let’s not forget make money. I know a lot of people use facebook to promote and even magazine or blog ads. I don’t use facebook, too much lameness for me.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
emandsprout I love, love, love her work, her shoes are the cutest things in the world! I wear mine all the time and get so many compliments. They are unique and well priced.
tracymakanani I met this amazing lady at a craft show over a year ago. I buy all my handmade cards from her and she is now starting to fill her Etsy shop with these amazing cards. This is also starting a Card of the Month Club which I am really excited about.
thecandyshoppe Including my mom on this list may be considered cheating but my mom is the most amazing person I know. She is fighting heart disease and has been a huge supporter and motivator in getting my own Etsy shop going. Her shop is filled with great vintage supplies, punches and more at very affordable prices... Even I have purchased some!
-By New Years Eve 2011 I hope my number of sold items is ______.
7500 I give myself a 1000 item goal a year, so far so good.
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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 :)
