Date joined etsy - 1/12/09
Sales to date - 288
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.Jane Joss is an alias for Alyssa Krismer & Joslyn Krismer. We started out as college roommates and became sisters-in-law when we married twins. We both live in Arlington, TX with our husbands and two children each. Joslyn spends her day job at UTA Arlington and I (Alyssa) am a stay-at-home mom to two boys. We share many common interests including creating, reading, and spending time with friends/family. Joslyn and I contribute to "Jane Joss" in different ways and work extremely well together. We have the same creative vision and drive to make it a success.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
A day in my life starts with getting my 6 year old off to school. Until he gets home, my activities alternate between working on orders, shopping for supplies, checking and responding to emails, and playing with my 3 year old. The afternoon almost always ends with a trip to the post office. The rest of my day also alternates between family time and "Jane Joss" time. I'm pretty sure I see my husband at some point as well!
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
My creativity in childhood often manifested itself in singing, acting, and dancing. I especially liked to direct (boss around!) my friends in various performances. I later learned to channel that creativity into creating and decorating from my mother. She has a natural talent for making beautiful things. She encouraged, and helped, me to find my own style. She has also given up her sewing machine for the last year to me. I don't think she expected me to use it this long. Sorry Mom!
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
Our path to Etsy started with a free sewing machine given to Joslyn. We already had a shared love of crafting and decorating, but now we were in need of a project! We taught ourselves how to use the machine and a series of inspirations led us to fabric leaves. Through trial and error, we figured out a way to create our own branches and were thrilled with the way they turned out. We immediately decided we should try to sell them. Joslyn was the one who stumbled upon Etsy and it seemed like the perfect venue for us.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
Within 20 minutes of listing our first products, we were contacted by a buyer. It manifested into a custom order the next day. It really was so exciting for us! The sales were slow going in the beginning. As we improved our pictures and started to get noticed, our sales steadily improved. We continued that momentum by expanding our product line into potted plants and wreaths.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?Favorite Foods - anything tex-mex, my mom's french toast, whipped cream from a can, chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes, Thanksgiving meal
Favorite TV Shows - right now would be The Office, 30 Rock, Chuck, Bones, and Lost. My all-time favorite, however, has to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer (maybe I should have
let Joslyn fill this out!)
Favorite Bands - this is one I definitely should have let Joslyn fill out! I know we both like the
Dave Matthew's Band. I'm sure there are others but that's not my area!
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.
I know Joslyn is really interested in learning metalsmithing. We met a great pair of girls at one of our shows. Their shop is "F" is for Frank and they do an amazing job. Joslyn and I were very inspired!
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
I would suggest that new Etsy sellers continually strive to improve everything about their shop. Really spend time in the forums and reading the articles provided by Etsy Administration. There is a wealth of information out there. Although we still have room for improvement, good photos are absolutely the key to successful selling on Etsy. Once you have a good photo you have to re-list the items at the right times. Luck is a huge factor, but so is treasury timing. Re-listing in the 30 minutes before the treasury opens seems to really improve the chances of getting in one. The more treasuries you are included in, the bigger your chance of front page exposure. Thorough tagging is also so important. Joining a team is fun and a great way to network (we love our Etsy Dallas!).
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
It's so hard to narrow it down to three Etsy shops I love! Okay, here are my top 3...
lulubugjewelry - amazed by every new item I see
sewlovefabrics - awesome fabric, very professional, and fast shipping. Can't ask for more!
budanART - Joslyn and I fell in love with this seller's work. So unique.
By December 31, 2010, I hope our number of sold items is more than 700 (although 1000 would be nice!)
--Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)
