Date joined etsy - 7/22/08
Sales to date - 451
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.Hello! I am Leanne and I live on the plains of Kansas, which I must say, truly are beautiful. (But don't get me started!) I also have a hard time following instruction, so instead of telling you my favorite ice cream, I'll tell you my favorite fried foods, which are okra and eggplant. ;)
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
An average day includes getting up, doing household chores, sewing, taking pictures, listing items, answering convos, and *trying* to keep up with my online networking, though I find that some what difficult. All this interspersed with working on personal projects, meetings or classes, knitting, drawing, and yes, facebooking. I am really bad with schedules, so there's really not much order, I just do what needs to be done.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
Oh yes, I was always creative! I don't know many children who aren't... *insert Pablo Picasso quote* I started out drawing when I was little, and then got into printmaking and painting in high school. The years after high school were when I really got into sewing. Unfortunately, I don't do much of the "fine art" thing right now, but think it would do me good to get back into it...
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I was selling on Ebay with some success, but their fees kept increasing, listing became complicated, and I just couldn't stand the whole flea market vibe. Then, I discovered Etsy--what a dream! I used to sell bellydance costumes on Ebay, and I don't know if people cared whether they were "handmade in the USA" or not, but with Etsy, you know customers are seeking out anti-sweathsop goods!
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
Before there was Folk.etsy.com, there was Sugarpickle.etsy.com (a shop that I still have, btw.) I think it may have been a week or several before I made my first Sugarpickle sale, but when I started Folk, I made my first sale on the 4th day after opening.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?Oooh, there are so many faves, but I'll try to pick 5!!
Food (in no particular order):
chicken fried rice (or almost any American-Chinese food)
pasta
fried eggplant or okra
chocolate
pickled beets
Bands (in no particular order):
Leslie Hall & the LYS
Beats Antique
Natacha Atlas
Pink Floyd
Solace
TV:
I don't watch it!
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, woodworking, an instrument, etc.
I would love to get into woodworking!! I think silversmithing would be cool, too...
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
Well, I will be the first to admit I am not an expert on promoting!! But, from what I understand, the more places you have your name, the better! Good (and free) ways to do this including starting a blog, twitter account, facebook fan page, or whatever else you can think of.
Also, getting into treasuries--and eventually onto the front page--can do wonders for your shop. The key is good photography!! You really don't need expensive equipment for this. I make do with an $89 digital camera and iPhoto, which is a very basic software program that came with my Macbook. If you have good lighting, a nice background, and the capability to crop and make adjustments to lighting, etc, you should be good to go!
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
justpuff.etsy.com
junkprints.etsy.com
vital.etsy.com
(Needless to say, there are hundreds of others I love as well!)
-By December 31, 2010 I hope my number of sold items is ....
Two thousand!! (Hey, why not aim high?)
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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 :)
