Date joined etsy -7/31/07
Sales to date - 655
-Give us some basic info about you:My name is Lauren Beacham and I currently live in Frederick, Maryland with my boyfriend Tyler, our friend Josh, and our Scottish Terrier named Bean. By day, I'm an art gallery director in our lovely historic downtown. By night, I'm a crafting machine! I have a degree in photography and have incorporated that into all of my projects. Shortly after college, where I had focused mainly on analogue photography, I began a torrid love affair with Polaroid film and it hasn't stopped since. From this mad romance has sprung a large amount of prints, jewelry and gift items that feature my imagery. I think art is something more than what sits on your walls; I believe it is something to share, to enjoy as a functioning part of your life and to adorn yourself with.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
Tuesday through Saturday my routine is usually the same. Up at 8am and out the door for work by 9:30 with coffee in hand. Shifts at the gallery run from 10-6. After work, I'll run errands if I need to and get back to the house usually before 7. I usually try to squeeze in some yoga or a run of some sort. I'll attempt to take Bean on a walk (if he'll let me put his leash on) and feed him, then sit down for dinner that someone in the house has prepared (sometimes me). From about 8:30-12 I work on packing orders and creating things for my shop, then lights out by 12:30am. If business is slow, and money isn't too tight, I'll manage to squeeze in some time with friends and family. Sundays and Mondays are my days off, so I spend those catching up on creating, going to the Post Office and running other errands, cleaning the house, taking product photos, going out to shoot and trying to regroup for the next week.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I was always in the midst of something creative. I thrived in art classes, participated in music and theater, and when I was home I always found myself doodling, writing, taking photos, all of that. My parents were both very supportive in my creativity and didn't even flinch when I said I wanted to go for an art degree. They are still very supportive and have helped me in countless ways with both my art and my shop. My mom is also a very creative person and I found a lot of inspiration from her. She kept books upon books of things she had written, is always filling the house with music, keeps a beautiful garden and has always had a slew of her own artistic crafting endeavors.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".Tuesday through Saturday my routine is usually the same. Up at 8am and out the door for work by 9:30 with coffee in hand. Shifts at the gallery run from 10-6. After work, I'll run errands if I need to and get back to the house usually before 7. I'll attempt to take Bean on a walk (if he'll let me put his leash on) and feed him, then sit down for dinner that someone in the house has prepared (sometimes me). From about 8:30-12 I work on packing orders and creating things for my shop, then lights out by 12:30am. If business is slow, and money isn't too tight, I'll manage to squeeze in some time with friends and family. Sundays and Mondays are my days off, so I spend those catching up on creating, going to the Post Office and running other errands, cleaning the house, taking product photos, going out to shoot and trying to regroup for the next week.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I was always in the midst of something creative. I thrived in art classes, participated in music and theater, and when I was home I always found myself doodling, writing, taking photos, all of that. My parents were both very supportive in my creativity and didn't even flinch when I said I wanted to go for an art degree. They are still very supportive and have helped me in countless ways with both my art and my shop. My mom is also a very creative person and I found a lot of inspiration from her. She kept books upon books of things she had written, is always filling the house with music, keeps a beautiful garden and has always had a slew of her own artistic crafting endeavors.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I don't exactly remember how I found Etsy, but I do remember wanting to get rid of a lot of old photos I had taken and kept from college. After a while, my shopping on Etsy began to increase but there was one thing I was longing for but couldn't find...Polaroid inspired jewelry! After a while I decided I would just take it upon myself to make some. It was a HUGE hit and my sales and creativity with new items have grown exponentially ever since.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
My first sale took about 3 months. I got the email saying someone had ordered something from me and I was so confused...it had been so long and I had so few things in my shop that I nearly forgot I had an Etsy shop! But that first sale was thrilling...and every sale after that always gives me a rush. The fact that there are people out there all over the world enjoying and desiring things that I create is astounding and humbling.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
I could never choose just 5 favorites! So I don't know if I'll really even try. Though there are a few dishes that are always something I fall back onto when I want a real treat - homemade monte cristo sandwiches (the recipe I have is to die for), sweet potato fries with a huge salad and broiled corn on the cob, udon noodles with tofu and vegetables in a coconut curry sauce with warm naan on the side, chicken cordon bleu (the way Tyler makes it), perogies topped with butter and goat cheese with a side of mixed veggies, chicken en croute, and homemade cookie dough brownies. That doesn't even scratch the surface, I swear!
TV I don't really watch much of, though I do thoroughly enjoy The Office and Entourage when I get time to watch them.
Bands are another one I will not by any stretch be able to limit to just 5. A few favorites at the moment are The Magnetic Fields, The Books, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Broken Social Scene, The Beatles, Beirut, Daniel Johnston, Sufjan Stevens, Mimicking Birds, The Go! Team, The Mountain Goats, Simon & Garfunkel...
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing?
I have always wanted to sew and get more into textiles and stitchery. Also pottery!
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?I'm still fumbling through all of this! After trying my hand at many different things (including paid advertising) I find the things that have helped me the most are having my own personal website ( http://www.laurenbeacham.com ) and a blog, a mailing list, and using twitter and a facebook fan page to help promote my work. I try not to overwhelm people or spam them, if people are interested in you and your work they want to see more than just advertisements filling up everything you say. Give them some substance in regards to who you are...most people who support handmade are just as interested in the creators as they are the creations. Also joining some Etsy teams has helped me network with a lot of great people who I've worked on collaborative projects with and have some good friends from. It's a great support system!
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
There are seriously so many. All of the shops that my fellow Polaroid enthusiasts have are incredibly inspiring and beautiful. Seriously, just go to Etsy and look up "Polaroid" and be struck by the ongoing beauty. I also have two of my best friends on Etsy, and both of their shops are great! Malarie has adorable jewelry and geeky embroidery that I just die over: http://itsastitch.etsy.com and my friend April is an extraordinary artist who is new to Etsy and just starting to share her handiwork with the world: http://alwaysapril.etsy.com . Oh, and the vintage shop I run with my mom isn't too shabby either ;) http://drawersofthemanor.etsy.com
-By December 31, 2010 I hope my number of sold items is...
If I'm being realistic, my goal is to have somewhere between 1200-1500 sales by the end of the year. If I'm chasing my dream, enough sales to let me do it full-time would be even better. :)
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Have an etsy shop with over 300 sales and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)
