Date joined etsy -11/27/07
Sales to date - 657
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.My name is Audrey Hussey, and I came by that name the old fashioned way...I married it. I occupy a large compound, er, house, in northeast CT, with my husband, 6 redhead kids, ages 3-15, and 2 large dogs. It’s a loud house. My kids are mostly homeschooled, so it makes for a very busy life that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
Four of my kids are in a school this year, all coming home next year except my high schooler, so the day starts with chaos. Once I drive them to school, I come back and do lessons with my K student. I get all of my errands, emails, household stuff done, pack any orders to ship, and grab whatever leathers I need to work on that day. I may even sew a bit. I’m making props for the homeschool prom again, so sometimes I’m building or painting a bunch of giant daisies or a soda fountain, working on my perennial beds or just enjoying other homeschool mom company. Then lunch, projects with my 6 & 3 yr old, then off to get the kids and ship if needed. Once home, mayhem ensues while I organize dinner, work, feed, clean, then I’m at the machine until bedtime. Sometimes I even get a shower in.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?My dad is a sign manufacturer/designer/stained glass artist/renaissance man, and mom was always making some gorgeous knitted things, and taught me to repurpose. I would make animated cartoons in dad’s studio, draw with Walter Foster books, or make shoe box model houses complete with furniture, and decorated in mod greatness, like our home. Mom is a decorating genius.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
My best friend is an etsy seller http://cozycoleman.etsy.com who is featured in the Regretsy book for her AWESOME momma doll (this brought her SO much attention, AND sales, don‘t knock it!). She got me hooked when I ripped up hubby’s leather jacket and made my baby a pair of shoes. This was late ‘07. Now she laughs at me because I’m obsessed. She’s my sounding board and greatest supporter.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
A week or two after I joined. I made the mistake of listing everything I had the first day. A couple of my good friends from Yahoo games chat (where I used to waste my days away in total goofiness, but it was fun) bought from me, made me so happy! I joined the CTEtsy team right away and one of them also bought a pair. Once I learned the art of consistent and well spaced listing, sales dribbled in, slowly, then consistantly.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?It’s not a food, but Chai Latte is my biggest vice. I love it. I clear the shelves of Oregon Chai mix. I love large, comfort food meals. Shepherd’s pie, beef stroganoff, lasagna. I don’t watch TV shows, but I love epic, period movies. Sense and Sensibility, Gladiator, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Big characters, gorgeous costuming, great cinematography. I am a political junkie, mostly, so I’m watching news most of the time. I’m stuck in the 70’s music wise. Our dinner music tonight was Kansas Masque. I’m taking my teens to see them with Styx and Foreigner next month. I love Jeff Beck and old Rod Stewart, Grand Funk and Aerosmith, the druggie days.
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.
I’d love to learn to weld. My brother and his son do, and the son makes furniture from old tools, signs, etc. I used to make wood toddler furniture & sell it, I am a furniture designer at heart. My first job was at an interior design firm designing store interiors, so I would design displays made from real things, phone booths, pool tables...I'd also love to do more sign painting, I'm pretty good at it, but can be better.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?You first need people around you who are HONEST. Who will critique you with love and good intentions. Then with your gorgeous photos that you HAVE to learn to take, make use of every promotional site you can. Don’t just promote to other crafters. Add everyone you can to your twitter, facebook page, flickr page (join GROUPS). Submit to blogs, magazines, even call your local newspaper/TV morning shows for a local artist feature. I actually emailed The Better Connecticut Show and was a guest my first year. Do craft shows, but do good, juried shows. If you can't get in those, learn from it! Find the better shows and pay the higher fees, just prepare yourself. Provide EXCELLENT customer service (yes, this means convo them when they buy and when you ship). Stand behind your product, and your customers will be loyal. I’ve had 2nd, 3rd and 4th time buyers.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
Many, many shops I love.
http://mayleesgarden.etsy.com makes the ONLY laundry soap I use anymore. I can inhale her basil & clove soap all day.
http://mamacitabeadworks.etsy.com made me 6 of her teeny pewter minnows to represent my kids for my charm bracelet and I cherish them!
http://spidercamp.etsy.com makes the coolest, snarky, fun, ugly bunnies and will put anything you want on them. I've bought about 7 of them. And they stand up to my kids’ beatings.
I love so many! http://stoopher.etsy.com, http://wickedsoaps.etsy.com, http://morganstreet.etsy.com and I could go on and on!!
-One year from now, I hope my number of sold items is ...
Oh…..I’d love to hit 1000. The wholesale orders I do get lumped in, so over the last 2 years, including shows, I know I’ve sold almost 1000 pairs, but it would be nice to see that number of sales.
--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 :)
