Date joined etsy -1/9/06
Sales to date - 891
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.Kate Kehoe. I live in Ann Arbor, MI with my cat Moose. My favorite ice cream flavor is Mint Chocolate Chip. Diet Coke makes my world go round. When not being crafty I am a book fiend and love movies (I spent many years working at an independent video store) I am very lucky to have friends and family that are supportive of what I do. Except for Moose… he just doesn’t carry his weight.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
I have a full time job at a University Library so a big chunk of my time is spent dealing with magazines an journals. I get home around 4:30 and can start my creative day then. Each day varies a bit depending on what I need to do. I may spend the evening cutting album covers for notebooks, matting photos or making coasters. A lot of what I do feels a bit like a little production line so I try and let myself have regular “creative dates” where I just let myself have fun. I also have a great group of people around me who like to get together for craft nights which is always good for a burst of new energy.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?I was fairly creative growing up. I do remember making bookmarks out of scrap paper for the school library. And making candles with my dad and doing hook rugs. (I used to love the rug catalogs… and imagined making one of the huge oriental style rugs!) My grandma tried to teach me to knit. I managed to get a few squares of an afghan done, but then lost interest. She also taught me a little basket weaving. I still have one we made together.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I was looking to start a website of my own, but felt a little overwhelmed by the options. At the same time I was looking for a crafty tutorial and stumbled upon Etsy while doing a google search. I loved the feel of the site… which in January 2006 was much different from what it is today.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?My first sale was in 5 days to someone I knew. The first non friend sale came on day 8.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
Foods… cheese, diet coke, bread, homemade chocolate chip cookies, black bean burrito
t.v. shows… I haven’t had t.v. in years, but I do love Buffy and Glee
(Movies are easier… Amelie, Real Genius, Independence Day, Clue, Thin Man)
Music… Lanterna, Tori Amos, Depeche Mode, Iron and Wine, Frank Sinatra
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing?
Might be easier to ask what I wouldn’t like to try my hand at. Here are a few of the ones that are ranking pretty high these days. I would love to learn bookmaking. (There is a great paper store called Hollanders in my town that offers classes so it is on my list) Sewing is another thing on my list. I have no drawing talent, but I would love to try taking a beginner art class.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?Be selective… if you spend too much time promoting you won’t have time to create. I use facebook and a blog. Occasionally twitter. But I have found that sometimes it is better to talk about my creative process, things that are catching my attention or other artists I like rather than just promoting my shop. Sister Diane over at CraftPod has some great podcasts about promoting your shop without getting annoying to the people who follow you.
I also do a lot of shows and talk up my shop there. I do a weekly art market here in Ann Arbor. And I have organized several shows for the Etsy street team I help run (Go MICE!) I would recommend people find some local shows to participate in. It is a great way to get feedback on your items which can help you decide what to list.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
Oh this is rough! But right now I especially love
http://www.etsy.com/shop/britsketch
http://www.etsy.com/shop/madewithlovebyhannah
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DuttonArt
-One year from now, I hope my number of sold items is...
1300.
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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 :)
