#240 unofficial etsy featured seller - galstudio

#240 unofficial etsy featured seller - galstudio
Date joined etsy- 11/1/08
Sales to date - 537-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

We are Carolle & Richard of Galstudio, together for 16 years and having the time of our lives making fun things here in Vancouver, Canada. Meeting in art school we discovered that we have a creative bent and work very well together. So, we made it our goal to have a business together. Dogs are in our plans. We love them. And, we both see a couple of furry quadrupeds joining us in the very near future. Carolle loves to cook & Richard loves to eat ... match made in heaven.

-Describe an average day in the life of “you”.

A typical day usually starts with Richard waking up at 6:30 AM. He makes coffee and starts working on the computer. And, Carolle then drags herself out of bed headed towards the coffee. By 9:00 AM we have a quick meeting to decide whether to jump into production or go check out fabric & supplies. If time permits, Richard is off on a bike ride. We package any orders for shipping destined for 2:00 PM. We discovered that it’s important to take a 45 minute lunch break. Because Carolle is way less grouchy & Richard cannot function without food. It’s definitely in our best interest! We rev up the production between 2 to 6. After dinner, we do prep work and more computer work. Richard writes another cycling post & Carolle will kick back and knit.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

Richard started model building & sketching as a young boy. Running & riding his bike was particularly fun too. Carolle learned to knit before she could spell her name. A natural. She tried her hands at everything; painting, model making & drawing Disney characters from story books.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

Carolle was off work and had time to knit and be creative. Looking for ways of self-employment, she soon discovered Etsy and it was a natural platform to start selling her products

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

At the beginning we had a few knitted items for sale. We did zero blogging, no publicity, not really knowing how to take the advantage of the Etsy community. It took seven months for the first Etsy sale.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Richard loves slow cooking homemade meals & anything Carolle will bake. And, Carolle loves cheese and more cheese preferably with wind, bread & popcorn. Top this up with plenty of reruns of Star Trek makes us happy.

-Is there anything you’d like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working. an instrument, etc.

We would love to try our hands at learning the history & craftmaking of: wine, beer, & cheese in Europe.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

Have patience because it requires huge amounts of it along with time & effort you will be rewarded. Sell something YOU would love to buy. It has to be of the highest quality that you can produce. There’s no excuse not to have great product shots. A picture is WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS! You must establish an online presence; Blog, Facebook, & Twitter. Tell your story and you product, people want to know who you are. And above all, remember that the customer is always right, so be willing to go the extra mile!

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

We love these Etsy shops:

Yokoo
Fosterweld
Grimm

-One year from now...

We see ourselves in a larger space. Broadening our product line to include children caps & more diverse range of inner tube items. Have our products in more local stores as well as increasing our Etsy sales exponentially. We’re excited and grateful to be able to work and better ourselves while designing products that people enjoy!


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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 :)

#239 unofficial etsy featured seller - JulieMeyer

#239 unofficial etsy featured seller - JulieMeyer
Date joined etsy- 5/28/08
Sales to date - 1809
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

My name, like my shop, is Julie. I live and work in a 90 year old bungalow in South Minneapolis, just a few blocks from the Mississippi river. My husband and I have 3 children – 1 in middle school, 1 in elementary school and 1 preschooler. The kid’s make my days long, but the years are flying by!

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

Unlike most creative types, I’m a morning person. My ideal day starts very early, usually sometime between 5-6am. I love tip-toeing around with my coffee cup in one hand while I sort through fabric or jump online with the other before everyone gets up. I’ll make a list of what needs to get cut and sewn that day, prep my fabrics, and then it’s time to get my middle son up and on the bus by 7am. I have an hour to pack orders and respond to requests, and then I spend an hour with my oldest before he’s off to school. My youngest loves her sleep. Most days she’ll sleep until 10:30am, giving me time to get a bit more work done. Once she’s up, it’s all about her and getting stuff done around the house. Its regular household stuff the rest of the day – errands, homework, play dates, dinner and dishes. I’ll usually grab a couple more hours of work before I crash for the night.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

Growing up my favorite book was #11, Make and Do, in the Children’s Encyclopedia set my parents had, circa 1978. I’m pretty sure I made every craft in that book for Christmas presents, using paper bags, paper clips, lots and lots of scotch tape, silver glitter, tissue boxes and wax paper. I was certain they would be treasured heirloom pieces! Math was my least favorite class.

What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I had a great part-time job doing graphic design work for a small local shop 3 years ago. I came across Etsy about the same time this company was closing. I spent a few weeks researching Etsy and was inspired by the Quit Your Day Job’ articles. Fortunately my husband’s income pays for the majority of our household bills, but we still needed my income to make ends meet, so I opened my shop 2 ½ years ago.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

When I started my shop I knew I had a short time to make it work before I would need to look elsewhere for an income. I spent the first couple of months on Etsy studying everything I could, and absorbing all the advice successful shops were sharing. It didn’t take long to get those first precious sales. It took a few months to get consistent sales and to realize that it could be a viable income.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Coffee – Beer – Thai Food– Grilled Pizza – Desserts
I’ll watch anything on Bravo – it’s my guilty pleasure!
I generally listen to talk radio, but for music, I’m currently loving the Avett Bros. I’ve loved U2 since they released War and could listen to Nirvana Unplugged all day long.

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.

When I first started selling on Etsy, I was intrigued by all the handmade soaps. I could click around in soap shops all day long and often would make my husband ‘look-look’, until we decided to get some supplies and make a few batches. We gave a lot away and simply haven’t made the time to make another batch. I learned it takes a lot more essential and fragrance oils than we were using and that you need more than one scent to make others come out. I’d love to make a few more batches to see if we can come up with some nicer scents than what we produced!

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

The best advice I found on Etsy is to list every day and if you don’t have new items, give yourself a daily budget for renewing. Once I started doing this, consistent sales started flowing in. I haven’t had time to blog or twitter, but I’d love to get more involved with marketing via Facebook in the next year. Making Treasuries are another great way to discover cool things and get discovered.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

LoranScruggs – she makes the coolest upcycled items from bottle caps and recycled metal.
HideNSeek - love the style of her work and have one of her prints hanging in our living room.
SewSweetStitches – I think her work is stunning!

-One year from now...

My youngest will be getting ready for school, and I can plan for days that include 6 hours of un-interrupted work giving me the ability to turn it off when the house fills back up in the afternoon.



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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 :)

#238 unofficial etsy featured seller - psitsinthedetails

#238 unofficial etsy featured seller - psitsinthedetails
Date joined etsy- 7/14/08
Sales to date - 529-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

Hi! My name is Patty Schaffer. I live in a rural area about 15 minutes north of Allentown, Pa. I am happily married to my high school crush, Todd, for 16 years and we have two children, Sarah, 11, and Ben, 8. Our family also includes our chocolate lab, Sophie, two fire belly toads, Spotty and Hot Tamale, and an African dwarf frog named Toga.
I love ‘eye candy’ so I have tons of magazines and idea books stacked all over the place. I am an avid reader. I adore flowers and dream of having huge gardens in my yard some day. I am known by my family as Paparazzi Patty because I take so many pictures at our gatherings (they don’t complain, though, because I make family albums for gifts at Christmas!). My favorite flavor ice cream is vanilla and occasionally I like to top it off with some hot caramel.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

I would say my ‘average day’ depends on the time of the year. I am a stay at home mom so my kid’s schedule dictates my schedule. During the school year I get them on the bus in the morning, then I spend my day running errands, taking care of household things or, my favorite part, creating items and working for my Etsy store (I am grateful for the flexibility that working from home allows). It seems like the afternoon bus stop pick-up time rolls around very fast and once again the kids are home. The next few hours revolve around homework, supper and family time. After my kids go to bed I head back to my art table or computer for more creative time.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I would say I was creative growing up. My teachers in elementary school had me help decorate the bulletin boards in the classroom. I made countless drawings for my grandparents (who thoughtfully saved them) and I remember loving to do paint-by-number paintings. I think I even made a complete nativity scene out of a tissue box, toilet paper rolls and tissues. It seems like all the crayons, paper and drawing of my youth was leading me somewhere because I went to college and graduated with a degree in graphic design.

-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

I was looking for a way to be a stay at home mom and have a creative outlet. Earning some money along the way was a bonus. I came across Etsy about two years ago and thought it was a brilliant idea. I have to confess that I am now addicted to the site.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

I had my first sale about an hour after I listed my first items. I have a funny little story about that..... MasterCard had just come out with the ‘priceless’ commercials around that time. I listed some items, stepped away to eat supper, and then came back to my computer to check things out. I saw I had made a sale and I was so excited that I pushed back from the desk while yelling “Yahoo!” or something along those lines and I ran over my toe with the wheel of my chair. My husband joked: “Listing an item on Etsy: 20 cents. First sale: $5.00. Trip to emergency room for broken toe resulting from sale: $1,000. Final sale: -$994.80.” (My toe was fine, by the way – no ER trip required!)
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Favorite foods.... mushroom pizza dipped in ranch dressing, lobster tail, brownies, Chinese food, homemade stuffing
Favorite TV shows..... CSI, Oprah, Spongebob Squarepants, Cake Boss, Little House on the Prairie (even though it is no longer on)
Favorite bands..... Linkin Park, Nickelback, Maroon 5, OneRepublic, Train (and I also love 80’s music)

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.

I often joke that I’d like to make duplicates of myself so I can do more. Of course I would need the Housewife Patty and the Mom Patty and the Etsy Store Owner Patty, but I would love to have Pattys to try jewelry making, crocheting and knitting, needle felting, and cake decorating. Just a few more of me would do the trick!

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

This is usually always said in every interview, but I agree totally: Have great photographs.... there are so many tutorials out there to help you.
The most important thing I can suggest to new sellers is: you get out what you put in. I can tell when I am more active (making and listing new products) because my views and sales go up. If you list a few things and then sit back to wait and watch not much will happen. This is your business. Be active. Constantly tweek things to improve your shop. For example, rearrange items using the 'custom' option so your store is more visually appealing. Maybe you can group things by color in a row. Make sure you have all your store information filled out in the the profile and policies sections. Add your personality to descriptions in your listings. Renew and list often. The name of my store is 'P.S. it's in the details' and I truly believe that the little details make all the difference.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

•Danita Art - I love how she offers a variety of items but you can tell it’s ‘hers’ right away. I have several of her prints and jewelry pieces.
•Babes in a Blanket - Leann makes beautiful crocheted items, including scarves– I have quite a few of them!
•Sea Pinks - One word: ADORABLE!!!!!

-One year from now...

I hope to be better organized with my plans for upcoming seasons and for my business in general. I am usually a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl and I would love to be more goal-oriented with my business. I also want to approach brick and mortar shops in the upcoming year to try to get my items sold locally.
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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 :)

#237 unofficial etsy featured seller - LuLusWoobies

#237 unofficial etsy featured seller - LuLusWoobies
Date joined etsy- 10/24/06
Sales to date - 1531-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.

I’m Tobie and my Etsy shop is LuLu’s Woobies.
I’ve lived in Southern California all my life, but just moved to Las Vegas 7 months ago (and love it!).
I share my space with my husband Brad, two crazy, genius girls: Sofie,8 and Tallulah,5, and my brother PeeWee (a Great Dane), two terriers Vinnie & Petey and a sulky little cat who hides in the laundry room.

-Describe an average day in life of "you".

I’m not a morning person at all, but still get up early with the family. I suck down a pot of coffee, fumble through making breakfasts and packing lunch and shuffling off to school. Nothing actually really gets accomplished until after noon. I terrorize the dogs a bit, get cleaned up and then make myself to get to work.

My typical work day is organized chaos. I’m happiest when I’m doing many things at once. There are always new projects and piles of fabric and yarn and needles and orders on my work table and desk at any given time. I sort of hop from task to task and then end up done within a surprising few hours. When school is out, I’ll run to the post office and then it’s pretty much family time for the rest of the day. We try to reserve weekends for fun and dates.

-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?

I had a very imaginative childhood with my 3 sisters. We definitely lived in a very strange little make believe world most of the time. I picked up sewing and crochet when I was about 10 or 11 and everything I made was a gigantic mess. I’ve gotten much better in my old age!

My dad was the original handcrafter in our family. He built the home I grew up in, the bedroom I slept in. There wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do if he put his mind and hands to it, and he never gave up. I love to think that I got my handy-ness from him.


-What made you want to start selling on etsy?

Etsy was still very young when I started selling on the site. It was a very likeable place, personable, fun and friendly. It was a really refreshing to sell on Etsy compared to other sites, and still is. I couldn’t resist it’s charms.

-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?

6 days

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

I love anything with cheese and salt. I love coffee and beer.
I don’t watch too much TV, but when there’s time I enjoy Project Runway, Survivor, cooking shows and any program about the universe.
My favorite band is Radiohead, my girls love P!nk and Lady GaGa, my husband is into the 80’s and Vampire Weekend, so we have an interesting mix of music.

-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing?

I’m planning on picking up woodburning very soon! The new tool has been on my desk for a month now.

-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?

I’m a pretty quiet seller. As far as promotion goes, I could be a terrible example for others.

BUT, I’ve learned that taking custom requests is essential to broadening your horizon and getting out of the comfort zone. I’ve met some amazing people, repeat customers and made some wonderful friends this way AND discovered best selling items through other’s wants. The word of mouth referrals from custom request sales make for valuable shop promotion.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?

I’m a big fan of ashleyg (since my beginning on Etsy) and have a few of her prints in our home.

The best service I’ve EVER received along with beautiful product was from idreamicanfly.etsy.com.

I admire greatly WrenWillow’s beautiful product, images and happy upbeat style.

Also, any shop that sells ridiculous dog and cat apparel is my favorite.

-One year from now...

...I’ll be creating like mad and possibly have my enormous to-do list half way tackled. I’ll have the house all to myself for a HUGE chunk of the day because both girls will be in school fulltime. I’ll probable be found wandering around fabric shops and Target talking to myself like a crazy person because my little people will be gone.

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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 :)