Date joined etsy- 6/20/08
Sales to date - 371
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.My name is Talia Halliday (talia like Italian without the I and the N and HALiday not hOliday;)) and I live in beautiful Bloomington Indiana (home of Indiana University) with my three mostly darling;) children (15, 9, and 18 months), my Loving nerdy husband and our three mostly annoying (but still affectionate and beautiful) cats. I'm a stay at home/ work at home mama desperately trying to socialize my gorgeous little boy while balancing creating/branding/marketing a handmade business in my 'down' time. I want my baby to be proud of his mama.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
Ha! Well, that's quite boring, but you asked;) We wake up late. We're late sleepers (and when I say we I mean the baby, Griffin, and I ). Once the morning starts we eat our yogurt or oatmeal and watch a little tv while I check Etsy orders and emails. The mornings are then usually spent at library play or open gym. I have to keep pretty organized since my time to work is in fits and starts throughout the day. I usually get a good two hours of work during nap time so I'm able to package and photograph anything that needs done and then start whatever work needs to be finished that night. Once naptime is over it's back to the mom grind until just after dinner when daddy takes over and I use that time to catch up on convo's and emails and the such. I'm part of a treasury team on Etsy (The Treasury Tree) and so I try to use this time to make new treasuries and comment on the ones that have come up throughout the day. Once the baby goes down for the night is when my work-night begins. If I stay organized enough throughout the day I'm able to set up what I need to get done before the night starts and that really helps with my production;) By morning I usually have a whole new batch of books to photograph and/or list, and the process starts all over again.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I was a constant photographer and book maker whilst growing up. I had a camera everywhere I went and with that camera came the album those pictures would live in. I was also an avid journaler, so a journal/sketchbook was also following me around most of the time. Not much has changed really.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?I wanted to quit my day job. All of them. I wanted to be able to stay home and not feel guilty about it and not be stifled by working in an office space with cubicle walls and to-do lists. I wanted freedom.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
Technically, not that long. My mother-in-law bought like three things from my shop within the first few weeks of me opening my shop. But, in reality, it was about 4 months I guess before a 'stranger' bought something from me and then it was really just in fits and starts. When I first opened my store in June of 2008, I was still working and in school. Etsy was just something I did on the side with all the things I Loved to make and was making anyway. Not until this past year (November of 2009) did I really start taking Etsy seriously as a full time gig and not until November of 2010 did I sort of become successful with it.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
foods
1. ice cream
2. grapes
3. watermelon
4. cheese
5. Chicken Tikka Masala
tv shows
1. parenthood (HIGHLY underrated)
2. Fringe
3. House
4. Crime and Law shows like Without a Trace, CSI, and Criminal Minds
5. Desperate Housewives
Bands
1. tori amos
2. ani difranco
3. vienna teng
4. nin
5. tool
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.
I have always wanted to do stained glass and blown glass. Never tried either. But I will.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?Just whatever everyone else says. Good Photos. And always be thinking of new lines of products- new ways to make your product and change it up- be different from those around you and find something that makes you YOU. Someone will notice you.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
There are just SO many great shops out there! I'll choose a couple local Indiana shops and one for the road. Just too many great shops to choose from!
Sadly Harmless - adorable and thought provoking animal illustrations - Love her work
erin a ellis - i bought my son a griffin chubikin from her shop and I just ADORE it!
Spice of Life Designs - beautiful handmade one of a kind jewelry like I've never seen before
-One year from now...
Have my own studio (instead of a dining room nook) and more hours in the day to work. A few new lines of books and book safes and exposure from a few new shops on the horizon.
Ways to contact conduitpress:
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/conduitpress
Website: http://conduit-press.com/
Blog: conduit-press.com/blog/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/conduitpress
Twitter: twitter.com/conduitpress
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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 :)
