Aspiring Artisan: Moore Magnets

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! I'm April! I am the sole owner/creator behind MooreMagnets. My husband and I have 3 boys, so I also answer to mom, hey you, and various other grunts and mumbles. I spend most of my days in jeans or sweats and tee shirts ... it is a rare day that I dawn a skirt or something that needs to be ironed.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I love the beach, mountains, and spending time outside. We spend lots of time making fires in our fire pit, cooking marshmallows, and talking about our next DIY project around the house. I wish that I could tell you that I am an avid scuba diver, as I have been certified since I was 12 years old, but I don't get to go nearly as often as I would like.

What does the typical workday look like for you?
I usually get up around 5:30 or 6 am each morning and my day starts with coffee and getting boys off to school. After that I usually plan my work time around the weather. Since I do lots of my work outside I try to spend the nicest part of the day outdoors, and save inside work for the extremely cold times or extremely hot times in the summer. I love the flexibility that being self-employed allows me.

message center magnet board

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
I think the biggest piece of advice I would give is to not take any one piece of advice as the gospel. There are tons of things that people told me to try that worked for their shop, but I either wasn't good at it or it didn't work for me. So, I took each piece of advice with a grain of salt, used the pieces that worked the best for me, and continued to be open to different advice until I found what worked best.

How do you promote your work? What do you find to be the most effective?
I promote in a variety of ways and with a variety of methods. I do craft shows locally and I find that the ones that are strictly handmade items work best for me. I also have participated in online reviews and giveaways that I find to be most effective during the gift-giving season. I am also a big believer in targeted online advertising where I have taken the time to think about the aspects of my items that are most useful to certain groups of folks and then I advertise those specific items to that group.

build your own magnet board

What inspired Moore Magnets?
I didn't specifically start MooreMagnets as a business, or because I was particularly talented in a specific craft. Really, I just wanted a cute magnet board for my boys to use and I couldn't find one and decided to make one myself. After that I was asked by friends and family to make one for their home, and the business naturally progressed after that. I offer a lot of products now that were either requested by customers or created to fill my own needs.

What specific steps are you taking to grow your etsy shop?
I am continually trying to come up with new product ideas. I think this has been the biggest thing that has helped me to stay inspired and also attract new customers.

magnetic pencil holder

In ten years, where would you like to be?
I honestly hope that I am still doing what I am doing today ... only in a bigger space. I would really like a more dedicated space inside my house to work with paper and fabric, and I would like that space to have a door that can be shut when I am off and spending time with my husband and boys. I'd also be happy underwater on a scuba diving adventure!

Aspiring Artisan: Letterhappy

Tell us a bit about yourself.
hi there! i'm christen strang and i'm the artist behind letterhappy. i'm a 25 year old southern belle born, raised, and currently living in mobile, alabama. and i love all things bright, colorful, fun.. and well, happy.

2012 wall calendar

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
although one day i would love to create happy things full time, i currently hold a part time day job at my former high school. i stand at a copy machine as big as my car for five hours a day and make copies of tests, quizzes, and assignments for the entire school. needless to say, i'm a pretty big deal.

art print

What made you first want to become an artist?
i was actually an education/english major for my first two years of college. if you had asked me what i wanted to be when i grew up, from the ages of 4 to 19, i would have said "a teacher". i was making out my schedule for my junior year, and realized that i didn't have any more spots open for the classes i really enjoyed, like art, photography, design, etc. not only that, but i was actually dreading my student teaching blocks. i had to make a decision, and i had to make it fast. i took quite possibly the biggest leap in my life, and changed majors to art business with a minor in graphic design. art had always been my passion, i just didn't realize until that moment that it would also end up being my career. it was the best decision i ever made.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
don't get discouraged. celebrate every single sale. take amazing pictures. give awesome customer service. be yourself. put your personality into what you do. and above all, LOVE what you do.

do what you love print

How do you promote your work? What do you find to be the most effective?
i have a twitter, {http://twitter.com/christenstrang} a facebook page {http://facebook.com/letterhappy} and a newsletter {http://eepurl.com/dE4dY}. i use all three to keep my customers and friends in the know about new products. besides those, my most effective method of promotion {specific to etsy} has been renewals. don't just let your amazing work sit there and wait for someone to come along and find it. put your goods out there, wave them in people's faces.. you're awesome and you have great stuff, your potential customers just don't know it yet.

flag necklace

I love the variety of items in your shop, where does your inspiration come from?
a lot of my typography work is heavily inspired by song lyrics. i love taking the beautiful things that we hear and turning them into beautiful things that we can see. the same goes for my cards.. mostly words and sweet sentiments, with a little bit of humor thrown in there. i'm well on my way to making letterhappy a full service boutique of sorts.. a little bit of jewelry, a little bit of vintage, and even a few screenprinted shirts make their way into the shop every now and then.

card

In ten years, where would you like to be?

ten years seems like a lifetime away, and i'm not sure i should even speculate! above all, i'd like to still be doing what i love.. and happy.. of course. :)

card

Aspiring Artisan: Tuckoo and Moo Cow

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Sarah-Lambert Cook and I make tiny art for a living. I'm a chips and salsa connoisseur with a passion for history and a love of having my hands busy working on something. Since finding Etsy, my life has gone from poor college student to less-poor, self-employed, young woman able to support my husband, dog and I from an art income. Awesome!

Sweet Honey Bee Hand Painted Pendant

How did the name TuckooandMooCow come to be?

Tuckoo and Moo Cow comes from the first line of James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, “Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo.” I've been calling my husband 'Tuckoo' for several years now as a pet name, so when I was creating a buyer account to purchase things for our wedding in December, 2009, it was the first thing that sprang to mind. So much of my art has always referenced literature and poetry that it seemed like the perfect name for my new Etsy business.

Wood Grain Hand Painted Cuff Links

What influences you creatively?

I'm not really very inspired visually. Music, poetry, literature, lectures, conversations—these inspire me so much more than a walk through nature, or a trip to a museum. It's sort of funny, actually. When I was majoring in studio art, during my freshman year of college, it was interesting to me how many students said they were inspired by what they saw. I think I was one of the few visual artists who was more verbally inspired.

Hand Painted Necklace America My Country, Paris My Home Town

Describe the evolution of your shop.

*Whew* I'll try to condense the last year into a few paragraphs...

I first began listing items on May 19, 2010. To begin with, I mostly listed my larger art and only a few jewelry pieces—more to draw people in to see that artwork than anything else. As time went by, my sales proved to be primarily the hand painted necklaces, so I began to consider the possibility of removing the larger art pieces and focusing all of my energy on creating and selling more hand painted jewelry.

In August, the shop in Kansas, where I was working as an Assistant Manager, closed, so my husband and I decided it would be the perfect time to pick up and move where we wanted. For seven months we lived with my family in Atlanta using one room simultaneously as a storage space, our bedroom and a studio. I was determined to make TuckooandMooCow a full-time job. My thought was that it was a unique enough product with a wide enough appeal that, if marketed correctly, could sell very well.

Not In Kansas Anymore Hand Painted Pendant

By the end of October, I'd reached almost 80 sales. I couldn't have been happier! As my husband continued to look for work, I stopped hunting and began really knuckling down and pushing myself and my shop. By the end of November I'd hit a little over 250 sales. The business stayed steady through Christmas, and when things didn't slow down much for the rest of winter, I knew I had it.

Now, we live in beautiful Asheville, NC and are able to depend on sales from TuckooandMooCow to support us. During this time there have been things that haven't worked: shipping UPS express international is a cluster-cuss for everyone involved, staying up all night for more than 3 nights in a row will cause a massive migraine and creative burnout, with made-to-order items there must always be time budgeted for unforeseen circumstances. Some things have been godsends: Etsy is a community of artisans, not just an everyday venue, so getting involved in some aspect of that can be very helpful to your business and your sanity.

As TuckooandMooCow grows, I hope to eventually move away from solely selling paintings set in jewelry. I'd like to eventually be much more self-sufficient as well and not purchase settings, but make them myself. There are so many different directions I would like to go that I hope I'll never feel that I've reached the top. I'd be happy to keep climbing forever!

Sherlock Holmes Hand Painted Art Locket

What does an average day look like for you?

I'm a night owl, so I can usually be found burning the midnight oil until at least 3:30am—sometimes all night—so my day doesn't really start until late morning when I bound out of bed and plop down in front of the computer to see what messages I may have missed in my sleep. My husband ships items, so he gathers the packages and takes them to the post office while I get ready for the day. By late afternoon, the dog has been walked and I'm ready to start sketching and painting again.

I don't ever work straight through for hours unless I'm completely engrossed in large project, so I'm always up and down doing other things in between like playing xbox or wii with my husband, reading, playing the piano, or writing a story.

Winged Victory Hand Painted Art Necklace

What is the best advice you ever received?

For Etsy: to renew regularly everyday. The other is not to wear flip flops with dressy attire—it looks stupid and completely "unclassy."

The Photographer Hand Painted Art Pendant

To what do you attribute the success of your Etsy shop.

It is impossible to say that only one thing has made my shop successful. Frankly, I think the one thing that holds it all together is my desire to constantly grow and do better, create better products, and reach a wider audience. Constantly researching and trying to understand more and more about running a business alone has helped a great deal. If you don't know something, learn about it! There's so much information out there that it is a complete waste not to utilize it.

Flower of Scotland Hand Painted Art Earrings, Silver Plated

What do you do for fun?

I read a lot, watch old movies, adventure, hike, play with my dog, sing all the time, play board games and video games, and drink Guinness.

Visit Sarah-Lambert's Shop on Etsy

You can win one of Sarah-Lambert's amazing "Not in Kansas Anymore" Pendants!

To enter:

1. Visit Sarah Lambert's Shop and leave a comment

below letting us know which piece is your favorite.
2. Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway
3. Purchase something from TuckooandMoocow

4. Follow TuckooandMooCow on Facebook
You can enter in as many different ways as you want!

Leave a separate comment below for each entry.
I will select a winner at random on June 22nd using random.org

And the Winner is.....

RoseinBloom

Congratulations and thanks to all who entered!

Aspiring Artisan: peifferStudios

Us in our "studio", which is really a garage. :)

Tell us a bit about yourself.
We are Brooke and Will Peiffer, and we were both born and raised in Michigan, though from significantly different areas. Will is from a very rural area and considers me to be a city girl. We met on an internet dating site, and at the time, Will was working in stained glass. Glass and clay in the same studio space didn’t work out so well, but fortunately he was quickly won over by clay too. We have a 5 year-old son named Gabriel who keeps us super busy much of the time. We love music and movies and nature…and Legos.

Pod

Apart from creating things what do you do?
We watch movies, when we all agree on one. We play outside a lot, touring the areas finest playgrounds and parks; we build lego sets, over and over. Will tends to his unusual fish collection, and is contructing a gigantic slot car track...for Gabriel (wink wink.) Will also enjoys keeping up with The Daily Show, and SNL. I work full time teaching high school ceramics. I take photos constantly, and dream up fun names and product lines for future Etsy shops.

Cream Porcelain Spiral Pendant

What first made you want to become an artist?
Brooke: I was always drawn to artistic pursuits. Finger painting, coloring and sewing pillows for my dolls were my earliest. My father was an electrician, and I loved to watch as he crafted intricate copper wire tree sculptures out of his scraps. When I was still in grade school I designed a series of “food people” illustrations and sold them to kids in the neighborhood for 10 cents each. When I was 13, my uncle gave me my first real sketchbook, and a few “how to draw” books on various topics. I couldn’t stop drawing. I became interested in fashion design and in high school made most of my own clothes. I found clay during college and have been in love ever since. So making art has been a very organic part of who I am.

Will: I’m not what could be termed loquacious, and have become less talkative recently. To say this is a difficult process would be understatement; so please be gentle while reading these answers. I have always been drawn to acts of creation. More than the end product, this act is a driving force in my work. I would like to say this leads to a prolific portfolio, unfortunately I can not. While the process is of less import than the product, it creates an interesting catch 22 in that process places unreal expectations on product; often leaving me unable to work. In retrospect it may be disingenuous to say the end product is of less value than the process. What one is to the other is like the chicken and the egg – entirely unclear but for those with all the answers.

Resolute

Please describe your creative process.

Brooke: I am very creatively chaotic. I jump around from project to project, finish only half of what I start, and never like to make the same thing twice. Sometimes I will have an idea that pops into my head and I will just go make it. Other times I sit and sketch to get the creativity flowing. Other times I will just start making something, and play with the materials and experiment with texture and shape until I get something worth keeping...or throwing away. I also have creative urges with fabric and design, the products of which land in my other Etsy shop called xAlstroemeriAx, named after my favorite flower. And if that’s not enough, I am also working on a photography collection, and will soon be opening a third shop. Art is VERY therapeutic for me, so I do it as much as I can, which is not nearly as much as I want and need.

Will: Manic

Turquoise and Cream Cup Fungi Pendant

Please tell us something about your subject matter, a little background into why you make art about what you do.
We both make art that is heavily influenced by nature. We love the texture and detail we find in mushrooms, coral and our six-legged friends. We inspire each other’s creations and have a running joke about who stole what idea from whom. Will grew up on 65 wooded acres that backed up to a state park, and his family owns and operates a plant nursery, so he has been immersed in woodland inspiration from a very young age. I fell in love with the look, feel and idea of seed pods when I came across a book by Karl Blossfeldt called Art Forms in the Plant World.

Whimsy

What specific steps are you taking to grow your Etsy shop?
Since I (Brooke) do all of the Etsy stuff I will answer this one. I have joined two amazing Etsy teams, the Aspiring Artisans Guild, and Elite Sixteen. They are both focused on exposure, and growing businesses. I want to thank my friends in the Treasury League as they were my first Etsy team and taught me a lot. I have added a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a blog to my list of too many things to do, and we are trying to add more functional pieces to the shop including bowls, vases and coming soon...pitchers and cups.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Join a team, don’t give up. Think about what makes your work unique and focus on that. Learn to take great pictures of your work. There are many articles on this topic, because it's super important.

Reveal

In ten years where would you like to be?

Brooke: I would like to be living in a more rural setting, with a healthy and happy family, with our artwork as our main source of income. I also have this dream of having a group of cabins and studio spaces, so I can bring in ceramic artists to put on amazing week-long workshops. I really want to be part of teaching and learning my whole life!

Will: It’s a secret. I think Brooke knows, but I sure don’t.

You can win this "Tender" pendant by peifferStudios!

To enter:

1. Visit Brooke and Will's shop and leave a comment

below letting us know which piece is your favorite.
2. Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway
3. Purchase something from peifferStudios.
You can enter in as many different ways as you want!

Leave a separate comment below for each entry.
I will select a winner at random on June 14th using random.org

Visit Brooke and Will's Etsy Shop!

And the winner is.....

Sarah Ortega!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

Aspiring Artisan: corrnucopia

Ilena of corrnucopia

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My birthday is next week and Yikes! I'm going to be 43 and I’m not quite sure when that happened! I have 2 young children ages 5 and 3. I think having them later in life has kept me on my toes and feeling young. At the very least they keep me very busy so that I do sleep well at night! I've done many things since I left college with a degree in psychology including getting my Masters as an elementary teacher and working lots of jobs, including my fair share of waitressing, and even a stint as a cowgirl at a dude ranch. I've spent most of my life living near the ocean but have traded this in for mountains and lakes. I do miss the roar of the sea and a good beach walk after a storm, but I do love the woods and the secrets hidden within.

Vintage pair of old metal pulleys

What do you do when you are not working on your shop?

Um... I am thinking about my shop! Seriously though ever since starting this "whole Etsy thing" I am completely obsessed. I even have my children involved in the treasure hunting! With both kids in school though I do try to designate time away from the shop when they are home, then we are playing and spending time together. I do fill in as a substitute at the schools my kids attend as well. It's been a loooong winter here in the Adirondacks (I do have some snow still left in my yard) and I am looking forward to getting the garden going, hiking with my children and working on conquering the high peaks as a family!

Vintage Handsome Fellow cake topper

What is the inspiration behind your shop?

After my son was born I found myself without a job. I am a quilter and my mom had told me about Etsy. I really liked what I saw and opened up a shop, corrcreations. I am a self taught quilter and loved sewing and creating things with fabric. I was able to put my creative energies into sewing and it was exciting to see myself growing as a quilter... then my son learned how to climb out of his walker! I really felt I needed to be home with my little guy which turned out was important as he wound up having some special needs. Not being able to sew, I decided to give a go at vintage. I had noticed how well some shops were doing and thought "I can do that". With an eye for old things that were waiting to be loved again, I began packing up my kids early on the weekends and hitting local estate and yard sales. This has been a really perfect opportunity to be with my children and take them to work so to speak.

Please describe your process.

Vintage Red Duck Bobby Pin

When I come home from a morning of buying (which can be several times a week) I've got to unload and prioritize. I like to pick a few items that can be cleaned up and photo'd rather quickly (before I lose the good lighting) so I can list them that afternoon and evening. Some linens and clothing may need to be washed, but checked over for spots that need to be treated first. Dishes and other items need a good soaking (which requires washing the breakfast dishes first). Other things need to be cleaned with a bit more care and are set aside for later. Some items I prep but require a bit more than the usual amount of research before I can list them. I sort all of this on my back porch near my table that is always ready for photo shoots. I also need to make lunch and feed the kids as well as find a way to entertain them while I work. There is a bit of excitement and perhaps some chicken without a head type running around but there is definitely a high that comes from a shopping spree and thrill of my new stock that I love.

Ilena in Vintage Bonnet

How do you decide what kind of items to put into your shop?
Personally I have a fondness for kitschy and retro things. I am a sucker for a vintage kitchen apron and swoon over old Pyrex patterns. My love of sewing gives me a fine appreciation for old buttons and sewing notions. As a little (and maybe not so little) girl I imagined myself to be Laura Ingalls living the prairie life. I really do feel an attachment for certain things from the rustic, country, farmhouse genre. These are the things I seek out, items that speak to me. Books, toys, and other "artifacts" from my childhood also hold a special place in my heart, it’s a great feeling to be able to touch them and just remember. Now I can't possibly keep them all, but being the proprietor of a vintage shop, I can have them and hold them dear ~ until I find someone who hears their promise.

What specific steps are you taking to grow your business?

Vintage Linen and Lace Bread Basket Liner

At the moment I am trying to figure out ways to market myself and become more visible. This June will be my 2nd anniversary and I do believe I have done well. My goal is to take what I am doing and make it better. I believe I need to refine my listings by going over my tags and descriptions to make them more search friendly. There are also many product shots that need new photos. With over 500 listings and new items waiting to be added this is bit daunting and requires some serious time management ~ definitely something I need help with to grow!

Another way I feel I can grow my business is to stay on top of the monthly merchandising report. While I do seek out items I love and believe in, I do try to keep the monthly report in the back of my head, as well as bring in things that fit the current trends. This really has helped me to keep some focus and provide me with added exposure as these items are often chosen by treasury curators.

Vintage Potato Ricer

What advice do you have for new Etsy sellers?
Pictures Pictures Pictures! Great pictures are essential to selling something on a venue where the buyer cannot touch or really examine the item. Get close up, really close up. My favorite product shots show are my close ups. These along with some fun angles really help to make my products stand out and be noticed. My advice to improve your photos would be to seriously study the front page as well as look around at other great photos both on Etsy, style sites and magazines. What makes the photos stand out? What grabs your attention? You will have a much easier time of getting that sale if the buyer feels they can connect with your product by its images.

I would also stress the importance of connecting with other sellers. Join a team, become active with other members in the forums. Find like-minded individuals whether they share your location, beliefs, art, or goals. It's a great way to be able to share and learn, bounce ideas off of other minds, and develop friendships. I love Etsy but most of the people I know have never even heard of this place. Without teamies I wouldn't be able to share the excitement of an awesome sale or join in on the Front Page dance!

Vintage Mid-Century Metal Ice Cube Tray

How do you promote your shop?

I am constantly adding new items or at the very least renewing. This keeps me "fresh" and on top of searches. I use twitter to promote my listings, I do have a blog that I have been less than faithful with, definitely something to work on though.

In 10 years...

I'd love to be successful enough to continue working on my own and seriously (aka profitably) be full time. I really love the thrill of the hunt and would love to continue on this vintage road. As my kids grow and are more independent I hope to have the time and energy to devote to creating new things from my ever growing stash of vintage books, fabrics, buttons, and other notions.

It's hard to believe that in 10 years the late 90s will be considered vintage! I hope to stand by my creed that if it has a barcode it doesn't belong in my shop!

You can win Ilena's Vintage Lotus Bowl Collection

To enter:

1. Visit Ilena's shop and leave a comment below letting us know which piece is your favorite.
2. Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway
3. Purchase something from Ilena's shop.
You can enter in as many different ways as you want!
Leave a separate comment below for each entry.

I will select a winner at random on May 3rd using random.org

And the Winner is....

Guisela!

Congratulations!

Visit Ilena's Etsy Shop!
Follow Ilena on Twitter!
Visit Ilena's Blog!

Aspiring Artisan: Flowerleaf

"Where does a sea otter buy things

handmade and vintage? Wetsy." -Jocelyn of Flowerleaf

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am 33 years old and sometimes I actually act like my age. Most days I am a little kid in an adult's body, but even that is debatable since people tend to think I am about 7 years or so younger than I actually am. So I am a kid at heart who is serious when the time calls for it, and very serious about art and anything creative really. I have been singing since I can remember and all the visual art stuff gradually took precedence over the music majoring part of my life, but I will never give up singing. When it comes to making jewelry, I just love putting everything together and when someone purchases one of my pieces, that's just icing on the cake. - Oh and YAMS on roller skates! --> I am random.

"What happens when a buyer finally goes to retrieve their Etsy package from the mailbox? It's time to go getsy."

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I am basically like a cat when I am not working. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Not really. I hang around my little sister a lot. She and I are pretty weird folks and love poking fun at the oddities of life. She and I take a floral design class together and we love it. The ladies in that class are amazing and so much fun. I love being around people, so if I am not creating then I am around other people somewheres.

World Traveler Unisex Necklace

What made you first want to become an artist?
I would draw the most detailed things when I was little. I drew this factory where all Easter things are made (very fitting for this time of year, actually) down to the conveyer belt with boxes packing up chocolate Easter bunnies. I still have it in my possession. I didn't start getting serious about art until college though. I was needing an outlet from all the stress of being a music major and my love for painting, drawing, ceramics, and anything else I could get my hands on just grew from that point on.

"What would be the coolest way for Etsy admin to travel?

By a private jetsy."



Golden Sunrise Earrings

Please describe your creative process.

Are you sure you want to go there? It's a scary place...my process is so unprocess-like, so I guess it means I am just wired more organically. I will either be drawn to a color combination or a bead and a found item that I know need to be with one another in a piece of jewelry. Sometimes I sketch, but that hardly ever happens. Mostly I just sit and look at my drawers full of beads and things and get inspired to put some of them into one or two pieces. Music is always in the background. Got to have music.

Please tell us something about your subject matter, a little background into why you make art about what you do.

I love nature and color and shadows and light. Things that play off one another grab my attention and then I want to create something inspired by that feeling I had when I was looking at it for the first time. I also love to bring in old things and making them new...or juxtapositions of old and new coming together to make something different. I love glass...I use it a lot in my pieces and I would love to see Czech glass beads being made.



Antique Rose Necklace

What specific steps you are taking to grow your Etsy shop.

I still have some photos that I want to eliminate completely and just make my entire shop flow as best as it can. I am also in the process of bringing back some oldies, but making sure I am also keeping my shop fresh and not worry too much about that, but just keep creating. I am always open to new ideas, too...

"Would you adopt a pet off of Etsy?

If you did, I think they would call that section "Petsy."

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

There are a few very important words that help me and I know they will help new Etsians:

Patience - Your shop may take a month or two or even three before it sees its first sale, so don't lose heart.

Persistence - Don't give up and work hard on your shop. It's yours...no one else's and you have to think of it like a real piece of storefront property. Make it pretty, make it appealing to customers and keep true to who you are as an artist.

Honesty - Be honest with your customers in every way and it will pay off. Be honest with yourself as well. Don't take on more than you can handle and don't second guess yourself.

I also can't stress how important community is. Finding a group of people who are at different levels of success and creativity can do so much to help you out. I have met some amazing artists and have confided in them when things are crazy. They have helped me more than they will ever know. Also...Get involved. Join a team. Make treasuries. Get to know your fellow Etsy sellers and you will at the very least make some awesome friends.

Handpainted Rings by Flowerleaf

How do you promote your work?
This is where I still need much work. I network a lot and I have Twitter, Facebook, and a very neglected blog. Also, word of mouth. I make sure to keep some business cards to show people when I am getting to know them. That's about it.

In ten years, where would you like to be?

In Australia. Hehe. Seriously though. I would love to be living somewhere else and have at least two Etsy shops that are doing well. I have another Etsy shop, but I have had it on the back burner ever since it opened. Hopefully my man has showed up and he can help me with all my orders and make me muffins... I really don't know. I just hope I am happy as I am now and with people I love and that I am still doing what I love.

"-- I don't sell jokes for a living, thank goodness."


You can win one of Jocelyn's gorgeous "Majestic" rings!



The Majestic



To enter:

1. Visit Jocelyn's shop and leave a comment below letting us know which piece is your favorite.
2. Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway
3. Purchase something from Jocelyn's shop.
You can enter in as many different ways as you want!
Leave a separate comment below for each entry.
I will select a winner at random on April 26 using random.org

And the winner is....

Ilena!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered