Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Etsy Featured Sellers: Laura Elaine Designs

Laura Elaine Designs

This week we have a new featured seller from Etsy. So please get to know her here a bit, check out her shop, and leave her a comment letting her know what you think! Check out where you can find her on the web at the bottom of this post!!

This is Laura, the owner of Laura Elaine Designs. Laura is a seller from Millbury, MA, and she designs and makes premade scrapbook pages! Now I love to scrapbook, but sometimes if I'm behind or in a hurry, I wish I had premade pages available so that I could just add my pics and be done. Well, Laura is our answer scrapbookers! I hope you all enjoy getting to know her as I have!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a 30-year-old wife, mother, and part-time Physical Therapist who enjoys running, scrapbooking, skiing, hiking, camping, biking and anything else outdoors. My husband and I have finished many 5ks, half marathons, and marathons - we needed a place to keep our race bibs - that is how Laura Elaine Designs came about!

How did you come up with your shop name?

I had a difficult time coming up with a creative name, so it's just my first and middle name!

When did you start scrapbooking?

I have been scrapbooking since I was in High School. When I had my son 2 years ago, a co-worker gave me a semi-premade scrapbook. She had done most of the layouts and included extra stickers for me to add as I put in pictures of my son. I thought it was a great idea and that is how I got started with Laura Elaine Designs. Initially I was making more general scrapbooks - baby, kids' birthdays, weddings. But then I started to just focus on Race Bib Scrapbooks and Premade Pages - it seems to be a unique niche that no one else has gotten into yet!

Dinosaur Birthday Cupcake Scrapbook

What first made you want to start selling your creations?

I knew how awesome and convenient it was to receive the scrapbook from my co-worker and thought others could benefit from having a premade scrapbook. With all of my husband's and my race bibs piling up, I also knew there were other runners who had the same problem - no where to store them!

Describe your creative process to us.

Usually I am doing my scrapbooking during my son's nap time. When I come up with ideas, I usually will write them down and save them until I can get downstairs to create. When I am in the mode, I just go, go, go. No music, no TV, no distractions or I loose my focus.

Runner's Race Bib Book 8x11

What inspires you?

By running and attending races, I am usually quite inspired. There are always runners of all ages, sizes and backgrounds completing the different distances. It's amazing to see them all cross the finish line. I try to target different audiences that are competing in the races - Moms, first-time marathoners, first-time runners.

How do you promote your work?

I have a blog that I promote through, and I also have a facebook fan page. The EtsyMom Street Team is also another great way, and I am starting to be more active through them.

Precious Baby Boy 12 x 12 Premade Scrapbook Pages

Are your items pre-made or made to order?

Most of my items are premade, but I also have done a bunch of custom items. I love to create custom items!

Tell us two short-term goals you have and one long-term.

My current short term goal is to have my shop stocked up for the Holiday shopping.

My long term goal is to be able to have my Etsy shop as a consistent source of income for our family.

Walk us through a typical day in your life.

The days that I work my "real" job, I work 10 hours. That doesn't leave much creative time, so usually those days are left for blogging or perhaps listing an item that is already photographed.

The days that I am home with my son, I check emails/blogs/orders first thing in the morning. Nap time, usually for about 2-3 hours in the afternoon, is when I head downstairs to my scrapbook room and get to work. I always have an idea in mind so that I can start a new book or set of pages right away. This is also the time that I used to photograph my items.

Once he is in bed at night, I head back downstairs and finish up any loose ends - finish up the page or book that I started earlier in the day, package up any items that need to be shipped, and check emails/blogs again.

What is your favorite item in your shop at the moment?

My favorite item has to be the one that I just finished creating yesterday - New York City Marathon Scrapbook. My husband just ran the marathon this past Sunday and he was definitely my inspiration for the book! (PS - If it doesn't sell by Christmas, I'm keeping it and filling it with pictures of Hubby from this past Sunday)

New York City Marathon Premade Scrapbook Pages

So thank you so much to Laura - owner of Laura Elaine Designs - for sharing herself and her shop with us today. You can find Laura Elaine Designs on the web here:

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauraelainedesigns

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millbury-MA/Laura-Elaine-Designs/283538289196

Blog: http://www.LauraElaineDesigns.blogspot.com

Etsy Feature Seller - Bewhiskered

Bewhiskered

This is Kenzie, the owner of Bewhiskered. Kenzie is a seller from Laurenceville,GA, and she sews adorable security blankets for children! I hope you all enjoy getting to know her as I have!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Kenzie, and I am a stay at home Mom who has always had her hands busy with some sort of crafty endeavor. Along with my husband and son, I share my house with a brain damaged manx and a calico with a drool problem. We all reside in a suburb North of Atlanta, GA.

I started making Ruggles when I had my son. I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for when I shopped. I liked the idea behind a tag blanket, but they were too small. Normal blankets were nice, but boring. As a child, I had a Tiger rug my Mom had latch hooked for me. I started making my own version - a (stuffed) Tiger skin rug. My son liked it, but it was a bit too big for portability. I took that idea, made it smaller and added tag like elements and voila! My Ruggles were born.
I love the idea that I am creating something that will be loved and can give comfort. My hope is that the security blankets I make will be used and loved and then passed down to a new generation.

How did you come up with your shop name?

I love animals and knew that whatever I'd be making, it would have some sort of animal connection. Thus the name Bewhiskered. :)

Look at this cute kiddo with his Tiger Ruggle! Can we buy him??

When did you start sewing?

My Mother taught me to sew when I was very little and I've sewn off and on since!

What first made you want to start selling your creations?

When I became a stay at home Mom, I needed some sort of outlet for my creativity and sewing seemed like a natural choice. I was already sewing cloth diapers for my son, and he's the reason Ruggles were born. They were so cute, I couldn't stop at making just one. After I'd exhausted all of my pregnant friends, I turned to Etsy to give me a place to spread the Ruggle love.

Describe your creative process to us.

It starts with an animal. Sometimes I'll see a new animal on Cute Overload or Zoo Borns and that becomes the inspiration for a Ruggle. Sometimes I sit down with a giant encyclopedia of the world's creatures I have and flip through until I find something that catches my fancy. Other times the inspiration comes from clients who want something I've never done before. Then I just try and make the Ruggle resemble the actual animal as much as possible, while still keeping it cute.

Monster Ruggle

What inspires you?

The vast number of animals that exist and would make excellent Ruggles. :)

How do you promote your work?

I belong to, and am active in, several Etsy Teams which helps a lot as everyone helps each other promote. I also promote through a blog, Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook.

Moose Ruggle

Are your items pre-made or made to order?

Each Ruggle is made individually, one at a time. I offer ready to ship Ruggles in my Etsy shop, but also do customs for clients wanting something a little different or unusual.

Tell us two short-term goals you have and one long-term.

One short term goal is to organize my studio space. I'd love to have everything neatly put away when it's not in use! Another short term goal is to have the baby I'm currently 6 months pregnant with. LOL And my long term goal is to have Bewhiskered be successful enough to fund my other hobbies: photography and horseback riding.

Walk us through a typical day in your life.

I wake up around 7:30 when my son Jake wakes up. Kiss my husband as he leaves for work and fix breakfast for myself and Jake. Then I'll check email and return any convos I've gotten overnight. Prep and ship any Ruggles that have sold and spend an hour or two interacting with my Etsy team members and writing blog and Tumblr posts/updating statuses on Facebook and Twitter. Play with Jake until it's time for lunch and then after lunch we take a nap. (Yes, me too. I'm pregnant!) When we wake up it's time for a snack and we play until dinner time. My husband comes home from work around 6 and we eat dinner as a family. After dinner my husband plays with Jake while I check my email one last time. Then it's getting Jake ready for bed, getting myself ready for bed, journaling, reading a magazine and sleep.

What is your favorite item in your shop at the moment?

I love them all, but right now I'd have to say it's a toss up between the Polar Bear and the Bunny.

Polar Bear Ruggle

So thank you so much to Kenzie - owner of Bewhiskered - for sharing herself and her shop with us today. You can find Bewhiskered on the web here:

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bewhiskered

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Bewhiskered

Twitter: http://twitter.com/bewhiskeredetsy

Blog: http://bewhiskered.wordpress.com/

Etsy Featured Sellers: RoseWill Arts

This is Abbie, the owner of RoseWill Arts. Abbie is a seller from Thornton, CO, and she knits beautiful hats and broaches for all ages! She also has some other items in her shop such as baby bibs, burp clothes, and aprons for in the kitchen! She is a busy woman, wife, and mother. I hope you all enjoy getting to know her as I have!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a mostly stay-at-home mother of two little ones (a 2.5 yo girl and a 6 mo old boy), a per diem neonatal intensive care and postpartum nurse, and a self proclaimed craft-a-holic! I was always one of those girls that had endless hobbies growing up and not much has changed. I have dabbled in just about every craft there is and have the remnants of each in my basement as proof! I've narrowed it down mostly to knitting, sewing and scrapbooking at this point. I've always loved the domestic things in life. I love to cook and bake, garden, craft of course, sing, play the piano, spend time with family and friends, and find joy in all the blessings God has given me, large and small.

How did you come up with your shop name?

It is inspired from my children's middle names: (Alora) "Rose", (Everett) "Will"(iam) "Art"(hur), as they inspire me to be a better woman, wife, and mother every day.

Hand Knit Eco Cotton 0 to 3 mo Boys Hat in Celery with Chocolate and Khaki Stripe

When did you start knitting?

I owe a lot of my craft abilities to my mother. She is a fabulous cook and can work magic with a pair of knitting needs. She was also the one who handmade most of her clothes in high school and always sewed my costumes for musicals, holiday dresses and more. She taught me how to knit at about 6-7 holding one of the large needles in between my knees since I couldn't hold them both in my hands! She also passed on her sewing skills by helping me make everything from doll clothes as a little girl to nursing scrubs when she bought me my first sewing machine after graduating from college. From there, it has blossomed over the years and has become not only a love of mine, but my therapy as well! Nothing helps me unwind like curling up with a soft ball of beautiful yarn and transferring all that stress through the needles into a one of a kind creation. Now that is a productive way to deal with tension!

What first made you want to start selling your creations?

Everything I have made has always been for myself, my children or as a gift for someone close to me. Whenever I found out someone was expecting a baby (or when we learned we were expecting), the first thing I wanted to do was pick up my knitting needles and make something special for that little one and his or her parents. After multiple "little birdies" chirped in my ear that I should be selling what I was making, I decided to give it a try. I first heard about Etsy from my sister-in-law and fell in love with the concept. Etsy made the transition an easy one!

Mod Turquoise Black and Green Dots and Circles Burp Cloth Duo

Describe your creative process to us.

I mostly follow my whims of the moment. Often times an idea will pop into my head, and I have this urge to find a way to create it as soon as possible. Needless to say, I usually have multiple projects going at once. I do get around to finishing (most of) them at one point or another, but when I have that itch to make something new, I have to just go with it!

What inspires you?

The changing seasons are one of my big inspirations. Being that we are full into fall, that brisk chill of eminent change in the air cajoles me into making warmth inspired pieces like headwraps, scarves and cowls. I take a lot of my color choices from the seasons as well. As a mother of young kids, it is so important to be able to throw on some well thought item that brings a whole outfit together. A pretty brooch or scarf can make me feel like a beautiful women even if I am totally frazzled! Just walking into a yarn store is also a huge inspiration for me. Fingering those delicious skeins of wool, cashmere, soft cotton and more imprints pictures in my mind of the wonderful things I could create! Lastly, being that I am a NICU nurse, I am very inspired by sweet little babies. The newness of life and the utter change they bring to a family's life inspires beauty. I know how important textures are for development in infants which inspires some of my fabric and fiber choices. I also just love babies and seeing a hat or baby item like a blanket or burp cloth I've made grace their presence brings me so much joy.

How do you promote your work?

Word of mouth is invaluable as is wearing some of my women's items and using the baby items with my kids. It sparks conversation with total strangers sometimes and is a great way to promote. I have done a giveaway through my blog and FB which was great. As my business is young, I am always looking for new ways to put myself out there!

Girl's Apron Mod Flowers with Citron Pindot

Are your items pre-made or made to order?

Almost everything in my shop is pre-made and ready to ship. However, I do welcome custom orders and have done many. I love seeing what other people come up with. Often it is something I wouldn't have thought of independently, so it stretches my creative mind, and I love seeing it come together!

Tell us two short-term goals you have and one long-term.

I would love to increase the stock in my shop over the next month and have 50+ items listed for sale. I had a big week and sold a lot of items and I have been working on custom orders as well, So while I am SO thankful for the business, my listings on Etsy has suffered a bit and I will catch up on restocking when I can! I would also like to do a craft fair which would help promote my shop and facilitate networking with other crafters and small business owners. We can learn so much from each other! Long term, I would like to see some of my items sold in one of the many great boutique stores we have in our area. I am just not at that point yet, but that is okay! One day at a time.

Walk us through a typical day in your life.

Oh dear. Is there a typical day when you are a mother of young kids? If there is, I haven't had one yet! I have found there is always a curve ball in every day, which helps keep me flexible. If I am not at the hospital for my "real" job (AKA mommy vacation day) I usually get up with the kids around 5 am, so we start our day early! We do our typical breakfast, relax, wake up time together and then sometimes get out of the house and go to the gym, the park, or run errands in the morning. Come home, make lunch, clean up, and get the kids down for a rest. I pick up and clean for about 30 minutes as fast as I can and then the rest of their nap is "me" time. It just makes me a better mom to recharge and do something for myself. Whether that is working on things for my shop or orders, or some days just reading a book, sitting outside on the deck with a cup of tea looking at the mountains, or organizing my work/craft space. Then when they wake up it is back to mommy work, laundry, play, dinner, clean more, play more, and get the kids off to bed by 7:30 or 8. The rest of the evening is spent with my husband relaxing and usually I have knitting needles in hand. I often go down and sew after they are in bed, especially when my husband is traveling that week for work.

What is your favorite item in your shop at the moment?

The turquoise and pearl knit rosette brooch. It can bring a little beauty and texture to any outfit as well as being a great gift for this upcoming holiday season. A perfect stocking stuffer or hostess gift for all those upcoming parties!

Hand Knit Rosette Brooch with Trio of Pearl Buttons in Teal

So thank you so much to Abbie - owner of RoseWill Arts - for sharing herself and her shop with us today. You can find RoseWill Arts on the web here:

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/RoseWillArts

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rosewillarts

Blog: http://rosewillarts.blogspot.com/