Congratulations to GALAFILC for winning our treasury challenge theme "WEDDINGS"!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Meet Sassa Lynne, last Thursdays Treasury Challenge winner!
What is the name of your Etsy shop and link?
Sassa Lynne is the name of my shop. It's actually the name of my range of hand-dyed bits and pieces! You can find my shop here: www.etsy.com/shop/sassalynne?ref=si_shop
How has your experience been on Etsy? Etsy has been very good to me! Not only have I met some lovely customers, I've met lots and lots of lovely supportive sellers. The community is amazing.
What has been your most exciting moment as an artist here on Etsy? I can't say that there has only been one exciting moment on Etsy! Each sale is as exciting as the first, but maybe that from a returning customer has a slight edge. However, if I'm honest, unexpectedly winning the treasury challenge is pretty high on the list.
Do you have any advice for new Etsy shop owners? Oh yes! Join a team! Once you have chosen your team it's essential to become an active member. The advice and support you receive is perfect to help your business grow and turn your Etsy experience into an exciting and freindly one.
Tell us how you got started dyeing yarn. What drew you to this line of work?
I've been dyeing threads and yarns for over 20 years. At first it was in a very small way so that I could use them in embroideries of my own. Gradually more and more people asked if they could buy them, so I expanded my range of colours and fibers - and suddenly I was a 'shop'. I love mixing dyes to produce unexpected colour combinations, and over the years I have developed techniques that are unique. I teach dyeing, but I don't teach these ;) What is an average day like in the dye studio? I often dye outside. I have pots, tubs and bags available, and gradually during the day they are filled with fabrics, yarns, fibers and threads. The dye is applied carefully, and I make copious notes. The weather here in the UK has been very unreliable, so sometimes it has created very unexpected results - and that is so exciting! I use a variety of dyes on my production line (doesn't that sound grand - it's about 2 feet long.....) both synthetic and natural, and sometimes combine both together. I try to be as ecological as possible, and use the very last ounce of colour.
Tell us more how you choose your fibers and yarn bases, and what the average knitter can expect when working with them:
I work in textiles and teach a wide variety of techniques. I choose to dye items that I can use in some first and foremost. Although I don't find time to knit I do use knitting yarns, so these find their way into the shop from time to time. I dye yarns that range from banana fibres through cotton to viscose, and, of course, wool. The also dye the raw fibres, viscose, wool and silk, although I don't often offer these on Etsy. Hand stitching threads are the most popular, and the range of fine perle that are currently listed are used by quilters and crazy quilters too.
How did you select the fiber content of your bases? Is there any correlation between the content of the bases and how they are named?
I buy my yarns from a very small selection of suppliers. I am fussy about the quality, and would never resort to saving money on supplies just for the sake of it. These suppliers often don't have large stocks of yarns etc, so I buy what they can currently supply.
What are your favorite projects to make with your items?
My favourite techniques include using the Embellisher Machine, Creative Free Machine Embroidery and hand stitching. The embellisher machine is an adaptation of an industrial needle-felting machine. I have had one since they were introduced to the UK and I love it! I can use all sorts of fabrics, fibers and yarns to create quite complex backgrounds and then further embellish with hand and machine embroidery. My fine perle can also be used in a large-eyed sewing machine needle, so I can combine all my favourite techniques and supplies in each piece.
How did you decide to go into this business? What’s the best part?… and the most challenging? As I mentioned above, it almost began by accident! It became more serious when my father died and my mother was able to lend a hand with winding yarns and threads for me. When she was no longer able to do that my husband was able to step in and help. He has been a tremendous support and colleague. We have been married for many years and he is still as tolerant as he has always been, in spite of the house being overrun with dyes and yarns!
List some patterns you think your Yarns would be perfect for:
The knitting yarns are perfect as additional feature yarns. They range in weight from quite fine to chunky. Usually one skein will make a scarf, and there are some of these for sale on Etsy by various sellers who have been good enough to buy from me. If you are a hand quilter, you will love the fine perle. It is a very special thread.
The stage is yours! Is there anything you’d like to add?
Team Elite is a lovely team. I'd like to say a big thanks to all that supported me during my recent period of ill health which also included a hospital stay. I'm looking forward to repaying you all by supporting the team in the future. Thanks again for voting for me in the recent challenge.
Thank you Sassa Lynne, I really enjoyed this interview and browsing all the wonderful items in your Etsy shop!
How has your experience been on Etsy? Etsy has been very good to me! Not only have I met some lovely customers, I've met lots and lots of lovely supportive sellers. The community is amazing.
What has been your most exciting moment as an artist here on Etsy? I can't say that there has only been one exciting moment on Etsy! Each sale is as exciting as the first, but maybe that from a returning customer has a slight edge. However, if I'm honest, unexpectedly winning the treasury challenge is pretty high on the list.
Do you have any advice for new Etsy shop owners? Oh yes! Join a team! Once you have chosen your team it's essential to become an active member. The advice and support you receive is perfect to help your business grow and turn your Etsy experience into an exciting and freindly one.
Tell us how you got started dyeing yarn. What drew you to this line of work?
I've been dyeing threads and yarns for over 20 years. At first it was in a very small way so that I could use them in embroideries of my own. Gradually more and more people asked if they could buy them, so I expanded my range of colours and fibers - and suddenly I was a 'shop'. I love mixing dyes to produce unexpected colour combinations, and over the years I have developed techniques that are unique. I teach dyeing, but I don't teach these ;) What is an average day like in the dye studio? I often dye outside. I have pots, tubs and bags available, and gradually during the day they are filled with fabrics, yarns, fibers and threads. The dye is applied carefully, and I make copious notes. The weather here in the UK has been very unreliable, so sometimes it has created very unexpected results - and that is so exciting! I use a variety of dyes on my production line (doesn't that sound grand - it's about 2 feet long.....) both synthetic and natural, and sometimes combine both together. I try to be as ecological as possible, and use the very last ounce of colour.
Tell us more how you choose your fibers and yarn bases, and what the average knitter can expect when working with them:
I work in textiles and teach a wide variety of techniques. I choose to dye items that I can use in some first and foremost. Although I don't find time to knit I do use knitting yarns, so these find their way into the shop from time to time. I dye yarns that range from banana fibres through cotton to viscose, and, of course, wool. The also dye the raw fibres, viscose, wool and silk, although I don't often offer these on Etsy. Hand stitching threads are the most popular, and the range of fine perle that are currently listed are used by quilters and crazy quilters too.
How did you select the fiber content of your bases? Is there any correlation between the content of the bases and how they are named?
I buy my yarns from a very small selection of suppliers. I am fussy about the quality, and would never resort to saving money on supplies just for the sake of it. These suppliers often don't have large stocks of yarns etc, so I buy what they can currently supply.
What are your favorite projects to make with your items?
My favourite techniques include using the Embellisher Machine, Creative Free Machine Embroidery and hand stitching. The embellisher machine is an adaptation of an industrial needle-felting machine. I have had one since they were introduced to the UK and I love it! I can use all sorts of fabrics, fibers and yarns to create quite complex backgrounds and then further embellish with hand and machine embroidery. My fine perle can also be used in a large-eyed sewing machine needle, so I can combine all my favourite techniques and supplies in each piece.
How did you decide to go into this business? What’s the best part?… and the most challenging? As I mentioned above, it almost began by accident! It became more serious when my father died and my mother was able to lend a hand with winding yarns and threads for me. When she was no longer able to do that my husband was able to step in and help. He has been a tremendous support and colleague. We have been married for many years and he is still as tolerant as he has always been, in spite of the house being overrun with dyes and yarns!
List some patterns you think your Yarns would be perfect for:
The knitting yarns are perfect as additional feature yarns. They range in weight from quite fine to chunky. Usually one skein will make a scarf, and there are some of these for sale on Etsy by various sellers who have been good enough to buy from me. If you are a hand quilter, you will love the fine perle. It is a very special thread.
The stage is yours! Is there anything you’d like to add?
Team Elite is a lovely team. I'd like to say a big thanks to all that supported me during my recent period of ill health which also included a hospital stay. I'm looking forward to repaying you all by supporting the team in the future. Thanks again for voting for me in the recent challenge.
Thank you Sassa Lynne, I really enjoyed this interview and browsing all the wonderful items in your Etsy shop!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Thursday Treasury Challenge
Weekly Thursday Treasury Challenge
Team Elites Treasury Challenge will be held every Thursday and is open to EVERYONE, not just team members so feel free to join us! This week’s theme is "WEDDINGS" , this can be a solid color theme or mixed with the theme listed. The object is to create a collection using Weddings as your main theme.
This Challenge will run until Saturday at midnight, your treasury must be created within that time frame.
Voting will be held on Sunday on our team blog, so be sure you vote for your favorite one.
The treasury finalists will be chosen by:
Creativity of theme
Curation composition (Visually appealing curation)
Artistic measure
We will pick the FIVE most creative and artistic treasury entries for the voting round.
The Winner of the Challenge will be the featured shop in the next weeks challenge as well, they will win a featured blog post including an interview with photographs and shop links to their items, and will also receive a spot on the side bar of the team blog for one full week! The winner will also receive an original piece of jewelry created by Aimer Le Terre Jewelry!
Challenge Rules:
1) You must follow this week’s theme “WEDDINGS"
2) You must not include an item from your own shop and one item per shop, please.
3) Must include 8 Team Elite members, the rest are up to you. You can search the team favorites page here: http://www.etsy.com/people/teamelite/favorites?ref=pr_faveitems_more
4) Must include 1 item from each of this weeks featured shop: SassaLynne http://www.etsy.com/shop/sassalynne
5) Include the Team Tag: teteam
6) Include that you are participating in Team ElitesTeam weekly treasury challenge somewhere i n your treasury description with a link to our Team Blog: http://teameliteonetsy.blogspot.com/
7) Post your treasury's URL here in the link up on the team blog to enter in this week’s challenge.
8) Promote your treasury, the more you promote the more you help yourself and your team mates get on the HOTNESS scale and generate sales!
9) You can enter as many treasuries as you like, the more you create and enter the more chances you have at winning!
Highly Recommended (not required)...
* Become a follower of the team blog to stay in touch with each new challenge, challenge winner, announcements, etc.
* Replace missing items in your treasury. Don't replace sold items.
* Tweet, Facebook, Blog, etc to spread the word about your treasury and our Challenges.
* Convo people that you included in your treasury.
* Come back next week to participate again!
Time to make some treasuries!
Good Luck & Have Fun!!!
Team Elites Treasury Challenge will be held every Thursday and is open to EVERYONE, not just team members so feel free to join us! This week’s theme is "WEDDINGS" , this can be a solid color theme or mixed with the theme listed. The object is to create a collection using Weddings as your main theme.
Voting will be held on Sunday on our team blog, so be sure you vote for your favorite one.
The treasury finalists will be chosen by:
Creativity of theme
Curation composition (Visually appealing curation)
Artistic measure
We will pick the FIVE most creative and artistic treasury entries for the voting round.
The Winner of the Challenge will be the featured shop in the next weeks challenge as well, they will win a featured blog post including an interview with photographs and shop links to their items, and will also receive a spot on the side bar of the team blog for one full week! The winner will also receive an original piece of jewelry created by Aimer Le Terre Jewelry!
Challenge Rules:
1) You must follow this week’s theme “WEDDINGS"
2) You must not include an item from your own shop and one item per shop, please.
3) Must include 8 Team Elite members, the rest are up to you. You can search the team favorites page here: http://www.etsy.com/people/teamelite/favorites?ref=pr_faveitems_more
4) Must include 1 item from each of this weeks featured shop: SassaLynne http://www.etsy.com/shop/sassalynne
5) Include the Team Tag: teteam
6) Include that you are participating in Team ElitesTeam weekly treasury challenge somewhere i n your treasury description with a link to our Team Blog: http://teameliteonetsy.blogspot.com/
7) Post your treasury's URL here in the link up on the team blog to enter in this week’s challenge.
8) Promote your treasury, the more you promote the more you help yourself and your team mates get on the HOTNESS scale and generate sales!
9) You can enter as many treasuries as you like, the more you create and enter the more chances you have at winning!
Highly Recommended (not required)...
* Become a follower of the team blog to stay in touch with each new challenge, challenge winner, announcements, etc.
* Replace missing items in your treasury. Don't replace sold items.
* Tweet, Facebook, Blog, etc to spread the word about your treasury and our Challenges.
* Convo people that you included in your treasury.
* Come back next week to participate again!
Time to make some treasuries!
Good Luck & Have Fun!!!
Please post your treasury entry here:
Please post your entries here:
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Monday, July 23, 2012
Our Thursday Treasury Challenge Winner is:
CONGRATULATIONS TO Our Thursday Treasury Challenge Winner is:
sassalynne with her beautiful treasury Rose and Gold
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Thursday Treasury Challenge
Team Elites Treasury Challenge will be held every Thursday and is open to EVERYONE, not just team members so feel free to join us! This week’s theme is "Pink and Yellow" , this can be a solid color theme or mixed with the two colors listed. The object is to create a collection using the colors as your main theme.
Voting will be held on Sunday on our team blog, so be sure you vote for your favorite one.
The treasury finalists will be chosen by:
Creativity of theme
Curation composition (Visually appealing curation)
Artistic measure
We will pick the FIVE most creative and artistic treasury entries for the voting round.
The Winner of the Challenge will be the featured shop in the next weeks challenge as well, they will win a featured blog post including an interview with photographs and shop links to their items, and will also receive a spot on the side bar of the team blog for one full week! The winner will also receive an original piece of jewelry created by Aimer Le Terre Jewelry!
Challenge Rules:
1) You must follow this week’s theme “Pink and Yellow"
2) You must not include an item from your own shop and one item per shop, please.
3) Must include 8 Team Elite members, the rest are up to you. You can search the team favorites page here: http://www.etsy.com/people/teamelite/favorites?ref=pr_faveitems_more
4) Must include 1 item from each of this weeks featured shop: Viksvintagejewelry
AlegriaCollection http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlegriaCollection?ref=pr_shop_more
5) Include the Team Tag: teteam
6) Include that you are participating in Team ElitesTeam weekly treasury challenge somewhere in your treasury description with a link to our Team Blog: http://teameliteonetsy.blogspot.com/
7) Post your treasury's URL here in the link up on the team blog to enter in this week’s challenge.
8) Promote your treasury, the more you promote the more you help yourself and your team mates get on the HOTNESS scale and generate sales!
9) You can enter as many treasuries as you like, the more you create and enter the more chances you have at winning!
Highly Recommended (not required)...
* Become a follower of the team blog to stay in touch with each new challenge, challenge winner, announcements, etc.
* Replace missing items in your treasury. Don't replace sold items.
* Tweet, Facebook, Blog, etc to spread the word about your treasury and our Challenges.
* Convo people that you included in your treasury.
* Come back next week to participate again!
Time to make some treasuries!
Good Luck & Have Fun!!!
Please post your treasury entry here:
Please post your entries here:
Meet AlegriaCollection
Meet Beatriz from AlegriaCollection, she won this past weeks Thursday Treasury Challenge. Her shop is full of wonderful vintage finds!
1. How did you get started as a vintage shop? When my husband and I got married in 1982, we settled in his hometown, Jackson, Mississippi. Between us, we owned a bed and a bookshelf. In order to have a place to sit when reading all those books, we went shopping for a couch. We never did find one, but on our way home we stumbled upon an auction house. We bought three pieces of furniture—and the rest is history. Every Saturday night we drove 45 minutes one way to an auction in Vicksburg where they sold real antiques: Mallard beds from New Orleans, Eastlake sideboards, Empire pier mirrors, amazing things that came from antebellum homes. We didn’t mind the smoke, the heat or the noise! We usually closed the place down well after midnight and drove 45 minutes home all over again--we were a lot younger then! Over the years we filled our house with auction finds--to the bursting point. We opened a booth at an antiques mall just to make room—and that’s where I caught the bug for selling vintage.
2. What types of vintage items do you specialize in? I don’t specialize, but I try to choose carefully so that I can earn a reputation as a shop that carries a good variety of nice vintage items. I’m partial to vintage jewelry, Depression-era kitchen utensils and vintage clothing.
3. Where do you acquire most of your vintage collectibles? Does it seem like merchandise is relatively easy or hard to come by? Most of my finds come from garage sales and auctions. I also take advantage of drastic discounts at antique malls (summers are very slow in Florida). I think the best bargains can be found at garage sales, though, but my day job interferes with that. So I’ve enlisted my husband, who’s retired, as my buyer--now he says he wants a commission! There are a lot of nice collectibles and vintage items out there, but I think high-quality vintage merchandise, especially clothing, is hard to come by. You have to put your name out as a serious buyer, so people will call you, rather than having to search and search with few or no results.
4. What would you say is your favourite decade for design? Or do you have more than one? I do love the entire Victorian era (many decades in that period) for shoes and clothing, although who can resist a flapper dress or an Art Deco brooch or a 1940s hat? Depression-era, utilitarian items really appeal to me because they speak of lean times and how people made do—I think those are the things that, in part, inspired the “shabby chic” style. And the hippie movement, with the flowing skirts, flowers in your hair and leather accessories, I think morphed into what we now call “boho,” which I also find very appealing. So, yes, I have more than one favorite decade for design!
5. What would say it is about vintage that makes it so desirable? For me the desirability of vintage is rooted in the connection to the past—lifestyle, customs, even values. I always wonder who owned an item originally, what was that person’s life like. I bet the 1960s coral-color gloves I recently found were worn by an average housewife (homemaker) to the grocery store! Was a fancy necklace purchased by someone who saved for weeks to be able to pay for it, or by a well-to-do husband as a gift for his wife? And things were made to last, so quality makes vintage desirable. What items being produced today will be around in 20, 30 years to be called “vintage”?
6. As we all know, many vintage pieces have interesting stories behind them. Do you have any tales you'd like to share about particular vintage items you own? We have a book entitled “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” published in the 1800s. My husband found it as a boy in the 1950s in the basement of an abandoned Victorian house in Jackson, MS, where a former elementary-school principal had lived. Although in general the book is in poor condition, the edges of the pages are gold-leafed and the cover is made of beautifully embossed simulated leather with “Mrs. Browning” scripted in gold lettering across the front. It’s probably worthless, but priceless to us.
7. What would be your ultimate vintage find? An Edwardian dress. And no, I wouldn’t sell it!
8. How has your experience selling vintage items on Etsy been? It’s been tremendous! My Etsy shop, The Alegria Collection, has been very well received, and in just a few months I’ve sold lots of vintage items. The Etsy community is very supportive and I wouldn’t sell anywhere else!
9. What is one piece of advice you can give Etsy shop owners that has helped you in your experience? Try to keep your inventory moving by pricing carefully. When I’m lucky enough to buy a piece of jewelry for a dollar, even if it’s worth $50, I’d rather sell it for $25 than have it sit for months or not sell at all. That’s hard to do sometimes, and some may think it devalues other similar items, but it’s important to keep your shop looking fresh. A shop that hasn’t sold but 10 items in two years looks stale and unappealing, regardless of the quality of the merchandise.
10. Where else can we find you online? Right now only on Pinterest; pinterest.com/alegriacollec/. I should have a Facebook page up for The Alegria Collection soon.
1. How did you get started as a vintage shop? When my husband and I got married in 1982, we settled in his hometown, Jackson, Mississippi. Between us, we owned a bed and a bookshelf. In order to have a place to sit when reading all those books, we went shopping for a couch. We never did find one, but on our way home we stumbled upon an auction house. We bought three pieces of furniture—and the rest is history. Every Saturday night we drove 45 minutes one way to an auction in Vicksburg where they sold real antiques: Mallard beds from New Orleans, Eastlake sideboards, Empire pier mirrors, amazing things that came from antebellum homes. We didn’t mind the smoke, the heat or the noise! We usually closed the place down well after midnight and drove 45 minutes home all over again--we were a lot younger then! Over the years we filled our house with auction finds--to the bursting point. We opened a booth at an antiques mall just to make room—and that’s where I caught the bug for selling vintage.
2. What types of vintage items do you specialize in? I don’t specialize, but I try to choose carefully so that I can earn a reputation as a shop that carries a good variety of nice vintage items. I’m partial to vintage jewelry, Depression-era kitchen utensils and vintage clothing.
3. Where do you acquire most of your vintage collectibles? Does it seem like merchandise is relatively easy or hard to come by? Most of my finds come from garage sales and auctions. I also take advantage of drastic discounts at antique malls (summers are very slow in Florida). I think the best bargains can be found at garage sales, though, but my day job interferes with that. So I’ve enlisted my husband, who’s retired, as my buyer--now he says he wants a commission! There are a lot of nice collectibles and vintage items out there, but I think high-quality vintage merchandise, especially clothing, is hard to come by. You have to put your name out as a serious buyer, so people will call you, rather than having to search and search with few or no results.
4. What would you say is your favourite decade for design? Or do you have more than one? I do love the entire Victorian era (many decades in that period) for shoes and clothing, although who can resist a flapper dress or an Art Deco brooch or a 1940s hat? Depression-era, utilitarian items really appeal to me because they speak of lean times and how people made do—I think those are the things that, in part, inspired the “shabby chic” style. And the hippie movement, with the flowing skirts, flowers in your hair and leather accessories, I think morphed into what we now call “boho,” which I also find very appealing. So, yes, I have more than one favorite decade for design!
5. What would say it is about vintage that makes it so desirable? For me the desirability of vintage is rooted in the connection to the past—lifestyle, customs, even values. I always wonder who owned an item originally, what was that person’s life like. I bet the 1960s coral-color gloves I recently found were worn by an average housewife (homemaker) to the grocery store! Was a fancy necklace purchased by someone who saved for weeks to be able to pay for it, or by a well-to-do husband as a gift for his wife? And things were made to last, so quality makes vintage desirable. What items being produced today will be around in 20, 30 years to be called “vintage”?
6. As we all know, many vintage pieces have interesting stories behind them. Do you have any tales you'd like to share about particular vintage items you own? We have a book entitled “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” published in the 1800s. My husband found it as a boy in the 1950s in the basement of an abandoned Victorian house in Jackson, MS, where a former elementary-school principal had lived. Although in general the book is in poor condition, the edges of the pages are gold-leafed and the cover is made of beautifully embossed simulated leather with “Mrs. Browning” scripted in gold lettering across the front. It’s probably worthless, but priceless to us.
7. What would be your ultimate vintage find? An Edwardian dress. And no, I wouldn’t sell it!
8. How has your experience selling vintage items on Etsy been? It’s been tremendous! My Etsy shop, The Alegria Collection, has been very well received, and in just a few months I’ve sold lots of vintage items. The Etsy community is very supportive and I wouldn’t sell anywhere else!
9. What is one piece of advice you can give Etsy shop owners that has helped you in your experience? Try to keep your inventory moving by pricing carefully. When I’m lucky enough to buy a piece of jewelry for a dollar, even if it’s worth $50, I’d rather sell it for $25 than have it sit for months or not sell at all. That’s hard to do sometimes, and some may think it devalues other similar items, but it’s important to keep your shop looking fresh. A shop that hasn’t sold but 10 items in two years looks stale and unappealing, regardless of the quality of the merchandise.
10. Where else can we find you online? Right now only on Pinterest; pinterest.com/alegriacollec/. I should have a Facebook page up for The Alegria Collection soon.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Our treasury challenge winner is....
CONGRATULATIONS to our treasury challenge winner: Beatriz McDavid from AlegriaCollection
Here is her lovely collection that won the past weeks challenge:
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Meet Beatriz from AlegriaCollection
Meet Beatriz from AlegriaCollection her shop is full of great vintage items!
1: Tell us about yourself and your Etsy shop(s)
I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and lived in a small town in the interior until I was 18 years old, when my family and I moved to the US. My Etsy shop is The Alegria Collection—little things that make you happy. “Alegria” means “joy” or “happiness” in Spanish. The shop is really a collection of all things that remind me of the place and time of my childhood, whether it be a well-used kitchen utensil, a fancy piece of costume jewelry or even an old book. All of it evokes happy times, and I hope my wares make my customers happy as well.
2. Tell us about your craft, how did you begin creating and selling.
Right now I’m not crafting or creating, only selling, although I’ve tried my hand at many things in the past. My most recent venture, which I haven’t completely given up on, was making OOAK tote bags and purses out of thrift store pants. The process is very time-consuming and takes a lot of creative energy. Making the first cut is the hardest part because that will determine the rest of the design. As to selling, I’ve had booths in antique malls and have sold on e-bay, but then I discovered Etsy! I’d love to quit my day job and sell full time!
3. Tell us why you love creating and handmade.
Although I’m still searching for my own unique creative talent, I come from a creative and artistic family, so creating is in my blood. My family members represent more than a dozen different nationalities, and with that much diversity, I think it’s inevitable that creativity would be in my genes. My paternal great-grandfather was a designer of building facades; my paternal grandmother a seamstress who also did wonderful embroidery; my father was a boat designer and builder; my mother a writer. All arts and crafts are the result of a spark in the brain (or the heart) that flows out to the physical world and becomes a tangible object. When I create something with my own hands, whether it’s something as mundane as a meal, or something more complex as an essay or short story, I find that there is very little that is more satisfying. I feel the same way when something made by someone else’s hands moves me in a particular way.
4. Explain why supporting handmade is important:
Not only is handmade a way for us to express ourselves, but it individualizes what’s available to the consumer. It gives life and a face to the “manufacturing” process. It’s interesting that the word “manufacture” means “to make by hand,” but the first definition in the dictionary refers to turning raw material into a finished product, “especially by means of a large-scale industrial operation.” I love what we call cottage industry and imagine artists across the world in their special spaces doing what they do: painting, turning wood, sewing, metal-working, knitting, designing and “manufacturing” jewelry--the list is endless. I’m always willing to pay more for a unique item that I know someone made from the heart, and in a perfect world everyone who has a creative soul should be able to make a living at their craft.
5. Give your best piece of advice for new Etsians on what you feel can make or break a shop.
When I discovered that there are more than 13 million items for sale on Etsy on the average, I realized I was going to have to “show myself” if my shop was going to succeed. These are some of the things I do that are working for me: (1) I create treasuries and convo the featured sellers; (2) I build my circle; (3) I “heart” an item and/or shop, and if I adore it, I convo the seller; (4) I pin my favorites to Pinterest and let the seller know; (5) I’ve joined Etsy teams that appeal to me. In a word, I network. One thing that I think can break a shop is poor photography. I’m still working at mine; it’s time consuming and sometimes difficult, but I believe good photography is essential to a shop's success. Etsy’s front page and treasuries are great tools for improving your pictures.
6. Where else can we find you online?
Right now only on Pintrest; pinterest.com/alegriacollec/. I’m in the process of setting up a Facebook page.
1: Tell us about yourself and your Etsy shop(s)
I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and lived in a small town in the interior until I was 18 years old, when my family and I moved to the US. My Etsy shop is The Alegria Collection—little things that make you happy. “Alegria” means “joy” or “happiness” in Spanish. The shop is really a collection of all things that remind me of the place and time of my childhood, whether it be a well-used kitchen utensil, a fancy piece of costume jewelry or even an old book. All of it evokes happy times, and I hope my wares make my customers happy as well.
2. Tell us about your craft, how did you begin creating and selling.
Right now I’m not crafting or creating, only selling, although I’ve tried my hand at many things in the past. My most recent venture, which I haven’t completely given up on, was making OOAK tote bags and purses out of thrift store pants. The process is very time-consuming and takes a lot of creative energy. Making the first cut is the hardest part because that will determine the rest of the design. As to selling, I’ve had booths in antique malls and have sold on e-bay, but then I discovered Etsy! I’d love to quit my day job and sell full time!
3. Tell us why you love creating and handmade.
Although I’m still searching for my own unique creative talent, I come from a creative and artistic family, so creating is in my blood. My family members represent more than a dozen different nationalities, and with that much diversity, I think it’s inevitable that creativity would be in my genes. My paternal great-grandfather was a designer of building facades; my paternal grandmother a seamstress who also did wonderful embroidery; my father was a boat designer and builder; my mother a writer. All arts and crafts are the result of a spark in the brain (or the heart) that flows out to the physical world and becomes a tangible object. When I create something with my own hands, whether it’s something as mundane as a meal, or something more complex as an essay or short story, I find that there is very little that is more satisfying. I feel the same way when something made by someone else’s hands moves me in a particular way.
4. Explain why supporting handmade is important:
Not only is handmade a way for us to express ourselves, but it individualizes what’s available to the consumer. It gives life and a face to the “manufacturing” process. It’s interesting that the word “manufacture” means “to make by hand,” but the first definition in the dictionary refers to turning raw material into a finished product, “especially by means of a large-scale industrial operation.” I love what we call cottage industry and imagine artists across the world in their special spaces doing what they do: painting, turning wood, sewing, metal-working, knitting, designing and “manufacturing” jewelry--the list is endless. I’m always willing to pay more for a unique item that I know someone made from the heart, and in a perfect world everyone who has a creative soul should be able to make a living at their craft.
5. Give your best piece of advice for new Etsians on what you feel can make or break a shop.
When I discovered that there are more than 13 million items for sale on Etsy on the average, I realized I was going to have to “show myself” if my shop was going to succeed. These are some of the things I do that are working for me: (1) I create treasuries and convo the featured sellers; (2) I build my circle; (3) I “heart” an item and/or shop, and if I adore it, I convo the seller; (4) I pin my favorites to Pinterest and let the seller know; (5) I’ve joined Etsy teams that appeal to me. In a word, I network. One thing that I think can break a shop is poor photography. I’m still working at mine; it’s time consuming and sometimes difficult, but I believe good photography is essential to a shop's success. Etsy’s front page and treasuries are great tools for improving your pictures.
6. Where else can we find you online?
Right now only on Pintrest; pinterest.com/alegriacollec/. I’m in the process of setting up a Facebook page.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Weekly Thursday Treasury Challenge
Weekly Thursday Treasury Challenge
Team Elites Treasury Challenge will be held every Thursday and is open to EVERYONE, not just team members so feel free to join us! This week’s theme is "Peach and Mint Green" , this can be a solid color theme or mixed with the two colors listed. The object is to create a collection using the colors as your main theme.
This Challenge will run until Saturday at midnight, your treasury must be created within that time frame.
Voting will be held on Sunday on our team blog, so be sure you vote for your favorite one.
The treasury finalists will be chosen by:
Creativity of theme
Curation composition (Visually appealing curation)
Artistic measure
We will pick the FIVE most creative and artistic treasury entries for the voting round.
The Winner of the Challenge will be the featured shop in the next weeks challenge as well, they will win a featured blog post including an interview with photographs and shop links to their items, and will also receive a spot on the side bar of the team blog for one full week! The winner will also receive an original piece of jewelry created by Aimer Le Terre Jewelry!
Challenge Rules:
1) You must follow this week’s theme “peach and mint green"
2) You must not include an item from your own shop and one item per shop, please.
3) Must include 8 Team Elite members, the rest are up to you. You can search the team favorites page here: http://www.etsy.com/people/teamelite/favorites?ref=pr_faveitems_more
4) Must include 1 item from each of this weeks featured shop: Viksvintagejewelry http://www.etsy.com/shop/ViksVintageJewelry
5) Include the Team Tag: teteam
6) Include that you are participating in Team ElitesTeam weekly treasury challenge somewhere in your treasury description with a link to our Team Blog: http://teameliteonetsy.blogspot.com/
7) Post your treasury's URL here in the link up on the team blog to enter in this week’s challenge.
8) Promote your treasury, the more you promote the more you help yourself and your team mates get on the HOTNESS scale and generate sales!
9) You can enter as many treasuries as you like, the more you create and enter the more chances you have at winning!
Highly Recommended (not required)...
* Become a follower of the team blog to stay in touch with each new challenge, challenge winner, announcements, etc.
* Replace missing items in your treasury. Don't replace sold items.
* Tweet, Facebook, Blog, etc to spread the word about your treasury and our Challenges.
* Convo people that you included in your treasury.
* Come back next week to participate again!
Time to make some treasuries!
Good Luck & Have Fun!!!
Team Elites Treasury Challenge will be held every Thursday and is open to EVERYONE, not just team members so feel free to join us! This week’s theme is "Peach and Mint Green" , this can be a solid color theme or mixed with the two colors listed. The object is to create a collection using the colors as your main theme.
This Challenge will run until Saturday at midnight, your treasury must be created within that time frame.
Voting will be held on Sunday on our team blog, so be sure you vote for your favorite one.
The treasury finalists will be chosen by:
Creativity of theme
Curation composition (Visually appealing curation)
Artistic measure
We will pick the FIVE most creative and artistic treasury entries for the voting round.
The Winner of the Challenge will be the featured shop in the next weeks challenge as well, they will win a featured blog post including an interview with photographs and shop links to their items, and will also receive a spot on the side bar of the team blog for one full week! The winner will also receive an original piece of jewelry created by Aimer Le Terre Jewelry!
Challenge Rules:
1) You must follow this week’s theme “peach and mint green"
2) You must not include an item from your own shop and one item per shop, please.
3) Must include 8 Team Elite members, the rest are up to you. You can search the team favorites page here: http://www.etsy.com/people/teamelite/favorites?ref=pr_faveitems_more
4) Must include 1 item from each of this weeks featured shop: Viksvintagejewelry http://www.etsy.com/shop/ViksVintageJewelry
5) Include the Team Tag: teteam
6) Include that you are participating in Team ElitesTeam weekly treasury challenge somewhere in your treasury description with a link to our Team Blog: http://teameliteonetsy.blogspot.com/
7) Post your treasury's URL here in the link up on the team blog to enter in this week’s challenge.
8) Promote your treasury, the more you promote the more you help yourself and your team mates get on the HOTNESS scale and generate sales!
9) You can enter as many treasuries as you like, the more you create and enter the more chances you have at winning!
Highly Recommended (not required)...
* Become a follower of the team blog to stay in touch with each new challenge, challenge winner, announcements, etc.
* Replace missing items in your treasury. Don't replace sold items.
* Tweet, Facebook, Blog, etc to spread the word about your treasury and our Challenges.
* Convo people that you included in your treasury.
* Come back next week to participate again!
Time to make some treasuries!
Good Luck & Have Fun!!!
Please post your treasury entry here:
Wednesdays that WOW!
Today Team Elite is featuring items that will "WOW" you! We have hunted for the most unique and original handmade items from some of our very talented members!
This Antique Silver Goblet Planter with Live Moss created by Vertegris is truly beautiful and unique! There are few things more striking than the combination of vibrant green life with a beautiful manmade object. We strive to capture that alluring amalgam with our elegant planters and terrariums. Our self-contained ecosystems are created with both beauty and science in mind. This vintage sterling silver plated mini goblet includes:
• Steam sterilized pebble drainage layer
• Soaked sphagnum moss for support
• Activated carbon for natural purification
• pH-adjusted soil
• Distilled water
• Freshly harvested live moss from our land and greenhouse
Unique and pretty is this Blackboard Key Holder created by Ayliss! Blackboard Wall Mounted with Chalks and 4 x key Holders This funky board will let everyone know where you are...if you like. Otherwise its a great reminder of dates, events and things (like your keys).
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
Dazzle your wrist with this beautiful Vintage Pink Rhinestone Cuff created by 2charmedanddangerous! A beautiful and sweet pink flower treat! Patterned gold-toned metal cuff bracelet adorned with gorgeous vintage flower brooch and earrings, crafted of aurora borealis, bright pink and fuchsia faceted crystals. There are even crystal leaves on the rhinestone stem! This vintage set has been given a "new life" and refashioned into wearable art for today! Accented with individually set fuchsia and AB Swarovski crystals, along with small glass and crystal accent beads of gold, and bright pink. Pictures can't capture the true beauty and sparkle that this cuff possesses.
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
This Antique Silver Goblet Planter with Live Moss created by Vertegris is truly beautiful and unique! There are few things more striking than the combination of vibrant green life with a beautiful manmade object. We strive to capture that alluring amalgam with our elegant planters and terrariums. Our self-contained ecosystems are created with both beauty and science in mind. This vintage sterling silver plated mini goblet includes:
• Steam sterilized pebble drainage layer
• Soaked sphagnum moss for support
• Activated carbon for natural purification
• pH-adjusted soil
• Distilled water
• Freshly harvested live moss from our land and greenhouse
¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.
♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
What a unique and beautiful Fabric Bowl created by LeahsHeart! Wrapped and coiled fabric bowl. Strips of bright green, pink and white fabric are wrapped tightly around clothesline cord and then coiled tightly to form the bowl. This feminine little coiled bowl is 6.5 inches wide with 2 inch high sides. (Measurements may vary slightly) Green, pink and white ribbon matches the colors in the bowl. White trim hangs below the ribbon trim.♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.
♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.•*´´*•.¸¸.
♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
Dress up your wardrobe with this stunning Handmade Blue Embroidery Applique Bag created by dermusensohn2000! This is a handmade embroidery bag. It can be used as a cellphone bag, change bag, purse, etc. Size: approx. 7.1×3.15inches(18×8cm) The images on the bag represent good luck and fortune in the Chinese culture. In the center, you can see a sunflower blooming, which means brightness and hope. Around the flower, there are two pieces of fortunate clouds on top.And the rest of the patterns are two pairs of butterflies，a bigger one (back) and a smaller one (front). Each represents permanent love and the Chinese pronunciation resembles happiness.
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
This beautiful Princess Ashley art doll created by LadybugDreamland is a must have! Ashley is an adorable Princess, cute as a button!! Being a collector of knee high socks; she has a whole dresser full! But I suppose that’s one of the luxuries of being a Princess - abundance. Ashley is about 16" tall and 8" sitting. She's made from several different air dry clays and polymer clay. Handmade eyes and viscose hair. Painted with acrylic paints, colored pencils and pastels. Sealed with a matte varnish for extra protection.
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♥ ♥ Sweet ♥ ♥
Wishing everyone a Wednesday full of "WOW'S" from everyone here on Team Elite! To purchase any of these unique and beautiful items, just click on the blue shop name!
Meet Annika from LUMM
Meet Annika from Lumm on Etsy, her shop is full of crocheted jewelry with a touch of bohemian chic ~ beautifully sweet!
1: Tell us about yourself and your Etsy shop:
My name is Annika, my shop name is Lumm. I live in Northern Europe, by the sea, in Estonia, I have a house there in the beautiful countryside.
My shop name Lumm is an Estonian word meaning fascination, captivation. With that name I wanted to describe what one will feel wearing my handwork.
2. Tell us about your craft, how did you begin creating and selling.
I started with crocheting and knitting. I found the passion to crochet when I was a child, my grandmother was a crochet master and she charmed me with her fascination to that and made it a fun thing to do. She used to do very original art. Desire to create art is in other family members also, my brother is famous ceramics artist and head of the Ceramics Department in National Art School and his son is just brilliant painter. Selling my staff in Etsy is just a very little part, mostly I do gifts to my friends, family.
3. Tell us why you love creating and handmade.
I work in Defence League, so actually my day job is strict and not connected with feminine stuff, so it´s very changeful to work with laces and pearls in the spare time. I just love to think out new romantic items. It´s a great hobby, love the feedback :-)
4. Give your best piece of advice for new Etsians on what you feel can make or break a shop.
First do what You love, love what You do. Next do great photos and use most searched tags, read Etsy seller handbook:
www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/the-seller-handbook/
5. Where else can we find you online?
I have a Facebook page also:http://www.facebook.com/Lummhandwork
1: Tell us about yourself and your Etsy shop:
My name is Annika, my shop name is Lumm. I live in Northern Europe, by the sea, in Estonia, I have a house there in the beautiful countryside.
My shop name Lumm is an Estonian word meaning fascination, captivation. With that name I wanted to describe what one will feel wearing my handwork.
2. Tell us about your craft, how did you begin creating and selling.
I started with crocheting and knitting. I found the passion to crochet when I was a child, my grandmother was a crochet master and she charmed me with her fascination to that and made it a fun thing to do. She used to do very original art. Desire to create art is in other family members also, my brother is famous ceramics artist and head of the Ceramics Department in National Art School and his son is just brilliant painter. Selling my staff in Etsy is just a very little part, mostly I do gifts to my friends, family.
3. Tell us why you love creating and handmade.
I work in Defence League, so actually my day job is strict and not connected with feminine stuff, so it´s very changeful to work with laces and pearls in the spare time. I just love to think out new romantic items. It´s a great hobby, love the feedback :-)
4. Give your best piece of advice for new Etsians on what you feel can make or break a shop.
First do what You love, love what You do. Next do great photos and use most searched tags, read Etsy seller handbook:
www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/the-seller-handbook/
5. Where else can we find you online?
I have a Facebook page also:http://www.facebook.com/Lummhandwork
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