The Featured Seller - Christine's Jewelry

I've found another Etsy treasure! Her name is Christine and I'm so glad she was willing to share with you a glimpse into her work and passion...

 

 

Tell us about yourself and what you offer in your shop? 

How did you get started?

 I have a passion for making jewelry for other people! I have 3 beautiful children and I have been married to my wonderful husband Joel for 20 years. I am so blessed!

I have always loved art. I was always drawing, painting, sewing and making things as a girl. I love collecting pretty stones, beads and shells. I got started making jewelry over 10 years ago for gifts for people. It seemed like a more personal and appreciated gift to give, a wearable, handmade gift. It also cost me less than what I was able to buy. Recently people were asking the recipients where they got the jewelry and started requesting it.  I decided to open my shop on Etsy! I really love to make jewelry for other people. I love how it makes people feel special. Every time I get an idea and complete it and then see someone wearing it is such an awesome feeling!

 

How did you come up with your shop name?

Coming up with a shop name is a hard thing to do. I decided to just use my name so that when people ask others where they got their jewelry they can say, "It's Christine's Jewelry!"    

 

Describe your style in as few words as possible:

My style is romantic, elegant but also fun.  

 

What do you do when you’re not on Etsy or creating?

I am following my kids around on all of their many activities with music, school, sports, and encouraging them to follow their creative passions. We also take time to go on bike rides and walks with other friends and our chocolate lab. 

 

Red Long Glass Necklace

 

What is your favorite feature on Etsy? Why?

My Pink Blossom Rose Quartz Bracelet is one of my favorites because it is so sparkly and the pink is such a soft feminine color.

Pink Blossom Rose Quartz Bracelet

 

Where do you draw your inspiration?

I get my inspirations everywhere. I notice the colors in the sky, in sunsets, in nature, in art, architecture, books and magazines. I notice what kind of colors, clothes and jewelry people are wearing and I look at jewelry everywhere I go. 

 

What is your best/most successful marketing strategy?

  I think the best marketing strategy and way to promote yourself it to promote others because when people all work together, they can each get farther than if they work alone.  

 

Royal Purple Smokey and Black and Silver

 

What handmade possession do you cherish?

The handmade possession that I cherish the most is one of the many quilts that my mom so lovingly sewed for me.  She is always making things for us. 

 

Do you have any advice for those thinking of becoming Etsy sellers?

My advice to others who have their own business I found from http://studio11charms.blogspot.com/
1. Don't just talk about it, do it.
2. Be patient.
3. Have perseverance.
4. Be determined.
5. Be passionate about what you do.
6. Practice, practice, practice.
7. Put in the hours. Work hard.
8. Don't be lazy.
9. Market yourself like crazy.
10. NEVER GIVE UP.

 

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards to running your own business?

One of the greatest challenges to running the business is all of the many hours it takes to learn more about running a business. Another challenge is  trying to find the best ways to reach people that would be interested in my jewelry.  The greatest rewards are meeting all kinds of wonderful people who are creative and learning from them. Another reward is getting such wonderful comments from people who own some of my jewelry!

 

What does handmade mean to you?

To me handmade means a person is using one's own hands to create.

 

Double Clear Glass Crystal Drop Earrings

 

Any last words?

If a person can make money doing what they love, then they have found heaven on earth.  

 

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Don't forget to drop by and check out all of Christine's amazing hand-crafted pieces at her shop, ChristinesJewelry,  and go 'LIKE' her FB page.

 

I hope you have an amazing week!

 

Blessings - Kerry

 

 

The Featured Seller

Tell us about yourself and what you offer in your shop?

 My name is Rachel and I run Project31 Fiber Arts.  I live in Cape Girardeau , Missouri with my husband and our cute little cat, Lo.  I work at a photography studio during the day, and spend all of my nights either with my husband or weaving in front of the tv.  I watch more movies in a week than most people watch in a month!  And in my shop, I offer hand-woven scarves, and I have just begun to make hand-spun yarns.  My recent obsession has been infinity scarves, so just about everything that comes off of my loom becomes an infinity scarf!

How did you come up with your shop name?

 My shop name comes from Proverbs 31, the chapter about the wife of noble character.  The chapter mentions that the wife makes thread and clothes for her family, so I think it is a cool connection.  I also wanted a name that I could be happy with for a long time in hopes that this turns into a life-long business.  And Project31 will always be a little reminder of all the qualities that make a godly woman and wife.

How did you get started?

  I have wanted to learn how to weave ever since I read East by Edith Pattou when I was younger.  The main character in the book loves to weave, and Pattou described it so beautifully that I knew it was something I just had to try.  So, after years of wishing, I was finally given a loom for Christmas by my husband and in-laws.  And I am hooked!  So now I’ve started Project31 as an outlet, because I have way more scarves than I could ever possibly need.

  

Describe your style in as few words as possible:

 Simple, classic, fun.

What do you do when you’re not on Etsy or creating?

 When I’m not weaving, I am hanging out with my wonderful husband.  We spend most of our time at the movies, on long drives in the country, or just hanging out at home with our adorable cat, Lo.  I also spend a lot of time dreaming about living on the beach.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy? Why?

 Etsy is a great site with so many great features.  But I think my favorite part is the featured seller interviews they post regularly.  I’m on the front page everyday, checking to see if they’ve posted a new interview.  I just love to read other people’s stories, and it’s refreshing to hear about their success in the handmade world.

Ocean Blue Handwoven Scarf

Where do you draw your inspiration?

 Well, if you’ve ever visited my shop, you can probably tell that almost all of my inspiration comes from summer.  I love everything about summer, so I automatically migrate towards colors that remind me of it.  I also knew as soon as I started weaving that I wanted to work with lightweight fibers that can be worn year round.  Because who wants to make something that they can’t enjoy during their favorite time of year?

What is your best/most successful marketing strategy?

 My shop has only been open about a month or so, so I don’t have any great strategies yet, but I am always busy marketing through Etsy teams, Facebook, my blog, and just word of mouth.  My family has also been great about telling people about my shop, so that’s a wonderful tool to have.

What handmade possession do you cherish?

 Well, my most cherished possession isn’t technically handmade, but to me, it counts.  For our first anniversary, my husband bought me a beautiful bookcase.  And it is kind of handmade because it took him hours to put together.  This is significant because our anniversary is in July, I came home from work sick that day, so I was taking up the living room, and the air conditioner in our apartment is also in the living room.  So, he spent hours in the back room with the door closed in July with no air conditioning.  And it is one of my most prized possessions because it houses all of my other cherished possessions: my books.

Do you have any advice for newbie sellers?

 Never give up!  Never surrender!  I am only about a month into this, but already, it can be tough to find the time to get your name out there and do all of the marketing and business-type stuff.  So my advice is to just get it done; it will be worth it in the end.  But also, never forget your love for your craft.

Merino Handspun Yarn

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards to running your own business?

 I’m not really sure yet, since I’m so new to this.  But I feel like everything I do towards my shop gives me such a great sense of accomplishment.  It’s also really nice to know that I’m on my own time.  If I need to take a break, I take a break.  If I want to work on something else, I do.  I like working by myself.  But, at the same time, I am working on my own time, of which I never seem to have enough; my day job and my life tend to interfere quite a bit.

What does handmade mean to you?

 Blood, sweat, and tears.  (Hopefully not on the item you’re making though…)  To me, handmade is something that a real, live person put work, time, and care into.  So, I guess handmade doesn’t specifically have to be an item that doesn’t stem from commercial beginnings, but its something that someone has to invest in to create the finished product.  So, even though my bookcase was bought in a store that came with all the pieces needed and a decent instruction manual, it is still handmade to me because of all the work my husband had to put into it to make it what it is.  Handmade is personal.

Any last words?

 Love what you do.  If you don’t love it, just do something else, because you can’t stand behind something you don’t love.

Striped Bamboo and Silk Blend Scarf

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I've been pretty excited about this feature and I'm so glad Rachel could share about her shop and love for her craft! Isn't it inspring to hear stories like this? Leave a comment below, check out the shop, and look her up on FB!

Have a great week! -Kerry

- The Featured Seller -

Tell us about yourself and what you offer in your shop:

My name is Jennie and I am the face behind Duryea Place Designs.  I am 29 (and holding) and live in the suburbs of Chicago with my husband, Kyle, and our adorable Boston Terrier, Zoey.  I work in corporate HR by day, but creating is my passion!  My shop offers unique wedding details such as ring bearers pillows, card boxes, cake toppers and paper products.  I also love everything vintage and offer vintage items that can be used for weddings such as hankies, gloves, brooches or any other goodies I come across in my trips to estate sales and flea markets.

How did you come up with your shop name?

I met my now husband when I was in my last year of college.   The street Kyle lived on was Duryea Place and from the first time I heard it I just loved it for some reason.  And, since it's the place I fell in love with my hunny, it has a sentimental meaning to me to.  Too sappy?!  Sorry!  :)

How did you get started?

When Kyle and I got engaged I had a pretty specific idea of what I wanted our wedding to look like.  It wasn't until we started looking for invitations, that I realized there wasn't much out there in the style that we were hoping to achieve.  I've always been creative, so it didn't take long for me to decide to take on the projects and make everything I had been looking for.  Before I knew it, I had made the invitations, programs and other paper products as well as the ring bearer pillow, place card displays and pretty much every other detail for our big day!  There were a couple times during the planning process that I took projects with to the bridal shop to show my bridesmaids and I had everyone in the shop checking out my items.  I received so much positive feedback that I just had to give it a shot.  After our wedding, I opened my Etsy shop and have been busy ever since!

Custom Wedding Tree Guest Book

Where do you draw your inspiration?
I love vintage fabrics, wallpaper, jewelry, glasswear... pretty much anything vintage!  I definitely get a lot of my inspiration spending time at antique stores and estate sales.  I'm also a blog junkie!  I spend a lot of time looking at wedding inspiration blogs, wedding photographers, and other artists sites. 

Describe your style in as few words as possible:
Vintage, feminine, romantic and unique!

What do you do when your not on Etsy or creating?

Lately most of my free time has been spent working on my office/studio.  When I started this business I was working on projects at our dining room table, but it has grown so quickly that I need my own space.  We've painted the second bedroom of our house and right now I'm working on refinishing a old desk that I recently picked up at an estate sale.  Hopefully in the next month or so I'll be all set up in there and have my dining room back to normal!

Ring Bearer Pillow - Burlap and Lace

What is the greatest challenges and greatest rewards to running your own business?

For me the greatest challenge so far has been just not having enough time in a day!  I'm gone from 7:30a.m. until about 6:30p.m. for my "day job" and then come home to orders, new projects, packaging and shipping, etc. along with the daily chores of life; laundry, cooking, cleaning.  The other big part of lack of time is having so many great ideas for projects, but just not enough time to get them all into reality.  I've started carrying around a notebook so that I can make quick notes and at least have the idea to come back to.  I struggled for awhile to keep up with everything, but I think I have finally found a good approach that works for me. 

The greatest reward is hearing from a bride after they have received their order.  I love seeing how excited they are to get my products and how they are looking forward to using it on their big day.  It's pretty amazing to be a part of a couple's wedding!

Birdcage Wedding Cake Topper

What is your favorite feature on Etsy? Why?
There are so many things I love about Etsy.  I adore so many of the products and shop for myself and family constantly.  I like knowing that with each purchase I make I'm helping to support an artist like myself.  I also absolutely love treasuries!!  I enjoy creating them and could spend hours just perusing  through the treasury pages created by other sellers.  I've joined some teams whose main purpose it to feature and promote each other in treasuries and to network.  I have made some great connections with other Etsy sellers and really love seeing how creative people can get with this feature. 

What is your best/most successful marketing strategy?
Great photos make a huge difference!  I had a few items listed that didn't have particularly great photos and they weren't getting many views.  I took the time to re-photograph them a few weeks ago with better lighting and within 24 hours one of the items had sold.  Since adding better photos, the other items have had a lot more views.  I also try to list a new item each day to keep my shop at the top of searches.  The more frequently I list the more traffic my shop sees.

Do you have any advice for newbie sellers?
Have fun!  I know it sounds cliche, but if it's not fun, then why bother?  I do this because I truly enjoy it and it's a great outlet for me to be creative.  The only other suggestion I have is to be as active as possible; create and comment on treasuries, join teams, and network as much as possible.  The more active you are on Etsy, the more your shop will succeed! 

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I'm so glad Jennie was able to share about herself and her blooming business this week! I will be featuring more Etsy sellers in the near future so be on the look out! Until then, let me know how you like this idea, and show some love to Jennie by visiting her shop and FB page.

Happy Friday,

-Kerry