Meet Monika from Custom Toddlers World

Meet Monika from Custom Toddlers World

 

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
 I created first shape sorting cube for my son when he was born. My friends and family really liked it and asked me to do a different designs for their own children. I think every parent want to buy a special one of a kind toy for their child.

 How long have you been practicing your art/craft?
 I have been into crafts since I was about 4 years old...that makes about 21 years.

 What training have you had or are you self-taught?
 I learned everything by myself, step by step.

 What is your favorite material to craft with?
 I can craft with any type of material but my personal favorite is stones, precious stone beads.

 
What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
 Hardest was definitely to manage the time between family, day job and starting a crafting business. It wasn't always easy to finish up all of my orders and ship them out in time.

 Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
 My advice would be to : "Be original and create something one of a kind what no one ever did before"

 What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
 Lately I really enjoy to read a good book and walking or running in parks close by.

 

 

Describe a typical day in your life…
 My typical day starts with reading my emails and checking for new orders. After breakfast I drop off my son to a daycare and start sanding/painting my goods. At the break in between my paint coats are drying I'm finishing my jewelry orders. After all of my goods are done, clear coats dried, I drop the packages to the post office. The hours of my shops operation really vary, when we have holidays coming I'm mostly done by 12 a.m., otherwise 5 p.m., Sometimes I'm pre painting my boxes to speed up the process. 

 Where can we find your products online?
 Custom Toddlers World

Meet Chelsea from Fleeting Glances

Meet Chelsea from Fleeting Glances

 

 

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
I am a full-time graphic designer working on my career but I found I needed to do something I love on the side which is always creating special, personal and unique designs. Fleeting Glances name comes from all mothers who fall in love with their newborns instantly after seeing their baby for the first time. That moment is the most special and its something they remember forever. I create beautiful keepsakes to represent this short, fleeting moment in time.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?
My shop has been open only since August 2014 but I started practicing graphic design in 5 years ago.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?
I graduated in 2014 with a degree in Art and Design.

 
What is your favorite material to craft with?
I create with the mothers in mind and from my creativity, and passion of colors and forms.

 


What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
I don't know if I have had any "hardest aspect" because nothing is ever hard in doing what you LOVE to do. I believe my hobby was NEVER that, it was always just a passion and my escape. Creating a business is not what I had in the plans but I think people keep coming back because they see how much I care for every purchase.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
The best advice I can give is to be proactive and not give up if it's what you love. Give honest and prompt customer service and they WILL recommend you or even come back a second time.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
I love eating anything with the word chocolate in it. Having a glass of wine and watching my shows (Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, Revenge, and The Walking Dead)

 
Describe a typical day in your life...
Eat, Work, Sleep...REPEAT!


Where can we find your products online?
Fleeting Glances

Meet Sharon from Piccolina Boutique

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented. We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity. All throughout March, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Sharon from Piccolina Boutique

Custom made kids art / Decorative picture 
Pink mix / Nursery art / Nursery Decor $42

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? 
I am filled with inspiration from innovation, as an industrial designer I am looking for new needs that we as parents come across and find them new solutions. There is no greater pleasure from seeing people like and buy the products you design.




 
How long have you been practicing your art/craft? A year and half ago the decision to become a freelance designer, to design and manufacture the products that I invented and designed.

Personalized Portrait / Pop Art Fairy
Tiles Wall Pillow - Stars Background $130

What training have you had or are you self-taught? 
I studied industrial design and from there I got the knowledge of techniques and materials. In my experience in all of the craft fields, the areas that interested me more and tied at the end of my products, I studied them and learned more in a thorough manner.

What is your favorite material to craft with? 
I love working with fabrics.

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
Once the hobby became a profession I began to be much more calculated and limited in the creative process. In the end, the product must fit a wide range of customers and be the perfect course.

Soft Pink Headboard $115

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
 Be creative, diverse and allow the customer to be part of the product design so that the product that they purchase will be unique. (Offer them a custom made order)

 






What do you enjoy doing in your off time? 
In my free time, I love spending time with my daughter and  designing her cool stuff.

3 Piece blue Picture set / Enchanted Forest Custom
made kids art / Decorative picture -
blue mix / Nursery art / Nursery $42

Describe a typical day in your life. 
In the morning after I take my daughter to kindergarten, I sit down and work on the computer in my home studio, updated what happened in my stores, Facebook, some marketing and reply to e-mails . At noon I go to the workshop, working on new product development and manufacture of incoming orders and then packing and shipping. Of course, when my daughter comes back from kindergarten I free up time for for my family. Do not tell, but from time to time I check the computer to see if there's a new purchase or a customer conversation.

Where can we find your products online?
PiccolinaBoutique

An Interview with Katie from Sew Whimsical By Katie

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented. We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity. All throughout March, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Katie from Sew Whimsical By Katie

Small Baby Gift Basket with Fabric Bin $72.14

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
I have always loved sewing, ever since I was a little girl. I used to make and design toys for my younger siblings (I am the oldest of 7), but now that I am a stay at home mom to 3 young children, I sew for them! I loved seeing them play with their handmade toys and softies (some made from my imagination and some made from patterns from independent pattern designers on Etsy), and I wanted to offer them to other children! It has always been a dream to have a little sewing shop, and I love getting pictures of my customers’ children with their special, one of a kind items! 

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?
I have been sewing since I was 8 years old, but became more serious about learning more technique and pattern design in my early 20s. 

 

Custom Made Pirate Kieran or Emily Doll Softie with
Matching Child Size Pirate Hat $77.68

  
What training have you had or are you self-taught? I was initially taught to sew by both my mother and step mother. One of my first projects was an original design picture quilt that hung in my bedroom for many years. I am largely self taught, but have taken a quilting course and have learned many wonderful and new techniques from other Etsy pattern designers!

 


What is your favorite material to craft with?
My favorite material to work with is definitely vintage, re-purposed linens. I love the shabby chic look they lend to a project as well as the vintage, one of a kind feel. I tell you, they just don’t make fabric like they used to!

Custom Made Personalized Bunting
Flag Name Banner $36.99

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
I have difficulty with seeing the value of my work and pricing it to appropriately reflect the time and effort that has been put into it. I am working at gaining my confidence at pricing items where they can bring me some profit to help grow my business, but it is definitely a balancing act. I find it is also difficult to compete with so many other wonderful, but more established etsy shops. There is so much to offer that sometimes it seems that I get lost in the shuffle. 

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
I advise other etsy sellers to never undervalue their own talent!








What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
In my off time I enjoy exercising (I run competitively and enjoy pole fitness). I love spending time with my kids (ages 15 months to 5 years), and also enjoy getting outside with our dog for walks. I am also an avid reader, a real bookworm! I love meeting girlfriends for lunch and visiting thrift shops and antique stores! 

Customized Mushroom Baby
Alice Softie Doll $50.86

Describe a typical day in your life.
 A typical day in my life would involve an early start to get kids on the road to school. Then I would head out with the younger ones for a run or walk with our double stroller (and the dog), and then off to a play group or the library. After lunch, and while the baby is napping, my middle daughter gets to watch some of her favorite TV shows while I sew down the hall in my sewing room. Then it is off to get dinner ready, and when my husband comes home I am out the door for a volunteer board meeting, or to an exercise class! Never a dull moment for this momma! 

Where can we find your products online? You can find my items online in my esty shop at: SewWhimsicalByKatie, or on my Facebook page.

An Interview With Cheryl Viar from Coolbabyboutique

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented. We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity. All throughout June, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Cheryl Viar from Coolbabyboutique

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? I love being creative and I created things for my photography business. Clients were asking where I got my outfits. When I told them I made them, they wanted to purchase them.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft? 5 years

What training have you had or are you self-taught? Self taught


What is your favorite material to craft with?  Chiffon

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? Getting business and traffic to the site is the hardest thing. I sell local also.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers? Make quality products, keep them fresh and always keep your clients happy.

What do you enjoy doing in your off time? I enjoy playing with my new grand babies.
     

Describe a typical day in your life. Most of my inspiration comes to me while laying in bed trying to sleep at night. I put ideas on my phone. In the morning I start early then take a break at lunch for a couple hours to get house work done & ship out packages then start creating again til dinner. After dinner I take photos and post them on the site. I love what I do. It's relaxing & it makes me happy.

Where can we find your products online? My products are listed on Etsy and www.coolbabyboutique.com which takes you to my Etsy shop.

An Interview With Carissa From Frogs & Fairytales

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented. We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity. Throughout June, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Carissa Wadding, owner/artist from Frogs & Fairytales, llc.

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? 
My inspiration for staring my own business came after having my first child, my son Carter. While trying to decide how to decorate his room, I notice that I was having a hard time finding art that I really loved, and could not find anything personable. This inspired me to start creating children's room decor that could be personalized to fit each customer's unique requests by changing colors, adding a name, or creating a whole new design just for them. I started my business in the summer of 2009, as Wadding Creations. I opened an Etsy store in 2010 as Wadding Creations, after a friend, and Etsy seller, told me about the site and encouraged me to check it out. After having many people confuse Wadding Creations with Wedding Creations, I decided I needed to change my business name to something a little more memorable and exciting. In 2011 I changed my business name to Frogs & Fairytales and became an LLC. I then opened a new Etsy shop under my current name.
What training have you had or are you self-taught? I am self-taught, no formal training other than the art classes I took while in high school.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?  I have always loved to draw, paint, and craft from the time I was little. As I got older, art became a way to relieve stress and escape from the business of daily life. I love the peace it brings me; many times when I draw or paint, I do it without tv or music on. When it's nice outside, I open a window and enjoy listening to the birds sing while I work.  

What is your favorite material to craft with?  I create children's room decor on canvas using acrylics, and also paint furniture, drawer knobs, and light switch covers using acrylics. 
 
What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? While my first born is now in school, I currently have a one year old son at home with me all day while I work. It can be difficult to juggle work and spending quality time with my son during the day. My day is very broken up, so I have to be able to multitask and jump from one thing to another quickly and efficiently. I have to remember to be "all in." I have a tendency to feel guilty about not giving my full attention to my son when I'm working, and then I feel guilty about not working when I'm giving my attention to my family. I have to remind myself to be "all in" in that moment; giving my full self to what I am doing now, and not worrying about the other aspects of my life at that moment.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?  My advice to other Etsy sellers would be to do what you love, but remember that you're not always going to love what you're doing. I love my job and would not trade it for anything. The fact that I get to create art every day, while staying home with my son, is an amazing opportunity, however some days are stressful, some days you just don't want to work. You also need to grow thick skin. Not everyone is going to love your work, and that's okay. You're not going to get into every art show you apply for or every store you ask to have your work sold in, and that's okay. I try to use bumps in the road as an opportunity to learn and grow. Why didn't they like my product? How can I improve/what can I add to get more people interested in what I do? Be open to change, including your thought process about your designs, and how to grow your business.

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  In my off time I love spending time with my boys, my husband, and our Australian Shepherd mix. We love being outdoors fishing, riding bikes, and going on walks. We love to check out the many events happening in our city, including the farmer's markets on the weekends. We enjoy traveling as well, usually to the ocean.

Describe a typical day in your life . . .  My day starts by getting my oldest son and I ready in the morning. I take him to school while my husband gets ready for work and watches our one year old. After taking him to school, I start my work day with my youngest son in tow. He plays close by me while I work on orders. There are breaks for lunch, putting him down for a nap, etc. until we leave to pick up my son from school in the afternoon. I finish up what I am working on and then spend some time with my boys and cook dinner while we wait for my husband to get home. We spend time together as a family in the evening. Once we put the boys to bed, I usually go back to work for a little while before heading off to bed myself. On the weekends I try to focus completely on family time and not paint or create things for the business, except for the occasional email response to a customer or creating a listing for a customer. Again, what i have found is the key to juggling both home and work when you work from home and not feeling guilty about it, is being "all in" in what you are doing at that moment.

Where can we find your products online? You can find my work on Etsy, my website, and on Facebook!

An Interview With Shannon from Coffey Creations for Kids

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented.  We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity.  All throughout May we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

  Meet Shannon from Coffey Creations for Kids

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
The thought of being able to continue to create unique children's and baby items-loving being able to do what I do!

   What is your favorite material to craft with?
My favorite is to be able to mix them all together! painting on wood worked items, fabric on wood worked items, embroidery, silk ribbon embroidery... 

 How long have you been practicing your art/craft?  Ever since I can remember! I remember painting in elementary school, selling hand painted baby onesies and t-shirts while I was in college, making hand painted costumes for my little cousins, always homemade presents involving lots of different elements.
 

  

 

 

 

 

 

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? 
Finding the time to document/record everything that I do.
Any advice for other Etsy sellers? Do what you love and love what you do!

 What do you enjoy doing in your off time? 
Spending time with my children and working on my projects with them!

 

 

What training have you had or are you self-taught?   I am actually a registered pharmacist and a self taught artist of many different media. Self taught artist, art on fabric-embroidery, art on hand crafted wood worked items, art on canvases/watercolor paper, art on walls, paper art, mixed media art...I feel certain that I've left something out! OHHHHH, photography!

 

 

   Describe a typical day in your life...
Running my boys around-to school and back, children's activities, working on several projects at once and doing my best to avoid cleaning the house....or so my husband thinks-ha!

 Where can we find your products online? At my etsy shop or check out my blog! 

 Thank you Shannon, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to grant us an interview!

An Interview with Suzan from The Block Shop

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented.  We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity.  All throughout May we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

 Meet Suzan from The Block Shop

 

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? What inspired me was my son Anderson. I wanted to have a name block set for my son to match his theme monkey room and my new passion and shop was created from there.

 

 

 

What is your favorite material to craft with?
My favorite material is finding that perfect scrapbook paper to complete a set.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?
Everything I know has been self taught.

 

 

  What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? 
The hardest part of having my shop is working part time and being a mom full time. It's finding the time to organize my blocks and complete my orders as quick as i can to provide great service to my customers

How long have you been practicing your art/craft? 
My shop had been open since March 2011 but have been into arts and scrap booking for years

Any advice for other Etsy sellers? 
My advice to etsy sellers is never to give up. If your new store is starting off slow no worries keep patient. Also open a Facebook page for your etsy shop, that's a great way to promote your work:)

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  I enjoy spending time with my son, photography, and enjoying the outdoors.

Describe a typical day in your life...
My typical day is being a mom from morning til eve then working on my blocks when my son is in bed.

   Where can we find your products online?
My products can be found through my etsy shop and also through my Facebook page

 Thank you Suzan, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to grant us an interview!

An Interview with Monica from The Hand Print Lady

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented.  We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity.  All through May, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Monica from The Hand Print Lady

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
I opened my shop in 2005 when ETSY first started out. I sold pottery. But in 2009, after a year of product development and testing, I invented my Prints By Mail kit, and wiped my shop clean and started all over featuring my hand print plaques and ornaments.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft? I started ceramics in 1997 so that is 15 years total.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?  I am completely self taught. I should have taken ceramics in college. I studied Physical Therapy in college. Go figure.

 




What is your favorite material to craft with?  My favorite material is by far porcelain clay. Soooooo soft!

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?  Hardest aspect of taking a hobby to a business is not spending all my money on supplies. And bookkeeping. I hate bookkeeping.

  
Any advice for other Etsy sellers?  Don’t spend all your money you earn on supplies; be smart. Learn how to ship properly and know those rates by heart! Take great pictures (invest in a great camera, its worth it) and a good computer)!

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  In my off time, I love to cook dinner, do laundry, take a shower, or go to the gym. I go to church on Sunday for 3 hours. Anything but ceramics or the computer!

 




Describe a typical day in your life... Get up at dawn. Make sure the older kids (all four at home) get to school, or drive them or pick them up. Get home so hubby can go to work. Work on computer until 4 yr old wakes. Get her dressed, fed, and potty’d. Feed the dog, the fish, and the hamster. Do more computer work. Try to eat, take a shower, and remember to brush my teeth and put on deodorant. Take 4 yr old to school for 3 hours. Unload or load kiln, paint, dip glaze, drill, thread ribbon, stamp clay, cut holes in clay, pour molds. Mail pickup at 1:30 pm, check mail and delivery. Pick up 4 yr old. Feed her. Start dinner. While cooking, do more computer work. Eat. Answer last email, turn off phone. Turn off computer. Check on kids homework. Give 4 yr old a bath. Get ready for bed, read to 4 yr old. Pass out.

Where can we find your products online? My blog is my biggest sales tool: http://www.handprintlady.blogspot.com http://www.handprintlady.com  http://www.etsy.com/shop/monicalasich   The Hand Print Lady

Thank you Monica, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to grant us an interview!

An Interview with Debi from CubbyholeToys

As many of you know, EtsyBABY team members are extremely talented.  We wanted to take a peek at the person behind the creativity.  All through May, we will be interviewing shop owners, to get a glimpse of the designer behind those adorable baby products!

Meet Debi from CubbyholeToys

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?

We have made the personalized stools and puzzles for over 30 years.  My husband had a skiing accident back then and was laid up and just started making toys for our son who was 1 at the time.  The hobby grew into us doing a few local craft shows to traveling a 5 state area to being a full time business.  and I really like Etsy so I thought it would be great to have a shop here in addition  with our own web site

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?

Over 30 years

What training have you had or are you self-taught?

My husband was handy with wood working and I always did some kind of crafts. 

What is your favorite material to craft with?  Wood

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? 

Having to learn all the computer workings to go along with have a Internet business. 

 







Any advice for other Etsy sellers?

The only thing I can say is that it is a great place to shop and a fairly easy shop to operate, I am still learning new things all the time. I am sure there is much more I can do to promote our shop too, so just keep working at it.

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?

Spending time with my kids and grand kids We are very blessed with 3 great kids and 8 beautiful grandchildren  9, 6, 5, 2, twins (12 months) and twins (3 months).  Our stools and puzzles are very kid tested!  I also like to read, knit, and have been doing some rug hooking
 

Describe a typical day in your life...

I spend most of my day at the computer, processing and handling orders.  I always try to answer every email and phone call.  

Where can we find your products online? 

We have a web site Cubbyholetoys where we have many cute and different children's items along with all our of items.

Thank you Debi, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to grant us an interview!