Meet Kelleen from Kelleen Kreations

Meet Kelleen from Kelleen Kreations

 

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

About 3 1/2 years ago, my college roommate was getting married and loved everything to do with cherries.  For a wedding gift, I sewed her a cherry themed apron, along with cherry place mats and potholders.  She absolutely loved them!  At that time, I decided to open my own Etsy shop and feature primarily aprons and kitchen accessories.  After awhile, I then added little girl dresses and skirts.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft? 

 I have always been around a sewing machine, as my mom sewed many of my clothes when I was little.  I took a sewing class when I was ten years old and continued to sew on my own until high school.  I then took the sewing portion of Home Economics as an elective in high school and then went on to college for fashion design.
 

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

After graduating from high school, I entered the Art Institute of Seattle and completed my AA degree in Fashion Design.  While there, I continued practicing and perfecting my sewing skills, along with learning and practicing pattern making skills.

What is your favorite material to craft with?

 All of my Etsy shop items (aprons, dresses, skirts, pot holders, coasters) are sewn from 100% cotton, from a variety of designers and patterns/ prints/ themes, etc.  

Any advice for other Etsy sellers? 

 My advice for other Etsy sellers is to join a number of teams, either located in the same area or selling similar products or items. Participation at least once a week in team promotions and activities helps shop owners connect with other successful business sellers, along with increasing viewing of items by potential buyers.  To help boost item sales from prospective buyers outside of Etsy, it’s helpful to join a variety of social media sites.  

 What do you enjoy doing in your off time?

 Off time finds my husband and I relaxing and enjoying time together, participating in a variety of shared activities:  gym time at least three times a week, daily walks with our dachshund, playing tennis, traveling, camping, visiting with family, cooking, reading, and watching favorite TV shows and movies.   

Describe a typical day in your life... 

 On weekdays, you’ll find me waking up early and getting started right away on my Etsy business. I work throughout the day by promoting my shop items in Etsy teams and social media sites, carrying out my Etsy team leadership responsibilities, and sewing new products/ inventory and fulfilling shop orders.  Weekends and evenings are reserved for personal individual and family time.

 Where can we find your products online?

 www.etsy.com/shop/kelleenkreations or www.kelleenkreations.com

Meet Ali Ameduri from MemoriesWoven

Meet  Ali Ameduri from MemoriesWoven

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

When I was pregnant with my son, I began crocheting him lots of different blankets and toys, my form of nesting, I suppose.  I had always enjoyed making things, but it was through the pending arrival of my son that my passion for creativity was ignited. I knew the things I had made were cute, but when all of my friends kept commenting EVERY time they saw me, I knew I was on to something. So never afraid of a challenge, I decided to give it a go and form my own shop on Etsy. It has only been open for a few months, but I have sold a lot of items to friends, friends of friends, and complete strangers. It is pretty fun!

 

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

What training have you had or are you self-taught? Self-taught. Well, that’s not entirely true! My friend Amanda showed me the single crochet stitch and YouTube showed me the rest…what did we do before YouTube?!


What is your favorite material to craft with? All I need is some yarn and a hook :)

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? Orders flying in and it only being me to make them!

Any advice for other Etsy sellers? Just have fun and do what you love - creating!


What do you enjoy doing in your off time? I love walking with my son and husband around lovely Savannah, Georgia - what could be better?

Describe a typical day in your life… Wake up a lot earlier than I’d like with an eight month old baby. Hang out with my baby and my husband. Crochet, cook, and clean whilst my son is napping. Hit the streets of Savannah with the baby and an audiobook, and crochet the evening away whilst hanging out with my friends with food and wine.

Where can we find your products online? In my Etsy store or via my Facebook page. 

Meet Judy from Charlie Chap Style

  Meet Judy from Charlie Chap Style

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?
    One day I was mending an infant car seat cover that my sister-in-law had made for me when we had our first child. My husband walked in and saw what I was doing. Knowing that I had some experience with sewing, he asked, “Have you ever thought of making those and selling them?” I honestly had never thought about owning my own shop, but the idea sounded intriguing. Instead of making car seat covers, I wanted to create something that I would me more passionate about.  As I thought more about the type of shop I wanted to create, a memory came to mind of when I was expecting my first baby. I remembered some of the comments I received when I told others that I was expecting a boy. Most people were excited for me. Others thought little boys less appealing, saying, “But you can’t dress little boys as cutely as you can girls. Boys are boring, whereas there is so much you can do with girls!”

    Have I proved them wrong since? You bet. I found there is nothing cuter than seeing a dapper boy decked out in adorable bow ties and suspenders with a little hat to complement the look.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?
    I have been doing this business for just about a year now. I have enjoyed going outside my comfort level and improving my technique.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?
    My mom taught me a little bit of sewing growing up, but I really improved when I took a sewing/quilting class in high school. As frustrating as sewing was, I really came to love it. Of course, while I attended college, I never had time to sew. When I decided to create my shop, I had never made a hat, bow tie, or suspender in my life! But with encouragement from my husband, I simply researched and taught myself.

What is your favorite material to craft with?
    I absolutely love working with tweed! I have just started creating bow ties and hats with this material, but it’s the easiest to work with, and looks the best in my opinion.


What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?
    As a hobby, it’s easy to put down the items you are working on because you don’t have a deadline. But with a business, you have orders, and those orders need to get out on time. The hardest thing has definitely been balancing my business and my family, but I hope that I am improving in that area.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?
Have patience and just love what you are doing. Sales will come and go and in order to be happy as an Etsy seller you really just need to focus on your craft and do what makes you happy.

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
I enjoy reading, watching movies, going to new and local restaurants, dancing, traveling, and spending time with my family.

Describe a typical day in your life...
I start my day by checking my shops stats and answering any new conversations. Most of our sales begin with a conversation from an interested buyer who usually wants a custom order. I then make a to do list for what I need to get done with the shop for the rest of the day.

I then spend the rest my day sewing for the shop, taking care of my little boys, and taking time to do the things I like to do like going to the park with my boys.

Where can we find your products online?
You can find our products at charliechapstyle.etsy.com

Meet Catherine from Mini Toppers

Meet Catherine from  Mini Toppers

 

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? I had three baby boys back to back to back - all in less than three years! My crocheting/crafting naturally turned towards baby designs and I got so many compliments on my babies' hats that I thought I would give it a shot!


How long have you been practicing your art/craft? I have been crocheting for nearly twenty years now - that makes me feel VERY old but I was only eight years old when I started! 



What training have you had or are you self-taught? My great-grandmother was very skilled with a crochet hook, and she taught me the basics when I was very young. She had never learned to read a pattern so she taught me how to create my own, like she did. I still have a hard time following patterns - I would much rather look at photos for inspiration and create my own interpretation! 



What is your favorite material to craft with? While I like to use high-end yarns now and then, I have more fun with a basic acrylic yarn. It's like starting with a blank canvas - the possibilities are endless!
 

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business? Not underpricing myself has been very difficult for me. Once I stopped being self-deprecating and gave my work the respect it deserved, I was surprised to find that others respected it too! 


Any advice for other Etsy sellers? Photos, photos, photos! I am still working on this - my kids aren't always in the mood to model for me! But it is amazing how many more orders will come in when you have great photographs. For almost the whole first year that my shop was open, I had pretty poor quality photos and I had very few orders. When I started improving my photos, orders took off! 


What do you enjoy doing in your off time? What off time? I like to watch Doctor Who and I read whenever I can, which is mostly late at night after all the babies are in bed! 


Describe a typical day in your life... My boys are all 3 and under, so my days are filled with diaper changes, sippy cup refills, and playing outside whenever the weather is nice! Sometimes they even inspire new hat designs... my shark hat was inspired when my youngest was teething while nursing and I was constantly getting bitten! I started calling him "Jaws" and the idea for a new hat was born. I am almost always crocheting while the boys play, and I am so grateful to have a business that can go with me to the museum and the playground, while allowing me to be constantly present in my children's lives. 


Where can we find your products online? My shop can be found at MiniToppers and my Facebook page is called Mini Toppers: Handmade Baby Hats. I am also pleased to announce that my hats can now be found at ShopEtsyBABY !

Meet Missy from 4 Missy and me

Meet Missy from 4 Missy and me

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs? My love for creating, and a desire to expand my opportunities to share them with others.  I began designing children’s clothing when my oldest niece, Tate, was born.  I created things for her to wear, and even added her own designer label, with her nickname, “Tatertot” inside.  I always added the verse Philippians l:3 at the bottom of each tag, which states “I thank God in every thought of you”.   That sweet angel is now 21 years old, and a Junior in college.   She is so artistic, and loves to sew and create herself.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft? I have been sewing for over 40 years. 
What training have you had or are you self-taught?  I began sewing at the age of 12.  I needed to make a sewing project for a girl’s club at church.  We were instructed to make a patchwork maxi skirt, which we would later model at a formal fashion show. My Mom helped me pick out the fabric.   I remember it was a mixture of red, white, and blue designs, with stripes, stars, and polka dots.  She showed me how to sew a straight stitch, and how to piece the squares together.  That was all I needed to get started, and my love for sewing began.  Soon I moved on to patterns and making my own clothes.  The rest, as they say, is history!

 What is your favorite material to craft with?  I don’t have a favorite material, I just love to create.  I am drawn to bright colors, patterns and different textures.  I love combining different materials to create a one of a kind design!

 

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?  Having the time to get everything done!  So many ideas running through my head, and so little time to create!

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?  Find something you love to do, and give it your all!  Don’t be discouraged if you are not an immediate success.  Building a business is very hard work!

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  I don’t have a lot of off time.  I work full time as a Speech Pathologist.  I travel around my area, and provide therapy to children in their homes.  My clients are infants through preschoolers who have problems with speech, language, feeding and oral-motor skills.  Some have complex medical issues.  I love the time I spend with these babies!  They bring so much laughter and joy to my life!
 

Describe a typical day in your life…   My day is spent balancing several responsibilities:  caring for my 81 year old mother, who had a stroke 2 years ago, working full time, and then using the time I have left to build my online children’s boutique.  When time permits, I love to cook, spend time with friends catching up, and travel.  I recently took trips to London and San Diego.  Both are great cities to visit!

Where can we find your products online?  in my Etsy shop, 4 Missy and me

Meet Laura from ViviAnna Banana

Meet Laura from ViviAnna Banana

What inspired you to begin a shop featuring your own designs?  I have been making baby related items since my niece and nephew were born – mostly bibs and blankets - and then started making just about everything I would need once I became pregnant and couldn’t find nursery decor that I really loved. I always thought it would be fun to start an Etsy shop, but it wasn’t until I was laid off, shortly before my second baby was due, that I decided to go for it. The hope was to finally start doing something I love to earn income, while also staying home with my very young children.

How long have you been practicing your art/craft?  I have been sewing since I was a teenager, playing around on my great-grandmother’s machine whenever I came up with an idea for a new bag or a dress or something.

What training have you had or are you self-taught?  I am mostly self-taught. I have taken a couple classes to become more familiar with all the features on my machine, or to learn a new technique, but I learn more from reading in books and on blogs, and I also have some very skilled family members.

 
What is your favorite material to craft with?  Fabric! I started using mostly cotton quilting fabric, but have recently gotten into knits with the booties I designed for the holiday season this year. Shopping for fabric, combining prints and creating color stories is my favorite thing to do!

What has been the hardest aspect of creating a hobby into a business?  My biggest challenge has been starting a business while also being the primary caretaker of two young children. My daughters were 10 months and 2-1/2 when I started the business (which was less than a year ago!) and 
those are very demanding ages. It’s hard to juggle everything that is involved with a handmade business when your free time is limited and not very predictable. I can see where things will get easier as they get older, and as I figure out processes that work for what I am trying to accomplish.

Any advice for other Etsy sellers?  I think it’s really important to consider everything that goes into not only making your products, but getting them in front of buyers. I see a lot of under priced work on Etsy, and that hurts everyone, from the seller who probably isn’t covering their costs, to those who are trying to charge the prices that work for their business. You have to think about everything: supply costs, time buying supplies, making, photographing, listing, shipping supplies and time preparing to ship, time and money spent on marketing.  All of those things need to be considered, and then you need to make a profit! Etsy has some great tools for working out the right price for your products, and I encourage everyone to spend the time to try to get it right.

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  My husband and I are both artist/entrepreneurs, so sometimes it feels like there isn’t any off time between the kids and everything involved in pursuing our businesses. But we do try to work in some regular time to do something fun, just the four of us, away from the house and all the responsibilities. The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of our favorite destinations because they have a great kids room, a huge atrium where they can run around, and sometimes we can even manage to take in a little art and culture once the kids are tired out.
Describe a typical day in your life...  I haven’t quite achieved typical yet, but this is what I strive for: wake up about an hour before the kids to get myself together for the day and try to accomplish something small that might be difficult to do when they are awake | do fun things with the kids without thinking about business requirements (maybe work in some “fun” household responsibilities) until lunch | put the kids down for nap after lunch, which is when I can hopefully accomplish 1-2 hours of work | more kid time after nap until dinner | dinner and family time after dinner until bedtime | work in my studio for about three hours after they go to bed | be sure to make a list of what needs to be accomplished the following day before going to bed. I should say that luckily, I have a few days or partial days every week where grandparents or my husband take over with the kids and I can get some bigger chunks of time to work.

Where can we find your products online?  My Etsy shop:  Like us on Facebook: Follow us on Pinterest: Follow me on Instagram: (warning: along with product and process photos, you will also see many pics of my cute girlies and a few of my cat)

Meet Katie from Sew Whimsical By Katie

Meet Katie from Sew Whimsical By Katie

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.

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!

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!

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: (www.etsy.com/shop/SewWhimsicalByKatie), (www.oneofakindonlineshop.com) or on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SewWhimsicalByKatie