Meet Etsy Seller Rozies Pearls

Today we would like to introduce you to Tress

and her Etsy shop Rozies Pearls

Rozies Pearls has been selling on Etsy since November 2011, she specializes in handcrafted newborn and toddler bracelets, including unique bracelets for both girls and boys. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.


What motivated you to start your shop?
Randy and I were at a craft fair here in town and we were introduced to a lady that sells on Etsy. After talking to her I opened our shop a week later.

What is the story behind your shop name?
We don't have any kids so we named the shop after our German Shepherd, Rozie. you can find a picture of her on our about page. She's a cutie.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I thought it would be alot harder to get to the point that we are today in sales. This year so far we have a little more then doubled our sales with less views.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
My Baptism bracelets. We have sold a couple so far and it just seems to touch my heart in a special way.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Getting views is the easy part but, the most challenging thing would have to be getting a sale.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Ordering the best supplies, keeping the prices low to help get sales and most important taking time to make each order perfect so when your little bundle of joy will someday be able to pass the bracelet down to his/her little one.

How would someone (other then you) describe you?
I have had friends over the years tell me I'm one of the most soft hearted caring person. That I take pride in my work and I would go out of my way to help someone in need.

What do you do when you aren't working?
I take care of the house, fix Randy his breakfast and lunches for work. I'm presently working on a Tigar hook rug.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
For years now Randy has been wanting to retire early. I felt like it was up to me to find something that would get us to that point in our lives. It's funny because every time we get a sale he says can I retire now? I can tell that someday I will be able to say well, honey the business is booming and you can give your 2 weeks notice. I can't wait for that day to finally get here.

Rozies Pearls is offering free shipping on all orders, valid until 29th May 2013. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "ETSYKIDS" at checkout.

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EtsyKids Design Challenge: It's time to Vote!

It's time to vote for your favorite item! Voting will be open until May 27th. This month, EtsyKids members were challenged to create an exciting new item based on a theme "Thanks Teacher!". We received some fantastic entries, please vote for your favorite from the list below.

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Milk Jug Whale Craft

Don't want to just throw away your old milk jugs? Save them so your children can make milk jug whales.  After the whales are assembled they can be used in the bathtub or pool.

What you'll need:

old milk jugs with labels removed

scissors

glue gun

googly eyes

white or blue foam pieces

a whale book if you are using it as a lesson 

What you need to do:

if you are doing the craft with small children you will need to cut the "mouth" out for the children. Cut the bottom out as shown below.

Have your child color the tail blue if your foam pieces are a different color.

  Take the hot glue gun and glue the tail at the pouring opening and the googly eyes at the other end near the mouth opening.

There you have it. Milk jug whales for tons of bathtub fun!

Dorinda's shop, Raising Green Kids, offers eco-friendly products for your family. Follow her on Facebook and twitter and at her blog.

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Treasury Challenge #9 - The birds and the bees

The theme for the EtsyKids Team treasury challenge #9 was "The birds and the bees".
Out team members created lots of beautiful treasuries featuring some amazing items, but the winner with 228 views is....

"Just Beeing Birds" by MeysMadeCoolCrochet
EtsyKids Treasury Challenge #9
Birds and bees mellow in their black and yellow.
Beautiful handmade creations by members of the EtsyKids team.

Thank you Sarah for creating such a lovely treasury!

MeysMadeCoolCrochet creates and sells beautiful crochet hats and photography props. She works with bright colours and fun character designs and is bases in New Zealand.
Her cute spring breeze beanie would have fitted just perfectly into this treasury! You can view more of her creations in her etsy shop.

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Meet Etsy Seller Zucchini Island

Today we would like to introduce you to Ioana

and her Etsy shop Zucchini Island

Zucchini Island has been selling on Etsy since June 2010, she specializes in creating lovingly hand knit baby blankets, baby knit hats, pixie bonnets and accessories for children and women, too. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.


What motivated you to start your shop?
This is my second shop and it wasn't something like "Let's see how it goes". I just had the feeling that this is THE THING I want to do; and even if  weeks go by and I have only a few sales, I have this crazy feeling that the shop is doing perfect.
I know that everything that has to be will be at exactly the right time. So, I am patient  and do the work, learn the lessons and move down the road ahead.

What is the story behind your shop name?
My shop name. Well, that is a story to tell.
The shop itself, the name and the new me were born because of a real island, where I wanted to go, for no reason at all, for the last 3 or 4 years. I just felt that I had to go there. It is a island in North of Greece. It is where I found my inner peace, I found the new ME that was dying to come out.
I had this feeling of peace and calm and it felt like that "Aha!" moment in my life: "Here I am. This is WHO I am".
I remember one night waking up in the middle of the night and just hearing the waves and their rhythm, calm, over and over again...I kept that sound in my heart, I kept the bluest, deepest water in my memory and I often go there in my mind to find my inner peace.
Well, this is why my shop is called "Island" - it is my island where I am at peace, where I am happy. I take my "island" with me wherever I am. I wish to send out into the world little pieces of it, little pieces of love and peace.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I started my first shop: FlowersByKara with the idea to make an extra buck, besides my day job and what surprised me the most was the fact that it brings in so much more than an extra buck! There is a great joy just from a letter telling you someone enjoyed your creations, or their mother or their best friend. I love the freedom I feel when I work for my shop.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
My favourite creations are always my newest ones, but I still love everything I make. Mostly I love making the baby bonnets, specially for the baby girls, so I can add sweet flowers and butterflies.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The most challenging thing for me is the marketing stuff. Pfff! Couldn't I just create and someone else do this job, please? So, bringing in the traffic for my shop is the master of the most challenging job. But, not complaining, I just need to learn more.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
My personal philosophy is: "Be kind". I keep it close to everything I do, not only my shop. The shop' moto is: "Stitching seeds of love" and I do believe in it: adding in every stitch a little bit of love.

How would someone (other then you) describe you?
I have asked my friend what word would she use to describe me; she said "Creative" and then she added: "you are too nice for these days" I found it funny, but I do not agree that there can be too much of "nice".

What do you do when you aren't working?
I do have a day job - I still do. I planned last year to quit it when my daughter finishes 3rd grade - that is in June! I also manage a second Etsy shop, Flowers By Kara
And also keeping up with everything in the house, raising a kid, my job and both Etsy shops.
But I love to spend my free time my kiddo and my friends. I also love to swim, except I am not very good at it (go figure!)

Please tell us a little about the children's items market / handmade movement in your Country?
I am from Romania, in Eastern Europe, an ex-comunist country. It's only been 24 years since we became a democratic country. It was difficult to learn to live in a competitive economy, to create the competitive economy. The handmade movement is just starting to develop to a level that can be recognized and accepted as a way of living.
But if I were to tell that I want to leave a "secure" day job and stay home and knit, most people would say I am crazy! I hope that, little by little  the handmade goods will be appreciated and will become part of everyone's life.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
For all those who are thinking about having a go at doing something that they love:
Do you love what you do? Then do not hesitate. You will spend days and nights working with passion.
Experiences go up and down, from a huge smile when you read some fantastic feedback from someone, to complete frustration when a package seems lost in the mail.
So just give it a try, give it your BEST SHOT, so you will not regret what could have been!

Zucchini Island is offering 12% discount, valid until the end of May 2013. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "ETSYKIDS" at checkout.

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Meet Etsy Seller Dolls And Daydreams

Today we would like to introduce you to Sarah

and her Etsy shop Dolls And Daydreams

Dolls And Daydreams has been selling on Etsy since July 2010, she specializes in creating doll, softie, plushie and stuffed toy step-by-step pdf sewing patterns. All her patterns are easy to follow and will provide you with a high quality finished doll, perfect to sell or give as a gift. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.


What motivated you to start your shop?
My life took an interesting turn after I organized a charity doll drive for the children of Haiti. I designed and offered an easy free doll pattern and the response was amazing. We collected over 500 dolls for the children and have since continued to collect, make & send out 1000’s to children in need all over the world. Through this wonderful work I received so many kind comments and requests for more designs and patterns and thus Dolls And Daydreams was born.

What is the story behind your shop name?
As a child I was taught that you can be whatever you dreamed to be. I spend most of my days daydreaming about doll designs and create patterns that allow other people to make their dream dolls no matter their skill level.  Hence, Dolls And Daydreams.  I hope that everyone's daydreams .. big ... or small come true!

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Staying up to date with site changes.  I was honored to be invited to test some new features for Etsy and since then my shop just gets thrown into the mix with all new tests!  Sometimes I log in and the layout has been changed with no warning hahahaha  It makes life interesting to say the least!

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I create easy step-by-step photo tutorial PDF Sewing Patterns that allow others to make their dream dolls and softies no matter their skill level.
My patterns create quality products for kiddie winks to enjoy, something that reflected a child’s uniqueness that the maker can pour love into whilst creating them.
I also support Handmade Cottage industries whole heartedly!

What do you do when you aren't working?
Living life to the fullest in Arizona with my lovely hubby and 2 little kiddies (2 and 4 years old).  We love to all garden together on sunny days, teaching the kids to swimming and when it get's really hot .... arts and crafts!
When I get a bit of Mummy time, I love to paint and watch foreign movies :) .... and I do love Antique stores also but shhhhh I've been banned ... ... who new vinatage table lamps could be sooooo addictive?! hahahaha

Dolls and Daydreams is also currently doing a giveaway to celebrate her latest Cinderella Princess Sewing Pattern release. Visit her blog to enter.

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