Category: Etsy
Handmade Seller Interview: Pillow Pallooza



Handmade Seller Interview: RACHELelise

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Rachel, a recent college graduate and newlywed. I work at home on my bag business full-time and enjoy cooking, traveling, and lounging around when I’m not busy sewing up a storm.
How did you get started in your handmade business?
I’ve been sewing since I was in grade school, and when I got to college, I started selling handmade tote bags at a local coffee shop to earn a little extra cash. I got a really good response from the community, and someone told me about Etsy; I started selling on Etsy during college, and by the time I graduated, it was a full-time job!
What first made you want to become an artist/craftsperson?
I really love creating and knew that I would always find satisfaction in working for myself and being allowed to be creative on my own terms.
Apart from crafts, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend a lot of time curled up on the couch with my husband and our cat. Relaxing after a long day of sewing is the best! I also enjoy reading, cooking, and eating cheeseburgers.
How long have you been creating art/crafts and how long have you been selling online?
I’ve been doing crafts since I was allowed to use safety scissors. I come from a long line of artsy/craftsy folks, and I carry on the tradition proudly. I started sewing, specifically, 12 years ago, and I’ve been selling online for 3 years.
How many different places do you sell from?
Etsy is the most consistent market for me year around. In the spring and fall, I take part in a lot of trade/craft shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. You can get information on those shows at my website: http://www.rachelelise.com. I also sell wholesale to boutiques, mostly in the U.S., but sometimes internationally.
Have any pets?
I have a cat named Dagny that likes to sleep in the window of my studio while I sew.
How did you come up with your shop name?
Pretty simple- It’s my first and middle name. I always liked the way they sounded together. The name confuses some people, though… they always ask if it’s my maiden name, or if I’m “Rachel” or “Elise”… I’m both! 🙂 Every once in a blue moon, I run into another Rachel Elise, and we get really excited haha.
What would your dream job be?
I have my dream job! Yay!
What are three tools in your workspace that you could not live without?
My Bernina sewing machine, for one. My mom got it for me when I turned 13… I’m 22 now, and it’s still a trooper! Second would be my super-fantastic spring-loaded fabric scissors. I cut a lot of canvas and vinyl, and they are a life saver! The third is a custom table that my friends Shelley and Vaughan built for me. It’s great for cutting out bags, designing bags, and has built-in storage for bags that are in the shop, waiting to be sold!
Any other handmade shops you’d like to recommend?
HomeAgain2 – They don’t a have a lot in their Etsy right now, but these are the folks that made the awesome worktable for my studio. They make amazing furniture and are great people on top of that!
IndieThrift – Melissa is super nice and makes adorable accessories!
ZenAndCoffee – Wren makes beautiful and unique gloves. She made a pair for me to wear at my wedding, and I got so many compliments!
Handmade Seller Interview: Snappin Studio
The Handmade Feature today is an interview with the owner of Snappin Studio on Etsy, which sells lovely stamped copper and aluminium products, including keyrings, jewellery, wall art and bookmarks:
How did you get started in your handmade business?
How long have you been creating art/crafts and how long have you been selling online?
About one year in the craft and about 3 months online.
How many different places do you sell from?
Last week it was one place, this week it is two! We have bought our own web site www.snappinstudio.com, and we also use Etsy.com
We plan on expanding soon, and are going to consider offers to put our stuff into some smaller shops in Birmingham, AL.
In ten years, where would youlike to be?
Married with children, still stamping and running track…dream world!
How did you come up with your shop name?
We wanted to name it after something meaningful and so we chose our dog. His name is “Snappin Turtle Bailey Man Seaman”, thus we got SnappinStudio
Do you have another job? What is it?
Yes, students at Samford University
What is your favorite part of your handmade business?
It funds date night, and gives us both something constructive to do together. We get along great when we are both being creative, or trying to figure something out about the business. It has created shopping trips, hunts for supplies, and many learning experiences.
What are three tools in your workspace that you could not live without?
Hammer, stamps, towels under the stamping block to cut down on the noise!
If you had the opportunity to learn one more craft you don’t already do, what would it be?
Glass Blowing.
Any other handmade shops you’d like to recommend?
My momma’s shop http://www.laureltreestudio.etsy.com/
Hope you enjoyed the interview!
Handmade Seller Interview: Too Cute Kawaii
The Handmade Feature today is an interview with the owner of the adorable Etsy shop Too Cute Kawaii :
How many different places do you sell from?
Currently my only active venue is Too Cute Kawaii on Etsy. In the future, I do plan on opening more stores across the internet.
Handmade Sellers Series Begins!
How did you get started in your handmade business?
Well I’ve been buying and selling online since I was 15 so I was already well accustomed to the ins and outs of that side of things by the time I set up my business aged 22. I had begun this craft blog quite a few months before and it was this that made me consider selling jewellery that I’d handmade myself rather than buying products in and re-selling them (which was my first idea). I don’t do things by halfs so once I’d decided on handmade jewellery I spent pretty much all my savings on tools and more pendants and chains than you’d have ever seen in your life!
I then set up a website and ran that until about June ’10 when I switched to Etsy.
What first made you want to become an artist/craftsperson?
I’d always loved crafts and design technology was always my favourite subject from a very early age. I just combined my favourite hobby with my second favourite hobby (selling online) and ‘The Wellington Boot’ was the result.
Apart fom crafts, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Blogging, photography, reading, TV (bit of an addict of reality shows!), shopping, designing and doodling, watching films, baking and making lists, lots and lots of lists.
If you had to recommend one movie, which perhaps isn’t so well known, which one would it be?
I’d probably say ‘Cruel Intentions’ which is targeted at teenagers but I really like it and I’m sure anyone who likes edgier rom coms would do too – the soundtrack is great, as is the ending – but I won’t spoil it 🙂
Do you collect anything?
I did start a collection of vintage products which show how people did things differently ‘back then’, or are a bit bizarre, (I have a lipstick applicator which lets you apply lippie all in one go as a sort of ‘stamp’ – not very successfully I’d imagine) but I’ve only got about 4 things in the collection! I also have a large collection of recipe books although that was an unintentional collection lol. I’ve got at least 30 ‘Good Food’ books alone.
What’s your biggest non craft-related ambition?
To go to New Zealand and explore, bungee jump and skydive (eek).
If you had the opportunity to learn one more craft you don’t already do, what would it be?
There are soooo many and this craft blogging lark has opened my eyes to them all – this question is very tough! I want to learn everything from screen printing to weaving, pottery and mosaic. I guess if I had to choose I’d go for ice sculpting though – for something a bit different.
What was the best holiday you’ve ever been on?
Well all of my Disneyland and Disneyworld holidays have been amazing, but I guess the one where I went to Florida has to top the list as it was my 11th birthday whilst I was there and we went to a fab restaurant on International Drive and I fed the dolphins at Sea World, so yep, that was fantastic. Although, one of my favourite moments on holiday was when my brother and I were in the hotel swimming pool in Majorca and a storm started up and everyone went inside whilst we stayed in the pool with the rain bouncing on the water. Was awesome 🙂
What is your earliest memory of creating something you were proud of?
I think it was probably a cardboard and paper mache boat I made in primary school. I loved that boat.
P.S. If you have an online shop which sells handmade and would like to be featured, please contact me via my shop for details, thanks!
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