Meet Etsy Seller Fuffalumps

Today we would like to introduce you to Jennifer

and her Etsy shop Fuffalumps

Fuffalumps has been selling on Etsy since March 2006, she specialize in making super cute and quirky plush animals using up cycled materials. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

What motivated you to start your shop?
My Fuffalumps where the motivation for opening a shop on Etsy.  John Murphy's Stupid Sock Creatures book made me laugh out loud, literally, in the book store back in 2005.  It inspired me to make myself and other laugh through my own designs. My first Etsy shop which is still open, "creationsbyjdb," is where I sold my first Fuffalump in 2006 named Suzie Fuffalump.  Creations by JDB now sells my popular glass ornaments which I paint inside.  I opened my Fuffalumps shop last year so they could have their own little world, their own followers and collectors.  

What is the story behind your shop name?

My plush creations are called Fuffalumps.  Growing up and even now some of my family calls me Fuff.  Jennifer is such a popular name for my generation that I have many nicknames.  I think Fuff was a combination of Jenafuffer and Fluffernutter, as in the sandwich with peanut butter and gooey marsh mellow fluff. One of my friends added "alumps" and voila! 

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

I was most surprised by my first sale and those that followed.  I think it must be similar to the applause that performers get.  I recently got an iPhone and now not only do I get a sale but I also get a little cash register sound.  Cha-ching!

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

Marketing.  I find marketing a challenge no matter where I sell but on-line is a bit different.  Instead of mailings we have so many social networks.  Instead of phone calls we have emails.  Instead of leaning over to talk to your craft friend in the booth next to you, often asking them to watch your stuff while you take a bathroom break, we have teams and just go to our own restroom but not before thinking, "Right after I type this one last thing and hit send.  Oh, wait what is that?"  I always had an office job as a data enterer but now I get to do it for my business.  I think the challenge is in organizing your time so that you prioritize where your hours of each day are spent.  It so easy to get swept away into the land of Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

Creating smiles from the inside out.  Providing quality silly creatures that connect with people throughout the world.

How would someone (other then you) describe you?
People describe me as fun, nice, creative and silly.

What do you do when you aren't working?

It's actually hard to separate my business from my day, in a good way.  I am usually on the computer, iPhone or in in my studio playing with all kinds of materials while listening to fun movies and music.  My favorite types of movies are Disney and comedies.  My favorite types of music are swing, musicals and anything by They Might Be Giants.  I guess I really escape when my husband and I go to the theater to watch one of the latest movies.  I also go for walks to clear my head and play games with friends on my pink iPhone but even then, I'm thinking about how to improve the business.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I am very happy to be selling through Etsy.  I began working at home because I use to suffer from migraines.  I still get occasional bad headaches but the freedom to make my own schedule has such a great value to me.

Fuffalumps is offering free domesitc (USA) shipping to our blog reader. To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'FREESHIP' at checkout. The voucher is valid until April 15th 2013.

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Meet Etsy Seller Kadydid Designs

Today we would like to introduce you to Alyssa

and her Etsy shop Kadydid Designs

Kadydid Designs has been selling on Etsy since April 2010, she specialize in making infant car seat covers, burp cloths & fashion tutus  Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

What motivated you to start your shop?

I had just had my second baby and started making my own burp cloths for him just because he was SO messy.  Shortly after that, I made my own pattern for a car seat cover.  I had so much fun making my own things that I thought I'd give Etsy a shot!

What is the story behind your shop name?

My sister helps me with the shop, and when we were first considering opening it, we both were brainstorming name ideas for our shop.  We both had Kadydid Designs on our lists and decided that it must be right!

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

That people really will buy the stuff I make?  Even after so many sales, I still get a little surprised at our sales volume.  I love that so many people love handmade items!

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

I am always looking for ways to move my shop to the next "level".  I think that's good, but sometimes I over analyze things and look too hard or too critically at what I'm doing.  And...I still get really nervous when people buy my stuff.  I'm always afraid my products aren't going to be "good enough".  I need to learn to have more confidence in myself!

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

Just to make things that I love.  If I love them, somebody else will love them too.

What do you do when you aren't working?

Taking care of my three children (5, 3 and 4 months), helping my husband with his business, friends, church, exercise and pretending to keep my house clean.  :)

Kadydid Designs is offering 20% discount to our blog reader. To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'BABY20' at checkout. The voucher is valid until March 23rd 2013.

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Meet Etsy Seller Kooky Critters

Today we would like to introduce you to Holly

and her Etsy shop KookyCritters

Kooky Critters has been selling on Etsy since February 2010, she specialize in making quirky and unique plushies. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

What motivated you to start your shop? 
My motivation to start this shop was most definitely my 3 kids.  We had spent a rainy summer day at the book store, looking over many craft/make your own softie sort of books and I had that "a-ha' type moment ("I could do this...").  We spent the next few rainy days (we had a long rainy stretch there) sketching our own monsters and ideas for plushies.  We had fun and they were so excited!  We started making some of them as gifts for friends and neighbors.  When they were a hit, a friend said to me "This is it, you know... you need to take this an run with it!"  I was hesitant at first, but the kids pushed me along and 3 years later, here we are.  :)

What is the story behind your shop name?
Kooky Critters was the name we came up with to convey the meaning and intent behind our creations.  They are meant to be silly, to make people laugh.  They are not supposed to be perfect as though made by machine...  They are carefully hand cut and stitched and not always perfect, but I think that is part of their charm.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I guess what surprised me the most is that people from all over the country that I did not know were buying up our Critters.  Each time an order came in it was so exciting!

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
My philosophy is this: Life is what you make of it, so why not make it fun.  Our Critters and their personal bios are pretty goofy and intended to make our audience laugh.  I really do crack up each time I finish stitching up a Critter... really!

What do you do when you aren't working?
When I am not working, I am hanging out with the kids, driving back and forth to music lessons, Tae Kwon Do, walking the dog, playing the piano, digging in the garden, spending time with my amazing husband and enjoying this little life I have made for myself.

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Meet Etsy Seller MaiseysDaiseys

Today we would like to introduce you to Jill

and her Etsy shop MaiseysDaiseys

MaiseysDaiseys has been selling on Etsy since January 2010, they specialize in making lovely paper mache accessories and flower hair bands designed by her daughter. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

What motivated you to start your shop? 

My daughter!  Our shop came into being because of her little creative head. When Macy was eight years old, she decided to make some jewelry that she and her friends could wear.  They loved it so much that she kept making more and more.  Most of the beads that she used were daisies, but one day she decided to try making beads out of paper. She started selling this new design at her schools art festival where it was a big hit. The following year, she and I thought her booth needed a little decor to go along with her jewelry, so that's when we made our big paper mache flowers.  We found that buyers of her jewelry loved those flowers too, so we started making them to sell. A short while later she thought ""why not try and put those paper mache flowers on a headband?"" She needed a little help from me, we tried it and it worked! We were so happy!
At this same time, Macy's other passion was dance (and still is).   With the money she made selling the headbands, she decided to put towards dance.  From her sales she has been able to pay for classes, competitions, costumes and workshops.  It continues to this day.  We are so grateful that we created our little shop which ended up being a great source of extra income too!

What is the story behind your shop name?
Because of her success, her little business was now in need of a name.  Her grandparents had nicknamed her "Maisey" playing off her name Macy. It only made sense to name it MaiseysDaiseys because of the combination of the original daisy beads and her nickname. It suites our shop well.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

We were most surprised at how the sales immediately took off and all the positive feedback we received.  It is so fabulous to hear how pretty, creative and unique people think our flowers are.  Those wonderful comments mean the world to us and we are so appreciative.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

Trying to keep up with the demand.  All our flowers are handmade at the time of  ordering, and if we get a lot of orders at one time, trying to make them quickly can be a little challenging. In the summertime we have a booth at our local "ParkSillySunday Market" every Sunday and the tourist crowds are huge. The demand for our flower headbands is so great, trying to make enough product for the next Sunday can be very overwhelming.   But we are so happy with all of our sales it is worth all of our time and effort.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

I think quality has to be the first priority.  I stand behind my product, and want everyone who purchases one of our flowers to be happy with their order.  If they are happy, we are happy and hopefully they will want to purchase from us again.  Communicating with your customer is very important too.  If they have a question about their order, or want something custom made, staying in touch is very important.  Like I say, if your customer is happy, then you are happy too!

How would someone (other then you) describe you?

Creative and hardworking.  I think both together make a great combination.  With hard work comes the reward.  I truly believe that.  Although others might describe me as crazy as I am bent over the dining room table trying to get orders filled while my back is killing me and my hands are so sore I can barely hold my scissors anymore.  I'm sure many Etsy sellers can relate to that!

What do you do when you aren't working?

I love running marathons so you can usually find me out on the roads, and since I live in the mountains you can find me running the trails with my dog.  I also love spending time in bookstores trying to find my next great read.  I could spend hours at a time reading a good book.  But my favorite time is family time.  I love to sit and have hour long chats with my daughters or dinner and a movie with my husband.  Good quality time with my family is very important to me.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?

I love being an Etsy seller.  It is a great community of fabulous, talented artists and my daughter and I feel honored to be a part of it.

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Meet Etsy Seller HelensCrafts

Today we would like to introduce you to Helen

and her Etsy shop Helen's Crafts

Helen's Crafts has been selling on Etsy since August 2010, she specialize in making adorable crochet baby hats with quality yarn and threads. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

What motivated you to start your shop? 

I learned to crochet, knit, and sew as a child. Craft was a big part of my childhood, and my mom encouraged creativity in her children. I worked professionally for several years in the sewing and crochet world, where I learned how to present crafts to the public. For a long while my friend Donna encouraged me to share my crochet skills by opening an Etsy shop.  In 2010 I finally took the plunge and opened Helen's Crafts. I have chosen to make baby and children's hats, using my four beautiful grandchildren as inspiration for my creations. 

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

The biggest surprise was how much time is required to maintain my shop. I had not realized the time necessary to list the items, work on photography, get orders through the "shipping department," etc., etc. There is always something behind the scenes that needs to be attended to. It takes almost as much time to keep the shop running as it does to make products for the shop.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

Trying to keep on top of SEO (search engine optimization). It is a constant struggle to try and keep my shop relevant. And there is always something to learn about how to get my shop "found." There are so many good shops on Etsy, that if you don't keep on top of it, your shop will quickly drop through the cracks. 

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

I believe in giving my customers a quality product at the very best price. I try to treat all my customers as I would like to be treated. One of my pet peeves is when I order something online and it takes weeks to receive my order. I make it a priority to get orders in the mail within a maximum of 3 days.

How would someone (other then you) describe you?

I have been described as competent, self assured, and artistic. My family often call me stubborn!

What do you do when you aren't working?

When I'm not working on my Etsy shop I often find myself crocheting owl hats for my grandchildren. I have four grandchildren, and they are always letting granny know what colors they would like for their new hats. If there is time left after all the owl hats, I have a passion for knitting socks for myself. 

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my Etsy shop is when a customer sends me a picture of their precious baby wearing one of my creations.

Helen's Crafts is offering 15% discount to our blog reader.  To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'ETSYKIDS15' at checkout. The voucher is valid until Friday 22nd February 2013.

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Meet Etsy Seller Mamie Co.

Today we would like to introduce you to Amy

and her Etsy shop Mamie Co.

Mamie Co. has been selling on Etsy since December 2010, she specialize in making one of a kind, handcrafted felt memory games for kids of all ages, as well as lots of fun and useful baby carrier accessories. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.
What motivated you to start your shop? 
A couple of years ago I was brainstorming ideas for gifts I could make for the children in our small playgroup. One day as my son and I were playing a wooden version of the Memory Game, it occurred to me that the game was perfect for his age group. I decided I would try my hand at a homemade version. I made a felt game for each of the kids in the playgroup and in the days that followed after the gift exchange, I was contacted by almost every mom saying things like "Awesome gift!" "My child LOVES it!" and "You should sell these!"   At first I brushed it off, but then the more I thought about it, the more it started to sound like a good idea. I researched and discovered that there were no games like mine on Etsy at the time, so I decided to make a few games and go for it!

What is the story behind your shop name?
"Mamie Co." is a play on my childhood nickname. As a young child, I had trouble pronouncing my first and middle name correctly. "Amy Nicole" came out "Mamie Cole."  Even after I grew up, most of my extended family still referred to me as "Mamie Cole" and they continue to do so to this day. It is a nickname that reminds me of my childhood and brings me back home each time I hear it. When I was brainstorming ideas for a shop name, "Mamie Co." just popped into my head and I knew that it was the right fit.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
One of the most surprising things about opening my own shop has been the amount of time it takes for the peripheral things involved with running an online shop. Things like packaging items, printing postage labels, editing photos, writing listing descriptions, etc. take up just as much time as my actual crafting. It wasn't something I was wise enough to think about before opening my shop. I was focused on the time it takes to create my items and was quite surprised by how much time the "rest" of the stuff takes.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I am a big believer in making sure the items I make are high quality. In the early days of my shop, I made my memory games from acrylic felt. I soon discovered that the quality of wool blend felt is head and shoulders above acrylic, so I switched to wool blend felt exclusively. I know that when I ship an item to a customer, my reputation is attached to that product, so I want my customers to be impressed. I want people to get exactly what they see in the photos and descriptions of my products and not be disappointed when their item arrives. I love making things that I personally love, which is how I ended up adding babywearing accessories to my shop offerings. I figure that if I love it or if my kids love it, then there are other parents and kids who will love it as well. If I can bring a smile to a child's face when they open their memory game pouch or make a mama's life easier with a babywearing product, then it is all worth it.

What do you do when you aren't working?
I feel like I am always working. As a wife, stay at home mom to two home schooled boys ages 6 and 3, and an Etsy shop owner, I am always busy and there is always something that needs to be done. I do intentionally keep my shop small enough and manageable enough so that we have plenty of quality family time and time to just do nothing. If I had free time, I would probably spend it reading books, watching movies, or going wine tasting with my husband.

Mamie Co. is offering a free shipping for our blog reader  To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'ETSYKIDSBLOG' at checkout. The voucher is valid on domestic shipping through the month of January 2013.

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