For March our Design Challenge theme was "Geometric!"
We have lots of lovely entries from our team members, browse down and vote for your favourite item!
Voting is open until 27th March.
Meet Etsy Shop: Simply Swanky by Ashley
Posted Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop Simply Swanky by Ashley
Simply Swanky by Ashley has been selling on Etsy since September 2011, they sell lovely clothing for babies and kids, as well as beatiful fabrics for those who want to make their own items! Today they are going to give us a little peak behind the scenes of their Etsy shop.
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What motivated you to start your shop?
I started sewing 7 years ago after purchasing a machine to monogram for my 1 year old son and expected niece. I had always enjoyed puzzles, and after using my machine for monogramming I thought maybe sewing would be like putting together a puzzle. I was currently a resident just out of medical school and was looking for a fun creative outlet. I initially would sew for friends and family. My sister-in-law would host home shows for me to display items and take custom orders from her friends. I enjoyed making custom items so much that I decided to open up my Etsy shop.
What is the story behind your shop name?
When I was thinking of the name for my shop I chose Simply Swanky because the items are swanky yet seem very simple.
What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I never thought I would sell this much or that having an online store could be so much fun. I have really enjoyed all of the new people that I have been able to meet through the shop.
What is your favourite creations from your shop?
I really enjoy baby gift items. The baby layette sets have actually been my most popular items as well.
What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The most challenging has been the influx of business that is unpredictable. I have a full time job as a physician and continue to sew in my spare creative time. It is difficult to predict how many orders I will have at one given time. With time constraints, the custom orders are the most difficult. I have extended the shop to sell fabric as well. The fabric orders are of course not difficult to fill and it still helps feed my creative needs.
What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I really enjoy sewing and love the creative outlet. i strive to make each item a little unique and finish it off with a professional look. I double check over each item to ensure the quality is top notch. I have young children so I can understand what it means to have clothes that will hold up to several washes. I work hard to get items out to customers as quickly as possible.
What do you do when you aren't working?
When I am not working in my Etsy shop, I am a mother of two little ones and a wife to a great husband. I am also a Family Medicine physician full time in a local clinic from 7-3. If there's spare time left, I play in a local tennis league.
Simply Swanky by Ashley is offering a 10% discount in their shop. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "SPRING10" at checkout. Valid until March 30 2014.
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Meet Etsy Seller FiddledeeDeeCraft
Posted Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop FiddledeeDeeCraft
FiddledeeDeeCraft has been selling on Etsy since November 2011, she sell stunning handmade felt food and felt toys for kids! Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.
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What motivated you to start your shop?
My daughter had an Etsy shop while she was in school, and she told me it would be a great place to sell the stuff I was making. She helped me with the setup and did all my shop graphics!
What is the story behind your shop name?
My family nickname is Dee. I wanted a shop name that included my name, and sounded fun. Yeah, 'fiddle dee dee' is just fun to say!
What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
The amount of time it takes for photos/editing, listing, and then marketing your shop. When I first came to Etsy, I had the 'if you make it, they will come' mindset. Wrong! But I found some great Etsy teams to get involved with. The help and support I find on my teams is great!
What is your favourite creations from your shop?
I like the pancake breakfast set. This set is one of the first things I started making in my shop. It's also one of my most popular listings.
This year, I'm adding some new dolls that can be customized (hair color, skin color). As I work on them, they are becoming some of my favorites, too!
What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
It can be a struggle to keep items stocked and find time to add new ones. I have lots of ideas for things I want to make, but my time is so limited.
I don't like working on the same thing for too long, so I always have a basket full of stuff that's cut or in progress. Every couple of weeks, I have a cutting day for items I'm low on. While I'm cutting, I try to add something new as I go.
What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Pretend play is so much fun for kids, and it doesn't require any fancy equipment! When my girls were little, they spent hours in their play kitchen, pretending to shop for groceries or make dinner. I always liked to have things that encouraged their creative play. Now, these are the kinds of things I like to make for my shop, and the things I'll keep making for my grand kids.
What do you do when you aren't working?
Outside my Etsy shop, I work 4 days a week as an HR manager. My husband and I enjoy DIY projects around the house and yard, and we love to go camping. One of our daughters lives in South Carolina, near lots of places for camping and hiking. Our youngest daughter lives close by - I get to see her several times a week. We like to go to the gym together. I also have a little garden that doesn't get enough attention.
Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
In July, I'll be a first-time grandma! I expect our trips to South Carolina will become more frequent...
FiddledeeDeeCraft is offering a 15% discount in her shop on orders over $30. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "FELTFUN15" at checkout. Valid until March 31 2014.
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Treasury Challenge #29 - Wild Child
Posted Friday, March 07, 2014
The theme for the EtsyKids Team treasury challenge #29 was "Wild Child".
Our team members created lots of beautiful treasuries featuring some amazing items, but the winner with 184 views is...
MartinelaCartoons makes custom invitations and printables. We love this monkey baby shower invitation. Visit her shop to see more of her wonderful creations.
Our team members created lots of beautiful treasuries featuring some amazing items, but the winner with 184 views is...
Thank you MartinelaCartoons for creating such a lovely treasury!
MartinelaCartoons makes custom invitations and printables. We love this monkey baby shower invitation. Visit her shop to see more of her wonderful creations.
Travel Bags For Kids
Posted Thursday, March 06, 2014
When my children were younger they each had a bag we called their travel bag. It was nothing flash or expensive, just a simple draw string bag. It truelly was a life saver and kept the kids amused and occupied countless times. They used their travel bags for car trips, airplane flights, when waiting at appointments, on the bus and other places where quiet play was necessary.
To put together your own Kids Travel Bag start off with a simple bag. Make sure the bag is child sized, and easy for your child to carry themselves.
Try one like this from Childish Thoughts. It even comes with a matching crayon roll and activity book.
Now it is time to add a few extras to the bag that you know will keep your child entertained.
Add some pipe cleaners, match box cars, pad of paper and pens, felt shapes, sticker sheets, small toys like this cute monster softie from Mouhoxlab.
Or this waldorf inspired pocket doll from Polar Bear Creations.
Add a game to play like Tic Tac Toe from Little Blue Birdie.
Before leaving home add a snack and drink to the bag. Keep the travel bag interesting and exciting by swapping around the items in the bag occasionally or adding an extra toy or game. Only use the bag when away from home so your kids don't get bored with the contents.
Guest blog post by Mel
Mel's Etsy shop Creative Wishes, Handmade Toys For Creative Play.
Mel Blogs at Melinda's Creative Wishes.
To put together your own Kids Travel Bag start off with a simple bag. Make sure the bag is child sized, and easy for your child to carry themselves.
Now it is time to add a few extras to the bag that you know will keep your child entertained.
Add some pipe cleaners, match box cars, pad of paper and pens, felt shapes, sticker sheets, small toys like this cute monster softie from Mouhoxlab.
Guest blog post by Mel
Mel's Etsy shop Creative Wishes, Handmade Toys For Creative Play.
Mel Blogs at Melinda's Creative Wishes.
Meet Etsy Seller Dgmart
Posted Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop dgmart
dgmart has been selling on Etsy since September 2010. At the DGM-ART shop you can find everything for your colorful interior. Dgm-art loves creating decorations, curtains, blinds and pictures especially for kids and teenagers. Today they are sharing a little about their shop and selling handmade items.
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What motivated you to start your shop?
My kids and my passion for creating things.
I am a painter, lover of colours and designing things. I started with oil and water-colour painting. Than I discovered silk and started to paint on silk - I have another shop, much more older then this one, on Etsy, dedicated to silk painting. There are scarves, but the main attention I pay on silk hand painted curtains. And because those curtains are very special and not for everyone, I wanted something more useful - for children room. But I must confess, that without my mum it wouldn't work. She is a great person, professional and she can sew very well. We are two and we support each other in good times and also in bad times.
What is the story behind your shop name?
My name is Dagmar and I like the shortcut dgm, and because I love art and I am doing art, I have it like: dgm-art. But on Etsy it is just "dgmart".
I was grown in the South Moravia - it is a part of the Czech republic, and there was great opportunity to create things, draw and paint. I was attending the Secondary school of applied arts, especially the Department of painting, and that focused my attention to colours, decorations, patterns etc. And life went on, I moved to Prague - the capital of my country, I went to the University, met my husband and had two children. I was looking for a better job than I had since my maternity leave begun. I taught Art older pupils, but more I wanted to make my own art. And than I started with my great mum create, design and draw curtains from canvas.
What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
The hard work in managing things. I have lot of troubles with marketing. I want more audience, but sometimes I don't know how to make it. I am still studying the Etsy Sellers Handbook, reading discussions and forums (I finally created a team!). Well I need to find my customers.
And when some customer comes, it is very cool! I like to cooperate with customers. I have to because each blind or curtain is sewn for somebody's room, needs special measurement, hanging option etc. And our customers are very patient, I love them and their ideas.
What is your favourite creations from your shop?
Oh, I like everything, but especially sewn things. For example Giraffes and the City is great from the curtain section, The Blue eyed Girl from the blind section.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/56995718/color-blind-for-girls-blue-eyed-girl
https://www.etsy.com/listing/56740248/curtain-for-kids-giraffes
What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Improve my business. Make it worthy.
I dream about being freelance designer, but I am still searching know-how of online marketing.
What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
We want to create no commercial products. We are no claiming to be millionaires, we want to stay humble and do really good and artistic curtains for children and their parents. We want to sell useful things. I do not want to make things just for money, do not desire be another IKEA corporation. Important is what children think about our decorations, we hope they are feeling well surrounded by our art.
What do you do when you aren't working?
I am drawing the lace patterns in these days - for the next silk curtains. I am the painter, so I am trying to make other things (you can see my art here: www.etsy.com/people/dagamara). I am also a teacher, so I teach students the art of drawing and painting.
And of course I am a mum of 9 years old twins, so you can imagine my life, it is quite busy :-)
Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I heard good tips from Henry Rollins – the American singer. Tips about how to reach what you want to do or who you want to be. These tips are: application, discipline, focus and repetition.
I heard good tips from Henry Rollins – the American singer. Tips about how to reach what you want to do or who you want to be. These tips are: application, discipline, focus and repetition.
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February Design Challenge Winner!
Posted Friday, February 28, 2014
February's Design Challenge had the theme "Come fly with me!".
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was..
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was..
A beautifully designed and handmade Cape Cod themed mobile creating a serene scene for any nursery! This mobile consists of a 3 soaring seagulls made from a mixture of 100% wool felt and merino wool blend felt, 6 white fluffy rain clouds. The wings of the seagulls can be personally molded and formed into the shape you want them to fly at. Watch them move to just the slightest air movement and capture your imagination and delight of your child.
Here are some more lovely items from LullabyMobiles
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