Meet Etsy Seller Ebony Shae Designs

Posted Wednesday, January 29, 2014


Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop Ebony Shae Designs

Ebony Shae Designs has been selling on Etsy since September 2011, she sell PDF patterns for making children's animal masks! Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling on Etsy.

Leo the Lion Mask PDF pattern.  One size fits most children and some adults.  INSTANT DOWNLOAD. - EbonyShae Elephant Mask PDF PATTERN.  One size fits most.  Instant Download. - EbonyShae Monkey Mask PATTERN PDF. One size fits most.  Instant Download. - EbonyShae Butterfly mask PATTERN PDF.  One size fits most.  Instant Download. - EbonyShae

What motivated you to start your shop?
I fell in love with masks as a teenager when I went to see Phantom of the Opera for the first time. The masquerade scene stayed with me for years. I am also a hopeless craft addict, and will try my hand at anything – whether I know what I am doing or not. So as a young married woman, I started making leather masquerade masks. I still have most of them, with no idea what I will ever do with them.
Then along came children, and the process of curing, working the leather, and painting it within a certain time-frame became impossible. Unfortunately the love of masks and creating did not leave. Fortunately kids LOVE dressing up and playing make believe. So I started making a few masks to represent the story characters we were reading about. Friends and relatives started making requests and I couldn't keep up!
It took me a while to realize that I could teach my friends to make their own and the idea of making and selling patterns was born.

What is the story behind your shop name?
When we were waiting for our second daughter to arrive, the difficult process of choosing ANOTHER girls name resulted in many round table discussions.  After all, we had already chosen the best girls name the first time around, hadn't we???  Where the first time we agreed easily, the second time the discussions were endless!  I really loved the name Ebony Shae, but the hubby was adamant.  So when I opened my Etsy store, I simply used the name I loved.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I am constantly surprised that my personal favourite masks are not the most popular.  Not by far!  I am also constantly surprised by what custom orders come in, they are never what I expect.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
My all time favourite mask is still the lady bug.  I simply love the way it sits and is shaped.  It is also adorable on.  I think it ranks about 10th or less in my best sellers.  The elephant is always the most popular.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Trying to communicate in obvious ways.  I STILL have people ask for finished masks for $4.00 US, despite having 'pattern' written on the picture, a picture of a PDF icon on the first picture, pattern in the title, and reference to the item being a pattern 3 times in the descriptions!  (If anyone has any other suggestions, I'm all ears).

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Our motto is: Make Masks.  Make Believe.  Make Memories.
I believe our time as mothers at home with the kids should be considered sacred (no matter how much or little of it you get).  We will never get it again.  They will never be the age they are today ever, ever again.
I am so fortunate to have a hubby that supports me to stay home and share this time with our kids, and I am even more fortunate that I love it.

What do you do when you aren't working?
I am a stay at home mum who home schools our 2 darling daughters, (we also have a 6 month old boy, but he is a little young for school yet)!  If I ever get time to myself (usually when the hubby is driving the car) you will find me knitting, doing crochet, sewing (ok, so that doesn't happen in the car) or generally avoiding housework in some other fashion!

Please tell us a little about the children's items market / handmade movement in your Country? 
I feel that the children's market in Australia is strong, but piecemeal.  There are markets for used items, there are markets for new items, there are general markets that always have kids stalls, there are craft markets that some of us fit into, then there are craft markets that we don't.
The handmade movement is getting stronger in all areas.  When I became a founding member of our knitting group which started 10 years ago, many of my work colleagues laughed, now many are picking up some sort of craft and realizing the benefits.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
Being a part of teams on Etsy has really made the experience for me.  To have a community to go to to celebrate, commiserate, and ask questions of makes selling on Etsy so much more enjoyable.  Thanks to the EtsyKids team and coordinators for their part in making my job so much more fun!

Ebony Shae Designs is offering a 20% off any purchases, including her pdf pattern combo deals. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "ETSYKIDS1" at checkout. 

Ladybug Mask PATTERN PDF.  One Size Fits Most.  Instant Download. - EbonyShae Snowy Owl Mask PATTERN.  One size fits most.  INSTANT DOWNLOAD. - EbonyShae Dog mask PATTERN PDF.  One size fits most.  Instant Download. - EbonyShae Cat mask PATTERN.  One size fits most.  INSTANT DOWNLOAD. - EbonyShae

January Design Challenge Winner!

Posted Tuesday, January 28, 2014

January's Design Challenge had the theme "Cozy & Cuddly!".
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was..


These adorable little sock monkeys are as cozy as can be! The original artwork was created using acrylic paint and ink. Look for my other sock monkey paintings to create a set. 
Print is hand signed and includes original poetry.

Here are some more lovely items from JennyDaleDesigns
Sock Monkey Art, Nursery Art, Nursery Decor-   Sock monkey on a tricycle: hand signed art print - JennyDaleDesigns Sock Monkey Art, Nursery Art, Nursery Decor- Sock monkey on a swing: Art print - JennyDaleDesigns Nursery Art- Cute Sock Monkey and Red Balloon- art print - JennyDaleDesigns Sock Monkey Art, Nursery Art, Nursery Decor-   Sock monkey and rocking horse: Art print - JennyDaleDesigns
Bunny and Clover: Vintage Inspired, Woodland Themed, hand signed art print with pink background - JennyDaleDesigns Nursery Wall Decor, Art for Kid's Room, Patchwork Turtle: hand signed art print - JennyDaleDesigns Art on Canvas: Owl Nursery Wall Art- Set of three 8x8, hand signed canvas prints - JennyDaleDesigns Robot's Red Ballon- painting with quote or personalized message: hand signed art print - JennyDaleDesigns

Penguin Potato Winter Craft

Posted Monday, January 27, 2014

We love finding things around the house to create art with.  My younger daughter just loves penguins and I  had her in mind when I found this craft.  We are big into re-using and re-purposing at our home so I used old brown paper bags and cut them up into squares with funky scissors.

** We like to find books on the crafts we are making to turn it into a mini lesson or just some fun reading time so we got out our penguin books after we made the craft.


What you'll  need:
  • potatoes- 2 different size pieces. One for the larger black body and one for the white belly.
  • non toxic paint-white,orange, and black
  • googly eyes, one per penguin
  • brown paper bag cut up into squares
Instructions:
  • Dip the larger potato piece into the black paint and stamp onto brown paper
  • take the smaller piece of potato and dip in the white paint, stamp over the black paint onto the body.
  • use a finger to dip into the orange paint and create a beak and the feet.
  • glue on a googly eye after the paint is dry



My daughter had so much fun with this project that she decided she wanted to make a whole "penguin family" on another sheet of paper which is what she is doing above.

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

Treasury Challenge #27 - Cuddle Me!

Posted Sunday, January 26, 2014

The theme for the EtsyKids Team treasury challenge #27 was "Cuddle Me!" to celebrate national hug day on 21st January.
Our team members created lots of beautiful treasuries featuring some amazing items, but the winner with 221 views is...

Plush Puppy - Izzy - LittleLuckies2
Plush Puppy - Izzy
$30
Custom Personalized Kids Gift - Hand Knit Bear - Ballerina Bear - Plush Doll - Stuffed Teddy Bear - Knitted Plush Bear - Valentine Wendy - cotuitbayknitter
Custom Personalized Kid...
$65
Baby Bunny Stuffed Doll Plush Toy Easter - BrightLifeToys
Baby Bunny Stuffed Doll...
$40
Knitted bear soft  plush green toy, handmade teddy bear kids toy plush- green teddy bear plush toy - janisknitpurl
Knitted bear soft plus...
$25
Patchwork Bunny Tooth Fairy Pillow Plush Stuffed Toy - Great Baby Girl Gift - Lovebirds in Pink - angiebabygifts
Patchwork Bunny Tooth F...
$33
Natural Stuffed Animal Toy, Lily the pink Piggy,  handKnit by Woolies, Ready to Ship - woolies
Natural Stuffed Animal ...
$65
Fox & Raccoon Pillow Toy Pattern PDF Sewing Tutorial Baby Felt Animal, Tooth Fairy Pocket or Accent Pillow, Toddler to Tween - MyFunnyBuddy
Fox & Raccoon Pillow To...
$6
Stuffed Animal  White Bunny with blanket - baraqada
Stuffed Animal White B...
$29
Stuffed animal hippo - Soft doll - Handmade toy for girl - Unique white plush hippo in pjs - Kids toy - Modern toy - Molly the Mippo - Mippoos
Stuffed animal hippo - ...
$45
Woodland Nursery Decor, Fox Plush made from Upcycled Sweaters, Eco Friendly Kids Toy - OllieAndRose
Woodland Nursery Decor,...
$50
Paulie the Platypus - MichellesZoo
Paulie the Platypus
$22.95
Ballerina Mouse Crochet Stuffed Mouse, Amigurumi Mouse, Ballerina Doll, Toy Mouse - CROriginals
Ballerina Mouse Crochet...
$30
Sailor Tabby Cat softie doll - bikbikandroro
Sailor Tabby Cat softie...
$37
Laura the sheep soft toy - gray with striped legs - PinkNounou
Laura the sheep soft to...
$66
Blonde Doll Holding Mermaid Baby Doll - by Joelle's Dolls - JoellesDolls
Blonde Doll Holding Mer...
$30

Thank you BabywearbyBabs for creating such a lovely treasury!

BabywearbyBabs makes hand knit baby clothes and heirloom babywear, including this cute red knitted cardigan, perfect for snuggles! Visit her shop to see more of her wonderful creations.


Meet Etsy Seller MyFunnyBuddy

Posted Wednesday, January 22, 2014


Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop MyFunnyBuddy

MyFunnyBuddy has been selling on Etsy since November 2012, she sell fun and easy PDF sewing patterns to make your own soft toys! Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling on Etsy.

Stuffed Monster Toy Pattern - PDF Sewing Pattern for Plush Monster-Monster Helps Children Show Feelings Washable Cloth Soft Toy - MyFunnyBuddy Dog Pattern - Scruffy the Stuffed Doggie PDF Sewing Pattern - Soft Dog Toy for Babies Toddlers Child-Safe or Dog Toy Wolf Pattern - MyFunnyBuddy Tony T-Rex Pattern DIY Stuffed Dinosaur Toy and Baby Dinosaur Set, Tracy TRex Tutorial DIY Friendly Dinosaur Pdf Sewing Pattern - MyFunnyBuddy Dog & Cat Pillow Pattern Tutorial PDF Sewing Pattern with Pocket for Tooth Fairy Pillow, Small Pillow for Toddlers to Tweens - MyFunnyBuddy

What motivated you to start your shop?
I loved stuffed animals as a kid! Then when I had my daughter, and dropped multiple "surface wash" only toys in parking lots, I wanted to give her toys that were washable. It's been great, she is my best tester! She is only 3 1/2 but she is proud to show off toys her Mommy made.

What is the story behind your shop name?
I had a doll that didn't turn out quite right so I was calling her "Funny Doll." When I started making animals, I wanted to be more general, so switched to My Funny Buddy. I still need to write up that "Funny Doll" pattern. My teenage babysitters think she's cute and funky.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I never would have guessed that I would make so many friends and meet such wonderful people through my shop. My patterns are meant to be quick to make so they lend themselves to people who sew toys for donations. My very first customer was Dona from Sewing Miles of Smiles. She has now become a wonderful friend. I'm inspired by all the work she does. Kristy from Hopeful Threads is another sewing friend who does great work for charity.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
That's a tough one. Hmm, I might have to say my monster. It comes with happy and sad faces which can be placed on opposite sides of head, or made as two separate monsters. It is my therapy toy. I love how it can be used for kids to show their feelings or to be a buddy that empathizes with them.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Marketing is something I didn't know much about. I thought Search Engine Optimization would be the hard part and only way to get the word out about my shop. I didn't realize how big a role social networking plays. Currently, I'm only on Facebook, Pinterest, and have my own website, www.myfunnybuddy.com. I feel like I need to do more social networking, though it's all to easy to spend too much time on the computer and Facebook when I should be sewing and designing.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Designing toys that are easy to make and with personality. I love designing faces that have funky or cute expressions. And I like hearing about beginners who try out my patterns. I would like to do more to get kids (or adults) interested in sewing. It's a great skill that teaches principles beyond sewing. Actually, I feel that way about most arts and crafts. Learning to follow instructions, and learning that you can't just press a button to "Undo" or "Delete" a mistake are valuable. Don't get me wrong, I love my computer. I used to be a computer programmer, and I have to say that all my years of doing crafts made me the most careful programmer on my team!

What do you do when you aren't working?
Playing with my daughter, doing other art projects, sometimes both at once. Also, I'm toying with fabric design. Though honestly, for the past year, any extra time has been spent on my shop. And I've loved it!

MyFunnyBuddy is offering a 20% discount in her shop. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "ETSYKIDS20" at checkout. Valid until 16th February 2014.

Stuffed Bunny Pattern - Hoppy Loppy PDF Sewing Pattern - Soft Toy Baby Plush DIY Easter Bunny for Springtime Peek-a-Boo Instant Download - MyFunnyBuddy DIY Flower Pillow Pattern and Peace Sign Sewing Tutorial Dorm Decor Kids Pillows Cushion for Children - MyFunnyBuddy Fox & Raccoon Pillow Toy Pattern PDF Sewing Tutorial Baby Felt Animal, Tooth Fairy Pocket or Accent Pillow, Toddler to Tween - MyFunnyBuddy Stuffed Cat Pillow Pattern Funky Cat & Kitten PDF Sewing Tutorial Easy Beginner DIY Softie Plush Gifts for Children - MyFunnyBuddy

January Design Challenge. It's time to Vote!

Posted Tuesday, January 21, 2014

For January our Design Challenge theme was "Cozy & Cuddly!"
We have lots of lovely entries from our team members, browse down and vote for your favourite item!
Voting is open until 27th January.

Meet Etsy Seller Little Tadpole Designs

Posted Wednesday, January 15, 2014



Today we would like to introduce you to

Little Tadpole Designs has been selling on Etsy since January 2011, she sell toddler belts, soft-soled baby slippers, custom mitten & MAM pacifier clips, crocheted toys & dolls all handmade in Canada!  Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

Toy Cookies - Crocheted 1-10 Numbers Learning Set - LittleTadpoleDesigns Mitten Clips Custom Pair - you pick ribbon - LittleTadpoleDesigns MAM Pacifier Clip CUSTOM - You Pick Ribbon - For all Button or Knob style soothers - LittleTadpoleDesigns Kids Belt - "Monkey Around" - Elastic Snap Belt - LittleTadpoleDesigns

What motivated you to start your shop?
When my oldest child was about 6 months old, I found that I didn't care for or couldn't find a lot of the store-bought accessories that I really wanted.  Being a do-it-yourself kind of person, I thought about what it would take to make something that fit perfectly for my needs... and then I made it.  I made and sold a variety of items on a small scale while developing and testing my main product, my Snap! Belts for preschoolers, and once I had perfected the design the way I envisioned, I opened my shop here on Etsy!  Since then, my shop has continued to grow, just as my family has.

What is the story behind your shop name?
When I was a child, my siblings and cousins and I had many fun hours in our grandparent's backyard where my grandpa had a lovely man-made pond and garden.  In the spring, we would catch the tadpoles and watch over the days and weeks that they would turn into little toads.  Those little things taught me a lot and it remains a very fond memory for me.  I knew when I started my shop that my shop would grow and change as my children would... just like those little tadpoles.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I've been surprised by how much my shop has come to mean to me.  I put a lot of time and pride into making each and every item I design, as I do with making my shop here on Etsy as professional as I'd want if I was one of my customers instead of the designer/creator!  I didn't realize when I started out that I would still be going strong three years later, let alone could I have guessed that I would have taken some of the steps I have into expanding on my interests and skills into areas of design.  I'm excited about what the future may bring!

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
This is a tough question... I love my Snap Belts so much because the design came from such a need that all three of my skinny little kids have and they have grown in that I am not designing the elastic that I use from them by hand by myself!  I'm immensely proud of this achievement!  In terms of fun though... my dolls are my favorite to create.  I don't use a pattern when I make a doll and they sort of design themselves as I go, which is just so rewarding when the hours and hours that go into each doll result in a totally unique doll with it's own personality.  I just love them!

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
One of the most challenging things I find is pricing.  I love to create, but it does all cost money and, for some items especially, also a great deal of time!  By the time you consider your concrete costs like materials, fees, and shipping... it's hard to wrap your head around the more ambiguous costs including wage and profit.  What about those business cards, or the time it takes to package the items?  What about the cost of that yarn or thread that isn't so easy to judge how much has been used?  And then there is the greater picture... how to price to show that you value yourself and your product as deserved, as well as fit properly in place with all the other items of similar quality or technique that are being created by others?  In the end, it is about being confident and comfortable with how you've come up with your prices and how you know your items are worth as much or more than what they are priced at... but I still find this aspect very challenging and one of the areas of being an Etsy seller that I continually need to work on.

What do you do when you aren't working?
Well, with three kids under age 5... I'm usually cleaning up some sort of mess!

SALE Fleece Slippers Baby Toddler - Pink & Orange - 3-6mo, 6-12mo, 12-18mo - LittleTadpoleDesigns Kids Belt - "Princesses" - Elastic Snap Belt - LittleTadpoleDesigns MAM Pacifier Clip CUSTOM - You Pick Ribbon - For all Button or Knob style soothers - LittleTadpoleDesigns Fishing Set - Crocheted Rainbow Fish & Pole - Magnetic - LittleTadpoleDesigns
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