Meet Etsy Seller Dolly Lana Designs

Today we would like to introduce you to

Etsy shop dollylanadesigns

Dollylanadesigns has been selling on Etsy since April 2013, they sell beautiful baby booties and teething rings! Today they are going to give us a little peak behind the scenes of their Etsy shop.


What motivated you to start your shop?
I've always loved to craft, sew and create things so when I found Etsy, I knew that somehow I wanted to be involved.  I began by making headbands and hair clips which I could also use on my daughter.  From there, I began making bow ties and neckties for babies and toddlers.  I knew I had something special though when I made my baby booties.  They sold quickly and were so fun to make.  Over time, I've focused my shop on my baby booties.  I sometimes add in some other baby items for fun but my main love is for the baby booties.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I realized that to keep your shop relevant it takes more than just making and listing items.  You have to work at it by taking great photos, promoting your shop in social media, and being competitive with the market.  Great customer service is key also.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
I love creating my baby booties!  With all of the beautiful fabrics on the market today, the inspiration never ends.  I'm always finding new ways to pair fabrics to create unique booties.  Plus, I get lots of requests for custom made pairs which sometimes leads me to start sewing them in new patterns for my shop.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The most challenging thing about being an Etsy seller is keeping your shop original and unique.  There are so many sellers who make similar items that you have to find your own niche and stay true to your own ideas.

What do you do when you aren't working?
Besides being owner of my own Etsy shop, I'm also a part time operating room nurse and mother of two (with another baby on the way)!  I love spending time with my family and travelling.  We like to go to our local YMCA a lot and participate in their community events.


Treasury Tool Powered By Toastie Studio - Etsy Tools

Tweet

Treasury Challenge #33 - Bunnies and Chicks

The theme for the EtsyKids Team treasury challenge #33 was "Bunnies and Chicks".
Our team members created lots of beautiful treasuries featuring some amazing items, but the winner with 158 views is...

Easter Bunnies and Chicks by Iheartmyfamilyhome

Easter Egg Basket with Mummy & baby chicks design LaPetiteMaisonBlanc £10.00	Kawaii Pink Bunnies PONYTAIL HOLDERS CuckooBoo $5.00	Girls Spring Chick Dress wildthingsdresses £42.00	Forest Critter- Easter Bunny with Easter Eggs- Eco Friendly- Woodland Animal - Easter Rabbit SavageSeeds $34.00
Easter Tic Tac Toe game set - Felt Easter Eggs and Chicks tic tac toe - Felt Easter Toy twinsandcrafts $60.00	Chocolate Bunny, Felt Food, Easter FiddledeeDeeCraft $22.00	Hand Knitted Bunny Rabbit Custom Toy - Hand Knitted Stuffed Bunny - Toy Bunny - Kids Toy Plush - Stuffed Animal - Plush Doll Michelle cotuitbayknitter $75.00	Bunny Hat and Diaper Cover with Tail Set Photo Prop (Sizes Newborn, 0-3 Months ) TheWhimsicalStudio $35.00
Bunny Rabbit Wall ART Hanging for a Child room, Baby Nursery or Playroom Decor - New Baby Art Decoration WalterSilva $45.00	PATTERN, Crochet Pattern, PDF Crochet Amigurumi Chicks, Tutorial, Easter Pattern, Instant Download AllSoCute $3.50	Children's DUCK Felt Mask magicalattic $12.50	Spring Easter Bunny Rabbit Aqua Blue Pink Flowers Decor Softie KatieClairesCottage $9.00
Bunny Sewing Pattern- Plush Toy Bunny Pattern -INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF TheSewingLoft $6.50	Crochet Pattern Easter Eggheads - Digital Download CrochetVillage $7.99	Stuffed fabric plush Christmas/Easter decoration - bunny Maminognijezdo €3.00	Urban Flannel Olive Chicks Coffee Cuff, FREE SHIPPING Ahmelie $6.00

Powered By Toastie Studio - Etsy Tools

Thank you Iheartmyfamilyhome for creating such a lovely treasury!

Iheartmyfamilyhome sells handmade hearts to decorate your home and nursery. We love this pink felt heart that is available in her shop. Visit her shop to see more of her wonderful creations.

Tweet

Meet Etsy Seller kbpdesigns

Today we would like to introduce you to

Etsy shop Kbpdesigns

Kbpdesigns has been selling on Etsy since February 2008, they sell beautiful traditional clothing for boys (and girls) such as bow ties, suspenders, hats, jackets and more! Today they are going to give us a little peak behind the scenes of their Etsy shop.

Baby Boy Suit size 3 months to 36 months kbpdesigns $55.00

Infant baby Toddler Boy Bow Tie and Diaper cover Set Pick you favoirte design size 0 to36 months kbpdesigns $30.00

Boys Necktie and Suspender sets Custom made newborn to 9 years. baby Boy Toddler Neckties kbpdesigns $29.00

Wish Suit Baby Boy 5 piece Suit size 3 months to 36 months kbpdesigns $105.00

What motivated you to start your shop?
I wanted cute things to add to my son's wardrobe.  I was able to find tons and tons of girl things, but when I went looking for boy stuff it was nearly impossible to find hardly anything.  So I started making him neckties and vests to add to his wardrobe.  So I started my shop with this in mind and it has snowballed into creative fun accessories that were easy to take care of and that had personality.

What is the story behind your shop name?
I couldn't think of anything really creative so I went with simple and was unique to me.  KBP Designs stands for Kristina Bell Perry Designs.

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I have attempted to sell my items at local craft fairs and boutiques and it usually ended up as a bust.  I was also hesitant on opening my shop up online for the same reason.  So you can imagine my surprise when I began to see the amount of interest in what I was making and selling.

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
One of my most favorite items is my knickers outfit.  It was my first custom order for a customer who was looking for a specific outfit for her son to wear.  It was not something that I sold, but was willing to make for her and it turned out so cute and I also really enjoyed the process of making it.  So it was easy to make that outfit available to others who ended up looking through my shop.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
I try to provide all the information needed for the customers to purchase item, but from there are times when I find it difficult to communicate with the buyer exactly what they are wanting to purchase.  Especially when it comes to custom orders.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Sewing is my favorite thing to do, and something I have done since I was very young. My favorite part is to make something that really stands out, something that is unique and wonderful. As a designer I take pride in creating things that are a cut above basic, something you will cherish.

What do you do when you aren't working?
Mostly when I am not working I am a mom. I carpool my kids all over the place from piano lessons, to art class, to swim and dance class.  I also have a green thumb with my garden.  And I also enjoy trying to also sneak in the occasional date with my hubby.

Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
Not only do I  make items for boys, but I also do make myself available for custom orders.  I can also create a memorable baby blessing outfits, father and son matching items, matching items for weddings, special birthday outfits or many other items.  I'm up for a challenge.

Kbpdesigns is offering a 20% discount in her shop on orders over $20. To use the coupon visit her etsy store and enter code "ETSYKIDS" at checkout. Valid until May 31st 2014.

Baby Toddler Boy Newsboy hat or Driver styled Hat, you select style and hat kbpdesigns $20.00

Toddler Baby Boy Bow tie, Driver Hat, Boxer and suspender set custom Order your design kbpdesigns $65.00

Baby Infant Boy's Outfit, size 0 to 18 months Vest, Bowtie, diaper cover, Driver styled hat. kbpdesigns $70.00

Girl and Boy Necktie Argyle pre-tied necktie 12 and 14 iches long ages 4 to 9 years old kbpdesigns $16.00

Tweet

April Design Challenge Winner!

April's Design Challenge had the theme "Secret Garden".
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was..

Garden Fairy House Play Set with 2 Fairies by Minorca

This is a lovely fairy cottage in the shape of a flower with two fairy felt dolls with long wool hair. The perfect waldorf inspired play set for the whimsical secret garden fantasy.

The fairy house features one door and two windows for interactive play and the little flower fairies have long wool hair for a richer texture and different hair styles.

Here are some more lovely items from Minorca

Super Hero Doll Puppet, Super Girl Soft Doll, Push Toy, Action Figure Softies. Minorca $32.00	Felt Family House Play Set. Waldorf Inspired Plush Felt Dollhouse. Includes 6 Family Dolls. Felt Toy for Toddlers. Minorca $69.90	French Bulldog Mini Soft Felt Play Set. Soft Dog Play Set with Dog House, Pillow and Bone. Minorca $24.90	Reader Brooch Pin. Bookworm Hand painted Pin. Illustrated Polymer Clay Brooch. Art Pin. Minorca $9.37
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Complete Finger Puppet Set- Felt Finger Puppet Set of 10 for Kids- Fairy Tale Creative Play Minorca $32.00	Book Brooch Pin. Girl Reading Hand painted Pin. Bookworm Illustrated Polymer Clay Brooch. Art Pin. Minorca $9.37	Full Body Hand Puppet Girl. Foam Doll Puppet in Pink. Full Body Puppet Doll Minorca $43.65	Modern Family Portrait Plush Doll Set. Grandparents, Parents & Children. Waldorf Inspired Miniature Dolls. Minorca $31.25

Tweet

Natural Mosquito Spray Tutorial

Last Spring I decided to try and make my own natural bug spray. The mosquitoes are pretty bad here in Virginia and we buy a lot of mosquito spray.  We always buy natural which can get expensive so I wanted to try and make it myself.

The process was very simple, I'm not sure I have ever completed an easier DIY project. I found the recipe in the March/April 2013 issue of Mother Earth Living.  The only thing I would do differently is find a better spray bottle. I initially used a water spray bottle which didn't work that well and after this photo was taken I found a better, smaller one at Target for $1.

I would say that they mosquito spray works as well as any other citronella spray.  It needs to be re-applied after about 2 hours and it needs to be rubbed in a little bit.

What you need:
2 oz. grapeseed oil or Almond oil ( I bought grapeseed oil)
combine with 1/2 teaspoon citronella or lemongrass essential oil ( I bought citronella).
spray bottle.


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

Tweet

Meet Etsy Seller Dixie's Doodads Brie's Bows

Today we would like to introduce you to

Etsy shop Dixie's Doodads Brie's Bows

Dixie's Doodads Brie's Bows is new to Etsy, and has been selling on Etsy since January 2014, they sell cute hair clips, hair bows and other adorable items for kids! Today they are going to give us a little peak behind the scenes of their Etsy shop.

Baby Girl Blue Shabby Chic Headband, Toddler Girls Blue Shabby Chic Headband, Shabby Chic Blue Flower Headband DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.00

Baby Girl Easter Headband, Toddler Girls Easter Headband, Shabby Chic Easter Flower Headband DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.00

Coral Dahlia and Lace Girls Headband, Girls Headband, Girls Flower Headband DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.50

Pink Chevron Infant Barefoot Sandals, Infant Barefoot Sandals, Girls Barefoot Sandals, Childrens Barefoot Sandals DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.00

What motivated you to start your shop?
Having two little girls is what really inspired me to start this shop. You see our 2 and 1/2 year old has a lot of hair and I have always had fun putting pretty hair clips and headbands in her hair. After having our 2nd daughter she didn't have as much hair and hair clips won't stay in very well which is what prompted me to start creating gorgeous headbands. In turn I started making hair clips as well, from there my shop has bloomed into becoming somewhat of a boutique for little girls!

What is the story behind your shop name?
When I first had the idea that I wanted to open this shop I thought of Brie's bows right away being that our littlest daughter's name is Briana, but I knew that I needed to include our oldest daughter as well which is when the Dixie's Doodads part came into the name. Making it Dixie's Doodads Brie's Bows! Plus the doodads portion of the shop name I figured would allow me to add a wider variety of products rather than being restricted to just bows!

What is your favourite creations from your shop?
I really do enjoy making all of my products that's what makes having the shop so fun, if I didn't enjoy making the things I make then I probably wouldn't have continued and opened this shop.
However if I had to pick, there are 2 products that I really like to make and those are my barefoot sandals and any and all of my shabby chic flower headbands I just love the almost country vintage look and feel to the shabby chic flowers.

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
My biggest challenge being an Etsy shop owner and seller is finding a good way to get my shop and products out and known about. I do post on my facebook page, website, and in team forms as well as other methods but still it definitely takes a lot more work than you think to get your product and shop noticed!

What do you do when you aren't working?
When I'm not working on something to do with my Etsy shop I can most likely be found spending time with our little girls and tending to their needs whether it be playing, watching a movie or something else as well as spending time with my husband. Those 3 are my biggest motivation and supporters and without them as well as other close family members I am sure there wouldn't be a shop!

Purple Chevron Infant Barefoot Sandals, Infant Barefoot Sandals, Girls Barefoot Sandals, Childrens Barefoot Sandals DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.00

Dance Bag Personalized, Personalized Dance Bag, Personalized Ballet Bag, Ballet Bag Personalized, Dancer Bag, Dancer Bag DixieDooDadsBrieBows $15.00

Purple and Aqua Girls Tutu, Purple Girls Tutu, Girls Tutu, Infant Tutu, Toddler Tutu DixieDooDadsBrieBows $15.00

Girls Lavender Floral and Taupe lace headband, Girls Lace Headband, Girls Lacy Headband, Lace Headband, Lace and Flower Headband DixieDooDadsBrieBows $7.00

Tweet