BESTeam Weekly Feature: Missprettyperfect.etsy.com

An Interview with Miss Pretty Perfect: http://www.etsy.com/shop/missprettyperfect

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54390502/missprettyperfect-rebecca-travel-work

How did you get started?
With scraps from a local home decor fabric store that had a "bargain" room.

Where do you create?
In my home studio in Brooklyn, NY.  Sometimes a "makeshift" studio.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/39666434/mpp-indian-princess-blouse-made-to-order?ref=v1_other_1

Tell us how you decided on your shop name.
It just hit me one morning as I sat on the side of the bed.  MissPrettyPerfect, because we're all Perfect in His sight!

Family? 
Family consists of a husband and a very intelligent 5 year old son.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54075566/missprettyperfects-samantha-purse-in?ref=v1_other_1

What inspires you to create your products?

I'm inspired by ideas of handbags in my head and of course, beautiful fabrics like embroidered silks and chenille.

How did you feel the first time someone actually paid money for something you had made?

I asked myself, "why?" and then immediately listed more for sell!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/41645483/miss-pretty-perfect-sasha-sling-hobo?ref=v1_other_2

Where do you see yourself and your products in 10 years?

*deep breath*  Not really sure.  I just wanna make stuff and be able to support my hobby habit.

Any advice you would like to share with a newbie who may be reading this? 

You won't know until you try.  Be willing to invest in your gift by taking classes and really getting involved.  Learn All that there is to learn about what you love to do :)  And be confident!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/21014132/sale-miss-pretty-perfect-alma-patchwork?ref=v1_other_2

Where can you be found online?

www.facebook.com/missprettyperfect

www.twitter.com/toiyah

www.missprettyperfect.etsy.com

www.missprettyperfect.com

www.youtube.com/missprettyperfect1

Discount for Blog Readers:

I will extend an extra 10% off Sale and Regular priced handbags.  Contact the seller prior to purchasing regarding this discount and let them know that you found them on the Alexanders Designs Blog!

Thank you Miss Pretty Perfect for a great interview!

BESTeam Weekly Feature: fishprincessdesigns.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51787378/white-seaglass-pendant-necklace-sterling

Fish Princess Designs is created by an accountant who has a need to release her creative side! If she is not busy on her creations you might find her in the stream-she is an avid fly fisher woman!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/19895732/turquoise-howlite-teardrop-pendant

Fish Princess Designs is inspired be the great outdoors... a mountain stream, a walk in the woods, the beautiful Great Lakes, a fabulous sunset, a stormy sky! 

She gathers bits of sea and beach glass to use in the designs. Only naturally surf tumbled sea or beach glass is used in her creations.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51799519/sea-glass-amethyst-and-pearl-bracelet

Find Fish Princess Designs Online at:
www.fishprincessdesigns.blogspot.com

twitter.com/fishprincess 
flickr/photos/fishprincessdesigns

Tell them Alexanders Designs sent you!

Have a great week

Jenn

Ugly Glass!

Have you seen our Ugly Glass?


Check out the newest pieces in our line of handmade glass:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37718223/ugly-glass-borosilicate-glass-pendant-p3

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37718885/ugly-glass-borosilicate-blob-pendant-p3?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/32607281/borosilicate-glass-flower-pendant-ugly

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56850370/double-amber-purple-blob-one-of-a-kind

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52154124/ugly-glass-flower-pendant-p9-500-10bor

http://www.etsy.com/listing/38046841/dichroic-glass-pendant-p7-417-10-c

Everything you see in our shops is handmade in our home studio.  Hooray for handmade in the USA!

Have a great week!

Jenn

Shawnee Town Craft Fair

We will be participating in the Shawnee Town Craft Show again this year.

Friends of Shawnee Town Craft Fair
September 18, 2010
09:00 am to 04:00 pm


In search of a unique decorative item or holiday gift? Shawnee Town will be overflowing with seasonal crafts, including holiday ornaments and trees, candles, floral arrangements and much more at the 35th Annual Shawnee Town Arts & Crafts Fair.

Join crafters at Shawnee Town, 11501 W. 57th, on Saturday, September 18, 2010. The Arts and Crafts Fair is presented by the Friends of Shawnee Town. Admission is $1.00 at the gate, and all proceeds benefit the Shawnee Town Museum. Call Shawnee Town (913) 248-2360. >> Press Release (pdf)

Looking forward to seeing you there!!!

Jenn

www.alexandersdesigns.com

BESTeam Weekly Feature: Moonangelnay.etsy.com

An interview with fellow BESTeam member Naomi from Birmingham, West Midlands, UK who creates Moon Angel Art.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/48636665/standing-tall-12x18-inch-fine-art-canvas

How did you get started?
I have always been a fine art artist having enjoyed sketching and painting since I was a girl, and found myself dabbling in abstract art when the educational curriculum in my country strated getting to my nerves back in my college days.  It was almost a natural progression for me to involve myself in digital painting and then again into photographic altered art!

Tell us how you decided on your shop name.
It's nothing special really... Moonangelnay is a name that has followed me since I set up my hotmail account over 10 years ago!  I am quite a positive person, and have a bit of a spiritual outlook on things so it's context is derived from the things that mean the most to me deep down.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/48421206/twilight-pink-8x12-or-8x10-inch-fine-art

Where do you create?
My creative world is the world around me.  I mostly do Macro photography so my photos are taken from things closest to me ironically lol.  Like my home, my garden, my mothers garden.  Landscapes are taken around the beauty i find around my hometown of Birmingham in the UK and I'm hoping that I can start travelling someday to expand on my landscape photography.  I have recently opened up a new shophttp://babamoon.etsy.com which is totally the opposite of my photography and focuses on baby knits lol!  But it's something else i love to do at home :)

Family?
I grew up as an only child with my mom before moving 4 years ago to live with my current partner, yet before my son was born i found my father after not knowing him or his family my whole life and discovered i had 6 siblings!  I have recently had a baby girl and enjoying having a wonderful big bouncy and enthusiastic family in my life :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/23503692/wandering-sheep-4x6-inch-fine-art-photo

What inspires you to create your products?
The beauty I see around me in the natural world, my philosphy on life, the law of attraction, my family (especially my son and daughter), artistic people... There's a whole multitude of things that inspires me really.

Where do you see yourself and your products in 10 years?
I am about to venture into portraiture as a business outside of Etsy and I would love to be known for my more abstract artistic style, as well as my sensitivity to things that mean the most to people, like their family and children.  If I ever made it into a Gallery I would be so chuffed!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/39404534/dreamweaver-2011-calendar-creative-fine

Any advice you would like to share with a newbie who may be reading this?
Marketing is THE most important thing besides getting your shops optimised in appearence and information on the web.  My advice would be to take GOOD photos (I offer tips on my blog in my photography 101 section.  http://moonangelnay.blogspot.com), pick out as many keywords related to your products and put them in your store titles, catagories and announcement, and then promote promote promote!  Renew and List frequently for Direct Etsy traffic, take advantage of social networks like twitter, facebook and blogging (at least blogs seems like a social network to me in the handmade community!), and use the Etsy forums!

Where can you be found online?
ETSY @ http://moonangelnay.etsy.com
BABY KNITS @ http://BabaMoon.etsy.com
ARTFIRE @ http://artfire.com/users/moonangelnay
TWITTER @ http://twitter.com/moonangelnay
FACEBOOK @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/moonangelnay-on-Etsy/213900790295
FLICKR @ http://www.flickr.com/people/moonangelnay/
STUMBLEUPON @ http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/moonangelnay/

Coupon Code for our blog readers:
Use the code word AXD in either my photography stores or my baby knits store when ordering (type in code into message to seller), I will refund back 15% of their purchase via paypal :)

Johnson County Old Settlers Days

We will be a vendor at the upcoming Johnson County Old Settlers Days (http://www.johnsoncountyoldsettlers.com/index.php).  


Here are the details:


Downtown Olathe, KS
Friday 12 pm to 9 pm
Saturday 10 am to 9 pm
Our booth is 122 on Chestnut St.


Here is a list of craft vendors who are participating: http://www.johnsoncountyoldsettlers.com/sec.php?sec=craftvendorlist


Events Map: http://www.johnsoncountyoldsettlers.com/sec.php?sec=eventmap


If you can't come see us there, you can always find us online at:


www.alexandersdesigns.etsy.com
www.classicallysimple.etsy.com
www.alexandersdesigns.com

BESTeam Weekly Feature: Claycass.etsy.com

An interview with Cassandra from New York, New York who creates a line of jewelry and her own polymer clay creations.


How did you get started? 
I attended a very creative Sunday school program, and as a result I have always enjoyed making things. So when I discovered Etsy I knew I wanted to below immediately.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/382998/apple-for-the-teacher-button-collage

Where do you create? 
I create where ever I am. At home, on vacation, and even when serving jurory duty. If I can sit for awhile, I take my stuff with me. Most of the time I work at a small table that divides my kitchenette from the living room. 

Family? 
I am the youngest of three girls, and occasionally I notice my sisters wearing some pretty neat jewelry. Usually with a closer look - I realize that it is something I made. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/6705504/tiny-kaleidoscope-design?ref=v1_other_2

What inspires you to create your products? 
There are many things that inspire me to create. 

Where do you see yourself and your products in 10 years? 
In ten years, I would love to have my business explan to a nice side business generating some good supplementary income.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/25191687/poinsettia-earrings?ref=v1_other_2

Any advice you would like to share with a newbie who may be reading this?  
Well after being on the internet for a number of years trying to sell my creations, I would suggest you look for ways to promote and generate traffic to your etsy shop.

Where can you be found online?
Claycass can be found in a number of places online. I am on Facebook, Etsy, Flickr, Twitter, Poly-clay.blogspot.com, and Ardnas-sac.blogspot.com


I hope you enjoyed getting to know Claycass, AKA Ardna's Sac.
Have a good day!
Jenny