Deco Alley

I am pleased to introduce Priyanka Sodhi from Kitchener, Ontario Canada of Deco Alley. She sells contact cases and screw top containers with handmade clay and re-ment miniature pieces. Other items include cell phone covers, special edition cases, and handmade miniature collectibles.
I had her saved in my favorites on Etsy because I planned to purchase a contact lense case for my sister for Christmas. They have a very unique kitchy cuteness that is hard to resist. After agreeing to being interviewed for this blog she send me the sweetest email telling me that she was sending over some samples for me! Love that! I will post the pictures of them here when they arrive.

What is your real life like?
I recently got married and left my sales job to move in with my husband. He was so awesome to let me take this year off to try building my business and experimenting with different fields in design. All I have been doing the past year is working 12 hours a day on building my business, experimenting with new materials and techniques while taking care of household chores. I started running in July to help with releasing stress and keeping up energy levels and hope to run in some races next spring. My other hobbies include cooking and baking.

What is your process?
I am still at an experimental and growth stage. I do not really have a set process because I do not want to set limits on myself. I just read a lot, spend hours researching designs online and thinking! I am on a limited budget so I do not have access to many tools or materials. Things I use daily are air drying clays, toothpicks, and tape over popsicle sticks to hold things on when painting. Recently I have been working with silicones and resin to add another dimension to my miniatures.

Business Goals and Vision...
My short term goal is to really learn some good online marketing techniques and try to expand my current business on etsy. Long term I want to build a miniature empire in which one can buy supplies to make their own quality miniatures at home with little investment and no prior knowledge on making miniatures.
How do you market your business?
I am trying to build up traffic through my blog. Recently I signed up with Flickr and have registered with some blog search engines such at Techoranti. I am attending a miniature show in Toronto this month and hope to gain some experience and meet some more people locally.

Do you subscribe to any business related blogs, zines or magazines?
I have subscribed to Inspiri Art and Craft blog and I have several other links saved to my bookmarks. Right now I am concentrating on reading books on business in general such as "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School" by Mark H. McCormack. In the past self help books like Getting Things Done by David Allen give you some helpful tips on managing life especially when trying to market and grow you business but balance daily life.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
I listen to a lot of R&B, Hip Hop and indie/rock type bands. I have grown up in the Middle East and I am of South East Indian origin so I have been exposed to many different types of music. I love Arabic music and listen to songs from Bollywood movies. Also my husband is originally from Sri Lanka so I am starting to listen to some Sinhalese songs too! Right now to improve my Japanese speaking skills (so when I get to visit Japan I won't be totally lost!) I have been listening to a Canadian/Japanese band called Monkey Majik. Here is a link to a fun tune on youtube

What inspires you?
I love music and colors! I always have my ipod shuffle with me. I am also a huge manga/anime fan. My inspired definitely comes from Japan since decorations on your cell phone and other personal belongings is a must! It is like a culture there and I want to bring this culture to North America.

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
Its the head phones (sold unfortunately but they are just so cool especially if you listen to your ipod all the time like me) and my miniature bunny and bird because it's only 4 cm across, 2 cm tall and completely handmade.
Headphones
(pictured above)
Bunny and Bird
(pictured above)

Am a fan of these places...
1.crunchyroll.com for anime
2.ebay for new re-ment miniatures or rare ones
3.etsy just to browse new goodies that are listed daily
4.my email because I am obsessed with replying to people in a timely manner
5.google to randomly search for images and inspirations

Find seller at...
Etsy shop
decoalley.com is my blog and it has a link to my esty shop

Beadcomber Handmade Beads

These handmade polymer clay beads from Tina's shop look so lifelike that admirers may be fooled! When I saw them I knew that they would be appreciated by my readers and Tina has kindly agreed to talk to me about them....

Name
Tina Holden

Business Name
Tina Holden - Beadcomber

Location
West Coast of Vancouver Island, BC Canada


Describe what you sell.
Multi-media jewelry often using my own handmade focal beads and pendants, mostly handmade components, Chakra Jewelry and my tutorials for both polymer clay and beadwork.

What are the best sellers in your shop?
mmm...hard to say since there is a bit of everything, but I've sold quite a few tutorials and beads from my underwater collection.

How do you market your business?
Well, Etsy is probably the main one, but I also sell through galleries, boutiques and gift stores. I've written tutorials for magazines, joined online groups of like-minded creative souls such as Talent Database. Then, of course, there is plenty of blogging and getting the opportunity for interviews such as here.

What is your target market?
Probably all age groups, this includes the casual for young girls and women, classy for business women, hip for young men, the surf culture and new age interest.

What do you offer that sets you apart from the other supply sellers on Etsy?
That's a big question. Of course we all want to be different and offer something unique and worthwhile, find some sort of niche that no one else has filled yet. My Reiki Pendants are unique as are my Picasso Power Pendants where people can choose their own stones with a chart I supply, to have something crafted just for them.

I also focus on items that reflect my natural surroundings as with my Underwater collection of Sea Urchin, Starfish and Shell beads that are lovingly recreated using polymer clay because the natural products are too fragile for wear. There are a couple of items that I designed and created that will soon find their way onto Etsy as well which have done really well for me in various galleries.

What is your “real” life like?
I have wonderful husband/partner of 26 plus years who is very supportive in what I do. As a matter of fact he has turned to creating his own line of jewelry and pendants...carved prehistoric ivory pendants, inlaid stones into antler, resin work. I'll be putting up a store for him soon. We have two kids. Well, they aren't kids anymore maybe that is why I really want a dog or cat, or both! Job and Hobby is the same as we're semi-retired. I'm interested in

Graphic design, beachcombing and what not...

Any offers you want to give blog readers?
I always send a Gift along with purchases. Plus, I'll offer Free

Reserves to blog readers. If one orders a few items from all the listings, there is a little extra shipping added, .25 per item for Canada and USA, .50 per item for elsewhere. People will sometimes ask me to do a special reserve instead for which I usually charge the .20 listing cost. Just mention you read "Debbie Gootter Designs Blog". Doesn't sound like much, but if one has a whole bunch of requests, it really saves.

Find seller at...
beadcomber.etsy.com
beadcomber.blogspot.com (polymer clay blog)
beadcomber.ca (jewelry)
flickr.com/photos/tinaholden/
beadcomber.com (picturetrail)

Analiese Designs - Pendants

Rachel of Analiese has some of the most whimsical and versatile pendants that I have seen on Etsy. She offers them in a variety of materials with beautiful, or funny images, like my favorite below. They are also customizable with your own image or childs artwork. Read all about her and her work....

Name
Rachel Analiese Yakubik

Location
Milford, CT

Business Name
Analiese Designs

Describe what you sell.
I make and sell image pendants. I started making them out of Polymer Clay and now I make some using Glass Tiles - I love making both and the each have their own unique style. I also sell Magnet sets, finished beaded jewelry, and some other random things. I also sell a tutorial on how to make the polymer clay pendants as well as a few digital collage sheets.

What are the best sellers in your shop?
The image pendants are the best sellers - it is even between the polymer clay and glass ones. I also make custom photo pendants which are a big seller as well.

What is your real life like?
I am married with a 7 year old son - who starts 2nd grade next week :) I am also a certified Elementary teacher. I have been looking for a full time teaching job for over 3 years - it is very competitive here. In the meantime - I teach an Adult Education GED Prep class 2 days a week and substitute in my local elementary schools. It is nice because it gives me the flexibility to work on my business and spend more time with my son - by being a room mom, etc. But - I really need to find a full time job soon :)

What do you offer that sets you apart from the other sellers on Etsy?
I think my custom products are different - especially "your child's art on clay" - that seems to get a lot of attention - and has been featured on a lot of shopping websites. I also do custom photo ornaments at Christmas. I try to keep a unique style and have even started creating my own images. Image pendants have become so popular on Etsy - so it has become very competitive. I still have a good customer base - and I hope that my customer service and quality sets me apart as well.

How do you market your business?
I have a blog, an Flickr page and another website that I try to keep up with - but not too much. I hand out tons of business cards, and I do some local craft fairs. I currently have some items in some local shops as well. I am also proud to have one of my pendants currently in a catalog called "What on Earth" - that was a nice bonus for me. My target market is hard to pinpoint - I get jewelry designers who use my pendants for their own designs - and people who just want the pendant on a chain. I have some wholesale accounts for people who sell them in their shops and people who order the custom pendants as gifts. I get both men and women - all ages :)

Find seller at...
analiese.etsy.com
analiesedesigns.blogspot.com
analiesedesigns.com
flickr.com/photos/analiesedesigns
Believe it or not - I have also done some videos on YouTube - my latest is on my Blog.