JennGee- Coffee Corsets

Today I am pleased to introduce a fantastic artist.. Jenn George Burt. Jenn makes these chic, functional and eco-friendly "coffee corsets" in such a wide variety of styles and colors that you will have a hard time picking your favorite! Learn more about her and the coffee corset...

Name
Jenn George Burt

Location
Raleigh, NC

Business Name
Jenn Gee! (she made this for me)

Describe what you sell.
Primarily I sell a little invention that I call a Coffee Corset, which is a basically a small quilt that is laced up and is intended to replace those wasteful cardboard cuffs that you get when you buy fancy cups of coffee. I also sell handmade goodies for Blythe and Pullip dolls, supplies, and (most recently) felt bead ponytail holders. Before the holiday buying season arrives I hope to add quilted coasters and leather coasters to my main shop as well. However, what I sell is not necessarily a full picture of what I like to create. One of my main passions is quilting and over the past 5 or 6 years I've become very interested in creating art quilts using unusual materials and techniques. It is difficult to sell these creations (both because they are my "babies" and because selling expensive textile items online is quite challenging) so I create and sell my other things, which I also enjoy making, to supplement my income and to make it possible for me to pursue my artistic visions without worrying if I can afford to buy the materials and tools I need to get where I want to go artistically.


What is your real life like?
I graduated from NC State University in 1999 with a degree in Middle School Math and Science Education. I was prepared to jump right into a middle school science teacher roll at that point. However, I got an offer that I couldn't refuse and, instead, became an employee of the math department at NCSU. One of my primary jobs there is working with an online finite math course, which means I sit at my computer and help students understand probability and matrices and other basic linear algebra type things. I am also the go-to person for the department for such things as online homework and many other aspects of teaching college in the computer age! I work primarily from home so I spend a lot of my time in my pajamas, which suits me just fine. I really, really love my job and can't imagine ever switching to a regular 9-to-5 job (mostly because they'd require me to get up early in the morning AND wear pants!). I just got married this summer and I'm enjoying every second of married life right now. My husband, Wes, has a culinary degree but is currently going back to school to become a teacher. Since we both have the summers off we managed to extend our honeymoon into a "honeymonth" and had a blast cruising the western Caribbean, being mellow on the beaches of Topsail Island, and running from roller coaster to roller coaster at Busch Gardens. We are the proud "parents" of a fat, lazy beagle named Jada and a certifiably crazy orange cat named Jaspurr.


What is your process?
There is nothing really "special" about the basic techniques that I use to create my pieces - they are the same techniques that have been used for generations by those who sew and create with textiles. However, as with many artistic endeavors, it is how you apply basic techniques and general knowledge that makes your creations special and all your own. I spend a lot of time learning new skills and finding newer, faster, better ways to bring what is in my head into the "real world". Many times I'll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea for a finished piece in my head and then I'll spend the next week or month trying to figure out how to best make it come to life. Sometimes this means that I have to veer far off the regular track and borrow techniques from other disciplines and adapt them to work with textiles. It is a very rewarding process and I feel that I learn something new and interesting all the time.


Business Goals and Vision...
My major short term goal is to get a lot of Coffee Corsets made so that I'm ready for the holiday rush. Last year I did very well through November and December, but I could have done even better if I'd had more inventory. I was selling out practically every day and spent many, many late nights frantically making new Coffee Corsets just so the shop wouldn't sit empty. It was exciting and tiresome at the same time. This year I'm hoping to have so many Coffee Corsets ready that I can simply enjoy the excitement without so much of the pressure! As for long term goals I hope to keep adding new lines and investigating new ways to advertise and get the word out. So far I've relied mostly on word of mouth advertising and it has worked out well for me, but I want to begin to challenge myself constantly to find new and creative ways to get my product in front of even more people so that I continue to grow and expand.


How do you market your business?
As I said before, mostly I've been relying on word of mouth advertisement. I participate in the forums and I've joined my local street team www.nctriangle.blogspot.com. I'm thrilled to have been featured on a large number of blogs and, most recently, I shared the spotlight in an article in a major newspaper.


Do you subscribe to any business related blogs, zines or magazines?
No, but I'm constantly reading about business related topics in the forums and trying to soak in as much as I can.

What inspires you?
Pretty much anything can inspire me to create, but usually I will find a fabric that I adore and it will lead me down a path. Other times I'm inspired by functionality. I'll think "it would be cool to make something that does *blah*" and then I will come up with a way to make it come to life in a fun and unique way.


What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
My Coffee Corsets, of course, have to be included in any list of favorites - both because I really enjoy making them and because I love the feeling I get when someone else enjoys owning one. Of all the currently listed Coffee Corsets I'd have to say that this one is my personal favorite:
(pictured above) And it is my mom's favorite as well, which is how it got the name "Mom's Favorite"! I'm also thrilled with my new line of felt bead ponytail holders.
(pictured to the right)

Am a fan of these places...
* karenssoaps.etsy.com - Karen is a member of my street team, but before I even knew that she lived right around the corner from me I was in love with her soaps.
* SeaFindDesigns.etsy.com - I "met" Tracy in the forums when I first joined Etsy and I just love what she does with sea glass. My mother-in-law wears the piece that I bought for her all the time.
* magpiemama.etsy.com - Cynthia is just a fabulous person in general and her shop is adorable! When I was first considering opening my shop for Blythe and Pullip items I was in need of a Blythe doll model (which are very expensive). I posted in the forums that I was looking to buy one. Cynthia was only an Etsy buyer at the time, but she was lurking in the forums and saw my plea. She let me BORROW one of her Blythe dolls! I was amazed by her trust and generosity. We became pen pals after that and I suggested that she open her own shop. She did and now look how well she is doing! You have to check out her shop even if you don't have a "creepy big headed doll" you like to buy for.
* myspace.com - I was on myspace before myspace was cool. I don't do much advertising there other than dropping an Etsy mini on my page. Basically I use it to keep up with old friends and to keep them informed about what is going on in my life. I also use it to find out about local bands and events - which is always fun.
* webassign.net - Ok, so it is boring, but it is really where I spend most of my online time. It is an online homework program ... um, yeah ... and you probably thought I was cool until I listed this. Oh, well - not everything in my life is exciting :)


Find seller at...
jenngee.etsy.com
SmallWonderful.etsy.com
isupply.etsy.com

BallAndChain Jewelry

I am in love with Katrina Ballings jewelry creations! Here sterling silver silhouette collection is da BOMB! She makes other types of jewelry as well, another of my favorites being her crocheted chain necklaces. Truly inspired! and inspiring....take a look....

Name
Katrina Balling

Location
Redhook, Brooklyn NY

Business Name
Ballandchain Jewelry

Describe what you sell
I have a variety of jewelry... I will describe it based on the sections in my store:
Kitschy silhouettes- Hand sawn sterling silver silhouette necklaces mostly with a tool or everyday object theme.
Crocheted chain necklaces
Open the door - Necklaces featuring vintage keys, or solid silver castings of my favorite keys.
Casting Call- Jewelry made with the lost wax casting method
Asymmetry- Necklaces made with a focus on asymmetrical design or combinations of chain, stones, and or beads Vintage Reinvented-Vintage findings & parts remade into new jewelry designs Simplicity - Pretty stones or special beads simply on chain Semi Precious earrings Vintage Beads- designs made with a focus on unique & colorful vintage glass beads.
Chunky Chain - simple large bold chain necklaces

What is your real life like?
Job-I do surface design for a home furnishings
company.
I also make oil paintings, and just had a show this
past January in NH. I would have to say after my job,
my painting, jewelry making and Etsy, my hobby is
sewing, though I haven't done that in a long time! I
also like to crochet scarves, and will do that to &
from work on the subway in the winter.
I am happily married to my husband who is also a
painter. We have a cat & dog. We are both originally
from NH, but love our life in Brooklyn & love the
city.


What is your process?
My process is to work on what I am the most interested
in at the time. I suppose I use whatever I need to
realize my ideas. Mostly I have been concentrating on
my hand sawn shapes, but recently I have been
experimenting with the lost wax process. I enjoy
working with the wax-getting back to sculpture, which
I originally went to school for. After learning to
crochet 2 years ago I immediately tried it with chain
& love the result.

Business Goals and Vision...
I love that Etsy gives me an easy to use venue &
presence online. I hope to develop my online presence
more, I think website each for both my painting and my
jewelry are short term goals.
Long term plans, I hope to always be making things and
being creative.

How do you market your business?
I mostly market my business on Etsy itself. I have
images on flicker and indiepublic, but find it hard to
spend time there. I'd rather be in my studio working.
I do have some jewelry in a couple local stores in
Redhook- Atlantis...Found, and at another fellow
Etsian's store: Metal and Thread, and in Philadelphia
at VIX Emporium, another Etsian.


Do you subscribe to any business related blogs,zines or magazines?
Blogs:
dailycandy
rarebird finds
cakespy
etsy finds
Magazines:
readymade magazine
otherwise whatever magazine catches my eye on the news
stand.
I suppose it may be less business related, more for
researching fashion & trend.

What inspires you?
Color is definitely a huge obsession. I can sit &
play with it forever! I love to see vibrant colors
work together. Color makes me happy. I love to
collect vintage glass beads because of this, and
sometimes find them hard to part with. Also I think
jewelry making satisfies my need to hoard pretty shiny
things.
Also humor, is an inspiration. I find humor in making
images of everyday objects into a piece of adornment.
I wish my work to have a sense of playfulness,
sometimes to actually be a visual joke. Wouldn't it be
funny if...


What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
Underpants sterling silver necklace
Milk Jug sterling silver necklace
I suppose I think they are the funniest!

Am a fan of these places...
www.reprodepot.com
www.contemporarycloth.com
printpattern.blogspot.com
www.terryberry.etsy.com
www.gretchenwagoner.etsy.com

Find seller at...
jewelry:
www.ballandchain.etsy.com

painting:
www.mcgowanfineart.com/balling.html

Strategies To Try If Your Crafts Aren't Selling

When a product isn't selling you have three other choices: Stop trying to sell it, change it, or make something else. An here are four ways you can change a product to make it more appealing to buyers:

1. Change your prices

2. Change the materials being used

3. Change your colors or designs

4. Change the name or function of your product

CHANGE YOUR PRICES. The price you place on a product has a great deal to do with whether it will sell or not. Before you even think of lowering the price of a hard-to-sell product, try first to change it in some way to make buyers feel it is worth more to them.

CHANGE MATERIALS. The type and quality of the materials you use in your work automatically determines your market and the prices you can charge for it. Some materials are ordinary or plain, while others are unusual or luxurious. When you elect to work with common materials, buyers may expect your prices to be common as well. When you use luxurious or exotic materials, however, you automatically attract more affluent buyers.

For example, you can either make teddy bears for children, using inexpensive washable furs from your local sewing store, or make designer bears for collectors, using expensive imported fur such as Mohair. Whereas a teddy bear for kids might sell for $15 to $25, collectors will pay ten times this price for a one-of-a-kind bear. If you make furniture or wooden accessories, you can either use a common wood like pine and price it for the general public, or use uncommon or exotic woods that will appeal to buyers with bigger pocketbooks.

CHANGE COLORS OR DESIGNS. Even when you are using the right materials for a product, it may not sell if your colors or designs are wrong for the times. Stay aware of what's hot and what's not where colors are concerned, and strive always for more originality in your designs.

CHANGE PRODUCT NAME OR FUNCTION. What you call your products has a great deal to do with whether they will sell or not, so try calling them something other than what most people might call them. For example, let's assume that you make wheat weavings. They might sell at higher prices if you presented them as "Wheat Art Sculptures" or "WheatArt Collectibles." That's because some people automatically expect to pay more for a product if they feel they are buying "art" instead of "craft." To further illustrate, a wheat weaving affixed to a plaque might be perceived as "craft" while a wheat weaving in a shadow box behind glass might be considered "art." (And the extra benefit is that this product won't be soiled after it has hung on the wall for a couple of years.)

To change the function of a wheat weaving presently being sold as a plaque, consider placing it in a box with a recessed top so the arrangement is permanently preserved under glass. Such a box could be lined in leather or turned into a velvet-lined jewelry box. Now you've not only changed the function, but the name as well. And by adding a high-quality music mechanism that might add less than $10 to your materials cost, you could easily ask four times the price for this product because now the product has become a handcrafted music box.

Wheat weavings also make charming Christmas ornaments. The same people who aren't interested in another picture to hang on the wall may find it hard to resist buying another ornament for their tree. Or, think "jewelry," always of interest to most women. Think "pendants" and "earrings" and "designer pins," and remember that the quality of your metal findings will determine the price you can ask for jewelry. People will always pay more for gold-plated or sterling silver jewelry.

As you can see, price, material, color, design and a product's name and function all work together where sales are concerned. Apply the above logic to your craftwork and see what happens.

MAKE SOMETHING ELSE. Sometimes the only logical solution to sluggish sales is to make something else. Whatever your art or craft, if you're not selling at a profit after a certain length of time, it may be that you're simply in a rut on the wrong road to sales success. Let this be your signal to stop and think about new roads you might explore.

As any successful seller will tell you, changing directions in midstream is all part of the fun of selling what you make. Instead of waiting for a pot of gold that may never appear, make some changes. As someone once said, you cannot expect different results if you keep doing the same thing. Creative ideas will come if you will make the effort to stretch your imagination. To do this, pay attention to what others are doing.

Read. Network. Experiment. Turn left instead of right. Ask "what if?" and "why not?" Dare to be different.

Adapted from barbarabrabec.com

Parisol Supplies

Name
Wendy Doss

Business Name
Parisol (spelled wrong intentionally!)

Location
San Francisco

Describe what you sell
Parisol offers quality supplies:sterling silver and vermeil findings,vintage jewelry components,exquisite gemstones, freshwater pearls, rare beads and eclectic flea market finds. Some items are destash. If I only need a half of a strand of gemstones why not sell the other half...we all save money. Some of my best sellers are sterling silver charms and pendants from Los Angeles, people seem to like angel wings, crowns, skeleton keys and fleur de lys motifs. Sterling and vermeil ball end headpins. Vermeil headpins are on order, I promise!! They sold out very fast this round

How do you market yourself? What is your target market?
On every order, I send out a "thank you" notice, along with shipping tracking info, and an invitation to join my mailing list. I think it's also good idea to add each customer or potential customer as a favorite seller and a favorite piece or two as well. I send out email messages ocassionally, and only when I've acquired some exciting new or popular product. My target market is jewelry designers that use quality or vintage components in their wares.

What do you offer that sets you apart from the other supply sellers on Etsy?
I've been told that I am the only seller to offer 26 gauge vermeil ball end headpins, which is nice and thin enough to fit through tiny gemstones. As a jewelry designer myself I noticed in my searches a lack of quality sterling silver supplies on Etsy so I thought it would be a good idea to offer some. I'm pretty picky about products and I believe that the goods I choose to sell should be something I love and would use myself. I am always on the hunt for new treasures and unique and special finds for etsy, that's half the fun!

What is your “real” life like?
Let's see, I live in an old victorian dwelling in SF with tons of character with my husband Mark and my two cats Ferdinand and Isadora. For many years I worked full time downtown with the last couple of years also running an online jewelry business putting in 60+ hours per week, dreaming of the day I can do what I love instead. I eventually decided to try work part time, which was great for a while, until I was layed off. Now, I work full time at maintaining my three etsy shops {antique artisan jewelry, gemstone jewelry & supplies store}, as well as, filling in doing odd jobs, ie. helping friends paint, organize and sometimes gardening. I've been miraculously making it work for about a year now! I also love the movies, entertaining, and am a bit of a foodie.

Any offers you want to give blog readers?
Mention you read about my shop in Debbie's blog and receive free shipping on your first order!

Find seller at...
parisol.etsy.com

MyLittleOogabooga- Plushs

Name
Danielle Lindqvist

Location
Sydney, Australia

Business Name
My Little Oogabooga

Describe what you sell. Quirky plush toys such as monsters, robots, ninjas and some humans

What is your real life like? I live with my partner of six years in a tiny one bedroom flat. I trained for 5 years as a set/costume designer for theatre and film. Due to a shortage of employment in my field I work in visual merchandising. My Little Ooogabooga was born out of boredom and a need for a creative outlet between jobs. My real dream was to be a production designer/concept artist for film, animation and video games. I love art, theatre, film, fashion, photography, video games, fibre arts & plushies. Music, animation, literature. History, mythology, and good stories. Culture and travel. Vintage and antique furniture/clothes/anything!!- but MUST be authentic. I treasure my 50's Norman Hartnell ball gown. I love playing pool although have become quite rusty.

What is your process?
I free hand draw up a squiggle on a piece of paper, cut it out and use it as a rough guide - they often change shape as I cut out the shapes. Quite often I just see where my scissors take me, and my mood affects how they turn out, whether they will be cheeky or sweet or even grumpy. I love to see the construction in an object and have a bold, chunky feel to it, so my toys are not meant to be 'perfect' or precisely measured with hidden seams however they are well sewn and very detailed. I spend hours on each one, cutting out bits of felt and fabrics and trying this button and that button. The only tools I use are my favorite little scissors and a needle, measuring tapes only come out for listing on Etsy. My toys are never the same, they may have similiar shapes however I would get terribly bored making identical toys. I try to only use natural materials, the one exception being the buttons. I only use pure wool felt, acrylic felt is scratchy and unsuitable for cuddles. The fabrics I use are cotton, usually quilting fabrics because I need quite small patterns. I'm sure the ladies in my local fabric shop groan when I come in because I usually buy 15 centimetre strips of 50 different fabrics in one go. I apologise profusely. I don't give them a name or create stories for them because I believe that is your job and feel quite passionate about this. I trust that the customer will call them something that is right and sentimental for you. I love to hear back from my customers what they have called them!

Business Goals and Vision...
This is a question I think about constantly. I would love to grow my business so that I could quit my day job which I hate, but at this stage it is not viable. I doubt it could ever be viable unfortunately, as each toy takes me up to eight hours and I could never justify charging more to make it worthwhile. There are only so many toys I can make outside a full time job, forcing me to be very selective about any reselling offers. I generally don't wholesale as it takes me away from Etsy for too long, and I struggle to get any high levels of stock as it is. At the moment I can only really handle Etsy. People often ask me why I don't take them to China but there are several reasons why I won't do that. Firstly, I believe it's the hand made nature, care and heart I put into them that make them what they are. Secondly I'm a firm believer in the fair trade concept, I couldn't live with myself knowing human beings were been treated unfairly to make my toys. It is a fantastic hobbie that I couldn't live without now, and I make more for the love and therapy of it for myself rather than for the money. In saying that it has made life a little easier to have some extra cash around. So until cloning comes into our daily lives I'll be plugging along the same road.

How do you market your business? I don't really. Marketing is my downfall, I'm absolutely terrible at self promotion. My idea of marketing is to leave a business card on the bus or in the serviette holder at a cafe. I have been so lucky with people approaching me to feature me on their blogs, and am grateful anyone finds me at all!

What inspires you?
I love putting fabrics and chunks of colours together, that really excites me. The brighter the better. My materials guide me, and noting is more exciting than a fresh piece of bold coloured felt and all the possibilities that my collection of fabrics and threads offer. I adore pop art, artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Strong iconic imagery inspires me dating back to the 50's. Anime and illustration inspire me, etsy artists like Ashleyg. Film directors Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Peter Jackson.

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
I was pretty happy with my first Sumos (PICTURED), and I also like this robot (also pictured)

Am a fan of these places...
etsy.com
alyoisiusspyker.etsy.com
postsecret.blogspot.com/
sleeveface.com/
icanhascheezburger.com/

Find seller at...
mylittleoogabooga.etsy.com
flickr.com/photos/mylittleoogabooga
indiepublic.com/profile/mylittleoogabooga
leeloo.com.au
myspace.com/mylittleoogabooga
cberrybaby.com