Metalicious

Name
Stephanie Maslow-Blackman

Location
New York City

Business Name
Metalicious

Describe what you sell.
I sell sterling silver and genuine gemstone jewelry made by me. I hope to bring joy and fun to my customer's lives through wearable fashion jewelry.

What is your real life like?
I'm a stay-at-home mom 3 days a week. My son is 3 1/2 and absolutely hilarious. The other two days I end up packing in consulting work for large jewelry manufacturers, making my own work for metalicious, running family errands, running (I'm training for a 5k in October), taking more jewelry classes and just continuing to learn and grow. I'm married to a guy who produces commercials for Comedy Central, we live in New York City and have two loving little felines. Well, one is skinny and the other is a big, fat lady.

What is your process?
Most of my ideas come when I'm daydreaming, or right before I fall asleep. I like to build the piece in my head first and then hit the bench to actually make it. I love working with sterling silver and gold, and gemstones-- buying gemstones is like going to the candy store! I use traditional metalsmithing techniques. Soldering, wax carving, wire work. I've been doing this for over 10 years and I'm still learning new things.

Business Goals and Vision...
I'd like to get into more retail stores and develop a more secure flow of income. Long term I'd like to grow my business into a bigger small business, something big enough to provide for my family but small enough to still be enjoyable so it doesn't kill my love for the craft.

How do you market your business?
I do co-op ads in local newspapers and magazines.

Do you subscribe to any business related blogs, zines or magazines?
Yes, all of them, as many as I can.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by texture and form. I love moving metal, learning new techniques and applying them to my work.

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
So hard to choose, I love all my babies equally!! But I do have a special connection to my St. Valentine necklace (in pink gold) and my bubble studs are just sweet everyday earrings.

Am a fan of these places...
www.onegarnetgirl.etsy.com
www.glassfiction.blogspot.com
www.artezn.com
www.starsandinfinitedarkness.com
www.asianicandystore.com/icandystore

Find seller at...
www.metalicious.com
www.metalicious.etsy.com
www.trunkt.org/metalicious

MissEvilKitty- How to Pick up Those Sluggish Sales

From what I understand a lot of people have hopes and dreams of making money on Etsy. People are asking ‘why am I not selling”? Well, you have to factor in that the sales / season is slow. Are you doing your part ?
Are you sending business cards in swaps?
Are you doing craft shows on the side?
Are you advertising out side of Etsy like Myspace, indie public, face book, message boards, etc?
How many items are you adding daily or weekly?

Whether you’re a newbie or have been on Etsy for awhile, remember this :
1. Great pictures are a must.
2. Spell check every thing -M-WORD or WORD PERFECT are great for this.
3. Post in the forums on Etsy or at one of the places listed above.
4. Add an item every day, or renew an item.
5. Get a mentor- you can find advice about doing this on the Etsy forums.
6. Explore blogs- you can also find people promoting their blogs in the "Promotions" section of the Etsy forums.
7. Explore new crafts or branch out in different ways within your own craft.
8. If you need banners, etc find some one to help.
9. Get out of your comfort zone .. think out side of the box ex. visit local shops that sell local indie designer items and pitch your stuff!
10. Give great customer service!

Hope those are helpful tips for you to jumpstart you sales! Good Luck!

Cats Paw Artifacts

Name
Judy Richards

Location
Portland, OR
Business Name
Cats Paw Artifacts

Describe what you sell.
I sell lampwork beads, precious metal clay charms and pendants, jewelry using semi precious stones and my lampwork and the fine silver.
What is your real life like?
I work at home, love MadMen, Sex and the City, am married. I love Portland, it is a beautiful city. I have 2 cats hence the name Cats's Paw.
What is your process?
My favorite lampwork is organic with a very earthy feeling. I like combining glass with pmc (fine silver) I also do some sculptural lampwork, cats, flowers.
Business Goals and Vision...
My goal is to have a thriving on line business. Right now my main income is through local shows - I also hope in the future to do some national shows and get to travel.

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by the colors of the seasons and nature mainly.
Am a fan of these places...
One of my favorite suppliers is Arrow Springs for glass.
Find seller at...
Ebay
Etsy
Blog

KatieKutthroat

Name
Katie "Kutthroat" Weeks

Location
Muscle Shoals, Alabama

Business Name
Needles & Pins

Describe what you sell.
I sell anything from needlepoint pieces, framed or purses, etc.. to jewelry..


What is your real life like?
I really enjoy crafts, haha.. They keep me pretty busy. I work in the food industry as a cook.. When I am not there I spend time with my amazing boyfriend, enjoy a craft night with my friends "The Crafty Cunts." Or just enjoy watching a movie, I am a huge fan of comedies and Judd Apatow.


What is your process?
It depends on what I do. If I am doing a cross stitch, I use cross stitch canvas.. thread.. needles.. If it is embroidery, I use fabrics, a lot of felt and usually a cute Sublime Stitching Pattern. If it is jewelry then I have to have my pliers for wire wrapping and cutting, and I usually use sterling silver pieces.

Business Goals and Vision...
My goals long term are just to be able to continue to have a shop on the side. I just had my first custom order and it was so thrilling to be asked to do a piece for someone! I guess I will end up doing something more job wise for a career but I would love to continue doing this on the side. I am not trying to get rich or live off the pieces I do sell, I really just want it to pay for itself so I can continue doing what I love.

How do you market your business?

I am new to the promoting game so I haven't really done a lot of marketing. I try to post pieces on websites that I am involved with such as crafster.org or etsy.com or blogspot.com

you can check me out on any of these sites.. http://katiekutthroat.etsy.com, http://katiekutthroat.blogspot.com, and http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=85517

What inspires you?
Art, video games, comedy, tattoo flash, etc

Who is your favorite musical artist
I think one of my favorites is Mike Kinsella.. anything he is involved with I love.


Am a fan of these places...
I check etsy.com, craftster.org, myspace.com, blogspot.com, and my gmail.. hehe.

Find seller at...
you can find me at any of the links I included up above and my myspace http://www.myspace.com/katiekutthroat

UltraRipe

Name
Sara Santora

Location
Montclair, NJ

Business Name
Ultraripe

Describe what you sell.
I sell hand silk screened illustrations predominantly on children's t's. Themes are pure childhood notions with a more informed eye.

What is your real life like?
I have two daughters, ages 5 & 3, a husband and two cats. Until early in 2008 I was working full time as an art director in the city. My younger daughter is at home with me, while my older daughter just started school. I'm usually able to work on drawing and sketching out ideas with my children around. I often get up early or work late to do the actual printing. I've also been doing some freelance graphic design work for a few clients, so that takes up time. I'd like to be able to make enough money from my business in the next year to not have to do that. Besides work I like visiting new places and going on bike rides. I'm the one everyone's honking at while I bike my child to school.

What is your process?
I make a pretty tight sketch that I scan. Initially I was just cleaning up the scans in Photoshop, but I've since switched to tracing it in Illustrator. I then print it out, and make a traditional screen. Next I print on either t-shirts or paper. I usually don't print more than 10 at a time.

Business Goals and Vision...
In the short term I plan on varying the product line with new designs and different types of pieces to print on. I'll probably try some teen/adult tees for one. In the longer term I plan on working on a larger scale. I'd like to try some floor and wall coverings.

How do you market your business?
I'm pretty new to this, and am just beginning to find out how to market my line.

What inspires you?
I get a lot of my inspiration from the youth culture that I just see around me. The adult culture as well. I get ideas flipping through magazines. For the past 8 years I was working as a graphic designer then art director predominantly in the luxury goods market. What I saw there also greatly influenced me. It fascinates me to see the things people can obsess over.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
My favorite summer song is definitely Doin' Time by Sublime.


Am a fan of these places...
http://www.bantjes.com/
http://www.art-dept.com/
http://www.misterrob.co.uk/
http://www.hollywouldmother.blogspot.com/ (a dear friend) http://bloom-grow-love.blogspot.com/
Not necessarily in that order...

Find seller at...
http://www.ultraripe.com/
http://www.ultraripe.etsy.com