AlisaBurke

Name Alisa Burke

Location San Diego, CA

Business Name Alisa Burke

Describe what you sell. I am a painter and mixed media artist who recently branched out into creating and selling one of a kind accessories made from canvas paintings and recycled materials.

What is your real life like? I juggle A LOT and often feel like I don’t have a “real life”!!! By day I am the Assistant Director of Print and Brand Marketing at the University of San Diego and the rest of my life is spent working as a painter and mixed media artist. I recently wrote a book titled Canvas Remix so now I can add author to the list of things that I do. When I am not painting and creating I love to spend time outdoors with my husband, traveling and my most recent passion is cooking. I am learning more and more that the key to my survival and sanity is balance and everyday I try to make this my priority!!

What is your process? Since my background is in fine art, so much of my process revolves around drawing and painting and using simple materials- canvas and paint. Typically I will start with yards of unstretched canvas that I treat like a painting or composition- building up layers of painted images, texture and writing. Once I feel that it is complete, I then cut up my canvas painting and transform (usually by sewing) it into something new. Lately I have been using lots of recylced materials and try to take a more “green” approach to the things that I create. Often this means I will sew junk mail, fused plastic bags, and all sorts of materials that may typically get thrown out, into my art. My goals is to push myself to be creative with simple materials and redefine the concept of art.

Business Goals and Vision... Like a lot of creative entrepenuers, I have a long term goal of going completely full time as an artist without the safety net of a day job. Between my book, teaching workshops, wholesale opportunities, gallery exhibits and Etsy – I am finding that I am getting really close to this goal!! But lately I have been trying just appreciate where I am at in the process and working on embracing baby steps.

How do you market your business? Etsy of course!
Teaching is a great marketing tool
magazines
boutiques and galleries
The blog world is amazing and free marketing Online networking sites- mycraftivity, myspace, facebook, linkedIn And good ol’ fashion word of mouth!!

Do you subscribe to any business related blogs,zines or magazines? I love scouring the blogs and websites for new ideas and business inspiration- a few of my favorites are-

The Boss of You -laurenandemira.com

Naughty Secretary Club-
naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com
Jennifer Perkins has great marketing advice!

Art Biz Blog-
artbizblog.com

A Boutique Industry-
boutiqueindustry.blogspot.com

Escape From Corporate America-

escapefromcorporateamerica.blogspot.com

Indie Entrepreneur-
indieentrepreneur.blogspot.com

What inspires you? I must have music blasting when I am creating and depending on my mood this can range from punk rock to jazz to folk. I am also inspired by street art, graffiti, peeling paint, old wood, layers of time built up on the surface of a brick wall, art history, rebellious women, punk rock culture and travel.

What are two of your favorite things from your shop? The yellow numbers wallet and the floral graffiti clutch.

Am a fan of these places...

Etsy Stores

Anthropologie.com

The Sartorialist-
thesartorialist.blogspot.com

My Marrakesh-
moroccanmaryam.typepad.com

Décor 8-
decor8blog.com

Design Sponge-
designspongeonline.com


Find seller at...
alisaburke.etsy.com

alisaburke.com

alisaburke.blogspot.com

Redhead Diva's Paper Emporium

Name
Wendy Taylor (a.k.a. Redhead Diva)

Location
Northwest Arkansas

Describe what you sell.
Stickers - Etsy Shop Stickers, Thank You Stickers, Birthday Stickers, Etc.
Business Cards - Custom Designed Business Cards
Custom Rubber Stamps
Kids Stickers - Label all of your kids toys, sippee cups, etc. Weatherproof!

Business Name
Redhead Diva's Paper Emporium

What is your real life like?
I have been married for 8 years to a wonderful "computer techie" and we have 2 little Weener dogs or what we refer to as Doxies.

What is your process?
I have been a graphic designer for 10+ years. My computer and my printer are my main tools! I can't live with out them!

Business Goals and Vision...
I have only been open for about a month now so my vision is to grow my business to be a full service shop for everyone. I'd like to make 5-8 sales per day at least. I'd love to make enough to quit my day job at the ad agency I work for but that would mean 20+ orders a day!!! Someday ....

How do you market your business?
just on Etsy

Do you subscribe to any business related blogs,zines or magazines?
I subscribe to Package Design Magazine and AdAge

What inspires you?
I love to visit stationary stores and scrapbook stores. I LOVE paper!

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
My doxie stickers and my birdie in a tree stickers

Am a fan of these places...
My shop of course! I'm addicted at seeing if I have any convos!
My mother's store at netheadred.etsy.com
the promo forum on etsy
I LOVE pounce on etsy
I love shopping at jjill.com!

Find me at...
redheaddivapaper.etsy.com

Babycheeks - Fun Fashion for Little Ones

The first time I looked at Jen Dimler's Etsy shop I loved that everything matched! Some of my favorites are the Skull collection, the For the Birds collection and the Mod fabric collection! She makes blankies, bibs, burp clothes, onsies, embellished jeans, changing pads and binky/toy clips. Purchase one of each from the same collection and have a matching set! She has obviously put alot of time and thought into her line so I wanted to pick her brain- check it out....

Location
Duxbury, Massachusetts

What is your real life like?
My real life is pretty crazy. I recently went from working a very demanding full time job in consumer products marketing to one of the most challenging jobs in the world: staying home with two small children. I have a very focused and bright 4 year old boy who asks me tons of very detailed philosophical questions and a very active and mischievous 1 year old girl who gets into everything. When I am not hanging out with them, I am working part time for my husband’s law firm as a marketing manager and working on babycheeks in the wee hours of the night.

What is your process?
I like to use bright colored and fun cotton designer fabrics because they are stylish and yet durable and tough--perfect for kids. I also use soft and practical fabrics like minkey and chenille in a lot of my creations too. Absolutely everything has to be 100% washable, durable, practical and safe. And, of course, cool!

What inspires you?
My kids are a big part of my inspiration, along with my own childhood memories. I draw primarily from that. My son is currently into Robots and Cars (hence why I have those collections in my store) and The Daddy Buy Me a Pony collection and What a Doll collection was inspired by my childhood obsession with horses and paper dolls. The We'll Always Have Paris Collection was inspired from my honeymoon and love of all things French.

Business Goals and Vision...
I just opened my shop in mid-June-- it sort of just happened. I plan and think out just about everything I do, so it’s kinda funny that I didn’t really plan this, I just did it! I’m just now thinking out what my short and long term goals and plans are… Short term, I am looking to the holidays and trying to get things ready for my first holiday season on etsy. Long term, I am looking at developing my own website, producing press and sales kits and developing the wholesale portion of the business.

How do you market your business?
I have two target markets: Educated and stylish moms looking for fashion-forward, one-of-a-kind items for their kids and gift givers looking for that special baby gift that is sure to impress. I know this business well, not only because I’m trained in marketing and a mom myself, but because I used to develop mass-market baby products for a very well known baby brand. I go where the expectant and first time moms go. Because babycheeks is still very small and my marketing budget is virtually non-existent, my advertising and promotion has been focused on grass roots mommy sites, blogs and a word-of-mouth campaign. I have to be very creative! Once my website is up and running though, I plan on getting more aggressive with PR and hope to participate in at least one American Baby Faire in 2009 as well.

Do you subscribe to any business related blogs, zines or magazines?
Actually, most of my subscriptions are to mommy magazines and websites/blogs. I don't currently subscribe to any business magazines or blogs/e-zines, but I am one of the weirdos that loves the business part of my craft as much as I love the craft itself!

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
This is tough! I guess anything in the What a Doll Collection, especially the jeans. I just love that fabric, and it’s been very popular with my customers as well. I also love the Roll with It Sushi Collection too. It’s just so chic and fun, but unisex too. It has also been very popular.

Am a fan of these places...
www.facebook.com
www.boston.com
www.perezhilton.com
www.etsy.com
www.mommytrackd.com

Find babycheeks at...
www.babycheeks.etsy.com
www.shopbabycheeks.blogspot.com

MyFriendRoze - Jewelry Artist

I am pleased to introduce you to the work of Rose from myfriendroze on Etsy. Rose specialized in silver work- making bracelets, necklaces, rings and some other fun things in interesting shaped and textures. She is just getting started on Etsy so check her shop out and add her to your favorites as she is always coming up with new ways to make her craft stand out from the crowd.
Read the interview....

Name Rose Braunstein

Business Name
My jewelry line is called myfriendroze. I got that name from my old life in the music industry. I was making jewelry all the time and one of the famousies I worked for asked for a ring for free. He then promptly lost it, so I made another one- he lost that too. He then asked for another one, and I said "you'll have to buy it like everyone else" he then said "don't you want my publicity for free?" I replied "why yes I do absolutely want your publicity for free---what's my last name?" He had no idea. So I said "what kind of publicity am I getting? do you just say "my friend rose made it?"

Location Los Angeles CA - specifically Glassel Park/Eagle Rock

Describe what you sell.
Handmade sterling silver and 14k (usually rose colored) gold with semiprecious and precious stones thrown in for good measure.

What is your real life like?

Real life? well for several (I'm too young to say exactly how many) years I did radio promotion in the music industry...until about a year ago, I had it and quit to travel the world (in no particular order I went to Israel, Egypt, Peru, Argentina, Turkey, England, Ireland and Romania -to name a few) to buy crafts, and make jewelry and sculpture. I was always making jewelry in my "spare" time" but never selling it or anything like that. I was a sculpture major at Parsons, but somehow got caught up in music and lost a few years there. So now I sit at home with my female dog George and cat Puppycat and try to create and not worry about bills. (for some reason they keep coming I can't stop them)

What is your process?

Though I was a sculpture major I am self taught in jewelry- so everything is a happy accident. I hope that I can figure things out as I go- many times I cannot and there are piles of wasted lovely materials lying around. Most recently I tried my hand at making a mold for casting... I used plaster and then poured wax into it... it didn't work as well as I had hoped- although I did get a few pieces of "bubblewrap" jewelry out of it.. so I am going to try rubber later in the week.

Business Goals and Vision...

My bubblewrap and I plan to take over the world. Ok well first I hope to make a few sales on Etsy and get into some more brick and mortar stores. I am looking for a rep but don't know how to find one really. I need one that deals with one of a kind items.. I always want to be involved in making the jewelry so although maybe I should want to be in mass merchants I don't know that it will ever be possible since I can't make 400 items a day by myself.

How do you market your business?
Mostly online with social networking sites (and your blog) and through friends in the music industry and word of mouth.

What inspires you?
I'm one of those people that has some version of ADD- though I think that term is overused- for example I'm hammering circles for something and I go to wash my hands and there are bubbles and then I remember bubblewands from when I was a kid and I want to make something that looks like a bubblewand and then I do, and then I think well how can this be a ring too, and then I see mosaic and I think how can I put mosaic in my pieces and then I have to send something and there is bubblewrap and I want to cast it and then I see something orange and I want my displays to be orange and then I get hungry.


What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
I really do love my new bubblewrap pieces if I haven't mentioned that enough and I also love my new bubble mosaic pieces.

Am a fan of these places...
Facebook
Etsy
Flickr
Myspace
Google
I wish it was Paypal

Find Rose at...
myfriendroze.etsy.com
myfriendroze.com

flickr.com/photos/myfriendroze/
little-corners.blogspot.com/

Trixiedelicious.com Vandalized Vintage

I am so excited to introduce you to my first ever featured artist. I LOVE her stuff. Her pieces are a winning combination of vintage, word art and edginess. There is something so appealing about the comfort and memories that the vintage prints evoke contrasted with the irreverent words that are featured on some of my favorite pieces. Because they are vintage and hand painted they are all unique. This is a PG rated blog so I can't show you my absolute favorites (those are PG13 and R rated)- visit her shop to see them- you may laugh out loud and hopefully start making a list of girlfriends you would like to gift these to. Read on to read the interview....

Name
Trix-I’m also known as Karen, born on Halloween night

Location
Auckland New Zealand

Describe what you sell.
Reworked vintage china- preloved with added text or drawings in heat fused ceramic paint

What is your real life like?
Mother of two teens, married, one old dog and a cat. I’m a sculptor with a BFA from the late 80s I love comedy and rock n roll, Mexico, old boat sheds, fishing, kayaking and painting.
I also enjoy embroidery.

What is your process?
I uses Pebeo porcelain paint from France and a mapping pen which I learned to use years ago working as a graphic designer. I also use brushes.

Business Goals and Vision...
I always thought what I was doing was a fad or might be hit and miss with no market, so I have been surprised by it’s success so far. I’m completely open to where it will go.

How do you market your business?
I haven’t as yet taken out any adverts as the business/publicity comes to me. I’m probably as busy as I can manage by myself. My daughter helps with my admin to ease the workload.I like to do craft shows, just to meet my audience and get one on one feedback, so I’m involved in local shows every month.

What inspires you?
Inspiration comes from everywhere. People suggest new words all the time. The urban dictionary is great. Assemblage ideas I have come from the vintage plates that turn up.

What are two of your favorite things from your shop?
I’m proud of the the Kills and Ting Tings plates as I really think the bands are great and the hairdos are the most fun to do.


Am a fan of these places...
I was and still am a curster fan- curster.com.
Also I shop at toggle.co.nz.
I’m keen on many etsians, birdspoke, lusterbunny, scrapatorium, luxford st


Find Trix at...
trixiedelicious.com
trixiedelicious.etsy.com
toggle.co.nz under object art
felt.co.nz