Independent Designer Friday - Doodle Designs

The Independent Designer of the Week is Doodle Designs - a fantastic Etsy shop specializing in beautiful handpainted signs and home decorations

!Here is my favorite piece from Doodle Designs - DADDY first hero, first love . What an absolutely inspiring Father's Day gift!

I asked Jenny of Doodle Designs a few questions about the craft business!

How would you describe your crafts/Etsy shop?

Fun! I love to create fun pieces of art for your special place. Of course with a 3 year old daughter and 5 year old son, it isn't hard to tell where a lot of my influence comes from!

How did you get started?

I have been crafting all of my life. My mom painted wood items and went to craft shows while I was growing up and is still very crafty. I loved to "doodle" and paint, and after years of making things for my family and friends i desided (with a little nudging) to make a business out of it.

How long have you been crafting?

All 31 years (ok, so just after i could actually use crayons!)

What is your inspiration?

Color, my precious kiddos, friends, papers...everything I see really.

What is your favorite piece in your shop today?

I think my favorite piece isn't listed in my shop yet (it is coming soon!0 but as for what is IN my shop today...well, I have too many but I am partial to the "Has anyone seen my tiara?"- my little princess definitely pushed that one along!

How do you market/advertise your wares?

I have my own web boutique as well as my Etsy shop. I have more customized/personalized items in my web store than Etsy. I have a business blog (I am just getting started with that...) and a ton of word of mouth. I am so thankful for other crafty ladies who spotlight artist like me. That is a GREAT advertisement!

Any advice to fledgling crafters / entrepreneurs?

Do what you love and stick with it. The more I try to venture off in different directions the more i am reminded that it is important to stick with what you love. It will work in time and with tweaking. Start slow and build. A tree grows over time from a little seed....not overnight.

Thank you so much for this feature! I am enjoying following your blog!!

Thanks Jenny - for your information and inspiring handpainted messages!!

Independent Designer Friday - Macaroni and Glue

The Independent Designer of the Week is Macaroni and Glue - a fabulous handmade card shop at Etsy specializing in sweet sentiments and vintage images.

Here is my favorite product from Macaroni and Glue - Customized Sweet Little Girlie Just Thinking Notecards -- Set of 6 - what an absolutely adorable little girl to greet your special recipient!

I asked Kelly of Macaroni and Glue a few questions about the craft business!

How would you describe your crafts/Etsy shop?

Macaroni and Glue is filled with simple, pretty ways to send a handwritten note to someone special. I offer a wide variety of notecards and stationery, including custom announcements and invitations (and I’m adding more every day!), many with a vintage feel. All are printed and/or assembled on high quality, heavyweight cardstock that just feels good in your hands. True paper-lovers know what I mean!

How did you get started?

I’ve always made my own cards for holidays, birthdays, etc. – for me, there’s just something about the personal touch. I want my friends and family to know that they’re important to me, so I invest the extra time in making something unique for their special day.

How long have you been crafting?

At my house, I’m in charge of making sure we stay on budget every month. When I quit my corporate job to stay home with my daughter a couple of years ago, I realized we had to make some drastic cuts. One of the first spending categories to be slashed was store-bought gifts. Although I had very little experience creating anything with my hands, I was determined that I would learn to make handcrafted gifts. I have always loved to receive something handmade, and I knew that with a little practice I could put together some lovely things. And I have! After making several personalized stationery sets as gifts for friends and family, I realized I absolutely LOVED working with paper. When friends and family began re-ordering custom cards, invitations and thank yous, I started thinking, “Hmmm… If they want to pay for my cards, maybe others would too?” My sister discovered Etsy shortly thereafter and passed on the link – so here I am!

What is your inspiration?

My 2-year-old definitely influences the way I see the world. My designs often invoke a sense child-like innocence and sense of wonder. Beautiful vintage images also form the basis for many of my designs. I love the process of searching for and discovering great artwork in public domain and copyright-free images (vintage ephemera, postcards, library of congress archives, old U.S. patent office archives, historical photos, etc.). When I stumble upon something that speaks to me, I can’t wait to begin making it uniquely mine. I’ll spend hours working with a single image – smiling all the while. If, at the end of the process, it doesn’t make me want to kiss my laptop, I’ll scrap it and begin all over with something else. All day every day I’m thinking about the gorgeous graphics I have waiting for me at home. If only there were more hours in the day!

What is your favorite piece in your shop today?

I’ve got a bit of spring fever, so my favorite is probably the textured butterfly cards: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9795237

The runner-up would have to be the pinup cards – I just love her: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9684159

How do you market/advertise your wares?

I’m still working on that. I’ve only had the shop up for a few weeks, but I’ve already joined several networking sites and regularly participate in discussions and promotions. My street teams have been incredibly helpful so far too. I’ve started a blog and am really trying to keep it up. I have grand plans for designing my own web site to house a blog and a showcase, but I think that’s a ways off. I’m trying to establish realistic goals for my business, one week/month at a time. My top priority is still my family, so I have to make sure I’m balancing my time.

Any advice to fledgling crafters / entrepreneurs?

That “naked” feeling you get when you list one of your creations and begin waiting for the view counter to go up is an indication that you are creating from a deeply personal place. And that is the best thing you can do for your business. If you’re “phoning it in,” it will be obvious. If you truly love what you do and can say that each of your pieces are manifestations of who you are as an artist, your shop will reflect that.

Thanks Kelly - for your information and fresh bit of nostalgia! :>

Quote of the Week!

"Compliment three people every day."

~H. Jackson Brown from Life's Little Instruction Book

I am going to do just that today in the form of identifying three great indie artists.

First, this little pinafore dress is absolutely delicious! Iam thinking about buying this for my own daughter. It is available in size 2 - 3T. Check out the store - http://www.bellaserababy.etsy.com/.

Second (middle picture), I am in search of new diaper covers fo my daughter's cloth diapers. I found these diaper covers here - GENY. You get the benefit of helping out mother earth (no more dipes in the landfills) and your babe looks so stylish!

Third (right picture), something for mommy! I LOVE this fabric sash in the japanese print! This is so different and fab! Also, it's featuring the hot color of the season - RED! I found this fab sash here - http://www.loobyloucrafts.etsy.com/. NICE FIND!!

So, everyone else out there - pay it forward! What are your 3 compliments today??

Independent Designer Friday - Kymjewelery

The Independent Designer of the Week is Kymjewelery - a fun and fresh jewelery shop at Etsy specializing in Swarovski pearl, crystal, sterling, shell, freshwater pearl, wood, semi-precious stone, glass and ultrasuede.

Here is my favorite product from Kymjewelery - Country ultrasuede brown and turquoise necklace - This is fun take on the turquoise necklace!

I asked Kim of Kymjewelery a few questions about the craft business!

Describe your craft.

I design bridge jewelry catering to moms, brides, and fun, funky gals of all ages!

How did you get started?

A mom/friend of mine asked me to attend a jewelry design class at a local craft store. I liked an excuse to get out and be with other adults (I had a 2 year old at home) so I went to the class. I learned how to crimp in about 10 seconds. That's all I needed to get rolling.

How long have you been crafting?

I have been on a jewelry making binge going into my 6th year now. It's addictive, and being self-taught, I am still learning and growing my craft.

What is your inspiration?

Other moms. I listen and learn. That's what I tell my boys to do all the time! I get wonderful ideas from other women, and it may take me a month or a year to let the idea evolve in my head. I can have so many ideas brewing, they trip over each other at times.

What is your favorite piece in your shop? My Premiere necklaces are my favorite in that I hunt in antique shops and thrift stores to find unique pendants and pins. I turn them into unique necklaces that are, essentially, wearable art. Each necklace is different, and I never know how it will turn out. I just let myself go and the piece evolves wonderfully. I do have to admit that my proudest wares are the Breast Cancer Awareness Jewelry that I sell through the Breathing Room Foundation. I give 50% of the BCA jewelry sales straight to this foundation and they help families in the local area afflicted with cancer. What a great win-win for all. It is truly special for me.

How do you marketing your wares? I have a website that features what I do, why I do it and all of the retailers I sell to and foundations I fundraise for. Most of my success has been through personal marketing, meaning that I participate in artisan shows, craft shows and fundraisers and get the word out personally. Believe it or not, I have found that the one-on-one attention that I give to my customer, as well as the attention to detail that I give my work really seems to mean something to women who are tire of the "same old, same old". If a piece does not work for someone, I listen and learn why, then I fix it and make it BETTER. That's how I have become successful and have gained a reputation for quality and value.

What entrepreneurial advice can yo offer? Gosh, there is such a steep learning curve that I took on when getting into my own little jewelry business. I would suggest being open to new ideas, and writing them down. Having a mentor would be wonderful, and I wished that I had one to provide the shortcuts to learning....but then I might not have been as successful in how much attention I put to being myself and taking it back to the basics of running an honest, well intentioned business. Truly defining yourself and what you want to achieve is key. Do not be afraid to bounce ideas off your friends or partner. Do expect to make many mistakes, but do not hesitate to admit your shortcomings, fix it and make it better. Listen and learn.

Thanks Kim - for your information and fresh spin on classic jewelery pieces :>

Manic Monday Business Sense - Networking with Crafters

Networking is what we all need to do for our business. It is hard and takes alot of time! We all use Myspace or facebook. We all use flickr or some other photo sharing site.

Now we can all use - Networking With Crafters. It's free and can't hurt but only help.

Another great site I found is - The Switchboards - http://www.theswitchboards.com. It was started by a group of indie designing women to share ideas and tips. It has developed into a place to talk, swap ideas and info, post your site and show your crafts.

There you go - two great networking resources - now get moving!!