Why I started my Etsy shop: Stories from the Buffalo Etsy Team

More than ever Etsy is connecting with individuals who want to sell their handmade and vintage items.  The Buffalo Etsy Team has seen a growth in members and with that a lot of new sellers want to know - how did you get started and why? So we asked some team members and here are their stories.

Jessie of Pigknit sells illustrated prints, clip art and other printables, and she's been selling on Etsy since 2012.

"I sell illustrated prints on Etsy. Years ago I opened an Etsy shop and listed a few items. I didn't know what I was doing, my listings were terrible, and after the unsold items expired I let my shop sit empty for years. It wasn't until a friend expressed interest in a series of alphabet prints I had designed that I decided to try listing them on my old shop. This time, with experience working in branding and marketing from my day job, I took Etsy more seriously and it paid off. I made my first sale within 2 days, and Etsy has since become a much bigger part of my life than I had ever anticipated."

Erica of PECollectibles and a team leader is a collector who sells vintage pieces ranging from jewelry to historic photos to books. She's been selling on Etsy since 2011.

"I am a vintage seller and have always had a passion for preserving history especially in Buffalo. This passion probably comes from my family who taught me about antiques and history beginning as a child. After having little financial success at flea markets and other selling venues, a friend suggested I sell on Etsy. Once I made my first sale I knew I could grow this into a nice part time business and it has been very enjoyable for me."

KitchStudios began in 2010.  Erin is a designer and screen printer who sells kitchen and home accessories including tea towels, table runners and other retro and vintage themed decor.

"My husband and I got started screen printing when we were both in touring bands and wanted to make our own merchandise. When I had my daughter, I let my recording contract run out and became a stay at home mom, while my husband ran our shop out of the Larkin building downtown.  When I found Etsy, I fell head over heels in love with their mission about hand made goods and decided to give it a go as a work from home mom. I started small with two tea towel designs and have grown every year since!"

Karin of KarinLorenc makes stoneware pottery coffee mugs, bowls, and serving pieces in bright modern colors.  She's been selling her pieces on Etsy since 2008.

"I've always loved working with clay. I started making pottery in my home after finding a rustic old kick wheel at a garage sale. I'm a minimalist so I couldn't keep everything for myself. I found Etsy almost 9 years ago, and I've been selling my mugs and bowls here ever since."

Jessica makes women's accessories including unique silk flower hair clips, bobby pins, earrings and necklaces. She opened her shop, Fast|crawl, in 2011.

"Mine is a story akin to the chicken and the egg; which came first? I don't remember if I had the idea for flower hair clips first or the materials, but at some point in 2011, I found myself in possession of two 100 gallon totes full of silk flowers, and Fast|crawl was born. I had found Etsy in 2008 through...StumbleUpon? Word of mouth? Sheer happenstance? and was hooked - I knew I had a ready made market, but didn't know where to begin. Four years later I'm still finding things to tweak, though my focus has shifted and I'm finding more business success. There would be no Fast|crawl if it weren't for the platform Etsy has provided."

Dan sells a wide range of handmade pieces including Concrete Decor, Original Art, Limited Edition Art & Photography Prints, Art Cards Editions and Originals (ACEOs), Jewelry and more.  He began his shop, DanDoroArtAndDesign, in 2009.

"I opened my Etsy Shop so that I could share my creative work online with a diverse array of people. My hope was to have others send feedback via conversations, favorites and purchases to learn what products of mine proved to have value in the eyes of others. Those hopes have been realized many times over and I am so grateful for having Etsy as a creative outlet. Much of my work includes rustic handcrafted concrete decor, paintings and illustrations."

Nicole of mealymonster makes creepy, strange, weird, and odd art dolls and creatures (as she describes them) using polymer clay and acrylic paint.  She started her Etsy shop in 2008.

"I put my artistic side on hold for a very long time in order to start a family. I found eEtsy back in 2008. I was looking for a place to reconnect with my artistic side and a creative community to share this journey with. Etsy fit the bill. Etsy inspired me to make art again and also offered a place to share and sell the art I was making."

Mary is a Buffalo Etsy Team leader who has been selling handmade wine charms in her shop, CharmedByWine, since 2011.

"I found Etsy in 2010 when I started planning my 2012 wedding. We didn't really have a wedding theme other than our black/ivory/burgundy colors, and that my family is Italian and naturally goes overboard with food and wine -- so we did end up incorporating some wine/vineyard aspects into our day. I found a really neat wine crate on Etsy to use as a card box, and I wanted to do wine charms as our favors -- but I hated all the designs I was finding! The charms themselves were made from weaker wire that bends out of shape easily, and a lot of the designs made it possible for beads to fall off the charm. To make it worse, nothing really reflected US as a couple. So, I designed and made my own!

1000+ wine charms and 3 months later, my fingers hurt and I had watched the entire Harry Potter series twice. I had leftover materials, and just started messing around with different designs other than the 6 I kept repeating for our guests. My "Vibrant Vino" wine charms were the first set I made for Charmed By Wine (which is why it is my profile photo!). Scared that wine charms would slowly take over my house, I officially opened my shop in November 2012. I love finding interesting beads and coming up with new designs, but my favorite part is helping people create something fun and unique for a gift or special event."

If you're new or want to start an Etsy shop, let us know. Looking for more work from Buffalo Etsy Team members? Visit the team's Buffalove Etsy page and the team's Facebook page.

Did I really just quit my job?

It’s been 4 months now.

I’m 1/3 of the way through my first year.  

It’s been 127 days since I started.

 I can package it many different ways, but no matter how I state it, the clock is ticking, the days are flying by and my savings are shrinking.

It’s hard to believe actually that this much time has passed since I started working for myself.

 A lot of things have changed and uncertainty and surprise seem to be my constant companions. 

I am not where I had hoped to be, at least not as I had originally pictured it, but I have made some positive strides - none bigger than starting to think beyond my original plan.

July and August were very good months for sales and got me started with a lot of momentum. After that though, things began to drag. I had this idea that if I had time to make more diploma frames and kept adding them to my shop the sales would continue to grow.

That hasn't really happened.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about my approach to this and what my goal actually is (was). I've come to realize that my goal is not to sell diploma frames. My goal is to earn a living, working for myself, doing something I enjoy.

Coming to that realization has opened me up to a much larger pool of options.

While I will continue to sell diploma frames, I plan to add a large selection of picture frames and will soon begin to use pre-cut molding in addition to milling my own.  I've signed on with a wholesale picture frame molding company that provides me hundreds of choices and opportunities to increase revenue, while becoming more efficient.

Not only will that help me increase what I offer in the way of frames I make, I will soon start to “retail” the pre-cut molding through my DIY picture framing web site, so  DIYers can buy nice molding at a reasonable price to make their own frames.

I have just taken on a large project with a local chapel to make hymn book holders for their pews. Working for the Lord has to help, right?

And of course, I've been gearing up for the holiday crafts shows. I have a table at the St. Greg's show November 28-29 and the Heim Middle School show December 6-7.

Whether these things help or not, we'll see, but I know the odds increase as more things are tried.

One thing I said at the beginning is that faith has to play a big part in this. I truly believed that one way or another, things would happen and opportunities would present themselves.  I wasn't sure how, and until I was forced to think beyond my original plan, I didn't realize just how many opportunities are missed if you don’t open your mind.  

So, until the next installment, I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open for the opportunities that are hiding, in plain sight, all around us every day. I hope you do as well.

Al

harvestwoods.com

Did I really just quit my job?

I’m now two months into my journey and the world hasn't ended.  The initial fear that used to pulse through me every now and then seems to have been more hype than anything else.

That’s how fear works though. It paralyzes the mind and body. 

In this installment I wanted to touch on some things I did prior to turning in my notice and walking away from a steady paycheck and benefits.  Doing these things have helped me overcome the fear and have, without a doubt, helped me focus on the work at hand instead of waiting for the end of the world.

About 2 years prior to turning in my notice I:

1.       Took a long hard look at my current position, the state of the field I worked in (Higher Ed) and what the future was starting to look like.  I saw more downside than upside. I began to think about changing careers.

2.       Tracked my spending for 6 months to get a better sense of where my money was actually going. I kept a daily journal and logged EVERY dollar I spent and what I spent it on. I broke it down into categories each month. This really opened my eyes to some careless spending.

Attributed to Abe Lincoln
(but there is no actual proof he ever said this!)

3.       I began to pay more attention to saving money, in case I decided to leave.

About 18 months prior I:

1.  Started to cut back from the things I identified through my spending exercise

2.   Began paying my credit cards down aggressively.

3.   Adjusted the contribution I was making to my 401k plan by dropping to the minimum percentage that secured my employers contribution and directed the rest into my savings account. I did this to save as much “ready cash” as possible should  I decide to leave.

4.   I took what I learned from the spending exercise and figured out what I actually spent on necessities (home, food, bills etc…) in a year. 

      It’s a very interesting exercise. If you've never done it – do it. I found out that the number is much smaller than I thought. You may be surprised too. It made me feel more confident in taking the risk of working for myself.  It helped me zero in on the exact amount of money I needed to save to give myself a year (if I didn't earn another penny during that year) to go on living close to how I was currently living.

About 6 months prior I:

1.       Decided that unless something drastic changed at my current job, I would leave and start working for myself full-time.

2.       Started planning for my departure and putting things in order (to help my co-workers as well as visualizing what my life would look like how to best approach it).

I am not one to recommend just quitting a job without really thinking things through. I do think anyone can leave a job they are unhappy with though – I just recommend having a plan in place. Most people lock themselves into situations without even trying to take a long hard look at what’s actually possible.

You can read the 3 previous posts in this series here: 

#1              #2             #3

Next month,  I will update you on my progress since starting off on my own and some of the early hiccups, lessons and small victories.

Did I really just quit my job?

As I wind down the last few days of June and my “old life”, I thought it would be a good time for another update. 

Since I wrote last month about my resignation, my mind has been very active.

Initially, it was filled with excitement and feelings of being empowered. I felt like I was on a mission and couldn't be stopped. I kept thinking about the future and all of the possibilities that are surely lying before me.

 After a few days though, I experienced the first jolt of fear. It took me by surprise.

I was getting ready to go to bed, my mind was wandering a bit and all of a sudden my stomach dropped and I thought what am I doing? I’m giving up a steady paycheck, benefits, a sense of security and certainty??? 

What if this doesn't work out?? What will I do then??  It was a pretty powerful jolt.

I've had a few more of them since then, but not nearly as powerful as that first one.

Each time though, I was able to quiet the noise with 2 words that are more powerful than the fear - 

total faith. Simply saying those two words, a couple of times, helped calm me down and remind me of the bigger picture.

What if it doesn't work out?  Well, I’ll just try something else. One way or another I’ll end up doing something, somewhere.

I actually did this once before, believe it or not.  I was in retail management for about 8 years when I decided I wanted more. At that time I was in my late 20’s, I had nothing saved, I didn't have a college degree nor did I have a plan. I left and never looked back. I’m so grateful I did. A story for another time….

This time around I’m in my late 40s and bettered prepared. I've saved, I've earned 2 degrees since then and I have a plan.

I also have a lot more to lose, however. That must be what produces the jolts!

So, the past month has been a roller coaster of emotions. My mind is actually more active than ever. The difference now is that it’s focused and clear about what I need to do. I've sketched out a vision of what my work day will look like now. I’m currently working on a “map” that will lead me to the goals I've set. I also made a list of all of the reasons I’m making this change – just to remind me what it’s all about and what I stand to gain by taking this risk.

I’m ready now, at least as ready as I can be, to turn my keys in to my boss and unlock my future without them...

Al

Improve Your Etsy Product Photos: An Interactive Workshop

Are you looking for some guidance on how to take better photos of your product for selling on Etsy? Why not join members of the Buffalo Etsy Team for this special workshop on best practices in digital photography to make your work stand out.  This event will feature demonstrations and techniques that will help Etsy sellers at all levels by emphasizing tips and tricks ranging from knowing your camera settings, optimal image quality (for posting on Etsy), lighting and more. 

When: Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Where: Creative Essence, 9450 Clarence Center Road, Clarence Center, NY (corner of Goodrich, 2.5 miles from Main Street). Plenty of street parking is available.

Workshop presenter: Mark Busch, photographer, website designer, and internet marketing strategist.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? This workshop is open to Buffalo Etsy Team members, and all who are selling their work online with a focus on Etsy.  Registrants are encouraged to let us know their photography questions on the registration form so we can address specific needs.

REGISTER NOW as seating is limited.  Tickets are $7.50 per person.  You can pay using your Paypal account.  Light appetizers and drinks will be provided.  Street parking is available. We will also have some Etsy swag to give away!

Register on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/improve-your-etsy-product-photos-an-interactive-workshop-tickets-11799926899

The Buffalo Etsy Team is grateful to Creative Essence whose mission is to provide a community space that supports creativity using a multitude of mediums where people come to share skills, inspiration and a few laughs along the way.  For more information visit their website at http://www.creativeessenceshop.com  

Did I Really Just Quit My Job?

Yes. Last month, I turned in a resignation letter to my boss of 18 years, ending my career in higher education at the end of June.

It wasn't easy.

I don't have another "job" lined up.

I'm not wealthy. 

What I do have is this:

 -      2 on-line e-commerce stores  

      Etsy being one of them – www.harvestwoods.com

-      A revenue generating DIY website on how to make picture frames and mat board – you can check it out here: www.picture-frame-it-yourself.com

-      a passion for making frames

-      a desire to work for myself

      -      and most important of all; the love and support of some amazing people in my life 

            – including the Etsy community!

I've taken some other precautions too (I'm not completely crazy!) which I'll outline in future installments.

This sounds crazy, I know.

With that said, the only reason I can give for making this decision is: life is too short. In a blink of an eye, 18 years have passed me by. As grateful as I am for my time in the higher education field -  I'm not where I'd like to be.

So many of us dream of a day when we can spend our time doing something we feel passionate about, when our job doesn't feel like work and it provides more than just a paycheck.

We dream of a day when we can spend more time with our families and loved ones.

We dream of a lot of things, but sometimes we can’t do anything about it.

What’s worse though is when we are able to try - but never do.

I've decided I am able to try and realized if I don’t take action now, my dreams will soon be replaced by the sobering reality that I settled. That I took the safer path and somewhere along the line decided things were “good enough”.  

Instead, I’m going to embrace the belief that I have the power - I believe we all do - to live the life I want to live.

Maybe I'll find out I'm unrealistic, maybe I'll realize that's just the way life is. Maybe I'll find myself applying for jobs in higher education again in a year or two.

Or maybe, just maybe, I'll find out that faith is indeed more powerful than fear. Maybe I'll find out that the one thing that prevents us from reaching our goals or living our dreams is - ourselves.

Either way, I have no doubt I'll learn a lot, grow a lot and be better off in many ways just for trying.

The journey officially begins at the end of June, when the safety net is removed and I start walking the line…. 

Al

www.harvestwoods.com