Red White and Blue for Veterans!
curated by Buffalove on Etsy
Showing posts with label wine charms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine charms. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
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.
Jessie of Pigknit sells illustrated prints, clip art and other printables, and she's been selling on Etsy since 2012.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.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Monday, April 8, 2013
Monday Interview with Charmed by Wine!
Please tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m an athlete at heart, having been a gymnast and track and field sprinter/hurdler. I’m a hockey and football fan as well. Most times, I’m in front of the TV as I create charms – either watching a sporting event, DVR’d shows, movies, etc. I even get into books on tape every once in awhile! As a newlywed and new home owner, there are also TONS of ‘house’ related projects that I’m enjoying as far as decorating, room planning, learning recipes, etc. I like being active, making healthy choices, and learning/creating.
What do you create? How long have you been working on your craft/art?
I create wine charms for all sorts of events and occasions!
I recently got married in August 2012. My husband and I had a beautiful wedding inspired by my Italian heritage, our love of clean and classy styles, Sinatra, food and wine. As part of the planning process, I thought it would be a cute idea to give wine charms as favors. The ‘wedding’ sets I was finding were so expensive, and they weren’t very personal. I googled ‘how to make wine charms’ and found that it was really quite easy, and that if I used a certain kind of wire, they were actually more durable and less complicated to use! So, I set to work…
My original ‘wedding’ set represented my husband and I with charms like ‘love’, ‘thank you’, a wine glass, a blue bead representing the college where we met, our initials, and a tag with our names and wedding date. I made over 1300 wine charms (which took me the better part of 6 months to do!). With about 400 charms to go, I realized that I enjoyed making them, but was getting so sick of the current design. I started imagining other options and designs for wine charms. I had a bunch of supplies left over at the end, and so I began researching online selling venues like Etsy and learning about how I could create and sell my wine charm designs to others – mainly because I knew that if I didn’t sell them, I’d end up with a houseful of wine charms!
I opened the shop in November 2011, however with the wedding plans, a house purchase and kitchen renovation, I didn’t really start creating items and putting time into the shop until about October 2012.
How did you come up with your store name?I spent a good week agonizing over a ‘good’ shop name. I wanted something that resembled wine charms (CharmedWine, WineCharmDesigns, etc) I tried every combination I could think of. The ones I liked were taken already, and the rest just sounded….bleh. To me “Charmed By Wine” is a bit more open ended. It relates well to wine charms, but also allows me to create other wine-related items, or charm-related items. I like that I have that freedom.
How does Buffalo influence your work?
For me, creating wine charms is about adding that little extra something to a party, dinner, evening alone with a movie, whatever. It’s about gathering with family and friends. It’s adding a little personality to someone’s life, or sparking a conversation between two people.
I think Buffalo plays a strong role in that. We are the “City of Good Neighbors” for a reason. Many of us have strong family ties, or close-knit friendships with the people in our communities. I try to build off of that vibe and create a fun accessory that can be used to put a smile on someone’s face even when it’s 20 degrees and snowing.
What is the best thing about having a etsy shop?
Being able to sell outside the local community. My first sale went to someone out west. There was something so cool about knowing that an item I made was traveling and finding a new home with a new family in a state I’ve never visited.
How do you promote your work to the world?
I stay involved in Social Media. I post on forums within Etsy, have my own website, blog and facebook page…among other sites. I still have a long way to go to really get ‘seen’, but hopefully each baby step gets me closer! I’m also part of a kick-butt Etsy team that does a great job of ‘talking proud’ about Buffalo Etsy shop owners!
What is the hardest part about selling online?
Getting “seen” and making sure my items are portrayed accurately. The hardest part about buying online is not being able to touch the item. This is where good photography comes in. I try to photograph several angles of my items and give people a good idea about the item’s size/materials.
Where can your work be found locally?
I actually have not yet sold offline. Once I am a bit more settled, I have plans to research some local craft fairs and possibly talk to a few local businesses. I want to make sure my online presence is strong enough so that I can refer in-person sales to my online shops to encourage repeat business!
Do you have any up and coming art shows/craft shows that you would like us to know about?
Nope! Just me working away at creating new designs…
Do you have any advise or suggestions for new sellers to etsy?
Do a LOT of research and planning ahead. A LOT. Learn about all the tasks you’ll have to manage (financial tracking, taxes, inventory management, marketing, website design, creative /crafting time, packaging, shipping, tracking, pricing and listing, etc). Consult with other small business owners to learn about tools or tips that might help you. Be patient and realize you won’t be great at everything right away. Have a backup plan or an “if I fail” plan.
Also, really think about your items and how they apply to everyday use. I had someone tell me pretty early that nobody will ever buy my items because not everyone likes to drink wine. I spent an afternoon making a list of every possible thing you could do with a wine charm…and I came up with an awesome list. So now, I can market my charms as being perfect for so many different events or décor! I even started to photograph my items differently to showcase some of the alternative uses.
- coffee mug/teacup charms (on the handle!)
- water goblets or any other stemmed glassware
- christmas tree ornaments, or other holiday décor
- plant décor (add a little sparkle to your house plants/tree branches)
- gift tags or part of gift wrapping
- tapered candle charms
- charms on any stemmed candle holders
- GIFTS! (hostess gifts, holiday gifts, party favors, wedding shower or wedding favors, etc)
You can find Charmed By Wine in several spots!
Homepage: www.charmedbywine.weebly.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/charmedbywine
Blog: www.charmedbywine.wordpress.com
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/charmedbywine
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