Friday's Featured Seller (a day late!) Haptree

My featured seller this week is Hillary of haptree. She makes adorable bead kits and wristlets to sell on Etsy and on Folksy.

Tell me a little about yourself:
I studied architecture at university although I never went back to do the extra 3 years needed to become qualified, so I just have the degree. Instead I got a job in an advertising and design agency which really suited me much more, I really enjoy the marketing side and I could use all those design skills without having to do the maths! I'm really happy being a stay at home mother now, especially as I have haptree to keep my brain functioning!

How, when, and why did you start selling online?
I started haptree early on this summer although I've been making bags and gifts for family and friends ever since I gave up work when my daughter came along 5 years ago. I started off stitching everything by hand until my mother took pity and bought me a sewing machine for christmas and then I just got hooked!

My daughter is my inspiration for the bead kits with wristlets that I make. Last christmas I bought a selction of beads for her and with a little help she made all the girls in the family beautiful jewellery sets, everyone was delighted. This was when I first had the idea, I wanted to make something that would make a beautiful gift but also be something to keep little girls occupied, not just another bag!

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I also love to knit although I'm not technically that good, I find it impossible to follow patterns as I hate the idea of making something someone else has already made - I want my stuff to be unique. I end up spending hours trying to make them up, sometimes with great results but mostly they're disasters! I doubt my knitting will be making it into my shop anytime soon, although you never know...

Where can we find you on the internet?
http://haptreeandme.blogspot.com/
I started my blog shortly before opening the shop. Almost as soon as I'd got half way down the first paragraph of my first blog post I realised that I was going to enjoy being a blogger, I've never stopped! I don't blog too much about my own stuff instead I offer advice and tips to other bloggers and crafters, mostly on the subjects of photography and blogging itself. I'm learning as I go along but so far my blog is doing great and my little business is slowly beginning to take off.

Please take a look at my main shop over at Folksy which is the UK version of etsy where you can find lots of images of my work and my bead kits to use, my etsy shop isn't stocked up at the moment!`
http://www.folksy.com/shops/haptree

Hillary is wrapping up a giveaway for a month's free advertising right now. To enter, simply go here. If you don't make this month's drawing, no worries, she holds one every month for a free advertising space on her blog.

She also has a great giveaway page, listing the giveaways of others (and who doesn't love that?) check it out here:


On December 5th, if you are in Stanmore North London, you can find Hillary at her first ever winter fair; the Bentley Priory Winter Fair

Quick olive update

Monday was spent putting olives into jars (many, many jars), and filling those jars with brine.

Our beautiful brine consists of organic olive oil, red and white wine vinegar (and for the last few jars, apple cider vinegar), organic orange peels, organic peppercorns, fresh organic rosemary, fresh organic oregano, garlic and dried chilies.

I filled fourteen pint jars and three quart jars with sea salt, garlic, chilies, peppercorns, oregano, and our scrumptious-smelling brine.

We now have to wait (again) for at least ten days before we can taste them. Let me tell you, I can not wait.

Featured Seller: Parami Panda

Today's featured seller is Alix of Parami Panda. She has been crocheting amigurumi for about a year. She started making them for her friends as gifts and they suggested she try her hand at selling them. She has been on Etsy early November of 2008.

Alix started selling on Etsy pretty early on in her amigurumi adventure. The sales started coming almost immediately - without having to do too much promoting! She was blown away. They weren't too many sales - maybe one a week - but that was just fine because at the time, Alix was a full-time student. At about the same time, she started selling her plushies in local stores and in craft fairs. Now that she has graduated, she is spending a lot more time on Parami Panda. She has started with taking better photos of her items and overhauling a lot of the descriptions. She is working on creating a completely organic/natural/naturally dyed line of amigurumi and she has started to dabble in the art of cloth doll making, so expect some adorably emo dolls up in the shop soon.

Check Alix out on her awesome blog: http://paramipanda.blogspot.com .

And if you want to become her fan on facebook, go here: http://www.facebook.com/paramipanda .

And of course, check out her etsy shop here: http://paramipanda.etsy.com .

 

Olive Adventure Part One

A few weeks ago, I picked up some fresh, organic olives from a local farm.

Their minimum purchase requirement? Twenty five pounds.  So now I have twenty five pounds of olives curing in my living room.

The process:
I had to process these over two nights. It took about two hours each night. I cut two slits on each olive, then lightly beat them with a rolling pin. After I had done that, I threw them in a 2.5 gallon glass jar and filled it with water.

After an hour of beating and stabbing olives:

Two hours in:

 

After about two weeks of sitting in plain water, on Tuesday, I changed it to brine (2/3C salt to 4C - 1quart - water).

Next week, I will be putting them in quart jars filled with olive oil, orange peel, garlic, peppercorns, dried chili peppers, fresh oregano, rosemary and some red wine vinegar.

Then, I will let them ferment for about ten days, and I happily be eating home-cured olives. . . . and probably giving them to everyone for Christmas.

I will post more after I've put them into individual jars.

Friday's featured seller: digicute

 Today's featured seller is Teresa of digicute. Theresa is a computer programmer and designs digital illustrations. She is constantly designing, and honing her skills, and thought Etsy would be a great way to share her designs with others.

Digicute is Teresa's second shop. Her first is www.teresa770718.etsy.com, where she sells scrapbook paper and scrapbooking bundles. She is in the process of combining the two shops, so everything in the first is on sale for $1.

Teresa can be found at www.digicute.etsy.com and www.teresa770718.etsy.com

Featured Seller: Itz Fitz!

My featured seller this week is Jen of Itz Fitz on Etsy. Jen creates whimsical hand-painted, personalized keepsakes.

Jen lives in Long Island, NY and has been painting since she was a little girl.  For her niece's first birthday, Jen painted her name on tiles, one letter to a tile, each letter decorated with flowers, and attached a ribbon to hang it by. Her sister did not believe this beautiful gift was handmade, and once she was finally convinced, she told Jen about Etsy. Jen looked into it, and, two months ago, joined the Etsy community.

You can find Jen on Etsy at www.ItzFitz.etsy.com.  She is offering free shipping until Saturday, October 17. Just type kellycrochets in the message to seller at checkout.

Featured Seller: Electric Penguin

My featured seller this week is Electric Penguin, who has a very fun jewelry shop up on Etsy at http://www.electricpenguin.etsy.com/. Last year, Electric Penguin was searching for a style necklace she couldn't find anywhere, and decided, "I might be able to make that!" She grew up crafting and sewing, so she made the trip to her local craft store, gathered supplies, and made exactly what she wanted.

The necklace was so successful, she moved on to stretchy bracelets and earrings. So many stretchy bracelets and earrings she decided to start selling to friends, which led to her discovery of Etsy.

When she found Etsy, it was love at first sight. Last month she opened up shop after much inventory and shop information preparation. So far, it has been much more work than she expected, but she loves every minute of it.

Electric Penguin - It has been well worth your hard work!