New Blog Design Teaser by Dumplin Design Studio

Just a little taste of EXCITING CHANGES to come

with the help of the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Dumplin Design Studio on Etsy

The Daily Pincushion Giveaway Winner...

(Psst... don't forget to enter the giveaway from Koko Candles and the giveaway from Clayswan, too!)

And the WINNER of the

Choice of Pincushion & Emery Set from The Daily Pincushion

is...

Number 79 ~~~~~ M

(Congratulations, M! I will email you soon.)

Etsy Interview with Noica and her Craftomania Toolbar

(Psst... today is the last day to enter the giveaway from The Daily Pincushion!
And don't forget the giveaway from Koko Candles and the giveaway from Clayswan, too!)

Since I've gotten my Firefox browser (not that you NEED it), I am all about the fun add-ons and toolbars. So I was ecstatic when I came across Noa Brumberg's Craftomania toolbar especially for Etsy-lovers!! It puts everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) Etsy right at my fingertips. And it didn't hurt that it already listed EtsyInterviews under the blogs button when I first downloaded it. (Thanks, Noa!) Let's hear more about it and her cute little Etsy shop from Noa herself...

Etsy Shop: Noica
Blog: Craftomania Tools

Tell us a bit about yourself, Noa.
My name is Noa, but you can call me Noica. I'm 26 years old and on my 4Th year of visual communications design studies, live in Tel-Aviv, Israel. I love making plush, graphics and short animations. I created along with my boyfriend the Craftomania toolbar for Etsy users. A couple of months on Etsy were more than enough for us to assemble a very detailed and ever growing list of favorite Etsy related links, and we were baffled; Navigating through the endless list of blogs and magazines and tools. Every site or blog led to a new exciting one, and on it went... We were wondering to ourselves that there had to be a better way to manage our stores and our time on Etsy. And so we started to build Craftomania toolbar. We felt so excited starting Craftomania Toolbar; creating order from mayhem, neatness from Chaos! We categorized our lists of everything Etsy (Craftopolis, Craft cult, treasuries, blogs, sites that offer promotions, groups, and many more). And finally there was serenity: we were 1-click away from everything we need and even the morning coffee tasted better. We thought it's selfish to keep it all to ourselves and that others should benefit from the toolbar as well. That’s when we teamed up and created the Craftomania Tools Team. Here you can see the toolbar's map- all the menus and links on it. To download the toolbar click here.

What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?
possum
fun
sunshine
optimistic
carebear

Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop.
I just love the idea that people from all over the world can have their own Noica plush or graphic. I Love kids, and it makes me happy knowing that they can hug my reindeer. :) As for the toolbar, it is fun to help others and find new friend. We are building a community here. Now we are dedicated to anything Etsy and handmade. Our goal is to create a Tool which is a synonym to managing your store on Etsy. The Craftomania toolbar is a lot more than a links index; it's a community of Etsians, where all are invited to join freely.

What 5 words would you use to describe your shop?
soft
funny
whimsical
unique
sweet


What are your favorite websites?

I have so many this one is hard, but you can see all websites I love on the toolbar. NOTCOT.org Poppytalk Handmade FFFFOUND! Amy Holton Designs doll stories

Give your favorite Etsy shops.
Baby To Go
Nurit Design
Opus Muse
Netamir's Designs
Amy Holton Designs

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers?
Just have fun with it, make yourself a fun workspace, find new friends from far away countries, try to help others, create during positive thinking and let the world do the rest.

Anything else you would like to share?
I offer my toolbar for free here!

And a free iron it patches for ordering from my store. Iron-it are my original handmade illustrations made into ironing patches! You can decorate shirts, hats, napkins and more! Just Place the patch, facing down on the fabric, at the desired location. Set the Iron to maximum and Place it on the patch, steam for about 5-15 seconds in small flattening motions.

YOU'LL GET A BAG WITH-
5 desired characters
1 "NOICA" try-out patch
Detailed instructions in English or Hebrew!

Etsy Interview & Giveaway with Clayswan

(Psst... only one more day to enter the giveaway from The Daily Pincushion! And don't forget the new giveaway from Koko Candles, too!)

I just LOVE the bold bright colors of the hand-built porcelain pottery at Clayswan. I was thrilled to be able to interview the creator, Lyn! Let's meet her...

Etsy Shop: Clayswan
Second Etsy Shop: Lynswan

Tell us a bit about yourself, Lyn.
I am a ceramic artist living and working in Sonoma, California. My current body of work is very much inspired by early California Pottery, Bauer Ware and Fiesta Ware. I love to hand build, I love color, and I always seem to imply function in my work. This does not necessitate daily use, but it is always nice to know that on that special occasion, you have that special piece to use .... you know, like that first cup of coffee in the morning!

What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?
happy
encouraging
inspired
creative
out-of-the-box

Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop.
My shop opened just over a year ago. Fellow potters in the bay area kept on prompting, nudging, compelling me .... just to try Etsy. Then, last year at the ACC Baltimore Show, an Etsy team gave a wonderful presentation about the Etsy world. All of a sudden the doors opened wide, and I never looked back. I continue to try to bring new pieces to my shop all the time and just LOVE to try out new ideas on a world wide audience.

What 5 words would you use to describe your shop?
happy
playful
whimsical
smile
useful

What are your favorite websites?
Apartment Therapy

Give your favorite Etsy shops.
Susan Eastman
raedunn
Whitney Smith Pottery
Village Clay Works

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers?
Stay with it, visit and "fluff" daily, check out what everyone is doing and let it inspire you.

Anything else you would like to share?
I have undying gratitude to the Etsy team for providing this wonderful venue in which we can present our work. Etsy is a simple and inexpensive format. There are so many talented artists that would not have had the opportunity to showcase their talent (and I am one that believes that every one has talent) on such a level, reaching far beyond their back door. Thank you, Etsy!

GIVEAWAY!
Lyn is so kind to offer one of her most popular pieces...
**A MEDIUM PORCELAIN TRAY OF CHOICE!!!**
Thanks so much, Lyn!

Here's how to enter:
Visit Clayswan and Lynswan and leave a comment on this post
mentioning your favorite item.

For more chances to win, leave a separate post for each of the following:

*Become a Follower of EtsyInterviews.
*Subscribe to EtsyInterviews via RSS.
*Tweet about this giveaway (please leave link to tweet).
*Follow B.Inspired Mama on Twitter.
*Become a fan of B.Inspired Vintage on Facebook.
*Share the giveaway on Facebook.
*Blog about the giveaway (please leave the link)
*Add EtsyInterviews to your blogroll.
*Submit to be Featured on EtsyInterviews!

The winner will be chosen via Random.org on Sunday, February 22th at 9PM EST. The winner will be emailed within 24 hours. Please make sure your email is in your profile or in the comment. GOOD LUCK!

Yalipaz Giveaway Winners

(Psst... only a couple more days to enter the giveaway from The Daily Pincushion!  And don't forget the new giveaway from Koko Candles, too!)

And the WINNERS

of the
Custom Brooches
from Yalipaz are...

Number 54 ~~~~~ ANNA from Perfect Blue Moon 

&

Number 54 ~~~~~ CINDY from Hellcat Vintage

(Congratulations, Anna & Cindy! I will email you soon.)

Etsy Interview & Giveaway with Koko Candles

(Psst... you only have a couple more days to enter the giveaway from The Daily Pincushion!)

So, you'll probably learn that yummy foods tend to catch my eye. That's what first drew me into Paoling's candle shop. Some of the candles at Koko Candles look good enough to eat! I can just imagine how wonderful they smell. Why can't Etsy add that as a feature: scents through your computer screen?! I guess we'll just have to take Paoling's word for it...

Etsy Shop: Koko Candles
Website: Koko Candles

Tell us a bit about yourself, Paoling.
I am a single gal in the LA world trying to make art & change theworld. I'm a full time web/graphics designer, partner in a designcompany, wannabe artist, social butterfly and lastly a candle-maker.Wax is my #1 medium of choice for creative expression. I have beendoing my craft for about 10 years on & off now, starting with myhigh school years. My inspiration mostly comes from daydreaming andlying on my bed on lazy Sunday mornings, which unfortunately nowadaysis becoming a rare luxury. Usually my best ideas come to me when I'mdoing absolutely nothing.

What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?
fun
artistic
social
witty
LA

Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop.
I've had my Etsy shop for about a year now. The power of internet andthe beauty of Etsy has really motivated me to work harder on my items& my shop. Its a place where I open myself up to the world, where Iexpress my creativity & personality, and what I'm passionate about.

What 5 words would you use to describe your shop?
conceptual
pink
dessert
indulgence
vibrant

Give your 5 favorite websites.
Regretsy
Smashing Magazine
Toxel
Dustin Curtis
Paoling Che

Give your 5 favorite Etsy shops.
sunbasilgarden
Neon Canvas
Karen's Soap Co.
Dirty Ass SoapsLoveLeeSoaps

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers?

I would say the number 1 thing is to have unique items that reflect theabsolute essence of yourself. Having unique items really paid off forme, getting me into magazines, books and sites. Don't ever stopcreating, and don't ever stop solving problems. Take care with thelittle things, like packaging and how you present your business. Fromthe way you word your confirmation email to the box your packagearrives in to your business card design, every touch point is anopportunity to stand apart and be memorable.

Anything else you would like to share?
Stay tuned with www.candle101.com, soon to be home of candlemakingtutorials on various original projects, articles and useful resourcesfor starting your own candlemaking adventure!

Follow kokocandles on twitter.

GIVEAWAY!
Paoling is so kind to offer a...
**LOVE CANDLE GIFT SET**
Gift Set Includes:

(1) LOVE Chocolate Scented Soy Jar Candle

(1) Bite Sized Cupcake Candle with Pink Frosting & Real Sprinkles

(4) Exclusive Mini Heart Candles

Thanks so much, Paoling!

Here's how to enter:

Visit Koko Candles and leave a comment on this post
mentioning your favorite item.

For more chances to win, leave a separate post for each of the following:

*Become a Follower of EtsyInterviews.
*Subscribe to EtsyInterviews via RSS.
*Tweet about this giveaway (please leave link to tweet).
*Follow B.Inspired Mama on Twitter.
*Become a fan of B.Inspired Vintage on Facebook.
*Share the giveaway on Facebook.
*Blog about the giveaway (please leave the link)
*Add EtsyInterviews to your blogroll.
*Submit to be Featured on EtsyInterviews, too!

The winner will be chosen via Random.orgon Sunday, February 21th at 9PM EST. The winner will be emailedwithin 24 hours. Please make sure your email is in your profile or inthe comment. GOOD LUCK!

Etsy Interview & Giveaway with Miss Pretty Pretty

(Psst... don't forget to enter the giveaway from Yalipaz 

and the one from The Daily Pincushion, too!)

 

Being a mom of two little ones, I was immediately drawn to the "Imaginative Play Toys" at Miss Pretty Pretty.  Let's learn more about the creative mama behind all of the fun...

Etsy Shop: Miss Pretty Pretty

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Julie, and I am the creative force behind my store on Etsy, MissPrettyPretty. I am an *older* mom of 44, with two children ages 5 and nearly 4. I am married to the kindest man on earth (or so I believe), and he is my best friend and biggest cheerleader. We live in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee), at the beginning of a dead end street upon which 17 children under the age of 12 live. (Well, it was 17 that last time I counted!) We love living here! There is so much to do and see in southeastern Wisconsin, and obviously a lot of children for my kids to play with! Sure makes for exciting summers. My husband works for a large banking institution, and I work part time at a local college, run my business, and try to control all of the antics of two very active children.

What 5 words would you use to describe yourself?
creative
imaginative
hard working
innovative
outgoing

Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop.
I opened my shop on Etsy in August of 2008 with the idea of supplementing my income from arts and crafts shows. I have sold handmade items at craft shows for over twenty years, and thought it would be fun to try selling some of my handmade apparel online. It was originally my sister who suggested I sell my playhouses on Etsy instead of my clothing. I had been making and selling the playhouses for about 12 years, but hadn't really considered selling them online. I had just finished a Little Red Playhouse for my kids, so took some pictures and listed it and my little shop just took off from there. Soon after I started selling my playhouses, Etsy ran a handmade kids contest, and my playhouse won the Member's Choice category. That helped me out a lot at first! Over the past 18 months, I have gradually added more of my designs to my shop, sales have been great, and I am basically now running my business full time.

What 5 words would you use to describe your shop?
colorful
imaginative
creative
fun
wonderful!!

Give your 5 favorite websites.
 Honestly, this is so tough for me because I am so busy I rarely have time to spend on the internet besides working on my Etsy shop! I do have a few besides Etsy:
Amazon (only because I have a new Kindle that I am obsessed with! Love the freebies!)
Lostpedia (I am also obsessed with Lost)
Google (I am an information junkie)
Skip to my Lou
Mary Janes and Galoshes

Give your 5 favorite Etsy shops. 
This is a really hard one for me, there are so many!
I love these:
The Merry Crown Society
Taylored Arts
Palomino Morgan
danielle
The Beer Soap Company

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers?
For me, the most important thing I have done is to find one item that sells well on Etsy (playhouses) and focus on it. I have about a million ideas I would love to try, but the playhouses are the focus right now because they have been such a successful seller and I love making them so much!! If something in your shop really takes off, perfecting it and making it a focal point of your shop can lead to great success.

GIVEAWAY! 

Julie is so kind to be offering 

***ONE FREE PLAYHOUSE OF CHOICE!!!***

 Just visit Mary Janes and Galoshes to enter to win before February 15th!