a very fun meeting :)

our last etsy houston meeting was at allison's house. we were supposed to carve pumpkins but got so carried away with ideas and plans that we never got to cutting those pumpkins up...

but it was definitely a blast and we got so much accomplished! i look forward to many more meetings! :)

ana maria and emily enjoyed hanging out with our new mascot, stella :)

andria, our new-member-leader, also enjoyed the company of stella - they discussed some show ideas...it was pretty cute.

 

 notice the winning logo??

thank you to our lovely hostess, allison :)

 

those of you that didn't make it missed out on a lot of laughs, wine, goodies, and some awesome productivity :)

p.s. stay tuned! the membership requirements are about to get TWEEKED.

Halloween Craftiness

what's up, houston?

there are lots of shows coming up - and we will be posting some of those dates soon!

until then, here's a little halloween related activity allison and i put together :)

Emily of Emilee Rose Designs

Name: Emily
Shop: emilee rose designs

Where are you from? Houston, Texas

Where do you live? Houston Heights

What types of things do you make/sell? All things paper...paper dolls, illustrations, and stationery.

How long have you been crafting? I've been mad crafty all my life. Growing up, my mom would always plan craft projects for my brother and me to do. And I've never stopped.

When did you decide to open up a shop? I opened shop in July of 2008 after a friend of mine needed vendors at a craft show she was organizing. After the show, I decided to make an entire line of products to sell. 

Do you prefer to sell your crafts online or in person? Or both? I like both, but I get excited for on-line sales. It's fun to see people all over the world interested in your products. 

Do you have a second job?  If so, what is it? I work full time as a graphic designer for PH Design Shop. It is so much fun and a perfect way to spend my day creating.

What inspired you to start crafting? In college, I worked at a stationery boutique. I always admired the artist and designers of the products that we carried. Many of them started small, just them working away in their living room. While drooling over the greeting cards, I thought "I should do this." 

Have you learned anything along the way, as far as your business is concerned? I have learned that it is not as simple to sell your product than it is to make it. Making my dolls and stationery are fun...selling them is work!

What other hobbies or interests do you have? Besides painting and drawing and crafting, I love decorating and redesigning spaces in my house. I also love practicing yoga and going to the movies. 

Who inspires you? [blogs, etsy shops, etc] Besides a slew of design/craft blogs, I am mostly inspired by other illustrators. Belle and Boo, Sarah Jane Studios, and The Black Apple are my favorite!

Do you have any tips to share with newbies? Since I'm a designer, I am pretty into the visuals. I think it's important to have a single brand or look to your products and your shop, so that when customer's go to your shop page, they feel like they are in YOUR store, and not etsy's. Even after doing this for 2 years, I still feel like I'm learning and absorbing other tips!

decisions, decisions!

alright etsy houstonians!

our lovely member, emily rose, created the most beautiful logos!

please do not vote in the comment section.
members will receive an email soon indicating how they can vote :)

Choice #1

Choice #2

Choice #3

Choice #4

wanna see more of emily's work?

she will be featured next monday on the blog - but if you simply can't wait... :)

and make sure you scroll down a little ways to check out this week's Etsy Houston Profile :)

Etsy Houston Profiles - Sharon of ArtL8dy

Name: Sharon Hendry

my shop: ArtL8dY

Where are you from? Niagara Falls, New York

Where do you live? Houston (Timbergrove Manor)

What types of things do you make/sell?

I'm selling unique mini fiber art which I call "les petites images cousues" (translation: small sewn pictures). I also sell fabric cuff bracelets.

How long have you been crafting? about 10 years

When did you decide to open up a shop?

This summer (summer of 2010)

Do you prefer to sell your crafts online or in person? Or both?

Online

Do you have a second job?  If so, what is it?

I teach at HCC. I'm a digital communication professor at the West Loop campus

What inspired you to start crafting?

Houston Quilt Show (held every year at the George R. Brown in late Oct/early Nov)

Have you learned anything along the way, as far as your business is

concerned?

Time, patience, tenacity

What other hobbies or interests do you have?

Anything related to art

Who inspires you? 

Teesha Moore

DJ Petiit

Terrie Mangat

Do you have any tips to share with newbies?

There's a lot of helpful hints on the Etsy site. I like the Community link where you can connect on the forums and virtual labs.

Etsy Houston Profiles - Jo Claire of Groovy Gal

Name:  Jo Claire

Shop: Groovy Gal Designs Online

Where are you from?  Native Texan--born in Austin, raised in Baytown

Where do you live? Clear Lake

What types of things do you make/sell?  I create original artwork on canvas, drawings, boxes, totes, cards, pendants, etc...

How long have you been crafting?  About 4 years

When did you decide to open up a shop?  I was browsing Etsy one day, looking at ACEO's, and I thought, "I can do that!"  So I did. 

Do you prefer to sell your crafts online or in person? Or both?  I like both.  In person, it's interesting to hear the comments and get to see the person who's going to enjoy your craft.  On line, I find that instead of purchasing what's available and ready to ship, I get a lot of custom requests.  Sometimes that can be overwhelming, but it's still fun to create something to a person's specifications.

Do you have a second job? If so, what is it?  I'm a classroom teacher and an online teacher--high school English.  2010-2011 will be my 18th year in the classroom, so art/crafting is actually my 3rd job.  LOL

What inspired you to start crafting?  I wanted to participate in a local Christmas street festival, so I had to come up with something to sell.  I started out by painting rocks--kind of like Pet Rocks--and they sold like crazy!  Go figure.

Have you learned anything along the way, as far as your business is

concerned?  If you don't "work it," no one will know that you exist.  Blog, tweet, pass out business cards to all that you meet, talk about your art.

What other hobbies or interests do you have?  I'm an avid reader and movie buff.

Who inspires you? [blogs, etsy shops, etc]  I want to be Amy Giacomelli when I grow up! LOL

Do you have any tips to share with newbies?  Don't be afraid to try new things.