Artist Showcase - Julamade

Welcome to this week's edition of Artist Showcase.  Our artist of the week is Julia Biesenthal and her shop is Julamade.

Harvest Banner

Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.

I have always interpreted the world through patterns and colours.  My studies at Ontario College of Art and Design (Toronto ON) provided the opportunity to explore my creative talents.  I currently live in a small town west of Ottawa ON, where I work as a Graphic Designer full-time. I am a fiancee and a mom to a fur baby.

Cinderella Cake Topper - Instant Download

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved using my mom’s sewing machine to create things with fabric and paper. One year for Christmas, I made each family member heart garlands from an old Japanese paper calendar – they all loved them and encourage me to sell them.  Over a year ago, I decided to make this vision become reality. I wanted to put more energy into working with my hands, rather than only being creative on the computer.  I developed a brand for Julamade – banners and garlands for special occasions. I took lots of time photographing each piece and eventually published them to my shop. From there, Julamade began to grow into what it is today.

Gold & Silver Leaf Heart Garland

Where do you get your inspiration?

PINTEREST. I think that speaks for itself ;) I also like to get inspiration from my fellow Etsy sellers – Etsy is such a beautiful community with lots of creative talent!

Her Own Wings Butterfly Garland

What has been your biggest successful moment so far?

One specific successful moment would be when I got an order from a celebrity – Jaime Feld, wife of Keven Zegers. This is the moment where I felt Julamade isn’t so ‘small’ anymore…

Sparkling Champagne Heart Garland

What challenges do you face selling online?

I think the biggest problem is delivery times when I ship my items. Unfortunately, it’s not something I can control – and as a perfectionist, that’s not so easy for me to deal with ;)

Fall In Love Banner

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?

Develop a brand. Having an inspirational and consistent look to your shop leaves a lasting impression for a potential buyer. Your brand includes a nice logo and banner, as well as displaying your products effectively. Not everyone is a graphic designer, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional. If you need help, I’d be happy to advise!

Princess Bunting Banner

 

Thank you Julia for sharing your story and your lovely items with us. If you want to see more of Julia, check out her Facebook page. 

 

Each week we select a new Etsy artist to feature.  If you would like to be considered, just send Zoica or me a note via Etsy convo.

Thanks for stopping by...

Until next time,

 

Artist Showcase - Feltinga

Welcome to another edition of Artist Showcase. This week our featured artist is Ingrida of Feltinga. Ingrida creates felted scarves, jewelry, slippers, and home décor.

Crochet Linen Blouse

Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.

I live in Lithuania, a small country in Eastern Europe near the Baltic sea. My full time job is not related to crafts. I am a civil servant in a local municipality.When I am at home I need to do something different to give my brain a rest, to keep my hands busy, and as a way to release my fantasy. My husband and two sons are my best helpers in IT, photo making and even products making – swords in Feltinga are made by my elder son and felting tool – by my husband! The name of the shop is made of 2 words: felt (it is what I make for my shop) + Inga (abbreviation of my name Ingrida). So, yes, felting is my passion and core of my creative business. Most of knitted and crocheted items in the shop are made by my mom. My vintage shop Live Past Vintage is my newer shop on Etsy where I sell Soviet and European vintage items.

Felted Wool Baby Blanket

How did you get your start?

I became acquainted with felting some 10 years ago a small felt ball caught my eye during a public event at our regional museum. It took about 5 years to summon up my courage, to find free time, and to set free the fancy in order to take a flock of wool into my hands. Now I can't imagine spending my leisure without felting. Wool is an amazing material, very plastic and very friendly with the fuller, wearer and other materials composing solid work. I do not limit myself doing one kind work. Brooches, necklaces, earrings, wristlets, bracelets, slippers, hats, felted balls, shawls, mittens are some of my creative works.

Turquoise Linen Scarf

Neon Arm and Leg Warmers

Where do you get your inspiration?

There are a lot of sources of inspiration: Colors... I love all colors: bright, neutral, pastel, pale, dark...When it is so cold here, I compensate this shortage with the colors of my felts; constantly changing nature, flowers, sky... The nature of organic materials: wool, silk, glass, linen, amber...They have their own wild beauty and language, and artisans must listen to their whisper... And, sure, my clients! Very often they have great ideas and when working together we turn them into new original creations! It is such a pleasure and future inspiration to read their reviews after items are delivered!

Cable Knit Head Band

What has been your biggest successful moment so far?

The opening of my shops were followed by lots of successful moments: meeting kind, interesting, supportive and creative people, making new friends, creation of new projects... Each sale, each pleasant convo is a success! But the best is yet to come!

 

Baby Blanket

What challenges do you face selling online?

The biggest challenge is distance. There were a lot of cases when clients cancelled transaction when they learnt that I live thousands of miles away... Most of my buyers live in US, Canada, Australia, and long distance for them means extra time and sometimes extra money for delivery. Big challenge was restructuring of USPS at the beginning of this year when huge amount of packages were late for months and there were no relevant information on the site of USPS.

 

Felted Tote Bag

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?

Do what you like to do and do it with love and patience. Take good pictures. Improve your shop every day. Work on your tags. Continually stock your shop with new items. Share the love by making treasuries and communicating with your clients and colleagues and participate in team activities.

Personalized Felt Slippers

 

Thank you Ingrida for sharing your work with us.  Next week we'll select another Etsy artist to showcase.  If you would like to be considered, drop me or Zoica a note via Etsy convo.

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Until next time,

 

 

Artist Showcase - Nisee's Needles

Welcome to this week's Artist Showcase.  Our artist is Denise from Nisee's Needles.  Denise makes beautiful knitted items including scarves, mittens and gloves, and baby blankets.

Coral Cotton Scarf

Nisee's Needles is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to have a small shop in which to showcase my hand-knit creations. I taught myself to knit around age ten and have adored the craft ever since. While I was busily teaching children for thirty-three years, the Internet was born and grew to include e-commerce, Etsy and my opportunity to open my "virtual shop."

Men's Texting Gloves

My inspiration stems from the colorful, amazing fibers so readily available now, from classic designs loved for their comfort and utility and from my fellow knitters. There has been an explosion of interest in the craft, and I particularly love to observe the innovation and creativity of other artists. I often lose myself on Ravelry exploring the wonderful work of others.

Washable Wool Baby Blanket

My shop is a great source of pride to me, and I have experienced a number of successes since opening. I am particularly proud that I am now seeing customers return to Nisee's Needles, and that my custom orders are growing in number. My challenges stem from a lack of technological expertise (my skills were learned "on the fly" while teaching), as well as being somewhat inept in the social media realm.

 

White Summer Scarf

Which brings me to advice that has served me well: stay teachable. My Etsy experience has been a wonderful journey thus far, one that has been more challenging than I ever imagined, and more fun. There are helpful people and a wealth of resources on Etsy; each time I have hit a snag I've found the answers I needed. Nisee's Needles is an ongoing work in progress, and I learn something new every day. I have become a small business owner, more technologically proficient, AND I have a wonderful creative outlet. Who knew this is where my dream would take me? It amazes me every day.

 

Merino Wool Mittens

 

 

Thank you Denise for sharing your story with us.  If you would like to be considered for a future Artist Showcase, just drop me or Zoica a note via Etsy convo.

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Until next time,

 



 

Artist Showcase - Heart Wishez Studio

Welcome to another edition of Artist Showcase.  This week's artist is Vanessa Turnbull.  Her shop is Heart Wishez Studio.  Vanessa makes unique handmade gifts of glass, fiber and paint.

Blue Glass Happy Heart

How did you get your start?

All my life I have loved drawing and painting. So truthfully, I would say that I got my start as soon as a crayon was placed in my hand!!

Primarily self taught, with no further instruction than what I was taught in primary and high school I have loved to explore different medias. To date my most favorite are acrylic paint, glass and fiber. My latest foray is into glass and stone mosaics!

Red Glass Engraved Heart Necklace

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

Being in nature and observing the beauty and variation in the mood of the weather and the sky has a huge influence on my work. I love all the seasons, and all changes in weather...wind, rain, snow, sun and how these all impact upon the landscape! Combined with my imagination, beautiful scenes form within my mind that must find expression in my work!

 

Hand Hooked Tapestry Wall Hanging

What has been your biggest successful moment so far?

Being invited to participate in Art Walks in the Rocky Mountain in western Canada, i.e. British Columbia, I so enjoyed having a coffee in the cafes where my art was displayed, listening to the fascinating perceptions of my pieces. People see things in my work that I did not even realize were there! It was a wonderful and inspired realization!

 

Hand Hooked Tapestry Wall Hanging

What challenges do you face selling online?

The challenges I have are that my pieces are not seen in their full dimension and texture. It is like when I used to see Van Gogh's work in prints...I was not that impressed. When, however, I had the blessed fortune of seeing some of his pieces in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg...I was absolutely enthralled!!!! The thickness of the paint, the texture of the work was seen in it's full glory!!! When people see my hand hooked tapestries in person, the first thing that they do is reach out and touch them. So far I have not been able to provide this experience for people viewing my work on a computer monitor! ;)

 

Framed Acrylic Canvas Painting

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?

The advice that I would give...is to grow and evolve with the changing promotion techniques on Etsy. Read the blogs, read the forums and join teams!! Having a community and connecting with others to cross promote is essential!! Also be prepared for the long haul...it may take some time to develop a presence. The key is to do your best to suspend expectations...and to keep plugging away. Ultimately it will pay off!

 

You can see more of Heart Wishez Studio here:

 

Facebook

 

Twitter

 

Shop Website

 

Thank you Vanessa for sharing your story and your lovely items with us.  Next week we'll select another Etsy artist to feature.  If you would like to be considered, just drop Zoica or me a note via etsy convo.

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Until next time,

 

 

Artist Showcase - Pillowlink

Welcome to this week's  Artist Showcase where the spotlight is on Rosita from Pillowlink. Rosita makes beautiful and decorative pillow covers and throws made from natural fabrics.

Gray Knitted Pillow Cover

 

Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.

I run Pillowlink full time and it is the best thing that happened to me in this life. Except my lovely husband and my sweetie daughters :) I am a photographer by graduation, but was studying sewing technique as well. I love to do creative work - I adore to plan my day on my own.

How did you get your start?

I lost my job during 2008th crisis and had to do something for living. We tried emigrate to North to earn some money for living, but it did not work for me as I found myself very nostalgic about my country. I came back from North and decided that I am pretty strong to work out some idea to earn at least for living.  I made some research and in 2011 December opened my pillows shop Pillowlink :)

Ipad Cover

Where do you get your inspiration?

I found it in many daily things. Simplicity and nature is most inspiring aspects. Also help to others are very important part of my daily work. At the moment I am helping to local artists find some way to sell their handmade items. The selling is not the main point I think - creating and making process is the engine. From it depends - will you sell or not.

Deer Pillow Cover

 

Tandem Pillow Cover

What has been your biggest successful moment so far?

I think I am not very successful person:) I have to work a lot to get same what others get just as lottery.. So I find successful moments while working. But if I have to say - the biggest successful moment is that I found Etsy in 2008th accidently. The co-worker of husband told in "a half of lips" about some platform where you can sell handmade items.

Eco-friendly Linen Napkin Set

What challenges do you face selling online?

Only good quality items can bring success, so selling online it is important to show quality of items through photos. In stores customers can touch and feel items, here they don't.
Also SEO and promoting was challenge to me. It is always big pleasure to create, but without promotion I would not sell my pillows.

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?

Be patient and work as much as you can :) If you will work couple hours a day - you will earn for coffee, if you will work 8 hours per day - you will earn for living.  At the moment there are so many information on Etsy blog, onhandmadeology.com and other websites about selling on Etsy tips. You just need to take it and understand. Of course - the main thing your handmade items! Be unique with them!

 

White Linen Table Cloth

 

 

Thank you Rosita for sharing your story with us.  Next week we'll select another Etsy artist to showcase.  If you would like to be considered, please drop me or Zoica a note via Etsy convo.

Thanks for stopping by...

Until next time,

Artist Showcase - Kunstmuellerei

Welcome to this week's Artist Showcase.  This week our spotlight is on Sonja Zeltner-Mueller
 from Kunstmuellerei.  Sonja is an artist from Germany.  Here is one of her lovely items:

3 Piece Canvas Oil Painting

Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.
I  love to live in art and color. I have a wonderful atelier and my gallery is Kunstmuellerei in Düsseldorf in Germany.

How did you get your start?
Studied first fashion design, worked in advertising agencies, was 15 years with an artist in Germany and studied than free art and graphic design in Bochum, to get more for my own style.

 

Bottles - Colored Ink Drawing

 

Where do you get your inspiration?
The most inspiration is to start with creation, the best ideas come by doing.. But I also live in a great city with a bubbling art scene - a great art academy and a lot of galleries and museum scene - and I work in some artist groups and have my showroom here with monthly exhibitions with friends.

 

Toscana Collage

What has been your biggest successful moment so far?
there are great exhibitions, which make proud, but every time, somebody loves my artwork and send a charming note, and is happy with my art is cosmic.. Love to make happy with my work, which enjoys me by creating.

 

Toscana Original Oil Painting

What challenges do you face selling online?
I started 6 years ago with a Ebay shop for art - and now also dawanda and etsy - happy to ship my art to the whole world - and my art is in places where I have never before..

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?
See it as a interesting community - start with teams you like and treasuries - and you will find great people and charming contacts and help.. and if it runs - be happy..

Cats - Oil Painting

 

Thank you Sonja for sharing your story with us.  If you'd like to see more of Sonja:

 

Follow her on Facebook.

 

Follow her Blog.

 

Follow Sonja on Twitter.

 

Next week we'll select another Etsy artist to feature.  If you would like to be considered, just drop me or Zoica a note via Etsy convo.

 

Until next time...

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 



Artist Spotlight - Kauai Artist

Happy Monday!  Welcome to another edition of Artist Spotlight.  This week the spotlight is on Marionette from Kauaiartist. Marionette beautiful paintings feature tropical flowers, plantation cottages, Kauai landscapes, Hula, turtles, roosters and more.  Here is one of her beautiful paintings:

Original Watercolor Plumerias on a Sunny Day

Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.

I am a full time artist living "the dream" on the beautiful, tropical island of Kauai in Hawaii. My art studio, Painting Paradise, is located on the island’s sunny west side. It is both my teaching location as well as the place where I create and produce my Etsy paintings and prints. I teach watercolors, acrylics, pastels, silk painting, encaustics, Chinese brush painting, and am now experimenting with alcohol inks on YUPO paper.

Tropical Hibiscus Print from Kauai 

How did you get your start?

I am a Michigan native, but in 1992 I took my first vacation to the island of Kauai and knew I would move there some day to pursue my art career full time. I just fell in love with the colors of the islands. I started painting watercolors featuring such flowers as orchids, birds of paradise, and hibiscus from the reference photos I took while on vacation. I sold my first original painting at a local coffee shop and have been hooked ever since.

In 1999 I opened a small studio in Michigan where I was a weekend artist while I was still working at my day job in the chemistry field. I also took lots of art workshops and studied with my fellow artists in the community. In 2004, I finally quit my full time job and made the move to Hawaii after lots of planning and preparation.

In 2007 I opened up Painting Paradise to teach art and then started selling on Etsy in 2008 after a good friend encouraged me to join. It has all been a wonderful experience!

 

Original Sea Turtle Reverse Acrylic Painting

Where do you get your inspiration?

The inspiration for my art comes from all around this breathtaking island of Kauai. Kauai is also known as the Garden Isle as it is a truly lush, tropical paradise. We are surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean with it's amazing sea creatures. The mountains are emerald green and are home to the wettest spot on the Earth, Mount Wai'ale'ale. Tropical flowers bloom all year long. Need I say more?

 

Kauai Kilohana Rooster Original Watercolor Painting

 
What has been your biggest successful moment so far?

I was contacted here on Etsy by a designer from Victoria's Secret to do a commission painting of a plantation cottage on the beach for their swimsuit collection featuring artists from Hawaii. I was so excited to ship that painting to their headquarters on Broadway! If it wasn't for Etsy, they probably never would have found me.

 

Violet Cattleya Orchid Watercolor Painting

What challenges do you face selling online?

Selling online has been great! I have sold all over the world to people who have been to Kauai or who just love my art. It is a great venue and definitely gives me more exposure than if I just sold at my brick and mortar gallery. In fact, I often have people who are on vacation visit my art studio who first saw my work here on Etsy. The biggest challenge for me selling online is usually shipping the larger paintings. I have started using UPS to pack and ship the large ones and that seems to work very well.

 

Orchids and Butterfly 8x8 Print

What advice would you give someone just starting out on Etsy?

If you are just starting out on Etsy, then make it a goal to have at least 50 items in your shop. The more items you have, the more key words people will have to search and end up in your shop to buy something. I see shops all of the time with just a few items complaining that they aren't selling anything. I found that once I had over 200 items in my shop, my sales really started to take off.

If you look at the most successful shops here, you will see the connection between lots of choices and lots of sales. It just makes sense. If you go into a brick and mortar store and only see a few items, you would possibly think, "Are these guys serious?" But, when you go into a store and there are hundreds of items to choose from, you will do some shopping and probably leave the store with a purchase.

My other advice is to give great customer service and to do lots of marketing on social media. You have to tell people that you are selling something. It's just that simple. If they know about it...they will come!

 

Sumi Style Lotus Flower Original Watercolor Painting

 

Want to see more of Marionette?

 

Check out her Blog

 

Follow Marionette on Facebook

 

Follow Marionette on Twitter

 

Thank you Marionette for sharing your story and your beautiful artwork with us. 

 

Next week we'll select another Etsy artist to spotlight.  If you are interested please contact Zoica or myself via Etsy convo.

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Until next time,