Starting the Blog Up Again

Hey Everyone!

I haven't been posting on my blog since December. However, I'm starting up again. Simply Sophia is coming up with some new items, so please visit:

http://www.simplysophia.etsy.com

...to check it out.

Also, you can follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/simplysophia

Visit the Simply Sophia myspace page at:
http://www.myspace.com/simplysophiababy

I'm also a proud new member of EtsyKids! Type "EtsyKids" in the Etsy search bar to find all of the cool items made by the EtsyKids team members.

New Christmas Clips for Sale

I have lots of new Christmas Clips for sale in my shop:

http://www.simplysophia.etsy.com

View my shop for more detailed item descriptions.

SANTA BABY!

The cutest holiday onesie for your child!

Appliqué is set on a tagless Gerber onesie. They are available in either short sleeve or long sleeve.

SIZES/ WEIGHT

Newborn- 5-8lbs/17-21 in
0-3 months- 8-12 lbs /21-24 in
3-6 mos- 12-16 lbs / 24-27 in
6-9 mos- 16-18 lbs /27-28 in
12 mos- 18-24 lbs / 28-30 in
18 mos- 24-28 lbs / 30-32 in
24 mos- 28-32 lbs / 32-34 in
3T- 32-35 lbs / 34-28 in

Please enter the desired size(s) in notes to seller. You will be sent a short sleeve onesie, unless you specifically request long sleeve.

Featured Seller # 12

Tell us about yourself.(Name, Shop Name, Shop Link, location, etc)
Betty Lee
http://renewedresources.etsy.com
http://grandmabettys.etsy.com
Schertz, TX  a suburb of San Antonio

What made you want to start crafting?
I have always had a love for making things. Started out teaching myself
to oil paint and enjoyed that for many years and gave more away as gifts
then I sold since I had no idea how to 'promote' or 'sell'.  Had lots of
artistic and creative relatives that made neat 'stuff' just to save money
instead of buying a store bought item.

What do you sell?
In my art and supply shop, Renewed Resources, I sell
everything from feathers to vintage.

In my Grandma Betty's shop I sell handmade all natural body and lip
butters and bug away, all of which I formulated mainly for myself because
I wanted to get away from products that had chemicals, dyes and unnatural
ingredients.


What makes you different from other sellers?  
Probably my low pricing since I love to share things with others.  Definitely my customer service
attitude  as I want my customers to want to come back and visit my shops
and see what is new or on sale.

What advice to you have for other crafters?  
Do what you love to do and don't let the world tell you that you can not do it!  Read, study, learn
from others and always be willing to share ideas and thoughts with others
to help them along the road of life, too.


Do you have an items in your store that you love? Tell us about it.
I am one of those people who loves it all!  But right now I would say that
the floral book, pamphlets and papers are one of the best vintage items I
have seen in a long time and if people could see it in real life I think
it would of sold several times over!  I did write a post about it with
some great pictures on my blog if anyone would like to check it out.


Tell us about your newest item for sale?
I really like the gift certificate I came up with for my Grandma Betty's
shop and also have a how-to about it on my blog.  In my supply shop I have
some candy and gum wreaths (4-5" in diameter) that I made that are perfect
for an office gift to share or for a birthday for both adults and kids.
My daughter reminded me I use to make them when she was a kid so I made
some for my grandkids and decided to put them on Etsy to see if anyone
would love to buy them for their kids!


Where do you see yourself going with your craft in the future?
I am in the process of reworking my website (www.leescandles.com) and will
be calling it Homespun Alley.  It will have all my Grandma Betty's
products along with Renewed Resources products, Lee's Candles products and
I want to add pages for some of the local art and crafters that I know
that do not have their own websites.

It will be a fun place to shop and share ideas.

Where can we buy your products?
http://renewedresources.etsy.com
http://grandmabettys.etsy.com
www.leescandles.com
www.victorianheartshoppe.com
www.homespunalley.com (Will be up and running in about a month)


Are there any other links that you would like to include?
Yes, I would like to invite all to visit my blog where I share ideas, info
about many different topics such as benefits of coconut oil, blogging,
promoting and how-tos.

www.etsysupplyshoppe.blogspot.com

Etsy Seller's Week Long Promotions

Here are a list of some Etsy sellers and the promotions/specials that they are having this week. Please check out these great shops.

Nurses Are Naturally Unique
Tell a story for this one
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15669737
http://nursesnaturally.etsy.com

Floradora, Inc.
Make a Pair SALE, design your own pair!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5338941
http://www.FloradoraInc.etsy.com

LeakyMouth
Buy One Get Second 1/2 Off
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5790119


Cassowary Jewelry
buy 1, get 10% off, buy 2, get 20% off, buy 3, get 30% off, buy 4, get 40% off, buy 5 or more and get 50% off
http://cassowaryjewelry.etsy.com

Xenarae's Room
The Sky Is The Limit Hair Accessories set
Creepy skeleton hand hair clip and cordinating snap clips.
Buy both for $18 and save $3
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15875493

Glassredefined
30%off..plus free earrings
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5789490

Flirt Buttons
I am listing rings, and they are so darn cute!!! $3.50 each and $1.50 for shipping!!!!! You could get 2 and pay less than $10 with my combined shipping cost.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15914048

Softpencil - Digital Designs
25% OFF in your first purchase!
http://softpencil.etsy.com

Paper Patches KreationsbyKiki

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15926989
My Newest addition...custom, personalized wall art, either pre-framed, or not. It's all up to you...subject, colors, names. Make it yours!!!

Wildchildnatural
~~SPECIAL! FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. If you purchase one of our deodorant or massage candles we will give you our chocolate lip balm for FREE!!!!
Also, the first 2 buyers of the massage candle will get a FREE pack of heart lotion bars. (Along with the free lip balm!)
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6229298

Beaux Bijoux Jewelry
http://www.beauxbijoux.etsy.com
For the month of October, I'm offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING for all orders of $15 or more!

Nebulamystic

I have my very first Blog Giveway!!
Tell me what inspires you most in your creative process of Halloween...and your favorite item in my store on my blog:
http://nebulamystic.blogspot.com
Leave your email so I can contact a winner and win a bath and body gift set!!

*************************************************************
If you would like to add your promo to this thread please leave a comment in this format:
Your Shop Name
Shop Link
Promo/Special

Featured Seller- No. 11

Let's hear it for LieblingDesigns!



What made you want to start crafting?
I've been crafting all my life, and can't pinpoint an exact moment except to say that the women in my family have always been very crafty. My grandmother is a talented seamstress, knitter and crocheter and my mother was always into one creative project or another. It's always been a natural thing for me to do.

What do you sell?
I am currently selling my personally designed and handcrafted line of jewelry.

What makes you different from other sellers?
I have a signature style to my work, and this fall I've launched a line of floral necklaces that incorporate different materials like silk florals, ribbon, chain, lace and more. I don't see many others doing exactly what I'm doing right now, so I definately differ in that aspect.

What advice to you have for other crafters?
No matter what, do what you love. Whether it sells or not, the most important thing is to go after what you enjoy in life. I think we all got into crafting because we simply love to create, and keeping that your sole focus will keep you happy.


Do you have an items in your store that you love? Tell us about it.
I love them all, but if I have to play favorites right now I'm really loving the Josephine Necklace. It's soft and romantic yet bold and striking at the same time. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14580961

Tell us about your newest item for sale?
I have a necklace in my shop that is on sale in support of breast cancer research called "Passionately Pink". It's a lovely strand of white teardrop glass pearls and a single pretty little pink rose. I'll be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these necklaces to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I'm very excited to raise money for breast cancer research, it affects so many women and I'd really like to see more education and resources for women.

Where do you see yourself going with your craft in the future?
I'd love to be creating and selling my jewelry independently and running a successful business based on my designs. I'm always learning, and would love to keep layering my skills over the years and eventually teach jewelry design in some capacity.

Where can we buy your products?
You can find my jewelry online at www.lieblingdesigns.etsy.com.


Are there any other links that you would like to include?
I have a blog that I maintain fairly well, it's a spot for me to talk about my craft and what I'm learning as well as highlight fashion, style and interesting things I find online and fall in love with. I also use it to make announcements about new lines, accomplishments, show tutorials and give advice on turning your craft hobby into a business. You can find it at www.lieblingartcrafts.wordpress.com

Featured Seller

Tell us about yourself.(Name, Shop Name, Shop Link, location, etc)
My name is Casey and I live in the super craft-friendly and all around awesome city of Portland, Oregon. You can find my shop at thinkingmama.etsy.com I have a cute baby girl who's really more of a toddler now and I'm not sure when that happened. I have a master's degree in ecology and my love of science and nature can be seen in what I sell. I love natural products and try to live as 'green' a lifestyle as possible. My family strives to make the most sustainable choices possible in our daily lives and the items I sell in my shop reflect that as well.

What made you want to start crafting?
I've always enjoyed making things. From sewing with my grandma when I was young to learning to knit in college, creating beautiful objects have always been important to me. People kept telling me I should sell my knitting but it takes so much time that I really couldn't sell my items for enough to make it worth it. I had a display table at a craft fair a year ago that was just meant to show people how to felt sweaters and make things from them. I got such a great response from the items I had made to display that I decided to open my etsy shop and sell them. I love sharing my work with others!

What do you sell?
I sell many things but they're all made from recycled wool sweaters so there's a very clear style to my shop. The sweaters have been felted (shrunk) so they're soft, fuzzy and not at all scratchy. My main items are baby hats, coin purses/pouches and coffee sleeves. My items fall into several different price ranges and many are hand embroidered and/or appliqued with designs inspired by nature.

What makes you different from other sellers?
Most of my items are one-of-a-kind. This means that I may never be a really huge seller but I love everything I make. A lot of love goes into my crafting and I'm proud of all my pieces. I also love that all my items are made from recycled materials. A lot of the sweaters I use have small holes, are really outdated styles, or are given to me by people who no longer want to wear them. It makes me happy to turn them into modern, beautiful creations!

What advice to you have for other crafters?
If you want to be a successful crafter, find something that you love doing and learn to do it well! Don't be afraid to try new things but make sure that You've perfected it before you try to make a business from it. You need a unique style to stand out so don't be afraid to show who you are. People like crafts and art that shows some of the maker's personality.

Do you have an items in your store that you love? Tell us about it.
I really love everything! I have a special place in my heart for my Coffee Sweaters that have an applique of the caffeine molecule on them. Caffeine molecule designs were some of the first items I ever sold in my shop and they're totally unique. They also show a little of my science-geek nature.

Tell us about your newest item for sale?
I recently completed a custom order for covers for Sigg and Klean Kanteen style water bottles. I loved making them and will start regularly offering them in my store soon.

Where do you see yourself going with your craft in the future?
Crafting is not my full-time job and I don't think it ever will be. That's in part due to the nature of my designs- they really can't be mass-produced, which is a good thing in my opinion. I also really like the field of environmental ed that I work in and wouldn't want to leave it. I like the challenge of creating new products, such as the water bottle covers I recently did, and see my craft growing and expanding in that way.

Where can we buy your products?
All my products are for sale at thinkingmama.etsy.com I am always open to custom orders as well!

Are there any other links that you would like to include?
I periodically send out a newsletter with updates about my shop, new products, etc. Also included are special deals and discounts for subscribers. You can sign up at ThinkingMamaNewsletter.blogspot.com

I also have a blog where you can see inside my creative process and get a glimpse of my life outside of crafting at ThinkingMama.wordpress.com