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 A lot of the sweaters I use have small holes, are really outdated styles, or are given to me by people who no longer want to wear them.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