CheapTweet Blog

In this edition of Happy Hatchling, Heather – mom and CheapTweet blogger – shares some of her favorite baby-related Etsy shops. Be sure to follow Heather on Twitter!

If you don’t shop at Etsy, you really should. You can get artistic, unique items and support individuals rather than big corporations. Granted, most people can’t afford to buy all their kids’ clothing from Etsy stores, but it is fun to occasionally get a special outfit that you love. However, Etsy is not just about clothing – there are so many creative shops and items for decorating a nursery. It is also just fun to browse for inspiration.

Here’s a list of Etsy shops where I love to browse and shop.

Cottage Mama

Cottage Mama makes adorable one-of-a-kind modern vintage dresses. She loves to do custom orders and has a blog where she gives sewing tutorials. You can also follow @TheCottageMama on Twitter. Price range = $4 to $70

Olive and Ollie

Another adorable clothing shop that also has modern vintage dresses as well as appliquéd everyday wear. And she’s another fun person to follow on Twitter at @oliveandollie. Price range = $11 to $45

Gracious May

These are seriously cute baby shoes. Maryjanes, Eskimo Boots, loafers and more… Even though these shoes are more for the parents’ enjoyment than the baby’s, they would make such adorable first baby shoes. Price range = $30-$60

Shopop88

There are even Etsy stores for making custom dresses and bedding for your dolls. shoppr88 has darling dresses for the American Girl Dolls and you can get a matching dress for your little girl. Price range = $10-$30

NouWall

This shop has great decals for decorating walls that can transform a room from boring to friendly and fun. The wall decals are nice because they are simple to put up and don’t make a mess. And they’re easy to peel off when you kid gets older. Price range = $25 to $200

CarrotFever

There are tons of shops to find adorable mobiles, but one of my favorites is CarrotFever. Their mobiles are whimsical and simple. Price range = $15 to $40

Cute Kid Creations

Cute Kid Creations is another Etsy jewel. This shop makes personalized door signs, nursery wall letters, and bow holders. It’s a great idea for baby showers. Price range = $12 to $40

So, these are some of my favorite baby and kid-focused Etsy shops. Which ones do you like?

This week, we’ve got deals on 3-D TVs, state park passes, an Avett Brothers album, and sales in some great Etsy shops. Plus, we show you what it would be like if we shot these happy hour videos in 3-D (hint: it would be awesome). As always, the deals we talk about are linked to below the video.

And if you’re an Etsy seller and want a preview of the cool features we’re building just for you, send Jenn a DM or @reply on Twitter. Have a great weekend!

• Samsung 46″ 1080p 3-D LED HDTV for $2199 (normally $2599)
• Avett Brothers ‘Four Thieves Gone’ album for $3.99
• Sale in @softspokennews’ Etsy shop – 40% off handmade items, 30% off vintage, thru 4/5
• Sale in @greatest_friend’s Etsy shop – 25% off vintage coats, 10% shoes and more
• $5 off 12-month day-use pass to Oregon State Parks, thru 4/30

In this week’s CheapTweet Happy Hour, we talk about deals on home haircut accessories (yes, you heard that right), free medicine and free food, and some more of our favorite Etsy sellers. Links to these deals are posted below the video.

Have a great weekend!

• Haircut umbrella (pictured below)
• Free Excedrin by mail
• Einstein Bros buy one bagel, get one free
• @polishedtwo jewelry
• Etsy Austin Street Team

And if you haven’t seen our previous happy hour videos, you should check them out.

In CheapTweet Happy Hour #3, we discuss National Wear Red Day, Valentine’s Day, and the Super Bowl. We’ve got lots of great deals to tell you about this week, so sit back, relax, and just enjoy the fact that it’s Friday!

Links to the deals we talk about are posted below the video.

• Wear red, save 20% at Macy’s
• Some of our favorite jewelry designers on Etsy:
  • Naked-Jewelry
  • Sterling Roses Design
  • Lilly Queen
• Free two-day shipping on Kindle from Amazon
• Free bowling from Brunswick
• Super Bowl baby booties from Curious Workmanship
• Deals on new HDTVs

This week we talked to Lois Stifel, creator of Foxy G. Knits.

Lois is originally from Chicago, IL, but has spent her adult life living in both the Midwest and southeast. She received a B.A. degree in English from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and for that, according to her, she can get a cup of coffee for about $2.00!  Knitting was a passion that had its roots in her childhood. Check out her Etsy store, read her blog, and find her on Facebook and Twitter.

How did Foxy G. Knits get started?

For a long time, knitting was an avocation and not a vocation for me. Friends and family finally convinced me to open a store on Etsy.  I am sure that they were getting so tired of receiving scarves, shawls, baby blankets and hats for birthdays and every other special occasion!  In September 2008, I took the plunge and opened Foxy G. Knits where everything is knit by hand – from my heart to yours.

Tell us a little bit about your store. In what sorts of pieces do you specialize?

Foxy G. Knits features hand-knit, one-of-a-kind shawls, wraps and scarves that are versatile and designed for today’s woman.  My items encompass comfort and style, and you don’t have to give up one for the other.

Where do you get your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from colors and textures in the everyday world around me.  My favorite part of the creative process is coordinating and blending various yarn colors and textures. I have the ability to conceptualize and see various colors, textures and designs before they are actual completed items.

How do you market or promote your store?

I know that many artists and artisans do not like to promote themselves, and I truly understand.  However, if you don’t promote yourself, it is like throwing a party and not sending out invitations.  I bet no one shows up.  But there are ways to promote yourself that are not distasteful.  I use a variety of methods to market or promote Foxy G. Knits, and they all involve building relationships and trust.  I am a member of three teams: Etsy North Georgia Street Team, Etsy Twitter Team and Etsy Bloggers Team and share useful information with them at every opportunity.  I generously heart sellers whose work I like. I have a blog and promote members of my teams, as well as other Etsy sellers. I am also on twitter.

Recently, I wanted to build a Facebook Fan page and get to 100 fans so that I could secure my vanity name. So, I offered to knit a children’s scarf for the local homeless shelter for every new fan I received from July 15 – August 15.  And I posted that information on my Facebook page as well as tweeted about it.  I thought that it would take me a month to reach 100, but it took only four days.  By the time the promotion was over, I owed the shelter more than 200 scarves!

How do you use Twitter to help with your business?

I follow my entire Etsy Twitter Team, and we are very active in promoting our team as well as each other.  I also follow many Team North Georgia members. I try to follow people who don’t only push their items because that gets really boring really quickly.  I follow people who have good senses of humor.  And if all someone talks about is what they had for breakfast, I know where to find the unfollow button! I tweet and retweet regularly and share useful information at every opportunity.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?

Run your business like you are the customer – be that customer.  What makes you want to shop in a particular place – service, attention to detail? And do get comfortable with promoting yourself.

This week we talked to Amanda Roberts, owner of Geek Details, a fun store filled with “geek centric items.”

Amanda is 26, married, and has two kids, two dogs, and two cats. She’s spent the last nine years going where the military tells her family to go and now that that part of her life is over, she’s looking forward to seeing what comes next. Check out her Geek Details site and Etsy store, or find her on Twitter or Facebook.

Tell us a little bit about Geek Details. What sorts of items do you sell?

Geek Details is a store based off of my current art interests. You’ll always find funny pinback buttons, magnets, art prints and hand painted dishware.  My current obsessions are specimen based off my favorite books, hand painted luggage, button jewelry, and more. The items change depending on what I’m working on at the moment.

How did Geek Details get started?

Geek Details was started in the dining room of my last house. It was quickly moved to the master bedroom (yes, my husband gave up the master bedroom for me) because the business grew so quickly. I started it because I have this need to create but I also have a need for an uncluttered house. Then I had the desire to contribute to my family’s finances without having to worry about what will happen to the kids when they’re sick and can’t go to school.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Late night drunken conversations with friends… I also carry around a notebook with me and jot down ideas when they strike me. I later go through the notebook and use it to create items for the store. Sometimes an item is made to fill a specific need and other times they’re made just because they look cool in my head.

How do you market or promote your store?

Word of mouth really. I’ve done a couple Project Wonderful ads on noncrafting website. I’ve also recently started reaching out to some blogs to do features like this one or to do a giveaway from my store. I try to only reach out to sites that I think my items fit in with the theme of the site so that I’m not wasting the site owner’s or my time. I try to avoid the handmade market (other Etsy seller websites, sites devoted to making crafts) and instead focus on people that would like my stuff and can’t make it (webcomic sites, home decor sites).

How do you use Twitter to help with your business?

I don’t. I know it sounds odd, but I don’t try to use it as a business tool. I talk about my life, sometimes my store, I will post treasuries I like, talk with other Twitter users, build relationships, etc…  I see it as a social outlet. Do I get business from Twitter? Yes I do, but I try to just talk on it like I would with a friend which means only occasionally mentioning my store and just commenting on other people’s stuff a lot. I think it helps my business more to quietly build relationships with people then to be a street crier constantly pimping my wares.

What kinds of lessons have you learned since you’ve owned Geek Details?

I have learned that there are some harsh sellers on Etsy and that some sellers will try to intimidate you in to pulling items from your store because they think they own the right to that item when they don’t. I’ve also learned how to converse about my store without being that chick people avoid because she talks about her store too much. I can balance work and family better now and I can set attainable goals for myself too.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?

Small steps, small steps. You can’t open a store with hardly any product and no feedback and expect people to find you and purchase from you right away. Take little steps every day to improve your store and product and realize it takes a little while and a lot of work to get a store off the grown. Don’t be afraid to ask for constructive feedback on your store even if it means someone tears you down in order to help build you up better than before. I had to go through that a couple times, and while it was distressing to see someone tear me down, I used their words to make my store better and am more successful than before I asked for a tear down.

If you’re interested in sharing your experience running your online business, we’d love to interview you! Send us an email to find out more.

This week, we talked to Alisa Treasurefield (@treasurefield). Alisa is a jewelry designer who lives in a very small town where she’s a mom to two delightful, teen-aged boys. One of her greatest sources of pride is how they’ve grown to be creative, inventive and resourceful, as well as good-humored! Alisa designs and sells jewelry and other treasures in her Treasurefield Etsy shop. You can also find her on Flickr and on her blog.

How did you get started making jewelry and other kinds of artwork?

I guess the jewelry was just a natural progression for a girly-girl sort like me!  I also like working small, so wearable art is perfect. I started drawing at a young age, maybe following the lead of my mom who is talented and artistic with many media, especially sewing and crochet.  My dad has always had a knack for wood projects and building.  I suspect a little of both my parents rubbed off on me.

Tell us a little bit about your artwork. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

For the past few years I’ve specialized in polymer clay jewelry.  I call my pieces “sculptural” because I often start with a lump of clay and just see what it becomes. I also do a lot of sketching that I later turn into jewelry. Lately, I’m getting back to the drawing and painting, and trying my hand at sewing and fabric art. I like to be challenged, so I try new things.  Hopefully, that keeps me and my art from becoming too boring.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Like so many other artists, nature is a huge source.  I’m also inspired by other art out there; whether ancient art or architecture, poetry, literature, my kids’ creations, or the things contemporary artists are doing.  I like to see how these ideas can morph under the influence of my mind and hands. Also, my imagination flows like a river when I close my eyes at night, but I’m not sure where THAT comes from!

How do you market or promote your work?

Flickr and my blog are the places I “Show & Tell” about my newest creations. I’ve exchanged links with other bloggers; occasionally, I place ads on blogs and other sites.

How do you use Twitter to help with your artwork and your business?

I always announce my special sales on Twitter, and sometimes tweet about what I just made.  I’ve been known to ask for input on ideas, too. I love the community aspect of Twitter and the people I’ve gotten to know there, so I mostly use it to connect with like-minded artists and business-owners.  I’ve found them to be incredibly supportive.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?

I would strongly advise anyone who’s selling their own work to be authentic in their creations, and to be positive in the image they convey to the rest of the world.  Tap into that part of you that’s happy and enthusiastic, that very thing that causes you to be creative in the first place.  The world is hungry for that. Never be afraid to share that part of yourself!

At CheapTweet, we’re always looking for interesting sellers, retailers and artisans to showcase in our weekly interview series. If you’d like to participate, send us a note!

This week, we interviewed Theresa Cole (@michiganhemp), the owner of Michigan Hemp, an online hemp jewelry shop.

Theresa is a Michigan-based hemp jewelry designer. She is almost 33 years old, married to the man of her dreams, mom of two boys, step mom of three boys, and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree through Oregon State University’s online program.  A few of her favorite things are sunsets over water, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the smile of a child. Theresa sells hemp jewelry though her Etsy shop. You can also find her on Twitter, Zibbet and her blog.

How did you get started making jewelry and other kinds of artwork?

About six years ago, my husband and I went to an arts and crafts show where I fell in love with an adorable little hemp necklace.  I was ready to buy it until I happen to look at the price.  It was way too expensive for such a tiny, simple necklace with only wooden beads on it.  It was at that moment that I realized that I could make better items from better supplies and offer them at better prices.  On our way home from the show, we stopped at the craft store and I have been making hemp items ever since!

Tell us a little bit about your artwork. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

Hemp jewelry is what I would consider “my specialty”, but I also make keychains, and my favorite: “Soulful Sandals”, which are hemp barefoot sandals.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Each and every item that I make is inspired by the beads that I find.  Lampwork pendants and beads are one of my favorites, as well as natural stones.  The color and feel that the beads give off generally control the color and braid pattern of the piece.  I also try to use handmade supplies as often as possible, and my goal is to make high quality, affordable hemp jewelry so that every hemp lover in the world can purchase their favorite item without feeling guilty.

How do you market or promote your work?

The  main way that I promote my work is through the Etsy forums.  There are so many wonderful artisans on Etsy that are willing to feature your items and help you out any way they can.  I absolutely love the Etsy community!

How do you use Twitter to help with your artwork and your business?

Twitter is a wonderful tool to help get to know fellow artists and get the word out about your business at the same time.  I usually tweet at least a few times a day and have met some great people on twitter.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?

Ask lots of questions!  When I first started selling my jewelry online, I had no idea what I was doing.  Over the last five months, I have learned a tremendous amount through asking questions in the Etsy forums!  If you are wondering about ANYTHING, the people there will help you through every step!

At CheapTweet, we’re always interested in talking to people who have their own stores or sell handmade or unique items. We’re looking for sellers and retailers of all kinds. Email us if you’re interested in being interviewed for a future post.

Our next interview is with Jenifer Bryan (@lucybluestudio). Jenifer is an artist and designer from Austin, Texas who loves the idea of making wearable and portable pieces of art. She sells her artwork on Etsy. You can also check out her blog and find her on Twitter.

How did you get started making jewelry and other kinds of artwork?

I’ve always been a maker. My grandmother and I would spend the summers making dolls, sewing props for games and drawing on every piece of scrap paper in the house. My dad got me interested in dollhouses and bought me my first package of polymer clay. My interest in miniatures eventually morphed into jewelry making. Throw in a couple of degrees in graphic design and photography and a love of travel and you have a mishmash of experiences that had to find an outlet. I think design school gave me the hand skills I needed to be comfortable making things I felt would stand up to everyday wear and tear, so in 2006 I finally started up Lucy Blue Studio.

Tell us a little bit about your artwork.  What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

I specialize in belt buckles but also make rings, pendants, business card cases and cuff links. Basically, I create images, either through my photography or digital illustration/collage, and use jewelry blanks as the frames for my artwork. While I have a lot of art on my walls, I prefer my art to be functional, to be able to go places, to be out in the world.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Like most artists, my inspiration comes from everything around me. I am an avid reader and sometimes the way an author words something brings a particularly vivid image to mind or evokes a certain emotion that I feel is worth capturing. I am also very inspired by my dreams and find that my subconscious is much better at processing everything that has happened that day.

How do you market or promote your work?

I try to blog on a semi-regular basis. I also have a ball on Twitter. I relist and post new work and try to wear my pieces where ever I go. I have also recently hired someone to help me focus my efforts and market my work more effectively on a local level. Sometimes I think I am too much of a fluttery artist type and need help with the practical business aspects.

How do you use Twitter to help with your artwork and your business?

I use Twitter to share any specials I am running and announce new designs. I also use it to connect to other artists and just stay connected to the creative community. Twitter has been a great tool to find out about new artists, techniques and venues to show work.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?

My advice is to just be yourself. People can sense when your work exists for the sole purpose of making money. So I advocate making things that are true to you and keep you smiling. Being genuine goes a long way. It is also very important to be a part of a community. The more people you know and are involved with, the bigger impact you can have with word of mouth. Be original and exciting and people will want to help you and tell their friends about you. Also, be professional. Keep deadlines, have exceptional customer service, stand behind your work. Pay attention to details. If you make jewelry, keep the back side as clean and finished as the front. People do look.

At CheapTweet, we love to talk to people who run their own businesses or sell things they make. If you’re interested in being interviewed for our blog, please send us an email!  And check out our other seller interviews.

Our next seller interview is with Sharon Paradiso (@seedlingstweets), who designs and sells the jewelry at  Seedlings: Jewelry Because.  Sharon says she designs and creates jewelry as an escape. She’s been involved in website design and creation since the mid-1990s, after getting a degree in music composition. You can find her jewelry on her Seedlings Jewelry website and on Etsy. She also has a blog and is on Twitter.

How did you get started making jewelry?

I started making jewelry for myself because I was interested in the process and thought I could do a comparable (or better) job than what I saw at retail stores. When people started asking me where I bought my jewelry and I was wearing pieces I made, I would usually just give them what I was wearing or make them a pair. Friends and family started insisting on paying me and Seedlings was born.

Tell us a little bit about your jewelry.  What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

I feel like a kid with too much candy at the moment, so many ideas and all of them begging to be created! However, I’m drawn to silver and copper, pearls, shells, glass (love me some sea glass and recycled glass such as krobo beads from Ghana), and amber. I love making custom pieces from random ideas too and get a lot of requests to just ‘whip up something in orange.’

I adore earrings and that has been my focus for awhile but the challenge of bracelets, necklaces and more is just too strong of a lure. This month I’m rolling out rings, stitch markers, maybe a tiara…who knows! I also recently did a custom order for a wedding that was a fun project so I plan on expanding specific designs for brides.

Beyond learning about as much as I can for materials and techniques — including metalsmithing, chainmaille, lampworking — my goals include using recycled metals, fair trade or ethically sourced materials, and using less toxic chemicals for my processes (more important now that I’m getting into metalsmithing).

Where do you get your inspiration?

Typically it will start with a particular material such as some cool amber beads I found recently that look like little tree trunks. My brain will noodle on different ideas and I’ll either sketch out what I want to try or I’ll attempt it with craft wire first. Sometimes it will be the reverse i.e. the ‘make me something in orange’ request so I’ll start piecing together what I have on hand to see if anything just jumps out at me.

I’ve found that usually what I think is really cool, I’m the only one who does! It’s always my happy accidents that are popular with everyone else (like Peas and Carrot earrings). So I try to just let ideas flow out of my brain and not worry about what will happen.

How do you market or promote your store?

Everywhere and in every way imaginable! I have a huge network of family and friends that help with that too by passing along information about the website, passing out cards, and wearing my jewelry. I try to thank them as much as possible with test pairs (plus having a group of folks who give honest feedback is fantastic).

Social network sites such as Facebook have been great to stay in touch with customers and I use that plus a monthly e-mail newsletter to let them know about special sales or promotions ahead of the rest of the world.

I recently joined an Etsy street team, Team NorGa, that has been amazingly supportive and helpful in a variety of ways. Working with other folks who are going through the same things as myself and learning from their experiences or being inspired by their words is invaluable.

How do you use Twitter to help with your jewelry-making and your business?

At first I was very skeptical of how Twitter would be helpful or even interesting. I remember had a long conversation with my mom where I told her straight up I would never use Twitter…oh how that makes me giggle now. To be sure, it still seems a bit raw in how a lot of folks use it and for those people who are just, ‘here’s my ad, buy this, buy more, oh and this too,’ hopefully they quickly learn that is not the way to do things.

I primarily use Twitter to meet other crafty folks, get exposed to what they are doing, and just generally be helpful and share what I’m doing. The neat side effect is that it has had an impact on my business. I am just myself and typically pretty silly but I’m having fun! I do post links to what I’m working on and when I have new designs up, when I have weekend specials, that sort of thing.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started with her/his own store?

Find an active street team or guild based in your area or around your focus (such as eco-friendly) as it can really make a difference. You won’t feel like you are stabbing in the dark on so many things!

Set aside specific time to focus on your craft and separate it from the business end of things. When you find yourself more worried about your blog rather than your latest designs, it’s time to rethink.

Hopefully you are in a position where you don’t have to worry about sales, so don’t. Take the time to get your shop set up with good information, good photos, a consistent brand or design, and then get busy — take the plunge!

Talk to as many people as you can about their experiences and listen to what they have to offer for advice. Be friendly and helpful in return when you meet people who are going through the same as you. Give back as much as you can either monetarily (to your favorite cause — mine is Heifer International) or by sharing what you know, which includes tutorials or by featuring your favorite artisan’s work.

At CheapTweet, we love to talk to people who run their own businesses and sell things they make. If you’re interested in being interviewed for our blog, please send us an email!