An interview with E.B. Spider

Brandy from E.B. Spider http://ebspider.etsy.com/ is the featured artist this week from our ACE Team (Amazing Carolina Estians). She makes a lovely array of accessories and gifts. She has her own little boutique right here on Etsy!

Is there a story behind your shop name?
Yes, originally it started out as Etsy Betsy Spider, but after Etsy started saying we needed permission to use the Etsy name, I shortened it to E.B. Spider. After that I thought, it sounds like E.B. White, who wrote Charlotte’s Web, and Charlotte was a spider! Maybe that’s just funny to me though.

What made you decide to open your own shop?
I did a few craft shows locally and I didn’t have a lot of luck. I knew I wanted to sell all these crafts I was making and I didn’t know where. One day, I stumbled across Etsy, and thought, oh maybe later. After debating a lot, I decided I’d give it a try. I am a SAHM (stay at home mom), which means a fabulous job but the monetary pay isn’t great. I needed a way to help out my family financially.

What is your favorite material to use?
Yarn! I love to crochet.

What is your favorite item?
My favorite item is the one that took me the longest. That item is my Blooms and Stripes blanket (featured above). It was a casual project that I would pick up every now and then. It took me 3 ½ years to complete it. I love the felt flower I attached to it. It is such a nice touch to the blanket. I spent so much time trying to get it just right and I think I accomplished that.

What are your creative inspirations?
I get inspiration from just about anywhere. I guess my main inspiration is my daughter. I try to think of girly things that she will like once she gets older, which is odd because I’m definitely not a girly girl myself.

Are you a crafter full time or part time?
I guess you would say part time, because I’m a full time stay at home mom. I create whenever I can sneak it in, during nap time, while she’s playing, or when she’s in bed for the night. I stay up later than I should!

An Interview With Gone Doggie

This week's featured artist is Kelly of Gone Doggie http://gonedoggie.etsy.com/. Kelly creates handmade items for our four-legged friends such as collars, coordinating leashes, and blankets. She also makes lovable plush toy dogs. I'm such a sucker for handmade stuffed animals! Kelly also has a blog, http://gonedoggie.blogspot.com/where she talks about the dogs in her life, among other things.

Kelly has a real passion for dogs. She says:

I have three dogs--Gunner, Jorja, and Blue. Gunner is a certified therapy dog. We volunteer with our local school system where we help children with reading difficulties learn to read. I will be testing Jorja in the fall in hopes of getting her certified so she too can be in the schools. One day when my baby, Blue, is mature enough and a little more settled, he too may become a therapy dog.

My ultimate dream is to have my own brick and morter shop where I sell my creations and offer an education center focused on pet education. I want to work with the many local animal organizations reach their goals of stopping euthanasia as a form of animal control and find many wonderful pets loving homes.

Is there a story behind your shop name?
Instead of saying I have gone crazy for dogs my husband would say I have gone doggie!

What made you decide to open your own shop?
I was making many items and donating them to the local animal advocate groups for fundraising events. I really enjoyed doing it and decided that I could make a quality product at a reasonable price and so my shop was born.


What is your favorite material to use?
I love fabric! I am always buying fabric even if I have no idea what I am going to do with it. I know I will come up with something eventually.

What is your favorite item?
My dog collars are my favorite item in my shop. My dog and I teach pet responsibility. The biggest thing people tend to neglect is putting identification on their dogs. If a dog gets lost and is without identification, it can be very difficult to trace the owner. I hope that people will enjoy the patterns of my collars and be inspired to put one with proper identification on their pet.

What are your creative inspirations?
My 3 dogs and all of my clients' pets. I'm always looking to see where there is a need and try to meet that need by creating something.

Are you a crafter full time or part time?
I am a crafter part time, I am a pet sitter part time, and I do volunteer work part time, so I keep very busy. I would love to craft full time but I love doing the volunteer work; it is so rewarding.


How do you find time to create?
I stay up late at night after my clients have been taken care of and my dogs are all settled for the evening. I do what I can, when I can get it done. I have this need to constantly be busy, I cannot sit idle for long, so even when watching TV I am crafting.

Who encourages you to create?
My husband. He has allowed me this opportunity to be able to follow my dreams. He is encouraging as he loves my work and goes to every craft show with me. He is my biggest fan and supporter.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?
I am still new so I don't think I am in a good position to offer advice. Just love what you do, believe in yourself and don't let anything or anyone step in your way of success.

Laksaware - Featured Etsy Artist of the Week

Our featured artist this week from the ACE team on Etsy is Bernie from Laksaware http://laksaware.etsy.com/. Bernie makes handmade kitchen wares, dining wares, and paperwares, and other cool things. A big congrats to Bernie for her scrubbies (bottom right photo) featured in the New York Times!! Get busy crocheting, Bernie!!!

Is there a story behind your shop name?

Laksaware was inspired by a bowl of curry laksa while we were in Malaysia. While the husband was busy devouring his bowl of laksa and getting dots of curry splashed on his white shirt, we came up with the idea of having a "Laksa T-Shirt". Hence, the name Laksaware. We haven't ventured into selling our own T-shirts here yet.

What made you decide to open your own shop?

We have been itching to do so for a very long time. I love making crafts and keeping my hands busy, so I thought, why not sell them instead of just cluttering up my closet.

What is your favorite material to use?

Right now, it's yarn. But I paint and I love fabric, and I am always trying out something new because there's always something to learn. You might say I have a short attention span.

Talk briefly about your favorite item:

It'll have to be the Laksaware scrubbies right now. I love using them at home and my mom-in-law uses them for most everything. My neighbors also tell me that they love them.

Are you a crafter full time or part time?

Part-time. But I wish I could do this full-time. I need more time really. I multi-task mostly. You'll see me crocheting in front of the TV most nights or before going to bed, or when I am waiting for the water to boil.

Who encourages you to create?

My mom and mom-in-law. And my wonderful husband (even though he refuses to learn how to crochet :)

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?

I am still pretty new at this but I believe that you need to create pieces that you love because crafting should be enjoyable.

An interview with Merriwood Designs

The featured ACE Team artist this week is Meredith of Merriwood Designs http://merriwooddesigns.etsy.com/. Meredith makes wonderful pouch slings for infants and toddlers.

Here are some items from her shop. She will custom make a sling with fabric of your choice.

Is there a story behind your shop name?

My father in law dubbed me "Merriwood" when I moved to NC (From Washington DC) because he said I needed a "country" name. He still calls me Merriwood.

What is your favorite item?

My favorite item is the pouch sling. I LOVE using mine and I think they're the ultimate under-appreciated baby accessory that new parents must have. They're really easy to use, affordable, decorative, and even help bond with baby.

What are your creative inspirations?

My son's messes.

Are you a crafter full time or part time? part time

How do you find time to create? in between naps

Who encourages you to create? my husband

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article:

I go to Elon University and want to work in the substance abuse field (counselor not an abuser lol!). I love my son but we want another female presence in our house so we will probably have kids until we get a daughter, even if that means having 5 more boys first.