Etsy Artist of the Week - Mychelle

This week's featured artist from the ACE team is Michelle of Fun Stuff by Mychelle. She makes recycled, re-purposed, and reusable items, mostly out of fabric. She is doing her part to help save our environment! You rock, Michelle!Is there a story behind your shop name?
I have been using this spelling online because it's different and stands out from the traditional spelling of my name.

What made you decide to open your own shop?
I have dabbled with selling things I made since I lived in KS, but never in an organized way. I love the concept of a community market of handmade goods for the world.

What is your favorite material to use?
Anything re-purposed or recycled. We too often get rid of things when an item is no longer functional in its original purpose.

Talk briefly about your favorite item:
My favorite item is the lab skirt tote. It is the most directly re-purposed item, made from an old skirt in a Labrador retriever print. Maybe it's my favorite because I love dogs!

What are your creative inspirations?
This is hard to answer because I never know when inspiration is going to hit me. I suppose it happens most often outdoors in nature.

Are you a crafter full time or part time, and how do you find time to create?
Part time, I often work on projects while hanging out with my husband or friends.

Who encourages you to create?
My grandmother who has always been a crafter, and also the members of the ACE team.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?
I wish I was in the position to be giving advice, but I am on the learning end of this curve.

Do you have a blog or website?
No, I believe it is better to do one thing right than many things part way so I am working on becoming more proficient on the Etsy site and getting to know the ACE team members better before venturing elsewhere.

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article:
I was born in IA. Then my family moved to IL, WI, then NC. I grew up in Raleigh, NC before moving to Greenville to attend ECU where I met my wonderful husband from KS. We moved to KS for four years before returning to NC. I am happy to be back home.

Tricia's Creations - Featured Etsy Artist of the Week

Tricia of Tricia's Creations, http://TriciasCreations.etsy.com is the featured artist this week. Tricia hand paints on anything that is stationary! She can personalize most of her painted items.What made you decide to open your own shop?
Stefanie (of Stefanie's Bownanza) was the one who convinced me to do this on Etsy. I have been active in crafts for many years and was looking to expand my sales beyond my shop and shows.

What is your favorite material to use?
I LOVE to paint on most anything, I just love to use color....

Talk briefly about your favorite item:
I particularly enjoy painting animals and children in ceramics and have painted so many pine cones I think i could do them in my sleep, HA!

What are your creative inspirations?
Nature is probably my greatest inspiration. I love being outside...

Are you a crafter full time or part time?
I did crafts part time for years but when my full time job gave out (company closed) my husband suggested I try this. I have been a full-time crafter for several years now but have slowed down somewhat in the last couple of years. I want to get back in full swing.

Who encourages you to create? Family and friends

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?
Remember that what you like is not always what everyone else wants.

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article: My craft work probably started when I was under ten years old. I was taught to embroider by my mother and grandmother and also how to make all kinds of things. My real interest in painting and crafts was after I got out of school and took some classes at the local community college. Most of my training has been self-taught from books and just practice. I am married but no children. I am also involved in raising Santa Gertrudis cattle with my brothers and selling natural beef.

Featured artist this week...um...WhatsHerName...?!

I really didn't forget her name, that's it!! The featured artist of the week is Gayle of What's Her Name, http://whatshername.etsy.com/. Gayle's mentally handicapped adult son also has a section in her shop, "Cards by Mitchell". Together, they offer a variety of gifts and accessories.

Is there a story behind your shop name?

As a "boomer" my memory is not as good as it once was, so I thought "Whatshername" was a good idea. That is the first thing that comes to mind when I'm trying to remember someone.

What made you decide to open your own shop?

I needed something of my own after giving so much to family. As a bonus, Mitchell has something of his own with his cards. He enjoys creating them and is thrilled when they sell!

Are you a crafter full time or part time?

Part time--I find time (& energy) here and there.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?

Learn how to work the computer BEFORE you open an online shop. Hmmm, there's a story there, I'm sure!! Heh, heh!

Moore Magnets - Featured Artist of the Week!

This week's Etsy artist of the week is April of MooreMagnets http://mooremagnets.etsy.com/. April makes magnet boards, both wall mounted and free standing, and button magnets. If you're looking to get yourself organized, or know someone who needs to, MooreMagnets is the place to visit!

What made you decide to open your own shop?

I had my own online store, but mainly sold at craft shows. I met some other Etsys at a craft show in May 2008 and they all had wonderful things to say about Etsy, so I decided to try it out. I am really glad that I did!

What is your favorite material to use?

Magnets! They are so much fun, and really appeal to kids and adults.

Talk briefly about your favorite item:

My favorite items are my magnet boards. I really just love making and buying functional art because I have never had a house big enough to just have decorative items. I love getting new fabrics and being able to display them on a wall in a useful way.

What are your creative inspirations?

My kids are where I get most of my inspiration from, but I am also inspired by my customers. Lots of my new items have come about because of comments that customers have made. They challenge me to try new things.

Are you a crafter full time or part time?

I am a full-time mom and a crafter during any extra hours I get! I lost my job in April, and decided to dive in head first. It has been a roller coaster ride, but everyone in my house is so much happier having mom at home that we are just making sacrifices in order to keep it that way. I worked from home for about 4 years, so I got a good dose of how to allocate my time.

Who encourages you to create?

My friends, family, customers, and other crafters.

Do you have any advice for other shop owners?

Make your shop your own. There are many people who will tell that you need to change this or that, but you need to be happy with your own shop first. Only seek advice about the things you don't like about your shop.

Tell me any other interesting things about yourself you'd like for me to include in your article: Most of my life I was a crafter out of necessity. My mom was a single parent, and so I spent most of my teenage years buying clothes and furnishings that were broken or seconds and fixing them. My parents always told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be, and encouraged me to try new things. I consider myself to be a jack of all trades and I have had jobs that range from changing oil at Jiffy Lube to administrative/legal assistant to retail. Finding something that incorporates the variety of things that I like was always a challenge, but being a crafter allows me to be all of those things. I love what I do, and I love being married to a man who allows me to do that!