Interview with Piggy's Little Shop

There are Etsy shops that just sort of "stand out" above the rest and Piggy's Little Shop is one of them. Professional, great photos and lovely items...the recipe for success! Her jewelry is so lovely. And she resides in Singapore..... the other side of the world from my location!

1)When did you start making your craft/art?
I started making jewelry a few years back and it was purely self-taught and out of interest. I only started selling them online Ebay & Etsy only about slightly less than 2 years ago. I got to know Etsy via another local artist at a craft show.



2)Tell us about a little about yourself!
I am the eldest in my family. I am currently engaged to the most wonderful man and soon to be married to him in Dec! I come from Singapore (a small country aka a dot on a world map). I have a day job working in the IT department in a Bank. So everyday after work, I will come home and work on my jewelry. I spend more time at my craft during the weekends as compared to the weekdays.

3)What inspires you to create?
I get inspired from everything and anything that I come across. I love reading magazines, surfing the net, reading blogs & design sites. I also love going to the museums and art galleries. So I guess I get my inspirations from there.

4)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others!
Hmmmm... let's see.. I am NOT a technie even though I hold an IT job. I always tell people that I am the "I" of IT instead of the "T" which stands for Technology. "I" stands for Information. In fact, I am not a gadget person and quite a dummy to technical terms. =)

5)How do you get the word out about your shop and Etsy?
Friends, Family, Forums (I am on the forums EVERYDAY), blogs, Providing good customer service which helps me build a good rapport with my existing customers.

6)Without the benefit of a picture, how would you describe your work area?
Lack of SPACE.. My work area is a small flat round sturdy cushion seat that I have placed in front of the TV. My supplies are nicely packed in ziplock bags and in big paper boxes. I love to work in front of the TV. For some reason, it does not distracts me and sometimes gives me more inspiration than distraction.



Congrats to Piggy on her upcoming wedding...best of luck to you!!


Visit Piggy'sLittleShop

I want to interview your shop, leave a comment, I draw a random shop from all the comments received each week. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment, all types of shops are welcomed! An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win! Good luck!

If you've left a comment in previous weeks, and haven't won just yet, then just leave another comment to qualify for the next weeks drawing...!

Interview with Lawsonfolkart!

How can you not love folk art? With subjects such as People, flowers, and birds...and Lawsonfolkart displays her talent well in those areas! You can't help but enjoy the soulful and fun prints, aceos and original art offered in her shop. Stop by and show her a little love!

1)How did you first hear about Etsy?
I heard about Etsy on ebay when I was looking for an alternative site. I registered in 2006, bought one piece of art, but did not actively participate until recently.


2)Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!
I'm the youngest of four daughters and started drawing when I was just a little one. I come from an artistic, musical, dancing, writing family - very artistic. I guess I could say I inherited the artistic tendencies and my kids inherited the writer's tendencies. My favorite art/craft is to paint in acrylics, oils, watercolors, work with Sculpy and using my "man" tools to do woodworking. I attended Parsons School of Design before it became the Parsons NEW School of Design and when it was still on Sutton Place. Now it's located in Greenwich Village. I call myself a schooled folk artist, even though that's not the definition of folk artist. A true folk artist is unschooled. That's why I say it's funky folk art (with a flair.)

3)What inspires you to create?
Nature above all, bright colors, museums, art galleries, all are inspirations.

4)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others! think my voice and soft nature in person would really surprise people online. I'm a very compassionate person, but a real practical joker. I love to laugh, dance, sing and play with my dogs. I love to make my children laugh and if that means hopping on one foot down the aisle of a supermarket (empty aisle) or dancing the salsa down the aisle, I'll do it.

5)How do you get the word out about your shop and Etsy?
I was advertising on a site, but word-of-mouth and Google would be my choices. I don't do a lot of advertising yet, but plan to in the future. I sometimes put the url as my email siggie.

I can see Lawsonfolkart now...hopping down the cereal aisle! I'm sure she's having fun!

Visit Lawsonfolkart

I want to interview your shop, leave a comment so that I can draw a random shop. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment, all types of shops are welcomed! An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win! Good luck!

If you've left a comment in previous weeks, and haven't won just yet, then just leave another comment to qualify for the next weeks drawing...!

MissKnits Interview!

Miss Knits has these wonderful "throw a fit" dolls, and you can't help but love the Special Edition Breast Cancer Awareness Throw A Fit Doll! The proceeds for which
will be donated to the Susan G Komen Foundation. Her knit items will have you coming back for more!

1)How did you first hear about Etsy?
Well it was kind of a fluke really. I read my cousins blog regularly, so i can catch up on family stuff and family photos since they live so far away. And, i was reading some of the comments left for her, and followed a link from another blogger that led to her site here on etsy. I just loved it! I knew instantly this was the venue i was looking for! As i have never tried to really sell my stuff before and Etsy seemed liked the perfect start!



2)Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!
Well boy where to begin! lol I have always loved crafting/making things! Ever since i was a kid! My grandma taught me a lot of what i know today. She was very much into ceramics and crocheting mostly, but did almost everything! I would love to stay with her on weekends and just make ceramics, paint. She even had her own kiln, which was very cool! She taught me to sew, and i cant tell you how many projects we worked on together! And as i got older she taught me to crochet. She wanted to pass it on to someone, since her kids never took it up. And when she passed on i was lucky enough to get all her needles, and yarn and patterns which i cherish to this day! Once i learned to crochet, knitting was second nature. I've only been knitting about 2 years now, but i love it! It's definitly my addiction! Painting, sewing, ceramics, crocheting, knitting, you name it! I may not be a master or pro at any of these, but i am passionate about them, and they are a part of who i am.

3)What inspires you to create?
What doesnt! lol I think just daily things, nature, colors we see every where, other peoples work! I see some of the things my cousin does, and it inspires me to try and be as good as her. I dont know, i constantly am inspired. Getting ideas even from just looking at a skein of yarn and thinking ooo i could mix it with this and make that. I never work from patterns though. I like to freely create and just see what i come up with! sometimes it doesnt always work out, but often its more fun that way and always guarantees a one of a kind piece!

4)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others!
Wow, hmmm this is hard.... ok how about something odd? lol i have a food issue - as in i cant stand condiments! no salad dressing, no mayo, no mustard, no ketchup! yea call me a bit wierd!

5)How do you get the word out about your shop and Etsy?
Well thats the continual struggle isnt it! I have a great supporter - my aunt! She wears my stuff everywhere and is constantly taking my business cards and promos to work and functions! Of course i give her a big Aunt's discount too! lol (i often kid her she does get free shipping too!) but also i do a lot of promo swaps here in the forums, they send me their cards i send them mine. I also blog regularly, which i have noticed has helped a lot the more i do it! I am active on flickr, ning, indie public, we love etsy, places like that too. i've even been known to drop a business card here and there. I'm hoping to have my first home show here in another month or so too, which i hope goes over well!



Visit MissKnits!

Who needs salad dressing, right? Certainly would save on calories!

I want to interview your shop, leave a comment so that I can draw a random shop. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment, all types of shops are welcomed! An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win! Good luck!

Interview with Topaz08!

Topaz08 will wow you with her wire wrapped jewelry! You can't help but enjoy this interview. The shop owner is dedicated, has many ways that she promotes her Etsy shop and has a home life that many of us have thought about...yet she is doing it!


1.)How did you first hear about Etsy?
I first heard about Etsy through one of my LieJournal accounts. Some Etsians regularly post Etsy Minis there, and I figured, "Why not?".



2.)Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!
I have been married nearly 28 years (to the same man!) and have three wonderful kids. Well, not so much kids anymore. The 'baby' is 15 now. After many years in the cold weather of Colorado and Michigan, we decided life in the desert would be a nice change. That was almost three years ago, and we love New Mexico. We have four pets - two dogs, a cat, and a Pueblan Milksnake.

Art of all varieties has been a lifelong love of mine. I learn as many crafts as I can, from crocheting to ceramics and jewelry. On my list, I want to learn tatting and silversmiting.

3.)What inspires you to create?
Everything inspires me. My daughter might ask "Mom can you make that?" and then I have to try. Lapidary inspires me. I dig up plain old rocks in the desert and turn them into jewelry. You never know how something is going to turn out until you try.

4.)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others!
A suprise, huh? Let's see. I lived next to the real South Park for many years. I was in the Air Force at one time. Now I live in an RV (for real) because I'm a gyspy at heart.

5.)How do you get the word out about your shop and Etsy?
I advetise my Etsy everywhere I can - my LiveJournals (topaz08, gypsy_blue, topaz08_etsy), my InsaneJournal (topaz08), my website and I've recently made a blog, I've recently made a A Facebook and a Myspace. I also have a booth yearly in March at the Rockhound Roundup in Deming New Mexico.

6.)Without the benefit of a picture, how would you describe your work area?
My work area? Very compact. I have a small area where I do my designing and beading. The local Gem & Mineral Society has a wonderful shop, where I do a lot of my lapidary. Because space is a premium for me, everything has a place and storeage is gold!

Visit Topaz08!


I want to interview your shop, leave a comment so that I can draw a random shop. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment, all types of shops are welcomed! An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win! Good luck!

Interview with kookababy!

Kookababy is one of those great sellers that is looking for their first Etsy sale, so stop by and show her some love. I adore her sweaterbunnies; they look so soft and cuddly...who could resist?

1)How did you hear about Etsy?
The real answer is that I have no idea. I think it was one of those things where the name got thrown around by some people and I looked it up. I set up an account and then did nothing about it until now. I also read Coolmompicks and they are talking about etsy all the time.




2)Why did you decide to sell your handmade items on Etsy?
I decided to sell my wares on Etsy because It seems like a great community of crafters and artists. I feel like some of my favorite things I read about and covet have been on etsy. I wanted to make things that people covet (and hopefully buy!).

3)Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!
Right now I'm a mostly work at home mama trying to find the time to sew, knit, and brainstorm ideas. I acutually went to school for fashion design and have a degree from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago (BFA). I really hated the whole bussines, cutthrought world of fashion. It wasn't all about great design, love of clothing, fabric and style like I thought. I took a break and then for some crazy reason I though it would be a good idea to get an MFA in fiber arts, so I have that too from the Univeristy of MIchigan. I got it so I could teach college kids but then learned I hate teaching collage kid's .Whoda thunk it?

I really love, love knitting and have spent several hours/years trying to find a way to make a living from it, but have yet to figure that out. Sewing is my second love born out of nessesity. I have all these ideas that I want to come to life and the method that works best is sewing. Oh, I adore sewing paper, I made a dress out of maps once (for my MFA) , unfortuantly there is not a great market for paper dresses and the like :)

4)What inspires you to create a new design?
A lot of the times it comes from the fabric or yarn, I feel like I can see a new idea in pattern and textures. Also, I know this is going to sound sappy, but my son is inspiration too! The sweaterbunnies were born because I was trying to come up with a cuddly sleep-mate for him.

5)How do you intend to promote your Etsy shop?
Blog, blog, blog some more http://www.kookababy.blogspot.com, talk about it on facebook, send emails to friends, friends of friends, family, strangers. Talk it about anywhere I can to generate buzz.

6)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others!
I would really like to write children's books and I've never seen any of the Godfather movies.


Children's books sound like a great idea! How about a bunny book? Kids would love'em!

Visit Kookababy!


I want to interview your shop, leave a comment so that I can draw a random shop. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment. An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win!

Interview of Etsy Shop - Montagyoo

Montagyoo's shop owner shows incredible talent, she takes the everyday and turns it into something fun and unusual. It was hard just choosing one item from her shop to illustrate, so stop by her shop and take a look at more...you have to!

1)How did you first hear about Etsy?
I somehow stumbled onto a fantastic blog called decor8, which features lots of awesome etsy sellers and products. I had to check it out, and I was hooked pretty quickly.

2)Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!
A little about my self... I'm a graduate student in counseling psychology. I just moved to Mississippi from Kentucky, but I went to college in Virginia. I love reading, traveling, and worshiping. And of course, I love being creative! Taking pictures and making collages are just hobbies, but they're both wonderful means of creative expression and add a lot of richness to my life (internally, if not externally.)

3)What inspires you to create?
Oh, goodness. Everything. Nature, people, interesting places, God, language, artists, random objects, psychology, music, books... life in general.

4)Tell us something about yourself that would surprise others!
I don't put milk on my cereal.

5)How do you get the word out about your shop and Etsy?
I tell everyone I know about etsy and all the cool things I've bought there! I also spend a little too much time in the etsy forums. :) I have a blog as well, but sometimes (like now) I don't update as much as I should.


No milk on her cereal...he..he...now that's different!

Visit Montagyoo and also check out her Blog.


I want to interview your shop, leave a comment so that I can draw a radom shop. Be sure to put your shop name in the comment. An online randomizer is used to choose the winner....so leave a comment each week as your chance to win!

WOW - 20% off - Look at all the shops!

Help us celebrate the one year anniversary of EFA (Artists for Animals) by saving 20% in the following stores. Just use the code TACKY and wait for a revised invoice before paying.





Accessories
annieswearableart
FallenFey
jarvisgift
makemesmile
popalicious
StrandedTreasures
Trendcycle
weiopensecret
whimseys
9livesphotography

Art
aktie9
alteredgirl
arnicae
backroomtreasures
bethgumnick
brownrose
dboudre
DonnaPellegata
dragonhouseofyuen
ellebeephotography
fenrislorsrai
gingercatpress
glittergirlgalleries
jcatphotography
jcollander
jenis1321
jenrosesegrest
jmcguinness
karenkayartworks
kyeliza
lancerika
latejuly
LolaLynn
mimilove
mistyisle
mvegan5
pigatopia
PurrPrints
Schmoomunitions
SharonFosterArt
sherryart
shessochic
SnapHappyPhotos
snitterdog
StrayNation
teaandcakeriot
westcorinthstudio
wolfgangzehen
wonderfulworld
Zuppaartista
DragonRags

Bags and Purses
HazelHoney
louisiana1966
MidnightRabbits
tackyhandmade

Bath and Beauty
adorationsoap
CozyMoments
Darktemptations
Domaly
MoonsHarvest
PinkParmentSoaps
Women'sWit

Books and Zines
thisisbexx
NaturesStudio

Candles
northmountaincandles

Ceramics and Pottery
claynfiber
judybfreeman
memekiwii
PhantasyCeramics

Children
GoldtoneDesigns
scandeez

Clothing
Xenotees

Crochet
laacesplaace
lissalush


Housewares
cricketapollo
Luminosities
PequenoPequeno
sassyanddapper
TheCrystalChandelier
TheRusticHome

Jewelry
4utheworld
aimeedars
ApacheMoon
artbysusmitha
autumnsweater1
BeadedTail
BeauxBangles
botanicalbird
chendric
Cthings
daisywares
DebbieB
designbysunzeri
emmarosejewelry
enca EsotericEnchantments
EveryDogsDelight
fashionsplatter
happyshackdesigns
Kellybot
kimiko611
LieblingDesigns
likearollingstone
lindsaykristine
littlestudiojewels
myunrulysun
nightshadesart
novelartsanddesigns
OutofthePinkSky
preciouslinks
prettyinskulls
punkybunny300
Rainbowmom
silverrosedesigns
smilingfrogs
TheClayPony
thefrogbag
ThePeachTree
VictoriaB2007
whskr
Wildlifer78

Knitting
linesdesigns
mskittyfantastico
Bluewhimsy

Needlecraft
aguavino

Paper Goods
birdhaven
CrazyHappy
ElephantDance
emmarts
EnsorcelledMinds
gingercardco
haleyshandmades
Mycatlulu
pwnmonster
sallers Shellsnoel
Taravictoria
thisisit
UniqueGrabs

Pets
AcmeCouture
BazStore
casbahkitten
chambers
ciaohound
ciaralovesyou
classychassy
codyscloset
Craftopotamus
creaturecomfort
Dogonwear
EmbraceableUrns
endlesswhimsy
KittenCrazies
Lizart
nanjodogz
PetLoversBoutique
PollysPawPrint
tejana54
TheModDog
uberdupercreations
UniqueTreatDogBones
uniqueXpression
VivaleChat

Supplies
pinkee
polymerpamela
TantalizingStitches
theknottysheep

Vintage
Everthesametreasures
innerchildbooks
lynnaddison
SharonFosterVintage
Tackybackintime
thefaeriecupboard
deermountainwoodart