what is etsy anyway?

When people ask me where I sell my crafts I say, very excitedly, Etsy!  Often times, I have further explaining to do.  If you are not familiar with Etsy, now is your time to become acquainted...especially with the holiday season upon us!  Etsy is "the worlds most vibrant handmade marketplace"...their words, not mine, but when I was looking for a perfect description I went to one of the hosting site's pages and found that sentence, and I couldn't agree more!  Etsy is an online web hosting place where any artist or crafter can create a website for free and sell their work.  The site charges a small listing fee and a small percentage of your sales (like ebay), but it is a safe and secure way to sell your artwork and craft wares among other talented artists.  Now Etsy is a very large "community".  There are blogs, teams, chat rooms, virtual labs, forums and treasury listings (curated lists of sellers goods).  Etsy also has "featured sellers" where you can learn a lot about how to make your Etsy shop most profitable.  It definitely takes time, dedication and work...just like running any other small business or website.  


I first started my Etsy site when I was in graduate school for art education.  I needed an outlet, something to do that was fun and creative, while I was reading and writing papers all the time.  I started making vintage bottle cap pendants.  I even did a home jewelry party for someone local who saw my work at a craft fair!  After a while I grew tired of making the same things over and over, so I remembered my friend Hosanna who I worked with at Martha Stewart TV, had developed a needle felted acorn segment for a television.  She gave me a pin for Christmas, which I still wear.  I decided to make some of the felted acorn pins like she made and try selling them on Etsy.  This year, I am still making felted acorns, but I turned them into ornaments which people seem to love.  I also created some other pins which I have been needle felting.  I like to try different ideas and and always experiment with new mediums.  I have the materials for a photo transfer on fabric sitting in a box under my desk....I just need to find the time to get to it!  Here is a what Etsy calls an "Etsy mini"...it shows a sample of what is on your site...

Giving (and getting) handmade gifts at the holidays is so rewarding. I am also participating in a few artisan sales and events. If you are in the tri-state area, be sure to check them out! The Putnam Arts Council is having their 16th Annual Juried Craft Showcase and Sale from Nov 27 - Dec 19. If you are in Hoboken, NJ on Dec 13, be sure to stop by Lua for Shop til You Drop from 7 - 10 pm! And of course, if you plan to go to either of these events, I'd love to know...happy handmade shopping ♥