Welcome to The Feature Café!

Grab a cup of java or tea and enjoy!
I created this blog to host features on all the wonderful shops (and owners) I find on Etsy! Please follow this blog and tell all your friends about it! Remember... I host giveaways, too! If you are interested in being featured, please click here! Thanks!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

GIVEAWAY from MondrysYKnotShop HAS ENDED!

This giveaway has ended!
^ Read post for more details!

And the winner is...
Erin of From Son Up To Son Down!


I will randomly choose the first winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will have 24 hours to respond with their home address and their choice of one of the two prizes. I will randomly choose the second winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will have 24 hours to respond with their home address!!

Here are your random numbers:

14

Timestamp: 2009-01-28 15:14:52 UTC


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Featured Seller: MondrysYKnotShop

THIS SELLER HAS ALSO OFFERED TO DO A GIVEAWAY! SEE THIS POST FOR DETAILS!




(1) Who are you?

My name is Jennifer Mondry, I am a wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, crafter and small business owner

(2) What is your shop name and how did you come up with it?
My shop name is Mondry's Y Knot Shop, I came up with this name, well by chance. lol Obviously my last name and then I am Irish and I wanted to incorporate it into my shop name. So I did a spin on "Why not shop?"

(3) What do you create and sell?
I specialize in microwaveable heat pads but also sell hand knotted satin jewelry and hair accessories.

(4) What is your source for inspiration?
Everything around me is my source for inspiration.



(5) What is your favorite piece from your shop & why?
OMG, I don't really have a favorite. I am quite proud of my new hand warmers and my knot jewelry but that is probably because they are kind of unique.

(6) Is running your shop your only job?
Right now it is my only job, but I am looking for stable pay.

(7) When did you start your business?
My business started long before I found etsy. It has been in many different aspects for about 15 years, but I have been on etsy since August of 2007, which is when I got SERIOUS about my business.

(8) How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Just over 1 year.



(9) Do you sell outside of Etsy?
Yes I do sell at various craft shows and a weekly market.

(10) What do you like best about Etsy?
My friends and the fact that I can sell stuff that I make. That just amazes me.

(11) Do you belong to any teams?
Yes I do. I belong to the EtsyFriends Team and I am also a member of the EtsyWMI Team.

(12) Do you have more than one Etsy shop?
Yes I do have more than one shop but my second shop is closed until I am able to market two shops at once.



(13) What do you do to promote your shop(s)?
I pass out business cards, put up fliers where permitted and I chit chat in the etsy forums.

(14) What do you do in your spare time?
I play around on this silly computer when I am not crafting.

(15) What is your blog or website url?
My blog is http://MondrysYknotShop.blogspot.com, my etsy shop is http://MondrysYknotshop.etsy.com, and my website which is under construction by my 15 year old son is http://MondrysYknotShop.com

(16) Are there any blogs you follow regularly?
I follow a bunch of blogs, I couldn't even begin to name them.



(17) Are there any particular Etsy shops you follow regularly?
I don't really follow shops, if I am in the mood to get something I search for it but will always check my teams first.

(18) Any advice (business, or otherwise) for fellow sellers?
Keep up the faith, it will come when it is time. Keep your numbers up, listing and relisting is your best friend.

GIVEAWAY from MondrysYKnotShop!

Featured Seller, Jenni from MondrysYKnotShop, has offered to incorporate a giveaway with her feature!

Enter now to win a hand warmer set of your choice!
$7 Value


RULES & DETAILS:
(1) This giveaway is open to US Residents ONLY! MondrysYKnotShop will ONLY mail the prize to an address in the United States!
(2) The winning number will be randomly chosen (using Random.org) and I will contact them via email. The winner will only have 24 hours to respond with their home address.
(3) Comment this blog with your favorite item in MondrysYKnotShop's shop! Make sure to leave your email address and/or your etsy shop so I can contact you! I will NOT contact you through your blogger account!
(4) This giveaway will end on Tuesday, January 27th at 11:59PM, EST!

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED A COMMENT BUT HAVE NOT TOLD ME THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ETSY SHOP SO I CAN CONTACT THEM! YOUR ENTRY IS NOT VALID WHEN THE RULES ARE NOT FOLLOWED!!!!!


EtsyGiveaways

Good Luck!
♥Mannie

Monday, January 19, 2009

Featured Seller: RecupeFashion



(1) Who are you?
Nathalie Brault

(2) What is your shop name and how did you come up with it?
Recupe/Fashion R-e-c-u-p, from Recuperation and F-a-s-h-i-o-n from Fashion

(3) What do you create and sell?
I create all sorts of little accessories helpful, practical and beautiful to women and at an affordable price.

(4) What is your source for inspiration?
Actually anything and everything, Whatever my hand fall on I turn it into something new. Anything that's unwanted I find a use for it, so it never stays lying there for very long.



(5) What is your favorite piece from your shop & why?
Thant's very hard, it's like asking me which one of your 3 children is your favorite? but if I had to choose I'd have to say that they're my tea wallets, and they're my best sellers also. They are fun to make up and they are oh so practical.

(6) Is running your shop your only job?
yes but it doesn't brings much money yet, because it still need a lot of publicity though I work very hard on that everyday. My husband is the main salary, thanks to him I' can work on my shop

(7) When did you start your business?
March 2005

(8) How long have you been selling on Etsy?
August 2008



(9) Do you sell outside of Etsy?
yes

(10) What do you like best about Etsy?
the friends I make

(11) Do you belong to any teams?
yes, teamecoetsy---etsyfriends---tradeaholics

(12) Do you have more than one Etsy shop?
no



(13) What do you do to promote your shop(s)?
I do a lot of forum posting, I belong to a lot of communities like twitter, MIM, indie, Artfire, my blogs, etc

(14) What do you do in your spare time?
I chat on Etsy and publicize my blogs

(15) What is your blog or website url?
http://women-prenuergalore.blogspot.com which is a feature and giveaway blog,
http://nathaliebrault.blogspot.com this is my personnal blog, and http://thegoodieboxsampler.blogspot.com/ which is my goodie box blog where crafters can contribute to the box with samples and get their shops publicized that way when I sell the boxes, customers get to try their samples products. So when they want the full size product they just go and buy it from the crafter's shop.

(16) Are there any blogs you follow regularly?
A ton but here are a few, Nana's box, Whip up, The Apronista, I saw your nanny, Check out my blog to see the who list



(17) Are there any particular Etsy shops you follow regularly?
The ones from my etsy friends when I'm on line with them I check often as soon as they list an item,I'm off to check it in case I might need it.

(18) Any advice (business, or otherwise) for fellow sellers?
Never give up no matter what others may tell you, believe in yourself and always work hard and never give up even if it seems worthless because there a lot of competition out there.

GIVEAWAY from SassyGlassJewelry HAS ENDED!

This giveaway has ended!
^ Read post for more details!

AND THE WINNER IS.....
Judy Brittle

I will randomly choose the first winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will have 24 hours to respond with their home address and their choice of one of the two prizes. I will randomly choose the second winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will have 24 hours to respond with their home address!!

Here are your random numbers:
22
Timestamp: 2009-01-20 00:03:23 UTC





Sunday, January 11, 2009

Featured Seller: SassyGlassJewelry

THIS SELLER HAS ALSO OFFERED TO DO A GIVEAWAY! SEE THIS POST FOR DETAILS!



(1) Who are you?
Sandi Carrico

(2) What is your shop name and how did you come up with it?
Sassy Glass Jewelry. I had some friends tell me my jewelry was sassy. I looked the word up in the dictionary and I felt the definition fit perfectly with what I try to convey in my designs…stylish, fashionable, chic, & bold.

(3) What do you create and sell?
Jewelry using high-quality metals such as sterling silver, copper, and brass with natural stones used to embellish the pieces. I also use my lampwork beads in some of my designs.

(4) What is your source for inspiration?
Usually I see something that makes me think it would look cool with a piece of jewelry designed around it. It could be a stone, a bead, a crystal, clay…just about anything…they all spark ideas in some way.



(5) What is your favorite piece from your shop & why?
My favorite piece is probably “Circles of Change”. I love the stone and how the design came together; on that day my muse was sitting very close to me.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17249684

(6) Is running your shop your only job?
Yes and no! I also help run our goat farm but spend most of my time at my bench or at my torch. I worked in the corporate world for almost 30 years but now work at my dream jobs…metalsmithing and making lampwork beads.

(7) When did you start your business?
My husband is a machinist and has a fully equipped machine shop. We had discussed for several years ways to collaborate on some projects. A friend of mine took a silversmithing class which was something I had always wanted to learn. Jim and I decided that may be the path to our collaboration. We began silversmithing classes together about 7 months ago and it has grown from there. I actually have a couple of pieces in my Etsy shop that he and I worked on together. For this piece, Jim actually drew the Kokopelli design on his computer and then programmed his CNC machine to cut it out of copper. I then used this as the backpiece for my design and bezel-set the stone on top of it. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18005620


(8) How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I opened my first shop in January, 2008; my 2nd shop, Sassy Glass Jewelry, opened in November, 2008.



(9) Do you sell outside of Etsy?
Yes, sometimes I sell on eBay and I do a lot of custom work. I have a website but haven’t had anything on it for sale for several months. All of my work is now going into my Etsy shops.

(10) What do you like best about Etsy?
Instant gratification – for both buyers and sellers. You see something you want, you can buy it immediately.
(11) Do you belong to any teams?
No. There are a couple that I follow but haven’t made the decision to join yet.

(12) Do you have more than one Etsy shop?
Yes. I also make lampwork beads and I was selling both beads and jewelry in the same shop but felt I needed to a shop for each venue.



(13) What do you do to promote your shop(s)?
I have a website that features both shops; I usually send out a newsletter to my customers twice per month at which time I also have a drawing for free beads/jewelry; I just started a blog and I have an account on flickr.

(14) What do you do in your spare time?
I don’t have any spare time…I need to retire from my retirement. Seriously, I am an avid reader, amateur photographer, love my GameBoy, and I have a 1-year old Schnauzer who requires a lot of attention.

(15) What is your blog or website url?
Website: www.sassyglassdesigns.com
Blog: www.sassyglassdesigns.blogspot.com

(16) Are there any blogs you follow regularly?
I follow the blogs posted in the Etsy forums but not anyone in particular…I enjoy them all.



(17) Are there any particular Etsy shops you follow regularly?
Yes, blockpartypress, knottyknotty, LizardsJewelery. I just purchased some items from blockpartypress that I want to design some jewelry around and from knottyknotty, I just purchased a great rack for organizing my glass. As for LizardsJewelery, I love her style and am always interested in what she designs.

(18) Any advice (business, or otherwise) for fellow sellers?
I think the best advice I can give other sellers is to communicate with your customer and treat your customer like you would like to be treated.

GIVEAWAY from SassyGlassJewelry!

Featured Seller, Sandi from SassyGlassJewelry, has offered to incorporate a giveaway with her feature!

Enter now to win this "Ancient Pathways" necklace!
$55 Value


RULES & DETAILS:
(1) This giveaway is open to US Residents ONLY! SassyGlassJewelry will ONLY mail the prize to an address in the United States!
(2) The winning number will be randomly chosen (using Random.org) and I will contact them via email. The winner will only have 24 hours to respond with their home address.
(3) Comment this blog with your favorite item in SassyGlassJewelry's shop! Make sure to leave your email address and/or your etsy shop so I can contact you! I will NOT contact you through your blogger account!
(4) This giveaway will end on Sunday, January 18th at 11:59PM, EST!

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED A COMMENT BUT HAVE NOT TOLD ME THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ETSY SHOP SO I CAN CONTACT THEM! YOUR ENTRY IS NOT VALID WHEN THE RULES ARE NOT FOLLOWED!!!!!


EtsyGiveaways

Good Luck!
♥Mannie

GIVEAWAY from MaggieSueDesigns HAS ENDED!

This giveaway has ended!
The winner of the handmade demin and groovy flower front pocket bag by MaggieSueDesigns is Nancy J. from Fraser, MI!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
48
Timestamp: 2009-01-11 16:11:31 UTC

I will randomly choose the winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will have 24 hours to respond with their home address.

A HUGE thank you to MaggieSueDesigns and to everyone who entered! Make sure to follow/subscribe to this blog so you'll be the first to know about new featured sellers and giveaways!


Saturday, January 3, 2009

Featured Seller: MaggieSueDesigns

THIS SELLER HAS ALSO OFFERED TO DO A GIVEAWAY! SEE THIS POST FOR DETAILS!



(1) Who are you?
Meredith Chiatello

(2) What is your shop name and how did you come up with it?
The shop name, Maggie Sue Designs, came from an old nickname. In high school Spanish class there was no direct translation for Meredith so I was called Margarita instead. My middle name was Sue and somehow that was shortened to Maggie Sue. Some of my old friends still call me that!

(3) What do you create and sell?
Handmade handbags and accessories made with fabric. Items include cup cozies, key fobs, headbands and ponytail holders, wallets, coasters, tissue holders, fabric magnets, and more.

(4) What is your source for inspiration?
Really this whole endeavor is just a way to justify my fabric obsession. Maybe I should call it an "interest" rather than an obsession, I don't want to sound like I'm totally bonkers. I'm not sure I've truly been "inspired", maybe this is just a phase. Only time will tell...



(5) What is your favorite piece from your shop & why?
My current fave is this Vibrant Patchwork Bag and Key Fob set; I just love these bright Kaffe Fassett fabrics mixed together!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9202607

(6) Is running your shop your only job?
Running the household (which is a bit of a joke around here as I'm not the best cook or housekeeper) and being a mom and wife is my unpaid full-time job. Well, I get paid with hugs and kisses once in a while but no salary to speak of. I am a registered nurse but have not worked since our first child (we have two) was 9 months old.

(7) When did you start your business?
Sometime around the fall of 2005.

(8) How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Since April of 2006.


(9) Do you sell outside of Etsy?
I participate in 2 to 3 local craft shows each year but I really prefer to sell on-line. I don't really have that "inner salesperson" personality, I'm a people person but not when I have to toot my own horn. Then I get flustered and babble. Luckily the things I make can usually sell themselves in person, I just put them in pretty shopping bags and collect the money.

(10) What do you like best about Etsy?
The ease of both setting up shop and of selling are the top two. Also I really enjoy using Etsy's Pounce and Time Machine 2 features. That is how I find most of the shops I blog about. I do have fun curating treasury lists, but I refuse to stay up until 4am waiting for one to open so I only get a list once in a while if I happen to be logged in at the right time.

(11) Do you belong to any teams?
I'm a member of EtsyKids and CREST, the Capital Region Etsy Street Team for members from MD/VA/DC.

(12) Do you have more than one Etsy shop?
No.


(13) What do you do to promote your shop(s)?
Word of mouth. I post in the forums IF if feel that I can add something of value to the thread. I rarely start my own topics there yet I know I've had some past sales just from chatting in the forums. I've recently put a few very inexpensive ad boxes on Project Wonderful but mostly I use free networking sites. I'm on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and a bunch of ning.com sites like Indiepublic, Swanky Moms, We Love Etsy, Posh Mama and a few others. I have not been active on most of those in the past few months while I've been setting up my blog but I have had people contact me from some of these places in the past. I think once I get a few more blog followers I'll be able to offer some giveaways there which I hope will make people happy AND drive traffic to my shop.

(14) What do you do in your spare time?
I really enjoy reading fiction, hanging out with friends, having a cup of tea or a glass of white wine. I like the crostic puzzles on allstarpuzzles.com and we watch some movies and TV too. And I LOVE eating chocolate, can't forget that one! Which is why I go to Jazzercise, but luckily I enjoy that too.

(15) What is your blog or website url?
My shop can be found at http://maggiesuedesigns.etsy.com and I have a blog that I just started in October at http://www.maggiesuedesigns.com

(16) Are there any blogs you follow regularly?
I've gotten great marketing and selling advice from http://timothyadamdesigns.blogspot.com, and lately I've been checking giveaway sites like http://loveetsyfeedback.blogspot.com and http://etsygiveaways.blogspot.com I also just found http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com and http://www.designspongeonline.com


(17) Are there any particular Etsy shops you follow regularly?
There is a fair chance that if you are a fabric seller, your shop is in my favorites list!

(18) Any advice (business, or otherwise) for fellow sellers?
Strive to do what you enjoy, whether you do this to make a living or more as a hobby like me. There is no point in spending your time on something that is making you miserable. One thing I learned as a nurse is that life is short! If you need to work for the money, keep searching until you find a balance of what you like and what you can live on. I'm aware that it sounds easier than the reality of it, but working towards finding that place can be well worth the struggle. When we went from two full-time salaries down to one, it was interesting to see what we really could live without when necessary. Lower your heat setting and throw on two sweaters. Give up smoking!! Besides the fact that tobacco might kill you, you'll save a lot of money (FYI, I've never smoked~ this is just an example). Drink coffee from home instead of stopping at Starbucks. Try boxed wine once in a while, there are some decent ones out there. Make dinner instead of going out (I know, that one stinks!) But you get the idea :)

GIVEAWAY from MaggieSueDesigns!

Featured Seller, Meredith of MaggieSueDesigns, has offered to incorporate a giveaway with her feature!

Enter now to win her
Denim & Groovy Flower Print Front Pocket Bag!!
A $26.50 VALUE... FOR FREE (if you win)!!


RULES & DETAILS:
(1) This giveaway is open to US Residents ONLY! MaggieSueDesigns will ONLY mail the prize to an address in the United States!
(2) I will randomly choose the winner (using Random.org) and contact them via email. They will only have 24 hours to respond with their home address.
(3) Comment this blog with your favorite item in MaggieSueDesigns's shop! Make sure to leave your email address or your etsy shop so I can contact you! I will NOT contact you through your blogger account!
(4) This giveaway will end on Saturday, January 10th at 11:59PM, EST!

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED A COMMENT BUT HAVE NOT TOLD ME THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS OR ETSY SHOP SO I CAN CONTACT THEM! YOUR ENTRY IS NOT VALID WHEN THE RULES ARE NOT FOLLOWED!!!!!


EtsyGiveaways

Good luck!
♥Mannie