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.