New in Town

I got a message last week from Lauren who is new in town. She had just joined Etsy to sell her photography and also joined the Eastern Washington Etsy Street Team to get plugged in to how things work. She was curious about how to make a treasury. Leanna of TeezLoueez gave her all the info she needed, Lauren got her first treasury, and it was featured on Etsy's home page this morning. I wondered why I woke up to so many sales of that particular pattern. Thank you Lauren! She very talented, check out her photography shop here. If you are new to Etsy, please find a team to join. It will help you tremendously.

Team Up

This is my blue lovebirds pillow on Etsys front page. I am really happy that this item has been so well received. I think it has been in 5 or 6 treasuries in the past week. I love that combination of pale sky blue and dark chocolate brown. This is the first pillow listing in a series I am trying to finish, but the paying customers have to come first, and for the next week, that means slipcovering.

Being on teams has made all the difference for me on Etsy. This treasury was made by a very talented member of the Etsy Treasury Team, PJLaCasse.

Teams are great for exposure! If you are an Etsy seller, and you are not yet on a team, click here and find you one! I love the local team for meeting people in person. I love the treasury team for all I have learned about putting treasuries together and for the added exposure. I love the bag makers team for the fellowship with like minded creative people. Whatever you do, there are teams out there for you. Plan on being an active member of any team you join, both to give and to receive the benefits of membership.

A Servant's Heart

Last time I wrote about what I am, now I want to write about who I want to be. I have learned, and continue to learn, so much from being on a team. I have to thank the ladies who are involved in the team challenge specifically for putting their work up against other people to be voted upon (I think I just threw up a little) and for putting up with me personally. The Eastern Washington Etsy Street Team is full of special talent, with a number of people in the Gift Guides on Etsy. It is full of unique people who have come together to help one another grow and prosper in their handmade business. Being the team blogger, I have had the privilege of getting to know some of these people. Allow me to introduce you to the women who are braving the team challenge. First, a fun look at the shops.

Laura of LCSCottage made the cool pin cushion caddy for the challenge. If I could win, that is the item I would want. When I told her that, she graciously sent me the link for the tutorial from Anna Marie Horner for how to make it. Laura's shop has her original fabrics as well as other sewing supplies. When I read the description of her aurifil thread, I thought, oooh, I need some of that!

Monti of GlitznGlass entered a really cute painted candle holder and candle. I saw her work in person at a local gallery and was really impressed. Monti is a very talented painter and her candles burn very clean with lots of fragrance. I predict that her painted glassware will gain a very loyal and enthusiastic following. I did a little article for the team blog about her.

Andi of Random Scraps has an eye for design that I really enjoy. Having her on the team has really sharpened my learning curve. I appreciate her example, and often use her photos as great examples of product photography and composition on our team blog. For that blog, I did an interview with Andi to get to know her better. Her entry for the team challenge is a wonderful handmade card.

Randi of Ragnazidnar is my role model. She is talented yet humble. She leads by putting others first. She is sweet in a genuine way that never leaves an aftertaste. The article I did for the team on Randi is here. You will enjoy her blog as well. Randi's entry in the challenge is a hand embroidered, hand made sketch book. I think she asks herself, How much love can I pack into every single item I make?

Natalie of That70sShoppe entered a lovely poem for the challenge that she turned into a magnet. I love that she is willing to be so vulnerable. She may not know this about me, but I have a soft spot for poetry. I don't know Natalie very well yet, but I am looking forward to it.

Sherice of FashionablyAdorned and I have a lot in common. We both from the West side of the mountains and our kids are about the same age. Her passion for jewelry shows in her work. Is there anyone who doesn't need a pair of classic black earrings? I like Sherice's take on that.

Gail is the multi-talented maven behind beadedsplendor. Her entry for the challenge is the lovely beaded earrings. She also has a thriving business that is known as digitalexpressions. As if the jewelry and graphic arts weren't enough, Gail has been a professional painter for a number of years. Check out her paintings at GLEntwistle. I did a little article about Gail for the team blog.

If you ever want the person sitting across from you at the office meeting to drool uncontrollably, buy some of DanaBurger's donut earrings. I don't know Dana very well, but I can say this. I love her sense of humor, and I love that she does sidewalk chalk drawing. Dana's entry in the challenge is a fun choker that spells out spring.

Leanna of SeamsVictorian and I are collaborating in our shops. I have a very popular pattern for frame purses, and Leanna sells the frames to go with it. I love her for doing that! Leanna does a lot of custom sewing as well. Her clothing and bags are meticulously made. The article about her in the team blog gives more details about Leanna and her interests, talents and passions. Her entry for the team challenge is a frame purse she made of her special hand embellished fabric. I appreciate the amount of hard work and love that went into that bag.

So now you have the scoop on the challenge participants. If you have not voted yet, I am going to encourage you now to go here and vote for the item you would want to win as the prize. If you follow my blog, you might be asking yourself, Is this woman schizophrenic? I often ask myselves that question. Not really, no more than anyone else who struggles with the two natures inside.

Giveaway over there

Winding down the work week and way too excited about the new stuff I just made to do any blogging. You'll probably see it in my shop by Monday, gotta do the photo shoot. I am the blogger for the Eastern Washington Etsy Street Team though, and if you are in the US, you can pop over to that blog, vote, comment and be entered to win a prize. Don't vote for me though, I think I want to keep that little bag.