Meet DesignsbyKari

1. What is your craft of choice, and how long have you been doing that?

My passion is jewelry. From vintage plastic, or Lucite, to genuine gemstones I have tried it all and love it. All together I’ve been making jewelry for about 20 years. I’ve dappled in all sorts of crafts…I tend to think, “I can do that”. Sometimes it works out; sometimes I destash my goods and leave it to the pros. I always come back to jewelry.

2. How did you get started?

Growing up Mom had a spot in a consignment shop, she made cross stitched pillows and jar lids and such. A few years after the shop closed down we were driving by and it was a bead shop, we looked at each other and said, “lets have a look”. That was it for both of us, since that day we’ve both had our hand in beads of one kind or another. I was 10!

3. What is your inspiration?

I love color! I love to express feeling and emotion through color. You could be wearing the simplest of black dresses, but a bright red necklace, or stunning orange floral ring and it speaks a little to who you are. I’m fond of shiny things that sparkle, hence the new line of gemstone goodies in my shop.

4. How long have you been on Etsy?

I officially celebrated my 1 year Anniversary on Etsy back on January 25th.

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I would love to say that I see my self having quit my day job and focusing solely on my shop, but my realistic nature won’t allow me to go that far.

So, Balanced! I see that I’ll be able to find a happy balance between family, career and passion. The right mix to allow me to o what I love.

6. What is the most challenging thing about having an online business?

Being seen. The online business community is constantly growing. Every day someone else with an idea and the courage to put it out there for us to see is jumping in the pool. I’m fortunate to have friends with blogs to help put me out there!

7. What is the most rewarding thing about having an online business?

The feedback. I have had some amazing buyers leave me feedback that warms my heart. One woman said she felt like Cinderella wearing a ring I made and another said she hasn’t taken her ring off since she received it. I can imagine the smiles on the faces and that makes every struggle worth it.

8. How does your internet business fit into your life? Is it your job or do you have another job as well?

It fits; right now it’s a bit cramped though. I am lucky to have a job that’s flexible and I can be online listing or promoting when it’s slow. At home, my hubby is amazingly supportive; he will do bath time with the kids or take care of dishes so I can pack orders. He’s in the U.S.Navy and deploys for anywhere from 6 months to 11 months at a time. During that time it’s much more of a juggling act.


9. When you are not crafting, how do you spend your time?

Playing with my kids, ages 3 and 10, gardening and enjoying my friends.

10. Are there any links you’d like to share?

Steel blue topaz ring
Tangerine Chrysanthemum ring
Peruvian Opal Hoops

I'd like to tell you that I own many of Kari's designs and they are all amazing! She takes a lot of pride in both the quality of her work and the presentation of it!

Now... see the ring in the top of this post?? Kari is offering that as a giveaway item to one lucky reader! You will receive 1 entry for telling me your favorite item at www.designsbykari.etsy.com, 1 entry for following Kari on twitter www.twitter.com/designsbykari, 1 entry for following this blog, and 3 entries for purchasing from Kari. Please leave a message for each qualification!

A winner will be picked by a random number generator on Wednesday, April 21. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you when you win!

Meet Brigitta!

What is your craft of choice, and how long have you been doing that?

My craft of choice in terms of selling is jewelry (and rosary) design and creation. I’ve been at it for somewhere around two years. At the same time, I love to knit and have been doing that for over 20 years, although I’ve forgotten all but the basics it seems so I’m pretty much a permanent beginner when it comes to knitting. When it comes to my jewelry and rosaries I feel like I learn something new each and every day and hope for it always to be that way.

How did you get started?

I was stuck at my parents’ house (a definite downer when you’re facing your 30th birthday), recovering from what should have been “minor” surgery and suffering from the culture shock of having just uprooted myself from two years of living and working in Prague to an emergency move home for health insurance and the aforementioned surgery. Going stir crazy I needed something to occupy my mind, my creativity and my hands. I thought of making jewelry because my sister and an old friend both made jewelry and I knew I could call them for help and advice. And an obsession was born!

What is your inspiration?
At the risk of sounding like a total cheeseball…colors, pictures of pieces that pop into my head, the smile that I love to see on the face of an in-person customer who chooses one of my pieces, seeing a piece I like but don’t quite love and trying to create it in a form that makes me love it, the desire to create a special gift for someone I love that then spins into a new idea or a new line (which is actually why I started handcrafting rosaries)…

How long have you been on Etsy?
It feels like much longer than Etsy tells me but, apparently, since November 2007. Although I didn’t open my shop then—that was when I became a user because I fell in love with some pieces from Montezuma Mudd (http://www.montezumamudd.etsy.com/) and absolutely had to buy them as Christmas gifts. LOL, I ended up keeping one of the two pieces I bought!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
To be honest, I don’t. Despite being an obsessive planner and list maker, I’ve learned that my life rarely takes the direction that I expected and, as a result, planning more than six months to a year out can lead to disappointments, forgotten dreams, etc. So, instead I have general goals without time limits. I would love to live in Austria, either Vienna or Graz, to be fluent in both Czech and German, to be making a living from crafting, to be visited often by my nephews and parents and to be with my current boyfriend in whatever capacity life takes us to.

What is the most challenging thing about having an online business?
For me I’d have to say the marketing and dealing with the long dry periods without sales. I’ve had sales off of Etsy through craft fairs, co-workers and friends but never felt like my business has really taken off and this is something I am determined to work towards yet often feel stymied by my struggles with marketing and balancing my time. (And, lately, with a lack of cash flow to buy the new materials that I crave.)

What is the most rewarding thing about having an online business?
Hmmm…many thoughts are popping into my head. I love the interaction with other sellers, something that I have only recently discovered/tapped into. I feel like I would lack this if I had a bricks-and-mortar shop—or at least it would be harder to establish. Also, in many ways I like the anonymity of it. While I love chatting with potential customers at the few craft shows I’ve done, I hate “selling.” It’s easy for me to talk about my work but not so easy for me to push/encourage someone to purchase it. Ha ha, this obviously ties in to my marketing issues!

How does your internet business fit into your life? Is it your job or do you have another job as well?
With both great difficulty and great joy. I work full-time as the senior communications associate (read: editor, writer, project manager, thinker, nag) for a nonprofit philanthropic collaborative and my work often follows me home in the evenings and over the weekends. While I enjoy my “day job” it comes with the frustrations that all office jobs come with and well, it isn’t crafting. So, I find that my BrigaBauble shop on Etsy is both a creative outlet and a calming factor in my life. I can flip on the TV, wash my mind of writer’s block or frustration with a co-worker who ignores deadlines and wrap myself in colors and shapes and textures and testing ideas.

When you are not crafting, how do you spend your time?
Aside from working my day job…Both my boyfriend and I love to watch movies and are Netflix addicts so, we watch a lot of movies; I read—alternating between works of literature and spy/thriller/legal novels I think of as “brain candy”; spend time with my fabulous and adorable nephews, ages 4 and 10, and with my parents; when I have the time and the money I adore traveling; I watch some telly…wow, my life sounds so exciting, doesn’t it? I also do a variety of crafts for fun so, when I’m not working on my jewelry it’s not unusual for me to be crafting in some other way.

Are there any links you’d like to share?
Sure, thanks for asking! There are the obvious (and selfish) links…
My Etsy shop: http://www.brigabauble.etsy.com/
Blog: http://brigabauble.blogspot.com/
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BrigaBauble
Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brigabauble/

And then there are the links to a few of my favorite Etsy sellers:
http://www.spoonfullofchocolate.etsy.com/
http://www.montezumamudd.etsy.com/
http://www.maxinedear.etsy.com/
http://www.kittykatkards.etsy.com/
http://www.imotime.etsy.com/
http://www.soapdeli.etsy.com/

Interview with Ruthie from Roseworksjewelry

What is your craft of choice, and how long have you been doing that?

Do I really have to pick just one? LOL Jewelry is my main focus/business and I've been doing it for around 10 years now. I've recently picked up cross-stitch again, but I can't even begin to figure out how long I've been doing that! I was pretty young when I first started... And other than that, I love to learn any crafts I can!

How did you get started?

A former Bible study leader got me started doing basic "link" wire-work when I "graduated" from her group :) I've picked up the rest of the techniques I use in various random places over the years.

What is your inspiration?

I find inspiration just about everywhere I look! Seriously, I've had the most random things inspire me, like someone's sandals... I love to look at other people's work, web-sites, magazines, and usually best of all, my own bead stash! Since I do so many different types of crafts (even within just the jewelry realm) I tend to never run out of ideas.

How long have you been on Etsy?

Since May of 2008.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Rich and famous? LOL Seriously though, I have a lot of health problems that we're working through with the doctors, I'd like to see myself healthier and more functional in five years. Going alone with that, I'd like to regularly be involved in selling my work at craft fairs, bazaars, and markets. I'd love it if my jewelry and other crafts could help support me and my husband :)
What is the most challenging thing about having an online business?
Hands own, the hardest part is getting your name out there. There are many cost effective (or free) ways of doing this, but it takes discipline! Especially in the jewlery market which is highly saturated.

What is the most rewarding thing about having an online business?

I love hearing that people love my work! It's very affirming :) And it amazes me to realize that people all over America, and even a few in Europe, are wearing my jewelry! It's not an overly large number yet, but it's growing steadily!

How does your internet business fit into your life? Is it your job or do you have another job as well?

At this point in my life my business is my job. It doesn't really support me and my husband, but I have too many health challenges right now to maintain a regular job.

When you are not crafting, how do you spend your time?

I stop crafting? Ok, so I do from time to time. I actually spend a lot of time reading blogs, advertising my business, talking to lots and lots of people, writing, and I love to read fantasy and scifi!

Are there any links you'd like to share?

Plenty of them! I have two shops, the second one I share with my Mom :)www.roseworksjewelry.etsy.comwww.kstreasures.etsy.com

And three blogs :P

www.roseworksjewelry.blogspot.com

www.roseworkstreasury.blogspot.com

www.ajedismusings.blogspot.com

I also have the honor of doing a radio show every Thursday at 9pm EST where I interview artisans live on the air!

Come join us at:www.blockheadradiolive.com

And if you want to follow me on Twitter you can find me at:www.twitter.com/rosewksjewelry.

Thanks again Robyn!