Flickr Pool Friday

These are just gorgeous and would be a perfect addition to a Father's Day Gift (hint,hint)!

Photo: A Scrappy Design

EtsyPaper Team Weekly Featured Sellers -Danielle Joeckel

Today we have Danielle Joeckel as our featured EtsyPaper Team member. Danielle is the owner of Pick Me Paper Designs. She makes wonderful cards, planners and journals and is a fairly new member to our team (but very active). We have 3 questions that tell us a little about Danielle and her shop and she has chosen 5 out of all of the questions that were submitted by our team members on the forum post. Here are her answers to our questions - happy reading!


Tell us a little about yourself :

I live in Gainesville, FL with my husband who is now in his 4th year of pharmacy school, and will be finishing next May. We have one poodle named Sherman, who we just love to death. I am a teacher by day, and I am also taking night/weekend classes to finish my teaching certification. And of course, a crafter! Between these activities, I stay very busy! When spare time rolls around, I love to read and run.

Tell us about your shop:

*When did you open it?

I just opened my shop in February with a few items..I didn’t really know what I was doing or how to get the ball rolling! I have since changed it a little bit, and it’s in the past month or so that I feel more confident about what I want to include in my shop and how to do it.

*What items/type of items do you sell?

I have a few stationery sets and tag items, but my passion is books: wedding planners, baby shower journals, pregnancy books, things of that nature. I really enjoy designing fun and creative covers for these items that will make people want to carry them around.


Getting to know you - 5 Questions

1. Name top (3-5) items (for crafting purposes) that you cannot live without.

Paper, obviously! I absolutely LOVE picking out new and exciting papers. Also, stamps (another obsession) ribbons, and mini glue dots (love them, buy them all of the time!)
Oh and my Purple Cow cutter..I can’t live without that thing!

2. Do you have a special space for your crafting, or does the kitchen table do double duty?

Right now the dining room table does double duty. Honestly, we really didn’t use it that much anyway! We have a condo and not much room for crafts, or anything extra, so my husband graciously lets me take up the whole dining room area. It’s quite messy too, so I need to work on being more organized! One day I hope to have a whole “crafting” room.

3. What do you have on while you're creating, if anything, and is it tuned to something specific?

I always have something on while I’m crafting-I like background noise. Occasionally music, but I’m a little far from the itunes on my computer to hear. If I’m home alone, I will have on HGTV or something similar. If my husband is home then ESPN might be on instead!

4. Are you a clean or messy crafter?

Definitely MESSY. Like I said before too, I don’t have a lot of space, but I am still thrive best on organized chaos. Like I might have one piece of paper under five other things, but I always know where everything is. Now once I’ve finished a piece, I’ll tuck it away for safe keeping.

5. Do you have a day job? If so are you up all night crafting?

I do have a day job. I am a fifth grade teacher. So this time of the year is busy with graduation stuff, end of the year field trips, things of that nature. I am also in school myself working on my certification. I actually start a Saturday class on 5/16 for 6 weeks, so that is majorly going to cut craft time for a bit. L I am bummed about that! I try not to stay up too late. I just can’t function like that or the next day at work. Plus once my eyes get tired and I’m just wiped, I figure anything I make will not turn out the way I would like, so it’s better to stop and get some rest.



Find Danielle Here:

Shop: Pick Me Paper Designs

Blog: Pick Me Paper Designs

Ning: Danielle Joeckel

**Danielle also has a newsletter that you can sign up for on her blog!**

Flickr Pool Friday

Every Friday we jump into EtsyPaper's Flickr Pool. Here's what we surfaced with today:

Image: Missamyo
Let's motor ya'll!

EtsyPaper Team Business Card Swap

Time for a team promo! This month, we are having a team member business card swap! Sign-up (RSVP to the event) by the May 20th and send a S.A.S.E. (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) along with 5-10 or more business cards to me. I will be giving my address to those who have signed up by the 2oth. The business cards will be mixed and divided up between participants and will be mailed out in the provided envelopes. When you send an order out from your shop, you'll send one of your business cards and one of your teammate's business cards. It's that easy!

This is a really easy way to promote your shop and your fellow team member shops. It takes minimal effort so I am hoping we will have a lot of participation. I have had a couple of members contact me about my address - I will be sending it out to all participants on the 2oth. If you have a need for it sooner, contact me and I'll go ahead and send it to you. Thanks to all who have signed up so far:)

May/June Promo Forum Post

Event RSVP

EtsyPaper Team Weekly Featured Sellers - Jess Bradlee

Today we have Jess Bradlee as our featured EtsyPaper Team member. Jess is the creative mind behind Modern Card. She creates beautiful cards with a simple but elegant style. We have 3 questions that tell us a little about Jess and her shop and she has chosen 5 (actually 6) out of all of the questions that were submitted by our team members on the forum post. Here are her answers to our questions - happy reading!

Tell us a little about yourself :

Aside from creating cards, I am a mother, a wife, a town clerk, a cook and a waitress all rolled into one. I grew up in the restaurant business (literally the apartment upstairs). My family and I live on the island of Martha’s Vineyard year round.

Tell us about your shop:

*When did you open it?

One day I was surfing the Internet, looking for these particular seersucker pants for our son to wear on Easter. I was led to this great blog called chic mommy finds. One of the featured sellers on that site was someone who was selling baby blankets from this cool website named Etsy. I spent the rest of night hooked on Etsy and wondering what I would name my imaginary shop if I were to start one. The next day (March 14, 2007) I opened up Moderncard with 3 cards for sale.

*What items/type of items do you sell?

Modern paper goods – one of a kind cards, gift tags, invitations and embellishments all with a modern flair.

Getting to know you - 5 Questions

1. What is your first crafting memory?

Hmm….my first? I guess that would be licking the watercolor paints because they looked so delicious. I was three.

2. Do you have a special space for your crafting, or does the kitchen table do double duty?

Both. I have a space for crafting and then I end up on the kitchen table because it’s free of paper scraps, so I start a new pile there.

3. What do you have on while you're creating, if anything, and is it tuned to something specific?

I have HGTV on in the background, along with a 3 three year who gently snores.


4. Are you a clean or messy crafter?

Ha. I guess I’m somewhere in between. I have a very low tolerance for clutter and mess around the house. Basically I like things in their place, but for some reason when my craft space is all neat and organized, I’m not as inspired to sit down and create. When it’s a disaster, I push stuff to the side and create my most favorite cards on a 6 x 6 inch area of free space, on the corner of my desk.

5. Where do you go to first when you need ideas?

Fashion Magazines. I look for the latest styles or trends and try to blend some of those colors in my cards.

6. What or who is your biggest inspiration? Do you have an inspiring story you’d like to share?

My friends and family are my biggest inspiration. Usually what happens is I end up making a card for someone because they have some special occasion coming up. With them in mind, I create the card based on what I think they would like. Once I create that card, I try to duplicate it with the same process. I then name that card after the particular friend or family member that inspired me.

Find Jess Here:

Shop: Modern Card

Blog: Modern Card

Ning: Jess Bradlee

Flickr Pool Friday

Every Friday we jump into EtsyPaper's Flickr Pool. Here's what we surfaced with today:

Image: Winemakerssister
This image makes us feel good! Energized. Time to go get crafting!

EtsyPaper Team Weekly Featured Sellers - Dolores Raml

Our next featured EtsyPaper Team member is Dolores of Crafty d's Creations! Dolores is one of our team admin (Promotions & other general tasks). She makes terrific felt embellishments, ACEOs, cards and other pretty paper goods. We have 3 questions that tell us a little about Dolores and her shop and she has chosen 5 out of all of the questions that were submitted by our team members on the forum post. Here are her answers to our questions - happy reading!

Tell us a little about yourself :

I have been crafting for many, many years and have tried many different things. My husband and I have been married for 36 years, we live just outside of Sioux Falls, SD and have three grown children, (all close by) and three grandchildren.

Tell us about your shop:

*When did you open it?

I started my Etsy shop after going to craft shows for about 35 years looking for something a little easier than setting up a booth all the time. I opened my shop in Aug. of 2007 and after a very slow start things finally started to pick up about 6 months later. I love to make paper creations but a little over a year ago I started making felt embellishments so now sell some of each in my shop. I still do about 8 craft shows a year but only one is a booth type show.

*What items/type of items do you sell?

I started out my shop with all paper products but have gotten into making felt flowers and other embellishments after my daughter needed some unique embellishments for her Scrapbook Kit Club (ZanyZinnia) I also make ATC/ACEO cards and love trying new techniques on them.

Getting to know you - 5 Questions

1. What is your first crafting memory?

My first thing that I made was doll clothes for my dolls after I got a sewing machine for Christmas one year.

2. Is there something that you've never tried with paper that you'd like to try?

I would love to try some waxed and freezer paper techniques that I have seen, I have the supplies so would like to try them soon.

3. Do you have a special space for your crafting, or does the kitchen table do double duty?

I mostly craft at my kitchen table, I have a room set up in the basement with my supplies and get my exercise going up and down. One thing about crafting at the table my space gets cleaned up often.

4. What do you have on while you're creating, if anything, and is it tuned to something specific?

Mostly I listen to Country Western music on the radio but occasionally I turn on the Create channel and keep an ear out for interesting things while I'm working.

5. Are you a clean or messy crafter?

I'd have to say I'm a messy crafter and usually end up with only a tiny work space. I guess I live by the Motto of "A Creative Mind is rarely organized".

Find Dolores Here:

Shop: Crafty d's Creations

Blog:

Ning: Dolores Raml

Flickr Pool Friday

Every Friday we jump into EtsyPaper's Flickr Pool. Here's what we surfaced with today:

Image: twhelan
Where the paper grows...is where EtsyPaper visits.

EtsyPaper Team Weekly Featured Sellers - Alycia Morales

Our second featured EtsyPaper Team member this week is Alycia of Peek A Boo Productions! Alycia is one of our team admin (Promotions & other general tasks). She makes gorgeous paper pine cones and other pretty paper goods. We have 3 questions that tell us a little about Alycia and her shop and she has chosen 5 out of all of the questions that were submitted by our team members on the forum post. Here are her answers to our questions - happy reading!

Tell us a little about yourself :

I currently live in Alabama, enjoying life close to a major city. We have a house in Upstate, NY, though, which is where we come from. I am very happily married to my husband, Victor, and we'll celebrate 11 years in October. I have a wonderful step-son, Zachary, who is graduating high school this year. We have four children together, Ezra, Caleb, Hannah, and Gideon, who are between 9 and 4.

Tell us about your shop:

*When did you open it?
August 27, 2008

*What items/type of items do you sell?

I sell an assortment of paper items, ranging from cards and stationery, to scrap booking supplies, ornaments and bookmarks.

Getting to know you - 5 Questions

1. What inspires you?

I am inspired by my children, nature, and God. I love looking around me for ideas. I will be driving down a road and pass a field of wildflowers and think, "Hmm...those colors look so naturally perfect together. I think I'll try this." In my humble opinion, I think God's creation is filled with the perfect color blends and patterns. There is so much inspiration to draw from in it. :) My kiddos are very inspiring, as well! Hence, the watercolor stationery in my shop. My kids love to watercolor, and I hate to throw everything away. They do such a beautiful job! But, we all know how quickly their paintings pile up, and sometimes it's a piece of paper with a splash or two of color. One day I was cleaning up the piles and decided to share them with others, rather than waste them and throw them away. So, I turned them into stationery! :)

2. What equipment/ supplies do you use/where do you purchase them?

I use a lot of paper, and I tend to favor Stampin' Up! card stock. It's really thick and sturdy, and they have great colors! I buy mostly solids from them. I love K&Company's prints and colors, as well. I usually get most of my supplies from Stampin' Up!, Creative Memories (can't beat their tape runners, cutting tools, and scrapbook albums), Michael's, and Hobby Lobby. I use my 12" Trimmer from Creative Memories a LOT, and I love embellishments (ribbons, brads, flowers, buttons...pretties).

3. When do you find/make time for your crafting?

With four kids, a husband, and a household to run, it's definitely a challenge to find time for my crafting. Plus, I tend to get caught up in the Etsy community, keeping up with threads in the forum, checking on the FP, and such! :) LOL...So, I have to manage my time really well. Right now I don't have an outside career, but I have been looking to go back to work, so that will add in another challenge to the timing in my day. Currently, I set my priorities for the day, keep up with my morning routine of getting hubby to work, having coffee and reading my Bible, getting the kids up and out the door for the bus, and then I take care of business for the house, take care of business for my Etsy shops, run errands, and hope that I have time to work on my crafts before the kids get off the bus. If I have a chance, I may take an evening or a Saturday afternoon to work on my crafts. I think the most time consuming aspect of running my Etsy business is listing. Between shooting the item, touching up the pictures, and getting them into the shop, it is time consuming. Family and church are my priorities, so I make sure that I plan my day out well. That allows me to find the time to craft. You could say my crafting is my "vent". My dear hubby is great at recognizing when I need a few moments to myself. When I get time to craft, I'm less grumpy about the everyday running of the home! :)

4. Why did you decide to become on Etsy seller?

I have always loved to craft, and I was looking for someplace that I could sell my items, without the fuss of a lot of footwork and having to pay a lot of money to design a website (I'm so in love with using images and writing, that I'd have to do it myself, and I wasn't sure back then how much it costs to start a website of your own for sales purposes). I kind of "stumbled" upon Etsy. I think I was surfing the net one day when I came across the site! LOL :) As soon as I saw it and that the fees were very reasonable, I was in! I really enjoy the simplicity of it, and the encouragement and support is fantastic! I love the community here.

5. Do you have more than one etsy shop?
I do! :)

* Name of shop(s) & link: God's Glory Photography at:
http://www.godsgloryphotography.etsy.com/

* Types of items you sell there.

I sell photography at God's Glory Photography! :) I also sell cards of the photographs, ACEOs of the photographs, and I'm considering adding more items to the list! I would love to add the option of purchasing a coffee table book of my photographs, complete with quotes and such. Please stop by to check it out! It's a fairly new endeavor for me. I try to capture life's moments, without a lot of "foof" and changes to the shots.

Find Alycia Here:
Shop: Peek a Boo Productions
Blog: Peek A Boo Productions
Ning: Alycia

A NOTE: We have a great blog post from Alycia on how to make her beautiful paper pine cones - Give it a try!

EtsyPaper Team's 1st Featured Member

Our very 1st featured EtsyPaper Team member is Chrystal of CS Paper & Beads! Chrystal is one of our team admin (membership & other general tasks). She makes the most wonderful handmade paper (I speak from experience so, be sure to check out her shop). We have 3 questions that tell us a little about Chrystal and her shop and she has chosen 5 out of all of the questions that were submitted by our team members on the forum post. Here are her answers to our questions - happy reading!

Tell us a little about yourself :

I am married to a Marine and we have one daughter. We are currently living in Jacksonville NC but have also lived in Orange County, CA, Houston TX and Lubbock TX.

Tell us about your shop:

*When did you open it?

Opened shop in Sept of 2007

*What items/type of items do you sell?

I sell handmade papers, crayon papers, beaded necklaces and beaded crosses. I have also made beaded headbands, journals with my handmade paper and greeting cards. Some things I make need work to make them better and I am always thinking of new things to list using my papers.

Getting to know you - 5 Questions

1. Name the top (3-5) items (for crafting purposes) that you cannot live without.
UHU glue stick
deckle and mould
paper punches
paper shredder
iron

2. What is it about paper that draws you to create with it?

I love that there are so many things you can do with it: paint, tear, punch, rubber stamp, glue, fold, etc.

3. Do you remember the first item you made, and if so, do you still have it (or a picture of it)?

I made my first batch of paper the night before my daughter was born. (almost 13 years ago) I still have the paper. It is very, very thick! The paper I make now is much thinner. No Photo.

4. Who is your biggest fan?

My husband is wonderful and always interested in what I make. He always encourages me and even bought me a paper shredder for my birthday. :) Best gift ever! LOL.

5. How much planning do you do before you create?

I like to make Christmas cards. Sometimes I will sit and sketch out card ideas and then will pick 2 or 3 designs to use that year.. I think that is the only thing I plan. Everything else is made pretty much on the fly.

Find Chrystal Here:

• Shop: CS Paper & Beads


• Blog: CS Craft Studio


• Ning: Chrystal

Flickr Pool Friday

Every Friday we jump into EtsyPaper's Flickr Pool. Here's what we surfaced with today:

Image: Octavine Illustration
Mod! Wood block print on recycled French paper....even mod-ier!