It's a Whimzy Life!

Today we are showcasing Etsy Paper Team Member Toria from Whimsy Life.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Toria Serviss, I am soon to be 22 years old and I'm from Cortland, NY. I live with Kyle, my boyfriend of almost 3 and a half years, and our cat, Kasumi.

When did you open your shop on Etsy?

I opened Whimzy Life on May 12, 2011. About a year and three months ago!

Tell us about your shop.

I sell decorations for weddings, birthdays, showers, home décor, etc. My items range from pinwheels, to banners, to poms...anything I can think of, really! My link to Whimzy Life is http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhimzyLife

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

1.      Without my glue gun, I would get nowhere!

2.      Fun, bright, colorful papers

3.      My Martha Stewart edge punch...because everyone loves frilly edging. :)

What is it about paper that you love?

I love that paper is so versatile, and that it comes in endless prints and colors!

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

Paper draws me to create with it because I can really use my imagination while working with it. It can be cut, folded, curved, decoupaged, anything!

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by the happiness, excitement, enthusiasm, and encouragement I get from my friends, family, and wonderful customers. They all challenge me to dream big and work hard!

Do you sell mostly online or at craft shows?

So far I have only sold my items online but the idea of participating in a craft show seems like  a lot of fun. Hopefully I will get to join one sometime soon!

Please list your shop name and link and other places online we can find you.

You can find me on...

Etsy: Whimsy Life, http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhimzyLife

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhimzyLife

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whimzy-Life/248017355229101?ref=hl

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/toriaserviss/pretty-party-decorations/

Thank you Toria for your time and energy in taking part in our interview. I know that Toria of Whimsy Life would love for you to stop by her shop and follow her online. We, the Etsy Paper Street team, greatly appreciate our followers, too.

Thanks for stopping by. We will be back in a couple of weeks with our next Etsy Paper member spotlight.

Aletha and the Etsy Paper Street Team

The Papernaut with Andrea!

Today we would like to introduce you to one of our newer Etsy Paper Street Team members, Papernaut. After you read all about this very talented paper addict, take a hop to Andrea’s Etsy shop.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello there! My name is Andrea, I’m from Texas and I have been a teacher, a Soldier in the US Army, a postal carrier, and currently I’m studying my butt off to prepare for Pharmacy school. I just got married last month and when I’m not busy doing all those other things I love to make cards!

When did you open your shop on Etsy?

My shop, Papernaut, just opened in April of this year. So far its going really well and I’m having a blast getting a hang of all the nuances of how to best present and promote my shop. Its definitely a work in progress and I’m always learning something new from fellow artisans or the team threads.

Tell us about your shop.

My shop is called Papernaut, and my motto is designing “hand crafted cards of the nerdy persuasion for every occasion.” We exclusively sell greeting cards, the geekier the better.

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

Definitely all kinds of scrap-booking paper, my ranger distress ink pads, and my glue sticks! Also music for rocking out while crafting is a must.

What is it about paper that you love?

I think its more that I love greeting cards, and the thought and care that goes into sending a handwritten note by mail, especially nowadays when its so easy to just type “happy birthday” on someone’s Facebook wall without even leaving your homepage. A handmade card in the mail means so much more to the sender and the recipient.

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

Its pretty :) Also, I owe a lot of credit to my mom, who was really into Stampin’ Up and started making her own Christmas and Birthday cards for friends every year. I inherited the crafting gene from her. For inspiration I rely pretty heavily on my hardcore nerdiness. We are so fortunate to live in a time where nerds and geeks have infiltrated so far into pop-culture there’s no shortage of amazing books, games, TV shows, and movies to provide material.

What inspires you?

I am very passionate about astronomy and astrophysics (Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson is my hero) so the name Papernaut Cards just seemed to fit perfectly. Just picture an astronaut flying around in a paper airplane! I also wanted a big part of my shop to feature more quirky, off-beat, scientifically themed cards so I have a whole section listing titled “For Science!” Each of those cards is dedicated to an inspirational scientist and I try to incorporate pieces of their famous works or discoveries into the design. 

Do you sell mostly online or at craft shows?

Currently my cards are sold exclusively on Etsy, although I am interested in getting more involved in local craft fairs.

Please list your shop name, any other online places where we can find you, and the name of your blog with a link (if you have one).

My Etsy shop name is Papernaut. Also, I am on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Come say hi!

Thank you, Andrea, for taking the time to introduce yourself. I must say you are definitely busy and very talented. You call your shop, Papernaut, a little nerdy and geeky, but I am also getting a little Steampunk vibe in a lot of your little pieces of art. Of course, that is just my opinion. You all take a visit and see what vibes you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by! In a couple of more weeks, we will be spotlighting another Etsy Paper Street Team member.

Aletha and Etsy Paper Street Team