Feature Friday: Say I Do Unique Boutique

Today's feature Friday focuses on Kim of Say I Do Unique Boutique.

Pomander kissing ball purple silver grey sage Ring of Roses

About me and my craft

I recently married and was a total DIYer and loved making all my wedding decorations and was kinda at a loss when the wedding was over and I had no more nights of crafting.  So I decided to keep on making wedding decor! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do and pride myself in doing things a little differently than what is out there. I like being unique in my crafting!

SAMPLE SALE Shades of blue and ivory Unique Fabric Pomanders

 
My favorite item in my shop

My favorite item in my shop is the “Ring of Roses” design pomander.  I didn’t want to just glue fake flowers to a ball and tissue paper balls wouldn’t hold up in an outdoor setting very well.  I had a lot of fabric from my quilting days, so I decided to do my pomander designs using fabric and I love the hand rolled roses look so I incorporated them into the “Ring of Roses” pomander.  For this design I used a polyester satin fabric that was fraying a lot so I candled the edges to seal them and that added a very pretty curling effect as well.  I am currently working on a “Random Roses” design that will have the hand rolled fabric roses randomly placed around the ball with the fabric squares surrounding them.

Buffet table tent card game personalized and custom made for your wedding

Why I chose Etsy

I chose Etsy to host my shop because from most of the wedding sites that I belonged to while planning my wedding, a lot of people were commenting on how much they loved shopping for their weddings on Etsy!  I checked Etsy out when I decided I wanted to continue wedding décor crafting and saw that no one was making pomanders the way I did (good or bad, haven’t found out yet!) so I felt confident that what I was doing was unique.

What does a day of crafting look like for me

I am definitely not a full-time crafter.  I have a 2 ½ year old little one and my crafting takes place after he goes to bed at night.  I work full-time during the day so I don’t get to do too many late nights.  I guess when wedding season comes into full swing, I’ll see how many orders I (hopefully) get and will let you know then how tired I am!

Pomander flower girl kissing ball

 
Long term aspirations for my shop

I hope to make enough sales (come wedding season!) to keep myself busy in the evenings and make a little extra money to save for the honeymoon we never got to take.  Maybe in five (or ten?!?) years, we can renew our vows on a tropical beach somewhere.  Our at-home, outdoor wedding was rained out and moved indoors (which was not my “dream wedding plan”), so I am hoping another ceremony under the stars is in my future (I’ll make sure we don’t plan it for monsoon season!).

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Check out Say I Do Unique Boutique on Etsy

Feature Friday: The Soap Gallery

Japanese Cherry Blossom Handmade Soap

Hello, I'm Louise Vargas and I'm a skincare artisan. I love creating goodies for skin and it is even more fun for me if I can put an artsy, creative twist to it. Our household uses everything I make, from spa products, to household cleaning.

Our Etsy Shop is http://TheSoapGallery.etsy.com.

My joy is in telling people that all our products are made from scratch, that I know exactly what is in everything.

I have moderate chemical sensitivities from a past job and can no longer tolerate harsh detergents or cleaners which leave fumes. This led me, 12 years ago, into researching a gentler way to keep my skin hydrated and smooth.

Vintage Lovefest Soap - Patchouli with Calendula Petals

What is your most significant goal for the coming year?

We have a couple of goals for 2011. 2010 was dedicated to testing the market. People like us! We're going to expand our line to include handmade cosmetics and candles.

Our other goal is to organize things better. Time management, funding, etc. We're still "just starting" :)

Rosemary Citrus Soap

What are your thoughts on the crafting community in Winnipeg?

As a recent returnee to Winnipeg and first year doing craft shows, I've found the crafting community very warm and inviting for the most part, with few exceptions. The talent here is amazing!!

Chocolate SoGa Liquid Soap

What has been the most difficult thing about running an online business?

I'm not sure about everyone else, but the most difficult thing I've found about running an online business is that my stock is changing so constantly that it's hard to update my Etsy shop quick enough. I've found recently that using a small database to insert items (by cut and paste) seems to help.

Another issue is traffic. My items are sold olfactorially - people are attracted by our fresh scent choices initially, and then we invite them in to smell our sample sizes. Of course this cannot be done online easily. Our online sales come from our existing customer base.

Marrakesh SoGa Liquid Soap

What are your keys to success at craft shows?

We are consistently doing between 5-7x our booth fees at the shows this year and I believe what sets our items apart from others is our presentation. We dress up our tables to make our clients feel they are in a French Provincial bath and body boutique.

Our items are packaged using eco-friendly materials - and we make sure customers have plenty of choice - we always carry extra stock to replenish items as they sell.

Engaging people without seeming pushy makes for a very relaxed shopping experience as well.

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You can find out more about The Soap Gallery by clicking the links below:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSoapGallery
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheSoapGallery
Artfire: http://TheSoapGallery.artfire.com/
Etsy: http://TheSoapGallery.etsy.com/

Last but not least ^^:
Website: http://www.soap-gallery.com/
Blog: http://www.soap-gallery.com/blog

Feature Friday: Crystal Gayle Photography

I Wonder Fine Art Photography ACEO

Hi, my name is Crystal Zacharias, photographer of Crystal Gayle Photography. I'm a stay at home mom to two lovely children and a wife to a wonderful husband. I enjoy photographing many different subjects including flowers, landscapes, food and beverages, animals, and much more! I love to look through the viewfinder and capture things that aren’t always noticed by the human eye or in a unique and interesting view point.

What is your favourite item in your shop and why?
Right now my favourite item in my shop has to be the metal prints.  I ordered them in each of the four finishes to see what they would be like, and it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.  It’s so hard to show them on a photograph of what they really are.  The photos are put on a metal base rather than paper.  On two of the finishes, the metal shows where the photo would have had white in it as this process of printing does not print white.  I currently have one of these available for custom order in my shop and hoping this is going to be something that will do well.

Standing Tall Fine Art Photography Metal Print

Where do you find inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from God’s beautiful creations in nature itself.  I love to capture the beautiful things He’s placed on the earth for us to enjoy.  I also get inspiration from looking through other photographers’ work and seeing the unique ideas they have come up with, thus forming ideas of my own.

Blooming Beauty Fine Art Print

What is your best selling item?
My best selling item is my bookmarks.  It’s a small, affordable item that almost everyone can use and they can get nearly any print from my portfolio done as a bookmark.  Bookmarks are a simple way for me to have my photography out there and seen.  Each bookmark also has my contact information on the back, therefore the person using it can always come back and maybe one day even purchase a larger print.

Downy Woodpecker Fine Art Photography Bookmark

Why do you enjoy your craft?
I enjoy photography because it is something I can do anytime, anywhere.  I love learning all the ins and outs of my camera and experimenting with different settings, props, and more.  It’s an art that allows me express who I am and easily share it with others.

Winter Wonderland Greeting Cards with Envelopes

Places (other than Etsy) to find Crystal Gayle Photography online: 
Facebook page
Blog
Twitter

Places to find Crystal Gayle Photography locally:

I have some prints on consignment at Domo in Altona   I also have a table set up in the Altona mall across from Friesens Bookstore for the holiday season.  

Feature Friday: The Silver Agenda

I'm Wendy Jenkins-Mierke of The Silver Agenda, custom and handmade sterling silver jewelry. I'm a mom of two busy boys and work part-time at an employee benefits company. I think I've always known that I wanted to do something creative when I grew up because as a child I was always giving my mom a new hairdo or sewing my own clothing. After I graduated high school, I heard about the Jewelry Construction course offered at Sturgeon Creek Collegiate. I enrolled immediately and discovered a love for designing jewelry. While I was taking the course I had the great opportunity to intern at a goldsmith's shop. There I learned how to repair items, re-shank rings and the finishing process of custom made jewelry.

Some years went by, and being married and becoming mom took over. A few years ago during a reflective moment, the idea hit me: I have to get back into making jewelry. After teaching myself some new techniques I had made enough to start selling my designs. I received much positive feedback and gained the opportunity to showcase my work in a local shop on Corydon Avenue. This past January I opened my Etsy shop.

Sea of Love - Made To Order

Explain your creation process?

I try to find a few moments a day where I reflect on making a new design. I have a little sketchbook I keep close by so I can quickly draw an image that pops into my head or even a few words that describe my designs. My husband recently turned our backyard storage shed into a studio for me, so once the little ones are tucked in I can retreat to my own private place and focus my attention on designing. When I'm working on a piece I think of its practicality, if it's truly wearable and how much diversity the customer can get out of the item.

Red Swirl

What is your most significant goal for the coming year?


My primary goal is to launch my new line, Noble Silver. I have striven for all my pieces to be made with genuine silver. A few months ago I learned of a new medium, precious metal clay. It resembles clay, but contains millions of particles of pure silver. When the organic binder is burned away, either by torch or kiln you are left with a pure (.999) piece of silver jewelry. I am excited to be working with metal clay, because now I have the ability to make rings and set gemstones in my pieces without the use of expensive equipment. As well, with this new venture I am able to recycle all my materials resulting in absolutely no waste. I hope to launch my new line by November 15, 2010.

Blackened Grape Cluster

What has been your proudest moment as an artist?

It was was definitely seeing that other people are interested in my work and are attracted to my designs. Just realizing that I'm not making jewelry to suit my own tastes, and that I'm appealing to a broader audience makes me happy.

Orange Zest

Why do you enjoy your craft?

I like to be challenged and am constantly studying to improve my work. I like that it keeps my mind active and my fingers nimble. As a mom I sometimes lose sight of my individual identity, so having this special skill helps me stay balanced. I love that I can create something suited to an individual that showcases a special memory or person in their life. Seeing the person's face light up when they open the jewelry box is worth all the time and energy I put into my craft.

New Wave - Large

You can visit The Silver Agenda on Etsy, or "like" The Silver Agenda on Facebook.

Stay tuned for another feature interview from the Winnipeg Etsy Street Team next Friday!