Etsy Twitter Member of the Week Starla Petersen

Meet Starla Petersen, she is the Etsy Twitter Teams member of the week. Please stop by her Etsy shop, CuriousMess.etsy.com and check out all her fun, whimsical designs. The following is an excert from our teams blog that will tell you a little more about her and her creative process.

“When I first opened my shop, I was only making the wood paintings. But as things have progressed, I've begun to work my love of fabric into it as well, with the newest items being fabric bowls and fabric brooches/pendants. I love fun and whimsical. Everything you see in my shop, I truly enjoyed making. It makes me so happy to be able to express myself creatively, and I hope that comes through in my artwork. I want my work to make people smile.”

What inspires her to create? “The whole entire process inspires me. From start to finish... sketching out ideas... playing around with fabric... picking colors. My absolute favorite part of it all is that first spark of a new idea or design. I get giddy. Unfortunately, my ideas usually come to me as I'm lying in bed about to doze off. It's very hard to get to sleep once I've got a new idea bouncing around in my head.”

Free shipping worldwide April 6th - 12th. Just mention “EtsyTwitter” in your message to seller and shipping will be refunded.

Featured Etsy Twitter Member Jennifer Cirka

Jennifer Cirka, of Jaybird Designs, makes unique crocheted clothing and accessories for babies, children and women. I love her pink crochet shawl in the picture above! What a talented crochet artist and designer! Please take a minute to check out her shop on Etsy!

“I am very eclectic in what I make and sell. My main love is crochet!! I specialize in unique crocheted clothing and accessories. But my best sellers are my original crochet patterns!! The new love of my life, Cash the Greyhound, has stirred my creative juices again and I have started adding pet items to my shop. I currently have decorative dog tag collars, but plan to include crocheted sweaters, leashes, and maybe even homemade gourmet dog treats.I am a professional crochet designer with designs published in major crochet magazines such as Crochet World and Crochet Today! I even have a booklet published with Leisure Arts called "Top-sy Turvy." You can be assured that you are working with a professional, and all my items are of excellent quality and workmanship.”

Jennifer offers $5.00 flat rate shipping (even when you order more than one item) to the entire world. U.S. shoppers, please contact her before checkout if you'd prefer $3.00 First Class instead of $5.00 for Priority shipping.

Special Deal for the Week: Free shipping if you mention "TWITTER Team Rocks" in the comments at check out. She will refund your shipping cost!!

Featured Etsy Twitter Member Renee Suich

Renee Suich, of ReneeSuich.etsy.com, is the Etsy Twitter Teams featured shop of the week! Here is an excert from the teams' blog:





From Renee: “Every bead is a miniature work of art. The process from planning a design, to color combinations, to actually melting the glass, each step is enjoyable and always a new challenge. I use my beads to make and sell jewelry, key chains, and Skeleton Key Beads.The Skeleton Key Beads are my best seller and my biggest challenge. Many of these are made and don’t get listed. Sometimes the prettiest bead gets stuck on the key shaft and won’t slide & spin. The bead is broken and I start over.The Key Chains are made from beads that have gone a little too funky. It’s easy for me to get lost in the torch, melting glass, the bead keeps getting bigger…”Every bead is a one-of-a-kind piece. They have been kiln annealed and properly cleaned. The construction is sturdy. The jewelry pieces are comfortable. Every order is very personal, and she usually ships within 24 hours. She will ship internationally and recently lowered her shipping cost to Canada.Special for week of March 23 - 29, FREE SHIPPING to U.S. & Canada – Send her an Etsy conversation about your desired item, and she will delete the shipping charges prior to your purchase.

Love Photography?

Check out clickinmoms! This is a great community of women who share a common love of photography. Amateurs, hobbyists and professionals can all benefit from this great sight. You can share your photos, ask questions, advertise your photography business or just come and chat. They even offer commissions and cash/prizes for contributing members. I've really learned a lot from this great group of ladies and have enjoyed rekindling my passion for photography. If your interested just click on the button to the right and find out more.

Passwords

I was just thinking about something that frustrates me about this new world of networking, promoting, and selling on the Internet. PASSWORDS. Does anyone else ever get tired of remembering or coming up with passwords for this computer age? I remember when all I had to hold onto in my brain was my phone #, social security # and address. Now that I'm a part of this network of bloggers, crafting entrepreneurs and social net workers I am finding it increasingly hard to remember all this information. Don't get me wrong I keep a tidy little 'Important Info.' list with all my user names and passwords, but occasionally I realize I have forgotten to write the newest one down. Sometimes I will try and guess at what it might have been. After 3 or 4 tries I break down and send for my password request via email. Then go about resetting my new password, which I then have to write down on my 'info' sheet. Don't even think of making a 'weak' password. You must come up with one that is crack proof by using the correct number of upper and lowercase letters and numbers. Endless. Funny. Frustrating.

Etsy Twitter Team's Member of the Week

Thanks for stopping by to meet this weeks featured member, 'Maine Lee Crochet'. What a cleaver Etsy shop name. I especially love her crocheted hats like this one for a 6-12 mo old http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10410529 So sweet.

You can learn more about this fellow Etsy shop owner at: http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/2009/02/shop-of-week-maine-lee-crochet.html

Etsy Twitter Team's Member Of The Week

Meet Beautiful Bridget in this informative blog by the Etsy Twitter Team http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/2009/02/shop-of-week-beautiful-bridget.html

I love her scarves and hats. This one is my favorite: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19520261 . She uses such interesting colors and textures.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

My daughters have the creative gene in their blood too. They are always working on small projects. They have gone through different stages of crafting. First it was beads, then friendship bracelets, cross-stitch, paper making, button necklaces and now sewing. Any given day you can find one of them using the sewing machine. Material, thread, buttons spread out on the table.

One of my girls likes to make stuffed animals. She has produced a menagerie of owls, whales, and elephants in varying shapes and sizes. My other daughter recently made a rag doll from bitofwhimsyprims pattern http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19899923 and is making tissue packet holders out of felt and fleece. She was so excited when I allowed her to put this one in my etsy shop. She was so proud that she received 10 views the first day and immediately began working a new one for me to list this weekend. I love the confidence and satisfaction that it brings them when they can see a project to completion.

I just added THE MOM SONG that I received from a friend in an email. I got a chuckle out of listening to them and realized that sometimes we just need to take a step back and laugh at ourselves. I get so wrapped up in my kids day to day schedules that I need to see it from a comical perspective every once in awhile. I've tried to keep their lives as low-key as possible but as they are entering their teen years I feel the chaos rising.

If your a mom you will appreciate this song, so kick back and enjoy :0)

I Made My First Sale On ArtFire!

I just made my first sale on ArtFire and I'm so excited! I've been set up for a few weeks now but this is the boost I needed to get the rest of my listings up and running! If you aren't familar with ArtFire you need to check it out. I still have my shop on Etsy and will definately stay there also, this just gives me another way for advertising my pendants and getting them seen by buyers. Right now if you sign up it will only cost you $7 a month for life. There is a new promotion for sellers: If I can get 10 people to sign up at the US $7.00 level at ArtFire, with my username as the reference, they'll convert my verified membership to FREE for LIFE!!!

This is a great opportunity for everyone. Please sign up under me and you can be on your way to free membership too. Thanks for looking and good luck! Please click on the TOP LEFT TAG (register at ArtFire) if your interested in signing up under me.