Featured Etsy Shop: Pedras

Featured Etsy Shop: Pedras

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?
My shop name is Pedras (Means Rocks in Portuguese). I sell primarily stitch markers, but also crocheted items like wash/dishcloths and beaded items like charm bracelets.

2. What is your shop URL?
http://vanillalotus.etsy.com/

3. What is your blog URL?
I have one but shamefully don't update so just follow me on twitter http://www.twitter.com/vanillalotushop

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?
I started selling on Etsy May 16th 2007!

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?
I like that Etsy is all things handmade. I love to look and own items that others have made. Plus it gives me a reason to craft without stocking up on things I won't get to use.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?
I like selling stitch markers because I get to do tedious things with my hands. Most importantly I get to make beautiful useful things for crocheters and knitters. Especially the crocheters since I know how annoying it is to not find pretty practical light weight stitch markers.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?
I like my charm bracelet the most with my scarf coming in second. The charm bracelet I like because 1.I love bracelets and 2. It just makes me proud since it's so pretty. The scarf I love because it is blue and short, I'm not a fan of long scarves.

8. What teams do you belong to?
I primarily belong to Etsy Texas Crafters. I have belonged to a few others but their set up was confusing and it just didn't feel like ETC does. So I gave up on those and am just an Etsy Texas Crafter. I love being a member of the group as everyone is so kind and there are tons of activities to do.

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?
I don't promote much until recently but the one promotion I have always done is just to interact with future customers. I love to talk to fellow knitters and crocheters, mothers, and crafters and just talk to them and find things we have in common. Creating a personal touch to your store I think is the most important promoting there is.

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?
I love to see items that I would never have thought to look for but are so me. They are just your style and make me smile inside and out.
I love being introduced to steam punk and great sellers I would never have found on my own like julieandco, NothinButWood, norajane, TickledPinkKnits, Ninnerfish, joodito and many many more.

11. What do you do in your spare time?
Primarily I just do my stitch markers, and crochet/knit but I also garden. I love to propagate plants and grow things in the small space I have. I'm always online keeping up to date on my store and items but also researching plants and other things like that. Horticulture is my career and what I am going to school for, I just can't get tired of finding new plants and learning new things.

12. What blogs do you follow?
I follow lots of gardening blogs, I've been slacking lately. Every few months I switch it up and I'll primarily follow garden blogs or knitting/crochet blogs. I also follow the blogs of those that are my twitter friends. I have a list of probably 100 or more so I will spare you them all but these are my favorites.
http://www.penick.net/digging/
http://digitalflowerpictures.blogspot.com/
http://knitandtonic.typepad.com/knitandtonic/

13. Do you have anything else you would like to share?
Just want to say thank you for all my great customers and to those that are my friends on twitter, ETC, and Etsy. For all those that make handmade items, keep up the great work and don't get discourage because of no sales etc. If you make handmade items or sell handmade items give Etsy a try! Also follow me on Twitter, I love to meet new people and have fun convos http://twitter.com/vanillalotushop.