Superstar Saturday: Kim Scherer

Superstar Saturday!

Let me introduce you to ... Kim Scherer.

1. What is your business name and website/shop URL? What do you create?

My website is http://kimscherer.etsy.com and I make sleep sacks, burp cloths, bibs, bows, pacifier clips, and crib teething guards.

2. What is the theme or idea behind your website/shop?

I started my website after my son was born and I wanted to make things that I used or needed! It started with the burp cloths and got bigger from there! I wanted to make a gender neutral looking site and offer cute patterns in both boy and girl items!

3. What makes your items unique?

I want to make all my items something I would buy and make the fabrics fun! I try to take things that moms use everyday and put a small twist to it, to make it something unique!

4. What is your favorite item on your website or in your shop right now?

Right now my favorite item in my store is the pink and brown damask teething guard. I really like the fabric and think it came together great! http://www.etsy.com/listing/53895416/crib-teething-guard-for-convertible

5. What teams do you belong to? How do we search for their items?

I am part of the Etsy West Michigan Team and you can search items for that team by searching for "etsywmi team."

6. What is your favorite thing about handmade items?

I love handmade items because they are unique and they can be made for what you need or want!

7. Do you have any favorite finds by other handmade artists?

There are so many great handmade items that I can't pick just one! I love handmade jewelry and of course baby items!

8. Do you have anything else you would like to share? Other links?

My sister-in-law and I started our websites at the same time and we help each other to grow and get better at what we we do! The link to her shop is http://marcellas3monkeys.etsy.com. We also attend craft shows together and have a great time meeting customers and other great vendors! Since I have started this shop I have been pleasantly surprised at all the support from my family and friends and the wonderful customers that I have worked with!

Fabulous Finds: Button Bracelets

I come across such fun items now that I'm putting together the Handmade Directory on my website.

These little cuties are just plain fun! Who would have thought you could make bracelets with buttons?

Looking for different colors? I bet they're willing to do some custom items for you :)

Check them out on Etsy at http://milanddil.etsy.com!

-Suzanne, The Soy Candle Lady

Sock Monkey Tribute to Michael Jackson on Etsy!

Those of us who belong to the Etsy West Michigan Team know that Dulce of the Monkey Shop makes some of the cutest sock monkeys around.

She has outdone herself this time! Meet Monkey Jackson.....

Here is his description:

"I have designed this new sock monkey as a tribute of the king of pop.
I really loved his music from the 80s to early 90s.
The sock monkey is a beige color. It measures 12" long 4" wide.
It is machine washable, It will come with the black hat with curly hair attached to it, red jacket, black pants, and the glove."

If you think Monkey Jackson is as cool as I do and you must have one right away, go to listing at the Monkey Shop on Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27695843.

For more great items made in West Michigan, search "etsywmi team" on Etsy!

-Enjoy! Suzanne

Featured Etsy Blogger Artist: TwoZanyZebras

Check out this months Etsy Blogger - TwoZanyZebras! These wonderful children's items ranging from baby bibs to blankets to onesies to t-shirts adorned with fun monsters and critters can be found at http://twozanyzebras.etsy.com. Don't forget to check out the blog too - http://www.twozanyzebras.blogspot.com.

Featured Etsy Artist: Sugar Village

Featured Etsy Artist: Sugar Village

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?
Sugar Village. I sell small, original watercolor paintings.

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

3. What is your blog URL?
http://wanderingnancy.blogspot.com/

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?
October 22, 2008

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?
That it's a place to find unique, one of a kind, handmade items. The community is also very nice and helpful.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?
The process. I love coming up with new ideas and imagining what the creatures of Sugar Village would be doing.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?
My Giraffe and Flowers piece (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16513239) because it was the painting that made me realize I wanted to continue to make these little paintings and share them with other people. So it was basically the first Sugar Village resident.

8. What teams do you belong to?
None at the moment

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?
I created my own business cards and I have mailed a few to other Etsy members that offered to promote. I also have Twitter, Myspace, Facebook and Flickr accounts, as well as my personal blog.

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?
Vintage cameras by Domistikate http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5363986
The animal portraits of BerkleyIllustration http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5404421
The feminine necklaces by RachelleD http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5139840

11. What do you do in your spare time?
Photography, bake and spend time with my geeky husband and weird sheltie.

12. What blogs do you follow?
I follow many blogs! Just to name a few favorites are:
http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/
http://decor8blog.com/
http://prettyinthecity.blogspot.com/

13. Do you have anything else you would like to share?
Nope, just thank you!

Featured Etsy Artist: Whynott Sewn

Featured Etsy Artist: WhyNottSewn

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell? My shop name is Whynott Sewn, a play on my last name, Whynott. I mainly sell baby blankets, but will hopefully be expanding the inventory sometime soon.

2. What is your shop URL? The address is whynottsewn.etsy.com

3. What is your blog URL? whynottsewn.blogspot.com. However, you won't see a whole lot when you visit the site because I just made it the other day!

4. When did you start selling on Etsy? April 2008

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy? Continuously finding new and incredible handcrafted items that I have just got to have. I know "thing" means one thing, but I suppose the fact that Etsy has provided a forum for me to sell my items is also a definite favorite thing.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell? That's easy, the fabric! The blankets are largely a way to showcase my love of fabric.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why? That's a hard one because I love them all, but I would say that my favorite would probably be the "Hotty Dotty". The reason being would be because this fabric holds a special place in my heart. My first purchase on Etsy had been a patchwork pillow from stitchindye.etsy.com, which had small pieces of this fabric worked in. To make a long story short I loved these little bits of fabric, had to have it, researched the heck out of fabric on the web and found it, which all began my love and obsession of fabric.

8. What teams do you belong to? Etsy Montana and on the waiting list for Etsy Kids.

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop? I always find it fun to tell people about my shop, or simply tell them that I make and sell baby blankets. I think it tends to be unexpected, so I like seeing people's reactions.

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy? There are just so many, which I come across all the time. One of my recent favorites, which I ended up purchasing was this... http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=10896613. On my blog is also a preview of some of my many favorite items on Etsy.

11. What do you do in your spare time? Aside from sewing, searching Etsy, and browsing sites for fabric..... not a whole lot else...... well also cooking, walking, biking, and hanging out with my sweetie.

12. What blogs do you follow? The only one I really follow is Angry Chicken, I absolutely love this blog.

13. Do you have anything else you would like to share?In addition to including more handcrafted items in my shop I also plan on one day selling some of the fabric I use by the yard. So if anyone shares my love of fabric, and likes what I use, check back periodically to see if I have begun this (though I imagine it will be a little while). And finally, I would like to thank you for featuring me in your blog!