Etsy Artist Feature: IllusionsbyDonna

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

http://www.1000markets.com/users/13070

http://www.etsy.com/shop/IllusionsbyDonna

http://www.artfire.com/users/Illusions

I create one of a kind knits and jewelry.

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

In early 2007 I spent 3 mos in Maine painting a house for a friend. The house was mostly empty, so to give me something to do I decided I would try some knitting. I quickly became pretty much obsessed with it. Upon my return home to Indiana my best friend twisted my arm into making some jewelry. By the Fall of that year I was selling knits and jewelry to friends. I became involved with Ravelry and met a local woman on there who encouraged me to open an Etsy store and become involved with our local Farmers Market. After a few months I opened stores on 1000 Markets and Artfire also.

3. What makes your items unique?
I have a background in art and as a decorative painter so color is my life. I get a lot of compliments on my color choices. Trying to do most things one of a kind keeps me looking for fresh ideas. I love making things that no one else has.

4. What is your favorite item on your website or in your shop right now?
I made the Horsey Hat as a special order for a girl I was working with one evening. I love the way it turned out. She was ecstatic! In jewelry, the Organic Leaf earrings are one of my favorites. They are very simple and pretty. I’ve been very surprise that they haven’t sold. I made a pair of earrings for my daughter on those ear posts and she gets a lot of compliments on them.

5. What teams do you belong to? How do we search for their items?
On Etsy I belong to the INCrowd team. Items can be found by putting the tag incrowdteam in the search box.

6. What is your favorite thing about handmade items?
Finding things that are one of a kind and knowing that someone put a piece of themselves into each piece.

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

Omigosh! There are so many. I get the Etsy Finds emails and I’m constantly finding things that make me go WOW!! The creativity that I see is just amazing. Some things I see I just would never have thought of myself.

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

One of my hats was featured in a handmade blog called Meylah for green things having to do with St Patricks Day. That is the first time I’ve ever been asked to do anything like this so it is pretty exciting for me.

http://meylah.com/blog/212/Going-Green-8-Products-to-Celebrate-St-Patricks-Day

Featured Etsy Artist: Thinking Mama

Featured Etsy Shop: Thinking Mama

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell? My shop is called Thinking Mama and I make things using recycled wool and cashmere sweaters. I make baby hats, coin purses, coffee cup sleeves and water bottle covers. I'm an ecologist by day so many of my items have designs that are inspired by nature.

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

3. What is your blog URL?http://www.thinkingmama.wordpress.com/

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?I started selling on etsy just after Christmas last year, so not quite a year.

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?I love all the great things people sell! It's hard to keep the money that I make because there are so many amazing things I'd love to buy. I also love that it's a community and people are generally really nice and helpful. I don't feel all alone on etsy.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?I love taking sweaters that people don't want because they have little holes, or they're really outdated styles, and turning them into fresh, modern creations. I love that most of my things are one-of-a-kind, since my materials are limited, so I get to try new designs and fun color combinations a lot.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?Right now my favorite thing that I sell are my water bottle covers. They're for metal bottles like Siggs or Klean Kanteens and I mostly make them as custom orders. I love making designs that the customer will love and it feels good to make it easier for people to use eco-friendly water bottles. Now they have something warm and cozy to add style to their bottle!

8. What teams do you belong to?I belong to the EtsyMoms team and also to a local etsy co-op. It's the Portland Independent Artisans Cooperative, or PDX Indie for short. It a really supportive group and it's been great to connect with other artists in my city.

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?I use my coffee sleeves! It's a good excuse to go out and get a cup of coffee.

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?Since I love science and nature, I really like the slighty nerdy kids things that Electricboogaloo makes. I also bought my daughter a handmade doll for her birthday from WeeFaerieFolk and she's the most beautiful doll!

11. What do you do in your spare time?Spare time? I feel like I don't have much of it! When I do I love to knit and go on walks outside, though not at the same time.

12. What blogs do you follow?I read a lot of knitting/crafting blogs. I love to see what other people in the crafty world are up to.

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