Easter Egg Hunt CONTEST!

Happy Monday, Folks!

Well, all the clues are out there! If you haven't started already, go get looking for all those "hidden eggs"!

They could be in any 5 blog posts from March 18th until yesterday, March 24th.

Clue Recap!:

Once you find all 5 of the "eggs", email them to sfetsyteam@gmail.com with the Subject reading "Easter Egg Hunt". Contest will close on Sunday, 3/31, so all participants must enter their answers by then! To entice you  even further, here are the 5 prizes again!

sincesass, mamasmagicstudio, kellydrive, francesmarin, embergrass

Good luck, have fun, and Happy Hunting!

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Our Team Captain about joining SFEtsy!

Friday Feature - Cauliflower Kids

Happy Friday, Folks!

Oh. My. Cute!

I've now found myself wishing I could shrink down to about 3 feet tall so I can run around in the absolutely adorable children's wear over at cauliflowerkids! Take Kate Spade, Anthropologie, and baby couture, and sprinkle it with a bucket of rainbows. That'll give you a taste of what Kasey's cooking up for the kiddos over there. Or just check it out for yourself after learning about the inspiration and motivation behind each stich in every garment. Enjoy!

Feather Crown 

1. What is your shop name and URL? 

Cauliflower Kids  cauliflowerkids.etsy.com

2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?

I belong to SFetsy, and HandmadeClothesForChildren 

3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?

I make on trend clothing for girls ages 2-8. I became interested in sewing at the age of 7 and started lessons at age 10. I honed my craft in college at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. My creative process usually (but not always) begins with a color, has a whole lot of scribbly lines and sleepless nights in the middle, and ends with a garment (hopefully). 

April Showers Dress 

4. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you. 

one:I lived in Paris, France for several years after college. Two: I have one 3 year old niece (my model) and one 1 year old nephew but no actual children of my own (yet). Three: I am lepidopteraphobic which means I am afraid of butterflies (it's a real thing guys) Four: I love honey, pinterest, and parenthesis. 

5. What inspires your creations?

For Cauliflower Kids my niece is really my biggest inspiration (I guess that's why I named it after her, my little choufleur). I'm inspired by the way she moves, the way she plays, the things she says, her creativity, but mostly her ever changing dreams and aspirations (one day she wants to be a ballerina, the next a pirate, and the day after that all she wants out of life is to jump in ALL the puddles) 

6. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why is it your favorite?

I am absolutely in LOVE with the Petal Peplum Top. It's so very versatile, it can be worn as a shirt (frontwards) or a vest (backwards) and even over a simple teeshirt and leggings looks oh so chic. 

Petal Peplum Top

7. If you had a gift certificate to Etsy for any one item you wanted, what would you buy? 

I have been lusting after this for SO LONG!! my dream worktable: https://www.etsy.com/listing/56482604/beautiful-modern-dining-table-reclaimed? 

8. What has been your biggest success and/or proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?

I have been so lucky to have many proud and shining moments in CF kids' short history, but I think being featured in Babiekins Magazine this holiday season left a smile on my face for a full month! 

Bold Stripe Skirt

9. What advice do you have for other folks selling or buying on Etsy?

As a seller, comparison is your worst enemy. Don't get me wrong, you DO need to research and know your competition, your demographic and your price point, but you also need to BE YOURSELF.  Also a good rule of thumb for design is that if you wouldn't wear it yourself, don't make it (children's clothing included!) 

10. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?

Cauliflower Blog 

Pinterest

Facebook

Sweetheart Twirling Dress

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Our Team Captain about joining SFEtsy!

New Column: Step Outside

Hello! I’m Frances Marin, an artist, illustrator and designer on the SF Etsy team. I’m excited to debut a new column, Step Outside. I’m happy to have you join me on my adventure as I transition into a creative livelihood while sharing ideas and experiences along the way. It’s a scary yet exciting place to be, especially since I’m not exactly planning this strategically. I am simply working hard, following my instincts and embracing the unknown. Since finishing art school, I have worked as an art teacher, library page and most recently as a tech worker bee. While I have learned a lot from all of these experiences, I have found myself constantly returning to the the thing that makes me happiest: creatively using my hands.

My giant pile of post-it notes full of plans and ideas.

There were various signs that pointed me to this path. For one, I spent every waking moment living and breathing art and Etsy outside of my 40+ hours a week job. I wrote dreams and ideas down on endless post-it notes that I saved in my pocket and added to the pile when I arrived at my art studio after work. It became quite a nightmare to balance. Though I was making good money and grateful for the day job, especially considering the lackluster economy for the last few years, I found myself unhappy and overworked. I figured that maybe with hard work and determination, I would find myself working on my art full-time in a few more years... but something told me that was just too long.

I feel I’ve had a rocky time trying to figure out how to achieve my goals, but I’m determined to try again and again. I’m not making the money I was at a day job, but it’s so much more important for me to be myself. Eventually, I may need to get a part-time job, but for now I will happily devote my time to art. This column will be about trying new things, following our instincts, making mistakes and learning as we go. Join me every other Wednesday for new and inspiring articles!

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Our Team Captain about joining SFEtsy!

Tuestorial: Silk Dye Eggs

If you are looking for a fun and different way to decorate your Easter eggs this year, I have your answer! Dying eggs with silk creates detailed and fun designs that you will be proud to display. Bonus: less mess and clean up than traditional methods!

Ready to rock n' roll

Materials Needed:

• Silk from old men’s ties (can always be found at thrift stores for a dollar or less!), scarves or FabMo/S.C.R.A.P. finds
• Plain white/off-white scrap fabric
• Eggs
• 1 cup vinegar
• Large pot
• Scissors
• Twist ties (rubber bands are a no-no since they don’t like boiling water)

Step 1:

Make sure your eggs are room temperature. If you are using a men’s tie, cut off all lining so you are just using the silk. Dark colors and bold patterns work best for this method. Grab several different designs to play with!

Only the best for this egg

Step 2:

Roll the “good side” of the silk you selected around an egg (any folds or lines around the egg will show). Make sure it’s as secure around the egg as possible. Cut off any access fabric around the egg and tie as tight as possible with a twist tie.

Ready for it's steam bath

Step 3:

Take your plain white fabric and repeat step 2 around the silk. This helps keep the silk fabric as close to the egg as possible and from any colors bleeding into the water onto other eggs. Essentially, it prevents egg dying disasters.

You still get the vinegar smell!

Bathing Beauties 

Step 4:

Fill your pot with water and add 1 cup of vinegar. Gently place your wrapped eggs in the water, making sure they are completely submerged. Turn your burner on to high and keep covered for 20 minutes. You want the eggs in boiling water for the majority of that time.

Egg Dumplings!

Test run showing the design and some folds

Step 5:

Once the 20 minutes are up, remove the eggs with tongs and place on a towel. Let them cool for 20-30 minutes before handling. Once cool, gently unwrap the twist ties to reveal your masterpiece. Some dyes can rub off easily so be careful not to handle your eggs too much before they completely dry. Unfortunately, the only down side to this method is you can’t eat the eggs. But who would want to after seeing how pretty they turn out to be?

Happy Easter!

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Our Team Captain about joining SFEtsy!

Easter Egg Hunt CONTEST!

Happy Monday, folks! 

     In honor of the Easter festivities, your SFEtsy blog team is holding an "Easter Egg Hunt" contest!

Staring today, we will be leaving 5 "hidden eggs" in 5 posts, ending on Sunday the 24th.  These "eggs" will be 5 particular words or phrases that can be found by following the clues left on our Facebook, twitter, and instagram.

Starting Monday the 25th, once you find all 5 of the eggs, email them to sfetsyteam@gmail.com with the Subject reading "Easter Egg Hunt". Contest will close on Sunday, 3/31, so all participants must enter their answers by then!

     Oh! And the prizes! Five of your blog team authors have donated prizes that will be given (in no particular order) to the first 5 lucky winners!

Good luck, have fun, and Happy Hunting!

upcycled fabric ring from mamasmagicstudio

slouchy snap hat from kellydrive

zipper pouch from sincesass

beaded long earrings from embergrass

art print from francesmarin

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Our Team Captain about joining SFEtsy!