SF Etsy Team Member Kiva Endorsement: Mac Cutting Boards

Hello SF Etsy Teammates! 

Happy Monday! It was such a great way to wake up this morning and see that our team had successfully helped Josie and Bart from Mac Cutting Boards fund their small business loan through Kiva Zip!!!

Our Trusteeship with Kiva just began a few months ago and we are so very proud to already have two of our SF Etsy team members take advantage of this amazing micro-funding loan process to help them grow their businesses. 

Learn more about SF Etsy's Trusteeship by reading this blog post. 

I wanted to take this time for all of us to get better acquainted with Josie and Bart from Mac Cutting Boards. If you haven't met them in person, you should definitely introduce yourself when you see them at a show. They are truly some of the best humans you could ever meet. 

Enjoy this interview, along the way, we've included photos of their amazing and creative work :) 

1. Tell us a little bit about the people behind Mac Cutting Boards

Bart and Josie McHale are the owners of Mac Cutting Boards.  A family owned business since 2009.  We handcraft custom made wood cutting boards from repurposing and upcycling unused scrap hardwoods that we sourced from woodworkers such as cabinet makers, furniture makers, hardwood flooring companies and moulding companies.  

2. How did you first get started as a maker in the handmade community?

In 2009, we decided to include our whole family in making Christmas gifts for our friends and family. We decided on cutting boards and made 28 of them. They were so well received, we started getting orders for more and we never stopped making them. 

3. What do you find most exciting about being a maker and working with makers, entrepreneurs, and artisans?

Taking something like the scrap wood we use and turning it into something beautiful and useful is what keeps us going. We recently moved into a co-op shop with 5 other craftspeople. Being around them on a daily basis is so inspiring.  Not to mention the ability to learn from them on a daily basis is endless. 

4. What do you find most challenging about owning your own business? 

Owning your own business is a 24-7 commitment. At times it can be difficult to obtain funding when large orders come in and we need to purchase raw materials. 

5. Tell us about another special maker/artisan you've met while working on your business?

Brady & Liz from West Kept Secret http://westkeptsecret.com/.  They make and market metal calendars and to-do boards. You can personalize your calendar with numerous choices of magnets. There based in Phoenix Az and travel the west coast selling and promoting their products. In between shows there in their shop producing more inventory. 

6.  How did you learn about SFEtsy?

We met Marja Huhta from Glass Elements at a craft fair in Los Altos. She took the time to tell us about SF Etsy and she was instrumental in introducing us to SF Etsy members. 

7. What is one of your primary goals for your business in 2015?

We'd like to see continued growth of our company and an increase in our product line. We just hired a part time person to assist us in the shop and we'd like to add another person by the end of the year. 

8. What’s the one online tool you've discovered that can help makers propel their business?

Today there are many options for online growth. Are favorite is Instagram. It gives us the ability to market our business to a worldwide audience.  

9. Do you have any words of wisdom to help makers sell more in person at events?

Be engaged with potential customers. Tell them your story. We're always amazed by crafters who do not engage each and every person that passes by there booth. Remember that each person is an opportunity to practice your technique and perfect your performance.  

Use that few seconds to pitch your product and make a sale.  Ask for help.  You'll find that our community alone will come together to help each other out.

10. Where can we find you online?

Maccuttingboards.com

Instagram:    http://www.instagram.com/maccuttingboards

Facebook:    http://www.facebook.com/maccuttingboard

Twitter:         http://www.twitter.com/maccuttingboards

Website:       http://www.maccuttingboards.com

Pinterest:     http://www.pinterest.com/maccuttingboard

Linkedin:      http://www.linked.com/maccuttingboards

A HUGE Thank you to Josie and Bart! We are so very proud to have you on the team and we look forward to seeing you continue to grow and blossom!

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

SF Etsy & Popupsters Present the 2014 Indie Holiday Emporium

SF Etsy and Popupsters to Host the 2nd Annual Indie Holiday Emporium at Pier 35

Etsy.com comes to life in this unique shopping experience in San Francisco. 

WHAT: SF Etsy and Popupsters will host the 2nd Annual Indie Holiday Emporium on November 29^th & 30th from 11am – 5 pm at the old SF Cruise Terminal (Pier 35) on the Embarcadero in San Francisco, the event will feature local etsy.com artists, artisan food and crafting station provided by GoGo Craft. A great event for the whole family, there will be a wide variety of unique local, handmade wares - many first-time craft show vendors! 

WHO: SF Etsy and Popupsters along with a community of local etsy.com handmade goods artists and food artisans - Visit our EtsyLocal Event Page for a listing of the participating SFEtsy shops - Indie Holiday Emporium on Etsy Local

WHEN: Saturday, November 29th, 2014 and Sunday November 30th from 11 am to 5 pm

WHERE: Pier 35 (Old SF Cruise Terminal) 1454 The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94124. Plenty of nearby public parking available and easily accessible via SF Public transportation and by bike. 

WHY: Etsy.com comes to life in this unique shopping experience in San Francisco. Come out and shop and support over 180 local artisans and small batch food vendors as the local San Francisco Etsy team showcases their work. This event is an excellent opportunity to get your holiday shopping done in one place.

For more information, please visit the event page on Facebook

CONTACT:  Popupsters -  info@popupsters.com

        SF Etsy Leadership Team - SFEtsyLeadership@gmail.com

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

InstaSFEtsy and the Craftobergram

#Halloween In The City - Day Thirty One
KellyDrive

#Autumn - Day Fourteen
Kim Lucian Photography

The Craftobergram Instagram Photo Contest 

#FavoritePeople - Day Twenty Seven
Oh Abby Day 

WOW! 31 Days of InstaSFetsy!!!

I must say, chronicling the Craftobergram Instagram contest and watching the momentum build this past month was epic from the moment the first photo was uploaded. I was astonished watching the increasing visibility of the team as the photo contest evolved, starting from Day 1 - SFETSY WIP ( Work In Progress). As one of the contest monitors, and with each introduction to each post and description -  I developed a fondness for each of my team members, their works and soon began rooting for each of them - celebrating their brand.

#Autumn - Day Fourteen
Thrifted And Made
First Place Winner

#SFETSYWIP  - Day One
LouBelleDesign

Why A Contest? Well the short answer is: The SFetsy Team is an Inspiration. We are 1000+ Members of handmade, DIY, small business talent and we want everyone to know about your inevitable awesomeness. We thought why not do this using the tools we have - and Instagram and social media is our hammer! With 100+ million people using Instagram on their phones and tablets daily its pretty easy to engage with potential customers now. Instagram gave us a distinct and effective online presence and comradery and momentum soon emerged. 

#OOTD - Day Sixteen
Fleurette Seven - Glass Artist

#UpInTheSky - Day Eleven
One Odd Gerbil

#UrbanStyle - Day Twelve
Making Jiggy 

Team members that had not signed up for the contest and absolute strangers to our team even participated in the fun using our hashtag and theme to further extend their reach too! That's how we go viral!
SFEtsy featured through out the month the team’s photos and daily top pictures on the SFEtsy's Facebook wall, Instagram, Pinterest Board and Twitter account. All social media efforts were to spread the word about the individual team member and this crazy photo contest #Craftobergram that all these creative people from this great community are participating in.

#Monsters - Day Thirty
Entropy The Shop / Entropy Kitchen 

#Urbanite Day Twenty Three
ForeignSpell

#Coffee Revelations - Day Three
Lori Delisle Salt and Light Jewelry

#Chevron - Day Twenty
Poppy Peach Goodness

The frequency of these #InstaSFETSY uploads and updates created familiarity and momentum for the team members and the Instagram application. The contest then became it own visually branding, and a developing Instagram event began to spread wildly through the magic of the internet. We recapped weekly the top photos, gathered daily by MsAmandaJayne and Tickleandsmash, and posted the count on the SFETSY team Blog on the Sunday Morning Mimosa Recaps written by team members MsAmandaJayne and AshleyRenee Haak - both of whom contributed so much of themselves, time and enthusiasm to make this contest as amazing as it was.

#Landscape - Day Twenty One

               JewelryByMaeBee

After the first week, the SFEtsy Team's reach on the teams Facebook page was up 180 percent! Our last week we were up 226 percent! We realized quickly that our visual presence on Facebook gave a new and old audience an environment to browse the contest photos and futher promote the contest if they wanted. And people loved it. At the highest point we reached out to 12,529 people on our Facebook fan page in one day!

#WhereICreate Day Five
Philanthropic Panda

By the end of the contest the Craftobergram had over 12,500 photos posted on Instagram that were tagged #InstaSfetsy in the month of October and the hearts for the team were plentiful. That was an astounding amount of photos and we so appreciate everyone who stuck with the commitment and made this contest so much fun.


We reviewed the hearts on Instagram every day to decide the top photos. We combined those numbers together to find your winners.

#Inspiration - Day Twenty Six
Katy Atchison
Second Place Winner 

#Romance - Day Fifteen
 Nadene / Even Howard

Congratulations to Our Winners,Thrifted and Made and Katy Atchison Illustrations -   both clear inspirations and Instagram mentors for the SFEtsy Team.... And to all of you whom participated, even remotely, thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself to us and giving us some amazing insight into your brand and your life.

#Chevron - Day Twenty
Acts of Craftiness

#Circle - Day Twenty Eight
Kacey Schwartz Illustrations 

#Selfie - Day Three
Sunset Shutterbug

First Prize WInner is Thrifted And Made with a total count within the daily top photos of 405 hearts, plus was featured for 19 days in the months top photos.

First Place Prize  - 30" Square Gallery wrapped Gallery Wrapped Canvas  with one of your Instagram images from the contest OR Iphone Camera Cover with one of your Instagram images from the contest from Twenty 20.

Second Prize WInner is Katy Atchison with a total count within the daily top photos of 335 hearts and was featured for 15 days in the months top photos.

Second Place Prize - A 10 Pack 5" x 5"   Cards  with one of your Instagram images from the contest from Twenty 20.

Step Outside - Breaking Your Stride

It is said that Albert Einstein spoke of insanity as "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." While quotes from genius people may cause an eyeroll from overuse, there’s a reason why we listen to these brainiacs.

Albert Einstein by Frances Marin

I must say this quote really hit home when I read it last week. I had been checking my Etsy shop, looking at stats, hoping for new sales, waiting for something magical to happen when I had an epiphany. I hadn’t added new items to my shop for weeks, I haven’t improved my photos, I often only have one image for my listings (as opposed to the recommended five) and the list goes on!

Lately, I have been gaining more income from art fairs, trade shows and a public art project. It has been great to have various streams of income, but I do want Etsy to work better for me and the key is to stop doing the same thing again and again.

This quote can be applied to not only the technical aspect, but also the artistic perspective. I believe as artists and creators, we should never stop evolving and discovering new territory. When you look at great artists of the past, such as Picasso, or artists of the present, such as Wilhelm Sasnal, their subject matter and styles move around in ways only enabled by their willingness to be bold and try new things.

I had been looking at my shop as if I had been working really innovatively on it. Although I had been working hard, I had not been working better by improving what is already existing or creating new listings. Sometimes we have to step back from ourselves to see what’s not working and what we can change. I know that I have work I have created in the last year that I could be adding and I need to shoot better photos.

You can easily apply Einstein's quote to the items you create and the operation of your Etsy shop. Are you listing and relisting the same things again and again? Are your keywords the same? Titles? Photos? You get the picture. Try crafting in a new color, try drawing subject matter you would never normally draw, try adding a new decorative trim to that bag...

What can YOU do differently?

Original Drawing (sixtythree) by Cari Monster

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

Savvy Entrepreneur: 5 Tips for Making Your Product Descriptions Rock

When selling online, you product descriptions have to take the place of the customer holding the item in their hands or trying it on, you have to paint a picture and tell a story that brings them in and convinces them your product is for them.

Here’s a list of some key details that really help make your product descriptions stand out and relieve a customer’s doubt.

1) Use the senses

Since we can’t touch, hold, or try on items online you need to help your customers imagine those details as much as possible. What does the fabric feel like, how sturdy is the cardstock, what finish is on the metal? What is it like to hold the item or try it on? If you sell something where scent or taste is important take it a step further. Is the rose scented soap subtle and refreshing or rich and heady? Is your chocolate refined and elegant or deep and dark?

2) Describe who it’s for

Who is this item perfect for, I’m sure you have a pretty clear picture. Describe this person and how they would use your product. Is it the prefect gift for a new mother or recent college grad? Would a boyfriend score some serious extra points for bestowing your jewelry on his geeky girlfriend? Or is it an everyday accessory for that quirky, girl about town looking to make a statement?

3) Tell a bit of the why

People love to get a little peek behind the scenes, so tell them a little about what inspired you to make this item. Or better yet share a little about the mission behind your business and how this item fits in. Do you cater to eco-friendly fashionistas looking for edgy because you think the market is lacking or do you make sinfully decadent candies because you believe everyone deserves a treat?

4) Specific details

Make sure to answer any of the questions that might come up, how big is it, what materials is it made from, how is it shipped? Also make note of anything specific that the customer should know, but might not ask. Do you add an extra step to the making process to ensure a quality product? Do you offer monogramming or customization? Do you do bulk orders or offer a rush service?

5) Links to other items

Kind of like the Amazon – “Customers who bought this item also bought...” Let your customers know there are other items you sell that would compliment what they’re looking at. Or suggest other flavors or fabrics based on what they’re viewing. If customers come upon your shop because they’re browsing keep them there longer and make it easy for them to find other items they might like.

The best way to test all this is to ask a few friends to pretend to be extra picky shoppers, have them read your descriptions and tell you what questions they still have or what didn’t make sense.

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Genevieve not only writes The Savvy Entrepreneur she is the Co-Founder of Lightbox SF where she empowers creatives to take over the world. Check out the blog or how to work with her.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Katy or Steph about joining SFEtsy!

Crafty Computer Night Tuestorial - Part 2

Last weekend, our team member Imelda of Sunset Shutterbug hosted a Crafty Computer Meet-up at her house. She gratiously wrote a little entry about the event.

"Jumping on the bandwagon of meet-ups, Saturday afternoon a couple fellow SF Etsians and I got together for a crafty computer session at my apartment to work on our shops and get to know each other. Michelle of The Elegant Sparrow, Eko of Eko Jewlery Design, Talia of Mycrob and Korie of Seaglass Reinvented and I fired up our computers (or iPad) and talked shop. We discussed all sorts of things and we walked away with extra tips and advice to help improve shops. Here are some tips that came up during our meet-up.

Re-listing - Korie's shop has been open on Etsy for barely a month and she made 6 sales during that short time! She credits re-listing 3 times a day to keep her shop relevant.

Facebook - Several of us are on Facebook and we use it to help market our shops, new items and other things that may interest our fans.

House Parties - Michelle recently sold her jewelry at 2 parties, one in LA and another in Washington. To her surprise, she sold a number of items at each event! Great way to connect with new customers and expand your clientele. This would be a great idea during the holidays!

Twitter - Can't afford to re-list every day? Use it to promote your items without spending 20 cents. And use those hashtags for Etsy teams your apart of. They can retweet you and help promote you to their followers.

Lightbox - Make one or buy one. I just made mine this weekend and I only spent 99 cents on the poster board.

Tagging - Use Etsy Teams in your tags! If someone finds out about SF Etsy and searches for the team in Etsy, your item will show up in a search if you put the team name in your tags.

Instag.ram, Flickr & Pinterest - Great ways to give your work exposure!

LinkedIn - Great way to professionally network with other sellers, especially if you hold a day time job in addition to running your business.

Etsy Teams and Etsy Forums - Meet and talk with other members! Post in your Etsy Teams and in the Etsy forums. Buyers also read the forums and the more active you are, the more people see your shop. Your customers may be your peers or a buyer who likes to read the forums. You never know where your next customer will come from.

Local Businesses - If you know someone who owns a business, talk to them about setting up a table and sell for a few hours. Especially if they get a fair amount of foot traffic. This would be even better if they're holding a launch party for a new line or product.

Fundraisers & Auctions - If you know of an organization or school that frequently holds auctions or fundraisers, you can donate your item as a way to help get exposure for your shop and also help raise some money for a good cause.

We all had a really fun time and the 3 hours just flew by! I hope we all get to meet each other again and stay connected. It's always fun getting to know other local sellers and geek out on our shops. Here's to more SF Etsy meet-ups!"



Thank you to our team member Imelda of Sunset Shutterbug for a great write up.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Katy or Steph about joining SFEtsy!

Etsy Classes at TechShop SF!

Exciting news! TechShop SF has an upcoming workshop that is spot-on for Etsy folks. Read on for more info!

SF Etsy's own Tina of Better Off Wed is teaching Build a Killer Etsy Shop - A Step by Step Recipe on November 5th.

This course will give your handmade biz the rocket fuel you need to have constant sales on Etsy. This ain’t no touchy-feely lecture -this is about a tried and true strategy that will turn your crafty inclinations into a steady stream of cash. We won’t be talking about legal structures or book-keeping. Instead we’ll take a deep dive into the core of your business idea--identifying your customer, how to get found by customers, and winning sales. We’ll also take a magnifying glass to your product idea--including pricing, profitability potential and how to launch a full shop with almost no capital.

The recipe for success on Etsy is about accurately identifying market opportunity and executing an intelligent product strategy--I’ll show you how!

Teacher Bio: Tina Albin-Lax is a maker and serial entrepreneur with a love for strategy and teaching lean business methods. After some serious failures on Etsy, she launched a shop that made over 200 sales in less then 5 months. She makes 3K a month--almost all of it profit--and has to work on her business only one day per week. She’s distilled all of her experience into a precise step-by-step recipe that she’s thrilled to teach other Etsy entrepreneurs.

Can't make it November 5th? There's another session on November 12th! More info here.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

CCE Etsy Shop Review With Danielle

Today's guest post is from SF Etsy member Géraldine Adams who attended the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs and wanted to share some helpful tips with the rest of us. Thanks, Géraldine!

I went to the CCEWest last weekend and I had the pleasure to attend two sessions held by Danielle from Etsy. She is the Seller Education Lead at Etsy and she organizes the programming for Etsy's Online Labs and writes the Etsy Success newsletter.

Following her presentations I made a list of some recommendations on how to make your Etsy store as successful as it can be.

It’s all about your brand:

o Share your story, your personality, and who you are through your store. You should wonder about what are you ready to share with the world and what does this work say about you.

o Your profile, shop title and location should be filled out.

o The banner should match your brand, but it is not the most important element.

o If you sell something in particular, then it should be mentioned everywhere in your profile, your tags, the first lines of your descriptions, etc…

o Send handwritten thank you notes to your buyers along with your business card.

o No empty sections! If you have a section with only 2 items, people tend to leave the store. It’s better to have full pages!

Have a good offer:

o Work on your quality. Ask yourself how you could enhance it even more.

o Really think about selling anything for less that $10, especially if it is a one-of-a-kind item. Even a buyer will wonder if it is worth their time checking out a single item under $5. If you are selling items under $10, think of selling them in sets of 3 or 5.

o Packaging: it encourages buyers to buy as a gift. It can also attract some wholesalers.

o Keep listing new and fresh items in your store. The more you have, the more likely you are to get found on the Internet.

o • You can list a very special item that is going to stay there, being indexed and attract people.

Take good pictures:

o Try to take different types of pictures to see what works the best.

o Show the texture, color, and size of the product. Props are great to show the scale.

o Try different angles to entice people to click on the picture.

o Show the product in context. A dress on a model, a ring on a finger, framed prints in a room… These pictures are very interesting for bloggers.

o If you have series, show them on the last picture for example.

o Always use natural light. Early morning and late afternoon are good moments.

o Set up a studio in your house so you have a consistent location and background for your pictures. You can read this article on how to set up a studio at home, from photojojo.

Description:

o Use bullet points for the visual look

o The first sentence should describe the item itself. You should write “I made this 8x10 print…” or “I created” and not “This listing is for an 8x10 print…” and explain how it connects to you.

o Use the keywords that are appropriate to your product.

o If it comes in a series, indicate it: “you might also like…”.

o Explain whom it is for. “It is a great gift for your girlfriend”. That can help someone to make a decision.

o Explain why it is unique and different from everything else.

o No specific terms, like “K3inks pigments”, but explain why it is great for the customer. Step back! Ask a friend to write the description for you or try to explain it via skype (you’ll have to simplify it).

o Add a link back to your shop main page. Some people land on the page from a Google search and don’t know where they are!

o Never say “convo me for” because they won’t. Try to answer all their questions right away.

o You can add a customer review in your description too.

o Write the description in a text editor, check the misspellings, and then copy/ paste it into the description.

Use all the tags:

o Describe the colors. They are useful for the treasury list maker.

o Use some of the words that are in the titles again.

Ship internationally. 1 in 4 sales on Etsy involves an international buyer or seller.

Enjoy the community!

o Make treasury lists.

o Read and participate in forums.

o Join teams.

Advertise:

o On Facebook, Twitter, Flikr, your blog, etc.

o Do not tweet: “new listing on Etsy …”, nobody is going to check it. Try to come up with an intriguing phrase instead.

o Talk about yourself. Share who you really are. That’s what makes you different from the others and people want to learn about it.

Here are some additional links:
o Etsy Help
o Etsy Selling Tips
o Etsy Community Online Tools
o Etsy Email Lists

Voilà! Thank you for reading! If you have other tips, please share and comment.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Friday Feature -- Nadene

This week's featured Etsian is Nadene *little dreams becoming string* a long time SF Etsy member who is also known as Even Howard. The exquisite delicacy of her work takes my breath away. My favorite item in her shop is this lovely Tide Pool Bracelet.

Handy with a crochet hook? You can try your hand at making one yourself, with a DIY bracelet kit! Even says, "This kit contains the materials, tools, and full color instructions you will need to create your own version of my signature design, the tide pool crochet bracelet. The only thing you'll need is a pair of scissors."

Enjoy the interview!
1. 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'm inspired by daydreams and experience. My aim is translating the natural world into a microcosm of colors and patterns that become a reminder of present moment awareness and appreciation. The things we choose to wear and surround ourselves with can become an expression of identity, including connection with local landscape and personal values. I like to reference history, as crochet is bound to do, but bring it into comfortable modern accessories that are easy to wear and enjoy.

I learned to crochet first from my mother, but I was very challenged by watching her quick movements and have learned most of my advanced techniques from library books. When I was 11, two books I had checked out were chewed by my dog so my family had to purchase them. This was a hardship at the time, but I decided to appreciate them for the gift they were! These became the staples of my crochet library and the fodder for many future ideas. They were from the '70s so I also spent a lot of time observing which ideas were timeless and only needed a color update and which ideas were truly trendy. With the effort involved in handwork as well as a mind towards 'slow living' I strive to create those timeless treasures with only a wink towards the fashion of the moment.

I currently sell bracelets and necklaces as well as a few housewares. I have been a published designer of crochet patterns in the past and I'm now celebrating the joy of the finished product as it travels on to its new owner. It's more immediate gratification and I love knowing my designs are out there being gifted and worn.
2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
sf etsy, cccoe, and etsy old timers


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

Hmmm. I lived in Japan for two years, and because I was in a rural area I was offered the chance to learn many of the traditional crafts. I've always been a 'renaissance woman' and so I jumped to learn to sew and wear kimono, write calligraphy, and learn macrobiotic cooking. My national shuji (calligraphy, also called shodo) school gave me a license to teach in my last few months in Japan, I became the first foreigner to gain this level.

My beautiful and patient kimono sewing teacher took me on without knowing a thing about me and I not knowing any Japanese. But as soon as she saw me sew we had a common language and the rest came over two years of spending afternoons in her sewing space. I learned a lot of small town gossip and traditional protocol from the lovely ladies of the sewing group. I was by far the youngest and it was truly an amazing experience to learn from women who had been in Osaka during world war two and had not interacted with any Americans since. I'll never forget when I had learned enough Japanese I could understand my teachers' story. I listened quietly as she told me of her childhood, the bombs falling, her family life, and how they made-do. On that day, I had asked her if she knew how to make the traditional straw sandals and, at nearly 70, she said I was the first person who had ever asked her. Her own children and grandchildren had no interest. As she showed me how, the memories came out. That group gave so much to me, but I also appreciated being able to give them the gift of taking on their stories and history. I can see their smiles and shining hearts in my mind and it gives me much hope.

Even Howard in Kyoto in kimono she made.

4. How did you get involved with Etsy?

I was an original member of www.craftster.com and heard about Etsy through them. I joined right away, now I'm the 'oldest' etsy member other than the CEO. I was living in Japan at the time with no camera so it took me a while to actually open a shop, but I've been following and participating in the community since the 'beginning'.

5. What is your biggest challenge related to your Etsy shop?

I like to be an involved partner in every venture in my life. I care about the future of the Etsy community and probably spend more time than I should evaluating changes, trends, and the direction of Etsy as a whole. On the plus side, I love to help new sellers get set up and make beautiful shops that highlight their creativity. On the minus side, I spend a lot of time in the forums discussing the finer details of the Etsy model and its paths to success.

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

The handsome tear necklace.



My favorite because it embodies the ideas I'm obsessed with~easy to wear but unique and with a reference to the past. Add in some custom colors depending on the mood and place and that's pretty much my ideal design aesthetic.

7. What crafting skill(s) do you wish you had or hope to learn someday?

I'd love to work in wood. I have a new line in progress right now using gorgeous wood faceted briolettes that I had made by another Etsy seller. I wish I could do this kind of small work, but really I would be so happy to make some awesome furniture.

8. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?
I try to keep a good presence going and love it when my customers keep in touch!
home: http://www.evenhoward.com
fan page: http://www.facebook.com/evenhoward.art
tweets: http://www.twitter.com/evenhoward
blog: http://www.evenhoward.wordpress.com
other etsy shop (patterns): http://www.evenhoward.etsy.com






Note from Jen: I'm delighted to share that Even is offering a special coupon code for readers of the SF Etsy team blog! The code is sfetsyjan7 and is for 15% off any items in shop. Good through next Friday, January 14th.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

SF Etsy Artist Snapshot: Kevin Clarke from Bug Under Glass

It takes a pretty rad person to be able to work towards preserving insects in a way like Kevin does. And he's a busy man, too! Our very own Kevin Clarke will be showing at a few shows in the next few weeks! Find out a little more about the man behind artful maps in shadowboxes and read on...

• Who are you? And what drives to you create!?

My name is Kevin from BugUnderGlass and learning about all the fascinating stories, strategies and designs in the natural world really drives me to create.  I studied ants in Grad. School and I believe they are one of the most creative animals around – they are my inspiration. 

• When & why did you start your Etsy shop?

I started my ETSY store in January 2009 and wanted an online outlet that had lots of eyes.  EBAY seemed too generic for me and not really for artists.

Awesome items in the "Flea Circus" can be found here.

A few of Kevin's Favourites: 

BOOKS

Travels with Charley – John Steinbeck

A Journey of the Ants – E.O. Wilson

Where Does the Money Go – Scott Bittle (everyone should read this – I love macro economics)

Guns, Germs Steel – Jarad Diamond

 MOVIES

Microcosmos

Shawshank Redemption

Murderball

Nature Documentaries

Baraka

Nowhere in Africa

• How did you come up with your business name?

A fun acronym for B.U.G. – Bug Under Glass

• What does a day in your life look like?

I wake up at 6 a.m mainly because my wife is a teacher and then start  answering emails.  Next, I start packing and sending orders until 9am and take a break by walking my dog.  Then it is bugs all day, usually until 8 or 9 o’clock.  I work way too much.

• How do you promote your work? Do you have any best tips & tricks of the trade?

My work is very easy to promote because the insects pretty much sell themselves.  A products story is a biggest selling point and if you can tell that well you should do okay.

To find out more about Kevin & his wonderful wares, feel free to click on the links:

ETSY // WEBSITE // FB // TWITTER

Kevin will be showing his works from Bug Under Glass at Winter Wonderland Craft Bazaar on Saturday, December 4th from 1PM to 9 PM at Urban Bazaar in the Inner Sunset! Come check out more of his works on display and find out a little more about the process that goes into his work while shopping for a unique gift.

RSVP for WWCB on Facebook!

And since we can never get enough awesomeness, he'll also be at Bazaar Bizaare's Holiday Show at Fort Mason Center in the Marina on Saturday & Sunday, December 11th & 12th!

For more info on BazBiz, click here!

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!