Etsy Twitter Team: Shop of the Week: SouthPawStudios

Our EtsyTwitter Team Shop of the Week is South Paw Studios, which offers handcrafted jewelry by Toledo, Ohio artist Katy Mims. She not only makes necklaces, bracelets and earrings, but she has a unique bridal line. Her styles incorporate faceted gems, Venetian glass, pearls and precious metal. As she puts it, it "brings the jewelry to life."

Here is my interview with Katy!

Me: What do you want your customers to know most about your products?

Katy: I feel that I offer functional jewelry that you can wear everyday with jeans and a simple white t-shirt, yet you can wear it to a formal function if preferred. I don’t want my customer to seem pressed on the thought of “I love this necklace, but where am I going to wear it?” I want them to be more, “I love this necklace, and I can wear it with anything”. I want there to be “No Fuss”. Jewelry shouldn’t be complicated, it should be enjoyable. That is why I feel I create jewelry that is much more appealing and affordable to a wider range of woman, from the younger jewelry lover to the seasoned shopper.

Me: What inspires you to create?

Katy: I get inspiration from everything from a shower curtain, to sunsets. I know that sounds cliché, but really there are great color combinations in sunsets. I also get my muse from new supplies. I really have an addiction to beads and gems. I buy way to much stuff, but I just cant help myself. Having new supplies really keeps me excited to sit at my work bench for hours on end.

Me: What is your favorite thing about your craft?

Katy: This question is tricky, but when I sit down and think about it, one of my favorite things about my craft is it is very competitive, but that keeps me on my toes. I like a little friendly competition. With jewelry, I love that everyone can take part in this particular medium. It is a little piece of wearable art that you can take with you and wear with pride every day, to work or even the grocery store. It makes art become functional. I love that it is an appealing part of the art world that seems to be able to survive even in the hardest of times.

Me: What are your Twitter tricks of the trade?

Katy: I really don’t have time to log in and out of all the accounts I use online on a daily basis, so I use Facebook, primarily to twitter from. I used to use Tweetdeck, but it started to have some glitches a little while back, and I just couldn’t seem to find the right patch. I am sure it is fixed by now, but again, TIME! So anyways, I linked my Facebook fan page to my Twitter account and “whola” I get two birds with one stone (no birds were actual harmed in this sentence) and only have to type something once. I may not seem like much, but it is a time saver for me and works just great.

Me: What is one of your business resolutions for the New Year?

Katy: I really want to beat each month’s sales, compared to last years, and have my profit margin higher as well. To achieve this I feel a combo of getting more money per piece, and as well as tighten down on my expenses / cost of goods sold (COGS) will help me reach my 2010 business new year’s resolution.

This week, Katy is offering a special Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week Discount! 15% off all regularly priced items, now thru May 2nd. Enter code “Etsytwitter15” in message to seller during checkout. Discount will be refunded via Paypal.

ALSO: special promo item, these earrings will be on sale for only $7, regularly $16, no code necessary.

Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/southpawstudios

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SouthPawStudios

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

BLOG http://southpawstudios.blogspot.com/

Main website http://southpawonline.com/

Bead website http://www.etsy.com/shop/southpawsbeads

Written by Judy