SOTW -- Faerytalewings

Our shop of the week features a match made in Heaven: Lydia and Curtis Kinsey! Lydia is the artist who keeps a shop full of colorful designs to delight young and old alike and also some thoughtfully lovely pen-and-ink sketches. Curtis does some art, but is mainly the background support structure who handles the business end (and also can take a lot of the credit for our ETT website!)

Lydia's designs are very recognizeable. She often uses a softer palette and doesn't draw in an over-complicated manner. From her haunting Undine to her I-can-almost-smell-it Hot Chocolate Cocoa and Marshmallows, her body of work offers something for virtually everyone. Got an idea that you'd love? Just ask! Lydia is open to personalizing a work for you!

"Because we live in Florida," Lydia says "the landscape and weather influences the painting. Take for example Ripe Lemon Yellow Seascape"--it is basically a Gulf Coast sunset!

Lydia has had several inspirational events and people in her life. She was fortunate to travel to Italy at the impressionable age of 14. She was further inspired by Elaine Dubin, her painting instructor for several years. Sticking to her own style, she also admires artist Frank Frazetta for his bold colors and sculptural men and women. Says Lydia, "No little stick ladies!"

Feeling strongly about art, Lydia would put her money to good use if she had $1 million and had to give away every penny. She would donate it to "small school arts programs, because politicians will never, ever, ever understand the importance or need for art in the curriculum."

The following piece by Lydia is an ACEO: "Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern baseball cards" as defined by wikipedia.

Faerytalewings is offering
Use the code ETTSOTW for
15% off all items in the Etsy Shop
~~~~~~~~~~
Etsy Shop: http://www.faerytalewings.etsy.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/faerytalewings
Facebook: http://www.on.fb.me/faerytalewings
Blog/Portfolio: http://www.faerytalewings.com (not a blog right now, but will point to a portfolio website very soon, with coming attractions!)
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/LydiaKinsey
Website: http://www.faerytale-wings.deviantart.com

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week - imwithsully

The Etsy Twitter Team member featured this week as Shop of the Week is Kimberly Coles and her Etsy shop imwithsully. Kimberly makes Original art, illustrations, prints, and graphic jewelry in her own unique style. Read on--here is our interview in her own words:

What is the one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I'm an award-winning Creative Director, Designer and Illustrator with more than 20 years of advertising and marketing experience. I have lead multi-disciplinary teams at large and small ad agencies and have developed many big name brands across a variety of digital and traditional mediums. In 2009, I was named one of the “50 Best Female Web Designers Around the World”. I was also recently featured on PBS.org as top woman web designer. My branding work, web design and product illustrations for Hello World Clothing were featured as “the most adorable pajamas ever” in the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide as on Dooce.com, the leading personal blog ranked 7th on Forbes’ list of the most influential women in media. My custom handmade mother's jewelry was showcased by the Clothes for a Cause - Pink Ribbon Collection through the Home Shopping Network.

What do you want your customers to know most about your products?
My wish is to transport viewers into dream-like worlds where mythical characters, whimsical fairytale princesses, precocious pixies, and vintage kitsch cuties tell tales of enchantment and merriment. I experiment with all different types of media: graphite, paper collage, color pencils, acrylics, oils, pen and ink, crayons, copic markers, pastels, digital, clays, metals... just to name a few. I have studiously avoided “signature” motifs and prefer to evolve my illustration work with fresh concepts, techniques, and materials. Many artworks start with the potential of being my favorite, but like children, I just can’t choose one over the other.

How do you use Twitter? Do you have a business goal with Twitter?
Because I am influenced by all sorts of creativity and creative people, I recently created an inspiration showcase blog at www.websitebakery.com. Now that I’ve made the leap to being an independent Creative Director with my own design studio, the inspiration site and social media on Twitter is the most relevant way to become to inspire other creative people and drive traffic at the same time.

What is the single most important way you bring traffic/sales to your shop?
My personal portfolio and blog is devoted to illustration, design, and interactive design. As an Interactive Creative Director by day, this is my chance to get back to the art of drawing by hand and promote my work online.



Links to Kimberly Cole and her work:
Etsy Shop:
www.etsy.com/shop/imwithsully
Twitter: @kimberlycoles
Blog: www.imwithsully.com/blog
Portfolio: www.kimberlycoles.com
Inspiration Showcase site: www.websitebakery.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlycoles

imwithsully ships internationally.

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week -- talinaann

Our Etsy Twitter Team shop of the week is talinaann. The crocheted wearable art and original photographic prints available in this shop are both the work of the talented Talina Ann Zsido.

Talina Ann loves working with natural fibers in her crochet--obtained either from fellow Etsians or her local alpaca farm (how convenient is that!) Her crocheted creations are all original and made without patterns. Talina Ann finds crochet to be "creative therapy" and does the work as much for the relaxation it brings as for the unique finished product.

In addition, she is a gifted photographer and her black and white prints would make a stunning addition to any home or office. Whatever you might choose from her shop would be a unique handmade gift!

As a businesswoman, Talina Ann says she is happy to "sell enough to support my love of yarn". She loves to crochet for fundraisers and even participated in the Relay of Life last year, which she hopes to do again. One of her business secrets is "Paying it forward." She takes "the time to get to know fellow Etsians" and shares with others what she likes in their shops using Twitter, Facebook, and the Etsy forums.


This week at talinaann:
Free shipping on orders over $50!
Note: Shipping will be charged on checkout, but
will be refunded via PayPal
within 24 hours of purchase.
~~~~~~~
Check out Talina Ann at:
Etsy Shop: http://talinaann.etsy.com

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

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

Blog: http://talinaann.blogspot.com


Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week - Geek Details

Meet Amanda Roberts, the talent behind the Etsy shop, geekdetails, and the Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week.

Amanda makes and sells a variety of what she describes as "geeky things". Her product line ranges from artistically embellished luggage, pinback buttons and art prints, sculpted singing flowers; even some jewelry items! Her product line is varied and reflects the sources of her inspiration. When asked what she loves most about creating, Amanda states: "That I get to make stuff every day...I love the process of making new items, seeing something lovely and knowing that I made that pretty thing."

As she puts it, her inspiration comes from "everything! It can be a music lyric, something a friend says, a glass of wine, the way the colors of my flowers blend. I try to find inspiration everywhere and then I mix it up to create something new." This is further reflected in her business resolution: to step "out of my box" and attend gamer conventions! "I went to my first in January (it was called VisionCon) and had a blast! I’m hooked and glad I did it! I met some amazing people that have been excited about what I do. They’ve become some of my biggest fans and really encouraged me in my retail endeavor." The result is an eclectic blend of fun products which Amanda ships worldwide (on most items*)!

Amanda has several exciting activities planned in the next few months. She's attending many shows this summer, including Origins in June. She's helping to develop a new website called Con-Vixens. AND she's "appearing" on an online radio program called Dragon Talk Radio this Thursday, May 20!

Amanda is @geekdetails on Twitter. Her Twitter philosophy? "Follow who you like and converse with them. Don’t just mindlessly follow everyone...and don’t follow people simply because they’re following you. This may lose you some followers, but the quality of your twitter connections will be higher! For me, twitter is about making connections with people. One connection with a rabid follower of your work is (imo) far superior than 50 followers that don’t really care about what you’re doing and are just upping their numbers. It’s quality over quantity for me!"

This week geekdetails is offering
Free domestic shipping on orders over $80 when the buyer mentions “etsytwitter” in the notes to seller section

~~~~~~~

ETSY SHOP: www.etsy.com/shop/geekdetails
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/geekdetails
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/geekdetails
BLOG: www.geekdetails.com

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations.

* Some large items can vary greatly in shipping price from one country to the next. Convo geekdetails for the international shipping rate specific to your location.

Shop of the Week: Tamara Garvey

A sense of humor is something we all could use more of these days and this week’s Shop of the Week delivers! Tamara Garvey, of TamaraGarvey.etsy.com, has some really cute and beautiful illustrations. Her style is quirky and fun! For example, the drawing pictured above, "Burglars and Russian Nesting Dolls", actually made me laugh out loud.

“I draw fun, whimsical, pen-and-ink scenes, usually involving at least one animal and/or tree, as these are my favorite things to study and draw! I sell them as prints in different sizes, including ACEOs, as well as note card sets.

I'm really inspired by the classic pen-and-ink artists Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley. My drawings are made with care in my cute home studio, usually with my dog snoozing on the floor nearby. I'm saving up for a large-format printer of my own so that I can have complete control over my prints (that sounds diabolical! mua ha ha), but in the meantime I have them done at a print shop nearby that does an awesome job. My prints have great color and are printed on nice quality card stock.

My drawings are inspired by my walk to work through Savannah, Georgia's squares, magazines, other artists/crafters on Etsy, color combinations of a stranger's outfit, tattoos, particularly cute dogs at the dog park...anything really!”

Tamara has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design and a B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington College. Her biology background comes through in her piece titled “Enchantment under the Sea” – it’s like looking into a microscope and seeing all sorts of neat little creatures swimming around in the pond water.

When asked about her Twittering: “It took me a while to get used to Twitter, but now I am really into it! I try hard to maintain a mix of promotional (whether self- or other-) tweets with replies or random thoughts, to keep a personal touch to things. I love keeping in touch with my Etsy team members, seeing what they're creating, and what's new with them. I have made some great connections with other artists and crafters especially. One girl in particular, a freelance illustrator, has pretty much become my mentor as I develop my own illustration career! I think it is amazing that a new site can have such an effect.”

She ships everywhere and all her illustrations are shipped wrapped in a waterproof cellophane sleeve, sandwiched between pieces of thick, non-bending cardboard.

Follow her on her blog and on Twitter!

Special for the Week: Put “EtsyTwitter” into the “Messages for the Seller” box and await a revised invoice with a 15% discount off any of her items! (If you forget, just send her a convo.)

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade tamaragarvey.etsy.com