Knotties&Nesties on Etsy

Valentine's Day KNET Style

2012-02-08T06:30:00.000-06:00

Children have long celebrated Valentine's Day by exchanging cards and candy with other children. Here are some great ideas to change things up a little bit and make this Valentine's Day special for the little ones in your life. Whether it's a party, a small gift or token or just a simple cupcake to say I love you it will make their February 14th extra special.

MadeByAPrincess

Valentines Day Printable Candy Toppers Snap Alligator

CupcakeDream

Valentines Day Label Tag Food Candy Buffet - set of 12

CupcakeDream

Valentines Day Straws Paper Drinking Straw and Tag Decals Set of 12

GoAgainstTheGrain

LOVE - Cut out cupcake toppers - set of 12

He popped the question, you said yes, planned the big day and now you are officially newlyweds! Don't forget to make your 1st Valentine's Day special. It can be as simple as card or as extravagant as a weekend away. No matter what you do make it something memorable. Candy and roses are great, but below are some wonderful ideas to make things a little more special.

prosttothehost

Napkin Pom Poms - Fully Fluffed Pick your colors - Portland Original - Table Settings Escort Cards

MadeByAPrincess

Valentines Day Printable iPhone design for Sweethearts box

belletristics

Valentine's Party Invitation - Printable DIY Design

belletristics

Valentine Party Invitation - Printable DIY Design

CandidGrace

Be Mine Valentine Hand Stamped Necklace
Sterling Silver by CandidGrace

CandidGrace

Valentine Jewelry Valentines Day xoxo, me - Hand Stamped Tag Necklace Sterling Silver Love Mommy Jewelry by CandidGrace

Post written by Cristina of the Pink Lobster.

Halloween with the KNET Team

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The rest of the KNET team seem to be big fans as well.

Take a look at some of the great items that the team has created to help make your Halloween even more spook-tackular!

These Toe Tag invitations by Blush Printables are a favorite of mine. If I were an invited guest to this party I'd love to get this in the mail!

If you have a little one celebrating their first Halloween these personalized plush ghosts by Embellished Bayou would be a super cute way to commemorate it.

If you are throwing a party for Halloween having some fun straws like these by Go Against the Grain will have your guests dying for a drink to sip these with.

Make sure your guests go home with some treats in themed bags like these from Diablo Angel.

These cute bows by Bellamia Bows n Things will look adorable on days when your little one's aren't in costume.

This is another great bow option from Four Little Apples.

If you need something to keep their heads warm how about this adorable pumpkin hat from Cashmere Cuddles.

With lots of party guests in the house help keep your furniture protected with these coasters from 19Eighty.

If you are looking for a more playful party invite check out the designs like the one above from Swish Designs.

I hope these items have given you some ideas for Halloween. Be sure to check out these shops as well as the rest of the KNET team by searching with the keyword: knetteam and be sure to join us on our facebook page and twitter!

Member Feature: The Pink Lobster

2011-08-26T20:44:00.003-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
I had made a few key fobs for people as gifts, and they requested to give some as gifts. After a little searching I realized there weren't many in the "genre" that I was aiming for, so I decided to give it a try on Etsy.

What brought you to etsy?
I love etsy.com. I've purchased a lot of gifts and things for myself. It seemed like a natural progression for me.

How long have you been crafting?
As long as I can remember! I loved arts and crafts as a child and even when life gets busy, I try to steal away to get some time in. While planning my wedding I did A LOT of the projects myself and really enjoyed how much everyone else enjoyed everything!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Hmm, probably the pink lobster on yellow ribbon fob. It's light, it's fun and obviously I love pink lobsters!

What is your "day job?"
I am a litigation paralegal. Very busy, fast paced, high stress environment but I love it.

Where do you find inspiration?
The beach! Anything beach related, I love. I grew up at the beach, it's my favorite place to go to relax and anything that says beach life I love.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Knit and crochet. I can knit, although I'd say i'm at a beginner level. I would love to learn to crochet.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
A good pair of fabric scissors.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I have way to many favorite books to even pick one. Movie: The Quiz Show or The Notebook. Song: currently You Lie by The Band Perry

Where else can we find you?
For right now... just on etsy.

Member Feature: Cut.Your.Heart.Out

2011-08-01T01:39:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
Cut.Your.Heart.Out is a collection of handmade jewelry, accessories, home decor and artwork. Most of what I make has a youthful, fun and hip appeal. Girly with an edge.

What brought you to etsy?
A few years ago I got into a jewelry making frenzy where I began to make way more jewelry than I could ever wear and decided that opening a shop on Etsy might be a great way to put my creative energy to good use.

How long have you been crafting?
I've been keeping my hands busy by creating crafty goodness since I was a child.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I really like the necklace titled Black and Blue. It's casually sophisticated.

What is your "day job?"
I am a child and adolescent therapist.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I'm constantly inspired by my surroundings, events and materials.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Knit! I would love to knit cute and adorable baby things, but so far I can only knit scarfs... and potholders... and anything that doesn't force me to deviate from the square and rectangle shapes.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My hot glue gun.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
All time favorite book is Alice in Wonderland. Movie is The Breakfast Club. Song... I'll have to get back to that!

Where else can we find you?
http://cutyourheartout.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/cutyourheartout
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cutyourheartout

Member Feature: Made by a Princess

2011-07-25T01:24:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
I started my stationery business about 8 yrs ago. It was difficult to find unique stationery supplies like notecards, invitations, food tags, so I began making my own. My friends and family began hiring me for special jobs and party planning so things just blossomed from there. When the economy took a turn I noticed a decrease in sales so I started selling printables. I opened my Etsy shop last January and have been really pleased with the results.

What brought you to etsy?
There is an instant audience. People who might never have found me through my own online advertising can easily find me on Etsy.

How long have you been crafting?
Since I was a little girl. I used to make outfits for my dolls with scraps of fabric my aunt gave me.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Probably How to be a Good Wife. Every bridal shower I attend I am asked to bring this game and it just makes everyone laugh. It is a really good ice breaker and not too "cheesy". People who don't like to play games do like this.

What is your "day job?"
In addition to being a fulltime wife and mom to my son, Glenn, who is 9yrs old, and my newborn, Megan, who was born April 27th, I work fulltime for Sports Illustrated/GOLF Magazine as a Sales Coordinator. I love my job, my boss, the people I work with, and the company. I really lucked out.

Where do you find inspiration?
Bridal shows, cakes, magazines, cute little boutique stationery stores. I love to scrapbook so I look at new designs like a scrapbook page. I am constantly rotating graphics, playing with fonts, colors. I can spend an hour trying to find the right font.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Manage my time. It is hard to find a balance sometimes between working, filling orders, spending time with family, connecting with friends, housework, cooking, etc... My husband is a huge supporter in whatever I want to do and he knows now that "Party Week" as I call it - the week leading up to an event - makes me a little stressed so he has learned to just let me go and do my thing. I wish there were more hours in the day!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
Paper cutter.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
Cane River is my favorite book. Gone with the Wind and Enchanted are my favorite movies. I don't have a favorite song but my favorite artist is Brad Paisley.

Where else can we find you?

www.papillonprincess.com
www.madebyaprincessdesigns.com
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Made-By-A-Princess/134902846541809
http://twitter.com/madebyaprincess

Team Member Feature: Jenna Sue Designs

2011-05-25T02:34:00.001-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop
I design customized modern prints for the home. This includes everything from nursery prints, to wedding/couples' designs, to inspirational quotes and graphic map prints, bus rolls and more.

What brought you to etsy?
I started making prints for my own home and had so much fun doing it, I decided to turn it into a business!

How long have you been crafting?
I've always been creating art in some form. I graduated design school and have been a professional designer for a few years.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I think my custom map art is my most unique item, and probably my best seller.

What is your "day job?"
I produce apparel art for college athletic teams.

Where do you find inspiration?
It's everywhere... I really can't go anywhere without taking some sort of inspiration from it, even in its most abstract form.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Product shots!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
Adobe Illustrator

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I could live without movies and books no problem, but I live for music... my favorite song of all time is Debussy's Claire de Lune.

Where else can we find you?
I just started a Facebook page for my shop.

Member Feature: Crazy Daisy Creations

2011-04-27T04:50:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop

My shop includes jewerly including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I use mostly sterling silver components in my pieces. I also tend to favor towards swarovski beads and pearls.

What brought you to etsy? I started making earrings in grammar school (with help from my dad). I needed a new creative outlet, such I started back up agian. My fiance told me I should try selling what I make, to help with the cost of our wedding, so I decided to try out etsy.

How long have you been crafting?

I guess I can say that I've been a crafter since I was about 10 years old, making beaded earrings and pins. Over the years (minus the high school years), I have always been crafting in some form, whether it be making wreaths for holidays, making other holiday decorations, making decorations/collages for my room, to now back to making jewerly.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?

My favorite item in my shop is my flower pendant necklace. This would not be up for sale if I could wear jewerly more often!!! (I work full time as a physical therapist, so I have to keep jewerly to minimum)

What is your "day job?" Full time outpatient physical therapist

Where do you find inspiration? Looking at different websites or spending hours looking over the selections at various craft stores

What is one thing you wish you could do better? Make rings!!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My bead organizer

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

Favorite move is "The Notebook", favorite song "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, and I LOVE paranormal romance novels

Where else can we find you? My facebook page

Member Feature: Clever Confections

2011-04-13T09:31:00.001-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop

Clever Confections & Gifts features a variety of yummy edible treats from Decorated Cookies, to unique flavored Cupcakes. We also offer Chocolate yummies too from Peanut Clusters, Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks, Chocolate covered Pretzels, Chocolate Crosses, Seashells, Starfish and Sand Dollars!! Anything for your special event! Our decorated cut-out cookies are a hit and we offer a varietey of shapes such as Baby Onesies, Cupcakes, Martini Glasses, Football / Baseball Jerseys, just to name a few. Our non-edible gifts are wonderful as well! We have Tile Coasters, Baby Blankets and more! If you don't see something here that you may be interested in, plesae don't hesitate to inquire, we're very versitile! All of our edible products are made fresh to order! We also offer non-edible gift items!! So be sure to check out CleverConfections & Gifts for all your Gift Giving Needs and all items made by Clever Confections whether it's edible or non-edible items are made from a smoke free home!

What brought you to etsy?

I had a personal website for my 'business' for a couple of years, and it was while I was in the midst of planning my wedding when I was introduced to the Etsy site. Simply amazing!! I loved everything about the way the Etsy. From a customer's standpoint as well as the seller's. About 6 months later and tons of encouragment from friends and family, I took the plunge and opened shop!

How long have you been crafting?

While I've been 'crafting' for a number of years, I've been a cake decorator since my son's 1st birthday! Since then, I've taken numerous classes,and eventually became a certified Wilton Instructor. I taught for 7 years and absolutely enjoyed it tremendously. Aside from cakes, cookies, and baking in general, I dabbled in jewelry making and love to sew!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?

As of right now, my favorite item in my shop for me are the Baby Onesie cookies! I absolutely love making these!

What is your "day job?"

I go to school full time (despite the fact that I'm A LOT older than most attending college, AND my middle daughter who is 21 tends to joke with me that we'll be graduating with our BA at the same time). I also help 'plan' events year round so that along with my Etsy shop and word of mouth business keeps me busy!!

Where do you find inspiration?

I get inspiration every.single.day from everyone I come in contact with or everywhere I go! I see things and think to myself "ohhh, I could make that into a cake" or, going down an aisle at the grocery store, I see a bag of graham crackers and think "that would make awesome looking sand for my beach themed cake I'm doing this weekend". I also love blog hopping and getting ideas from other creative people!

What is one thing you wish you could do better?

I wish I could be better at creating my own digital files! I'm so not creative when it comes to digital scrapbooking or things of that nature. When it comes to the 'paper' end of my parties I host, I always rely on fellow KNET member Loobie Labels to help me out!!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My one crafting tool I couldn't live without would be my Kitchen Aid Mixer! That baby has whipped up tons of pounds of cookie dough and cake batter!!! Icings as well!!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

My favorite book is The Notebook; favorite movie is Sweet Home Alabama; and favorite song at the moment is You're Beautiful by James Blunt.

Where else can we find you?

I have a personal blog and a Clever Confections blog which I haven't really done too much with, but would welcome followers there as well. I also have a Facebook Fan Page.

Member Feature: Cupcake Dream

2011-03-30T03:06:00.001-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop:
Cupcake Dream specializes in decoration and digital designs for children. Add a personal touch to a special event or nursery with these vibrant, whimsical creations.

What brought you to etsy?
I found Etsy when I was planning my wedding years ago. After becoming pregnant, experimenting with different crafts for my daughter's nursery was a regular thing. When a friend saw some of the things created for the room, she suggested I start up a store of my own. Since an actual store front was not possible at the moment, I decided to give Etsy a try.

How long have you been crafting?
Even as a little girl, I loved making things. In school, I was always labeled, “creative” but had a really hard time sticking to one thing. Since then, I have done my best to expand my creative hobbies. Each new chapter of my life has given me more opportunities to experience something new. I've tried everything from scrap booking to sewing, graphics to wood work, and painting to jewelry making .

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
It would have to be a tie between the polka dot cupcake invitation or the owl nursery closet dividers.

What is your "day job?"
My day job is taking care of my beautiful, amazing daughter. I really love being a stay at home mother and sometimes I can get a little crafting in during nap time.

Where do you find inspiration?
My kids give me all the inspiration. Being around such colorful personalities allows me to create playful products for the store. Sometimes I pull colors from the clothes they wear, or design based on a favorite toy or character they love.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I would love to be able to draw better. Give me a computer and I can create just about any design. Give me a pencil and paper and you'll get an amazing stick man.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My designs would be nothing without a computer.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
Book: Not a big fan of books. Movie: Dirty Dancing Song: I Saw God Today by George Strait

Where else can we find you?
Etsy
Facebook

Member Feature: Loobie Labels

2011-03-16T02:47:00.001-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
My shop sells personalized party items, as well as small gifts. My biggest sellers have always been personalized candy bar wrappers - Hershey bars, Kisses, Miniatures, etc. That was all I started out with when I first began. Now I'm branching out. I sell gifts, photo candles, bottled water labels, custom made business fliers and a lot of other items that will soon be listed. My shop is still fairly new, but I'm working on getting my entire arsenal listed so people can see the true scope of my capabilities.

What brought you to etsy?
I got tired of people asking me "What's your website?" lol. I tried to do my own website but I'm pretty computer illiterate and it was a huge flop. I had already created an etsy account for buying, so I figured why not go with a shop here? Now my repeat customers have a place to go if they want something, and I can reach out to new customers and show them what I have to offer.

How long have you been crafting?
I've always enjoyed crafts and creating in general, ever since I was a child. But I've been doing the custom labels for about 3 years now.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I really like the photo wedding favors. We're planning a destination wedding and it's a great way to show off your wedding location. I'm also working on samples for at-home weddings.

What is your "day job?"
During the day, I do in home daycare. I also work as a respite worker, which is basically a very well-trained babysitter who has the skill and knowledge to take care of special needs children. I have a degree in social work, but gave up my career to stay home when my daughter was born.

Where do you find inspiration?
I get my inspiration from the people around me. They all have reasons to celebrate, and every item in my shop is the result of a celebration that someone I know and love has had. I go to weddings and birthdays, graduations and Baptims, and I think "It would be cool if I could make......" Then I go home and turn the idea into reality.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I really do stink at photography. That's a bad thing.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My printer! I'm the one who got the ladies on the DIY board all excited about the Canon Pixma MP 620 when it first came out, and I'm still using mine! I know all its features and all the little tricks to make it perform at its highest level.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
My favorite book is Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews. My favorite movie is Clerks 2, and my favorite song is "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts. (That song has a special place in my heart, because it was the first song I sang to my daughter when she was in the NICU after she was born. Every time I hear it, it brings tears to my eyes.)

Where else can we find you? Right now, I'm focusing mainly on my shop so I'm not into the social networking scene much. Aside from my etsy shop (Loobie Labels) you can find me on facebook.

Member Feature: Little Paper Boutique

2011-02-28T01:45:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
I make greeting cards, invitations, announcements, note pads, gift tags, and pretty much anything paper related. Some of the items are made of paper and other items I make on the computer and have them printed.

What brought you to etsy?
I shopped there for my wedding and loved how unique and fun everything was. I was so impressed by the quality of the items and how nice all of the shop owners were. Once I started selling items, that was the first place I thought of, I wanted to be a part of the community.

How long have you been crafting?
I have been making items for a few years now, but only selling for about a year now.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I love my little matchbook notepads. So easy to throw into a purse or car in case you need something to write on.

What is your "day job?"
I am an event coordinator for a golf club. I love my job and seeing all of the weddings and showers definitely inspire me!

Where do you find inspiration?
My job inspires me (seeing all of the color combinations). I also get inspiration by colors in nature and in clothes.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I could sew. I am in awe of the people that can just take a piece of fabric and create clothes or purses. I can sew a blanket and that is about it.....

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
Stamps and ink. I have a huge collection of hundreds of stamps...

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I just got a NookColor for the holidays, so I am on a big reading kick right now. I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and it was much better than the movie! As for movies, I am a hopeless romantic, I love Serendipity and the Notebook. I could watch them over and over...

Where else can we find you?
Etsy: http://www.littlepaperboutique.etsy.com/
Website: http://www.littlepaperboutique.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/littlepaperboutique
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepaperboutique/

Member Feature: Pearls Night Out

2011-02-16T01:34:00.001-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop
Pearls Night Out is a shop dedicated to jewelry that is stylish, fun, chic, and unique. While I love jewelry for special occasions and I have a special place in my heart for jewelry for brides, I think jewelry is for every day and can make any day a fun, special day.

What brought you to etsy?
The first time I ever heard about Etsy I was purchasing beads and crafts supplies in a local store and the salesperson mentioned it to me as an avenue for selling my jewelry. At the time, I had never heard of it and Etsy was smaller than it is now and I just forgot about it for a while and then I wanted to focus on my store a little and I remembered what she said.

How long have you been crafting?
I've always loved crafting and over many years have dabbled in different things. In high school I loved to sew and took sewing classes. I made some really (awful) things, like a bubble skirt and a jumper. In graduate school I took several oil painting classes. I've also tried crochet and card making. When I was planning my wedding I really wanted to do all DIY projects, but we had so many guests that it wasn't feasible. I was inspired by some necklaces I saw in a shop and I decided to try to make jewelry for me and for my bridesmaids since that was a manageable number and I was hooked! The rest is history!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
That's probably a tie between the pink and green Cami necklace and the new Blue Leopard necklace. Both of them have bright colors and Kazuri beads and they both have personality and I love that!

What is your "day job?"
During the day I am a physical therapist. I specialize in working with people with neurological disorders and dizziness.

Where do you find inspiration?
All over the place. Craft magazines mostly. But, sometimes, I like to look at color combinations on different design websites.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
That's easy! Use my camera and photograph my jewelry!!! I always struggle with that.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
For jewelry, I'd have to say my bead board, but if you want to know my favorite craft tool of all, it'd be the Cricut machine!!!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I don't have one favorite book, but I do have a favorite author- Jodi Picoult. I love her books.
My favorite movie is probably Dirty Dancing.
My favorite songs are anything and everything by Elton John.

Where else can we find you?

Blog: http://pnojewelrydesign.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Pearls Night Out

Member Feature: 19Eighty Expressions

2011-01-31T06:55:00.000-06:00

What brought you to etsy?
After a few people told me I should sell my cards I decided to open shop at etsy. It seems the perfect place for my creations.

How long have you been crafting?
This type of crafting started when I was planning my wedding in 2008. I realized I really liked designing things. I did quite a bit of graphic design for my wedding items as well as papercrafting. Just in the past few months I started dabbling seriously in papercrafts such as scrapbooking and making cards.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
My favorite item is the Cupcake Birthday card. It's fun and colorful.

What is your "day job?"
I work in accounting and finance.

Where do you find inspiration?
I look online for most of my inspiration. I also use everyday experiences such as vacations I've been on to come up with my card designs.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Color digistamps. I cannot figure that one out. I love the look of them when they are colored.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My Cricut Expression!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I don't really have favorites of anything. I like to try out all types of books, music, and movies.

Where else can we find you?

19Eighty Expressions on Facebook, and on Twitter @ 19EightyExprssn

Team LOVE

2011-01-20T10:51:00.000-06:00

Valentine's day is less than a month away and there are some great pieces being created by our talented team members.

Belletristics has created some adorable printable address wraps that will surely make those valentines stand out in the mail. Who wouldn't love to see that in their mail box?!

Go Against the Grain designed some cute cupcake or food toppers that will add some extra sweetness to those treats! Several design options available!

Swish Designs has some sweet Valentine themed photo announcements. A variety of design choices are available to help spread the news!

Bella Mia Bows n Things has some cute little red clippies for the little sweetheart in your life. Be sure to check out her other options too!

Candid Grace has something for you if you are a fan of jewelry.. and who isn't?! She offers customization too!

This is just a small sample of the great piece coming from our team members. To find more sweetness click here!

Fall Team Challenge: Home Sweet Home

2011-01-02T15:23:00.006-06:00

To spark a little creativity, the KNET team recently planned a design challenge. Our challenge was to create an item inspired by our hometown or state. We share those items, and a brief description, below, and you can join in the fun. You can vote for which entry you think is the most inpsired. Just select your choice over on the sidebar. And because we are a friendly little team, there is no real prize for the winner. Just that warm-fuzzy feeling :)

**UPDATE**

Voting has now closed. The winner is the cow print custard cozy from mary*mule designs!

Embellished Bayou:
I created a line of candle embellishments inspired by my home state of Louisiana. The fleur de lis is not only a symbol of the state, but of our World Champion New Orleans Saints football team! In French, fleur de lis literally means "lily flower". On 9 July 2008, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal signed a bill into law making the fleur-de-lis an official symbol of the state. Following Hurricane Katrina, the fleur-de-lis has been widely used in New Orleans as a symbol of grassroots support for New Orleans' recovery.

~~~

This Seams Nifty:
Mine is purple and gold stocking bunting. I'm from Baton Rouge, which is where LSU is located, so I wanted to make something festive for the holidays that shows spirit for my alma mater. :)

~~~

mary*mule:
Here is my entry, inspired by Wisconsin! As you may know, Wisconsin is America's Dairyland. We like our cheese and frozen custard here (and beer, but that's not dairy!). So I made a frozen custard cozy for pints of custard or ice cream. To keep your hands from freezing while you eat. I made one with cow print, since cows make milk.

Holiday Sales and Coupon Codes

2010-11-27T16:48:00.008-06:00

If you are working on your holiday shopping this weekend, here are some deals you won't want to miss. Some shops are offering sales and coupon codes Friday to Monday (unless otherwise specified) using etsy's new coupon code feature. Happy Shopping!

Damask Diva: BF2010DD For 10% off entire purchase!

Madas Place: THANKFUL10 for 10% off

Prost to the Host: BLACKFRIDAY for 10% off.

Bella Mia Bows n Things: My stuff is marked down in the shop, and then the code for an add'l 15% is GOBBLE15

Four Harp Designs and Four Harp Designs Too: THANKFUL2010 for 20% off either shop

This Seams Nifty: HOLIDAY25 for 25% off; Monday thru Friday.

Go Against the Grain: GATG10 for 10% off everything

mary*mule designs: Select sections are marked down 15% and FB fans can
get shipping for 99 cents, leave "I'm a fan" in message to seller box.

Embellished Bayou: FBFAN for 25% off good throught Monday at midnight. My frames are already marked down 30%.

Swish Designs: BLACKFRIDAY2010 for 15% off.

Cupcake Dream: BLACKFRIDAY2010 for 20% off through Monday.

Candid Grace: CYBERMONDAY20 for 20% off, Monday only.

Cashmere Cuddles: Sale, up to 30% off, prices are already marked down.

Member Feature: Belletristics

2010-11-17T04:47:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.

Belletristics is an online graphic design shop, specializing in printable stationery design for the do-it-yourself bride.

What brought you to etsy?

I joined Etsy when I first started my business- I was looking for a place where I could easily set up a storefront to offer my designs.

How long have you been crafting?
As long as I can remember! Some of my earliest memories are of painting and sewing alongside my mom- I definitely get my DIY spirit from her! Growing up, we were constantly creating something, and that has always stayed with me.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I'm currently in love with all the designs in my Besotted invitation suite! If I were to do it all over, I would use that stationery suite for my own wedding!

What is your "day job?"
I'm happy to say that running Belletristics is my day job (and has been for over a year now)!

Where do you find inspiration?
I try to find inspiration in everything around me, but it primarily comes from nature. I also love to browse through vintage ads and signage.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I could draw better freehand. Give me Illustrator and my Wacom tablet, and I'm good to go, but with a pencil and paper I'm lucky if I can draw a stick figure!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
Does Illustrator count as a crafting tool? ;) Off the computer, I'd be lost without my 3M ATG gun- I've never found a better adhesive runner.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
Book: anything by Greg Iles
Movie: any Guy Ritchie movie (especially ones with Jason Statham)
Song: You Look Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton

Where else can we find you?
Etsy: http://www.belletristics.etsy.com/
Website: http://www.belletristics.com/
Minted: http://www.minted.com/search?designerID=573
Blog: http://belletristics.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/belletristics
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Belletristics
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/belletristics/
Zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/belletristics*

Team Interview: Do you Blog?

2010-11-14T17:10:00.007-06:00

Q: Do you blog?

Prost to the Host: I blog about events I've hosted, planned , coordinated etc, wedding styles/trends, post mood boards for events and other holiday centered enteratining tips.

Go Against the Grain: I blog as well and it varies from baking, etsy, home decor to DIY things. It started out as a home rebuilding blog that kept family up to date on our re-build after the damage from hurricane Ike and has evolved since then.

mary*mule designs: I blog about sewing, new recipes, book reviews, house stuff and life in general.

Personally Speaking: I blog about recipes, designs, cupcakes, cake lets, etc. It's new but so much fun! I wish I had more time!

Four Harp Designs: I have a food blog, Mama Jan's Kitchen. It's more just a recipe blog that I started so I could keep all my favorite recipes in one place. My friends are always asking for recipes so that was an easy way to share my favorites. It's turned into much more but has sort
of gotten put on the back burner lately. I have piles of recipes that need
to get posted.... if I ever have time to edit the pics!

Emebellished Bayou: I blog about my crafts and DIY projects with the occasional recipe and decorating post thrown in. I also use it to promote my Etsy shop and Facebook page from time to time.

Candid Grace: My blog is still a work in progress. I started it to be able to showcase my work and upcoming projects, but I also intend to use it to promote other's work that I admire as well. I also throw in the occasional random post too. :)

Belletristics: I blog at Belletristics - it's mostly a place to showcase previous custom design work, and keep anyone that's interested up to date with the goings on at Belletristics. I also do a "Real Weddings" feature , as well as offer free download and print stationery designs from time to time.

Blush Printables: I blog for my design work, though, to showcase current projects, share inspiration photos, ideas and DIY projects, along with free downloads every Friday. I also share photos from Real Parties + Real Weddings that I've designed for, and share photos from projects & photoshoots that I've
participated in.

Swish Designs: I have several blogs including my swishdesigns blog, my family blog and my bootcamp blog: all of which are sadly neglected.

Bowrene: I blog at Itching for a Stitching. I often just blog about crocheting and knitting and all things related to the fiber arts. I also post personal projects as well as reviews of products that I come across. Sneak peeks of upcoming listings can be found
there as well. Its an unorganized mish-mash, but I love it.

Cupcake Dream: I have a baby blog, where I share daily activities, milestones, pictures, and other family related topics. Included is a recipe and craft page. Unfortunately, I haven't really worked on those areas in a while. Recently, I started a house blog . So far it just details our build, but soon will include pictures of the decorating and future house plans.

2Birdstone: I have a blog but it's been sorely neglected. For a while there I did a weekly feature called "Six to Buy" highlighting six items based on a common thread that I would buy if money were no object. I occasionally will do a free download but it's been a long time. Mostly my blog involves shameless self promotion and highlighting past clients' weddings.

Carried Away By Paper: I have a blog that is really centered around photography, I do a lot of challenges that other blogs host and throw a few updates about our lives in there as well

Member Feature: Personally Speaking

2010-11-10T04:33:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.

Many of the items in my shop are ideas from buyers who ask "oh, can you make me this..." -- with a bit of my own "that should be a shirt...."

What brought you to etsy?

A friend suggested it when I mentioned selling on ebay

How long have you been crafting?

Most of my adult life -- but for profit, for about 4-5 years now

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?

I think that would have to be my large tree skirt for Christmas. I have a 15' Christmas tree and laughed at the tree skirts available. So I decided to make my own - and realized if I have a huge tree, others may too.

What is your "day job?"

I'm a VP for a major corporate promotions company

Where do you find inspiration?
In everything I see that I like... my biggest "problem" is saying "oh, I can do that...."

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Web design

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My vinyl machine/heat press set-up

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

I'm a huge fan of Eminem... no time to read anything other than a cupcake book, and I love the Saw series of movies

Where else can we find you?

On Facebook -- and will even set up my own fan page sometime this year!!

Treasury Round-Up

2010-10-31T15:57:00.004-05:00

Clicking photos will take you to the treasury on etsy.

{featuring FourHarpDesignsToo}

{featuring MadasPlace}

{curated by mary*mule, featuring various KNETies}

Team Interview: Holiday Goals

2010-10-23T15:57:00.003-05:00

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming holiday season?

mary*mule- My goals are to focus on products for men. I know this is one area on etsy that is lacking, and I'd like to help fill that niche. I already make items for men, I just need to work on beefing up my stock of those items.
I am also working on some new products, hopefully I will be able to get them in my shop before the holidays.
~~~
bowrene- I am hoping to run a successful sale, and get my items up to the 50
mark. I'm at 38! I also am hoping to get my FB fan following up to
100.
~~~

Four Harp Designs- Survive :) No seriously though... that kind of is my goal. Last holiday season my kids were sick basically the whole season long. "Two under two" with very little napping - so just keeping up with my orders is my goal.
I'd love to get more items listed in my new shop Four Harp Designs Too and get selling! I just opened but haven't done a whole lot in terms of marketing, etc. I'm going to be selling some items in a holiday boutique next month so I hope that draws a little attention to either of my shops!
~~~
Prost to the Host- My goal is to build up as much stock as possible before the baby comes. Ideally, it will help me get through the first few months.
~~~
Go Against the Grain- Ideally I'd like to create some new products and work on a better strategy for repeat customers. Also would like to increase my marketing, maybe figure out if I can afford some advertising.
~~~
Madas Place and Madas Place Baby- My big goal is to reach 1000 sales by New Year's! Go Mada's Place, go!
The rest of my goals stay the same. I am always looking at my photos and descriptions and branding and hoping to improve it. I want to continue relisting new items in my shop and making it the most awesome it can possibly be.
~~~

Bella Mia Bows n Things- I'm just trying to get back into etsy. I've taken a very long hiatus since we've been super busy on the homefront, but I sorely miss etsy. I just have to learn to manage my time better so I don't get lost in taking pics, editing listings, promoting, etc while totally neglecting my dayjob (stay at home mommy to a toddler and being a super-wife. hehe). I think I was just trying to do too much, and I just got burnt out. Maybe I can look at etsy as stress relief from the day to day stuff, instead of just one more thing to add to the stuff I HAVE to do.

Team Interview: Best Halloween Costume

2010-10-17T18:50:00.003-05:00

Q: What was your best Halloween costume?

Go Against the Grain- I'm actually hoping to make this year my best one ever. Bust since I don't have a picture yet, I'll share last year's! I was little red riding hood, complete with basket of real baked goods :) We all dressed up for work, it was a lot of fun.
~~~

Bella Mia Bows n Things- My favorite halloween costume was when I was about 19 or 20, I think. I was working at target, so i decided to go as a Target Guestcard =)

I took 2 pieces of red poster board and I made the front look like the front of the guestcard and the back I made to look like the back of the guestcard. I had every detail down to the tiniest thing. Then I put the two together with ribbon, I think, and put it on so I was a walking guestcard.

I won the contest that year at target for best costume
~~~

Four Harp Designs- My 1st grade costume was my favorite. I dressed up as a Cabbage Patch Kid (still in the patch). I remember my mom spending hours upon hours sewing it for me - complete with a little "patch hat" and leaves to cover my shoes. She even ironed on a Cabbage Patch Kids logo. I loved wearing it!

~~~

Belle Papillon Designs- My best costume ever was a California Raisin. I think it must have been 1987 or 88. My mom took a huge purple t-shirt and sewed tucks in it all the way around. Then we stuffed the inside with newspaper and grocery bags. We painted my face purple, and then I pulled the neck of shirt over my head (Beavis and Butthead style, though this was long before they were on TV). Paired that with leggings, white gloves, and hi-top Chucks, and I won the costume contest at my afterschool program!
~~~

Blush Printables- I have two favorite costumes.

In 1988 I was a witch. Yes, I went trick or teating with a broom in one hand and a my little pony in the other.
In 1991, I was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz which is my favorite movie EVER. My nana sewed my costume & even bought me red shoes that we put glitter on. My brother was the cowardly lion that year.
~~~

Swish Designs- One year (about 1998 or so), me and all my friends went as the cast from
Austin Powers (the first movie). A couple of the guys bought their costumes
but my girlfriend and I made the fembot costumes. We won first place in a
costume contest. My 2nd favorite costume was in about 1996ish - I made a
cat woman costume. I had found a mask at a costume shop and rented the movie
and painstakingly drew the costume out on a black lycra full body suit. It
was super cute - didn't win first place though - my roommate did!!!
~~~

mary*mule- I was Pippi Longstocking in 4th grade. My dad bent a wire coat hanger around my head and my mom braided my hair around it so my pigtails stuck out. I had mismatched clothes too.
I won 2nd place in a costume contest at the grocery store.

Treasury Time!

2010-10-10T11:41:00.004-05:00

Curated by mary*mule, featuring several KNET members

Set of 2 upcycled b... anycards $25.00	Cashmere Teal Cirqu... thejunebride $14.50	Recycled Vinyl Bann... seen1 $10.00
Leaf Scarf or Garla... mrowe $25.00	SALVAGE GARDEN III ... bearpawrustics $165.00	Zippered cosmetic p... marymule $8.00
Ready to Ship Upcyc... arksendeavors $30.00	LETTER R Embellishe... beadcandi $15.00	Eco Friendly Upcycl... thepainteddais... $18.00
Orchid Birds recycl... telaine $30.00	1 Dozen Half Inch F... TwistedPlanetB... $2.75	Lavender Bath and B... mirasolfarm $12.00
Are We There Yet - ... MaisyandAlice $12.00	Funky Fork Style 00... jjevensen $10.00	Shell Spoon and Fre... plumbpretty $36.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites

Featuring Blush Printables

$	Reserved for Molly-... VintageScraps $	Vintage French Pink... shopangelico $2.50
DIY Birdcage Wedge/... 10eisha $15.00	Filigree Blush --- ... YeLLoLiLY $80.00	Degas Necklace In B... tamar $32.00
je t'aime lace ... florriemitton $79.00	Queen for a Day clairelafaye $995.00	Ballerina Collectio... CorrineONeill $59.99
Genuine pink blush ... dutchpearl $10.00	Blushing Pink Corsa... pinktea6 $33.00	Zara - Bridal Hair ... olivefarm $92.00
Printable Favor Lab... blushprintable... $8.00	White Tulle Flower ... beaneandco $165.00	vintage Black Satin... NaturalPondVin... $36.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Curated by AnyCards, featuring Embellished Bayou

Fabulous Rustic All... CaptainCat $80.00	Woodland Outdoor Ru... braggingbags $39.99	$
SLUGS Paprika with ... ThoseAlaskanGi... $	LAST SET Size 8 De... RingsHandmade $4.00	Tuesday Morning - ... elr104 $28.00
Grey Neckwarmer elde $48.00	SUMATRA MANDHELING ... katherynmd $14.00	Earthy - Tumbled Av... kateemarie $20.00
Beautiful Organic W... dressbabybeaut... $	Sunday in Cambridge... Raceytay $25.00	Purple Pleated Tuni... larimeloom $100.00
Leaf, ring InmostLight $13.00	Soft Cotton Bracele... firebirds $12.00	Handpainted 4x6 Fra... EmbellishedBay... $25.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Team Interview: Fall Favorites

2010-10-03T08:08:00.003-05:00

Q. What are your favorite things about fall?

Blush Printables- I love fall. I love sweaters, boots, football, the changing leaves, Halloween... Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (next to Christmas) and it's so exciting being able to decorate. Also, fall means Pumpkin Spice lattes :)
~~~
Go Against the Grain- My favorite thing about fall is the smell. Love the smell of a wood burning fireplace, yummy treats baking too! Seeing smoke rise from chimneys and using blankets to snuggle up with.
~~~
Prost to the Host- My favorite thing about fall is the fashion. The boots, scarves, jackets and layers of soft sweaters are just perfect compliments to a great fall
ensemble.
~~~
Embellished Bayou- My favorite things about fall are football, cooler weather, and fall decor!
~~~

Four Harp Designs- I love fall cooking! Slow cookers, quick breads, pumpkin recipes.... Yum! I can't wait to make these pumpkin spice cheesecake swirl brownies again and I'm looking forward to finding a good pumpkin quick bread. In June, I found a recipe for zucchini sweet potato bread and have been looking forward to fall so I can make it again!
I also love fall decorating, bundling up in sweaters, foggy mornings and puddle jumping with my boys! :)
~~~
Jessica Rae Jewellery- My favorite thing - thats easy!!!!!! Aside from the awesome colours - my wedding anniversary is in Oct 3rd!
Also I'm Canadian so that means Thanks Giving.... mmmm Gobble Gobble!!!
~~~
mary*mule- I love the food. Pumpkin bread or scones especially, although I make them all year round since I love them so much. I love homemade soups, especially this corn and potato chowder. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday b/c turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes are my favorite meal. I also just love the "atmosphere" in the air, and the leaves changing colors.
~~~
Swish Designs- Ohhh - I love so many things about the fall: Nice days and cool
nights...leaves...pumpkins...pumpkin patches...the food...and my
anniversary!!! :)

Treasury Roundup

2010-09-26T08:34:00.003-05:00

Here are some recent treasuries curated by and featuring KNET team members.

{curated by goagainstthegrain}

{curated by anycards}

Team Interview: Hobbies

2010-09-19T20:12:00.007-05:00

Q: What are your hobbies outside of etsy?

Personally Speaking- I tend to turn hobbies into work -- no matter how much I try to keep them separate! When I'm not making personalized orders for my customers, I'm usually baking cupcakes, cakelets (mini cakes), cake ball pops, or personalized cookies. And that has become less of a hobby and much more of a business! With a full time job, plus my Etsy shop and my baking, there really isn't much time for anything else. But I always make time to watch my 14 year old daughter, Britt, compete in dance. She competes Nationally in 14 different routines and keeps me busy day in and day out.
~~~

Carried Away By Paper- I have always been into and played sports so my husband and I play softball together during the week and I play soccer every week as well - I have been playing for 24 or so years, I can't give it up quite yet. After our wedding
I got back into photography, I minored in it in college and am hoping to
turn it into something more in the future. I do a lot of "photo challenges"
on my blog that really challenge me Just the 2 of Us.
~~~

Damask Diva- Seeing as how we're about to close on our first home, I am very much into DIY/home decor stuff. I've got a blog where I chronicle all my inspiration &
projects over at www.monicawantsit.com I love to scour online blogs and
print magazines for ways to bring designer looks to my home for a
non-designer price. I also watch HGTV an awful lot every week, and have a
total crush on Scott McGillivray. Here is a photo of my transformation of a tacky gold shelf into a lovely, chic ribbon holder.
~~~

Blush Printables- We bought our first house a year ago this month, so I keep myself busy with decorating and home projects. There is never a dull moment around here, and home ownership is full of surprises! Our latest project is building a deck,
and I am constantly changing the decor in our house. I have a personal
blog, www.vintage-intoxication.blogspot.com, that I used to regularly update
with our home shopping experience (that later turned into home decor
inspiration), but after I got super busy with Blush I started neglecting
it. It hasn't been updated in months.
We also like to travel, and try to take as many vacations as possible.
Neither of us get a lot of vacation time throughout the year, so we take a
lot of mini vacations on the weekends. Our next trip is this weekend, and
I'm really looking forward to it!
I'm not sure if TV is considered a hobby, but I just discovered True Blood
and I am officially OBSESSED.

~~~

Go Against the Grain- My hobbies have def. changed over the years. Taking out all my graphic
design/ crafty stuff, I guess my hobby is baking (def not near the
talent that Lisa has!). I bake about once a week.
I don't know why but it is very relaxing to me, kinda my stress
reliever I guess.
~~~

Prost to the Host- planning out events (ha)
reading
traveling
trying new restaurants (double ha..does this really count...yum)
~~~

Mary*Mule- My hobbies are reading, baking, and surfing the internet(!). I do sew for myself too, not just for my shop, so I consider that a hobby. I like to snowboard, but haven't gone in years since I live in a fairly flat state with "ski hills" instead of mountains. I also like photography, but am far from an expert.
~~~

Bowrene- I crochet and knit as a hobby as well as for my shop. I also am a full time graduate student, so linguistics is my hobby. I also like tasting wine and beer and reading and baking (I try to challenge myself by making weird things from scratch). I dabble in sewing, and I really
like tv and movies (particularly old movies). I also study Korean and
Spanish and have recently been sucked into the wide world of Korean
dramas (soap operas). They are aaaamazing :) corny, but amazing.
~~~

Four Harp Designs- With my two little ones running around I don't have much time for hobbies.
But I do love to cook - I grew up cooking and baking with my mom and a few
years ago I started a food blog, Mama Jan's Kitchen
Sewing has also become a hobby and I've had a lot of fun making all kinds
of things, my son's favorite is his Lightening McQueen reversible placemat
:) I've opened a second Etsy shop, Four Harp Designs
{too}
and will be having my grand opening soon with some of the items I've been
making!

Team Interview: Where Do You Create?

2010-09-12T18:44:00.004-05:00

Q: Where do you create?

Click photos for a larger view. Please excuse any messes!

{Plumb Pretty}

{mary*mule}

{Mada's Place & Mada's Place Baby}

{Jessica Rae Jewellery}

{Go Against the Grain}

{Embellished Bayou}

{Four Harp Designs}

{2 Birdstone}

Team Interview: Etsy Shop Love

2010-09-06T18:29:00.004-05:00

Q: Which etsy shops do you like to shop from?

ProsttotheHost- Bubbletime: I bought from her shop several times, since her little pudgy birds are popular with my little dog(!). I had to replace a few of them and they are now in our baby's room (far and high from Mo). They are soo cute. Plus, the seller was super quick to respond to my convos, sale and promptly mailed my birds. Love the quick service.
Sugar Fresh: Was featured on the front page and I bought her You are My Sunshine print. So awesome! I love buying from shops with few sales. She was quick, sweet and I had a very lovely conversation with her about her shop.
Mayberry Sparron: I love her custom stamps. I used her stamps for a few wedding projects and they have always come out beautifully.

~~~

SwishDesigns- Giggles and Grins Creations - she is super sweet and created some adorable 4th of July bloomers for my daughter. Super fast communication (important to me) and very nice. And had some great ideas! Really went above and beyond compared to the other sellers I contacted for similar products. Her prices were a bit more than the others but I went with her because she was so prompt and gave more than she needed to before I even committed to the sale.

~~~

PersonallySpeaking- Obviously - because I bake every day - I've ordered from The Baker's Confections - Esther is great to deal with, has pretty much everything you need, and responds quickly!! When I do a custom order with fondant toppers, I look for coordinating papers from her shop -- it just adds to the overall display of the cupcakes.
And ohhhhhhh boy - do I love this shop.... LilaFrances I bought a custom hanger from her for Erik's police uniform (I had bought him a valet stand for Christmas and thought the hanger would be a perfect compliment to it....). It says "Sgt O-----" - and it is AWESOME!! My sister finds out on Wednesday her baby's gender -- and I will be ordering a hanger for the baby's closet as soon as they decide on a name.

~~~

BlushPrintables- I bought a hand drawn poster from Madame Talbot and it is breathtaking. It was the fastest transaction ever, and I gasped when I got the poster in the mail. It's hand drawn and I couldn't believe the incredible detail and intricacy!! Included was a handwritten note thanking me for my purchase. I ended up writing a thank you letter back to the seller because I was so pleased with my purchase and the artwork.

~~~

Mary*Mule- I bought a wooden truck/car for my best friend's son from Woman Wood Worker. She makes natural wooden toys, and they are really cute, and reasonably priced. Her shipping prices are good too.
I ordered a custom made stamp from GettingHooked. She made a mule stamp for me (twice, b/c my dog had the first one for a snack) to use for my shop. She was very friendly and easy to work with. She even ended up adding the new stamp design to her shop.

~~~

2Birdstone- I've purchased prints on Etsy. I bought three of the state bird and flower letterpress prints from Dutch Door Press for each state my husband I have lived in (WI, CO, TX - they've not created NC yet). The prints are perfect and have them framed and waiting to be hung on the wall. I will buy from this seller again.
I commissioned this from a shop called Doc Martin Studios. I really like his modern pop art-y style and thought it would make a great gift for my husband when he returns from his deployment. It was very easy to work with Doc and he was willing to make any change I requested from colors to composition. The print itself is on very heavy, thick cottony paper and very nicely done. While it is digital the ink looks totally solid, with not dots, through a magnifying glass. I was seriously impressed when I got it and he only charged $100 for the print and totally custom work. I would buy from this seller again.

Team Interview- Advertising and Shop Promotion

2010-08-29T20:36:00.006-05:00

Q: How do you advertise/promote for your shop? What has, and has not worked for you?

GoAgainstTheGrain- I have a twitter account and FB page for my shop both of which I think help me a lot, with twitter by far being the best so far.
I used to participate in the showcases on etsy, but that only yielded a few shop hearts. So I stopped spending money on it. I follow a lot of blogs and I make sure I comment on posts, leave my info, etc.
I've recently started collaborating with some other designers and blogs on things to help get my name out, hoping that helps!

~~~

BlushPrintables- Twitter has been incredibly invaluable as far as promoting and advertising goes. It's connected me to some fabulous party planners who endorse my work, and have connected me with other party planners & designers. I've worked on several collaboration projects as a result, and have really gotten my name out there. I have more sales through email requests than I do through etsy!

A lot of work, too, has been through networking. I've worked with several party planners who have recommended my services to other planners, and it was like a domino effect from there. I won't lie, it's pretty damn cool to see your work on tv and on The Hostess Blog.
I second the word of mouth. I've had so many repeat customers, and those same clients have recommended me to their friends and family. A lot of clients have tweeted about me or posted their projects using my printables on their blogs endorsing my services, and I've gotten a lot of customers from that. It's pretty cool to get an email from someone saying, "I saw your work on such and such blog and wanted to know if you could make ____ for me!"

~~~

Bowrene- Word of mouth and repeat business has been huge for me. I send business cards with all of my orders so that those who have worked with me before can find me again and also pass on the word to their friends. Facebook has been somewhat helpful, but as others have said, twitter brings me a lot of traffic!

~~~
JessicaRaeJewellry- I use facebook and word of mouth - Facebook for me has been amazing!!!! I would say that 90% or more of my business is done via my fan page!

~~~

FourHarpdesigns- I'm on Facebook and Twitter but get far more traffic from Facebook. As we get closer to the holidays I'm going to try running a FB ad to see if that brings any more traffic for holiday cards.
I recently had a $100 coupon towards Google Adwords so I tried running ads there. I did get quite a bit of traffic from it but no sales. I have my customers fill out an online form to give all the info for their photo cards and in that form I ask how they found my shop. About 95% are simply Etsy searches (the others are word of mouth) so I really focus on making sure my items are tagged well and that the main gallery image gives a good glimpse as to what the design looks like.

~~~

SwishDesigns- almost all of my business is word of mouth, google searches, a few etsy searches, and party site referrals.

~~~

BellePapillonDesigns- For me, it's pretty much all word of mouth! I do a little bit of posting on Facebook, but most of my business comes from a Mommies group that I am affiliated with. Up until now, I've been extremely busy just working on their projects, so there's been no need (or time!) for any outside advertising!

~~~

Mary*Mule- I promote through my FB page and word of mouth mostly. My mom and sister have several of my products and they also keep my business cards handy. So if someone comments on their purse/coffee cozy etc, they share my card. My husband has also generated some business for me and my dad is already inquiring about me selling some things in the camp store where he works! I tried a FB ad once when there was a free code, and I saw an increase in shop views, but didn't notice any sales from it. My next tactic is to try a YouTube video. I have seen some Etsians talk about them, so I am going to give it a try. It's free, so why not?

Team Interview: Naming your shop

2010-08-20T20:29:00.007-05:00

Q: How did you come up with a name for your shop?

MadasPlace and MadasPlaceBaby- A friend suggested the name to me. My son's name is Adam, and when you spell it backward you get Mada. I started my shop right after he was born as a way to keep myself busy since I didn't return to work.

~~~
FourHarpDesigns- The name for Four Harp Designs comes from biblical imagery. In the Bible, the number four is used to symbolize creation (e.g. the four elements, the four directions, four corners of the earth). Occasionally I design logos for my shop with the number four inverted like a reflection. This is to symbolize that everything we are (creativity included) is a reflection of part of who God is. My creative side is a reflection of God's creativity. Harps, in the Bible, are an instrument of praise. I hope that my shop, my designs, my work can be used to bring praise to God as well. So from this, I came up with Four Harp Designs!

~~~
GoAgainsttheGrain- Mine is pretty easy. I LOVE wood grain patterns, and I wanted to make sure I did tried to do things that were different and unique so that is how I chose Go Against the Grain.

~~~

EmbellishedBayou- I definitely wanted something that incorporated my home state (Louisiana), so that's where Bayou comes from, and since most of the things I make are embellished in some way, "Embellished" was the perfect word to go along with Bayou! I like it because it's descriptive enough yet broad enough to allow it to encompass a variety of products.

~~~

CashmereCuddles- The first few baby carriers I made were silk and cashmere, hence Cashmere Cuddles.

~~~

ProsttotheHost- It was hard to think of my shop's name, since I also had to first think of a business name for party planning. I wanted something easy to say and that flowed nicely. Prost in German means "cheers" and obviously, hosting is an integral part of any party. But I had so many failed names that just didn't seem to fit.
~~~

CarriedAwaybyPaper- I was actually browsing through a magazine and thought of it, there was a tagline that had Carried Away....and I added the "by paper" since everything (well basically) I have in my shop is made with some type of paper product or can be printed on paper

~~~

JessicaRaeJewellery- About 20 years ago my neice was born and was named Ashlie Rae.... I feel in love with the name Rae and wished so much it was MY middle name. Im adopted and about 6 years ago I set out in search of my birth family. When I received my original birth records Im almost passed out from shock.... there it was my oringal birth name - *Jessica Rae * I just KNEW when I needed to come up with a name for my jewellery that I HAD to use it, it felt kismet! Also has a great ring to it IMO - JessicaRae Jewellery
~~~

BellaMiaBowsnThings- Bella Mia Bows & Things was born soon after my daughter was. when my daughter was born, i used to sing her a lullaby in italian that i had made up with the words "bella bella mia"...and then i used to call her "bella mia" as a little nickname which in italian means "my beautiful one" (i guess thats a decent enough translation)...so when i had to pick a name for my shop i wanted to do something in honor of my daughter, but didnt want to use her name...so i came up with "Bella Mia Bows"....i added the "& Things" because i wanted to have the option of adding different things to my shop aside from just bows. good thing i did, since i added headbands, stationery, and scrabble jewelry.
~~~

PersonallySpeaking- I wanted the name to identify that I do personalized items -- and I like a catchy title.... so I came up with PersonallySpeaking!
~~~

DamaskDiva- Mine came from my husband...everytime we went somewhere and I saw something damask I just had to have it for our wedding. So, eventually, he just started calling me the damask diva and it kinda stuck.
~~~

CupcakeDream- The store name was actually created for my baby blog, but I thought it worked well for both.
My daughter was an emergency delivery due to health complications. While I was waiting to go into surgery, I was scared, feeling alone and in tears. One of the nurses noticed I was having a hard time. She came over and sat down next to the bed and held my hand. Although she didn't say much, I do remember a phrase she repeated over and over again. "Soon all of your sweet dreams will come true".
Then I decided to use the word "Cupcake" because that is what I call my daughter. I like to play a game with her where I nom nom on her belly and tell her that I'm eating the strawberry filling. Then I nibble on her fingers and toes and say that those are her sprinkles. Then I kiss her cheeks and tell her that she is my yummy cupcake. She loves it!!
So, she is my sweet dream and my little cupcake. Hence the name "Cupcake Dream".
~~~

Mary*Mule- When I first started, I was making tote bags, but I knew I didn't want my name to be too descriptive with "tote bags" in the name, because I knew I would eventually make other things. And I didn't want something generic like "Mary's Creations." I eventually just chose mary*mule because it is one of my husband's nicknames for me. Because he thinks I am stubborn like a mule. But I think he is really the stubborn one ;)

~~~

Bowrene- My name is Breanna Irene, and when I was little and tried to say my whole name, it would come out "Bowrene" so that's been my nickname ever since. Simple yet unique!

~~~

SwishDesigns- I started my business using the word "swish" because I like the way it sounded...and since I was doing so many custom monograms, I was always talking about swirls and swooshes and the like. Swish sort of evolved from that.

~~~

2Birdstone- I came up with 2birdstone because I was on a major bird kick with designing my wedding items (I love birds, my husband is a pilot, etc.) and I wanted to create digital designs that were budget friendly, thus killing two birds with one stone. There is a defunct myspace band by the same name.

Team Interview- Product Packaging

2010-08-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

A common topic I see on the etsy forums is about packaging. Some sellers like to package their products like a special gift, even going so far as to include a photo of their packaging in their listing, while others want to keep it minimal, yet ensure the product arrives without damage.

Q: What is your take on packaging? Describe how you package your products, and include a photo if you have one.

MadasPlace and MadasPlaceBaby- As far as packaging goes- I try to keep it neat but inexpensive. I've discovered that business cards are pretty versatile when it comes to packaging my items. I use them as cards for pacifier clips and toppers for the pacifier clip packaging.

I also use them as hang tags and care labels for other products. It's a great chance to further expand on branding, and since many of my items are gifted, it's a great way to ensure that my info gets passed along. Vistaprint's free business card offers really make it affordable for me to use business cards in this manner. I picked up an itty bitty hole punch at the craft store and ordered a tagger on eBay for around $5.

As far as packaging the entire order goes, I chose a cute printed tissue wrap that coordinates with my shop's branding. I use it to wrap the items, and then seal it with a sticker with my shop name on it. The stickers are simply address labels from Vistaprint. I've also had postcards printed up that say "Thanks for ordering" and have info for my Facebook fanpage and both shop addresses.
~~~

WeddingMonograms- When I package my invitation suites for mailing I usually wrap them in bubble wrap to keep them clean and prevent damage during shipping, and I always mail out in a priority flat rate boxes. I don't do anything fancy with packaging since my target audience is budget brides. If they are anything like me they prefer less "Froof" but enjoy the cheaper price on my items. I do include a short letter with each item I mail out thanking my customer for their purchase. Eventually I hope to include a few business cards with each order too.

~~~

JessicaRaeJewellery- I use business cards as product cards and most of my pieces will fit onto one - if it doesnt I still include one. I wrap the piece with blue tissue paper and seal with an address label sized sticker with my logo on it. If there are multiple pieces to an order I will use a low adhesive label and label the back of each piece so if the person receiving the items wants to give them as gifts they don't need to tear open the packaging to see which one is for who!
Everything goes out in bubble mailers and if needed I slip in an extra piece of cardboard for protection :)
~~~

FourHarpDesigns- I always like when I received packages that look like someone took the time to make them special. Although most of my sales are digital files, when I do send out prints I try to make them look nice. I place the prints in clear cellophane bags sealed with a sticker that says "thank you!". I mail them in flat rate boxes and if there is wiggle room in the box, I will pack it with filler to protect the prints and envelopes.
~~~

ProstTotheHost- I wrap all my poms in tissue paper and sealed with a gold seal sticker, so when you receive it, it is like a present. Each package gets a clear bag of "goodies": instructions for pom fluffing, monofilament, a thank you, my business card and sometimes a freebie (1 in button or something).

~~~

BellaMiaBowsnThings- I pretty much do the same thing as everyone else. The cards I use are usually postcards or business cards from vistaprint depending on the size of the hair accessory...for headbands I use plain white headband holders (like those you see in the store with the holes) and I put a sticker (vistaprint address label) over it.

Then I usually wrap it all in coordinating tissue paper and then seal that with a vistaprint address label that has my store name and my website site on it. I also enclose a business card, a thank you card, sometimes a coupon for a percentage off their next visit or a freebie (usually a clippie or a set of blank handmade cards).

~~~

BlushPrintables- The majority of my sales are sent digitally, but I take special care to package my printed goods. I package everything in an ivory merchandise bag that I print my logo on. Prints are slipped inside the bag, and depending on what I am shipping, either a flat envelope or a flat rate box. I always make sure to include a hand written thank you note, too!

~~~

mary*mule- I wrap everything in a piece of of tissue paper, and secure it with a piece of scrap fabric that I tie around it. I also tuck a business card or two under the ribbon. I also include a postcard with a coupon code for a future purchase. I upcycle cereal boxes into mailing envelopes (inside out) and mail everything in those. Since they are free, it really cuts down on shipping costs. My mom even saves cereal boxes for me now!

Team Interview: Selling in Person

2010-08-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

We all know that Etsy is just one of the many venues for selling our products. Of course there are other online platforms, but some etsians also sell at craft shows, trunk shows, in boutiques, or consignment shops. And we all know that selling online is different than selling in person.

Q: Do you sell your products at other venues such as craft shows, trunk shows, in boutiques, stores, etc? If so, what do you like/dislike about selling in person vs. online?

A: PersonallySpeaking- While a lot of my sales are from Etsy, I do get quite a few from my Nestie friends, and a large amount from my daughter's dance studio. I've been making shirts for the competition moms/dancers/teachers for the past few years now.

I also work with a woman who runs a kiosk at the local mall. I offer products she doesn't stock, so she takes special orders for me.

Honestly, sometimes it's easier in person because any questions can be asked and answered real-time and the customer has a sample in-hand for sizing, color, etc.

My cupcake business has all been through word of mouth and I've had more orders in one month than I had this year from Etsy. I'm baking hundreds of cupcakes every weekend.

~~~

JessicaRaeJewellry- Most of my sales come via word of mouth and my face book fan page - I only do a small number of sales through Etsy.
I recently had my jewellery in a local boutique and it did VERY well there, however the owner's lease was up and decided not to renew so I am going to be putting together a catalogue of sorts soon and applying to more boutiques since my last experience was so good!

I did my first artist market recently and was very happy with that experience. I love being face to face with my customers!!!

I have teamed up with local fundraisers a few times and really enjoed that as well - I was just asked to take part in a BIG one coming up in Sept Im excited about !

I also plan in the near future to hold an "open house" at my home/studio for locals to come in and SHOP :D I have also had many people ask though no one follow through as of yet regarding home parties :)

I like face to face - its more personal :)

~~~

MadasPlace and MadasPlaceBaby- I sell at shows a few times a year, and I'm looking into boutiques. I love shows! It's great to hear feedback from browsers and buyers. It feels really cool when someone says "Hey, I saw you on Etsy/at another show." And it's super flattering when people say "Do you have a store? No? You should!" It's my long term goal :)

I like being able to interact with other crafters. I really like being able to interact with customers. I get great feedback on my fabric choices and even suggestions on what I could make or changes I could do to improve. The income potential for a good show is another benefit. I often take home more than I make in 3 months on Etsy.

There are drawbacks to shows, too. I have to work and work and workfor 6-8 weeks leading up to one, and it can be hard not to let Etsyfall by the wayside during that period. The weather can be unpredictable and hot and humid or cold and rainy. The days are long but it's totally worth it to me.

~~~

EmbellishedBayou- I sell some of my products at a local consignment boutique, as well as by word of mouth through friends. I have also done one home show with my frames & tins, and got a few custom orders that way. I don't have enough stock right now to do a craft show, especially since a lot ofmy things are custom.

I think it's good to have a brick & mortar presence, because sometimes the true beauty and uniqueness of my products doesn't come through in a photo online. Some customers have to actually see the item to realize how cute it is! I love selling online, too, though, because I can reach a much wider customer base than just people in my town who tend to shop at certain places.

Team Interview: Wedding DIY

2010-08-01T14:34:00.004-05:00

We are going to start a new weekly-ish series on the blog here. It will be a sort of group interview with the whole team. Hopefully we can learn a bit more about each teamie, and share some etsy business tips and ideas.
Since our team originated from the message boards on The Knot, The Nest and The Bump, I thought our first topic would be wedding related.

Q: What DIY projects did you complete for your wedding? (pictures should enlarge when clicked)

A: BlushPrintables- "I designed, printed and assembled all of our stationery products with the exception of our actual invitations. It got so overwhelming, and we had 300+ guests, so I drew the line on the invites! "
~~~
JessicaRaeJewellry- "Everything paper for the wedding I DIY'd. Invites I designed, printed and assembled. Seating charts, Table centre pieces. Favors - Chocolate covered spoons drizzeled with white chocolate finished with cellophane that I tied off with a coordinating ribbon that said
FROM THE MR & MRS. I made the parents bouts and corsages. We wrote our own vows and hubby even designed my engagement and wedding band."

~~~

2Birdstone- "I DIYed all our paper goods from invitations to programs to table numbers. I also dyed my crinoline blue. I started my Etsy shop shortly after the wedding creating stationery designs and dyeing crinolines."

~~~

Personally Speaking- "We were married in a Destination Wedding in Cancun, Mexico on 8-8-08 (second marriage for both of us). I pretty much made everything for the wedding in Mexico - and we had 400+ guests at our new home for an At Home Reception when we returned from our honeymoon. We had 2 receptions at home to accomodate for the large number of guests. We had a brunch one day and a full-blown luau the next. Mexico Wedding: Invites, menu cards, photo scavenger hunt list for tables, sand ceremony design, table cards, centerpieces, seat signs ("mr ohland" and "mrs ohland"), printed undies... :) At Home Receptions: cake, cupcakes, centerpieces, invites, save the dates, etc."

~~~

GoAgainsttheGrain- "The majority of my wedding was DIY, especially the paper stuff. I designed, printed, cut and assembled all my invites. Also did my escort cards. And our favors was a homemade cookie buffet! My mother in law and grandmother and I all made cookies! It was a big hit"

~~~
WeddingMonograms- "I did alot of DIY for my wedding! My aisle runner, programs, bling shoes, monogram, veil, cootie catchers with crossword puzzles, favor boxes with cookies inside and my invites."

~~~
Marymule- "I made my invites, programs, table numbers and seating cards. We also grew dahlias in my sister's garden and used them for the bouquets and men's bouts. I ordered mums in bulk online and we arranged our own table centerpieces. Our favors were also a homemade cookie buffet, made by my myself, my best friend, mom and MIL. Instead of a traditional guestbook, I designed pages for guests to fill out with info like how far they travelled, how they knew the bride or groom, etc. There was also a place for them to draw a self portrait!"

Father's Day Gift Guide

2010-06-09T19:52:00.002-05:00

Father's Day is quickly approaching and we have some gift ideas to share with you.

{ beanie from bowrene}

{toiletry bag from mary*mule}

{cuff links and key chain from jessica rae jewellry}

Member Feature: Simply So Stylish

2010-04-21T04:11:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
I run an online shop (Simply So Stylish) selling digital goodies like monograms and stationery, primarily to DIY brides. I email the files to the customer, who can then print them at home, at a local print shop, or upload them to an online printing company. It saves the customer a lot of time and money, and by emailing the files in an array of digital formats the customer can use the file in a variety of ways. Monograms, especially, can be used on wedding stationery, turned into custom stamps, used on favor tins or on thank you cards. The possibilies are truly endless!

What brought you to etsy?
I started my etsy shop shortly after planning my own wedding. A few brides caught wind of the monogram I designed for our wedding and asked if I would design monograms for theirs. I did, and someone suggested I sell them on etsy. So I joined!

How long have you been crafting?
For as long as I can remember! I started painting when I was 5 (I took lessons until I was 18 & was in a few art shows!), and was accepted into college as a Fine Arts major before I switched to Communications. I started dabbling in graphic design late in high school, and started my Masters in Multimedia Design. I'm happiest creating something!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
My Save the Date cards. I love their vintage feel mixed with soft, feminine colors.

What is your "day job?"
I primarily work in an office environment, but also do freelance design work for non-profit organizations in our area. I design promotional pieces, annual reports and websites.

Where do you find inspiration?
My great-grandmother taught me to find beauty in everything, and I credit her for my ability to be inspired by the world around me.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I was better at organizing and multi-tasking. I get side tracked a lot and let work pile up more than I should.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My computer, obviously! That, and Illustrator + Photoshop. And.. the internet. Wait, just one??

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

I'm not very good with favorites! My favorite book is Pearl by Ellis AmburnFavorite song is Seasons of Wither by Aerosmithand movie is Empire Records

Where else can we find you?

www.vintage-intoxicatoin.blogspot.com

facebook.com/simplysostylish

simplysostylish.etsy.com

simplysostylish.com twitter.com/ohsoglam

http://weheartit.com/ohsoglam

Thanks Jen!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

2010-04-14T21:43:00.007-05:00

Mother's Day is quickly approaching. Have you thought about what you might get your mom for all her hard work? Skip the homemade coupon book and consider one of these lovely handmade gifts:

Beautiful earrings to make her feel special

Welcome sign to decorate her space

Tote bag to carry all her things

Double strand bracelet, personalized with her children's names

Grapefruit scrub bar soap, to pamper herself

Front Page Fantastick!

2010-03-26T16:21:00.001-05:00

Once again some of our great team members made it to the front page of etsy today!

The treasury was created by team member Go Against The Grain and had items from fellow knet team members Bella Mia Bows n Things, Plumb Pretty, Crochet TLC and Madas Place

To get links to all the items please check out the craft cult website here.

Congrats ladies!

Member Feature: Barefoot Soaps

2010-03-24T04:49:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
Barefoot Soaps sells handmade glycerin soaps and bath bombs. Every bar is handmade from top quality ingredients that are great for your skin!

What brought you to etsy?
I discovered Etsy when I was planning my wedding. After I was done with wedding related shopping, I started browsing for everyday handmade things and fell in love. I had been making soaps and bath products for about a year for friends and family and thought I would give Etsy a try!

How long have you been crafting?
I’ve been soaping for a little over a year, but I LOVE to create so I’ve been crafting for as long as I can remember!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
My Vanilla Cuppies. They smell JUST like vanilla cupcakes, and they have added cocoa butter to keep your skin silky smooth. I also love our Massage Bars.

What is your "day job?"
I am vocal music director for 6-12th grade. I teach three choirs as well as middle school general music. Crafting after school is like therapy for me.

Where do you find inspiration?
The outdoors. I find delicious outdoor scented fragrance oils and let my imagination go. I also love finding untraditional things to use as soap molds. I also LOVE getting inspired by foods. I also decorate cake, cupcakes, and cookies (another one of my crafting hobbies) so I’m constantly looking for molds and fragrance oils that remind me of baking.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I really wish I could sew. My grandmother is an amazing seamstress and she tried to teach me growing up, but I could never really catch on. I would love to be able to sew!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My silicone soap molds. They make unmolding soap so much easier, and last so much longer than traditional molds!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I don’t really have favorite books, more like favorite authors. I LOVE Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson and Stuart Woods. I also love the Harry Potter series. My favorite movies are Star Wars. I also LOVED Avatar and the new Alice in Wonderland! Being a musician, it’s so hard to name a favorite song. There are too many!

Where else can we find you?

I’m on Twitter at @barefootsoaps

Member Feature: Bowrene's Things

2010-03-17T05:44:00.000-05:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
My shop is full of hats and other wearables and toys for babies and adults alike.

What brought you to etsy?
I love the site and the community as a shopper and it just seemed like the kind of place where I could do well and where I could sell items that are premade in addition to giving me a forum for creating custom items (custom orders are my fave!)

How long have you been crafting?
I started crocheting when I was 9...so about 15 years ago! I was taught to crochet by my late great-grandmother and then I self taught. I also am a self taught knitter, but that ability is still in the works.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
My favorite item is my chocolate ribbed newsboy hat. I love the buttons, the ribbing, the brim, EVERYTHING about it!

What is your "day job?"

I am a graduate teaching assistant and teach discussion sections for a course called "Language and the Mind." I'm also a student pursuing my master's degree in Linguistics and will continue on with my PhD work next year. I'm working on my thesis right now.

Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere (so cliche). Sometimes I just wander the local yarneries and think "what could I do with this?" A lot of my projects reflect nature--I love making flowers. I also am inspired by the winter itself. Working with wool lends itself to developing hats that cover as much of the head as possible while still being cute! My son also inspires me. I love making hats just for him.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?

I wish I could knit better. I've just started up again, and I love to do it, but my brain wants to switch into crochet mode on occasion.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My needles! Especially those I inherited from my great-grandmother. They are really special to me.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

My favorite book has to be the Harry Potter series, but I'm also really into some of the classics. I am in the middle of a Vonnegut phase. My favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz (helloooo Kansan here!)My favorite song is Philosophy by Ben Folds. It gets me going when I have a big project to do.

Where else can we find you?

My blog is http://itchingforastitching.blogspot.com

My twitter is http://twitter.com/bowrene

My facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bowrenes-Etsy/90547942085?ref=ts

Member Feature: Damask Diva

2010-03-03T05:28:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
For the most part, I sell damask votive wraps for votive candles. I can do wraps for almost anything though such as vases, pillars, favor boxes, etc. I also create custom I Do letters, and lately I have added a seating chart design and matching table numbers. I plan to expand on those collections greatly in 2010.

What brought you to etsy?
My shop came about because I was really frustrated with the lack of affordable damask items for weddings. If I did find a damask item, it would usually be expensive or I could only find one or two. Then I decided to use my love of damask plus my love of being cheap (or thrifty!) and combine the two.

How long have you been crafting?
For a very long time! I’ve always been the creative type, and I like to think outside the box. I believe beautiful damask items can be a lovely décor piece in weddings, showers, and even in the home. Crafting is a way to be productive and keep my mind going. Plus, it’s something I can do while drinking cheap wine!

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
My favorite item would have to be my Spring Elegance Variety Pack. This winter was really cold in South Texas, so this variety packs reminds me of the lovely spring that should be arriving soon.

What is your "day job?"
I am a Student Advisor at a Community College. I enjoy helping students, but I really want to make my Etsy store my full-time job in the next 2 years or so.
Where do you find inspiration?
I tend to stay away from magazines and such because I don’t want to copy anyone’s ideas. Mostly I walk the aisles of Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, and I ask myself how I could “damask-ify” that. Yes, that’s a word.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I could get my orders out the very next day, but it’s difficult because of my “day job”. I do strive to get orders out ASAP though.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My laser printer. I LOVE IT!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
My favorite book is The Great Gatsby. So classic! My favorite movie is The Wedding Planner, because Matthew McConaughey is GORGEOUS! But besides that, I’ve always wanted to be a wedding planner and it’s a cute movie. Song? Anything by Britney Spears. (Don’t laugh!)

Where else can we find you? I am all over the place!
Blog: http://www.monicabenavidez.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thedamaskdiva
Etsy: http://www.damaskdiva.etsy.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/damaskdivadesigns

New Team Treasury!

2010-02-26T13:36:00.000-06:00

Team member Bella Mia Bows N Things was able to grab a treasury for the team and fill it with some great goodies!

Check it out here.

Member Feature: Go Against the Grain

2010-02-24T06:16:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
My shop is primarily comprised of digital goodies that the customer can purchase and then print at home or at a local print shop. This is a great option because you don't have to wait for shipping as it is emailed, you don't have to pay for shipping, and you dont pay an upcharge on printing!

What brought you to etsy?
I started my etsy shop while planning my own wedding. I had been designing monograms for free for other brides when someone suggested I sell them. Soon after that I discovered etsy and jumped on board!

How long have you been crafting?
For as long as I can remember. My mom is an art teacher so we were always doing crafts or projects and I still love it!

Custom Cupcake Flags

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I'd have to choose between my cupcake flags and my digital map designs. I LOVE cupcakes so anything having to do with them makes me smile. The map designs are a lot of fun to do because no 2 are a like and there are lots of options

What is your "day job?"
I am a creative director for a national medical trade association. I design their bi-monthly magazine as well as provide other graphic support.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere, but mostly in magazines. I love reading blogs of all sorts too, lots of great things out there.

Wedding or Event Map Design

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
Oddly, I can't draw. Yes I'm a graphic designer but I use a computer for that. I wish I could draw or paint well!

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My laptop!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
Favorite book is Memoirs of A Geisha; favorite movie is Gladiator (awesome music); I don't currently have a favorite song

Where else can we find you?
My blog is http://www.agoodbuild.wordpress.com/
My twitter name is @agoodbuild
and I have a facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/GoAgainstTheGrain

Thanks Laurel!

Who doesn’t want free stuff?

2010-02-18T12:41:00.001-06:00

We’ve had a few people who didn’t claim their prize during our giveaway, and we’ve had to redraw. So here we go again!

The NEW winner of the Certainly Chic giveaway is…#2!

Kristen said...

Following Certainly Chic's blog!

Kristen has a store called Paper Leaves on Etsy that is super cute. Congrats Kristen! Check your convos for details. :o)

And finally, the winner of the newborn hat from Two by Two Creations is…#9

Debi said...

I love the newsboy hat! I am already a follower on Facebook and now am a follower on this blog too!!!

Debi, please check your blog comments for details on how to claim your prize.

Member Feature: Certainly Chic

2010-02-17T06:20:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
Certainly Chic is a place for brides and anyone planning an event to purchase unique additions for their event. At the moment, it's mostly focused upon weddings but once summer hits, we will be branching out into parties of all types. It's a place for your vision to come into focus and for me to help you achieve a look you've spotted.

What brought you to etsy?
I used it during my own wedding planning and really came to love the site. I think it's a fabulous place for handmade items (and vintage goodies). I love the "environment" and the people who frequent the site. It's fabulous!

How long have you been crafting?
As long as I can remember, actually. I used to love doing all sorts of things as a kid and in my high school years was nicknamed "Martha Stewart" by my volleyball teammates. I was always in charge of putting together a unique handmade gift for a friend, making signs for our school, or making the costumes and props for our school's marathon dance contests. I am a HUGE scrapbooker and absolutely love it. I have way too much piling up right now but that's another post. ;)

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
It's hard to choose. For weddings, I love the parasols. They are so fun and beautiful. I want to get married again and use one! For more "everyday", the cake server set. I have started doing the same bead styling to everyday serving ware we use for guests. I made my mom a set for Christmas to go with her new kitchen. She LOVES it and everyone always comments on it, which makes me smile. :)

Custom Painted Rain/Waterproof Umbrellas

What is your "day job?"
I am a Title I teacher at a small Christian school in Washington, DC. I work with impoverished children who are struggling in reading and mathematics.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I love watching extravagent wedding shows and coming up with ways to get those looks at a much more budget friendly price for brides. I also adore looking at paint chips in home improvement stores. My husband thinks I'm crazy but seeing all those beautiful shades and chips really allows me to connect colors I might not normally have used before and utilize them in my own crafts.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I could reach out to more people on etsy. I just don't have a ton of time between teaching full time and current orders to really put myself out there more. Thank goodness I have summers off for that, though.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?
My cutterbees. I pink puffy heart them.

Swarovski Crystal Cake Topper

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
Book - Anything Sophie Kinsella right now. I have a high stress job and reading her on the metro is so relaxing and light-hearted. Just what I need! Movie - Newsies. Hands down the best ever. Christian Bale had me at "...but people call me Cowboy". Song - This always varies but I definitely love anything Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble.

Where else can we find you?
My blog is being revamped as we speak and will be posted on twitter (CertainlyChic) when it's unveiled! :)

Thanks Heather!

Treasury Love

2010-02-16T11:42:00.000-06:00

2 of our members were able to snag a treasury!

They were kind enough to include items from some of our members.

Please click the links below to go to each one and be sure to click on the items and leave a comment! This increases our exposure and helps us get better known as a team and ultimately increase our sales!

Thanks Embellished Bayou and Four Harp Designs for creating these!

You can find all of this treasury here.

This treasury can be found here.

Bonus Giveaway! Day 15- Two by Two Creations

2010-02-15T08:54:00.001-06:00

I’ve enjoyed crafts all my life but started making items for babies and children when I was on bedrest with my twin daughters. The name “TwobyTwo” is in honor of my daughters because I tend to do things two at a time, like having babies :)

I was really disappointed by the quality of items I was buying, so I decided that I could make the same items that were not only cuter but also better made. I started making bows and had people request them and I was gifting them to friends. I finally decided to formally try to sell them and its been a huge success so far and my business just keeps growing. I like coming up with new ideas and adding new products to my store. I use quality supplies and I only make things that my own toddlers would use. I always say my items are toddler tested and mommy approved.

I love the look on a little girl’s face when she loves her bow or when a mom loves the shirts for her son. It makes me feel so great knowing I am helping to bring smiles to people’s faces.

Today’s BONUS giveaway is for an infant hat, shown below.

Contest is open from today, Monday February 15th from NOW until 12 am CST.

To enter:

1.) Become a new follower of this blog!

2.) If you’re already a follower, bring a new person over to our blog and have them list you as a referral.

3.) Bring us new followers to our Twitter account. To get credit for this entry, have them include your Twitter name in the tweet. Here’s a sample tweet: “Check out the bonus giveaway on @KNETTeam blog: http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/ Tell them @Yourtwittername here sent ya!”

4.) Tell us what your favorite item from Two by Two Creations shop is.

5.) Follow/friend Two by Two Creations over on Facebook and leave us a comment telling us you did.

GOOD LUCK! Enjoy this bonus giveaway.

Final Winners

2010-02-15T08:43:00.001-06:00

On behalf of the KNET Team, we’d like to thank all of the lovely people that entered our giveaways! We have a bonus giveaway today that will be posted shortly by one of our team members… ;-)

WINNERS!

For the Swish Designs giveaway, we had the winner forfeit her prize, so the NEW winner is comment #7!

Stephanie Raccioppi said...

I am a facebook fan of Swish Designs.

Please contact swishdesigns4u@gmail.com to claim your prize!

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Karmas Creation winner is…#10!!

Heidi Jane Blankets said...

I love the Lillians Pearls- heidijaneblankets@comcast.net

Please contact jmacmhuirich@gmail.com to claim your prize!

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Certainly Chic winner is…#38!!

Jennifer said...

I am follower #12 on your blog!

Please contact glenlakelove@gmail.com to claim your prize

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Four Harp Designs winner is… #4!!

Debbie & Wyatt Anderson said...

I am a FAN on FB! And would LOVE to win :)

Please contact fourharpdesigns@gmail.com to claim your prize!

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Plumb Pretty winner is…#14!!

Lauren said...

I am following her blog!

Please e-mail plumbpretty@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Congrats to all the winners!

Plumb Pretty Giveaway

2010-02-14T00:00:00.002-06:00

Hi, I’m Tina and am the sole designer of Plumb Pretty Jewelry. I am a newly wed and work full time as an emergency dispatcher. I have a teenage stepdaughter who is 14 going on 25, if you know what I mean! ;) My husband and I have 4 fur babies between us, 3 dogs (Cisco, Zoe, and Pepper) and one bossy cat (Luther). Between taking care of everybody and working full time that doesn’t leave much time for my craft, but I try to make time when I can.

I love to make fun jewelry that works for all occasions. I really enjoy mixing new and vintage for a great one of a kind piece. As you can see from my shop I am in love with necklaces and pendants and that’s what I have the most of.

For Valentine’s Day I’m giving away one beautiful and sparkly silver rhinestone ball necklace on a 16 inch sterling silver chain.

I am also offering 10% off your total purchase through the month of February when you message me “LOVE” when you make your purchase. I will credit the 10% to your PayPal account after receiving payment.
Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. This contest is open to US and Canada residents only.
5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Plumb Pretty's Etsy shop.
2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from @plumbpretty #day14 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**
3.) Follow at Plumb Pretty's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.
4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.
5.) Follow the KNET Team on Twitter and leave us a comment with your username.
FIVE entries per person! Very generous. :o)
Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at mailto:plumbpretty@gmail.com%20or or via Twitter.
Good luck and Happy Valentines Day!

Four Harp Designs Giveaway

2010-02-13T00:00:00.002-06:00

Four Harp Designs is a place to buy digital files for your custom photo card. I design birth announcements, moving announcements, birthday invitations, holiday cards... you name it! After working closely with my customer and emailing as many proofs as necessary, I email a high resolution jpeg file that can be printed at any photo printing location. I also make printable files without photos (such as bridal shower invitations, baby shower invitations, etc.). I love to do custom work, so if you don't see what you're looking for in my shop I'm happy to work with you to create your perfect photo card.

I'm giving away one free digital file. The winner of this giveaway can use their prize at any time during 2010. If you're having a baby later in the year or want to wait until the holidays to use your prize, you may do that!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. This contest is open world wide!
5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Four Harp Designs Etsy shop.
2.) Follow the KNET Team on Twitter and leave us a comment with your Twitter username or tweet at @KNETTeam and say hello! (But remember to leave a comment on this blog either way so your entry will count!)
3.) Follow at Four Harps Design's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.
4.) Follow the KNET Team blog and leave us a comment letting us know you did.
5.) Become a fan of Four Harp Designs on Facebook and let us know in the comments.
That’s a total of 5 chances per person! WAY COOL!
Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at fourharpdesigns@gmail.com or via Twitter.

Certainly Chic Giveaway

2010-02-12T00:00:00.002-06:00

Certainly Chic started as a small idea after my own wedding in March 2008. As I was planning my own wedding, I began to create items that fit certain details that I wanted and couldn't find in stores. I had several brides contacting me after my wedding asking me to recreate items for them. I really enjoyed it and so I decided to branch out and make something of it!

I am currently a full time Title I teacher in Washington, DC. That "real" job certainly has its challenges and stresses so I love being able to come home and let the creative juices flow into something beautiful! Keep your eyes on my shop for some new items and new ideas coming in late spring/early summer! :)

I am giving away a hand-painted parasol in your choice of color and saying. I have done everything from "Just Married", "I Do", and "Thank You" to "Birthday Girl" and initials. Possibilities are endless!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.
5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Certainly Chic's Etsy shop.
2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from Certainly Chic #day12 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**
3.) Follow at Certainly Chic's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.
4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.
5.) Tell us what you would put on your parasol if you won! (In the comments section)
FIVE entries per person! Very generous. :o)
Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at glenlakelove@gmail.com or via Twitter.

Giveaway Winners Day 9 & 10

2010-02-11T08:36:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the delay in announcing winners!

DAY 9- Mary*Mule Giveaway

Comment 31 is the winner!

Gwen said...

I hearted Mary*Mule’s Etsy shop, look for MurphyGraceHome.

Gwen- Please contact Mary*Mule to claim your prize her e-mail is marytini@hotmail.com

DAY 10- SwishDesigns

MopTopMaven said...

I'm a facebook fan of Swish Designs

Please contact swishdesigns4u@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Congrats to the winners!

Karmas Creation Giveaway

2010-02-11T08:26:00.002-06:00

Karmas Creation was born out of necessity on a number of levels. I was getting married and couldn't find any affordable accessories that I liked so I decided to make my own; I’m a mom, and as a mom you often put yourself last and this is not a good thing. As a creative person you need to keep those juices flowing and those hands busy! Thus Karmas Creation was born!

Creating jewelry and other accessories helps to keep my creative brain satisfied and ensures I take a little me time. And the great thing about Karmas Creation's is that my creations look rich but are easy on the pocket book! ;)

The above gorgeous earrings are today’s giveaway item!

Contest is open from right now until 10 pm CST to US residents.

1.) Leave a comment on this blog with your favorite item from the Karmas Creation store.

2.) Follow this blog!

3.) Tell us when/how you’d use these fabulous earrings!

4.) Tweet the following phrase “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from Karmas Creation #day11 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/”

5.) Bring a new follower to this blog and have them put your name as the referral for a bonus entry. :-)

Winner will be announced tonight/tomorrow morning! Go enter now!

Member Feature: GlitterNGlo

2010-02-10T05:23:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
GlitterNglo specializes in miniature matchboxes in a variety of styles and themes! They are the perfect gift alone or paired with a votive or candle! All my items are handmade with love and feature vintage images and glitter embelishment!

What brought you to etsy?
I couldn't wait to join the amazing community of such talented crafters. Handmade items make for the best gifts! Etsy gives us all the opportunity to keep doing what we love!

Bird Watcher Match Set

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?

I really love all my products! There is not a large market for stylish lighting tools and I try to create something that would go in anyones home.

What is your "day job?"

I have recently become a full time stay at home wife and mother. I previously worked in the Real Estate Industry!

Where do you find inspiration?

In everything! My family and I enjoy long scenic drives so I always get inspired to make new items when we get home.

Gone Wild Match Set

What is one thing you wish you could do better?

Pancakes! I know it's small but I cannot make a pancake to save my life. I am an avid cook but still can't get the basic pancake making...my son loves them too.

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

tool? hmm Not really a tool but a material, Glitter!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

So many books on my list but Esther Freuds Love Falls is on my mind today; Movie: Splendor in the Grass; song: "the way you look tonight"

Where else can we find you?

I have a blog where I write mostly about the process of decorating our new home (on a budget) http://homenheart.blogspot.com

Thanks Tracey!

SwishDesigns Giveaway

2010-02-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hi! I’m Donna from SwishDesigns, and I’m a stay at home mom of a really awesome three year old boy named Ryan and currently pregnant after 2 years of infertility with a sweet baby girl who is due May 1st. I’m beyond excited for the upcoming birth of our new baby and looking forward to all that a new baby brings.

Speaking of being born (ha ha), SwishDesigns was “born” after many years of creating monograms, wedding products (invitations, programs, seating charts, save-the-dates, etc), birthday invitations, birth announcements and many other party invitations for friends, family, and a lot of my knottie and nestie friends. I absolutely love creating cards and party supplies that mean something to YOU ... whether it's a simple job or one that takes several tries to get it perfect....I love it all. All of the projects I work on are something special – not only to my customers but to me too – I want to create something that you are proud of…that you’re going to love to use…and that you’re excited to send out!

As part of me being creative, I really love to throw parties – even casual get togethers can be festive, right? My latest party is was my son's 3rd birthday. He wanted a pancake party…and a train party…and an airplane party. Sooo – I combined all three. :)

Some wedding projects I’ve worked on:

I’m really happy to be part of the Knottie and Nestie group on Etsy and really excited to be part of this amazing set of giveaways! Since Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, the winner of this giveaway will receive either one of the Valentine’s Day cards in my shop OR we can design something custom: a Valentine’s built to order: just tell me what you have in mind and I'll create it for you!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from SwishDesigns Etsy shop.

2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from SwishDesigns #day10 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**

3.) Follow SwishDesigns blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.

5.) Become a Facebook fan of SwishDesigns and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

That’s a total of 5 chances per person!

Good luck!

Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at swishdesigns4u@gmail.com or via Twitter.

Mary*Mule Giveaway

2010-02-09T00:00:00.001-06:00

Mary*Mule is my shop for handmade fabric accessories. I sewed an apron in 7th grade home economics, and swore I would never touch a sewing machine again. Fast forward about 15 years. After seeing some funky bags at a farmers market and coffee cozies on Etsy, I finally decided I wanted to learn to sew...again. I bought myself a sewing machine for my birthday and jumped right in.

I started out making coffee cozies, then slowly added tote bags, purses, boxy bags, zipper pouches and some baby bibs. While I often use designer fabrics, I like to use upcycled materials like vintage linens, or clothing cast off to the thrift store and try to use them whenever possible. My goal for the new year is to add more man-friendly items to my shop, and what better material to use than repurposed men's clothing?
Today you will get the chance to win one of my newest manly box bags. It is made from a men's button down shirt and is lined with white twill.

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Contest is open to US and Canada residents only.
5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Mary*Mule’s Etsy shop.
2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from Mary*Mule #day9 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**
3.) Become a Facebook fan of Mary*Mule and let us know you did in the comments section.
4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.
5.) Go “heart” Mary*Mule’s Etsy shop and let us know in the comments (please include your Etsy username).
FIVE entries per person. Can’t get better than that.
Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at marytini@hotmail.com or via Twitter.

Giveaway Winner Day 8…#13

2010-02-08T22:28:00.000-06:00

mrsbigrayq said...

My favorite item is definitely the Black & White Embossed Damask I Do Letters w/Swarovski Crystals

Please e-mail Monica at Monica20039@gmail.com to claim your prize!

-KNET Team

Damask Diva Designs Giveaway

2010-02-08T06:59:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone, this is Monica from Damask Diva Designs! I opened my Etsy store in May 2008 after realizing that damask was starting to become insanely popular, and I had a love for damask since that was my wedding “theme”. When my friends see damask items, they usually think of me, and I find that really awesome. I do have a love for damask that is probably a bit overboard to some people, but I find it to be a pattern I fall in love with over and over again.

I started off with mostly offering candle wraps, but eventually I started incorporating damask table numbers and damask letters. Basically, I look at items that are plain and I try to think of how I can damask-ify them. Yes, that’s a word! ;-)

Today’s giveaway item is a set of wraps from my store! You can pick from any of my black/white votive wraps, which means you have a ton of choices.

Also, I’ll be giving 10% off all purchases this week as long as you put “KNET Special” in the notes to seller box. Discount will be refunded via PayPal.

Good luck!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US and Canada residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Damask Diva's Etsy shop.

2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from @thedamaskdiva #day8 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**

3.) Follow this blog (KNET Team Blog) and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Become a Facebook fan of Damask Diva and let us know by leaving us a comment.

5.) Follow Damask Diva on Twitter, and leave us a comment with your Twitter username.

That’s a total of 5 chances per person!

Good luck!

Giveaway winner day 7…#7

2010-02-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

Lucky number 7 won today!

Amy said...

I blogged about this giveaway!
supermummyyam.blogspot.com

Congrats Amy! Please e-mail marchfeld@gmail.com to claim your prize!

-KNET Team

MopTopMaven Giveaway

2010-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hello, I am Melanie- the designer and creator behind MopTopMaven, your source for marvelous handcrafted hair accessories. I’ve been creating all sorts of crafts and artwork for 30 years - as soon as I could hold a crayon by myself. As a little girl, my mother embellished barrettes for me to wear to match my outfits. When I became a mother of a little girl, I wanted my daughter to enjoy such creations, and so I started collecting ribbons and embellishments and the collection became overwhelming!

MopTopMaven's most unique pieces are the woven ribbon snap clips, modeled on the braided barrettes I sported in the 80's. I enjoy designing clippies using little bows and embellishments. And I was challenged by the women purchasing my items to create something they could wear too – and so I created button snap clips that have been a very popular choice. Some of my favorite items have been the custom orders I’ve taken for a special accessory for a birthday girl, party favors and back-to-school outfits. Look for headbands debuting soon!

Giveaway item:

A set of Wild One Woven Ribbon Snap Clips - choice of clear beaded center or silver rhinestone center (photo depicts bead)

Bonus giveaway:

Purchases of $5 or more made from the MopTopMaven Etsy shop from Feb. 7 to February 9 will receive a free set of Love Tattoo Clippies. Must use code LOVE in notes to seller.

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from MopTopMaven's Etsy shop.

2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from @moptopmaven #day7 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**

3.) Become a Facebook fan of MopTopMaven and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.

5.) Follow MopTopMaven on Twitter, and leave us a comment with your Twitter username.

That’s a total of 5 chances per person! Can’t wait to see who wins!

Giveaway Winner Day 6… #8

2010-02-06T22:07:00.000-06:00

Marci said...

I love the Handaltered Burlap Design Embellished Layered Wood Frame with Fleur de Lis Art.
Congrats Marci! Check your e-mail. :-)

-KNET Team

Day 5 Giveaway Winner… #4

2010-02-06T13:08:00.001-06:00

Jen J. said...

I love this blog, just found it thru a blog post by mrs.messi & now I'm following! I'd love the wishes gift tags, they are adorable! Thanks for the giveaway!

Please contact Go Against The Grain for info on how to obtain your prize!

goagainstthegrain@yahoo.com

Embellished Bayou Giveaway

2010-02-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Embellished Bayou is your source for beautiful custom home decor and gifts. I specialize in handmade and embellished products perfect for gifts, home accents, or party/wedding favors. I started making my personalized products over a year ago when I needed a customized gift for a friend but didn't want to pay the high prices of a boutique. I have always had a love for all things crafty! I often see things for sale in stores and think "I can make that!" I try to take ordinary things and make them extraordinary...I'm always getting inspirations for new crafts so you'll find a wide variety of unique items in my Etsy shop. Many of my pieces are one of a kind, so no two things are ever exactly alike.

My frames are all handpainted and adorned with rhinestones, bows, authentic vintage jewelry or buttons, or a fun silk flower. My antique tins are also handpainted and embellished with rhinestones. All the frames and tins can be customized with whatever color, design or personalization you choose!

My soaps are all made in small batches by my mother using natural ingredients. All the soaps are vegetable or mineral based, therefore, no animal products are used. Soaps are available in a variety of scents and make great party favors and hostess gifts.

I am giving away one 6"x6" handpainted antique tin ceiling tile. The tile has been painted deep brown and dry brushed with gold. A handstamped gold and pearlized fleur de lis accented with Swarovski crystals adorns the center. The tin hangs from a double satin ribbon hanger so it is the perfect addition to a wreath, front door, or wall. Other designs are also available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Embellished Bayou's Etsy shop.

2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from @embellishbayou #day6 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**

3.) Follow Embellished Bayou's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.

5.) Follow Embellished Bayou on Twitter, and leave us a comment with your Twitter username.

That’s a total of 5 chances per person!

Good luck!

Become a fan of Embellished Bayou on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/embellishedbayou

Go Against The Grain Giveaway

2010-02-05T00:00:00.003-06:00

Go Against The Grain was started as a custom monogram shop, and has now grown to include many other custom products to help you with your special event. You can find invitations, save the dates, unique map designs, and seating charts too.

Go Against the Grain is primarily a graphic design shop. We provide high quality graphic design for our customers to be able to print as many as they want and where they want. No need to pay shipping fees as the files are sent through email, and there is no upcharge on printing as you print at home or at a local print shop like Kinko’s or Office Max.

We do offer a few tangible items like our popular Cupcake Flags! Buy a set custom flags to accent your treats. Perfect for weddings, birthday parties and more. They are fully customizable!
We strive to provide excellent customer service and unique products.
Up for grabs today are a set of 4 I <3 U bags:

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.

5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Go Against the Grain’s Etsy shop.
2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! I entered today's giveaway by @agoodbuild , and you should too! #day5 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your Twitter comment. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**
3.) Follow @agoodbuild on Etsy and let us know you did by leaving a comment with your Twitter username!
4.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment to your post.
5.) Become a fan of Go Against the Grain on Facebook and leave us a comment letting us know you did.
That’s a total of 5 chances per person! How awesome is that?!
Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at goagainstthegrain@yahoo.com or via Twitter.

Day 4 Winner…#30

2010-02-04T23:28:00.001-06:00

Lucky winner is Kristin!

Kristin said...

I LOVE the "Leave 'Em in Stitches" clip set!

Kristin please DM or e-mail Bella Mia Bows & Things for info on how to claim your prize.

on twitter: www.twitter.com/bellamiabows or e-mail bellamiabowsnthings@gmail.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, Camille never claimed the day 2 prize for the BellePapillon giveaway so the new lucky winner is…

Congrats mrs. messi!!

mrs.messi said...

Those slippers are way too adorable! Love them!

Please e-mail BellePapillon to claim your prize.

bellepapillondesigns@gmail.com

Bella Mia Bows & Things Giveaway

2010-02-04T00:00:00.003-06:00

Bella Mia Bows & Things happened out of need for cute and affordable bows and clips for my daughter. I started learning how to make them prior to the birth of my baby girl, fully expecting lots of hair and a need for lots and lots of clips. I definitely counted my chickens before they hatched because my adorable Gabriella was born with not-so-much hair. The irony is grand, isn't it? But, even without the need for hair bows/clips I found I couldn't stop making them. It was addicting--buying ribbon, learning new techniques, putting something beautiful together.

Before I knew it, I had tons of clips and no baby to attach them to =) I couldn't even do the fun trick of slipping them into a crocheted headband, because my feisty baby did not keep it on! So I put the clips down and resigned myself to a life full of people asking how old my "son" was. Even though I wasn't making the clips, I continued to buy ribbon. This should have been my first clue that I was a closet ribbon addict. Patterns, solids, holiday ribbon....if it was on a spool, I wanted it. Trips out of the house almost certainly ended up at the craft store, where my bald baby and I would walk out with bags of ribbon. Then, it happened! The ribbon started taking up more and more space! So, the inevitable happened--I started making clips and bows again in anticipation of my daughter's hair quickly growing in. It really wasn't until her first birthday that there was enough hair to justify using a clip to keep it back. By then, though, I had tons of clips and I had started making them for friends and family.

Then one day, I was on my local NJ board on The Nest and I kept seeing the term Etsy come up. I sort of knew what Etsy was but I had never really looked into it. I decided to go exploring. Once I discovered what an awesome place Etsy.com was and I showed my husband my newfound happy place, he mentioned maybe putting the clips I had made online and making a little room in the house. With a little prodding from him and a quick trip to the craft closet to see just how many bows/clips I had, I bit the bullet and created a storefront.I came up with the name Bella Mia Bows & Things based on a name I called my daughter in a lullaby I had made up when she was born, Bella Mia (which in Italian means, my beautiful one). Little by little I started filling the shop up with clips and bows made from all that fun ribbon I had bought before and voila my Etsy shop was born.

I opened my shop in June 2009 and since then I have added more and more inventory including newly added paper products and scrabble tile pendants, as well as different kinds of bows and clips. I sometimes have bow-holder or two and I plan to add more adult-themed clips in the future. I have even made a couple bows for a fellow Etsian's adorable pup. What started out as a little hobby to make some bows for my daughter has grown into a side business, allowing the creative side of me to flourish and grow with it. I am constantly looking for new products to make and add to the shop, as well as looking for fun new ribbons to create with. Not to mention, it has also caused my new addiction to paper.

I hope you have as much fun looking in my shop as I have stocking it. And as a token of my appreciation, I am giving away a set of 4 clippies, made with Valentine's Day in mind!

Please visit me at my shop: www.bellamiabowsnthings.etsy.com
You can also find me on facebook: www.facebook.com/bellamiabowsnthings
on twitter: www.twitter.com/bellamiabows
and in the blog-o-sphere at www.bellamiabowsnthings.blogspot.com

The following set of 4 bows is today’s prize:

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.

5 ways to enter:
1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Bella Mia Bows & Things Etsy shop.

2.) Tweet about this giveaway with the following phrase: “Check out the @KNETTeam blog! Today’s freebie is from @bellamiabows #day4 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/” and leave us a link to your tweet in the comments section. **MUST LEAVE US LINK TO YOUR SPECIFIC TWEET**

3.) Follow Bella Mia’s blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link to your blog post.

5.) Follow Bella Mia on Twitter, and leave us a comment with your Twitter username.

That’s a total of 5 chances per person! WAY COOL!

Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen tonight by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at bellamiabowsnthings@gmail.com or via Twitter.

Day 3 Winner… #51

2010-02-03T22:23:00.001-06:00

Michele P. said...

following bloomingbouquet Christies Creations on twitter @micaela6955

Michele- We DM’d you! Congrats! Day 4 will be posted at midnight CST.

Member Feature: Swish Designs

2010-02-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
SwishDesigns creates custom invitations, paper party decor, birth announcements and wedding stationary. I strive to create products that exceed my customer's wishes. I really want them to LOVE what I've created for them.

What brought you to etsy?
I love Etsy - I love all the fun and unique hand-crafted items offered on the site. It's my "go-to" site for gifts, cards, and unique specialty items. I'm proud to be part of Etsy.

How long have you been crafting?
Ha! Probably my whole life! I love to do crafty things - not just with graphic design but with fabric, scrapbooking, paint, furniture, etc.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Right now I have several faves - at the top of the list is the boarding pass invitation for a child's birthday party.

Boarding Pass Invite

What is your "day job?"

Currently I'm a stay at home mom to my sweet 3 year old son: Ryan. We have a little girl on the way - she's due on May 1st.

Where do you find inspiration?

From everywhere! I love to see what's popular in clothing, furniture, and fashion and pull colors, themes and styles from what I see there. My customers also have some great ideas - so the custom stuff I do for them will sometimes morph into a "standard" in my shop.

What is one thing you wish you could do better?

Market myself! I'm not as "extroverted" when it comes to getting my shop out there and being competitive with all the other graphic designers.

Peony Birth Announcement

What is one crafting tool you couldn't live without?

My computer - it's obviously my lifeline in graphic design. I'm fortunate that I'm married to a computer guy so he's awesome at ensuring that my stuff is backed up and that I'm virus free!

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

Oooh - I love books! I have several favs - off the top of my head: Water for Elephants, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Peony in Love. But I also like your every day chick lit too!

Where else can we find you?

My blog is: www.swishdesigns.blogspot.com

Facebook is: www.facebook.com/swishdesigns

My email is: swishdesigns4u@gmail.com

I love chatting with new friends - leave me a message or shoot me an email! I'd love to say hello!

Thanks Donna!

ChristieCreations Giveaway

2010-02-03T00:00:00.001-06:00

ChristieCreations: Making Gifts That Bloom was created as a practical alternative to the ever popular diaper cake. Baby Clothing Blooming Bouquets and Baby Cupcakes allow the mom to be to wash each item before being used on her precious baby!

Introducing the Baby Cupcake! Each cupcake is lovingly made with high quality baby basics like bibs, onesies/bodysuits, and washcloths. Handrolled to look like a whipped cupcake and presented in a bakery box all set for presentation. Perfect for baby shower or hospital visits!

This giveaway is for a custom made four pack of cupcakes containing a combination of:
Carter's Waterproof Lined Feeding Bibs - Extra Large (various designs/colors available) and…

Baby Washcloths
We will "bake" a four pack just for you!
Surprise the Mom to be with the sweetest gift!
“Flavors" available include:
*BOY, GIRL, and UNISEX/GENDER NEUTRAL
*Pink, White, Blue, Yellow, Green Washcloths
*Printed Washcloths, Onesies, and Bibs

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from ChristieCreations Etsy shop.

2.) Follow the KNET Team on Twitter and leave us a comment with your Twitter username or tweet at @KNETTeam and say hello! (But remember to leave a comment on this blog either way so your entry will count!)

3.) Follow at ChristieCreation's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Follow the KNET Team blog and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

5.) Follow ChristieCreations on Twitter and leave us a comment with your Twitter username.

A whopping five entries. Good luck!

Giveaway Winner Day 2 and Day 1

2010-02-02T22:19:00.001-06:00

Danielle…!! You never claimed your prize, so the lucky winner of the day 1 prize is…

Alisha L. said...

I think the Brown Key Fob with Aqua Blue Ribbons and Cute Pups is my favorite :)

Alisha- I’ve sent you an e-mail with details!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now for the winner of today’s prize from BellePapillon:

Camille said...

I like the custom A-Line jumper!

Camillle- I’ve sent you an e-mail with details! Congrats!

Day 3 will open up at midnight CST. Thanks for another great day of giveaways!

-KNET Team

BellePapillon Giveaway

2010-02-02T00:00:00.002-06:00

BellePapillon, created by fabric-obsessed stay-at-home mom Amanda Daurity, is headquartered in NC and made its debut on Etsy in the spring of 2008. While the bulk of the shop's product offerings are geared towards gifts for parents-to-be and children under the age of 1, BellePapillon also offers fully customizable, personalized Birthday outfits for boys and girls ages 1 to 5.

This giveaway is for a pair of Belle Ballet Slippers in black and hot pink. These shoes come in 3 sizes: Newborn, 3-6 months and 6-9 months. They are sewn from an adorable 100% cotton black and white fabric and include a coordinating hot pink 100% cotton lining and satin ribbon. These are sure to please any new mommy of a baby girl!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST TODAY when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from BellePapillon's Etsy shop.

3.) Follow at BellePapillon's blog and leave us a comment telling us you did.

4.) Follow the KNET Team blog and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

5.) Tweet the following phrase and leave us a link to your SPECIFIC tweet: “Head over to the @KNETTeam blog 4 giveaways from Feb 1-14! @ByBellePapillon shoes are today's prize! #day2 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/”

That’s a total of 5 chances per person! WAY COOL!

Day 1 Winner…#32

2010-02-01T22:05:00.001-06:00

The winner of the Mada’s Place giveaway is lucky #32.

danielle said... I LOVE the snack bags. What a great idea! I hate throwing away so many plastic bags and these are ADORABLE!

Congrats Danielle! You have 24 hours to e-mail madasplace@gmail.com and claim your prize or else we will re-draw tomorrow at this time.

Day 2 Giveaway goes LIVE at midnight tonight and closes at 10 pm CST tomorrow. Good luck! <3

-KNET Team

Mada’s Place Giveaway

2010-01-31T20:28:00.002-06:00

Mada's Place is pleased to kick off KNET's 14 days of giveaways.

Mada's Place and Mada's Place {Baby} offer fashionable styles for women and kids at affordable prices. With so many functional items in a variety of fun designer fabrics, you'll be sure to find something you are sure to love. Also, check back often so you don't miss out on the launch of the newest line of scented products from Mada's Place {Scents}. Candles and lip balms are now in stock, and more yummy smelling treats are coming soon.

Now for the fun part! Today's giveaway is for one fashionable and functional key fob of choice from Mada's Place. Key fobs are an easy way to keep track of your keys. You can loop it on your wrist to keep your keys close at hand while juggling kids and bags, or quickly retrieve them from the bottom of even the largest of bags. Check out what a recent customer said about her recent purchase:

"I just have to tell you how great the key fob is. It has made my life with a 2 year old so much easier! It never fails, my keys fall to the bottom of my purse and I'm left standing at my car in the parking lot, wrestling with my daughter and digging for my keys. Now, even if they do fall to the bottom, they are so easy to find."

Want to win one? Check out the rules below!

Contest is open NOW until 10 pm CST on February 1st, 2010 when comments will be closed. Due to shipping costs, contest is only open to US residents.

5 ways to enter:

1.) Leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Mada's Place Etsy shop.

3.) Visit Mada's Place and browse the designs, then leave a comment here saying which one you would choose if you won this fabulous keyfob.

4.) Follow the KNET Team blog and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

5.) Tweet the following phrase and leave us a link to your SPECIFIC tweet: “Head over to the @KNETTeam blog for awesome giveaways from Feb 1-14! #day1 http://knetetsyteam.blogspot.com/”

That’s a total of 5 chances per person! YAY!!

Ready, set, go! Winner will be chosen February 1st after 10 pm CST by random.org and will be announced on this blog and on our Twitter page. Winner has 24 hours to contact us via e-mail to redeem their prize at madasplace@gmail.com or via Twitter.

Member Feature: Four Harp Designs

2010-01-27T04:46:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
My shop is primarily digital files for custom photo cards (birth announcements, invitations, holiday cards, etc.). Occasionally I add other fun items like burp rags, notecards, magnets, etc.

What brought you to etsy?
I learned about Etsy through The Bump community forums and started shopping here in February 2008 when my first son was born.

How long have you been crafting?
I opened my Etsy shop in June 2009 but have always had a crafty streak in me. I'm constantly looking for things to make and even as a child was very crafty. I still find silly crafts and projects at my parents' house that I made when I was young...

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Currently, my favorite item is my Snips & Snails birth announcement - I love that it's something more fun and whimsical than you typically see for little boys. I've never been into the baby boy stuff and it's hard to find things not in teddy bear/duckies/bottles themes for little boys.

What is your "day job?"
I'm a stay-at-home mom to two busy boys! Caleb is 2 and Asher is 6 months. This is by far the best (and most exhausting) "day job" I've ever had! I try to find time during their naps to hope on the computer and work on my etsy stuff.

Where do you find inspiration?
I'm always looking around for inspiration. It could be a new pattern I found or it could be something I saw while I was out and about running errands. For example, my Duo birth announcement was actually inspired by the back of a delivery truck I was driving behind one day!
What is one thing you wish you could do better?
I wish I was better at saying 'No' to chocolate :)

What is your favorite book/movie/song?
I love Jodi Picoult's books! My favorites of hers are My Sister's Keeper, Vanishing Acts, Plain Truth and Nineteen Minutes. Also love Alice Seabold's The Lovely Bones. One of my all-time favorite movies is Memento. I love movies that make you think and this one certainly does. If you haven't seen it, you've got to check it out. The movie begins at the end and works backwards in short segments. It's amazing.

Where else can we find you?
http://www.facebook.com/FourHarpDesigns
http://FourHarpDesigns.blogspot.com

Thanks Jan!

Patterns of Love

2010-01-25T07:48:00.000-06:00

We got another treasury! The lovely Bella Mia Bows & Things was able to snag one for the team and it is a great one!

Please click the image below to check it out, click the items and leave comments!
Help spread the news about our great team!

Member Feature: Mada's Place & Mada's Place Baby

2010-01-20T07:23:00.000-06:00

Tell us a little about your shop.
I have two shops! Mada's Place is a mishmash of everything... cute wristlet clutches, eco-friendly snack bags and sandwich wraps, and key fobs. It will also soon be home to my new line, Mada's Place {scents} - yummy candles, lip balms, and soaps. Mada's Place Baby contains all my items for the tiny tots.

What brought you to etsy?
I wasn't thrilled with the baby items I found in stores when I was pregnant with my son. I taught myself to sew so I could make items for him. Friends encouraged me to open a shop, and I'm glad I listened!

How long have you been crafting?
It seems like all my life. As a kid, I was totally obsessed with making jewelry in my EZ 2 Do oven, and I took the obligitory 4-H sewing projects. I was an utter failure at sewing as a kid, but I find it comes naturally now.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
Oooh. Ouch. This is tough. Nearly everything I make has been from a need for that particular item in my life. I'm loving the Katie wristlet clutch most right now, I think.

Katie Wristlet Clutch

What is your "day job?"

I'm a stay at home mom who sneaks in sewing and candle making time whenever possible.

Where do you find inspiration?

Like I said, everything I make comes from a need for that particular item. I wasn't happy with the small size of swaddle blankets in store, so I made mine bigger and better. I needed a great multipurpose tote for myself, so the Favorite Bag made its way into my store.

The Favorite Bag

What is one thing you wish you could do better?

Graphic design. Luckily, I have great and talented friends who are willing to trade their services with me.

What is your favorite book/movie/song?

I love anything written by Jennifer Crusie. I couldn't even begin to choose a song or movie!

Where else can we find you?

Blog: http://stephm0188.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/madasplace
Twitter: http://twitter.com/madasplace

Blurpies Burp Cloths

Thanks Steph!