To connect with Etsy Sellers that share the unique background of growing up in a military family. To promote our art and increase our exposure to other military brats who participate,and to expand Etsy's customer base by attracting buyers through promotions and other marketing strategies.
http://gingerbabies.etsy.com
http://elephantdreams.etsy.com
http://LaughingFridge.etsy.com
http://www.facebook.com/A.Brit.in.Alaska
Please visit Shirley’s Blog, “ A Brit in Alaska” at
http://abritinalaska.blogspot.com/
When I was younger, I loved these little fuzzy creatures called Weeples and you could buy them, of course, but they were really hard to find, so I started making my own. I bought little colored puff balls, and little google eyes, and little antennae, and little felt feet. I even started selling them in school for a quarter a piece.
“Green Amethyst Prasiolite Tsavorite Garnet Pearl Iolite Sterling Silver Cluster Pearl Pendant Necklace”
“Rare Morenci Turquoise Blue Flash Labradorite and Gray Onyx Sterling Necklace”
*Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I also teach, garden, play with my kids, bike, read, and ski (about seven months out of the year.)
*How did you come up with your Etsy Shop Name?
MoonMystic was supposed to be Mystic Moon, but Mystic Moon was taken. That one was just kind of a hasty decision because I needed a name for my business cards. Superior Stones was named that because I live near Lake Superior and I use Lake Superior stones in making that jewelry. SilverSmack was named thus because I love(Smack=kiss) working with silver and smacking it with my hammer.
Dead Sea Therapeutic Bath Salts SEA SIDE SCENT w Sea Kelp Lavender and peppermint
The use of Herbs and Essential oils goes back in history many thousands of years and has been used to treat many various conditions and ailments. In other countries, herbal supplements and Essential oils are often used medically before pharmaceutical drugs are administered. They also approach ailments with a combination of alternative therapies and common drugs for a heightened and usually improved outcome to the ailment.
I am fascinated with the power of herbs and essentials oils and love helping others with natural alternatives. I have had great success with many of my products. My goal is to own a brick and mortar shop within a year, and be able to fully support my children on my own.
I am a mother of 7 children 5 of which live with me and 2 whom live with their father, I am currently working on improving my business sense through multiple outlets and incorporating various tools to help me expand what I have already achieved.
Basil and Sun Dried Tomato Kitchen Soap
What is the first thing you can remember making by hand?
During my childhood, my mother and I were involved in craft shows. I remember making the old reindeer clothespin ornaments and selling them at the local show, along with various other items. It was so much fun going to the craft fairs and meeting all the people who made things; I enjoyed looking around and seeing just how creative other people where with their wood making skills, painting skills, and hand made dolls. It's always been like a second family to me.
Watermelon Votives
My first year in High School, I made an outfit in a class competition earning me a walk down the runway to show off my skort and matching shirt.
I think that is why, still to this day, I love to make my soaps, I have ventured far from where my mom and I started out, but I can honestly say that my mom was a large part of why I chose this path. I also love to create with polymer clay, even though that is a 'hobby' now.
What inspires you and where do your ideas come from?
Honestly, I take my inspirations from nature along with needs. I like to look at certain things and use them together for a certain necessity for my family or friends and I usually don't go wrong.
EVO Clean Laundry Soap
What are your favorite materials?
My favorite materials are oils, fragrance oils, essential oils, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and butters, anything I can make for your skin or in home scented needs.
Mojito Shower Gel
What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?
To keep working at it!
Fresh Forest Soap
Why should people buy handmade?
I believe in handmade because I believe in America, I feel too many people buy items made from other countries supporting their needs, and while doing so hurt the very country they live in. Handmade also brings that what our forefathers have worked so hard for back to life once again.
What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
I like it all, there are SO many things to choose from on Etsy, I just love the actual variety that Etsy offers, if you can see it in another store I can usually buy it off of Etsy.
REFREASH Facial Toner
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I am a full time stay at home mom, who is working on going back to school for Cosmetology, with the hopes of bringing my company a complete full circle.
Lime Votives - "Oh My Gosh"
Read any good books lately?
My favorite books to read are actually information books, however I do like to indulge with an occasional fiction story, lately I have been very into a series of books by Yasmine Galenorn, So far I am on book #3 in her series called 'Darkling'.
In ten years I'd like to be?
In ten years I'd like to see my products in every house in America, LOL....
Snoz-Berry Bear Soap
How did you pick your business name and your etsy avatar?
I created my avatar from my logo design. After being on etsy for awhile, I realized I needed to bring a common ground to my products, so I designed a logo. As far as my business name, I used to use Earth's Essence, but I have more recently changed it to "Michele's Essentials" because I wanted to personalize my business and put a part of me into it.
What has being a brat at Etsy meant to you?
I love the support of the Brats, the ladies here are by far the best ladies you will ever meet anywhere on etsy!
To me a brat is someone who has a common ground with others or a group of others. Having a common ground is helpful because I feel we each have our own gifts or talents, and by sharing those talents along with the same backgrounds through our parents being in the Military, we all have that commonality.
Thanks for stopping by and getting to know one of our FAVORITE Brat SELLERS!
BEACHY
*What are your favorite materials?
I love silver, copper, bronze and gold. Gold is probably my favorite metal to work with because it’s easy to work, but being it’s so expensive I don't get to work with it often. I also love gemstones, shells, coral and sea glass.
MERMAID
*What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?
I have made some of the best friends on Etsy! I've "met" people from all over the world and actually gotten to meet several in person during my travels. That's the best thing about Etsy, having a camaraderie borne of the common thread of handcrafting.
*Why should people buy handmade?
Because you don't want to walk around as a carbon copy of everyone else! Anyone can mass produce "stuff", but it takes an artist to make something unique and it takes a unique person to wear art!
*What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
I wish there was more cracking down on mass produced stuff. I see so much that is not truly handmade. If you buy something at Wally World and attach a sticker to it, it's NOT handmade, no matter how you try to spin it!
*Apart from creating things, what do you do?
My education is in Accounting and Spanish, so it makes perfect sense that I've made my living as an air traffic controller for the past 20 plus years. Believe it or not, it's a very creative job. There are definitely rules under which you're constrained, but HOW you go about working within them is up to you. It changes every day and keeps my mind occupied. Plus, there's never anything piled up in my inbox when I come back after being gone for a few weeks.
My husband and I are also both certified licensed Divemasters. So we travel the world exploring our great planet's underwater treasures every chance we get.I'm also the best DogMom in the world...I love my two Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Rosie and Ruby.
I have tons of photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/modcustomjewelry/
*Read any good books lately?
Believe it or not, in spite of all I do, I read every day; usually for an hour or so before I go to sleep. Il have 5 or 6 books of various genres going at one time. I'm currently working on "Mists of Avalon," "Atlas Shrugged," "Bloody Bones," and Nelson DeMille's "Wild Fire." How's that for variety?
Visit Gini’s Blog - MOD, Missouri Ocean Design http://waterloggedblog.blogspot.com/
*In ten years I'd like to be?
Ten years younger!!! Seriously, I'm going to be retired from my government job, probably consulting about aviation safety on a contract basis, traveling and diving all over the world with my hubba-hubba-hubby and making more jewelry than ever!
Visit Gini’s Gallery http://www.missouriocean.com/
*How did you pick your business name and your etsy avatar?
My heart and soul belong to the ocean and have ever since the first time I dipped a toe in the icy North Atlantic. Making jewelry feeds my soul just like proximity to the ocean does, so I tied my physical location (Missouri) to my life's love (Ocean).
I'm a BIG Jewelry Geek: http://www.jewelrygeeks.com/modcustomjewelry
*What is the connection between being a Crafter and being a Brat?
My Stepdad was in the Navy for over 30 years. My Dad was in the Army, but long before he was my Dad. My husband is retired after 23 years in the Army. So the military has been a part of my life for a very long time. Some of my best lifelong friends came to me as part of the military family. I love that the Brats are such a supportive group and that they're as diverse as the art they create.
Visit Gini on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=513392614
and follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/ArieltheMermaid
Thanks for stopping by and getting to know one of our FAVORITE Brat SELLERS!
