This is ...Mary

of hoganfe handbags

Niftyknits: You know, sometimes I think as Etsy sellers we're all the same. We make stuff, we sell stuff, we package it up and go to the post office. But Mary showed me the view she sees on her way to her Post Office in ALASKA! Certainly not the same as me!



Favorite color?

I absolutely love all color - currently my fav is smokey teal tho.



Favorite smell?

Smelling coffee first thing in the morning, puppy breath, babies right after a bath, the ocean breeze, cinnamon buns right out of the oven, ok I better stop there lol!

Favorite place?

At the beach, in a mall shopping with my daughter,at a spa getting the works!



Favorite sound?

my children laughing, the quiet 'sound' of everyone asleep at night, jazz & classical music

Favorite way to spend your time?

Reading historical mysteries, catching up w/internet friends,volunteering oh & designing a new bag of course!

Favorite item in your shop of all time?

Gosh that is a hard one. Usually my current fav is my newest listing. But my all time fav would be the patchwork recycled denim drawstring bag.



Why?

It was my fav because I designed it for myself & it looked great with my jeans & it was recycled.

Favorite shop that isn’t yours?

Actually I have many favs but I would have to say Waterrose is at the top.


Waterrose's Starry Night Cuff

Why?

Rose's designs and skill is just outstanding!

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learned (about online selling) so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Promote - Promote - Promote !

Niftyknits: I have to agree with that! Mary of Hoganfe has been selling online since 2004 and loves custom orders! Right now she is offering Free Worldwide Shipping & a layaway plan on ready to ship items.



New in 2010: Removable Camera strap slipcovers with two pockets & gadget bags in several sizes!

hoganfe handbags

hoganfe blog (where you can see amazing wildlife pics from Mary's Alaskan backyard!): http://hoganfe.wordpress.com/

Follow me on twitter for updates on my newest arrivals : http://twitter.com/hoganfe

hoganfe Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoganfe/

let's meet...StudioCherie!

Cherie is a newcomer to ETTEAM, but has been on Etsy for a while, as we shall see:

Cats or dogs?

Cats. I love their independence. My kids would love a dog, but I don't need another "best friend."

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Trek, the meerkats of course.

LOL how kind!



Fruit or chocolate?

Chocolate, what are you nuts?

Favourite colour?

Red



Favourite meal?

Something, anything made by my mom.

City break or weekend in the country?

My favorite city break involved a visit to Cartier in Manhatten. My favorite week in the country involved kayaks on the Sea of Cortez. The Cote d'Azur is a fun combination of the two, and I would absolutely love to go back there.


What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?

Someone referred me to Etsy a couple of years ago, and I thought it looked really homemade, but not as in my mother's cooking homemade, more like people with unlicensed hot glue guns. Last year I checked it out again and was really impressed with how far they had come in their presentation.



Until I got on board with Etsy, I had been selling my finished items through a rep in Los Angeles and on my own stand alone website. I decided that the traditional marketing approach was too slow and not profitable enough for me. I was marketing the items I had designed two years before when I really wanted to move on to my next idea. Etsy allows me to keep up with my new ideas.
I sell my patterns also on a site that specializes in patterns and that has been great too.

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?

I love the duffle bags. I will be using mine everyday this Summer at the beach and traveling from here to Seattle. I also love the great fabrics that my customers have picked for their duffles. I just sent off a delicious pink one the other day.




What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about Etsy) so far?

Photography online is everything! 80% of people don't really read descriptions, they rely on our photos. Putting the work into more and better photos will pay off in the long run. I am still working on that.

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

Since life is a journey, I just keep moving and that question does not compute for me.



How do you see your store developing?

If I ever get caught up on orders, I will have more inventory of in-stock items, but I kind of hope that will never happen because made to order is so fun and it is Etsy's greatest selling point, I think.

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

Sewing a made to order compact travel changing pad bag in a fabric I never would have chosen, and it is gorgeous.

What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Read Etsy's blog, the storque. It will fill you in on their merchandising plan and offer contests to help you grow your customer base. When you post comments there, be thoughtful and positive. You never know who is reading and when you might be discovered!

So true! Thanks Cherie - as always, here are the links:

studiocherie.blogspot.com
StudioCherie.etsy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiocherie/

Let's meet...Nicsknots

I first met Nic on Folksy (Nic's Folksy shop) where she sells bags of all shapes sizes colours and descriptions. Let's learn more about the woman behind the shop.


Cats or dogs?
Dogs every time. Although my husband is allergic to them so I have to appreciate them from afar :(

Perhaps this would be good moment to point you towards my knitted dogs? ;-)

Fruit or chocolate?
Today it's fruit

Favourite colour?
Purple!

Favourite meal?
Roast beef and yorkshire puds....preferably made by Mum ;)

City break or weekend in the country?
Weekend in the country.

Soaps or documentaries?
Documentaries

Bath or shower?
Shower in the morning, bath to lounge around in the evening with a good book.

Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Folksy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?
I had been selling on Etsy (Nic's Etsy shop) for a while but I didn't like the $s that I had to sell in and then getting charged for converting $s back to £s thanks to Paypal, especially since most of my sales were to people in the UK.
Now my Etsy shop is a little neglected which makes me a bit sad and is on my 'to-do' list to fill up again but Folksy seems to be where it's at ;)

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?
Well this week, I am most happy about this....
http://www.folksy.com/items/17136-Japanese-frog-zip-purse?shop=yes


I have been trying to master my purses for weeks but not been happy with the inside as I am obsessive about not having any edges or seams inside my bags. Now I have mastered it and am happy BUT did I write a pattern for myself so that I can recreate it at will? Erm no!! That will be tomorrows job.

Oh I know what you mean! I start creating a knit with every good intention, write down the first line of the pattern and then next thing I know I've finished and I've no idea what I did!

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far?
Forums aren't a waste of time ;) Time is precious in my house; I have to juggle the kids, sewing, my part time job, the house, the husband, the pets, the garden, me...I have to prioritise and I had been trying to convince myself that forums weren't necessary but really, you learn lots from reading and posting on them, meet lots of lovely people and they get to know you too.



If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Hmm...No I don't think so. Not in my shop. Maybe in the way I organise my work at home but I think I am happy with my shop....ohh now I am paranoid...



How do you see your store developing?
I have lots of different bags and rolls and things in my head and just need the time to get them out and onto the fabric that is taking over my house.
I have been collecting reclaimed material for truely 100% upcycled bags and things so maybe a range of 100% upcycled rather than a mixture of new and old.

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?
Finding the Valentine's card that I bought for my husband from Folky last week. I put it on the sewing table when it came in the post, thinking he would never find it there. After a week of sewing and material chaos, now I am a bit worried I'll never find it either so I'd better get looking....

What’s your top marketing tip for today?
Chat to people about what you do. Don't be shy about your craft and never undersell yourself. Now maybe I shall go and practise what I preach.

If only we ALL practised what we preached...! Thanks Nic! Please don't forget to scroll down a little and enter my *free* competition!
Nic's blog
Nic's Etsy shop
Nic's Folksy shop