New greeting cards!

I really like designing cards, but I always want to make so many different ones that I end up with only 1 or 2 of each design - so if you want one of these, you'd better be quick! Only some of the new cards are listed so far today, and only on Zibbet at the moment.

Here's my greeting card section

This is... Koloud ‘Kay’ Tarapolsi

aka A Crafty Arab

Favourite colour?

Purple – in fact, my house is painted lavender

nifty: A woman after my own heart - even my hair is vaguely purple!


Urdu card

Favourite smell?

My baby’s neck

Favourite place?

My studio with the music blaring

Favourite sound?

Giggles from my three girls


Sarcastic cards from Kay's second shop, UnderYourBreath

Favourite way to spend your time?

Watching a movie in a theater

Favourite item in your shop of all time?


Talking Camel Card

Why?

The Arabic writing is from an old economics book that belonged to my dear baba (dad in Arabic). I love that I’m taking a part of him and sharing it with the rest of the world. He was a teacher before retiring and it just makes my heart sing to use an element of his culture and language in my artwork.


Farsi card

Favourite shop that isn’t yours?

Portable Graffiti


At the time of writing, PortableGraffiti has around 1500 button badges for sale!

Why?

I love her passion for Zibbet and always promoting it. She is so involved in helping other sellers and always posting and selling. As a mom of two, she finds time for her work and has such a passion for it.


What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Connect with your community! Get to know your fellow artists, promote their shop on Twitter (by using #zibbetlove), visit their shops, buy from them, give them pointers to improve their wording, photos, bios, etc. If you see someone stumble, lend a hand to pick them up. We can all succeed if we help each other!

Zibbet shops:
http://www.zibbet.com/acraftyarab
http://www.zibbet.com/underyourbreath
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/acraftyarab
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/acraftyarab
http://www.facebook.com/underyourbreath
Main Website (that lists my storytelling gigs and classes)
http://www.acraftyarab.net"

Great advice - and I think I see a new button for PortableGraffiti here...
"If you see someone stumble, lend a hand to pick them up"

This is ... Lauren

of Leaping Gazelle Studios, whose shop leapinggazelle is on Etsy.com


whisper tulip

Favourite colour?

I used to be a very monochromatic person, a “lose myself in the variations of white” kind of person. Then my daughter was born. From little on she gravitated toward color, every color all at once, the more the better! So she added color to my world. And now I can’t imagine being the person I was. Right now I’m really into sea tones... blue, aqua, teal.


glass reflections

Favourite smell?

I love the smell of spring, when the snow is melting and the ground is thawing, after all of the false starts and surprise storms, when you know it’s finally the real deal... so fresh. Close seconds are coffee, chocolate and vanilla.

Favourite place?

Anywhere my family is. As a journalist I covered a lot of tough stories and it really hit home with me how fleeting life is, so I try to take some time each day to really enjoy the moments of now. And that's a challenge for me, to not always be thinking about future plans.


carmel crocus

Favourite way to spend your time?

Creating! That feeling of losing yourself in an idea, not knowing where it will take you. Some of of my best creations have been happy accidents.


deep roots tree

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

Usually whatever I’ve just finished, if that’s possible. Is anything ever really finished? I’m into some of the dreamier looks right now. I love to make focal pieces that someone could design a room around, that might add a pop of color to a very minimalist setting.

Favourite shop that isn’t yours?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaiAutumn Christine Lindstrom’s watercolors are so beautiful and elegant to me.



I especially like one entitled “Delicate.”

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

You don’t have to do it all at once! Okay, I’m still learning this one. It can be overwhelming, first to send your work into the world, and then to realize the amount of time spent on business and marketing. I make lists of long term goals, but try to please both sides of my brain. Every day I work on one avenue to forward my business and one new creative idea... if there’s more time and inspiration, that’s great, but one of each is the must-do. I’ve discovered I accomplish more by focusing on small daily goals. I’m a much saner person too.

Thank you Lauren! I want to close by quoting from Lauren's Etsy profile, as I think it explains her Art:

things I love:

the stillness of morning
the color of autumn
reflections in water
words that resonate through time
hands that have lived and worked and loved
a good cup of coffee
the smell of vanilla
my children's giggles

Find Lauren's shop here:leapinggazelle

This is…

Quite Contrary Crafts



Favourite colour?

Aquaramarine blue – love the green hints in it!

Favourite smell?

Chocolate brownie baking in the oven



Favourite place?

Thailand, on a deserted island beach at sunset

Favourite sound?

the waves at night when you’re going to sleep

Favourite way to spend your time?



Creating at ‘Craft Corner’ bent over my cutting board…perhaps with boyfriend on hand with cups of tea (I wish, hehe), or out and about in the great outdoors!

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

My cupcake card



Why?

It just makes me feel cheery whenever I see it at the end of creation, think it’s the combination of bright colours…and cake!

Favourite shop that isn’t yours?

This is such a hard question!

Lauren Ceramics' Handmade Ceramic Cupcake Pin Cushion



Why?

I’ve totally fallen in love with her ceramic cupcake; not only is it beautiful, but it’s functional too as a needle cushion! Her other items are really interesting too – different twists on normal items, such as her pen holders with little buttons as details. A lot of hard work obviously goes into it all, and I’m in awe basically! Just waiting for the right ‘icing’ on the cupcake to come along and then I’ll be grabbing myself a treat! I just find it really interesting to see how vast a span Folksy covers on all things handmade, ranging from stationery like myself, to jewellery, wooden delights, lovely warm knitted nick-nacks and kiln creations – I love it, and you never get bored browsing!

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Promote, promote and promote! Never give up, and you’ll reap the benefits in the future (I’m hoping!)



I couldn't agree more - so let's check out these links:

Quite Contrary Crafts at Folksy

www.facebook.com/quitecontrarycrafts

and

www.twitter.com/quitecontrarym

VALENTINES...do you remember your first time?

I do! I actually made a deal with a boy at my boarding school, so we sent each other a secret (!) card.

I've been with my husband 30 years now, so no surprise cards for me!

Instead I've been using those romantic urges to make cards for YOU
(find them on Etsy)



And in another mad romantic moment, I've decided that each "au naturel" meerkat purchased up until Valentines Day will bring a posy of button flowers.

Let's meet...Foreverfoxed!

I'd already guessed that Jackie just might be a dog lover - look at the names of her shops and blog:
http://foreverfoxed.blogspot.com/
http://www.Foreverfoxed.folksy.com
ForeverFoxed.etsy.com

Am I right? Cats or dogs?

Dogs, of course!


This first photo relates to niftyknits' childhood. My sister wanted a doggie-on-wheels, but couldn't explain which type of dog and was quite adamant it had to be the right type. Eventually she spotted one in the street and shouted to all and sundry: "That one Mummy! I want that doggy, but with wheels on!"

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Live long and prosper. Need I say more?

Fruit or chocolate?

Fruit in the morning and chocolate in the evening.

Favourite colour?

Red.

Favourite meal?

Curry.

Soaps or documentaries?

Eastenders AND documentaries.



Bath or shower?

Shower.

Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Folksy? Tell us about your shop. Do you sell anywhere else?

I have my own website selling my dog inspired greeting cards http://www.foreverfoxed.com but discovered Etsy last year. I saw various mentions of Folksy in the Etsy forums and finally took the plunge and joined in December 08. I've found it a very friendly place.



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

Ooo, it's usually the last card that I've made so it's the Flying Fox Terriers card, inspired by the Beswick ducks that used to grace our living room wall.



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

You just have to keep plugging away. Promote, promote, promote!

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

No, everything seems to be going to plan so far. Yes, I have a masterplan...

How do you see your store developing?

I need to find more time to actually make more cards. Ideally, I'd like to include more terrier breeds and create more occasion cards.



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

Reminding myself how to knit.

Humph. Niftyknits just might start making cards then...;-)

What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Use SocialMarker.com! It saves valuable time in bookmarking your stuff.


Thanks Jackie! Here are those all-important links once more...

http://foreverfoxed.blogspot.com/
http://www.Foreverfoxed.folksy.com
ForeverFoxed.etsy.com