Invited By Lama Works

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Featured ETTeam Member: Juneshin

Today we have a double feature from the ETTeam! I am featuring Juneshin here and she is featuring me on her blog, so make sure you check that out at: http://www.juneshindesigns.blogspot.com/




What’s the story behind your store, where did it all start?

A few years ago, I wanted to take a jewelry/metalsmithing class, because I wanted something to do in my spare time and thought it would be fun. I signed up for classes at the 92nd St. Y in NYC with a friend. I had no idea how labor intensive it would be, but I enjoyed it. When I moved to Atlanta, I taught myself how to make jewelry using bead and wire and thought that I could make a little money on the side selling my designs. I received compliments, so that encouraged me to start selling my pieces.


What can we find in your store?

I personally prefer delicate, classic pieces of jewelry, so I think that's what you'll find in my store. When silver and gold prices were rising astronomically, I began experimenting with less expensive materials such as brass and copper, which has developed into it's own collection of bolder pieces.


Do you have any favorite items?

My Golden Circles earrings are my favorite. I wear the large version with Green Amethyst and peridot, but also love the Garnet version. I also really like the Silver Disc earrings. They go with everything and are very affordable.


Where do you get ideas for your products?

Mainly from my supplies. It's almost like a puzzle. How can I put together these pieces so they look beautiful? I've always been analytical, so it makes sense that I approach art in this way.


What has been your biggest store challenge?

I would say promoting and selling. I much prefer to create and do the back end part of the business, and would love to have someone promote, market and sell for me.


Do you have any advice to other store owners, especially newbies?

I'm no expert and am still trying to figure stuff out, but here are some that I think are important. If you're going to sell online, take awesome pictures. I'm constantly working on improving mine. Provide excellent customer service and you'll have customers that come back.


So make sure you check out both her blog and store, both are fantastic. Thanks for the interview!!
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Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ahhh the weekend

I am thoroughly enjoying a wonderful 4 day weekend! Yes 4 glorious days to stay at home and do anything that I want! So what am I doing? Lots and lots of knitting!! Why??? Because I've had 6 sales in the last 7 days!! So I'm knitting socks like a maniac and trying to knit up some new things for the store too. I've been using Google Analyst of late to track how many hits my store is getting and where they are coming from and it looks like I had another item make it to the front page last week that I didn't even know about!

My Eco Friendly Sunset Cable Knit Hat made it as an alternate. It must have been up at some point because the store had double the usual number of hits that day. Yay! I absolutely love the yarn I used for that hat. I'm getting some more colors in and will be making up some more hats and scarves in the near future. It's a soy/wool blend. 75% wool and 25% soy. It's thick and chunky and really warm like wool, but the soy adds a bit of a shine to it that makes details like a cable pattern really stand out. It's also pretty affordable which helps me keep costs down.

I am also super excited that I took part in a yarn swap with some other members of the Etsy Knitters Team. I got my box earlier this week and it was full of a beautiful mohair blend that has beautiful colors and shimmering glitter to it. I whipped up a lace scarf with it some of it and should have it posted soon as part of a new luxury line.

Other plans for the weekend? I had a great night out with the girls last night for a drink and to see Bride Wars. It brought back lots of memories of my own wedding planning and how much fun it was to plan with my best friend who got married just 2 weeks after we did. Date night tonight with my hubby ... we're actually taking a French Cooking class together. I'm excited to make some French Onion soup and he's excited because he gets to play with a torch to make some creme brulee :)

So far, it's been a great weekend and great sales! I hope you enjoy yours too!!

Until next time ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM
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Thursday, January 15, 2009

Featured ETTeam Member: Brownbunnybyiris

It's Thursday again and time to feature another ETTeam member. This week we have Brownbunnybyiris. You just have to check out all of the super cute hats she has! Here's more about Iris!


What’s the story behind your store, where did it all start?

I'm actually a painter who likes to paint huge formats and needs a lot of space! On the other hand I'm very often on tour with my husband going from movie set to movie set. I can travel only with a suitcase and my art suffers. This are the times when I miss being creative!It was on one of these movie sets that I started creating my first hat. I got some fabric from the grip guys on the set, a material that is used mostly for blocking light. It is soft and black and makes actually nice hats!! It was not difficult for me since I've graduated from a fashion design school in Vienna, but for some reason always ignored this talent!But I have to add that I was always fascinated by hats. I really think hats are magical things. Wearing hats makes oneself feel in a very special way - it's a great way to express oneself by choosing this or that design.

What can we find in your store?

You find all sorts of hats. Ones you can easily wear everyday and then the others you just want to have to look very special for certain occasions,like parties, artist exhibitions, etc.I choose a different hat for every single day and enjoy it immensely. But I also see hats as protecting one, and not only from the elements.

Do you have any favorite items?

I actually love all my hats. But I love not only my hats. I'm just in love with hats in general!

Let me pick some favorites!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17062660http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18225917http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16915632

Where do you get ideas for your products?

I draw inspiration from everything that surrounds me and makes an impression on me. That can be colors, sounds, textures, music, you name it! Then there's the constant wish to change, to surprise, having fun! Of course finding new pieces of vintage fabric or ribbons inspires me a lot. And not to forget all the people who can't wait to see my next creation. That's a thrill for me!!!

What has been your biggest store challenge?

My biggest challenge is that it takes so much time out of my life!!

Do you have any advice to other store owners, especially newbies?

First create only things you really enjoy. Do your best and let it be a magical act! Others will feel it! Forget about who might be your costumer. The right one will come and buy from you! But be patient! It might take longer than you think!!

So check out Brownbunnybyiris today and let her know what you think!
Until next time ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM
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Friday, January 9, 2009

I made the Front Page!!!

How excited was I to open up the Etsy websited to find a picture of my socks on the front page!!





You can't even imagine what kind of exposure that is. I think in the time they were up, I got almost 300 views, 15 new hearts to my store and 22 new hearts to the socks ... and that's not even looking at anything eles in the store. I made one sale from it so far, and am really hoping that a few more come along.


It was just a good feeling know that I got noticed by someone. Someone not from the treasury team found my socks ... put them in a treasury and the Etsy admin liked it enough to show the world. It might seem kind of silly but it's like I just crossed a big milestone. Hopefully this will be the start of getting my name out there more and many more sock orders to come!


Stay out of the snow if you're in the midwest ...

Until next time ...
the girl behind the lama
~LMM
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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Featured ETTeam Member: NiftyKnits

Let's meet another member of the Etsy Treasury Team!


Here is more about niftyknits!



What’s the story behind your store, where did it all start?

I learnt to knit when I was about 10, I think - I can remember knitting Barbie clothes! I had a lot of time off sick last year and started knitting again as a stress-reliever. My son's girlfriend told me I should think about selling on Etsy...and here I am!


What can we find in your store?

My tag-line used to be "You name it, I'll knit it" and I think that says it all (except I now crochet as well!) I don't usually knit clothes, I prefer smaller projects. So far I have made Morris Dancers, pots of flowers, jewellery, sweeties, juggling balls, toys and even some gloves and scarves.


Do you have any favorite items?

I love the Morris dancers. I started to make them to sell at a Folk Festival, I would not have believed (before I started) how detailed each team's kit is!


Where do you get ideas for your products?

Sometimes it's the wool. I was given some mohair a little while ago, and it's been sitting looking at me until yesterday, when I realised it needed to be made into hearts. Other times it's nature - my fuschias came into being after planting several in the garden.


What has been your biggest store challenge?

Promoting! I've tried blogging, twitter, facebook, myspace...but it's so hard to stay on top of it all! I don't need telling to spend time in the forums, though.


Do you have any advice to other store owners, especially newbies?

My advice is just keep going. It takes a while to get noticed, you can't just fill your shop and wait for the buyers to come flooding in. List frequently, little and often to get maximum exposure. Make treasuries, make friends, network network network.
Thanks so much for the interview! Don't forget to leave a comment for Heather and check out niftyknits today!
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Monday, January 5, 2009

New Year ... New Me ... New Store

Ah yes New Years ... why is it that this one time every year everyone is motivated to do something new ... to do something better ... to be someone new??


I'm not sure why, but I enjoy the feeling and yes I do fall into that trap. So what's going to be new for me this year? I'm going to get in shape again (along with the rest of the world right?) So far I'm off on the right foot. I managed to make it to Spinning class today and actually rather enjoyed myself.

I also have some big goals for lamaworks. I would really like to do a craft fair this fall, so in order to gear up I'd like to come up with a few new designs each month or two and make maybe 10-15 of them in different colors. I'd love it if I could take the time to complete just a few projects each week and hopefully have enough stock for the fall. Although, I've been so swamped with sock orders lately (and would love many more!!) that I'm going to fall behind on the new stuff pretty soon.


So to start off the new year I am going to introduce you to each new design as it comes out. Yesterday the Triangle Road scarf was introduced. I was at a cozy yarn shop here in Evanston a few weeks ago with my mom (who frequently leaves comments on here hiding herself as Christine - thanks MOM!!) and they had this adorable scarf on display! Before we saw the pattern it looked like you made a bunch of triangles and hand sewed them each together. Oh no my friend! It's a series of increasing, decreasing and turning that makes this stunning scarf take life.



I bought the yarn and pattern on the spot and fell in love with it. I've been experimenting and have found a great variety of shaded transition yarns in various thicknesses of wool or wool blends that have been perfect. Yesterday the Purple Haze variety was the first to be listed and has beautiful shades of cobalt blue, deep purple and a deep brilliant red. To be coming out soon is also a red/orange version and also a pastel collection. Each scarf is a different fiber, width and length so keep an eye on that!






So check out the Purple Haze Triangle Road Scarf and let me know what you think!

Until next time ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM
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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009!!! I must say that for a low key New Years I am having just a perfect weekend.

Actually, it's been a really great holiday season here. We have managed to travel only when it's snowing, which has been frustrating, but we have made it to all destinations safely. We had a great Christmas with my in-laws. As someone who comes from a small family that lives in the woods, it is always refreshing to have a busy holiday surrounded by loved ones.

New Years brought an addition to the family as my brother and sister in law are bringing home their new daughter today. She is just adorable and absolutely perfect. I was lucky enough to be there a few days after she was born and spent an entire morning holding her in my arms and visiting with the family. As soon as I get back home (and off of my parents Mac) I'll have to get a picture posted.

We had a quiet New Years in and rang in the New Year with a festive round of MarioKart on the Wii. The Wii was the present of choice in both my own family and my in-laws, so I am slowly perfecting my bowling and tennis games while on vacation.

So it has been a little busy traveling from Chicago to Quincy, IL back to Chicago and then up to Lake Tomahawk, WI and back but definitely worth the trips.

On a side note, the store hit a new milestone! Last night I was surprised to get my 15th order! I hadn't had time to blog about it, but last week I came home from Christmas to 2 new orders and secretly was hoping I'd make it to 15 by New Years and I did! Who knew I'd get 3 orders for the same socks in one month! So new sock patterns will be out as soon as I have the time to finish a set.

I have high hopes for 2009 and the changes it will bring. I've been knitting up a storm and have a few new scarf and hat designs ready to debut as soon as I get home. I also found some new super soft cotton yarn to start a spa line of dish cloths that will be super soft and a bit smaller than the regular variety.

Happy New Year to all!!

Until next time. ...
the girl behind the lama
~LMM
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Featured ETTeam Member: AdornMeJewelry

Happy New Year to all! With the start of 2009 let me introduce you to another Etsy Treasury Team member: AdornMeJewelry

What’s the story behind your store, where did it all start?

Technically, it started when I was a girl. My mom raised two girlie-girl daughters. I've always loved clothes, makeup, jewelry, purses -- all that stuff. Well, as a fat girl going to school in the 60s, and at the time when Carnaby Street Mod was at its apex and I could not fit in a flarking thing, because they didn't make cute clothes for fat girls back then, jewelry was the one thing I could make fit. I did that by riding my purple Stingray bicycle around my area of the San Fernando Valley in search of yard sales offering jewelry. I'd buy pieces that had elements of jewelry I liked and then, with the help of supplies at the bead store (and I used two pair of TWEEZERS back then, because I had no clue about REAL tools at that time), I would use those elements I liked, along with bead store findings (I can still remember the way that place looked -- it was magical), and make jewelry that I thought was pretty and cool and that fit me. I at least had SOMETHING that fit -- which is why I'm so big on doing as much as I can to make sure I have enough offerings so that the lovely plush women can have jewelry they like that fits them the way it should.

In high school, I participated in the first work ed program in my city by training at a gift and gem studio. There, I was taught to design a piece in my head and then choose the stone, shape and polish it (the owner cut the stones -- big saw, possible missing limbs and fingers... students not allowed), and then decide if I was going to torch and smith the piece or do a wax casting. So I learned how to create jewelry from conception to the final rouge polish.

As an adult, I worked in a high-end jewelry store, which was like a creative death. Only worked as Christmas help and got the heck out, because it was basically assembly line work.

Since then, off and on I've made bits of jewelry here and there. In the early 90s I worked a lot with leather, feathers and crystals, and then did some southwestern stuff -- all kinds of things. But it's been a small scale kind of thing.

When I came here to Canada to be with my husband, one of the few things I brought with me was my basic tool box -- my bare bones supplies with tools, findings, wire, stones, and such, but ultimately only holds less than a 10th of what I now have. I'm still not sure why I brought it with me, as I didn't really have conscious plans to use it. Moving here was tough in some ways. We live in a small city outside of Montreal, and while Montreal itself has a number of English-speakers, our city does not. I found myself feeling isolated and for the first time ever in my life, bored and lonely. Even as I child I was never bored and was always able to entertain myself with music and either books, riding my bike, art or making jewelry. "I thought, maybe I'll just make a little jewelry to sell." Sheesh. I have so much I need to devise a better system to store it all until it sells. It's all taken over my studio office.

So, I just decided to do it and jumped in with both feet, and now I'm surrounded by stones, pearls, crystals, glass beads, metals, tools, business cards and boxes with my business logo and name on them. And now I have an Etsy store (http://www.adornmejewelry.etsy.com) and am getting ready to open a store at Lollishops.

What can we find in your store?

Jewelry. Lots of jewelry. :) My tastes and style is very eclectic, so I don't just make Modern or Romantic, or gemmy, but do a bit of all of it.

Do you have any favorite items?

I think my favorites are whatever I'm hung up on at the time. At one time, it was the very sparkly Orion Nebula necklace here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15955745

Lately, I've been making more things with flowers, in a more Romantic/Victorian/Steampunk kind of style. The only one in the store right now is Annabelle Lee:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17040377I had made another one somewhat like it, using a pink rose, and it sold out within one minute of it being listed in the store:http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=11807457

I have many more roses and will be making many more somewhat like it, as I have a lot of roses, chandelier pieces and real antique keys.

Where do you get ideas for your products?

Various places. Sometimes it's from looking at items my usual suppliers have in stock, and I envision various elements coming together in a piece. Often, it's what I call the "visions of sugarplums" dancing through my head. As I lay in bed at night, falling asleep, an array of visions of jewelry runs through my mind, and I often design at that time. Agatha Christie said she often got her best story ideas as she washed the dishes. For me, it's laying in bed, relaxing as visions of creations flood my mind's eye.

What has been your biggest store challenge?

Promoting and selling. You can have tons of gorgeous jewelry, but if no one knows you exist, you won't sell anything. I actually sold quite a bit before even opening my Etsy store, through my blog (http://adornmejewelry.blogspot.com/). People would see my creations and message me through the link I provided to my domain contact page. I was amassing supplies and had my Etsy account and was buying supplies for five months before actually opening the store. So promotion is key, and having enough time to do everything without getting stressed out and burned out has been a real challenge. But I don't regret it. I just need minions. Lots of minions, to take and adjust the photos, write copy, do promotion and marketing -- all of the other work that isn't actually creating. :)

Do you have any advice to other store owners, especially newbies?

It's hard work and a lot of long hours. You get into a business doing something you love because you love to do it. But the fact is, you'll spend as long, if not longer, taking care of the business end and promotion and marketing. Be prepared for that. And keep good records. It also doesn't hurt to take screen captures of items you buy, whether it's from eBay, Etsy, or wherever. You may not, down the line, remember that those vintage crystal chandelier pieces you bought five months ago were from an old warehouse dating back to the 1940s, but you WANT to remember, because it's a good selling point for those who like vintage. That way, you have your image file, with the info and photos of items you have bought, so you can refer back to it in writing your item descriptions. It's been a life saver for me! Lastly. Try to savor the times you are creating and enjoying what you're doing.

A favorite quote of mine really speaks to that: “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” -- Omar Khayyam

So don't forget to check out her store for all of the beautiful jewelry pieces!!
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