Featured Artist - Meribella

Who are you? A Mom, A wife, and and artist at heart. I live and breathe to be as creative as possible!

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? http://www.etsy.com/shop/meribella

How did you come up with your shop name? My name is Meridith, but my older sister (who is a self supporting artist) used to call me Meribella......My first born daughter is Isabel but we call her Bella, so the name hit me as perfect...our two names together.


What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I create one of a kind sterling silver jewelry. I love to work in sculpture, of children and people. It all started when I was trying to find a jewelry piece representing my children, and all I came across was mass produced, non original pieces.

Most of my work is bought my women and moms, but have had several pieces bought for kids.



What do you like about Etsy? The ease of loading a product at a low cost, and the ability to reach a mass market without leaving your home.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? My children!


What do you love about your business? The satisfaction of being creative and also making money at it.

What is your favorite product(s) right now? My sterling silver mermaid pendant:



What makes you unique at Etsy? I have not found any artist out on Etsy, that make anything close to the wearable people sculptures I do. It is a new twist on the "Mother" jewelry.


What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
Blog: http://meribellaart.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Meribella-Wearable-Art/141840988166

Featured Artist - MS Jewelry Design

Who are you? We are Melissa and Sarah from MS. Jewelry Design

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Our shop is MS. Jewelry Design http://www.msjewelrydesign.etsy.com

How did you come up with your shop name? We took the first letters from our names to make the MS. and then add jewelry design since this is what we specialize in.



What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? We create jewelry using silver, swarovksi crystals, glass beads, and more. Our creations are for women, but they can be made smaller for girls. We specialize in creating jewelry for weddings, proms, and other special occasions.

What do you like about Etsy? We love meeting new people and getting our jewelry out to people around the world. We also love meeting other talented crafters especially from NJ.



Where do you find inspiration for your products? We take inspiration from the beautiful colors of swarovski crystal and the needs of brides, bridesmaids, friends, and family.

What do you love about your business? We love that we can work together as cousins/best friends and put our talent together to make beautiful jewelry.

What is your favorite product(s) right now? We love the aqua dreams bracelet. It reminds us of the beach.


What makes you unique at Etsy? Our designs are different from what we have seen at other shops on Etsy. We make our jewelry affordable for our customers and offer discounts for bridal party orders. We also will make custom designed jewelry based on what the customer is looking for.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
Twitter: http://twitter.com/msjewelrydesign
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/msjewelrydesign
Website: http://msjewelrydesign.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msjewelrydesign/

Featured Artist - Fabled Charm Designs

Who are you? My name is Carrie A. Cahill.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Fabled Charm Designs - http://fabledcharmdesigns.etsy.com



How did you come up with your shop name? I love fairy tales and use a lot of whimsical designs in my work, so I played around with different words that fit into that motif. I finally decided that the name I chose had a certain ring to it.

What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I make handmade jewelry as well as handbags and pouches for gadgets. Mostly my designs are for women, though my gadget pouches could certainly be used by a man. The designs tend to be kind of feminine though.



What do you like about Etsy? The community and ease of use.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? My biggest inspirations are from nature and also from old artwork, especially art nouveau and fairy tale illustrations.

What do you love about your business? Making the product. I love to create things and experimenting with different medias.

What is your favorite product(s) right now? My green wool purse



What makes you unique at Etsy? I use a lot of different styles and color combinations because I can't seem to stick to one style. In local boutiques, this seems to give me an advantage, but on etsy, sometimes it's a disadvantage because I seem to lack a very specific style.



What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
Twitter: http://twitter.com/fabledcharm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Richland-NJ/Fabled-Charm-Designs/228467728650

Featured Artist - Raspberry Crochet

Who are you? Christine Lowe

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? RaspberryCrochet - http://raspberrycrochet.etsy.com



How did you come up with your shop name? After going through and discarding many names, I heard the song “Raspberry Beret” by Prince on the radio and that made the decision for me.

What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I create scarves and hats for now for men, women and children. Soon, I plan on creating afghans.



Where do you find inspiration for your products? My inspiration is color and texture. I love the bulky and super bulky yarns for their “heft” and their feel. The medium weight yarns also offer lots of variety in color and patterns that encourage me to create. I see colors that I like and want to put together and eventually it becomes a scarf or a hat!

What do you love about your business? I love the fact that I can take a project anywhere.




What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
Twitter: http://twitter.com/christine_lw
Personal Website: http://black-domestic-goddess.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neosoulmama/sets/72157622863146352/
Facebook Fan Page: http://facebook.com/raspberrycrochet

Featured Artist - Mommy's Dream Creations

Who are you? Cindy Wilson, wife and homeschooling mother of one.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Mommy's Dream Creations - http://www.etsy.com/shop/mommysdream




How did you come up with your shop name? Actually, my husband did! We were just throwing out possible names and he mentioned that having my own business has always been a dream of mine and that I am creative. And I was looking for a way to have additional income without having to give up homeschooling, so the name just made sense all the way around. I love the fact that it makes people smile when they see it!

What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? My items are mostly for adults. The glassware designs appeal to women, but I do try to offer designs that men aren't embarrassed to use as well! My ornaments aren't kid-friendly, being glass, but some of the designs catch a child's eye as they pass buy my table at craft shows.



What do you like about Etsy? I really like the community atmosphere and the fact that so many talented artists can be found in one place. While everyone is competitive for sales (grin), there is a genuine camaraderie and helpfulness that is so nice to experience in a business setting, especially just getting started.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? I find inspiration all over the place! Some of my snowmen designs are from pictures from when my daughter was younger and just being silly! I also love the woods and sea, so those two elements make the basis of most of my glassware designs. I really try to think about how my designs can fit in with various decorating styles, especially with people being careful about spending on "non-essentials."



What do you love about your business? I love the fact that it has become a "family affair." All three of us have a part to play in this business and we do the craft shows together. It's been a great way to help teach my daughter about working through to the end of something, even if it's not fun all the time.
I also love the fact that I can be creative and other people can enjoy it! Knowing that many times people are not buying for themselves but as a gift for someone else, really makes my day. It's nice to have a positive impact in other people's lives.

What is your favorite product(s) right now? My favorite glassware item would have to be my Sand Dollar Snowman glasses. I love painting snowmen and had originally painted a snowman on a beach as something fun and a design for the summer. My husband was joking around and said that a snowman would melt on a beach, so I had to scrap the design. The next day he came downstairs to see a sand dollar snowman on the beach and it has become one of my most popular designs.



My favorite new item is my butterfly glasses. It's a new type of paint for me--it's like looking through a suncatcher when you're done!



What makes you unique at Etsy? There are a lot of really talented artists at Etsy. My work stands out because it doesn't look like anyone else out there. My designs are simple enough to go with many different design styles and table settings, but bold enough that they don't get lost on the table!

What other street teams are you a member of?
I am also a member of SHE Team (Schooling at Home Etsians) and CAST Team (Christian Artist Street Team)




What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MommysDream
Blog: http://mommysdreamcreations.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist - Cut.Your.Heart.Out

Who are you? My name is Jessica and I currently reside in Burlington Township with my rambunctious 2 year old son, husband and two dogs.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link?
Cut.Your.Heart.Out - http://www.etsy.com/shop/cutyourheartout

How did you come up with your shop name? It spawned from a comment one of my friends made about my interaction with guys. I was pretty non-commital back in the day and for some reason always got involved with boys who wanted a relationship. My friend commented that I cut boys hearts out and stomped on them.



What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I create jewelry, art and home decor. I'm in the process of coming up with a line of clothing and accessories for children.

What do you like about Etsy? The handmade goodness!

Where do you find inspiration for your products? There's not one specific source of inspiration. Just whatever strikes me. Found objects, finding a cool pendant at a store.. the inspiration just hits randomly.



What do you love about your business? It fills the need I have to create. It's my creative outlet for sure.

What is your favorite product right now? I love this necklace. I think it's fun!

My Heart Is Rubber and You Are Glue Necklace

What makes you unique at Etsy? I don't know if I'm "unique" but I definitely stand by everything I create. Everything I make is something I would be proud to own.

What other street teams are you a member of? The Etsy Bloggers Street team - http://www.etsybloggers.com




What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? My blog is http://cutyourheartoutstore.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist - Miss Emma's Closet

Who are you? My name is Alison. I am a 31 yr. old mom of 2 crazy kiddies. My son is almost 9 and the smartest kid I know, reading me books now. My daughter is going to be 4 in Feb. and the strongest most amazing person I have ever met. Not only do I have my Etsy shop, I work weekends as well, and am a mom, that one is first and foremost. You see, being a mom to 2 amazing kids is challenging, being a mom to the only child in the world with her sickness is another. My daughter is one of a kind, with a rare genetic disorder and a humbling seizure disorder, with seizures multiple times daily. I will admit it's not easy, and has it's ups and downs, but in reality has made me the woman I am today.....Mommy, Business woman, Shop owner, with the ability to laugh at myself, change plans at the drop of a hat, and maybe just a bit crazy:)

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? My shop name is Miss Emma's Closet, named and dedicated to my little love Emma.



How did you come up with your shop name? I named my shop after my daughter, with a shabby chic heirloom sound to it. My designs are ideal for many generations, being trendy, but beautifully created with the highest quality. It's like you looked in grandma's attic or through your baby items and see the quality and the ability to pass them on. Miss Emma's Closet was born.



What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I create boutique quality accessories for mommy and baby with high end materials, yet keeping them affordable for everyone. Not only do I have my bib and burp cloths I am working on a line of kiddie clothing including dresses and pinafores, and things for mom as well, diaper bags, purses and zippered pouches.

What do you like about Etsy? I love the networking of Etsy, being able to get my name out there without being pushy. I love having such a creative pool of people together under one "roof", and finding other artisans that create beautiful pieces of art that are just so intricate, it's hard to wrap the mind around, especially when I find a painter or someone that works with jewelry, those are mediums I shy away from, so I find them so fascinating.



Where do you find inspiration for your products? I love to just go out on a whim and see what I can find. Love fabric stores!!! Much more so than on-line purchases. I love to feel the fabric and touch it. Make sure it's luxurious and has the hand and quality that I want to create my designs. I may even find a vintage table cloth and next thing you know it's an apron. My shop has just a small sampling of the designs I come up with.

What do you love about your business? The creative outlet. When you spend as much time in hospitals, doctor's offices and home schooling as I do, any release is good. I have even been known to bring my craft with me for a stint in the hospital. I also love the fact that I can create something and package it up beautifully and have someone receive it and write me such beautiful words of inspiration and appreciation, for instance:

I got your package today!!!!!! They are sooo sooo cute..can't wait till the baby comes and I can use them. I will definately be ordering more and using the coupon..thank you very much for that. I was very impressed with the presentation of everything...the invoice...products...little Christmas card. Very thoughtfull...you are running a very good business:)

It makes it all worth it.

What is your favorite product(s) right now? LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the fabric and it's the perfect size for tummy time, nap time, car seats and strollers comes complete with a toy link.
Play Time Nap Time Floor Matt or Blanket Perfect Size to Tuck into Strollers or Car Seats



What makes you unique at Etsy? I would like to think that I use unique fabrics and materials to make high end high quality accessories at affordable prices. I let my travels denote my creations. I let my designs speak for themselves and strive for quality and make things that I actually use and want to use on my own kids and for myself. When I am out and someone asks me, "Where did I get that?" I want to confidently answer "Well it's one of my designs" with confident.




What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? 2010's resolutions are to be a part of twitter, start a second blog for just Miss Emma's Closet (my personal blog is www.onemomsstory.blogspot.com it tells the story of Emma), start a Facebook for the business too, and utilize my mobileMe account and start a web page.

Featured Artist - The Enchanted Cupboard

Who are you? Beccijo

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? http://www.theenchantedcupboard.etsy.com

How did you come up with your shop name? It took a long time. I tried out many things to get the feel that I wanted. Something magical, enchanting and that would have many things in it. When it was right, it felt right! Many reviews have said that the name was right for my shop. It also makes me giggle when people call me enchanted in the forums and for a busy mom a good giggle can make or brake your day!




What do you create? Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I create wooden toys, playsets, playboxes and cake toppers. My items are for any age but most are for the 3 to 103 range. Many adults buy my thing as decorations!

What do you like about Etsy? I love the team aspect. I love all the changes that are happening and I am excited to see what is next. BUT there is nothing like an inbox full of etsy sale notices!



Where do you find inspiration for your products? My childhood and my kids. I love to watch my kids play, to see how they use he different items. The other day my daughter was playing with the Mermaids and asked where the daddy was, I had not thought of it but now I need to make one!

What do you love about your business? I love that it is a part of me that I get to share with the world. This past holiday season my toys went all over the world. I could not sleep Christmas Eve cause I was too excited about all the kids opening my toys and finding my treasures under their tree.

What is your favorite product(s) right now?
My mushroom stacker



What makes you unique at Etsy? A lot of people sell the wooden dolls, some have started making playsets but I have such a vast amount of fun items. I also keep a lot of the sets without dolls for those that may already have wooden dolls by me or others.

What other street teams are you a member of? I have just been made leader of the NaturalKids Team



What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
My website: http://www.beccijo.com
1000 Markets:http://www.theenchantedcupboard.1000markets.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beccijo-LLC/95246138519
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsbeccijo

Featured Artist - The MayFlower

Who are you? My name is May and I am currently a college student. I fell in love with fashion in the 8th grade when I noticed how similarly dressed everyone was. So, I decided to be a rebel and make my own clothes. I started taking FIT Saturday Live classes in NY to learn how to sew. Since then, I’ve been practicing and brushing up on techniques and skill. I started an Etsy shop because I want others to enjoy my clothes as much as I do, and I need to pay for college.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? La Vie En May - The MayFlower http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMayFlower

What tag categories do you specialize in? Women, Clothing, Dresses, Black, Tank, Jewelry, Bracelets, Earrings

Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Adult Women. I am trying to go for Adult Men next year, but still not sure about that.



What do you like about Etsy? First of all, I like the format. It’s very easy to use and follow. They have comprehensive tips and ideas on how to improve on shop appearance in the Forums, Storque and even Virtual Labs. Many other sellers interact with one another, either just for fun or because they’re promoting each other’s shops. Etsy is a very fun, yet extremely competitive environment. There are so many sellers on that site, but everyone is willing to help each other in any way possible.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? It’s kind of random actually. I sometimes look at old photos and I get inspired, or the shape of an object may influence me. Blair Waldorf is a constant inspiration. It’s not even her style, but her attitude and persona that impact me most. Audrey Hepburn is a classic. Anything can serve as an inspiration to me really.




What do you love about your business? I love the feeling of being independent. I mean, I am young and I recently enrolled in college. I’ve relied on my parents my entire life and for me to take this step is so liberating. I think it’s the same feeling as what the American colonists felt when they wrote the Declaration of Independence for King George III. Sorry for the history reference, but it’s true. I am figuring out the world, and it’s scary and exciting. I would rather fall on my own and learn than have my parents catch me halfway.

What is your favorite product right now? Well, if you mean in my shop, it would have to be a tie between the “One Shoulder Floral Black Fitted Dress” and “Dark Cinderella”. The former dress is so sexy and it really makes it look like I have curves even though I’m as straight as a board. The flowers that come down on one shoulder brings a bit of elegance to the outfit as well. Dark Cinderella is just a black tutu dress. But it has that fun and flirty feel to it with the three tiers of tulle. There is a masquerade ball event coming soon and I’m going to choose between those two dresses!


What makes you unique at Etsy? I don’t know about the other sellers, but I know that I’m from the young generation. I know what girls in my age range want and need. I tend to focus on accentuating the shoulders, back and legs. I think those are the best features in women and I try my best to make then stand out. And I’m sure I’m the only seller that has an obsession with black. Many people portray it as a dark and gothic color, but I think it can depict elegance, glamour, fun, flirty and other styles.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?

I have a twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lavieenmay

I have a new blog: http://lavieenmay.blogspot.com

I have a very old website of all the old creations I’ve made: http://maysfashiondesigns.webs.com

I also have a facebook fan page for all new updates and secret sales:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Brunswick-NJ/theMayflower-Fashions/278355815082?ref=ts

There are currently many things on sale in the shop. Check out the sale section here for some great deals.

Featured Artist - Lori Citsay

Who are you?
My name is Lori Citsay. I am a wife, a mother and a retired school teacher --
turned jewelry artist. I was fortunate to be able to retire early and set about
expressing myself through different creative outlets, including building
furniture. When my inventory threatened to overrun the house, my family
suggested I scale things down. I tried jewelry making and soon I was beading
with a vengence! It was a natural progression for me to move on to sawing,
forging and soldering -- I am tool obsessed :)

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link?
http://www.LoriCitsay.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in?
I make sterling silver jewelry, much of it from recycled/reclaimed silver. Some of my most popular pieces are my personalized items. I also started a line that I call “Beach Beans” in which I incorporate stones that I’ve collected from the beaches along the Jersey shore.


Do you create for children or adults, women or men?
Many of my pieces were originally created as gifts for specific people in my life.
My daughters, ages 27 and 21, are the most frequent recipients of my pieces so
the bulk of my jewelry is created for young women. There are a few items for
children and men that actually began as custom order requests, which I have
kept as permanent items in my shop.

I recently added some small sterling silver post earrings that are equally appropriate for women and girls. I guess the ones with the skull-and-crossbones could also appeal to boys and men :)



What do you like about Etsy?
I like the name recognition Etsy has and I like that it’s an international site. There’s certainly no shortage of people browsing the site at any given hour of the day!

Where do you find inspiration for your products?
Just about anywhere...the other day I was running errands and I found inspiration at Staples and Dick’s Sporting Goods!



What do you love about your business?
I love that I get to create stuff using tools and fire!

What is your favorite product right now?
Whatever new product I’m working on is always my favorite. Right now it’s the
charm holder necklaces I’m making that were inspired by my recent excursion to Saples and Dick’s.



What makes you unique at Etsy?
I have completed a 25-year career doing something that I was trained to do (teaching) and begun something new that I am learning how to do as I go along. At this stage of my life, I am making things that I love and I’m loving every minute of creating them. I don’t know if that makes me unique but it sure makes me look forward to getting up each morning.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
I don’t have a blog and don’t ever intend to have one. I don’t have a Facebook fan page but I’m thinking about starting one. I do, however, have another shop at
1000 Markets. http://www.1000markets.com/users/loricitsayjewelry

Happy Hound Creative Blog Feature

Happy Hound Creative featured several team members on their blog today. Check it out! Tell them EtsyNJ sent you!!



Then take a peek at their shop for some great greeting cards and paper goods!

Featured Artist - Kris Amels

Who are you? Kris Amels

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Krisamels - www.krisamels.etsy.com, and The Devils in Details - www.thedevilsindetails.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in? Vintage, Recycled, OOAK, Goth, Jewelry, Glass


Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Most of my pieces are for adults, due to the small pieces involved… and I’d say about ½ women and ½ men.

What do you like about Etsy? I like the community feel; the people are so nice, and the fee structure is more practical (and much kinder!) for an independent artist than other online venues. I also really enjoy the Etsy Storque articles… they’re very helpful!

Where do you find inspiration for your products? Everywhere! I like to work with things that other people throw away… X-Rays, cemetery flowers, broken jewelry… I’m driven to save them and make them beautiful and useful again.


Also I get a lot of inspiration from my wild, vivid dreams; I wake up, write down my new ideas, and go back to sleep! I recently had a really interesting idea for a new line of lampworked glass bead jewelry I’m working on now that came directly from a dream…

What do you love about your business? So many things! I love having the freedom to work in the materials I choose; making one-of-a-kind items instead of production pieces. Since my background is in manufacturing high-end costume jewelry, that’s a real treat for me. I don’t mind taking care of the practical ‘nuts and bolts’ parts of the business… and I appreciate that it allows me to keep being creative.

What is your favorite product right now? The Salvaged Sprites in my The Devils in Details shop. They are sweet, scary, and completely super fun to make.


What makes you unique at Etsy? Wow, that’s a tough one. Many artists are so completely unique (and FABULOUS) on Etsy… But I guess I’m the only one currently working with reclaimed cemetery flowers.


What other street teams are you a member of? DAM team (Dolls and Miniatures), and the Recycler’s Guild.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? My website is www.sillylittlekids.com, that’s where you can see some of my larger assemblage pieces that I make with broken jewelry. I’ll be adding my glass jewelry to that site soon.

And, http://loveshinenyc.blogspot.com, you can check out the holiday windows I did with Richard in 2008 with the Salvaged Sprites...

Featured Artist - Pink Buttercreme

Who are you? Tami Kenner, Ocean Township, NJ. Owner of pinkbuttercreme.com

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? http://www.pinkbuttercreme.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in? Cottage Style, Shabby chic, Pink

Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Mainly Adult Women, sometimes children's decorative items



What do you like about Etsy? So Much. I have met many wonderful friends & have the best customers!...oh....and I love to shop!


Where do you find inspiration for your products? I use a lot of unfinished wood. Wood & paint have always inspired me. The holidays inspire me too. I can have a pile of pink & aqua ribbons, glitter, fabrics, flowers & wood pieces on my table & ideas will be filling up my head!



What do you love about your business? I am so grateful to be able to work in my little studio with my cat hanging out with me. I love the creating/design process the most. Usually after I design a new product, I have to make several of them for my inventory. I don't like that part so much.


What is your favorite product right now? My shabby chic pink glitter skull for Halloween!



What makes you unique at Etsy? My design style may not be for the masses, but there is a group out there that really enjoys my products. I work hard to keep coming up with fresh new ideas. I like to offer up my hand painted roses & all the little touches that are pink and girly.


What other street teams are you a member of? Etsy Cottage Style Street Team

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
http://www.pinkbuttercreme.com is my website
http://www.pinkbuttercreme.blogspot is my cottage style blog