Put Your Name On It!

Personalized gifts from EtsyNJ!


1) Love and Peace Charm Necklace in Sterling by LoriCitsay 2) Winter is Sweet by FromNancysHeart 3) Custom Hand Painted Bin by meandmybella


4) Petite Two-tone Mother's Name Bracelet by newhopebeading 5) Custom Personalized Notecards - Happy Little Mushrooms Set 0f 10 by happyhoundcreative 6) Wood Frame Laser Engraved With Your Text, Graphics, and Pet by lasercut


7) Personalized Name Frames by lddesigns 8) Custom-Paper Pulp Letters with Sewing Pattern Decoupage-6 Letter Word by copabananas 9) Custom Painted Pillar Candle by dragon06


10) Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet by pinkpapillon 11) Embroidered Autumn Scarecrow (His) Hand Towel by LBaricsCrafts 12) Fine Silver CUSTOM NAME Hand Stamp Pendant by dvinedesigns

Featured Artist - 315Thomas

Who are you? My name is Lesley A. Sico, and I am a jewelry maker/gocco enthusiast/artist extrordinaire! I currently live in Riverton, NJ with my parents as my husband and I search for our first home together.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? My main Etsy shop is 315thomas, http://www.315thomas.etsy.com. I also have supplies at 315stash, http://www.315stash.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in? Jewelry, Paper Goods, and Art

Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Right now I create mostly for women and teenage girls, but I would love to add more artwork and stationery to appeal to a broader range of people in the future.



What do you like about Etsy? I love how interactive the Etsy community is. Having so many talented and business savvy artists as a resource in the forums and the blog is invaluable for people like me who are just starting out. The fact that it is so easy to join a local street team and meet up with other artists in your area is also fantastic.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? For my jewelry, my main inspiration tends to come from the vintage beads and baubles I find at yard sales and thrift shops. I love finding treasures in unexpected places, and most of my designs are kept simple to show off my finds. For my stationery and artwork, a lot of my inspiration comes from vintage ephemera, especially Victorian images. I also love to go to museums and galleries and just soak it all in… whenever I come home from an art exhibit I always feel the urge to create.


What do you love about your business?
I love the freedom it gives me to explore all of my different interests! I have always been very creative, and I love playing with new media and techniques. With Etsy, it is really easy to try out a new product or design and see how people respond to it.

What is your favorite product right now?
My favorite product at the moment would have to be my garden party earrings. They are so my style… part vintage, part modern, girly and fun. And they are so fun to make… I love playing with the different color combinations for each pair.


What makes you unique at Etsy? I think 315thomas is unique because it has a wide variety of offerings that all fit within a particular style. It is extremely difficult for me to limit myself to one art form, and I love coming up with different products and designs that fit into my shop’s overall aesthetic. I think it makes it easy for shoppers to mix and match different types of products for gifts or for themselves!

What other street teams are you a member of? Currently I am a member of EtsyNJ and JET – the Jewelry on Etsy Street Team.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
http://www.315thomas.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/315thomas
http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/315thomas

I simply love Lesley's cameo rings - they are whimsical and vintage and femine. This one is my favorite:


This hand painted squirrel shirt is adorable as well:

Featured Artist - Nifty Pear

Who are you? Well, I'm Megan. graphic designer, artist, business owner, working stiff, wife and friend.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Nifty Pear http://niftypear.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in? My two main tags are paper goods and weddings. I design stationery, cards, invitations and fun stuff for showers.


Do you create for children or adults, women or men? I've got something for everyone. My stationery items are for men or women of all varieties, but my bridal stuff is all women. I make personalized invitations, scratch off games and advice cards for showers.



What do you like about Etsy? Oh goodness, what's not to like? It's connected me with some amazing people, is a great way to make an amazing web presence with minimal cost and there's a built-in customer base. It's perfect for starting out a business and learning the ropes. And it grows with your business too.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? For my note cards, I'm inspired by nature. Colors and shapes that I see everywhere around me when I'm outdoors. Nature is the ultimate artist. But for my invitations, it's about relationships. Parties are about people, so I choose imagery that signifies something, or is a common element to the theme of the party.

What do you love about your business? Working on my own terms is my most favorite part of owning a business. Unlike my day job, I'm not at the whim of a struggling corporation. Nifty Pear is all mine and I am responsible for its success or it's failure. I guess that means I like being in control... but I'm not a control freak or anything.

What is your favorite product right now? I love creating things that make someone's event extra special. Custom orders are my favorite and the invites are particularly fun. Also, my Victorian bridal scratch off game is really popular right now.



What makes you unique at Etsy? I offer fully customizable stationery and invitations at an affordable price. All of my papers are 100% recycled and high quality so I'm supporting an eco-friendly economy while being stylish. Customer service is a big deal too. I communicate with my customers, answer
questions quickly and let them know where their order is every step of the way.

What other street teams are you a member of? Etsy Weddings

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? I'm on trunkt, indiepublic, mintd, myspace and facebook

I simply love Nify Pear's birth announcement cards and I wish I had seen them a year ago when my son was born!



Her bridal rose pens are a great idea and would find many uses at a bridal shower or wedding.

Final FOJ Update! And the winner is......

This past Saturday night was the Friends of Joey Benefit Dinner and Chinese Auction! The house was packed, and there were a ton of generous people who wanted to win some great prizes. Among those prizes was the Handmade Gift Basket made by the Etsy NJ Street Team!


Here are the last 4 donations that I received for the gift basket...

Beachchik.Etsy.com generously donated a cute tote bag and a beautiful ocean-themed note card and envelope set!


byABPryor.Etsy.com dropped off this awesome reclaimed bracelet with her own added flowery flare, and it's just DAZZLING!



From CreationsbyDanielle.Etsy.com came this adorable crocheted shoulder bag!



And lastly, from CreationsbyRobin.Etsy.com is this fun and funky sea glass bracelet!


The winner of our basket was just absolutely thrilled with it. I got to run it over to her and talk to her about it a bit. I think per personal favorite from the basket was those floral hair clips by Katylua.etsy.com, as you might be able to deduce from the photo. ;-)


While I can't tell how much the basket raised by itself because it was a silent auction, I CAN tell you that the foundation made more than it ever has in the past...a whopping $10,000 in cash alone! This money is going to benefit a lot of families who are truly in need of it, along with cancer research, and it's touching that our team could come together and help benefit these people in our own special way.

Once again I'd like to thank everyone who found it in their heart to donate to this basket. What follows is a list of all the shops who have donated to the basket. Please visit them, as they are all talented crafters and artisans!

AntiGenre.etsy.com
BeachChik.etsy.com
byAbpryor.etsy.com
CatRocks.etsy.com
CreationsbyDanielle.etsy.com
CreationsbyRobin.etsy.com
DonnaDidIt.etsy.com
DribsnDrabs.etsy.com
EcoKate.etsy.com
Fisheye.etsy.com
HappiKnits.etsy.com
Jtatmusic.etsy.com
Katylua.etsy.com
Krisamels.etsy.com
LDdesigns.etsy.com
Lindercella.etsy.com
LizArti.etsy.com
MadebyMelissa.etsy.com
NiceRakc.etsy.com
Purplelicious.etsy.com
Time4Coffee.etsy.com
WhatsEatingYin.etsy.com

Tres Fabulous Donations!

It's been a while since our last installment, but that doesn't mean the donations have stopped coming in!

This week I have 3 new generously awesome donations to the Friends of Joey gift basket to share with you...

First up is CatRocks' beautifully hand crafted set of earrings:


Next I have this lovely green floral brooch by
HappiKnits. The colors she selected for this piece are stunning!



And third this week is a vibrantly cute stationary gift set by Dribs N Drabs!:


Man, I envy the winner of this gift basket, and I don't even know who that will be yet!

There are still a few weeks left to get your donations to this fabulous gift basket in if you're an EtsyNJ street team member! Don't hesitate to contact ShutterKate if you'd like details on how to donate!