October's Featured EtsyMom Shop: andreabaker

This month's featured shop is Handmade by Andrea Baker (andreabaker.etsy.com). Handmade by Andrea Baker specializes in sewn items. In this shop you will find aprons, handbags, business card cozies, hand sewn pins, and the like. Andrea is a stay at home mom who, with time on her hands, felt the need to fill those idle moments with a hobby. Her hobby turned into a business. AndreaBaker has been open since November 6, 2006.
Andrea learned the basics of her craft from her mom and grandma when she was younger. However, she didn't begin to put that knowledge to use until much later in life when she refined those skills and taught herself the techniques require to create the things she makes today. Andrea's favorite part of crafting is "taking materials and creating something beautiful." She loves seeing the huge transformation that finished product has undergone from being materials to being a useful item. Hand sewn pins are her favorite thing to make. Andrea draws inspiration from the worl around her...everyday moments. "I do what I do because ultimately it makes me happy."
At this point in time, Etsy is the only venue where Andrea sells her items with the exception of some handmade pins being sold in a shop in Virigina and a few select items for sale in a local shop.
Andrea is married to a wonderful Professional Local Magician; together they have two beautiful girls nine years apart in age. Home is Columbus, Ohio and has been for the last 10 years. Andrea's family is very supportive of her business. Photography is her second hobby and she loves taking photos of everyday life. "The world around me is so beautiful and I love to share that with the rest of the world."
You can find Andrea online at :
www.facebook.com/AndreaBaker
www.andreabakerdesigns.com
www.plurk.com/AndreaBake
www.twitter.com/andreabaker816

October Birthdays

There are so many hardworking, talented Etsymoms celebrating their birthday this month, stop by their beautiful shops!

below: 1. kazzalblue 2. Kjmakes 3. CozyMoments

2^nd: kazzalblue

3^rd: timeandsand, yournest

4^th: nellaboos

5^th: DuckPondPaperCompany

7^th: lilyflysgarden

9^th: ellascottjewels

10^th: CozyMoments, ribbonsncurls, reillybelle, ohsewcozy, Kjmakes

13^th: iHeartHandmade, rebeccasrags, babypeasandcarrots

16^th: paulasstressart

17^th: jenspens, sue114

20^th: bluebirdblessings

22^nd: bewhiskered

23^rd: CarDonCreativeDesign

24^th: silvernstones, ecogeneration

25^th: newenglandquilter

26^th: motherspreciousgems

27^th: Aslynnsafghans, SimplySparkles

29^th: mamaslittlestuff, frogwitch, tiltcreations

30^th: rockerchic, monogrammingbytammy

31^st: blackbird72

Through the woods to the lake

Make sure you check out this beautiful Etsymom Treasury! Thanks to Mixit!

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September Featured Shop: Zuzu Girl Handmade

This month's featured EtsyMom shop is zuzugirl.etsy.com. Here is what Krisit has to say....
"I am a passionate woman, perpetual decorator, avid photographer, habitual consumer, Etsy junkie, blogging fool & mom of two that adores designing pretty little things. I grew up in South Florida, spent a few years in New York City after graduating from the University of Florida (go Gators!) and finally settled in Marin County, California.  It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life and twelve years after arriving here I still look my surroundings in sheer awe.  When I'm not at my desk creating you can find me in the yoga studio or dancing, singing & doing art projects with my two darling children that simply crack me up every single day.  Gage is almost six and just started first grade.  Big man on campus!  Zuzu, my inspiration, is three.  

In  2007 I left a thriving career in retail merchandising to spend more time with my two young children.  It was the toughest decision I've ever made.  The first year went by pretty quickly and I was busy with a 6 month old and a three year old.  Then, about a year ago,  I was in a ballet class with my daughter, Zuzu.  The teacher handed us a pair of plastic shower curtain rings with beat up, but colorful ribbon streaming from them.  Zuzu and her friends adored them and they pranced around the room like little ballerinas.   I looked at these dance rings and thought simply, "I can make these.  And I can make them pretty."  It was basically at that point that zuzu girl handmade was born.  I started making the dance rings for Zuzu and her friends.  The dance rings inspired wands and the wands, matching headbands & halos.  I'd been shopping on Etsy for a few months so when my mother insisted I try to sell my work I  went ahead and opened a shop of my own there.  

In the first month one of my good friends saw what I was doing and requested a large wholesale order for her shop which sold out quickly.  I was also charged with the task of outfitting several ballet classes at the local gym with ribbon tutus and matching headbands for their recital.  It was quite an undertaking.   I had a blast but unfortunately, the time it took to mass produce those orders really stole time away from my Etsy shop and didn't allow me to actually sit and create.  I missed that and have turned down every wholesale inquiry since then.  I hope to be able to do both some day but right now there just isn't the time.  

My biggest challenge getting this business going has definitely been time management.  I think most stay at home moms & Etsy shop owners face the same problem.  It's a daily lesson in efficiency as I try to buy supplies, create, photograph, list & market (tweet, blog, facebook, flickr, chat...)  all in the few hours the kids are in school or asleep without losing too much sleep myself.  I definitely get frustrated that nothing is ever quite as perfect as I would like but I just try to be thankful for what I am able to accomplish.  I am a Merchant to the core and the fact that I am able to be home with my kids and use my own hands & creative instincts rather than for a corporate giant is so rewarding.  I can only hope to grow my business enough so that I might be able to earn enough income to continue with zuzu girl for many years to come but for now I am just grateful for today.

I am also a proud member of the  EtsyKids Team and a contributor to Modern Handmade Child Magazine."

You can check out all the beautiful items Kristi offers by visiting her shop at www.zuzugirl.etsy.com.

September Birthdays

Happy Birthday to all of the talented Etsymoms celebrating this month!

1st: crochetfuntime
2nd: cupriccat, JustBeccuz
3rd: thebeadgirl
5th: simplysilly, goosehilldesigns
7th: helenapuck
9th: artfaerie, OnceAgain
15th: scrapadot
16th: Lucky12324
17th: muraldevotee
18th: 62cards
22nd: BeadedSocks
24th: auryndesign
26th: qtpieclipsandbows
27th: lillifeeboutique, queenmum plsargent, 2QT4WORDS, breescozycreations
29th: chicycreations, boldandsassydesigns
30th: cindyjoy, scottshandmadecrafts