Featured Chick: Viridian

Nicki of Viridian joined the Awesome Chicks in January when I had the pleasure of being a customer of hers. She makes these great necklaces (right) and I just had to have one and I still just love it! Anyway, on with the show!

Do you have a blog or Twitter? My blog was abandoned in its early days, but I hope to revive it eventually. I'm just getting involved with Twitter- it's a ton of fun!

Where are you located? Northern Illinois, a coupla hours west of Chicago

Do you belong to any Etsy teams? One very inactive team...it's not doing much for me

Do you have a day job, if so what do you do? I'm a design consultant for a small custom-order furniture store. I *heart* discontinued swatches!

Where is your studio space? Our apartment, for some odd reason, has a bathtub in a small dormer room off the kitchen, totally separate from the bathroom. I've commandeered the rest of the space for my work.

How did you discover Etsy? A thread on Craftster, way back in the day.

What do you sell? Leather flower pins, wallets, fabric bags

How did you begin creating? I've been crafting since I was a wee little one- I can't imagine NOT being creative. It's actually been too long for me to remember how I got started!

Why do you enjoy creating? I just love making beautiful things! I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so selling my pretties when they started piling up was a natural progression.

How long does it take you to create a piece? Usually less than an hour- I have what I refer to as "crafting ADD." I get bored easily with long-term projects!

When do you do most of your creating? In the evenings, and all day long on my days off from my day job!

What is your most popular item in your shop? So far everything seems to get an equal amount of attention. Lately, my leather wallets have been getting snatched up as soon as I list them.

Any tips or advice you can give others who are new to Etsy? Research and learn as much as you can! Look around at your competitors, and adapt your style for a personal twist. And great photos are KEY to selling online- there are tons of resources out there for learning how to take good pics of your work.

What do you do to promote your shop? I hand out business cards, chat when I can, use SocialMarker occasionally (thanks, TimothyAdamsDesign!) and try to list frequently.

What is your favorite part of being a member of Etsy? Honestly? The extra money- the fact that there are people out there that like my work so much that they're willing to pay me for them! That feeling never gets old- I think it's that entrepreneurship I spoke of earlier. It's a great place to have a business.

How do you balance your business work with creating and home life? Um...I fit it in when I can. It's not very well balanced at this time...

Any organization tips? Keep your listed items clean and orderly- if something sells, you don't want to be scrambling around trying to find it!

What inspires you? My materials! I get ideas by pulling out the drawers on my bead caddy and rummaging around until a combination comes to mind, or pawing through a pile of fabric until my hands touch something that says "it's my turn to be a purse."

Do you have any favorite Etsy shops other than your own? Lots! Too many to list here...

What are some future goals that you have pertaining to your Etsy business? Just to grow my business as much as I can- I'm looking forward to that 300th sale, 500th sale, etc... Coming up with new ideas for items in my shop is the hardest thing for me right now- I like my mix the way it is! But evolving and changing is important if I want to succeed.
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Check out all the great things at Viridian on Etsy!

First day of spring, last day of the challenge...

It's the last day of the Spring Chick Challenge! Thanks to everyone who has participated and made such great springy things! There are a few more that have not had their time in the limelight, so there they are.
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Chick-a-lites from Lilly Bug Boutique

These chicks are going to market! Cute little yellow chicks, a whole family of them ready for their close ups. Click on the photo to see Lilly Bugs blog and more things she is doing.

These are a far cry from those little pipe cleaner chicks I used to (attempt) make. I think mama still has them too. How about those hats! Keeps the April showers from messing with ones precisely placed feathers.

Best of luck to you chickies at the market!
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Patchwork Spring Bird Collage Wall Hanging

Submitted by Katy at The Classic Farmhouse who admits to being a little "click happy sometimes" and "got sucked in" thru the links that are posted around the other blogs. Hey, click happy has its perks!

"This little bird flew in just in time for spring and would be the perfect cheerful accent for your walls."

"This 10" x 11.75" wall hanging began with a lonely vintage shelf that no longer had a home. After applying some hand painted elements, specialty papers were applied along with accents of a vintage button, raffia, old wire, vintage binding/ribbon and upholstery tacks. Even the back is finsihed with a softly patterned paper."

Want it? Yup, you can have it if noone else has beat you to it :)

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Spring Chic scarf by Mousewife

It's still chilly out there! Heck, even if it's not chilly this would make a great chic statement around your neck. "This spring scarf is crocheted in a delicate butterfly stitch for a airy spring look."

"It measures 48" without the tassles, and features three 6" tassles at either end."

Mousewife became a chicks member in January, our first spinner of all things soft and fibery! Do you like plush yarnie goodness, yes you do!

Get the scarf for yourself, brighten up!

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Last call for entries peeps! Please send them to the e-mail address in the banner if you want to enter. Everything before midnight Etsy time (EST) totally counts.

Sneak Attack - Sneakin up on you...

For those already in the know: The next sneak attack is happening today at 3:00pm EST (Etsy Time). Check it out and be a part! Todays sneak attack is sponsored by Awesome Chicks member HappyCloudMoments! Cluck cluck for her support of other Etsians!
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This is something you may have heard about if you wander around the Etsy social scene. It's called a Sneack Attack and first started on September 24th of 2008 thanks to Etsy seller Michael Phipps. There are some great things about it, and it is an extremely supportive thing he has going that everyone should at least be aware of. (here is his etsy store)

The details and information about how to participate are at The Handmade Movement website. Which is also linked in the Chicken Feed section of the sidebar over there > that you have already clicked on because it's recommended by us Chicks. While you are over there, sign up for the mailing list!

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But what is it?!
Lets say you are new to Etsy... have built up some stock but have no sales (or maybe only "trades" or "family sales" so far). Well there are a few nifty people who want to help you jump start your shop. Sponsors of a shop let Michael know about a 0 or low sale Etsy store that could use a boost and he sets a date and time for a Sneak Attack. Then we gather and wait for that time when the lucky seller will be snuck up on. The information on what is about to happen is sent to the shop owner and when their name is announced, everyone who is interested, buys something.

In addition to the sneaking going on, you can advertise on the site too! It's really a great and supportive website and I like it. So you should too. :) I have an ad running on the site this month. The sponsor is linked in the site too, as are all the attacked shops.

So, around 3:00, wander on over there and support a newbie! They will love ya for it!