Meet the HOSTies - SmileyMoo

SmileyMoo

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? a dolphin!

Fruit or chocolate? chocolate covered fruit! but if I had to choose just one I would say fruit.

Your favorite meal? Chicken alfredo and garlic toast.

City break or weekend in the country? a weekend in the country. Preferably the mountains.

Why did you join HOST? I am trying to find my place on etsy and felt HOST could help me by offering encouragement and helping me learn how to promote etc.

How did you first get interested in what you do? To be honest, my husband and I live a very frugal lifestyle. In doing so we make a wide variety of things homemade for not only ourselves but for gifts. It's simply a part of our lifestyle choices.

Tell us about your shop. SmileyMoo's is truly a variety shop for the reasons I mentioned above. I enjoy crafting as does my husband. I enjoy sewing, making soap and other bath products while he is more interested in jewelry. The name SmileyMoo is one of my daughter's nicknames and I just thought it was a generic name for a variety shop.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy? It pushes me to become better at the crafts that we do and opens me up to new ideas. It also allows me to meet people I normally wouldn't have a chance to.

Where else can we find you?
Blog: http://smileymoos.blogspot.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmileyMoos

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this? I think my advise would be the lesson I am learning now. Keep your eyes open, learn from those that have been around longer and know what they are doing. Keep striving to be better with each new listing and each new craft you make.

Meet the HOSTies - Sedgeworks

Sedgeworks

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I already have her; Sofie, my jenday conure parrot.

Fruit or chocolate?
Premium chocolate loaded with bits of fruit and nuts.

Your favorite meal?
Italian pot roast and roasted veggies.

City break or weekend in the country?
Waaaaaay out in the back country.

Why did you join HOST?
Because a little help and encouragement goes a very long way.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
Several years ago, I moved to the middle of nowhere, which provided a long hoped for opportunity to create and sell from home.

Tell us about your shop.
I make a wide range of styles and colors, from rustic to elegant and chunky to sleek, and don't focus too much on trends. My jewelry designs primarily feature select stone beads accented by other quality materials. I have numerous ideas I hope to bring to fruition as my shops grow. I also have supplies at stashworks.etsy.com.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
The outlet it provides for me to sell from home, with one shop or five, as my creative self dictates.

Where else can we find you?
I'm still learning about networking...
sedgeworks.blogspot.com
flickr.com/photos/sedgeworks
twitter.com/sedgeworks

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
Right now, my online shops are my job, but for me, designing, creating and selling still need to be relaxing, inspiring, and flexible. It is very important to keep loving what I do and be challenged by new things, even when the results are laughable at first.

Meet the HOSTies - Tias

Tias

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I'd love to have a hedgehog, they amaze me.

Fruit or chocolate?
Chocolate, I am not a fruit person. I love eating healthy and eat loads of vegetables but rarely any fruit. But I love chocolate.

Your favorite meal?
Beans and pasta stew made by my mum.

City break or weekend in the country?
When I used to live in a city I'd go for a country break. Now when I live in the countryside I am craving some city action.

Why did you join HOST?
I bumped into your forum thread by chance, and loved the philosophy of the team. Then I browsed the HOST member's shops and absolutely loved the shops, hearted most of them and decided that I want to be a part of such a great community.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
I saw glass work of a local artist and absolutely loved the colours being trapped in the glass. I loved the idea of me being able to do the same.

Tell us about your shop.
In my shop you can find fused glass rings, necklaces and earrings. I cut and design each piece individually. I use glass colours to paint between two layers of glass and my favorite glass pigments produce a bubble effect which I absolutely love.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
It is so simple to become a seller and to get into this big creative community. There is a big support from other sellers and lots of side activities like treasury making, teams, forums which keeps you active and informed. It would be much harder designing and maintaining your own website- I often take Etsy for granted.

Where else can we find you?
http://www.facebook.com/GlassTIAS
http://facebook.com/tiasglass
www.twitter.com/tiasglass

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
Love your life ;)

Meet the HOSTies - soulinchains

Soul In Chains

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
A donkey of course , they work hard and carry the load of the world and still smile.

Fruit or chocolate?
Fruit, watermelon or strawberries.

Your favorite meal?
My very favorite meal is wheat bulgar with garlic and butter with oven roasted chicken baked in onions and green peppers, along with a nice salad and a piece of cheesecake.

City break or weekend in the country?
I really dislike city life , country.

Why did you join HOST?
I like to do things for others and all items sold in my shop I usually donate back to others by buying things from people needing sales and stuff like that.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
I have always been crafty since birth i guess.

Tell us about your shop.

It is a mix of what ever I happen to have made. I like to loom the mini bags they are not knitted they are made on a jenny loom. Each one is different and I really enjoy creating them. I like to make fun one of kind items and strange items ... nothing normal here.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
I like getting Positive feedback; it's the thrill of having someone like my item. I have met a lot of really nice people on etsy.

Where else can we find you?
Just on Etsy and facebook. We also have several websites : www.usenergyindependence.com Our green energy site. My partner is a Inventor/aerospace engineer. www.renewablethermodynamics.com Our other Green energy site and site for our inventions www.appliedthermodynamics.com Our engineering site.

I am also a ham radio Operator and maintain our Club website.
www.yates-arc.com

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?

Always follow your gut feelings. Do what is right for you not what
is right for them. Be proud of who you are and take pride in your work.

Meet the HOSTies - Scrappin2gether

Scrappin2gether

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
A cat, my husband is allergic to both dogs and cats!
Fruit or chocolate?
Definitely Chocolate!

Your favorite meal?
Pizza.

City break or weekend in the country?
Weekend in the country.

Why did you join HOST?
Support group!

How did you first get interested in what you do?
I started scrapbooking 10 years ago, it's a great way to preserve your memories!

Tell us about your shop.
We design premade scrapbook pages, albums and other paper crafts!
What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
I like the support you get from fellow Etsy sellers, so far the people I have met have been very helpful!

Meet the HOSTies - silentlanguages

silentlanguages

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I have a kitten now (his name is Basil) but eventually I'd love to have a small farm with a few goats on it. I love goat milk, yogurt, and cheese,and it'd be awesome to be able to make that fresh.

Fruit or chocolate?
I crave fruit for snacks, but chocolate covered strawberries are divine.

Your favorite meal?
Sushi, for sure, with extra ginger.

City break or weekend in the country?
I live in the city and hope to someday live on a farm, so a weekend on a quiet farm would be bliss.

Why did you join HOST?
I'm struggling a bit economically on account of health care costs, and thought this would be a great way to help out others and get help in return.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
I've been into maps since I could remember, but it only occurred to me a couple of years ago to combine my obsessive drawing and painting with maps.

Tell us about your shop.
My shop has lots of original map paintings, prints, cards, and necklaces. I also love to do custom maps for people.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
I love when someone really appreciates what I have made and treasures it. It's such a fulfilling feeling.

Where else can we find you?
My blog is http://silentlanguages.blogspot.com

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
Never stop creating, never stop trying.

Meet the HOSTies - treasurehuntvintage

treasurehuntvintage

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
---A Llama.

Fruit or chocolate?
---Chocolate covered fruit!

Your favorite meal?
---A huge CRAB LOUIE salad, with lots of fresh crab!

City break or weekend in the country?
---Weekend in the country, especially the ocean, featuring beach combing and bike riding!

Why did you join HOST?
---Like the idea of helping other Etsy members.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
---I have been collecting and wearing vintage for years, so it just seemed natural to share my passion.

Tell us about your shop.
---treasurehuntvintage features an eclectic mix of goods from the past, from funky to fabulous. My new venture is transienttreasures.etsy.com, where I sell my handmade creations--all made from vintage and/or found objects.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
---The great buyers and helpful fellow sellers. Plus, the LOW fees!

Where else can we find you? (facebook, blog, twitter, flickr, etc)
---Sorry, none of the above. I am lame about that stuff. I do sell on Ebay as treasurehuntvintage, and on 1000markets as transienttreasures.

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
---Favorite Quote: "Above all else, to your own self be true."

Meet the HOSTies - The Silver Hand

The Silver Hand

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I would love to have an English Bulldog named Fred and a skunk named Louie.

Fruit or chocolate?
Fruit, definitely.

Your favorite meal?
My grandmother's roast beef.

City break or weekend in the country?
I love the peacefulness of the country, so I would choose that, but a city visit is great for things to do.

Why did you join HOST?
I first heard of HOST during the help thread last Christmas. I received so much help from people who didn't know me. I was utterly stunned at the generosity. I wanted to be a part of it the good feelings I had and I didn't want to lose the connections I had made through that thread.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
Rather than buy new earrings, my mom and I decided to give making them a shot. It didn't take long before I was making them every day.

Tell us about your shop.
TheSilverHand is dedicated to new handmade jewelry. I just opened a new shop for vintage re-purposed jewelry at www.JeweledAbyss.etsy.com. I also have a mature shop, www.Pricktastic.etsy.com
It's all so much fun!

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
I think the community atmosphere is great, but what I love most is that I send my jewelry off to places that I've never been and my craft is spread all over the world. It's pretty neat.

Where else can we find you?
My Etsy shops:
www.TheSilverHand.etsy.com
www.JeweledAbyss.etsy.com
www.Pricktastic.etsy.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pricktastic
Blogger: www.silverhanded.blogspot.com
www.pricktastic.blogspot.com

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
Be patient and love what you do.

HOST has been featured on a Blog!

Thank you to Coco of ByCoco for featuring the Helping Others Street Team on her blog. You can view the post here:

Etsy Artists Help Fellow Artists