Hello team! This month we have been chatting with Graphic Designer and Illustrator Gracie McFarlane from Design by Gracie. Since starting her business during the pandemic, Gracie has created a beautifully colourful Etsy shop featuring cute and quirky wall art prints inspired by nature and animals. Thank you so much for sharing your business story with us Gracie!  
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What has been the best advice someone has given to you?

My husband once said to me ‘if you don’t like it, do something about it’. At the time I think he was just trying to stop me moaning about trivial things - but its actually really solid advice thats stuck with me. I sometimes need a kick up the bum to get something sorted so him telling me to just crack on with it is always in my mind. 

Do you have any future plans in the pipeline that you can share?

Once I’ve moved house and sorted my office set-up, I’m really going to invest some time some new types of products. I’ve always been too scared to invest in a big product run but if you don’t try you’ll never know if it will suceed. 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I’m actually one of 7 children (I’m number 4). I love having a big family as there’s always someone to talk to. Christmas is chaos though!
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This month we’ve been chatting with Rebecca from Rebecca Woods Ceramics all about her business and selling on Etsy 🪴 Working from a dedicated studio space in her house, Rebecca creates beautiful and functional pottery pieces hand thrown on the potters wheel. Since opening her Etsy shop two years ago Rebecca has created a large collection ranging from plates and mugs, to soap dishes and hanging planters, with over 600 sales to date! Thank you so much for sharing your business story and daily working life with us Rebecca, we can’t wait to see your business continue to grow and flourish!

I also use specialist fabrics which are manufactured in the USA by Wazoodle, they are another family firm who manufacture without the use of toxic chemicals. It used to be quite expensive for me to get hold of these materials when I first started Annie Verdi because of the import costs, and I wasn’t too happy about the carbon footprint of getting them all the way from the USA, but I wanted to use the best I could for the job.  I’m very happy that they now have an official UK supplier, Cuddle Plush Fabrics. I try to factor in the organic and specialist and importing factors into my pricing, but I also really want people to be able to use a product that I believe is far better for their bodies and the environment.

I’ve seen inferior quality products costing more than I charge and I’ve seen the cheap imports from abroad that are often so rubbish that they put people off using reusables.  
Because of the nature of our products I choose not to use recycled materials, but that’s only because I’m selling them When I started making them just for myself I used what I could, and I would encourage anyone who struggles with menstrual products to use what is available to them because that is a sustainable way.

As a result of running my business this way I’ve been awarded a surfers against sewage plastic free champion award which I’m very proud of."

Away from the everyday changes people can make Bubble and Berry are bringing eco-conscious options into the world of weddings. We asked shop owner Sylvia about how she’s become more sustainable in her business.

"Our main products are the pre-packed real flower confetti packs. We introduced this product to the market in 2017. At that time we only offered these petals in clear cello bags but the brides loved them so our business started to grow immediately. It was then that I felt I needed to make some changes because I didn’t want to use so many cello bags. In 2018 I found a great eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging option for the petals, that was the glassine bag, glassine envelopes are made from pure pine wood cellulose which is 100% recyclable. It is anti-static, chlorine and acid free and does not contain chemical softeners. In that year some brides started to choose the glassine option but unfortunately it only accounted for 20%  of our sales, our brides still wanted to order their individual packed confetti in clear bags.

At the beginning of 2019 some packaging companies introduced biodegradable and compostable clear bags so we started to test these options to see how they fitted with our dried flowers and finally found the best quality in the market. These are the one of the most expensive biodegradable materials unfortunately so finally we needed to increase the prices. Fortunately, our customers are happy to pay an extra fee if they know that it’s for a more sustainable  product.​

​We had known we would probably lose some customers after this price increase so we started to offer them a great alternative option as well; we introduced a kit option so they could buy their confetti in bulk and put together their own individual portions. Finally every customer is happy with these changes – and we can now say our main products are 100% biodegradable!

We can absolutely run a great business on Etsy after these changes and I am happy we could reduce our impact on the planet. I know I am only just a small business but I can tell ourselves that Bubble and Berry is a market leading company and we would like to show the right way for other new startup small businesses. We get so much positive feedback and our sales are growing year to year."

Packaging is a common topic in sustainability discussions amongst our team members, Jen from Faeriefer Evergreen is another seller who has tried to minimise her impact on the planet through how she sends her products and through what she makes and how she makes it. 

"At Faeriefer Evergreen I sell vegan inspired hand crafted jewellery so I do not use leather and the waxed cords I use are made with synthetic and not bees wax. At fairs I also sell upcycled bottles which I wash, reuse and decorate and I use twigs and foraged wood to make gifts.

​I am moving towards a more eco-friendly ethos  in my shop and hoping to entirely eradicate the use of single use plastic in my products. I have switched my jewellery packaging boxes to ones made of eco-friendly recyclable paper which come with anti-tarnish insert and I have switched to eco-friendly recyclable paper packing tape and boxes. Where I do use envelopes, these are designed for recycling and made with at least 60% recycled content, made with paper from responsible sources (www.fsc.org)"

Some of our team members, along with a few other small business owners from across the country took things a step further and started the Naked Cards initiative. 

"An Instagram Story by Vanilla Retro, one of our Naked Pioneers, triggered a conversation about why on earth so many small online card sellers are putting little plastic sleeves around pieces of cardboard that are then being put into envelopes?  We were not only creating needless waste, but also wasting money and time, and after broaching the topic on each of our social media accounts it became apparent that our customers were overwhelmingly in favour of the move towards "naked cards".  In fact, the very few negative comments seemed to be from fellow card-sellers, who cited reasons why they felt cellos to be critical. What we needed to do was open this conversation up and make it public - and, in doing so, challenge long-standing behaviours.

This month we’ve been chatting with Jade Muat-Dodd - a local illustrator making wonderfully bright colourful pieces 🌸 Not long after opening her Etsy shop in 2019 Jade was able to quit her full time job and pursue her creative career! With an incredible 4000 sales to date, Jade’s rapid business success story is a true inspiration. Thank you so much Jade!

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you create.
I'm Jade, I'm 29, I create cute and uplifting texts and images with the occasional feminist undertone. I'm inspired by everyday life: TV, family, music, animals, and everything in between.

We've got some great new team members to introduce you to this month who joined us over the start of the year. While we're all still at home for the next month at least we can still support our local businesses online and show some love to all the Etsy sellers in our region starting with these guys....

L-R from top left:
Ann Murphy creates unique prints jewellery and home by hand painting with alcohol inks, inspired by her local coastline and the nature nearby.
Ice Touched Designs created these adorable dumbo octopus sculptures and you can find lots more adorable and unusual octopus gifts in her shop.
Sefton Macrame creates beautiful wall hangings, plant hangers and more and even uses branches from Sefton Park to create them, truly local!
Art by AMHughes is where you'll find Aimee's stunning fine art prints, the results of her experimentations with a whole host of painting and drawing media including her own foraged pigments!
Colour Pop Liverpool have a shop bursting full of colourful glittery resin pieces like these copper and emerald statement earrings.
Harper Moon Creative specialise in fun graphic prints, greetings cards and post cards. I love the bold simplicity of this Medusa print!

L-R from top left:
AMW Digital Artworks is your place to head for hand drawn custom pet portraits.
​The Lux Company make soy wax melts and hand poured candles in your choice of their signature scents for a truly bespoke gift.
Anther Designs had cards and prints featuring her beautiful hand drawn illustrations.
Curly Twirly Topknot's colourful shop is print and pattern in the form of her hair bows and bunting, and quirky paper products like her table confetti and gift bows.
JV Craft Club creates decorative items using dried and pressed flowers. These custom initial embroidery hoops are fab!​
The Wild Kindom has a great offering for other creatives in her downloadable Social Media planning calendar, full of all those important holidays to plan your biz around.
VIBE Lampshades is where you should head if you're planning a Spring home update, lots of gorgeous bespoke lampshades, wall art and cushions to brighten up your home!

Welcome to the team everyone!

For this month’s Seller Spotlight we’ve been hearing all about Ruth’s business, Glitterati Jewellery. After initially struggling in the early days with SEO and being found online, Ruth joined the Merseyside Etsy Team to help improve her shop. Fast forward a few years and Ruth now has an incredible 2,600 sales to date, with her business going from strength to strength. Thank you so much for sharing your business story with us Ruth!
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Tell us a bit about yourself and what you create.
My name is Ruth Smalley I live in Warrington and I make earrings and keychains from charms, as well as other bits of beaded jewellery.  ​

For this month’s Seller Spotlight we’ve been chatting with Maria who runs two successful Etsy shops: The Beady Gecko - a quirky jewellery and accessories shop which features beautiful pieces inspired by nature, and The Beady Gecko Crafts - a creative supplies shop for fellow makers, specialising in selling small pack sizes. 
Maria follows an organised work structure, being based at home and managing work alongside family time, and has had over 2,000 sales to date! 
Thank you so much for sharing your business story with us Maria ❤️

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you create.​

I’m Maria, I make quirky jewellery and accessories that are inspired by nature and the hidden things around us. I work with glass and crystal beads, semi precious stones, lucite (frosted acrylic) flower and leaves, which are interspersed with metal alloy charms to add some extra details. 

When did you open your Etsy shop & what inspired you to do so?
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I opened my first shop on Etsy in 2013 (The Beady Gecko). I’d dabbled with having my own webstore, but at that time, the technology wasn’t really there for what I wanted to do; I wanted to reach more people and streamline the ordering process. I also like the idea of being part of a larger community and the benefits that that brings with it.  At this point, my online store was more of a side line, and I had a very limited range of products. As most of my sales were through artisan markets, and I was looking to expand my base a little, it seemed sensible to look at having more of an online presence.

I opened my second Etsy shop in 2017 (The Beady Gecko Crafts). Based on my previous experiences I had a good level of knowledge of what to do and how to manage it, but it’s good to have the two to work between, especially as they tend to be busy at different times of the year.

How do you balance full time work and your creative business? or How do you balance your business and personal time?

I have to be very organised! Although this is my main job, I’m also a carer our girls - both now lovely young women, who need more support than most. I have a routine that works well, but builds in flexibility, which means I can be there for them at any time of the day or night that they need me. I spend lots of time planning. I try to plan some time to sit down with a large blank piece of paper and plan ahead for the next few months, and then work it out into smaller details for what I’d like to have organised and by when - it doesn’t always work out this way but it helps me feel a little more in control, and helps me step back into the pattern if I’ve needed time away.

Tell us a bit about where you work… Do you have a dedicated workspace, office or workshop?

I share an office with my husband, Ian who also works from home. We’ve converted our small bedroom into an office space, and each of us have a desk, it’s pretty easy to see which desk belongs to who.  I tend to use the office in the mornings, I work through my orders and do all my admin work before the house gets too busy, and then I move downstairs into the dining room - this is where most of the making happens.  I have an excellent vantage point of being able to see all the goings on from where I work at the dining room table, and our youngest daughter who still lives at home, can sit with me and chat or work on her own projects too, she needs to have me around and this works really well for both of us.

How do you organise your day and manage your time effectively? (Do you follow a strict working routine or are you more organic with the way you work?)

This year, we’ve had to become a bit more structured and organised, as Ian is at home more, and our girls also need more support than usual at the moment. For admin I have a strict routine, I usually work in the office on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings until lunchtime - this is when I process all my orders, deal with the admin side of things, order in new supplies and plan ahead. I have a coffee break at 11 each morning, when I FaceTime our eldest daughter and have a chat with her, Wednesday’s are technically my day off  - that’s the day the food shopping arrives and I call to see our eldest daughter with her shopping for the week. I do still answer queries as they come in, and manage my social media. We all have lunch together and then I swap workspace. I try not to work at weekends, to allow me time with the family,  but if there is time that I can sneak in and get some more work done, then I will, and at this time of year, that is when most of my making is done. I’ve had to make some changes this year in terms of markets, which has had the advantage of freeing up more time at the weekends, and I’ve been delighted to be able to join in with online Etsy team meetings so I am still meeting and seeing other people and small business owners.

Tell us about the way you work, do you work on one product at a time or do you often have more than one project one the go?

I always have several projects on the go, that I can switch between as I need to - very often, the theme will be the same. For example, I might be working on Autumn, but I’ll be making bag charms, key guardians and bookmarks, pulling together ideas for gift packs and thinking of the best way to package and present things. My workspace tends to reflect my mind at any given moment, so I do try and tidy it to stop me feeling too frazzled.  At the moment, my desk is full of crystal points, rainbow crystal beads, a bespoke order that I have been working on this morning, Christmas charms and a stack of boxes with autumn leaves in ready to go on a new design I’m working on, together with some charms that arrived this morning. There is an order to them though, and that is comforting, it also means if I am called away, I can generally pick up my train of thought when I get back.
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What inspires you to be creative?

Nature. I can go for a walk and come back with my head absolutely buzzing with ideas, there are bits of scribbled notes all around the house, and small groupings of beads, charms and colour notes where I have been dabbling; I take lots of pictures to remind me of things I’ve seen and to give me ideas for new products. I absolutely love that I can have an image in my head and recreate a solid version of that.

What is your favourite creation in your Etsy shop and why.

My Autumn range is my absolute favourite, I love the detail in these, I love that I can tell you that the idea initially came to me while I was walking through country lanes in Scotland, and it worked out exactly as I wanted it to. The basic design has seen some changes and tweaks over the years, but it’s essentially the same and is one of my absolute best sellers. It’s being reimagined this year and the new version will be launched in a few days time, and that one will be based on walks through Welsh country lanes -  though the other versions will still be available too.

I also love my semi precious stone bracelets, especially the Watermelon Tourmaline one - I love the colours in that and the feel of the stones; I’ve recently changed the design of these to incorporate more clear quartz crystal stones, as they are believed to enhance the qualities of any other stones that they are placed with.

What is your favourite accomplishment?

Running my own successful business. I’ve had some really interesting jobs over the years, I’ve worked in the music industry and in marketing for a local environmental charity, but I left full time paid work 12 years ago to allow us to take our girls out of school and educate them at home. When The Beady Gecko started nearly 10 years ago, we had both girls being educated at home, and the consensus of opinion from the small business advisor was that it would be impossible to do both. I’ve never been very good at being told what to do, so I took that as a challenge, set out to prove her wrong and here I am.  It’s also been a great way of showing our girls too that you shouldn’t be limited by other people’s ideas and opinions too.

I actually run two businesses now; my second business is the The Beady Gecko Crafts Emporium, also on Etsy, where I sell project supplies and finishing touches in small packs at sensible prices.  This came from my own crafting experience and discovering I could only buy a pack of 20 buttons when I just wanted 4 for a Unicorn called Ziggy that I was making. I realised I can’t be the only one not wanting huge packs, and happily I was right!
I was in the process of adding a third business, but the Pandemic has meant that I will delay that until things are a little more stable. This one will build on my passion for semi precious stones and Reiki, but just for now, I am needed more at home.

What do you love most about your job?

The creativity and flexibility of it all. I’ve never really lost that amazing buzz you get from making things, and the affirmation of people choosing to buy my items to give as gifts. Over the last few months I’ve been offering a gift message service to go out with my orders, and have changed the standard packaging too, people have been opting to send gifts directly to friends and family. I love enabling someone to add a splash of colour to someone’s day - I’ve had some lovely feedback and reviews based on this.


It is also my escape - it gives me a chance to be me and to keep my own identity - my style is now recognised and my business branding goes before me, so people will recognise me as The Beady Gecko which always makes me happy.

What advice would you give to anyone who’s thinking of opening up their own Etsy shop.

Go for it - but do have everything thought through and planned before you go live -  make sure you are registered as appropriate and have the appropriate insurances in place, know how you will pack things and be realistic about your processing times.  Worth remembering too that many people who buy are unused to dealing directly with a person, let alone the maker, and can be a bit brusque when they first deal with you - try not to take it personally.  Remember to take time off for you - have a routine that involves switching off notifications (mine go off at 6pm), and it is okay to take a break.
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What has been the best advice someone has given to you?

To be true to yourself and follow your own path.  Don’t try to fit yourself to the market, but make the things that you are passionate about and the right people will find you.


Do you have any future plans in the pipeline that you can share?

I’m hugely excited to be working on a new project that will take place at the beginning of November; I am working frantically on building my stock up for all of the shops I supply and am looking forward to launching my themed gift packs with them too - they have just been listed on Etsy and first indications show they’ll be popular.  My biggest challenge at the moment is making sure my packaging is as environmentally friendly as it can be, and covid secure too. 

What other interests do you have?

I love walking, we have two lovely big dogs, know to my social media followers as The Beady Boys, they’re Robbie (Beady Dog), a lovely solid big black Labrador, and his younger brother, Merlin (Beady Pup), who is a Goldador (Retriever/Lab cross). We walk them twice a day, every day, through our local parks and woodlands. I also crochet and knit - the brighter the colours and the bigger the project the better. I am fascinated by genealogy and family history - time travelling as it’s referred to here, our younger daughter and I can go down that particular rabbit hole for days at a time!

What music/ podcasts are you listening to at the moment?

I tend to listen to radio 2 while I’m working, I like the easy, conversational style of listening to radio, and keeping connected with the outside world - it can be very easy to become isolated when you are working for yourself from home.  I often listen to a Classical Relaxation playlist while I’m working, otherwise, it’s David Bowie, Pink Floyd or maybe a bit of Led Zeppelin, much depends on who is around while I’m working.
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Tell us a fun fact about yourself.​

I am fluent in British Sign Language - our household is bilingual.   I love bright colours - my hair is either purple or blue, and I always wear Doc Martens or baseball boots.  I completed my Reiki Level 2 earlier this year and will be doing my Reiki Level 3 next year, I meditate most mornings and work surrounded by crystals.
I was part of a team who won a clear communications award for a book we published on Wildflower Woodland Development

What better way to brighten up this cold January than by talking to the wonderfully creative Alice from Alice in Cosplayland. After first starting out on Etsy with a product that didn’t quite work, Alice reworked her entire Etsy shop and business model to start selling costumes and sewing patterns. Fast forward 3 years and over a thousand sales later, Alice in Cosplayland is a hit with customers who leave rave 5* reviews! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Alice, and best of luck on your business journey!

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you create.
Hi! I am Alice. During the day I am a high school teacher and at night I am a geeky girl that loves sewing and making crafts. I love dressing up and I started making my own costumes and patterns over 10 years ago. My shop is full of sewing patterns, mainly for costumes and cosplay, but you can also find basic garments like skirts and bodysuits. There is something for everyone. The best part of all is that you get them all directly to your computer with just one click!

When did you open your Etsy shop & what inspired you to do so?
I opened my Etsy shop about 3 years ago. I actually started selling handmade dolls and it just didn’t work. There were just too many issues and the time they took wasn’t proportionate to what I was earning. One day I just decided to try something different and I uploaded a pattern for one of my costumes. It was a hit! There weren’t many shops selling patterns for costumes, even less that would offer direct downloads so it worked really well. Soon enough I completely repurposed my shop and now it is all focused on costumes, cosplays and basic sewing patterns that are easy to alter and user friendly for all sewing levels.

How do you balance full time work and your creative business? or How do you balance your business and personal time?
During the week I plan my patterns and design them with the computer so they are ready to be tested. I am always looking forwards to the weekend when I sew most of my projects. I still will set myself a limit and before 9 I am all ready to watch a film and have a chill night. Otherwise, I would keep going until the morning! The advantage of being a teacher is that you have lots of holidays all through the year, that’s when I can get most of my new patterns done. 

Tell us a bit about where you work… Do you have a dedicated workspace, office or workshop?
I have my own “sewing room” It is a space fully dedicated to my crafts. There is a cupboard all the way up to the ceiling full of fabric of all colours. The chests of drawers are full of trims and ribbons and all the things I need for my creations. My sewing machines are always ready to go. The room isn’t huge but it is all I need to be creative. The big window facing the garden and my 2 cats are plenty to keep me in a good creative mood.

How do you organise your day and manage your time effectively? (Do you follow a strict working routine or are you more organic with the way you work?)
I am constantly making plans and to do lists to organise my time. Then I just get inspired and end up doing something completely different. The days I go to work I often get back tired and I don’t get as much done as I would like. However, whenever I have some free time I get up early and I spend the full day creating. The best thing about my shop is that the only deadlines are set by myself. Everything is digital and I don’t have a set time to finish a new project. Once a pattern is up, it stays up and I only need to worry about any questions in my inbox and my next project.

Tell us about the way you work, do you work on one product at a time or do you often have more than one project on the go?
I always prefer to have many projects ready to go. That way it is easy to manage my time. I may not be able to create a full costume in an hour, but maybe I can use that hour to write one of the tutorials for a pattern I have already tested or perhaps a drawing for one of the covers. In general, there is always something almost done, one or two projects half way through and about 20 ideas ready to start!

What inspires you to be creative?
My inspiration comes mainly from anime, comics and films. I try to recreate some of the most iconic characters that I have seen in my favourite series. I love challenges and I am always looking at new designs and trying to figure out how a garment was made.

What is your favourite creation in your Etsy shop and why.
My Cosplay Planner is one of my favourite items. It is so useful. I keep a list with all my projects, the things I have made, the materials I need, my sketches. The thing about my items is that I make them all for me! So I know they are going to work and hopefully help someone else.

What is your favourite accomplishment?
Getting my first 100 sales and realising this actually could work! I am way past that number now and I honestly get excited every time I get a new sale, and that happens daily now! My shop is still growing but I am looking forwards to get many more patterns released and reach even more sewists.

What do you love most about your job?
Making costumes and cosplay is just incredible. You can be anything you want. Being able to create new things in general is very rewarding. I really enjoy figuring out the patterns for my projects. It is just fun.

What other interests do you have?
As I mentioned before I love watching anime, reading comics and films. I also like photography, miniature painting and playing with my cats Kitana and Mileeena.

What music/ podcasts are you listening to at the moment?
I am listening to the ShePropTalk podcast at the moment. They are a great group of female cosplayers and creators which always give great advice. I also like listening to science fiction podcasts and some symphonic metal groups like Nightwish or Epica

What advice would you give to anyone who’s thinking of opening up their own Etsy shop?
Great photos and great descriptions for the win! If you have a great product but your photo doesn’t highlight it people won’t buy it. Good is not enough, the photos need to be awesome, and you want to use all of the slots! Also, if you have a great product but people can’t find it because you haven’t used the right keywords it won’t matter. Use all the space available. Describe every single detail. Fill all the tags with long sentences. Every word is an opportunity to be found.

What has been the best advice someone has given to you?
Honestly, the greatest tips always came from the Merseyside Etsy Group. I was only able to go to a couple of sessions but they meant a lot. SEO and long tail terms where probably the game changers.

Do you have any future plans in the pipeline that you can share?
Right now I am working on a Mix and Match collection. Expect new bodice patterns, lots of matching sleeves, new skirts ,... All of them fitting each other so you can create your own thing! There is so much new stuff on its way. I just can’t wait to show it to you.

Not going to lie, I'm a bit behind on the new member posts so as a festive special I present to you four months worth of new Etsy shops that have joined the team!
All pictures are linked to their shops so have a click through and find yourself some locally made, last minute gifts!

For this month's Seller Spotlight we've been chatting with Katy from Hello Fridays Studio. With an incredible 3 thousand sales to date, Katy creates colourful art prints, illustrations and greeting cards for every occasion. Juggling a full time job as a graphic designer alongside maintaining her successful Etsy shop, Katy works from home to create her products. Thank you so much for sharing your business story with us Katy, you’re a true inspiration!

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you create.
I’m Katy, Graphic Designer by day, Etsy maker by night. My Etsy shop is full of bright and colourful creations, perfect for a nursery, children’s room or playroom. I create and sell personalised greetings cards, children’s cushion covers, wall art and personalised goods. 


When did you open your Etsy shop & what inspired you to do so?
I originally opened my account back in 2012, and it just sat there, barren… for a very long time. It wasn’t until the following couple of years that I started experimenting with it. I started off by selling shop banner artwork for other Etsy sellers, but soon realised that wasn’t for me. So next I began creating and selling printable wall art, I didn’t have a printer at the time, so I couldn’t sell physical items. After a few months though, I had earned enough to purchase a printer, and this was the start of Hello Fridays Studio

How do you balance full time work and your creative business? or How do you balance your business and personal time?
My day job as a graphic designer can be pretty demanding and sometimes it’s hard to find enough time to run a shop too, but it’s definitely worth it! I love my day job and I use spare evenings to work on my shop and fulfil orders. I do have to remind myself sometimes, that it’s ok to take breaks and have the odd night off! Some days, fulfilling orders is all I can manage, and that’s ok. I’m learning not to be hard on myself when it comes to productivity. Other days, I get a bit more time to start a new creation, or improve existing listings. Above all, I wouldn’t change it, having my shop allows me a freedom of creativity and control that I love and cherish. I am my own brand guidelines and that’s a really powerful thing. There’s no client telling me to make it green or change this or that, it’s all me and my own decisions and creative direction - its really fulfilling.

Tell us a bit about where you work… Do you have a dedicated workspace, office or workshop?
My spare bedroom is my office and workspace. It’s currently being decorated and I have a really comfy office chair, I’m told that’s important, you know, for posture and stuff! 


How do you organise your day and manage your time effectively? (Do you follow a strict working routine or are you more organic with the way you work?)
Organic is a nice way to put it, a more honest version of myself would confess to being a little scatty, with little regard for boundaries like time. In fact, it’s a bit of running joke for those who know me. None of my clocks, watches or phone tell the correct time. Some are set fast to guarantee “punctuality” (which doesn’t always work), and some - like my car dashboard - claim it’s 9:45pm, when it’s clearly noon. I’m just not very regimented in that way, so I don’t have designated times to do certain tasks, I just do what needs doing whenever I have free time.

Tell us about the way you work, do you work on one product at a time or do you often have more than one project one the go? ​
I generally have lots of things that I’m working on at once, but I do try to give certain projects a push, particularly if they are seasonal or for certain occasions, I’ll make sure to give those my attention. 


What inspires you to be creative?
Good question! I get inspiration from lots of places, it could strike me in a shop when I see a particular pattern or product, flicking through magazines, fashion, Instagram, and also other creatives. I love seeing other people making things. Being creative is like laughter and sneezing… it’s contagious!

What is your favourite creation in your Etsy shop and why?
My favourite creations are probably my alphabet cushion and print or my blast off cushion. I loved creating them because it involved drawing by hand, and then colouring them up on the computer. I love anything that allows me to take a bit of a break from the computer. Sometimes it’s nice to just scribble with a pencil.


What is your favourite accomplishment?
Opening my shop. When I first started my shop, I didn’t tell anyone, not even close friends or family. Why? I was worried my work wasn’t good enough, I was fearful people would laugh at me. They didn’t of course, and over the years I’ve had so much support and help from those around me. Taking those first steps and publishing your creations to the world can be a scary thing for creative people. The fear of rejection sometimes holds us back. So, I would urge anyone out there who is anxious or unsure, to just do it. The world is far more accepting than our own minds tend to be.

What do you love most about your job? 
I get to do my favourite thing. In nursery it was finger painting, in primary school it was colouring in, in high school I was always sketching, in college I fell in love with painting, in university I began learning graphic design, and now I get to do all of it, whenever I want. That’s the best thing. 


What other interests do you have?
I love keeping fit but hate the gym, I love classes like Zumba that are fun and don’t feel like exercise. I love dancing, I’m pretty sure I’m rubbish at it, but it’s kind of nice to do something and not be perfectionist about it. I just do it because it makes me happy. 


What music/ podcasts are you listening to at the moment? 
Music wise, I am either listening to Lauren Lavern’s 6 music segment, or on Spotify


What advice would you give to anyone who’s thinking of opening up their own Etsy shop. 
Do it because you love it, passion will keep you going even when the pennies don’t!

What has been the best advice someone has given to you?
It’s ok to fail. My new product might be a non-seller - but at least I put it out there. It’s not always easy advice to take on board, but it’s crucial to any success. 


Do you have any future plans in the pipeline that you can share?
All in all, I just want to create more things and hope my customers think they’re good enough to have in their home.


Tell us a fun fact about yourself. 
I can make a whole pack of chocolate chip cookies disappear in one go. It’s a skill that’s took years to perfect. I am very proud.
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