A Beaded Story

As promised, the second feature of the day.  This shop comes from around my area as well. Okay, not EXACTLY my area, but close enough :) [30 minutes].  My favorite item from this shop is the Footprints Bracelet.  Let's get to know A Beaded Story.

Q: How did you come up with your shop name?
A: My beaded bracelets come with a poem or a story to show the representation of the beads. Each bead represents part of that poem or story so I figured A Beaded Story says it all!

Q: Do you only sell on Etsy?
A: No I sell to local people in my area just by word of mouth. I have been selling them for 2 years that way. Just opened Etsy in June.

Q: What inspires you?
A: Colors in the world. I love beautiful bright colors. I am also inspired by the wonderful people in my life. That is why my bracelets mean so much to me. You could give a regular bracelet to someone, but why not let them know how much they mean to you as well?

Q: What is the hardest part of what you do?
A: Trying to find the exact beads I have in my head! I really enjoy making and marketing my shop.

Q: What is one of your favorite items from your shop?
A: The Life of Christ bracelet. It tells the story of Christ and what he did for us. Great to wear and be reminded of this.

Q: Do you only sell on Etsy? If yes, what made you decide to use Etsy instead of sites like ArtFire and MadeItMySelf?
A: I sell mostly on Etsy, but local also. I was told by many of my already established customers about Etsy so I checked it out and gave it a try. I'm very pleased with it. I did not know of other sites at time.

Q: Is Etsy your only "job", or is it something you do on the side?
A: We do have family business that I work on as well.

Q: Are you attending any art shows in the future?
A: Undecided.

Q: Any future projects?
A: Just creating new designs. I will be adding a Jingle Bell and Nativity bracelet in next few weeks.

Words of Advice from A Beaded Story: READ READ READ! Learn everything you can before you jump in. I suggest Timoth y Adam's book How to Make Money using Etsy. I learned a lot in this book before I started. Also, read blogs and Seller Handbook. I think the biggest mistake is that people think they can take some pictures and write a description and will get sales. It is not that easy. (I was one of those people) You really have to moniter, market, and learn each day. I have along way to go, but have made great amount of changes since opening.