FEATURED ETSY SHOP - Cyndi from Everything Artsy

This is the first feature interview in my "Get to know an Etsy.com shop owner" the AREtsy series. Etsy is a wonderful website devoted to handmade items. AREtsy is a team for Etsy members who live in Arkansas. AREtsy Blog


Everything Artsy is owned by Cyndi H.

Tell us about your life outside of creating and selling.

I have been married to my wonderful husband, Tom, for 28 years. We have 2 beautiful daughters, April 25 and married to Matthew, and Amy 23 in grad school & dating Carl. I have 2 weimeraners, Marie who is 7 and Molly who is 11 weeks old. Most of my hobbies are art related but I do love to ride motorcycles with my husband and love photography.


Favorite time of the year? Why?

My favorite time of year is the fall - I love the colors and the cool weather.


Favorite materials to work with?

I love anything with texture - paper, yarn, fabric and paint


What kind of background do you have as an artist & how did you learn your skill?

I believe everyone has a gift & mine is an eye for design. I have no formal training - I've learned by trial, from my mom and friends, and by many wonderful mentors. I'm also guided by a gut feeling. Somehow I just know when it's right and when I don't follow my gut it usually doesn't work.


What is your goal for your shop?

Well to sell my crafts, but also to hopefully encourage others to be creative as well. That's the reason I developed my Pattern Paks.


How did you name your shop?

Actually a co-worker named it for me. Her name is Hermine, and she always said I knew everything artsy so it stuck.


Who is your role model and why?

I have many, my Mom's persistence, my Sister's determination, my Husband's integrity, and my daughter's love of life.


If you could have a super power what would it be?

To be able to wiggle my nose like bewitched and be anywhere I want to be.

What item in your shop are you most proud of?

My Boston Terrier Painting. I love the way it turned out and it was my inspiration for my pattern paks.


Favorites:

Place on earth - lying in bed with my husband and talking till we fall asleep

Etsy Shop - besides mine! I would have to say Fall Down Tree I love her artwork.

Quote - "Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic."

Website - ETSY!!!

Song or Music Group - Anything Rock-n-Roll

Thank you Cyndi for being my first featured seller!!

We made it into a treasury

One of our items was featured in a treasury today! Thanks SoapyBlessings for including us in your amazing treasury. All of the items in the treasury are on SALE and from our CAST group(Christian Artists Street Team).


Go check it out and leave a comment


http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=23092

Off to school I go!

I got the kids into preschool last week and I start classes in the morning. I should really be in bed since I have to get up at 5:30 but of course Dalton is wide awake. I had three orders to get ready for shipping tomorrow and thankfully my sweet husband helped me and is taking them to the post office in the morning. I don't know what I am going to do when he leaves for two months of work. If I am ever going to finish college I am just going to have to grin and bear it I guess. Any Moms with tips for getting SUPER organized I would greatly appreciate them. I make sure all the bags are fully stocked, lunches are packed, clothes are laid out, and all baths are done the night before. All I have to do in the morning is get the kids dressed, feed them breakfast, pump milk for the baby, put freezer bags in lunch boxes and load the car with our ten trillion bags. Some how I still always feel like I am running from one thing to the next. Thanks for listening to me rant tonight. :)

Well I hope everyone has a GREAT week!!

Upcoming Features

Starting in September I am going to be featuring some of my favorite Etsy.com shops. Stay tuned to find out all about the brains behind the great finds on Etsy. In case you have not heard about this wonderful web site it is devoted to all things handmade. The perfect place to find quality presents for the ones you love. Don't forget to pick out a few things for yourself while you are there. After all you deserve it!! What are you waiting for....go check it out there is something for everyone!


If you are an Etsy shop owner and would be interested in a feature leave a comment and your contact information.

READY TO SHIP ITEMS & New Flickr Account

I am working on adding READY TO SHIP items to our shop. Since a lot of our items take a couple of days to create I have decided to offer some of our favorites that you will not have to wait on. Perfect for the procrastinator in all of us. :) All the READY TO SHIP items will be shipped out within 24 hours of receiving payment.

We now have a Flickr account...Add us as a contact!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27787053@N04/

There's no place like home

We had fun at the Watermelon Festival last weekend. I think most people enjoyed their sample bags that we handed out. Sales were pretty good but I would have liked them to be better.

We have been out of town for almost a month and a half. It sure is nice settling down in my own house again! It has been raining the whole time we have been home but I could not care less. The rain is calming and the temperature is a little more than 20 degrees cooler.

I am getting some gift baskets ready for a competition on Craftbits.com. If you enter the competition any time during the month of september you will have a chance to win one of two gift baskets. They both have 4 large cupcake bath bombs, 4 small cupcake bath bombs and 4 bath cookies. The cupcakes are our most popular item in our shop.

Sample Bags for the Watermelon Festival

Pictures of the sample bags as promised

Thank you Etsy.com shop owners

The bags are ready to go!

Most of the bags are teal and white. There are about 15 that are red and white.

Contents of a bag

Another bag


The sample bags are ready for their new owners. Thank you to all of the Etsy.com shop owners that sent their wonderful items! No two bags are the same since there were several who sent one of a kind items and some that were not able to send 50 items. I divided up all of the wonderful samples that were sent to me and made all the bags as even as possible. They have all kinds of goodies from necklaces, bracelets, rings, soap, pins, magnets, notebooks, gift tags, tea, stickers, iron on patches, cards, photos, candle tarts, brooches, bath salt, key chains, book marks, beads, discounts, and much, much more.


The bags will be given away on saturday Aug. 9th at the Hope Watermelon Festival

That's much better

GREAT NEWS!! COLD A/C

We were able to get our booth for the Watermelon Festival moved into an air conditioned building. We are going to be in the Horticultural Building at the fair grounds on friday and saturday. Our old booth location was outside. That was not good since it is over 100 degrees!

Get 10% off your purchase just for metioning this blog!

Don't forget the FREE bags filled with handmade items being given away at our booth on saturday.

Festival Progress

Just wanted to update the progress for the festival. What we have ready so far.... bath bombs in several different sizes, sea salt bath salts, lip balm, body scrub, massage oil, glove animals, washcloth lollipops, washcloth peppermints, bath cookies, cupcake bath bombs and cards. Basically everything available in our shop will be for sale at the festival.

If you would like to check out the festival web site I have included it in todays blog.

Watermelon Festival Aug. 7th-10th

Festival Web Site
http://www.hopechamberofcommerce.com/festival_info.htm


Don't forget we will be passing out FREE GOODIE BAGS donated by fellow Etsy shop owners on saturday!! Hurry there are only 50 available.

Watermelon Festival Here We Come!

We are getting ready to go to the Watermelon Festival in Hope, Arkansas. The watermelon festival is full of arts, crafts, concerts, exhibits, and family fun! I graduated from Hope High School so I am excited about going back. If you are in the area we would love to see you! We will be giving away 50 FREE bags filled with all kinds of goodies donated by fellow Etsy shop owners.

We were out of town the last month and just returned home last night so I better go work on festival merchandise.


Check out our new lotion bars, glove animals and cards that we have added to the shop. We also added a few new scents to our fragrance list available for most bath and body products.

Have a GREAT day!
Dave & Melissa
www.pampermeplease.etsy.com