Leaning On the Promises

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God – Epheshians 6:13 – 17

Canes may not be a listed piece of the armor of God, but remember the miracles God performed using Moses’ walking stick? Judy Goddard, owner of Leaning on the Promises, uses her talent to create beautiful canes. Sometimes a person needs a little help standing, whether it’s on the promises or on the pavement.

What is a puzzle cane?

My canes contain word puzzles. They don't come apart or have moving parts. Each puzzle cane has an inscription that is either a prayer or portion of scripture that is incorporated in such a way that it is very difficult to read unless you know the key. At the bottom of each puzzle cane page in my shop is an explanation of how to read a puzzle cane.

How did you get started painting?

I was a volunteer, working at my local hospital, on the oncology ward. As an artist I would go into a patient's room and start up a conversation. I would offer to paint a picture for them. Usually I would offer to paint a picture of their favorite place, either a favorite vacation spot, a childhood home, a favorite park, etc. I would ask them details and as they remembered, I would try to capture it. In this way, I got them to forget, for at least a little while, that they were the hospital undergoing chemo. It was kind of like a mini vacation. And then afterwards, they had a painting to take home that was a good memory of a maybe not so good time in their life, That was where I learned to stretch my skills and pay closer attention to details.

I love your shop name, LeaningOnThePromises. Did this just come to you or did you sit and think about it a while?

I knew that my puzzle canes would be inspirational in nature, a reflection of my Christian faith and, hopefully, a comfort for others. I fished around for a few days and when the name, "Leaning on the Promises" came to me I knew it was just right!

Are you at a point in your life where you have to use a cane?

Right now I am not in need of a cane. The first one I painted was for my God mother, who is elderly. She had gone through a serious illness and after her recovery still needed a little help staying steady on her feet. Especially as she was preparing to take her husband on a cruise through the Panama Canal!

Any thing else that you would like to add?

Not all of my canes are puzzle canes. I realize that not everyone who would appreciate a beautiful cane is interested in an inspirational one. So I also make beautiful hand painted ones that have no writing on them. I call them, "Non Puzzle Canes". 

I also have a Pinterest account under JudyAGoddard, and Stumbleupon also.  My blog is www.JudyAGoddardArtisan.blogspot.com

Both Judy and her canes are a work of art and a labor of love.  She would love to work with you on a custom cane for you or your loved one.

Penny and Paper

Having fun is high on my priority list, and I love looking at Penny and Paper's shop, because it makes me feel fun!  I dare you to take me seriously while I wear this purple elephant necklace!

Of course, I could always purchase a set of her mystical eye hairpins and confirm for my children that I really do have eyes in the back of my head.

But don't let my penchant for fun throw you off course.  She has plenty of elegant items in her product line, too.

Where do you get the images that you use for your broaches?

The images on the brooches are actually made from printed vintage illustrations, which have then been applied to wood and cut out. Some are actually photographs of an item, which is the case with the camera brooch. They’re a great find, because I can create necklaces, rings and brooches from them, and they have that unique vibe! I’ve made some hair pins from these as well; I’ve made a crown pin in honor of the upcoming Royal nuptials...I mean, I love my husband and all, but let’s face it, I’d leave him for the throne of England.

What’s up with the pig broach? Don’t get me wrong—I love pigs. I eat them all the time. But why a pig broach?

I like accessories, which have a slight degree of quirkiness to them, but would blend well into any outfit. I think a pig is completely unexpected, but entirely cute! Though quirky, I think he is understated enough so that people go, "Oh, a pig!" Rather than, "What is that on her coat?!" I could see myself pinning this little guy on my blazer as I stroll through an apple orchard or something, doing something rustic, like making butter, or a table.

You really have such a great, fun variety available, as far as the items you use to create your pieces. Your unicorn rings seem to be a customer favorite. I’m leaning toward the porthole necklace, but I’m drawn to that pink pig, too. Which piece is your favorite?

I’m aiming to have a wide variety of jewelry available, which would appeal to many tastes and styles...but I think it’s important not to create and sell anything I wouldn’t wear myself. I would wear everything! However, currently, my favorite is my Littlefoot Brontosaurus Necklace, which is inspired by my favorite 80s movie which I would watch as a child over and over again, "The Land Before Time." I also love the Artax Horse Cameo ring, named for Artax, the trusty horse in the "Never Ending Story," who met a tragic end in the Swamp of Sorrows. I think it’s nice to honor him.

I’m not a fashionista, and I don’t keep up with the current trends. But the way you are mounting some of your necklaces is so intriguing! Is this a new fashion or something that you came up with on your own?

To be honest, I actually have no idea! When attempting to construct a piece of jewelry, I experiment with various techniques to see what works and what looks good and is functional. I’ve only been creating since January, when I learned about Etsy while planning for my wedding, and thought, that would be awesome to try! As I continue to expand my repertoire of skills and styles, I find myself looking to see what people are wearing, and what might be "in". I think I’m more influenced by seasons in thinking of what to create thematically...while stuck in the unending New England dreary winter, I found myself thinking of the summer sun, and I created several nautical pieces. I’m a teacher by day, and I am looking forward to the summer when hopefully I can take some classes to learn from the pros some new techniques and ideas for creating!

I was going through your favorite shops (lots of goodies there!) and noticed a recurring theme of dogs. This site (All You Need is Pug) literally had me crying I was laughing so hard. Your profile pic is also a pug. Do you own one of these pugly dogs?

Well, I love pugs. Period. When I was growing up as an only child, I was always surrounded by them-- Gypsy, Patricia, Tina, Molly, Katie and Meghan. Oh, yes, they all had human names, with the exception of Gypsy, who was given away to my parents because she would not get along with her owner’s three chihuahuas. (I mean, really, who can blame her?)  These puggies became my sisters practically, and thus my pug obsession was cultivated since birth. Meghan is featured in my profile to honor her; she lived to a ripe age of fifteen! They are funny, adorable, bratty, obstinate and the sweetest creatures. Since I’ve discovered Etsy, I’ve had a compulsion to search for pug related material, call my mother to discuss it, and then favorite it. Sometimes I feel bad for people in my Circle, but then, I figure they must be pug people too, else they wouldn’t have circled me! Currently, I have a crazy looking mutt named Albie, who I rescued last year. He is my first non-pug, and it’s working out well...I like to think he’s part pug, because he is so lazy. His DNA is being processed (oh yes, you can analyze your Mutt’s DNA), and I await anxiously for the results.

Are you feeling fun yet?  Well, if you're not, then it's not Penny and Paper's fault.  If you're fun-o-meter is broken, then go get your own purple elephant necklace post-haste.  It's funner than watching a four-foot-man-eating-chicken!



Penny and Paper can be found at the following locations:

Etsy:  http://www.pennyandpaper.etsy.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyandpapershop
Twitter: www.twitter.com/penny_and_paper

Artlife

Um, are you maximizing your flair?  (Office Space--must-see movie and must-have soundtrack!)  If you happen to need a few additional pieces of flair, then might I recommend Artlife?  In her shop, you can find super cute pin-back buttons/fridge magnets.  Even if you don't sport multiple pieces, everyone could use a good wearable conversation starter.  This might be the button for that single barfly in your life.

Whiskey does a lot more than make me frisky, so I had to give it up! What is your favorite drink?

I do still drink whiskey on occasion, but my favorite drink these days is a big tall glass of lemonade!! Oh and I do love a cold beer after a hard days work!

Your "Letters from the Future" idea is so intriguing! There are a lot of things up in the air right now in my own life, and I am definitely excited about writing myself a letter. I have a 9-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter, and I have kept a journal since my son was born to give to him later in life. I look back at the things I’ve written and laugh. One post said, "Gas is $1.55 a gallon! How ridiculous!" lol. It’s been over a year since you wrote your own letter in January 2010. I have to know how it all ended up.

When I wrote my letter I was concentrating more on note cards and notebooks and some fridge magnets in my shop. So I would say the biggest surprise to come from "the year that really happened" was that I switched my focus to pin-back buttons and fridge magnets only. I really geared up for a busy Christmas season 2010 and it did not disappoint. Xmas 2010 was my best Christmas rush ever on Etsy and it was almost too much to keep up with all of the orders! I'd say the best part of doing the letter to the future exercise is to stretch your imagination—think big and write down things that you might not expect from yourself. The worst that can happen is that you will not do the thing you wrote down and the best is that you will and the dream you wrote down does in fact come true! I might also suggest doing this on a monthly basis so that you can better track your goals and progress. It really is an exercise to get those goals down on paper and to start thinking about just how you plan on enacting those goals. The big thing I learned from this past year is if you get "a bee in your bonnet" so to speak – don't be afraid to run with the new idea or goal. I switched my whole Etsy shop around to focus on the pin-back buttons and fridge magnets and in 3 months time got as many sales on Etsy as I had in the prior 4 years!!

On your blog, I noticed that you posted quite a bit in 2007 and 2009, but the other years are kind of hit and miss. Are you going to try to rebuild your blog or do you feel that facebook/twitter are better means for you at this point?

Like a lot of blogs, the attention I pay to it has been hit and miss over the years. It is something that I've been meaning to spend more time with but other priorities have taken precedent. I can't say which has been better for my business but I like having the variety of twitter/facebook/blogging even though sometimes depending what is going on in my life and business I do tend to ignore them at times.

You have your Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Are you using it outside of your Etsy business?

I would say that the BFA I got at VCU (now famous for sending our little known basketball team to the Final Four this year!!) is always informing my art and my art business. Even though I'm not painting anymore, it seems the years I spent in art school helped me hone my eye and graphic/spacial/image making abilities and my art business will always be geared around the image and using graphical language to communicate. Pin-back buttons seem like the perfect, small, inexpensive, art based way to communicate visually right now for me!!

You can purchase the items in her store pre-packaged for a gift exchange or in just good ol' bubble-wrap for yourself.  When the single barfly in your life is ready to start on a new journey, don't worry, there's a follow-up button for just those situations! 

Of course, these are just a few of her creations.  There are lots of others that are just as cute!  I also love the "Don't mind me.  I'm just making mountains out of molehills."  Go find your favorite at any of the locations below.

Blog: mysillyartlife.blogspot.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/artlife
Twitter: twitter.com/artlife_etsy
Other (etsy): www.etsy.com/shop/artlife

Piper Bella Boutique

Recently, a lady in my community gave me some wonderful knitted dishrags.  After using them I thought, "Wow!  These are wondeful!  What could be better than these?"  After sorting through Piper Bella Boutique, I think I found something better!

Piper Bella Boutique sells these fabulous, stylish, colorful, and machine-washable dish scrubbies.  They come in all sorts of colors and in packs of three.

By your shop announcement, I glean that you weren’t expecting your scrubbies to take off quite the way they have. So far this month, you’ve sold roughly 40 scrubbies (3 in a pack). Are you stocked up or just making the orders as the come in?

I totally wasn't expecting for the scrubbies to sell much, I kind of decided to sell them as an afterthought and because I thought they were cool, but I certainly didn't really expect anyone else to think so! I really wish I was stocked up on them and that was my original plan, but it takes every moment of my spare time (when I'm not at work or taking care of the kids!) just to keep up with the orders!

I know a little bit about dish-warshing (haha, that’s how some people say it in the South). There were 5 girls in the house growing up, and my dad refused to get a dishwasher as long as he had so many girls! (I never thought I would say this but, "Thank you, Dad!") I did a search on the other dish scrubbies out there and, to me, your dish scrubbies do have the best design. Did you figure this out on your own?

I wish I could take credit for the amazing pattern, but I'm NOT a designer! I find most of my patterns, including this one, on a fantastic website called www.Ravelry.com  ! If you work with yarn - you need to sign up for it, it's totally free and has tons of free patterns! Some day I would love to try designing my own patterns, but I was born a baker and if you don't follow the recipe when you're baking and put in baking powder instead of baking soda, nothing turns out!

Over at Piper Bella Boutique, she also makes barrettes that are just as colorful!  Cute, polka-dotted ones!

How do you treat the ribbon to prevent fraying?

This truly isn't a big secret - I got the info off of YouTube! You just hold the ribbon ends really close to an open flame and the ends will melt! Sometimes I accidentally light them on fire and have an "oh no!" moment, but my house is still standing!

What do you use for the non-slip grip?

That is just some ingenious little strips of rubberized foam with super sticky backing that I put on the clip and it holds like a dream!! I could put these clips on a combover! (which my 11 month old daughter seems to have at the moment! :)

I noticed that one of the treasuries that you created is "Autism Speaks Through Art". What part has autism played in your own life?

I have been fortunate that I actually haven't had any personal experience with autism, but I am truly inspired by people with what the world would call "disabilities". I think the world would be a better place if we could look at it through the eyes of innocence like they do!

Any additional information you would like for me to include on the interview?

I have a true passion for crafting in almost any form! Every time I see a new craft I want to try it! I currently know how to knit, crochet, paper craft, poetry, make basic jewelry and of course hair clips, but I am constantly discovering new crafts that I want to try! On my to do list are needle felting, paper quilling, calligraphy, polymer clay work, papercutting, origami, drawing (I'm currently working on this and am not very good!), and sewing...just to name some of them!

As determined as she seems to be, I know that she will conquer them all!  Let's just hope she has a long, long life!

Links to Piper Bella Boutique:

Shop:  http://www.assortedmiscellany.etsy.com/

Blog: www.onlineshopspotlight.blogspot.com  If you are an Etsian and follow her blog, one item from your shop will eventually be featured on the My Favorite Things page!!)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PiperBellaBoutique

Twitter: @PiperBellaBoutique

Hopscotch Couture

Miss Marelle is the inspiration behind my wanting to showcase Etsy stores that benefit charities.  She is the classic example of Carpe Diem!  That's "Seize the Day!" in case you were wondering.  What wonderful words!  (Seize:  to take hold of suddenly or forcibly)  Although I'm perfectly healthy, as a dear friend once pointed out, some of us die healthy.  You never know what the day will have in store for you. 

Pictured here is a beautiful purse, Miss Envy.  I adore the compact mirror on the front!  Read on to find out why I adore Miss Marelle even more!

I read on your profile that you have a disability. Based on your work, you look pretty able to me! Would you mind sharing with us what that disability is?

For most of my life, I had very high blood pressure, 225/115 was normal for me. Finally at the age of 34 it was found that my aorta was completely shut, co-arctation of the aorta. Usually it is found at birth and is a narrowing of the aorta, mine was completely shut. I had massive open heart surgery and my surgeon told me I should have died on the 7th day of my life. I was adopted and the only record I have about this is, I was a blue baby. I am a miracle. I still have a bi-cuspid aortic valve that is not yet fixed, and a non related birth defect, chiari malformation. The combination of these health issue make it impossible to have any other career besides art. I was born to create and I cherish and value each and every day. I look at it this way, if I wasn't so ill, I wouldn't have time to make all these beautiful pieces. I do work as fast as I can, because, that 7 day lifespan has changed to 46 years, I don't want to waste one minute.

Share with us about the Hopscotch Hands on Exhibit for the Blind and what was your motivation for founding this charity?

I spent 3 years after my surgery just painting. I wanted to exhibit my art and got a collection together. Finding it very hard to get my art shown, I got very down about it. As I was running my hand over one of my 3d pieces, With Child, it just came to me, I bet the blind would like to touch this. I sent e-mails to every blind council I could find to see if it was something they would like. I was invited to their yearly convention in Harrisburg PA. The president touched a 3d portrait of a little boy and said, he had not had sight since he was 5, but, he got an image when he touched that painting. I was over joyed. I have shown this exhibit several times. Once with the Trans Siberian Orchestra and another with the Blind Boys of Alabama. Not too bad for a gal that just wanted her work to be viewed. Blind and sighted people absolutely love my work, I couldn't be happier about that. I would love to include other artist work. The only stipulation is, it must be 3d portraits, preferably celebrities. The blind understand faces. They don't get sunsets, landscapes or colors.

Where do you find your purses that you breathe new life into?

The purses I use come from estate sales, auctions and online sites. I am currently trying to put a purse drive together so others can contribute to this charity as well. The just have to be perfect on the inside, I can turn any flaws outside the purse into a work of art.

I love the idea of naming each purse after a lady. Do you ever run short of names?

I have been naming these purses for 6 years now and I have yet to run out. I don't ever plan to use the same name twice. There are variations used, Kate, Kaitlyn, Kattie, but, never the same. Each purse comes with a certificate with the name and number of the purse on it. I keep a running list of those names and numbers to make certain a duplicate doesn't occur.

Do you have someone that helps you in your shop or are you the only bag lady?

I make all the purses, accessories, and paintings. Also, I do the photography and the website. My daughter and her teenage friends help out with naming purses, shipping and tagging. Every box we ship out is recycled from a local art supply store. They cover any logos or text on the boxes with pretty pieces of paper. Their boxes are really quite beautiful. We all really like the fact that a good 95% off all materials used at Hopscotch Couture are previously loved vintage items. Going green was and always will be our goal.

When I say Couture, I really mean that. There isn't one item I have made that even I can recreate. All the jewelry, fabrics, trims, and accessories are true vintage items of the highest quality. Only One for the One and Only You. That is my slogan and my promise.

Hopscotch Couture offers more than purses!  She has headbands, jewelry, and vintage items, too!

Check her out at http://www.hopscotch22.etsy.com/.

Pad and Quill

Look closely.  Do you see the MacBook in this picture?

Still looking?  Okay, what about now....

But Pad&Quill's amazing line of products doesn't just stop with the MacBook.  They offer these wonderful book-style cases for Kindles, iPhones, and iPads as well.  So ingenious!  But even if I had come up with this idea first, I'm still lacking in the carpentry/book-binding experience.  Thankfully for you and your iPhone, Brian isn't!





I have an HTC Inspire, and I would love love love to have one of your cases. Are you planning on expanding your products to include non-Apple devices?

We have looked at many different phones. The reason we are currently just with the iPhone is that the refresh cycle is once a year. We are finding that the android market is so fragmented with new devices coming out every 3 weeks that making hand made cases for this market is tough on a start up company development budget.

Since this is a family-operated business, who gets to do what?

Well...depends on the order volume. The last 3 weeks with the launching of our new iPad 2 case we have truly had some working family weekends around here! Let's just say the 10 year old has earned the cash needed to acquire the new lego set he's been dreaming about. Kari, my spouse, does most of our accounting and payroll and the eldest daughter works about every weekend helping fit cases. We have several great employees in customer service and shipping who have been a big key to our success.

Has your dog chewed up any of your orders yet?

The dog, a she-poo, has not chewed up cases, but has found it quite strange that I'm home during most of the week now. She used this to her advantage as her begging works well with me and about 3 months ago Mrs. Pad&Quill banned me from giving her any more cheese during the day. Let's just say she waddled more then walked....

Are you going to make any changes to your items or are you happy with the product as it currently stands? (I personally think it rocks just like it is!)

We are always looking for ways to improve our products. One example would be the new iPad case. We included a small rare earth magnet that shuts the screen off automatically when you close our book. I tend to be a perfectionist, so I'm always looking for new ways to make the design, feel and function a bit better. Please do not ask Mrs. P&Q about this character trait as the answer will be a bit more...honest.

Are you still pursuing your other businesses or are you focusing solely on this business?

I went full time with Pad&Quill late last summer. I left a failing start up that was unfortunately very damaging to our finances. The idea around this type of product line came to me a few months prior to my departure from the old start up. By the time the money was drying up, Pad&Quill was beginning to pick up. We see this little idea as such a divine gift to our family. As the two prior years had been very difficult financially and emotionally.

I'm loving the wood form that you are using. Did you give any consideration to using a foam form?

We have considered other materials then wood, but our signature feature is the russian baltic birch plywood that we use in every case. This plentiful hardwood so perfectly mimics 'pages' and has become our key differentiator from other competitors that we will be using it for quite some time.

Our overall passion is taking the art entrepreneurship and being great stewards with whatever gift of an idea is given to us. I'm not sure if Pad&Quill could have been more perfect. My wife is a classical literature buff and I'm a complete technology geek. It was a marriage...made for our marriage!

This line of products meets and exceeds all my expectations when it comes to form and function!  Just a wonderful work of art that anyone would be overjoyed to receive.  Durable, stylish, and made right here in the USA!  And with almost 1,000 sales in under 9 months, I'm not the only one who thinks so!

Visit Pad&Quill here to order your own bookbindery device case!  They are constantly relisting so if you don't see the one that you are wanting, just send them a convo. 

Marla J Designs

Here comes the bride, all dressed in black. 

Seriously, I wore white at my second wedding!  And I was pregnant.  (Just barely, though.  Can you be barely pregnant?)  Um, hello, NOT a virgin!  Add that to the "It Seemed Like A Good Idea at The Time" page, lol. 

If I had seen this veil, I'm thinking I would have worn black.

If you keep an eye on the treasuries list, you are bound to have seen this veil.  It's a definite favorite, for obvious reasons.

Not only is the item stunning, but paired with this model/photo it is a head-turner.  One that will most assuredly catch your eye over the other thumbnails.

Before I go any further, I want everyone to shout "Happy Birthday, Marla!"  She's 60 today, so that's why we had to shout, lol!  I'm such a character tonight.  Must have been those 2 large mugs of coffee at 7:30.  Caffeine enchances my personality, and that can be a scary thing sometimes.

I was so intrigued by Marla and her veils that I sent her 6 questions!  Somebody stop me!  (Think Jim Carey in "The Mask".)

The pictures that are used in your black Noir petite birdcage are stunning. Did you hire out a professional photographer and model for this particular shot?

A customer who purchased this veil for a photo shoot (Alice Hu Photograpy) very graciously gave me these pictures. They're beautiful, aren't they?

I can’t help but think of disasters when I think of weddings. Do you have a "disaster" experience that you wouldn’t mind sharing?

A disaster, huh? Well, let me put it this way. I have learned a long time ago to not let anything be sent or walk out of a bridal salon unless I feel my best was done. I also ask myself if I'd want my daughters to wear the work I've done. This is such a special, hopefully once in a life time event, that brides have a right to want and expect the best you can do.

Which veil style most closely resembles the one you wore at your own wedding?

Actually, I eloped! I've always regretted not having a big wedding and I think I'm fulfilling some strange inner need by being involved in the weddings business for as long as I've been! I also do alterations at a bridal salon, which is another venue for selling my veils, fascinators, and jewelry . It's just fun!

Have you had any unusual custom orders? Brides these days seem to get carried away a bit with having oddball weddings.

I've created alot of custom work, and I guess I'm just getting the traditional, with a slight edge, requests. I have alot of brides coming to me with their ideas and requests but nothing too oddball. Alot of fabulous ideas actually!

Since this material is so delicate to work with, do you have lots of "oopsies"?

When I first started creating veils years ago, I was sitting at the dining room table with my old sewing maching (I have a studio AND a sewing room AND a fabulous new sewing machine now) trying to learn the lettuce edge for a veil. I wasted soooo much tulle. This edging is beautiful and soooo feminine but can be difficult to get under control.

How many orders do you expect to ship out for this year's June brides?

My sales have grown steadily thru the years. Each year has been a bit more than the last. I'm always looking for a way to expand or improve my work, and this year I'm expecting a 25% increase over last year.

Marla also sales other hair accessories for brides.  She has sold over 1200 of her products.  Make sure you do something special for YOURSELF today, Marla!

Marla's shop can be seen here.

Here is a treasury I did some weeks back that features her black noir veil.

'The Kansas Side' by MamaMellyMartin

Absence (of color) makes the heart grow fonder

Romeo and Juliet - ... ClassicKeepsak... $28.00	Vintage Vanity set ... oragracevintag... $125.00	Retro Kitty Cameo N... lunarbelle $18.50	Noir PETITE BirdCag... MarlaJDesigns $23.00
Glass Magnet Trio -... LivyLouDesigns $5.95	FREE SHIPPING World... PrintsByFormed... $10.00	Sterling Silver Bir... AppaloosaDesig... $22.00	Crackle Canvas I, 1... BethFossenDesi... $19.50
Silver Stackable Bl... RootsJewelry $82.00	Obsidian Dream Earr... bdavisSynergy $10.00	Black and White Dis... jojobeandesign... $22.00	Lucky clover earrin... AhoyLove $14.50
Vintage 1950s Moder... Revvie1 $45.00	Vintage Natural Whi... VintageScraps $10.00	Vintage 1950s Smith... TheFancyLamb $82.00	Book Of Hands Cover... ThePolkadotMag... $35.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Beantown Handmade

I think I just woke my family up from laughing!  This dog is hilarious!  Especially this dog in these pictures:

Even if you're not a fan of the bug-eyed breed (I can say that because I am the proud owner of one!), you will definitely become a fan of these pictures.  Hence the ingenious idea of making "Bean in Hats" stickers available.  She not only offers a variety of great products, but great advice, too!  (That's a recurring theme on this blog!)  Some of her other products are collars, bows, bandanas, jackets, stickers, card, and hand-painted portraits of your pooch (or other furry friend, even ol' Tripod, even though he's not four-legged anymore.)  More than just good looks are growing this business, people!

I first noticed Beantown when I saw Bean's pictures in one of Anne's articles on http://www.handmadeology.com/. 

I don't care who you are, that's funny right thar! 

Let's delve into the most important question first: What is Bean's stud fee?

Haha, you may or may not be surprised but that's not actually the first time people have asked me that - and they were serious. Sorry ladies, Bean was neutered when he was just a pup.

In a private convo we had, you mentioned that you take Bean to a park to play. Is this one of your advertising means? Not that that is the sole purpose, but we all know smart business owners look for creative ways to advertise.  Everyone loves advertising in action.

We are fortunate enough to have a very large dog park on several acres with trees and a creek, so it's not so much a place for us to see other people or network. It is a great place for Bean and Lily to go and just be dogs and get filthy from time to time.

I've had many referrals from customers who've shown off their duds at dog parks in more metropolitan areas like Denver, Seattle and San Francisco. I even had a referral from a woman who saw a dog inside Bloomingdales in Manhattan with one of our sweater and hat sets on - I didn't know they allowed that! Having products seen out in the world is definitely great advertising.

When you made your first piece, was your intent to start a business or was the business something that evolved out of your creation?

I went to school for art and I got my MFA in printmaking, so when I started crocheting sweaters for Bean it was more for fun and not with a business plan in mind. I certainly hadn't planned on the scope of what I'm doing now, which is a full time business. Things started small on Etsy - I think I only posted 5 items the first month. I posted two dog hats I had made thinking no one would buy them and was totally unprepared for the enthusiastic response! From there things grew and I was constantly playing catch up on the business end. For my first year on Etsy I created mostly custom items and picked up a few wholesale clients. Last year I branched out and created my own website, attended craft shows, pursued more advertising and wholesale opportunities and made more of a financial investment in my business.

You recently passed the the 1,000 sales marker. Do you celebrate milestones in your company?

Every sale is still an exciting validation and a thrill, and now that my livelihood depends on those sales it's taken on a bit more meaning. For our 100th and 500th sales I offered celebratory discounts in our shop. The 1,000th sale happened during the holiday season and that was a sleepless blur! I think I took a screen shot in between creating and packaging products and shouted something to my husband downstairs. I always thank our customers when the shop reaches a milestone, because I wouldn't get there without their continued support.

Do you feel like you finally have a handle on this thing?

I am still learning so many things about being a small business owner, but that's mostly because I keep trying to grow my business and take on new things (and eventually world domination). I feel like I have a grip on selling online, and I finally understand more about craft shows and selling wholesale. But there are always second guesses and hesitation when it comes to investing money and taking risks. A friend told me the saying, "the first year you feed your business, the second year your business feeds itself, the third year your business feeds you." Next year will be my third year and I hope that rings true!

Just incase you didn't leave this article a long time ago to scope out Bean, here is one more link to Beantown Handmade.  Enjoy the view!