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Sew creative!
Topics: handmade, Gifts, artists, crafters, Etsy, online shopping, Bakersfield talent
Posted by OKJaime Sat Sep 20, 2008 14:33:34 PDT
Viewed 550 times
0 responses 1 comment Location: Bakersfield, CA

I am privileged to live in a community where creativity and the arts are alive and well! I enjoy a variety of local artistic talent showcased in local shops and boutiques, at the Kern County Fair, and at craft fairs. I began my own crafting journey as a small child making yarn dolls and, when I was old enough to sew on a machine, purses from old pairs of jeans. In high school I made my junior homecoming dress and I was hooked. Though I went to college with an English/communications degree in mind, I graduated with a bachelor of science in home economics, with an emphasis in clothing. Since then, I have dabbled in everything from reupholstering chairs to creating dresses for entire wedding parties, from making quilts to repairing flags, all the while trying to find my niche.

I recently found a crafty Web site that has provided me with tons of inspiration and direction: www.Etsy.com. A friend told me about Etsy (said like “Betsy” minus the B) about a year ago as I was gearing up for a local craft fair. When I finally looked into it months later, I couldn’t believe what I had found. Etsy is “your place to buy and sell all things handmade!” It is a gathering place for artists all over the world — from graphic artists and photographers, to up-and-coming clothing and jewelry designers, and everything in between. Since my son was born in February, a whole new world of sewing has opened up for me. On maternity leave, I opened my Etsy store, www.jaimesews.etsy.com, selling baby quilts and accessories. However, I have recently returned to my sewing roots and am in the process of drawing my own children’s clothing patterns. Through conversations with other moms, I was made aware of a need for clothing to fit children who are tall and slender. This line of clothing, starting with jeans and concentrating on this particular fitting issue, will be the new focus of my Etsy store in the near future.

As a seller, Etsy offers a virtual storefront to showcase and sell handmade items worldwide. I had considered selling online before, but the task of generating traffic to my personal Web site seemed daunting, especially because I work full time. However, every item I list on Etsy is entered into their search engine and there are teams and an online community to help with networking and building product awareness. Listing merchandise is similar to listing on eBay in that you start with a title and description of your item and set your price and shipping preferences, but Etsy’s 20 cent fee allows you to upload five pictures and the listing is good for four months (final cost fees also apply).

As a shopper on Etsy, not only do you have your pick of thousands of one-of-a-kind, amazing and unique items, but many store owners offer custom services! You can search for a specific type of item (baby accessories, journals, jewelry, etc.), for a particular color, or a particular seller. One of my favorite Etsy features is the ability to “Shop Local.” By inserting “Bakersfield, CA” in the Shop Local search, you can search through half a dozen pages of sellers from right here in town! Buying handmade from Bakersfield vendors supports the local economy and allows you to give something truly unique for birthdays, baby showers, and the upcoming holidays. To the right is a small sampling of the Bakersfield vendors I’ve come to know on Etsy.com, and there are many more! 

• www.geelizzie.etsy.com - hand crafted soldered glass pendants
• www.teresatudor.etsy.com –features recycled game pieces such as scrabble, sudoku and domino, which are made into jewelry pendants. She uses printed paper and a non-toxic glaze to make each piece.
• www.cambriascreations.etsy.com - features beautiful handmade jewelry using only the finest in semi-precious stones. Cambria, who is 13, has been running her own business since the age of 10 and stays busy with ETSY, craft fairs and custom orders.
• www.pammydawn.etsy.com - Specializing in hand-made crafts to capture the fun and innocence of childhood, Pammy Dawn creations are perfect gifts for unique accents to outfits, birthday party favors, or just for fun!! Pammy Dawn is dedicated to making one-of-a-kind clips and accessories for babies, girls, and women that are simple, sweet, and fun.
• www.thejuicypeach.etsy.com – "The Juicy Peach offers handcrafted altered art domino jewelry, ranging from necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets. Fun, unique, conversational pieces all at buyer friendly prices."
• www.simplyshay.etsy.com & www.simplydoodles.etsy.com  - Shay sells from both stores, featuring jewelry in "Simply Shay" and graphics in her "simply doodles" store.
• www.jaimesews.etsy.com - Featuring baby quilts and accessories. Also offering a line of children's custom fitted jeans starting in December!

 

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Comment From: NATALIE

I discovered Etsy about a year ago and LOVE perusing the virtual marketplace. It's a great place to find really unique jewelry that you can bet no one else has because so many of the pieces are really mini art projects that are one of a kind. It's also a great site to shop for gifts. I'm going to visit the other sites right now and check out our local talent!