Mamaslittlemonkeys is our featured Chatter

Mamaslittlemonkeys is a fabulous little Etsy shop with all sorts of goodies. You can find everything from Baby Bibs, to duckie soaps, to clothes and more!

Mamaslittlemonkeys.Etsy.Com is also giving away a set of 12 wipes/cloths. All you need to do is go to her shop, come back here and tell me your favorite item. Next Friday we will randomly select a winner to receive this awesome, useful gift.

Now.. Let's get to know our mamaslittlemonkeys.....

1. Who is mamaslittlemonkey? A former rodeo clown....okay, no really, a mom, wife, friend, sister, blogger, handmade lover, seamstress, soaper, indie music loving, etsyholic, fabricholic, soapaholic crazy lady who happens to sell some nifty creations for baby, mom and more!

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it? On www.mamaslittlemonkeys.com I do a little bit of everything, clothing, toys, blankets (I heart minky!), recycled crayons, photography, graphics, soap, gifts, gag gifts, and more! On www.fleurdeink.com that is purely my flower pens...something i used to love as a teacher and the only flower I can't kill....


Some CUTE Duckie Soaps!

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from? For MLM, my kids mostly! I don't have girls, so I get my 'girly' tendencies out there, and my boys inspire many of the prints I use (pirates are popular as of late....). On FDI, I just love flowers but have the blackest thumb EVER, so I love that i can have flowers that are functional, pretty and I can't kill. For my soaps, I just love them! Handmade soap is my porn. (can i say that? LOL) I love the colors, fragrances, the mad scientist aspect of it! I only do melt and pour as of now but am DYING to get into Cold process at some point!! ( as soon as I move through my current stock of soap/fabric supplies!)
4. What is your favorite medium? Sewing: minky..it is a PAIN in the butt to sew, but a good minky (yes there is bad minky), is just so freaking luxurious you just HAVE to touch it. I've been known to just wander the fabric aisles fondling everything. Soap: I love the fleur de lis mold...I'm still perfecting my black and gold "Saints" soap for the New Orleans Saints. It's my mission in life to get it PERFECT. And I only use soaps that are SLS free and as pure as possible. Flower pens: the 'realistic' roses...they feel so real and are just lovely to look at and feel. (can you tell I'm a tactile person?)

5. Is Etsy your art your full time job, or just an on the side project? Right now, hobby. I've spent FAR too much ON etsy and on my fabric/soap supplies to actually pull a 'profit' at this point! :) But I plan on doing it for a long time! My 'real' job (besides being mommy), is I work from home as Public Relations/Promotions/Blogger for Blockhead Radio. You can check them out at http://www.blockheadradiolive.com. Its a great place for artisans and we focus on exposing artisans to the world. Check out the Artisans challenge and our charity sampler box that's going on now!

6. How did you find Etsy?this is the sad part. I honestly do NOT remember!! I think I found it from friends on a mommy networking site, but I honestly can't recall!

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT? Because there are awesome freaking ppl there!! :) I just like hanging with people who also support and love handmade! And every now and then I get a sale! :) (ok I mostly go to chat...LOL)

Want something net to keep the kiddies occupied on those car trips? What about one of these crayon rolls?:



8. What is your favorite piece that you have done? Mmmmm. Sewn items, this is my latest: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22874549 I just LOVE michael Miller and the minky is devine.
Soap: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22742845 this gift basket is a baby of mine...something I decided to do months ago!
Flower Pens: this set, it's sold but I have more to list... I just love the roses in it! http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=13612820

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)? Oh man. One? Seriously? is that possible? Crap. Man, I don't know if I can decide!! Man, this is hard, and in NO way a reflection of my MANY other favorite Etsy sellers! But I am really digging this shop lately.. and this listing.. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20778667 because I really need a soap cutter and i LOVE all the wooden goodness! I also love www.banished.etsy.com bc he made me a super awesome anniversary gift for my DH! And i LOVe all my team members from Cafemom Team, Lartisans Team, Pluggers United and OF COURSE Etsychatters! :)

10.Tips for other Artists? DO NOT GIVE UP! Every time you get a sale, you should FEEL HONORED! In the wide world of Etsy, handmade, and shopping, someone chose YOUR item to bring into their life. Your hope is they love it as much as you, but if they are unhappy for any reason, you should do your very best to make them 110% happy. Never forget everyone you meet is a potential customer! If you aren't selling you need to look at either your items, your competition, or how you market yourself. (take the crappy economy out of the equation for a minute!) KEEP trying! Try new things, new venues, new promotions, new crafts!

Catch some of those dribbles.. A Funky, Punky Bib..



11.Tell me a Secret about yourself. I am 5'12", can curse in American Sign Language and have Celiac Disease and thus eat Gluten Free. (leading to another of my fave shops, www.shelovescake.etsy.com)

12. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments: Keep on trucking! :) Oh, and you can also check out my Cafepress shop! :) www.cafepress.com/momsmonkeys I love to do custom graphics!! :)

WOOOOT etsychatters!

MyMotherMary Interview and Giveaway!!

1. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

I do all kinds of needle craft, but have been concentrating on sewing, machine embroidery and crocheting. I received my first sewing machine at the age of 6, and have been sewing since! I can’t even remember my first project. My mother taught my brothers and I how to crochet as well. After a long car rides, we kids would crochet chains of yarn. The person who crocheted the longest chain would get a prize. My mother knew how to keep us busy! My first sale was of crocheted hair ties. My second sales job was selling doll clothes to classmates!

2. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

Working with a customer on a custom item is the most inspiring. I just love getting an idea from a client and bouncing ideas back and forth. What first starts out as a simple idea usually ends up becoming a beautiful, personal item.Alchemy, I have discovered, is a wonderful place! It allows me to create a custom item for a customer, freeing my creativity more than the listings allow.

3. What is your favorite medium?

I love cotton…in yarns, materials and threads! Different combinations of such a simple item can create a keep-sake for years to come. In our closet, I have beautiful little gowns hand made for my daughters. They are 100% batiste cotton with hand embroidered shadow work. They were a joy to work on, and I look forward to the day my daughters have little girls to where them again.

4. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

Everything seems to be on the side! I am a mom to eight kids ranging from 16 years old to 9 months old. They will always come first. My etsy business is growing fast, but I always try to remember to pull back if it interferes with my family life. Usually the kids are just as excited as I am when I create a new item or have a new sale. I could easily become a work alcoholic, but my kids are keeping me grounded.

5. How did you find Etsy?

I found Etsy through a friend who urged me to set up a shop. After a year of her encouragement, I finally took her advice. I am so glad I did!

6. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

I have a bit of the blarney in me! Becoming addicted to Etsy chat seemed to happen instantly. Can you imagine? A room full of people who love to chat and craft, all in one place?? That’s just asking for addiction to happen!

7. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

My favorite piece is the custom tote I made for Pumpkinpye517 (a fellow etsian). She wanted a tote with her daughters name embroidered on it. It turned out wonderfully! I love it, and from what I hear, so does Pumpkinpye517ei!

8. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

Favorite shop? Oh my! That is hard! There are so many wonderful crafters that I can’t just pick one. The crafts and skills that are on display are just amazing!

9.Tips for other Artists?

Believe in your work. An artist gave my daughter great advice, value your art and never give it away. Too many times we see our items as “simple” and think no one would pay for them. Don’t fall into this trap! Value your work, and others will too.

10. Tell me a secret about yourself!!??

For a while I was on the way to being a college professor. I was even a graduate assistant, teaching and grading papers for professors. How life has changed for me!

11. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”~ Mother Theresa

There are so many quotes from Mother Theresa that I love, but this is one of my favorites. It reminds me to do all things in my life with love.

MyMotherMary is offering these adorable Squishy-Soft Baby Blocks in our giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is go to MyMotherMary's Etsy Shop and come back here and leave a comment telling us which of her items is your favorite! Be sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Friday, February 27th at midnight EST.

BeInspiredDesigns Interview and Giveaway!

1. Who is Be Inspired Designs?

My name is Inga Leonce. I live in “Hot-lanta” (Atlanta, Ga) with my lovely husband, three kids and dog. I graduated from Gwinnett Tech with a degree in Photography. My home is filled with up and coming artist as we are all pursuing art in some fashion.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

I am a self taught jewelry designer. I currently run two shops on Etsy. Be Inspired Designs where I sell upcycled Scrabble Tile Pendants and Ingas Gems where I sell gemstone jewelry. After taking a break from product photography in the late 90’s (showing my age) I began making gemstone jewelry as a hobby. After a friend suggested that I start selling my jewelry, I began to throw home parties and eventually opened my own website. I have been selling my wares for over seven years and I’m currently focusing my time on my scrabble tile pendant shop. My mom and I love playing scrabble and to be able to use those little tiles in a creative way has been great. I’ve added phone charms, hair bows, magnets to my shop. I’m currently working on something special for those “blank” tiles. I’m not telling yet, you’ll have to check my shop in the near future to see what it is!

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

I draw my inspiration from this beautiful world that we live in. I love to incorporate bright colors, nature and different cultures into my pendant designs.

4. What is your favorite medium?

For me, this question has many answers. Currently, I would say Japanese washi paper and digital painting.

5. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

My Etsy shop is my full time job.

6. How did you find Etsy?

I found Etsy in 2007 after I became totally exhausted running my own website.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

Unfortunately, when I originally signed up with Etsy in 2007, I was unable to use the Etsy chat rooms or even view a Treasury. For almost a year I tried everything the techs said to do but to no avail. So for me chat was something I read about in the forums but couldn’t participate in. I felt like an outsider. I switched internet service providers and they installed Firefox onto my computer and to my amazement, chat opened up. I was so excited that I began to spend way too much time in the chat rooms! I have met some awesome people in Etsy chat, we talk about our lives, businesses, showcase each others work and shop; what more could a girl ask for!

8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

My favorite piece is “The Lord’s Prayer” Scrabble Pendant. I haven’t sold any on Etsy as yet but I wear one and it reminds me to never lose faith and keep moving forward towards my dreams while loving people in the process.

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

Heathens Hearth is my favorite shop. I met these two beautiful young ladies in chat and there was something special about them. For the longest time I actually thought Heathens Hearth was one person with two very distinct personalities (some type of multiple personality disorder) but it pays to read a shops “profile” lol. I love their handmade bath and massage oils as I am a “spa baby”. There shop is defiantly my new “gift shop” for family and friends.

10. Tips for other Artists?

When it comes to business, we are all artist but we also have to keep in mind that we are in the “service” industry. Provide good customer service, respond quickly to convos and never talk bad about your customers. Most of all do what you love, make it your own and have fun. Enjoy the journey!

11. Tell me a secret about yourself.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone but I run a business in my PJ’s! I’ve always wanted to do that so with coffee in hand and fuzzy slippers on my feet I run Be Inspired Designs!

12. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

See you in chat!

Inga is offering this awesome pendant in our giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is go to BeInspiredDesign's Etsy Shop and come back here and leave a comment telling us which of her pendants is your favorite! Be sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Thursday, February 19th at midnight EST.