Etsy Twitter Shop of the Week - Glitzy Events

Kimberley Williams, of Glitzy Events has one mission: to provide high quality products and personalized service to her clients. Whether working with brides-to-be, or those planning graduation, anniversary or other celebrations, Glitzy Events is a one-stop source for everything from gorgeous, fully customized invitations to products such as unity & memorial candles, place cards, menus, programs, etc.

Born out of Kimberley's frustrations while planning her own wedding, Glitzy Events is happy to design something unique for a customer. "We can take any design in our shop and customize it completely for our clients. If a client loves our work but wants something a little different we will work with them until we can come up with a design that they love. We don’t charge any additional design fees as we feel that this is part of the custom process." Located in New York, the shop currently ships to the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK and is always happy to provide shipping quotes for other International customers.

With a full service website as well as an Etsy location, Kim's always looking for ways to save time and has found Twitter to be very useful in reaching new clients.
"Twitterfeed.com has been an extremely helpful tool. As I list new items they are posted to my twitter account automatically within 30 minutes which then results in immediate views for my products. Using this tool saves me a lot of time and allows my products to be seen by hundreds of people almost instantly. This has helped me to connect with other professionals within and outside of my industry. These connections lead to referrals which lead to sales."

Glitzy Events is offering two specials this week: Become a Fan of their Facebook Page (http://facebook.com/GlitzyEvents), leave a comment on their Wall, and receive 5% off your full
invitation order
AND
Order 2 or more INVITATION samples and get free shipping...refund to be issued via Paypal.

Shop of the Week delivers! Tamara Garvey

A sense of humor is something we all could use more of these days and this week’s Shop of the Week delivers! Tamara Garvey, of TamaraGarvey.etsy.com, has some really cute and beautiful illustrations. Her style is quirky and fun! For example, the drawing pictured above, "Burglars and Russian Nesting Dolls", actually made me laugh out loud.

“I draw fun, whimsical, pen-and-ink scenes, usually involving at least one animal and/or tree, as these are my favorite things to study and draw! I sell them as prints in different sizes, including ACEOs, as well as note card sets.

I'm really inspired by the classic pen-and-ink artists Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley. My drawings are made with care in my cute home studio, usually with my dog snoozing on the floor nearby. I'm saving up for a large-format printer of my own so that I can have complete control over my prints (that sounds diabolical! mua ha ha), but in the meantime I have them done at a print shop nearby that does an awesome job. My prints have great color and are printed on nice quality card stock.

My drawings are inspired by my walk to work through Savannah, Georgia's squares, magazines, other artists/crafters on Etsy, color combinations of a stranger's outfit, tattoos, particularly cute dogs at the dog park...anything really!”




Tamara has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design and a B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington College. Her biology background comes through in her piece titled “Enchantment under the Sea” – it’s like looking into a microscope and seeing all sorts of neat little creatures swimming around in the pond water.

When asked about her Twittering: “It took me a while to get used to Twitter, but now I am really into it! I try hard to maintain a mix of promotional (whether self- or other-) tweets with replies or random thoughts, to keep a personal touch to things. I love keeping in touch with my Etsy team members, seeing what they're creating, and what's new with them. I have made some great connections with other artists and crafters especially. One girl in particular, a freelance illustrator, has pretty much become my mentor as I develop my own illustration career! I think it is amazing that a new site can have such an effect.”

She ships everywhere and all her illustrations are shipped wrapped in a waterproof cellophane sleeve, sandwiched between pieces of thick, non-bending cardboard.

Follow her on her blog and on Twitter!



Special for the Week: Put “EtsyTwitter” into the “Messages for the Seller” box and await a revised invoice with a 15% discount off any of her items! (If you forget, just send her a convo.)

Etsy Twitter Shop of the week - Thodes Annals Designs

This week’s shop has extermely lovely handmade items. Claire Elizabeth Annals (her maiden name was Rhodes), of RhodesAnnalsDesigns.etsy.com, sells bags, hats, crochet purses, knitted scarves and cowls. She also sells some of her sister’s jewelry and vintage patterns.

“Each item is 'lovingly' handmade, by that I mean that I enjoy making them and like to imagine how they will be used by their new owner. When I made the wisp scarf, I couldn't shake the feeling that it should be used as a light shawl at a wedding. I am always on the look out for new ideas, and if I wouldn't use an item, it doesn't go into my shop. I use the best materials I can source, and I am always on the look out for unusual yarn and fabric patterns.”

Her family inspires her to create. “There have been many things over the past where one or another member of my family has said 'you could sell that'. The hats came from my mum giving me a metre of fleece fabric one day as my son had outgrown his hat and she, rightly, reckoned I could make one myself. The 'hug a hottie' came from a special request from my sister for a knitted hot water bottle cover. The flower hair clips came from a childhood memory of hair grips and bun covers that my mum used to crochet for me when I was a little girl, and the pouches came from a necessity to be able to find things in my voluminous handbag (which I made because I couldn't find anything big enough in the shops).”

Rhodes Annals Designs is located in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK, and ships internationally. She is more than happy to make custom items just for you.

About her Twitter habits: “I like to engage in conversation with others over Twitter - I do a fair amount of link posting but hope that I balance that out with friendly banter and sometimes even advice. I know personally that I am more likely to purchase from someone that I felt I had 'bonded' with on Twitter or in the Etsy forums - and I have purchased many, many items that way. I love the immediacy of Twitter - you can post a link to your latest item and then sit and watch the view count mount up. I think that there are lots of very courteous people on Twitter who click on every link and I am thankful to them.”

You can read about her projects on her blog at Claire's Stitching Adventures. Find her on Twitter @RhodesAnnals. Become a fan of her Facebook page.

Special for the Week: Put “Twitter Rocks” into the “Messages for the Seller” box and await a revised invoice with a 10% discount off the item price.

Etsy Twitter Shop of the week - Jaybird Designs

Jennifer Cirka, of Jaybird Designs, makes unique crocheted clothing and accessories for babies, children and women. Her designs are wonderful. The photos of her work are luscious, and you can really tell her work is of high quality.

“I am very eclectic in what I make and sell. My main love is crochet!! I specialize in unique crocheted clothing and accessories. But my best sellers are my original crochet patterns!! The new love of my life, Cash the Greyhound, has stirred my creative juices again and I have started adding pet items to my shop. I currently have decorative dog tag collars, but plan to include crocheted sweaters, leashes, and maybe even homemade gourmet dog treats.

I am a professional crochet designer with designs published in major crochet magazines such as Crochet World and Crochet Today! I even have a booklet published with Leisure Arts called "Top-sy Turvy." You can be assured that you are working with a professional, and all my items are of excellent quality and workmanship.”

Jennifer offers $5.00 flat rate shipping (even when you order more than one item) to the entire world. U.S. shoppers, please contact her before checkout if you'd prefer $3.00 First Class instead of $5.00 for Priority shipping.

Special Deal for the Week: Free shipping if you mention "TWITTER Team Rocks" in the comments at check out. She will refund your shipping cost!!

Etsy Twitter Shop of the week - Renee Suich

Renee Suich, of ReneeSuich.etsy.com, makes the most fascinating lampwork beads. Her work is so beautiful that I’m tempted to start making lampwork beads myself! It looks fun!

From Renee: “Every bead is a miniature work of art. The process from planning a design, to color combinations, to actually melting the glass, each step is enjoyable and always a new challenge. I use my beads to make and sell jewelry, key chains, and Skeleton Key Beads.

The Skeleton Key Beads are my best seller and my biggest challenge. Many of these are made and don’t get listed. Sometimes the prettiest bead gets stuck on the key shaft and won’t slide & spin. The bead is broken and I start over.

The Key Chains are made from beads that have gone a little too funky. It’s easy for me to get lost in the torch, melting glass, the bead keeps getting bigger…”


Every bead is a one-of-a-kind piece. They have been kiln annealed and properly cleaned. The construction is sturdy. The jewelry pieces are comfortable. Every order is very personal, and she usually ships within 24 hours. She will ship internationally and recently lowered her shipping cost to Canada.

Special for week of March 23 - 29, FREE SHIPPING to U.S. & Canada – Send her an Etsy conversation about your desired item, and she will delete the shipping charges prior to your purchase.

Etsy Twitter Team Featured Shop of the Week Maine Lee Crochet

The Etsy Twitter Team's mission is to bring Etsy sellers who use Twitter together to become the authority on Twitter for all things handmade.

Ginny, from Maine Lee Crochet, has been in business on Etsy since March 2008. She makes gorgeous all crochet or knit items like hats, socks, scarves, dishcloths, and towels with crochet tops . Everything is handmade by her and ready to ship.

Ginny says about her handicrafts, “My product is high quality and made with my heart. I love what I do and I hope it shows in my items. If I don't like the way something turns out it doesn't get listed for sale. My ‘oops’ products stay at my house for my own use.”

Ginny promotes her shop in a number of different ways. She says, ”I use MySpace, word of mouth, I leave business cards where ever I can. I use the forums a lot. I also visit the chat rooms on Etsy and talk about my items, the way they are made, and the material used.”

She ships internationally! Stop by her shop for some good crocheted love!

Tinker and Po

Shop of The Week: Tinker and Po

Lisa Gergets, of Tinker and Po, creates the most wonderfully warm fingerless gloves/arm warmers and accessories that are made from felted and repurposed merino wool, angora, cashmere or lamb’s wool sweaters. She selects source materials for her fingerless gloves from used sweaters, which present endless possibilities in color, pattern and texture. Tinker and Po has been selling on Etsy since July of 2008.

“Every item I sell is meticulously handcrafted, is 100% repurposed, and 10% of every purchase is donated to autism research,” says Lisa about her work.


She uses Twitter effectively as a marketing tool. “I Twitter each new listing in my Etsy shop, any publicity or blog posting the shop receives, and engage in general ‘shop’ talk with other Etsy sellers on Twitter. I am also not hesitant to Twitter about an Etsy product that I enjoy, since in business, as in life, what goes around, comes around. I have definitely seen an upswing in my Etsy traffic since using Twitter.”

Valentine’s Day shipping deadlines: Domestic – February 10th; International - by arrangement, as normal shipping deadlines have already passed. Tinker and Po offers expedited and overnight shipping on all orders.

Etsy Twitter Team Featured Shop of the W eek Paw and Claw Designs

Die, Die, My Darling - Scarab Scarlet

Nichole Jeske, owner of Paw and Claw Designs.etsy.com, creates a mix of many different types of jewellery from traditional earrings to fun, geeky necklaces for “one-of-a-kind people with one-of-a-kind taste”. Her shop Paw and Claw Designs is filled with necklaces made from 20-sided dice, stamped sheet metal earrings, wire and beaded pendants, and earrings.

There is something for everyone can in her shop which has been open on Etsy since October of 2006. Paw and Claw Designs offers free worldwide shipping on all her items.

When asked where she gets her inspiration from Nichole said, “I'm most often inspired more by the materials than anything. I'll see a beautiful die, or notice a random bend in some scrap wire, and just run with it. I'm a bit of a ‘geek’ and I love to incorporate that into my work. Little elements, 20-sided dice, and other obscure pop culture references make me happy. Since making jewellery makes me happy, too, it was only natural to me to mix the two.”

“When you buy something I made, you are essentially buying a part of me. I would never sell something I was not 100% in love with. If I wouldn't present it as a heartfelt gift to my best friends, you won't see it in my shop. I pour my heart into every piece, and I think it shows in each and every item.”

Nichole was asked how she makes Twitter work for her and her shop and she replied: “I'm a HUGE fan of TwitterFeed. I have it set up to automatically tweet when I list an item in my Etsy shops, upload a new image to flickr, and post a new blog post on either of my blogs. Basically anything I can RSS gets put onto TwitterFeed. This frees me up to tweet about ME. The ‘promoting’ is automatic.”“On Twitter, everything has ‘been done’. I worry less about getting people to look at my shop and more about making friends.”

When asked how Nichole promotes her shop, she pointed to an Etsy forum thread where she outlines her daily, weekly, and monthly promotional plans. If you need some promo ideas, read this thread for some great information.

Paw and Claw Designs’ Special for this week:

Use the coupon code "Twitter” in "Notes to Seller" for an upgrade to free gift wrapping with every order.

Order and shipping deadlines for Valentine’s Day:

Domestic - February 6th;
International - January 31st

Etsy Twitter Team Featured Shop of the Week

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the very first “Shop of the Week”, a Monday feature of the Etsy Twitter Team. Each week a different Etsy Twitter Team member will be featured.

The very first Shop of the Week is Flying Zoo Toys. With everything from flying ladybugs to flying fish, this shop is full of handcrafted fun! Each one of the flying wooden mobile toys has its own set of wings that flap when set into motion by a tug on a string.

The artist, Monika Mrozkova, originally from Czech Republic, has been making these wooden mobiles for more than 15 years. She is a full time artist whose work can be seen in galleries across the USA. She has been selling on Etsy since April 2008.

Currently, she only ships to the US and Canada.

To receive your purchases for Valentine’s Day, order by February 6th.

Her toys are brightly painted and have a whimsical quality about them. Anything from her shop would make an excellent gift for a baby or adults of all ages.

Everything in Flying Zoo Toys is 15% off just for this week. A refund will be issued through PayPal after completion of your purchase. Please take advantage of this offer – you won’t be let down by the magic of these toys.

(Photograph © Flying Zoo Toys/Monika Mrozkova)