Happy Tuesday, INCrowdteam blog readers! Today, we get two-for-the-price-of-one! Nina Newton runs two different Etsy shops: one refurbishes vintage goodies while the other is an up-and-coming shop that will feature gifts for babies. Read on to learn more! City of residence: Columbia City, IN
Shop name: GossamerWings Studio and mamaslittletreasure
Is there any meaning behind the name of your shop? Gossamer Wings Studio was inspired by the idea of bringing new life to old or vintage items. This shop is filled with vintage and hand-embellished garments, shoes and accessories. I love to work with vintage, especially when I can refashion an item through hand-embellishment, having been a thrift shopper all of my life.
My other shop, mamaslittletreasure, was inspired by our two beautiful daughters who were adopted from China, Gracie and Annie. I started out designing and creating boutique children's clothing and selling my designs online. When that became too overwhelming and time-consuming, I started writing my designs up in eBook patterns, which are sold online at www.youcanmakethis.com. I also have craft projects, hand-crafted journals, totebags, pincushions and a few other home decor items in the mamaslittletreasure shop.
What’s your real-world job? Before we brought the girls home, I taught at a community college. I most recently worked for about a year and a half at a bank, but my heart is really here at home with my family and my creative projects. So, now I am working full-time from home, building my online business.
How did you learn your Etsy craft? As a life-long seamstress, quilter, designer and fiber artist, I am completely self-taught and continue to try new ideas. If they turn out beautiful, that's great! If my latest idea doesn't become what I envisioned, I move on to the the next idea in my head, and that keeps me pretty busy.
What's your muse, or what turns that little creative light inside you on? My creative inspiration comes from many places. We live out in the country, by a lake, so my surroundings are important in my ability to visualize my ideas. I am also greatly inspired by my thrift shopping adventures where I find vintage buttons, jewelry, gorgeous fabric and classic vintage garments, shoes and accessories that are just waiting to be brought back to life with a little TLC.
What are your five favorite shops on Etsy?
- I absolutely LOVE audryandgrace! The designs and artistry of the garments in this shop are amazing!
- pink purse is so dramatic and romantic!
- Pamela at the delightfuldesigner is great! I buy lots of my lace from her for my embellishment projects.
- Jeanette from jeanettejed is one of the most generous and thoughtful people I have ever met!
- The handcrafted cards in Lamar's shop lamarlynch are gorgeous.
Which three of your own items for sale are your favorite? Why do you like them so much?- It is always so much fun to embellish shoes. I never know what's going to happen! (at top of post)
- I really enjoy making my crazy patch journals, and I have sold several as custom orders. (middle photo)
- And my hand-embellished corsets and bustiers always keep me guessing! (at right)
What's the best compliment you've received from a buyer? The best compliments are when I know that the customer absolutely loves the item he or she has purchased from my shop. I've had a couple of brides who were delighted with the hand-embellished shoes from my shop, as well as a bride from Ireland who purchased a vintage golden handbag for her wedding and was delighted. And then the bride who purchased a hand-embellished nighty from my shop for her honeymoon -- she commented that the lacey nighty was just perfect.
Where else can we find you on the Internet? I have a blog and a Facebook fan page. My Twitter name is mamastreasures. I also have my own Web site, which is in the process of being completely updated.
Do you know of an INCrowdteam member you'd like to see featured in this blog? Convo Jaclyn1423 to nominate a shop!
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