I met a lovely new Etsian in the forums recently. And if you know me or read my blog, you know I like to scrapbook and such. My new-found Etsy friend has similar interests and she does some really lovely work. Her name is Ally. Like my some of my other blogging buddies, she is a full time student, which is a job in itself, and she maintains an Etsy store where she creates and sells handmade greeting cards and the occasional gift tags. She also only recently started making, “thank you” business cards, which are a BIG hit.
Ally’s Etsy shop is a mother/daughter act. Being that I have a close relationship with my mother and being that we also both craft, I immediately connected with her profile. Ally and her mother work together to list items in their shop, but being younger and more computer savvy, Ally is the one you will more than likely be dealing with if you are in the chat rooms, forums or if you convo them.
Ally and her mother, (TWO BEES IN A POD) are located in Pennsylvania, near Philly. Even though they’re on the other end of the state from where I grew up, I’m hometown proud of our Pennsylvania Etsy crafters!
At this point in Ally’s crafting, she is not supporting herself with her creations. She is currently in school, earning her Elementary and Special education degrees, BUT she hopes to one day own a little shop where she can sell her cards. I’m sure she will do it! She’s very talented!
Right now, Ally’s cards and all other items from TWO BEES IN A POD can only be found on Etsy. She is trying to get involved with some local craft shows though, so you may see her out and about!
I asked Ally what inspires her and she said that she’s most inspired by pictures in magazines. She said that all of the colors the magazines use just draw her in! She said she can look at a magazine then go home and immediately know what she wants to create. I must say that I relate to Ally on this point as well. I always find myself looking through Pottery Barn and the like for inspiration!
Ally creates in what used to be her dining room. She reports that she got rid of the dining room table and just put a huge desk. So, now she has plenty of room! :] When Ally is not creating, she spends her time studying. She says she studies even when she IS creating!
With regard to her goals, Ally’s first and foremost goal is to graduate. :] After that, she said that, if she can sell at least 20 cards a month, that would make her happy. She loves doing custom orders as well, so she’d like to do a bunch of those also!
I asked Ally, of the items in her Etsy shop, which one was her favorite, why, and if she could tell us anything unique about the inspiration behind it or why she likes it the most?
Her favorite item is her Flowery Thank You Card:
Here’s what she said: “It is my favorite item because I just love the paper. It is so springy and eye-catching! I love the different use of ribbon, the bow and the two borders. I tried so hard to find springy paper that I liked! I searched for a LONG time before I found this, and now I’m using it for a lot of things! I like it the most because it represents me. It represents my whole personality. Fun and crazy but still calm and collective.”
Ally’s friends and family are extremely supportive of her. She reports that they always want to buy her cards and when she’s at a family gathering, they are always saying that her stuff is great and want to know where they can get it! Ally says her boyfriend is her biggest fan and thinks her cards are great. She says that she can always tell he is really proud of her! With the support and encouragement that Ally is receiving and the awesome prices she’s got, she’s bound to develop a great fan base and go far!
With regard to sharing anything else, not already covered, Ally said, “I love being on Etsy, it really gave me the confidence to try new things and not to be afraid of anything!”
You can visit Ally and her mother’s shop, “TWO BEES IN A POD” by
CLICKING HERE.
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