Featured ETTEAM Seller

Contributed by: NiftyKnits




Are you ready? GO!

Cats or dogs?
I'd have a hundred cats if my DH's motto wasn't 'moderation in all things'

Star Wars or Star Trek?
I'd Trek to the ends of the final frontier!

Fruit or chocolate?
Dove Dark, yummmm, which reminds me, I'll be right back!


I had to google this, I don't think it's a brand we know in the UK...unless it's just me?

Favourite colour?
I always say yellow, my quilt guild would say purple and turquoise, but like your children, how can you have a fave? I DO not like brown, though (except if it is a Dove Dark!).

Favourite meal?
Hmm, does chocolate count? Actually, I have passed on my chocolate obsession to my daughter and she made a chicken dish with chocolate and homemade ravioli pasta with chocolate.

City break or weekend in the country?
I'm a country girl, (not the music), so give me a horse to bury my nose in and a barn of newly baled hay! I love sunshine and flowers and growing things, so country it is!


Soaps or documentaries?
Soaps! I watched them until I found Etsy, then gave them up cold turkey after 25 years!

Bath or shower?
Shower - long, hot and steamy!

Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?
I first heard about Etsy on Martha Stewart's show. Rob was on with one of the top sellers, I don't remember who it was. I lurked a LONG time before joining. The treasuries were a favorite place to hang out, but I also spent a lot of time in the forums and reading the Newbie Guide. This is my only venue right now, and that's fine with me. I schlepped stuff around a few times several years ago and don't care to do that again!

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?
Well, I have 3 shops. Only one is handmade, although I do have a few handmade in my wearable vintage shop.  In ByTheBy I have girl's jumpers/sundresses and I just love the ones with the cute little shoes on them. It's a Daisy Kingdom print. 

ByTheBy is temporarily closed until the CPSIA situation gets resolved, but here's the lovely little dress for you to admire:.


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16165863

In ByTheWay, my first shop, which is wearable, mostly vintage, I also have a few handmade and a few upcycled items. My fave in there is a cute little black velvet swing dress.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13426871

In ByTheWayside, which is nonwearable vintage, I guess it would have to be the hammered aluminum ice bucket. We had one as I was growing up, and I think it was used primarily as a cookie tin!


I think ByTheWayside is my favorite shop. I love finding goodies to list, but then again, I love finding stuff for ByTheWay, too! There's that favorite thing - I can't decide!

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about Etsy) so far?
Write everything down (that's my life lesson, not just Etsy!). If you have a question, there are a ton of people who will help you in the forums. But please, check if your question has been asked before, or some of them will get upset.

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Work on my photos more. There is a lot of good info out there, but mostly for jewelry and small items, and my photos of real models are still a work in progress!



I think you've got it sorted now! This is one of my favourite product photos. I was quite convinced it was a trendy leather bra at first!

How do you see your store developing?
I have already changed focus. I originally had my ByTheBy girls' things in with the vintage at ByTheWay, and that just didn't seem to work, so I split those items off. I like what each shop is now. I would like to add some altered clothing to ByTheWay, there are so many beautiful items you can pick up dirt cheap, and I hate seeing anything go to waste. I also have a collection of vintage fabric that I plan on making into garments with vintage patterns. Mostly 1970's double-knit polyester - fun bright colors!

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?
Well, actually, I put this interview on hold to go to the gym and grocery shopping. I dislike both, but if I sit in front of the computer all day, I gotta move sometime! Then I am also in the middle of redoing all my tags and rechecking sizes of my vintage clothing in ByTheWay. I have most of it done, but with 12 pages of items, it takes a little time!

What’s your top marketing tip for today?
Marketing tip? Well, I guess it would have to be join the best team on Etsy - the Treasury Team! I have met so many nice people there! There is so much competition on Etsy, but ETTEAM is a very sharing and supportive group. The team exists to support each other and we do, not just in treasuries, but in lots of other ways. I am impressed that members that are selling the same type of items help others on our team who are selling the same type of items improve their shops and also promote the others's items in various venues!
Contributed by: NiftyKnits

Heather, thank you so much for featuring me in your blog! I really do love the sense of community, helpfulness and acceptance we have on our team :)

My pleasure - thanks for taking the time to answer so many nosy questions! I can only agree with your comments above about Etteam - our team rocks!

ByTheWay
ByTheWayside
ByTheBy
ETTEAM

About the author: Heather Leavers has a lovely Etsy shop Nifty Knits, where she sells the most charming hand knitted "critters", beautiful flowers and fabulous knitwear!