Seller Spotlight: Felt Me Up

Seller Spotlight: Feltmeupdesigns @ Etsy

* Tell me a little about yourself? My name is Melanie Green, I am a feltmaker and artist based in Scarborough on the beautiful East Coast of Britain, beside the seaside.

* What is your shop name and what do you sell? I have 3 shops, my main shop Feltmeupdesigns where I sell needlefelted birds, Inkmeup is my shop for drawings, prints and illustration and the Feltanomicon is genereally where I let my imagination go a bit wild and sell my needlefelted monsters, aliens and yetis!

* What inspires you to create? I have always been an arty kid, my dad is trained an architect and my mum is a crafter (Joybears on etsy). I suppose I am most inspired by nature but it can be anything really, sometimes the materials inspire me just seeing two colours fall together in my huge felt pile will make me think oooo... and then I have to make something.

* What is your favourite item from your shop? I am very fond of my punky cockatiels, but it's hard to have a favorite. I love my Titmouse and my new grey owl too.



* How and where do you promote your shop? I promote a lot on twitter and facebook, I also have a blog and I use project wonderful to make little ads that go on other people's blogs, it's a great and inexpensive way to advertise. Twitter, Blogspot, Facebook - Feltmeupdesigns, Facebook - Inkmeup.

* What do you find to be the biggest challenge of running your own shop? The biggest challenge is the balancing act between crafting, advertising, working a part time "day job" and occasionally trying to see my boyfriend. It can be very hard to strike that balance right but I am working on it! Hopefully I want to leave my job later in the year to focus on being a fulltime artist and craft worker.

* What advice would you offer to new sellers? Be unique, be interesting and be fun. Don't take it too seriously and don't expect those sales just to come flooding in once you open your shop... sometimes you need to chase those sales down. Also remember etsy is an international community and the sellers there have a mine of knowledge and information which you can tap, have a presence in the forums and don't be afraid to ask advice. Oh and check the etsy blog regularly and sign up for emails from etsy... it took me a while to do this but it all helps you feel more connected to etsy.

Fun Questions -
* Favourite Colour? Red
* Favourite Book? Ooo... hard one, I work in a bookshop so there are too many! Anything by Neil Gaiman.
* Favourite Music? I'm currently loving the Mumford and Sons CD.
* Favourite Season? Spring!
* Favourite independant sellers? AliBali Jewellery & Siansburys and south street gallery and Raffertys of Scarborough 2 great places that champion handmade and the independent seller!

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Thank you Mel for taking part! If you are an independant seller and would like to be featured, please get in touch via my email: titchables(at)gmail(dot)com!