Seller Spotlight: Blushing Dove Boutique @ Etsy
* Tell me a little about yourself? My name is Amy Sarah Lilley, I live in Newark on Trent, UK with my husband and naughty puppy. Although my degree is in English, I have always considered myself creative, and so used the opportunity presented by a year off after uni to really explore my creative side. In this time I began making and selling headbands on eBay, and when I found out about Etsy I felt inspired to try my hand at other things too so joined straight away. I love reading, hot chocolate, making things, swimming, and meeting other creative people on Etsy.
* What is your shop name and what do you sell? My shop is called: 'Blushing Dove Boutique' and I sell pretty and feminine handmade jewellery and accessories. I love combining classy and 'kitsch' so consider my work to have a fun, yet elegant twist.
* What inspires you to create? I am inspired by my love of pretty things, japanese art, and by many of the amazing artists on Etsy, whose high standards of work challenge me to constantly improve my own. As I look for supplies, I also find myself inspired by pretty beads and other materials which I imagine would look sweet as jewellery.
* What is your favourite item from your shop? My favourite item in my shop to date would have to be my 'Ice-Cream Pearl Necklace'. It was the first necklace I made using a variety of techniques, and it took me ages! I love the cute colours and pearls that I've used to make it and wear mine often.
* How and where do you promote your shop? As my shop is still quite new, I have only just started to promote. I have started a facebook group and have just joined Twitter.
* What do you find to be the biggest challenge of running your own shop? The biggest challenge so far has been the sheer amount of work I have had to put in just to get it all up and running. I have loved every minuite of it, but currently spend hours each day making new products, updating pictures, promoting, etc. Etsy is such a large community that it is difficult to get noticed, so a lot of work has to be put in to make your shop stand out from the rest.
* What advice would you offer to new sellers? I am still quite a new seller myself, but from what I have learned so far, my advice would be to keep it fun. Make sure you love your shop and your products, this way you will keep going when times are tough. I believe you should feel excited about new ideas and products. And get involved in the social side too. Everyone on Etsy is really lovely, and love what they do. I have learnt a lot from other sellers, and have made some lovely friends.
Fun Questions -
* Favourite Colour? I can't choose between green and pink!
* Favourite Book? I am a Christian, so the Bible! Being also an English student, they are many novels that I love, including 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', 'The Chronicles of Narnia', and Richard Mason's 'The Lighted Rooms'.
* Favourite Music? Since I was about fifteen my favourite artists have been the band 'Train'
* Favourite Season? Summer!
* Favourite independant sellers? My favourite independent sellers (on Etsy) are Janine Basil (who makes gorgeous hats), and Imago Drift (whose Ilama t-shirts are extremely cute!). My husband once brought me some earrings from 'cutiepie.com' who sell really lovely jewellery too.
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Thank you Amy 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!
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