Feature: Beautiful Handmade Cards

I LOVE cards!! Used to buy them at the local bookstore, but then was introduced to handmade cards when I opened my shop on Etsy. Now I only purchase handmade! I found All Things Eclectic while browsing a couple of BNR treasuries on Etsy. These cards are just Beautiful!!

*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.

Im from Pennsylvania. Right now I'm in Pittsburgh studying at Duquesne University School of Law. I love crafting so much sometimes think it's my calling. Other times however, I remember how much I love working with families and that I want to balance crafts with a life of law devoted to helping families. 

I try several different crafts and my mom says that I will get my hand into anything and everything... she's right. I etch eggs, knit, make jewelry, make cards, crochet, cross stitch, and more. One day I hope to learn glass blowing.

*How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?

My boyfriend and I sat down thinking about shop names. I knew I wanted to keep this shop for only paper crafts. The more we thought about it the more we decided my cards were eclectic. I started playing around with names that had eclectic in it. This one ended up being my favorite!

I started this card shop after starting my other two shops www.teener1416.etsy.com (etched eggs) and www.subtleandchic.etsy.com (jewelry) I wanted all my crafts separate. The reason I started this third shop is because my sister Mary (www.piecesofhome.blogspot.com) is a HUGE scrapbooker! Her items are insanely wonderful and I got more and more intrigued with the paper craft. She showed me techniques as well as materials, and soon I just had to start making some items myself. Cards became my favorite of the paper crafts. I then decided to share them with the world on Etsy.

*What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your product?

• "Oh my god, is that a card???"
• "I will never buy from Hallmark again!"
• "That card would be perfect for _______"
• "This is so worth it."
• "Yeah, I'm worth it..."

:P :P :P I just want people to know cool stuff is not expensive and that it is easy to support handmade.

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?

Oh lord... where do I start. Well I am a pastel fan more and more. But in terms of my true weakness... it would have to be embellishments, stamps, dollar items from Michaels, and paper flowers... well ANY kind of flowers.

You see I want my cards to be 3D in a way. That way the card turns into a piece of art. Because of this, flowers always to me achieve that effect.

I used to never think I would want stamps, but now... now I have enough mounted stamps and clear stamps to bury myself. The more I see adorable stamps, the more I feel I need some more stamps for my collection.

Even worse, I am a bargain hunter. The second I see something is on clearance that I wanted in the past, it is not in the shopping cart for me to create something new and wonderful with.

*What do you do when you’re not being an artist? What activities do you enjoy?

I play violin and clarinet, but my boyfriend will complain to you that I hardly play them anymore. Regardless I love music of all kinds and love to relax to some Gregorian chant (no joke). Also I love to read and tend to buy books more often than I have a chance to read them. Crafting takes up so much time that it truly is my main activity.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?

I enjoy the everyday cards. I find that sometimes people just need a card. My mom sends me a card with any care package she sends me while in school. I never throw out those cards, and love whatever little note she puts in them. I realized that cards from loved ones on any occasion have this wonderful ability to cheer someone up. I make everyday cards in the hope one that people will start sending more cards to their loved ones for whatever little reason they can think of as well as a way to let people use their own imagination and put whatever occasion on a card without me branding it for them.

*If you could give a piece of advice to a new shop - what would it be?

I think the hardest think for a seller to understand is that crafting is for yourself. You need to love what you are doing regardless of sales. I find myself sometimes depressed I didn't make any sales in some time. I understand how it sometimes hurts to go a week or two with not store activity. However, it is imperative to remember you craft first for yourself THEN for the sales. You need o be happy making your items. Sales need to be a secondary boost. The focus should be on making yourself happy through crafting.


The more you remind yourself that the work you do in itself should make you happy, the easier it will be to stay positive while selling online.

*Are there other places on the net we can find you?

www.allthingsecletic.etsy.com

www.teener1416.etsy.com

www.lithuanianeggart.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/#!/pages/European-Girls-Crafts-and-Egg-Art-Shop/108766632478998

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