Feature Friday - Shirley of ScrapHappieAZ, RomasMasion, and PeaPodRay

Hello all! It's another fabulous Friday! Today's feature seller is Shirley, who runs three great shops - ScrapHappieAZ, RomasMasion, and PeaPodRay.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, your shop, and what brought you to the Etsy community.

I have degrees in Fashion Design and Microbiology and Health Administration. I guess you might say I have a balanced brain, both strongly creative and analytical sides. Sounds balanced but it can create a bit of chaos. I have a hard time focusing on just one process.I want to do it all!

When I was laid off from my job in the healthcare industry, I decided to go back to my creative roots. This is when I decided to join the artisans of Etsy. I love the resurgence of creativity.

2. Besides creating beautiful things for your shop, what do you spend your days doing?

I am addicted to Buzztime Trivia and my husband and I play at least three times a week at a local restaurant.

I am the mother of three adult children. Two daughters and a son. In Nov my first grandson is due so I am excited to make some baby clothes for the new addition to the family.

I also love to cook, read and awwwh heck I just love to create, whether it is crocheting, cross-stitch, scrapbooking, refinishing furniture.
 

3. What sources do you draw your inspiration from and what is your creative process(es)?

My grandfather was a professor of architecture at Syracuse University and I believe some of my artist tendencies come from him. He found beauty and inspiration in butterflies, a simple ceramic vase or in the ornate Westminister Abbey.

Much of my inspiration comes from different periods in fashion history: The Victorian ages, the Pinup girl days of the 1940s and the roaring twenties when my mother was growing up.

I also try to find inspiration in nature and all things around me. I feel that I am ever evolving, I may not have found my niche but I will continue to grow.

I believe that women are so busy with jobs, children and their home they become overwhelmed and forget to enjoy those things that use to bring joy such as cooking and being in the kitchen. That is why I believe that there is such popularity in cooking shows. Women want to be feminine in their kitchen and so I want to make these awesome aprons to show off in the kitchen.

4. What market (group of people) do you see your items being for?

My market is mainly cooks, women, mothers, new brides and other local crafters and artisans who want upscale trendy items. I will be adding some more men’s BBQ aprons in the future.

5. Name your top three:

- Books

Anything by Patricia Cornwell and Jeffery Deaver.
Recently, I am loving the books by Anna Godbersen based in turn of the century New York socialites

- Music (song or artist)

I love most all music so I don’t want to narrow it down to three. This week it may be country, next week rock, then some rockabilly.

- Movies or Television Shows

NCIS, CSI, HOUSE, GREY’S ANATOMY and Project Runway.

- Websites

Google Earth

6. What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see added?

I like the new rearranging feature but my favorite is being able to link to facebook. I network with Facebook directly. This is fun to update for all my Facebook fans.

I would like to be able to build a listing and save it before I actually complete for public view.

This way I can spend a day writing the listings and then add pictures another day. It would help my organization.

7. How do you market your work? What has or hasn’t worked for you in the past?

I am trying everything: Facebook, Twitter, Etsy forums, Featured Seller Chat rooms, local networking, craft shows and Etsy Teams. I am new enough that I won’t say something has not worked yet. In the future I want to start a blog but I have not taken that plunge yet. My goal is before Halloween.

8. What do you like most about the Virtual Labs?

I enjoy the sense of community and support that most Etsians offer. I have met so many helpful and amazing people. I want to continue meeting and helping new members of Etsy.

9. What topics or events would you like to see added to the Virtual Lab offerings?

I would like to add more ship critiques. So many people want their shops critiqued and there never seems to be enough time. Perhaps smaller and more frequent one and one critiques.