stevealu: Sometimes I make pretty things

In 2009, while plugging away on my Masters degree, I started a shop on Etsy. I?m not sure how I first heard about the website, but as soon as I discovered the it I was hooked. I had no idea I needed handmade soap until I started spending hours at a time getting lost searching through the incredible handmade goods.

I have always been pretty crafty. My very first company was a jewelry business my best friend Jamie and I set up in 2nd grade ? J and E Jewelry (such a fabulous name.) We made beaded and woven bracelets to sell. I?m sure we only sold 2 or 3, all to family members, but the entrepreneurial spirit never left.

When I opened my Etsy shop I didn?t have a lot of expectations. I figured if I could make enough money to balance out all that I was spending on craft supplies I?d consider it a success. In the end I did pretty well! I would leave all of the money I earned in Paypal and not touch it until December when I would have 3 weeks off work (unpaid) and needed to use it for bills and Christmas presents.

Some of the items I made were very indicative of my bizarre personality ?
Etsy Others were much more traditional like this simple filigree locket. Etsy1 One of my favorite pieces to make were these ?potion? necklaces. I had a few different types and did a lot of research as to what herbs and stones would be best suited to include based on the overall purpose of the necklace (attracting love, getting over your past, etc.) Etsy2 I?mostly sold jewelry but there was a fair amount of home decor stuff listed as well. I love to do cross-stitch but also branched out into doing shadow boxes toward the end. I?m actually very thankful this one never sold because I love it so much! It?s sitting on my nightstand now. Etsy4 My shop has been deactivated for over a year now. I sometimes think of opening it up again but I just don?t have the time to create like I used to. I definitely miss it and can see myself going back to it eventually!