Entrepreneurs in the new age

I belong to a couple of teams of online entrepreneurs who are tackling the world of Internet selling.  I will be telling you about the members of the teams over my next few blogs.  As artisans they are as diverse as the people who make up our country.  I believe you will enjoy seeing what they create and find to sell.

The first team I will be telling you about is the Eastern Washington Etsy Team.  A team dedicated to unifying the entire East side of the State of Washington with the purpose of marketing and selling, as well as sharing tricks of the trade, to edify each other and build each other up within the Etsy community.

The first shop has an interesting story behind it's name.  The shop is For the Love of Pete and the owner is Valerie.  The shop takes it's name from Valerie's uncle Pete who was a WWII POW who suffered many atrocities and died on the transport ship known as "The Hell ship".  She promised her aunt Ginny to not let him be forgotten and so her shop name honors him. 

Valerie admits to being enamored of the past especially the 30's and 40's which I call part of the era of glamour.   She selects beautiful barkcloth for the making of her bags and clutches.  As you can see from the pictures below her bags are wonderfully colored with a beautiful grace and style to them.

Handmade Vintage Barkcloth Era

Slouch Bag  

 Handmade Slouch Bag Gorgeous Gray Vintage Barkcloth

 Handmade Pleated 1940s Tropical Barkcloth Bag

Handmade Vintage Floral Barkcloth Slouch Bag 

The next shop's name "Creativity is Messy" (sums up the process for me).  As the owner Tera says, and I quote, "Creativity is messy... and I am VERY creative!! After all, a clean craft room is the sign of a dull person!".  Tera calls herself the "main brain" of the business but admits that creativity runs in her veins as the women of her family all have amazing artistic talent and vision.  Tera's main focus in her business is jewelry and as you can see by the items below she creates with pride and passion.  Although new to Internet sales she has been creating and selling for over a decade.  She sells at shows in her home and Spokane are fairs/shows.

Blue Crazy Lace and Czech Glass

 

Vintage Lucite Rose and Millefiorie Glass

 Recycled T Shirt Scarf with Rose Brooch - Teal

Copper Butterfly Lariat Necklace with Freshwater Pearl Coins

Creatively Kept is next with a very busy owner, Heather.  Heather is a wife and mother of 3 as well as an entrepreneur.  She says "Creating with fabric and paper is my favorite outlet from a house full of boys!".  She is not new to Internet sales and does have another web site called CreativelyKept.com that she maintains along with her Etsy shop.  Heathers albums are of archival quality and handcrafted from scratch.  She combines her love of material and paper to produce a quality item to use as a guest book, album, combination book even a brag book.  As you can see from the items I selected to show you from her shop her creative style is varied to fit all tastes.

Tegan Design Guest Book or Album

11x7 With FREE Monogram

 

Sammy Photo Album

 Fern Design 11x7 Guest book or Album with FREE Monogram

11x7 Damask Wedding Guest book

 

Tole-Tally Painted is a shop my mother would have loved.  The owner Nancy has been painting and selling her work for over 35 years.  As with most crafter/artisans she has shown at local craft fairs and sold in consignment shops but now is selling online.  She is partners with her daughter in a second shop "The Vintage Dresser" which as the name implies sells vintage treasures.  Nancy states she like to paint on repurposed items and primitives as well as having done many children's items.  In her profile she says "I just love to paint but can't keep everything or my house would look like a tole painting museum!".  So maybe one of the items below is a treasure for your home.

   Hand Painted Prim Tray, Americana Scene, Terrye French Design

  Hand Painted Heart Peg Rack

                                                               Hand Painted Prim Plate

                                                        

                                                                           My Favorite

Hand Painted Bowl, Penny Rug Design, Americana Wool Co

The last shop sells one of the most unusual items and I have not seen them elsewhere.  It is the Antler Pantry the shop is based in Kennewick and has been on-line since March 2009.  The owner makes dog chews from naturally shed antler of Northwest elk and moose.  These chews are a safe natural alternative to rawhide which is messy when chewed.  Also crafted from the antlers are bottle stoppers and he is working on a wine bottle rack.  With many of us going greener in our lives this makes an excellent gift for dog lovers everywhere.

Medium Half Antler Dog Chew -Sized for Dogs 25-45 lbs

 X-Large Half Antler Dog Chew -Sized for Dogs 80-110 lbsYummy

 

Medium Whole Antler Dog Chew -Sized for Dogs 25-45 lbs

Elk Antler Bottle

                                                                                        Stopper -Wine

And, from my newest shop FernWistle Glen I would like to show you my latest creation.

 The Hookah Smoking Caterpillar from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.