Turquoise Petal Necklace from orangeboxjewelry.etsy.com

This necklace is made using oval pieces of chalk turquoise. They have the most beautiful dark sage and earthy brown colors to each stone. The chains are silver metal vintage salvages and the shorter measures 16 inches and the longer 18 inches. The necklace is 20.00 and is available at http://www.orangeboxjewelry.etsy.com

1. Why did you choose to sell on Etsy/ and do you sell anywhere else?

Because of...
Etsy As A Company:
The Etsy site has a great look and feel to it. The site is set up perfectly so new users can easily buy or sell with a few clicks. All of the fantastic ways to search let customers find your products in so many different ways, allowing a person to locate the exact item they are hoping to find. I also am grateful for the reasonable listing and sellers fees. I am also very grateful for the Etsy Staff who keep artistans informed about a wide variety of issues through their blogs and The Storque.

The Customers:
Etsy shoppers are interested in unique handmade and vintage pieces at prices that won't keep them eating Ramen Noodles for the next month. Not everyone in the world appreciates one of a kind necklaces or earrings made from soda can tabs, but Estyians have deep appreciation for craftspeople who think outside the box. 

The Community of Sellers:
Etsy teams are a great way to connect with artisans in your area of expertise to share experiences and seek advice. As an independent businessperson, I don't often find myself surrounded with helpful coworkers if I have a stumbling block or want an opinion on a piece of work in progress. Through Etsy groups, I can stay connected to other jewelry artisans or craftspeople in my hometown. I also find a lot of inspiration reading stories about featured artists on the Etsy homepage and in the Storque.

In addition to Etsy, I sell in four Seattle-area stores, in one outdoor year-round arts market, one seasonal summer outdoor market and a number of Seattle area festivals and seasonal shows. (If you're interested in specifics, they're on my website http://www.orangeboxjewelry.com/Where_to_Buy.html )

2.  What is your fave thing to buy on Etsy (whether it be supplies or gifts etc.)

My favorite thing to buy on Etsy are unique supplies like vintage watch chains or huge lots of broken vintage costume jewelry.

3.  What is your current fave product(not in your store) under 20$?

It is a lovely small bowl from a fellow Pacific North westerner. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=fp_recent&listing_id=19159089 I love to use small beautiful bowls to sort my findings and rhinestones - I think they stimulate my creativity.  

4. Any advice for new sellers?

My advice to new sellers is to do your homework and read everything available to you about how to sell on Etsy as you begin. There are great instructional articles on the Etsy site and helpful stories of successful Etsy sellers. Check out teams to find one near you. Here in Seattle, Team Etsyrain offers periodic "Etsy 101" gatherings produced by veteran sellers. And most importantly, tell EVERYONE you know about your store. You never know where your first sale is going to come from. 

5.  And a favorite quote?

"The big break for me was deciding that this was my life." Jon Stewart.