Reduce, Re-use, Recycle with Ecogeneration on Etsy

Welcome to ecogeneration - a place where you can find treasures that have been given a second chance. I create long lasting, earth friendly, and yet, creative designs for you and your home.... So starts the first paragraph in this great Etsy shop: Ecogeneration. I recently won one of their giveaways for a recycled coffee cup sleeve. It's great and even fits on cold drink cups, since I'm not a big coffee drinker. So I started checking out some of her other great recycled/reused items. I love this pillow I found in her shop and decided to ask her for an interview. I hope you enjoy finding out more about her shop and what makes it unique.
1. When and why did you start crafting?
I think I’ve been “crafting” all my life. I have been sewing since I was in High School (I had to take “Home Economics” class and yes, I’m dating myself here.) I taught myself how to knit and crochet when I was bedridden with my first child. I learned to paint when I was in college. I have been crafting practically all my life and yet, never called myself a crafter.
2. What do you enjoy most about your crafting?
The serenity. The creativity. The “me” time.
3. How did you find out about Etsy and why did you start selling there?
I am a mom to two very active teenagers. I knit and crochet washcloths, cleaning cloths, scarves, etc. while waiting for their activities to end. I use to give them to my family and friends as gifts. One of my friends suggested that I sell them and so I did some research and found Etsy.
4. What is the hardest thing to do for your shop or you dislike the most about selling online?
Advertising and marketing. But I guess like any business, you have to put in your dues. Most brick and mortar stores have visible store fronts as advertisements. That’s why location, location, location is so important. Online business is the same. But online business is invisible if you don’t’ know know how to work the internet. I feel as if I have limited control over the visibility of my shop. I also feel like I’m a computer illiterate. Oh, if you tell me the steps, I can follow, but I really have limited knowledge when it comes to computers. I feel like I need to learn so much more about computers and internet in order to advertise my shop in cyberspace and I just don’t have the time.
5. Do you rely on Etsy to help pay bills or is it mainly for fun & extra spending money?
Initially, it was for fun and to see if people would like what I create. Then, fun became more like an obsession. (lol) Since I’m spending so much time on Etsy, I feel as if I should make it into a business. I would like to stay home and work full time on making Etsy a business so that I won’t have to go back to “non-crafting” work.
6. Have you tried or do you sell in offline shops? Do you enjoy that more or less than Etsy & why?
Currently, I am trying to streamline my business. I have an eclectic mixture of products because I have too many interests – i.e. crocheting, knitting, sewing. I also upcycle a lot of materials to create my products so nothing is really replicable. They are kind of OOAK. But I’d like to come up with a line of eco friendly products that I can sell wholesale to stores. My dream is to create a line that stores across the country can carry. I think that’ll be so cool. And to impact the world on reducing waste and becoming more earth friendly by using my products……..that would be awesome.
7. Where else can you be found online?
I blog regularly about eco tips and my crafts at my blog. I recently opened a facebook –http://tinyurl.com/ecogeneration My kids cringe when I tell them I’m on FB. I also tweet http://twitter.com/ecogenerationkl It’s fun to read people’s subconscious thoughts.
And be sure to check out her great Furoshiki reusable cloth gift wraps like the one in the web ring box to the right and some of her other great items.