What's the Story Behind Your Shop Name/Avatar?

[Innovatora]

Hello creators,

I recently posted this elsewhere on Etsy and got many interesting stories about where seller's shop names came from. If you have a reason behind your shop name or avatar, post it here. Or, if your shop name/avatar was created on a whim (like me), that's okay, too!

Here's mine: My shop name is the word "innovator" with an "a" at the end, to make the word more feminine. And simply, my avatar is a picture of me.

Thanks for sharing!
Monique

[Deena6A]

My Shop is named Mommy's Yarn because I asked my 4th son if I was to start a business what would he call it (he didn't know it was for making dolls) and he said Mommy's Yarn. I thought it was perfect. My Avatar is the first doll I ever made and sold and she is also the name of my Dolls (Lottie Dolls and Pals) and is the first.

[TookraDesign]

My shop name comes from my love of carousels. In my mind I created with community carousel where everyone gathers to hang out and have a good time. So all my dolls are people at the carousel. Some of them are friends, some are just acquaintances - but all of them have their own little story. =) Why only "two penny"? Because anyone should be allowed to ride the carousel!
My avatar is a character illustration from a short story I wrote. My doll designs are heavily influenced by the illustration style.

[Former_Member]

The name Bethieflies comes from a Fairy Tale that has never been published. It is one that my other half made up for me to get my mind off the aches and pains I frequently have. The characters in the tale are all enchanted beings that are based in part on pets we had at the time. ie Cajungator (half ancient black toy poodle named Cajun and an alligator- Babberfish(half Golden-Lab named BabberKaye and half fish) Grommyfrog (half Australian shepherd-chow chow mix named Gromit half bullfrog) The Moat Monster, based entirely on my other half and Bethieflies, based on my self and butterflies.
The avatar is a version of the sign of Virgo, which I was born under and the shop name. The colors of the avatar are based on the Pantone color of the year for 2012, which is tangerine.

[LaBellaDoll]

My doll clothing fashion line is called La Bella Doll. I made up a life history of a fashion designer named Armenia Arabella. Her great grandmother is one of my dolls.
Here is the whole story...
http://www.labelladoll.com/LaBellaDoll.com/Armenias_Bio_and_Ancestry.html

[AnLiNaDesigns]

AnLiNa, pronounced Ahn, Lee, Nah; is my Chinese name, given to me when I spent 5 months in Shanghai, China for my day job. My co-workers told me that the Chinese name given to me by the government wasn't pretty (writing wise that is) and, starting with my first and last initials (A and N) came up with a more suitable name.

My avatar is a doll I made in an ongoing series inspired by named winds. She is Samiel, the Arabian goddess of wind. You can see more pictures of her at www.anlinadesigns.com/dolls/Samiel/index.html.
Amy
www.anlinadesigns.com
www.alldollart.com
www.etsy.com/shop/AnLiNaDesigns

[Former_Member]

What a great thread this is! It's so interesting to read your stories about your shop names and avatars! Although I'm quite an inspirational individual, I'm afraid the story behind my shop name and avatar aren't as fascinating and inspirational as yours....

After emigrating from the Netherlands with my husband and three kids, I've worked in New Zealand as a play therapist, until my rheumatoid arthritis made it too hard for me to work outside the house with young children every day. I always had this dream of starting my own business and to do something more with my love for young children and all my artistic interests and the projects I'm always working on. My daughter pointed me to Pinterest and Etsy; and that's where it all started! As a play therapist, according to the children I worked with, I used the work "okido" a lot! I knew straight away that was the name I liked best: short and recognizable! Unfortunately, "Okido" is not a unique name and there are many more, but making art and accessories for young children, I really liked the name because it included the word "kid". I started playing with the word and ended up with "oKIDDo": because I love to create fun stuff for kids! The avatar is a find of my daughter (who is actually really scared of birds... :), who was looking for a fun font for me to use! I just love the sweet, simple character of this bird!

Ellen

[Former_Member]

When I first started making dolls to sell several years ago, I asked my boyfriend at the time for a name and he came up with Grits and Giggles. It's a polite form of a southern saying, meaning sort of "What the heck!". When that relationship didn't work and I met the great guy who's now my husband and got back into making dolls, I thought about changing the name, but it seemed the perfect name. I put a little pewter heart charm on each character that says "Made with Love" and I like to call my dolls "characters", so that's why I'm "Grits and Giggles: Characters Made with Love". The avatar is just a picture of myself and Jeff on vacation last year. My store is still a work in progress. ;-)

[chatnoirstudios]

I rescue cats and the hardest to find homes for are the black ones.....so I have an army of black cats who inspire me. I also relate to their plight cause as a disabled baby(cerebral palsy) it was surprising I was adopted.....most people want perfect babies. I like to think I'm perfect as is. I know my cats are.

[Former_Member]

Since I do all kinds of needlecrafts and sewing, I thought the name of my shop should reflect that. I became disabled about 6 years ago, and one thing that kept me motivated and positive and smiling was my grandson. So my avatar is of him eating fried kool-aid at the Ohio State Fair with a grin from ear to ear. I get a smile every time I see it!

[Former_Member]

The name of my shop is derived from the nickname of my daughter when she was little ... Her name is Polly and we used to call her Pollywog. My avatar is a picture of me when I was sitting on Santa's lap at age 5. I think that is the real me when I design my dolls and create their stories.

[Former_Member]

What a great idea for a thread, I love all your stories.

Mine is that I wanted a name for my shop that summed up all of my inspirations: gothic, victorian, wuthering heights, ghosts, forgotten crumbling manor houses, the british countryside.

Nevermore is that very famous repetition from Edgar Allen Poe's the Raven. And Hall another word for a house.

I wanted each doll to feel like a character from this grand spooky house in the British Countryside. I wouldn't say they're there yet, it's such early days in my doll making I'm not quite capturing the characters I want. But with my recent young heathcliff boy I'm getting there.

Georgina xx

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nevermore-Hall/181181051969954

[Former_Member]

Hahaha..I can't spell ...Hence as an artisan from Maine I misspelled the word and decided to keep it as it is unique! My avatar is one of my dolls.

[Former_Member]

My shop name is Cathryns Creations on my facebook page and tax info..I chose Cat123 because that was already taken on etsy..but Cat is one of my younger nicknames..and 123, well one step in front of the other with any creative work! never to give up! I was a single mom for many years..my son is in the Navy now, all grown up..I am down in Virginia in Richmond teaching at a Waldorf school and loving it..the doll business is a part time love of mine..teaching people all kinds of handwork and also selling dolls made with love...Thanks!

[Former_Member]

Not Carved In Stone came from an earlier piece of mine. I created a needle felt gargoyle, which looked stone -like, so I titled it "Not Carved In Stone." Then, when looking for a name for Etsy, I realised that title explained much of what I do and my philosophy! Since I work primarily in textiles, nothing is "Carved In Stone!"

My avatar is one of my dolls, Annabella. She's also a pattern. http://www.etsy.com/listing/92519528/cloth-doll-pattern-annabella

[Former_Member]

Okay, this is a case where I'm not very inspired at all. Sorry. Your stories are all so delightful or artistic. The truth is I just kinda' pulled "BabyDoll Dress Up" out of my head - no deep thought or anything. Wow. Maybe I'm too honest:)

I am, however, truly happy to be here on etsy. I love what I do:) My avitar is of a cake topper of bride & groom dolls that I made for my oldest daughter's wedding. It turned out well, Whew!

[JanConwell]

This has been fascinating reading! Awesome thread.

My shop name is pretty simple...my name is Jannett Dee Conwell. (I go by Jan, though.) For some reason a tradition got started in our family of naming with J for the first name and a D for the middle...consequently we have loads of JD's.

Soooo I stuck JD on my married last name and there it is. The avatar is a picture of one of my dolls, and her face just got me. She's on all the twitter/facebook/etc. because I read somewhere that branding helps.

I don't know if that's true or not, but it sure simplifies things. :~)