Introduce yourself & say Hello!

[#1]

The Made in Devon team is a little over a year old and is still evolving...

So whether you are brand new or have been a team member a while, do pop in, say hello and tell us what it is that you do. What is it about being creative in Devon that is important to you? What would you like from this team?

This team can evolve into whatever matters to you! If you don’t see a discussion you would like to engage in – why not start one yourself! Ask questions, offer advice, get something off your chest – get involved and see what happens....

To get the ball rolling – I am Lynn, a printmaker in Exeter and part of Double Elephant Print Workshop. Mt Etsy shop is coming up to 3 years old in July. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s going – but I had v modest aims of selling one print a month, & v happy to have exceeded that. It was partly the colour of Devon soil that encouraged me to move into the area – but that’s a longer story.....

I’ve noticed this comment in the origin “welcome” thread from Ren from Fairysteps and think it would be a good idea to reiterate it here -

“For all members...

If you click on the 'Subscribe to digest' link on the left hand side menu of this page, you will receive all updates that happen within the Made in Devon team!

A great way to make sure you don't miss anything!”

BIG FAT DEVON WELCOME TO ALL.

[Former_Member]

Hi, I'm lou and i live near Umberleigh in North Devon, and i make jewellery and reusable cloth menstrual pads. I created my etsy shop a couple of years ago but didn't really do anything to it until now. I would like to get more recognised for my goods.

[Former_Member]

Hello All!

I'm Freddie. Originally from the Midlands but have lived in the South West since I was 16 and have been living in Axminster for the past 20 years with my husband.

I make leather books - have done now for about 10 years and sell through local galleries. I am very new to Etsy and see that I have a whole heap to learn. I don't really know what to expect so anything is a bonus especially finding locally like-minded folks!

Freddie x

[Former_Member]

Hi,
Virginia from my e commerce business selling funky car seat covers. I work in Sunny Devon.
I began my business about a year ago, and found Etsy at about the same time, about the same time the Devon forum began...but it's taken me a year to find you! how bad is that?
Etsy has been superb at promoting my designs, and a quick upload of new designs is so much easier than uploading them onto my own website! My business has steadily increased in sales, thanks to Etsy. It is now my full time job...yay.
I love sewing, and working from my business premises, and love the custom order link with potential new customers who want their own fabric designs on the car seat covers, but miss the company sometimes, so would love an Etsy meet up?
Virginia x

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

Wow – I nod off for a couple of days, & lots of people pop in to say hello!

Greetings to Nicola, Jaine, Lou, Freddy and Virginia,

Very much looking forward to getting to know you and exploring your fab shops. Do feel free to join in, chat with each other, start any discussion that interest you or questions that you need help with. Let's get this Devon Team to really help each other out.

:-)

[Former_Member]

Hi I'm Collette, I am married with two children our son is married, and our daughter is in the last weeks of her degree. We moved here from Yorkshire 28 years ago and have lived on the outskirts of Honiton since. I have always loved making things! And love a challenge I especially enjoyed decorating the children's bedrooms and painting their furniture in various ways to fit the fad of the time. Timepiece Furniture is my new venture, bringing me back to when the kids were young allowing me to express myself .
It's nice to be a part of Team Devon!

[Former_Member]

Hello everyone! I'm Charlotte, and I live in Exeter. By day I am a Social Worker in a prison, and by night, on weekends and whenever else I can squeeze it in I work on my Etsy shop, where I design and handcraft occasion and wedding stationery.

I opened my shop only last November, so I'm still very new, but I'm happy so far with how things are going for me...my bridesmaid cards have been really great sellers, and my shop has definitely helped me to get lots of 'off Etsy' work too.

I'm really keen to be much more involved with the Devon team than I have been, I guess I've sort of just been finding my feet up until now! So if anyone fancies meeting up for tea and cake one day somewhere, perhaps we could bring along some of our items and do a bit of a 'show and tell' / swap business cards etc...?
Much better meeting people in the flesh I think! Perhaps I'll start a discussion to sort one out....?

Charlotte x

[spacefruit]

Hi,

my name is Becky and I've lived in Devon (near Ivybridge) for the past 4 & a half years, before that I was in Cornwall for 10 years, Brighton and Hereford before that.

My Etsy shop gets very little attention at the moment as I've been teaching Bikeability (the new cycle proficiency!) full time for the past 3 years or so, but next week I'm stopping as I'm now 6 months pregnant and am finding riding my bike and being on my feet all day really hard work!

I'm very much hoping to get back into making and selling properly again, something which stopped when I moved to Devon - before then I'd been making and selling for about 20 years.
I'm imagining (and hoping!) that it will be easier to slot in around a baby than my cycle teaching job which I'm unable to do part time... any advice and tips on time management (and babies!) gratefully received as babies are a whole new territory for me!

Looking forward to chatting to & maybe meeting some of you some day...

Becky

[Former_Member]

Becky! I love your shop! I am especially keen on your lovely earrings... I'll be sending a link to my boyfriend! Not sure if you're interested, but a few of us are hoping to get together for a Devon Etsy meet up this month, and at the moment it's looking like Saturday the 17th of May is favourable. Here's the link to the tea, conversation in case you're interested...

https://www.etsy.com/teams/15348/made-in-devon/discuss/14417212/page/2

It would be lovely to see you there!

Charlotte x

[YellowT4Studio]

Hello all.....well Janner by name and Janner by birth. For those who don't know a Janner is Plymouth born, traditionally within walking distance of Naval Dockyard for work...yep thats me!
Look forward to catching up with people here.

Janners

[Former_Member]

Hi there Janners, and welcome to the group! I went to Plymouth Uni! Hope you enjoy being part of the group, and feel free to start discussions or message us direct for any tips / pointers /questions etc. Also, if you haven't seen it, we are planning a Devon Etsy meet up for the 17th of May in Exeter, so please feel free to come along if you can make it! More details in the discussion thread...

Charlotte x

[AliSavicPRINTS]

Hi all,
I'm Ali and I am a printmaker and I make my prints at the Double Elephant Print Workshop. I have had a shop on Etsy for about 18 months and am really enjoying it. I've lived in Devon for about 18 years and moved to Exeter about 10 years ago. I really love living here. I also have a space to sell my prints in an eclectic shop at Exeter Quay called The Psychedelic Shack! The shop also sells 60s memorabilia! amongst lots of other interesting things!

I know I am only using a small percentage of what Etsy is capable of, but I have reached a plateau and am not sure what else to do now. I plan to have a complete shake up and re photograph all my work (little by little!) and re-do my banner etc..

Any ideas would be most welcome,
Ali x

[Velobagworks]

I'm new to Etsy and have only just set my shop up. Hoping for a way to sell items I love to make. Any advice for a new boy much appreciated as I know very little about any of this.
A keen surfer and cyclist living in beautiful North Devon. I love a simple life and enjoy being outside or on the beach.
I've been something of an artisan all my life, using materials as varied as driftwood and precious metals to make all manner of things from jewellery to furniture. Pleasure comes from handcrafting items that are both practical and also have an aesthetic quality.
Velobagworks is a project that harnesses both a creative drive and an enthusiasm for bicycles. The aim is simple - to use quality raw materials and simple tools to create individually crafted accessories for other cyclists to enjoy.
Kind regards, Rob.

[YellowT4Studio]

Hi Robert
If I was starting again I would concentrate on just an Etsy shop and nothing else. Promote it every way possible. I have spread myself to thin with my limited knowledge. As you are here...you are well on your way.
Janners

[Former_Member]

Hi all, Mrs Janners here (yes married to Mr Janners (aka Jannersmugs), well someone has to be!)

I'm now the proud owner of MrsTotebags and look forward to reading all the comments on here.

My bags will be printed with either silly quote, because we all like them, or one of my photographic images. I'm hoping it will be a way of combining my photography and hubby's printing skills!

Bye for now :)

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

Ha-ha! And there I was all set to tell MrsToteBags to get in touch with JannersMugs because he is looking for more Plymouth based Etsy people - but I guess you already know each other pretty well!

Thanks for popping in & introducing yourself. Look forward to seeing more of your totes.

L

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone,
I'm Tabitha and have moved back to Newton Abbot after finishing university last summer. I am a real country bumpkin and loving being back in Devon - I don't want to have to go get a job in London!
I am working as freelance designer as well as trying to get my Etsy shop up and running. I draw and sew in the spare room of my parents house - it is a pretty cosy!
As I am pretty new to everything I would love to hear any advice and recommendations.
Looking forward to being a part of this team,
Tabitha x

[YellowT4Studio]

Welcome to the friendly crew.

Janners

[DarMsallema]

Hi Everyone
I live near Exeter and currently a student (again, again) in my dotage at Plymouth.
Will be back soon, when I have my brains back!
Elizabeth

[YellowT4Studio]

welcome to the frivolity and jollity

[Former_Member]

Morning to all those lovely new people. Especially to Tabitha Cottrell in Newton Abbot, yay me too.
We had a first meet up in Exeter a few weeks ago, about 8 of us chatted about our products.
It seems that if you are very new to Etsy, or been around for a year or more, we all have worries about selling and presenting our shop to it's most favourable.
I personally love working with this site, and adding bits to it to try and complete my shop.
As huge encouragement and a massive plus, and thanks to Etsy, I can see that daily viewings have doubled compared to this time last year.
So don't get disheartened, keep your sales accounts up to date and chip away at the social media side of things, and you will see that you don't need to go get a proper job after all!!!! yay to self employment.
Virginia x

[sunshineshenanigan]

Hello, I'm Laura, I've lived in Brixham for nearly 20 years now and consider it home!

I live near the sea, and spend time on the water sailing or out running and cycling thing in the sea air and the view... I've only just started this Etsy shop, but I have been a graphic designer for years, and freelance for about 4-5 years now.

I'm looking forward to chatting to you all - it gets a bit lonely here in my office on my own!

Laura x

[YellowT4Studio]

Hi Laura, I see I can learn from the way you present your products. Must be those graphic designer skills showing!

Welcome to the merry band.

Janners

[sunshineshenanigan]

Thanks Janners! It's nice to feel part of a team and a community :)

[Former_Member]

Hello Laura! A fellow Devon Etsy wedding seller! Your little people are GORGEOUS! Great to have you as part of the team :)

Charlotte x

[babyflossy]

Hello Everybody, I 've just joined the team and my name is Lizzy, based on a farm between Tiverton and South Molton.
I have had a little shop on Etsy for a couple of years. It started as an expansion from 'beloved' Ebay to seek more appreciative customers that desire quality products.
Also, the shop gives me an excuse to keep buying yarn... as all knitters know, it is an all consuming desire.
Happy selling to all ! :)