Meet Ann of DestinationDesign!

Name: Ann
Birthdate: January 28, 1990
Location: Arlington, TX
Shop Name: DestinationDesign

When and why did you first join Etsy? 
I joined Etsy around March of 2009, curious on what the hype is on Etsy. To be honest, I saw the ads on Facebook, saying I could find kawaii things on Etsy. One peek, and I was already sucked in!

Did you open your shop right away?  
Not right away, because I haven't thought much of selling. After some trial and error, I figured out what I wanted to make and opened a couple of months later. 

Why are you a member of EtsyTeaParty? 
Because the team offers a great variety of sellers, and I just want to be a part of it! I want to connect with other sellers that are in my 'genre' of items, and maybe become good friends.

Easy one, what is your favorite color(s)? 
Hands down, green! But ever since my daughter was born, I'm beginning to like pink a lot...

How did you choose your shop's name?
I guess it's an alliteration type of thing, I was always a sucker for those. The name, really, was just something I came up on top of my head, and the tag line soon followed, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

What is your favorite item that you have listed in your shop and why? 
I love Peppermint the deer necklace (yes, I named her for now)!! The bead work for the necklace was something I didn't know how to do at first, and when I first learned it, I made that necklace. It holds a lot of meaning, and I could only wish that someone could give Peppermint a good home.

Do you have any other hobbies besides crafting/creating gorgeous handmade things for Etsy? 
I'm also a mom, stay at home mom at that. I sacrificed a lot to become a mom, and crafting is something to escape my stressful mother life (or vice versa!). I'm also an avid Korean pop lover, and I'm slowly incorporating K-pop and crafting together. I also enjoy playing video games on the Wii and Xbox360 (Call of Duty ftw!) and watching movies with my friends on the weekend. 

Do you have any pets? 
None! I don't think I could handle a pet and a child!
What is your most cherished possession and why?: Is it possible to say my daughter? I believe she's pretty important! 

What is/are your favorite item(s) that you bought from Etsy? 
Aside from the endless supplies, I bought these cute stuffed pandas from y0omii. They are very soft and I ended up keeping one for myself!

Tell us about your family members. 
My family came from Taiwan to America with a dream, just like any other immigrant. My dad is currently a sushi chef in the DFW area with my mom as a waitress. My grandmother knows Japanese along with the usual Mandarin-Chinese, so she helps me a lot when it comes to the Japanese culture and keeping up with the trend. I have a little sister, who can be useful when it comes to telling me what I should and should not do when it comes to making jewelry (even though she is not a jewelry wearer herself). Last, but not least, my cute daughter who knows how to get me going!

If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things, what would they be? 
My daughter, iPhone, and tape. Tape will definitely entertain both of us for a while.

What things inspire you to craft/create? 
Aside from the Japanese culture, looking at re-ment sets gets me going on what I should make. I also flip through Japanese craft books, specifically clay ones, to get ideas especially ones that I could deco-den with!


What advice do you have for fledgling Etsy sellers? 
Be patient! It doesn't matter if you have 10 or 100 sales. As long as you are enjoying what you are doing, and you are having fun, you are truly happy. 

Meet Twinkie Chan!

Name: Twinkie Chan!
Birthdate: August 7, '76
Location: San Francisco, CA
Shop Name: twinkiechan

When and why did you first join Etsy?

It appears I joined in 2006 (hehe I can't remember myself!). I remember a lot of the other crafters I knew were leaving eBay and joining Etsy, so I was curious! I didn't necessarily feel like I was being treated badly as a seller on eBay, as many people did feel, but there was something very clean and streamlined and delightful about Etsy.

Did you open your shop right away?

I mostly just shopped on Etsy to begin with, and did not start selling on it until 2008. It was hard for me to leave eBay and have to name my own prices for my items, but I loved the idea that it wouldn't necessarily just be the highest bidders who could purchase my goodies.

Why are you a member of EtsyTeaParty?

Cuz the coolest sellers in the universe were part of it, and I wanted to pretend to be as cool as them! I love the beautiful, uber-girlie aesthetic that most of us seem to incorporate into our work!

Easy one, what is your favorite color(s)?

I don't want to say pink, but it's the truth.

How did you choose your shop's name?

My shop is my name! Okay, it's obviously not my real name, but I chose my superhero craft name by adopting my mother's maiden name, Chan, and a word that is obviously a food, but "Twinkie" is also a term for an Americanized Asian person, yellow on the outside, white on the inside! I just thought it was a funny twist, as I feel I am quite Americanized in many ways, but my work would seem very inspired by trends and imagery in Asia/Japan.

What is your favorite item that you have listed in your shop and why (add URL)?

I have  huuuuuge soft spot for the pepperoni pizza scarf! I always swear I will make myself one day, but I never do  cuz I have so much other stuff to make!

Do you have any other hobbies besides crafting/creating gorgeoushandmade things for Etsy?

Oh man, right now I don't have time for anything else. I used to work in publishing, so I used to read A LOT. I thought that I would read more after leaving the industry, but that hasn't happened yet! Does playing with my dogs count as a hobby? My boyfriend and I also love to watch bad horror movies!

Do you have any pets?

Yes! I have too adorable dogs, Bibi (Shar Pei/Basset mix), and Bunny (Min Pin/demon mix).

What is your most cherished possession and why?

At the moment, I would have to say BIBI. I feel like she is my little, odd, human baby. I'm weird.

What is/are your favorite item(s) that you bought from Etsy?

I am a huge fangirl for fellow Tea Party member imyourpresent. It's embarrassing how many items I have purchased from her. She is genius.

Tell us about your family members.

I have an awesome family. My mom is very handy with powertools, and my dad is like a math and physics wizard. I have a brother who is 6 years younger than I am, and we are so different but still get along. He's married and a grown up, and he is also my web-master!

If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things, what would they be?

My dog. My laptop (there's wifi there, right?). A machine that churns out an endless number of brownies!

What things inspire you to craft/create?

Just living and being!! I love making things in my head come to reality. It's the most gratifying feeling ever!

What advice do you have for fledgling Etsy sellers?

Stay true to yourself. The most unique thing about your business is you, so don't mind what others are doing or what's trendy. Make what you love.

better late than never!

One of our own, our beloved team member & friend has a book published! Its full of crafty foody scarves and delicious goodies to crochet. Go Check it out! twinkiechanbooks.com, twinkiechan.com, twinkie on etsy!!