Name: Annais
Birthdate: Dec. 28th 1988
Location: North Lake Tahoe, Ca
Shop Name: Frosted Crossbones
When and why did you first join Etsy?
I started in November of 2008 under a different name. I originally heard about it on an episode of Martha Stewart's Weddings.
Did you open your shop right away?
No at first. I started by just poking around and then realized it had to be done.
Why are you a member of EtsyTeaParty?
Because cute and fun is right up my alley, plus many of the people in the group have shops that I stalk.
Easy one, what is your favorite color(s)?
Rainbow. Pink and black are close runners up. I've always really loved all things rainbow including organizing things into rainbow order.
How did you choose your shop's name?
It took some soul searching to figure it out. My husband calls me a hardcore cupcake and at some point I started saying that Every Hardcore cupcake has a pair of
Frosted Crossbones.
What is your favorite item that you have listed in your shop and why?
At the moment it is my
Piece of my Heart Floap or floating soap. They smell so good and are fun in the tub. Plus I love anything heart shaped!
Do you have any other hobbies besides crafting/creating gorgeous handmade things for Etsy?
I'm actually a stand-up comedian in my spare time. I picked up doing comedy when I was 18 after bumping into a local booking agent and he said that he would try me out. Now I do comedy for random local functions.
Do you have any pets?
I have one super cutie rescue pup named Sox. He is a random mutt mixture of
collie,
Shepard and
Corgi. My husband an I picked him up from a family that had to get rid of him due to his loud bark. When we first got him we were afraid that he wouldn't be able to hold up to the cold and snow. It turns out he loves it. Not to mention he actually let me make him a hoodie and I used him as a doggie mannequin. He is so well behaved.
What is your most cherished possession and why?
Probably my baby blanket (yes, I still sleep with it. It has the cast of
Sesame Street on it). I actually stole it from my brother when I was 5 but I never loved anything quite like it.
What is/are your favorite item(s) that you bought from Etsy?
In no particular order:
My custom stamp By
sjane. Isn't it cute? I got it to use on receipts - I'm a bit of a stamp freak.
My Neapolitan Rocket Pop Scarf BY
TwinkieChan. I've always been a bit obsessed with
Twinkie and the stuff she makes, it's food themed so why not? And last but not least This
great underbust corset BY
SugarKittyCorsets. She custom fitted it with pink fabric - LOVE IT!
Tell us about your family members.
I'm actually not super close with my family. However, I do have a great group of friends that I consider my family. I am married to a great man who is a recording engineer. My best friend Lisa is like a sister to me, she makes feather earrings and is a fantastic cartoonist. I wish I could talk her into joining etsy. We'll see! And then there is Van. He's a chainsaw carver who specializes in carving bears. He also paints abstract paintings. He's kind of like the group father, prankster and wise ass.
If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things, what would they be?
Sox for scaring off the oogy boogies. My leatherman for hunting and carving and whatnot. And a magnesium flint bar to start fires.
What things inspire you to craft/create?
FOOD! I'm so utterly obsessed with food that it consumes my life. I can never get enough. Some times I'll just cook so that I can have something to replicate out of soap!
What advice do you have for fledgling Etsy sellers?
Create! Create! Create! - The more items you have in your shop the more views you can get and the more feedback you can receive. It's hard to keep going when you first start because you may not have any sales but you've got to stick with it. Join the chat rooms for inspiration if you need it. People in the etsy community are a wealth of help and knowledge.
Q: Had you heard of Etsy Finds before you were featured?
