Etsy Interview with Minden Marie Jewelry

Etsy Interview with Minden Marie Jewelry<br /><br />First off, tell me a little bit about yourself. My name is Minden Marie Ten Eyck and I am a jewelry designer, founder and perpetuator of the Etsy shop Minden Marie Jewelry. I strive to make the most beautiful, high quality, original pieces that are still affordable. Aside from my dream of creating jewelry full time, I would love to be a professional traveler, a painter, a photographer and a fashion designer.<br /><br />My work experience is vast, ranging from flight attendant to landscape architect to mental health professional. When reading interviews of other creative people, I noticed a trend of interesting career paths, many of them quite curvy, filled with u turns and dead ends. I always felt guilty due to student loans and shattered expectations about my own path looking quite similar to that until I realized something: because my true interest and talent lies in creating beautiful things, as long as I choose to work in a non creative field, I will constantly be drawn back to doing something artistic. Thats one of the many reasons why Etsy is so commendable: it provides so many talented and innovative people a venue to display and profit from the product of their passion and creativity.<br /><br />Ive been making jewelry, on a small scale, for friends, and myself, since high school. How and why I started making jewelry on a large scale? Well, Im not sure I should admit it! While the business savvy were constructing business plans, identifying target markets and purchasing accounting software, I was taking a different approach.<br /><br />Picture yourself walking into the biggest bead store youve ever seen, a warehouse, actually, with rows upon rows of gemstones and pearls cascading down from above your head all the way to the floor. It was like a dream! A wonderful, wonderful dream! Before I knew it, I was signing a credit card slip to the tune of a few hundred dollars. Thats when my business plan hit me: I must sell this stuff in the form of stunning adornment in order to mitigate the cost! Little did I know that it would lead to the creation of Minden Marie Jewelry and an interview this is really exciting!<br /><br />When and how did you originally find Etsy?<br /><br />I had to refer back to my shop to find the date that I joined Etsy. The thing I cant figure out is how I could have purchased something in May of 2009 and then not have opened Minden Marie Jewelry until March of 2010. My friend, Amy, creator of the Etsy shop HazyDayStudio, is the one who suggested that I sell my jewelry on Etsy. Thanks, Amy!<br /><br />What is unique about Etsy and what about the website do you like the most in regards to your shop?<br /><br />First of all, Etsy is uber stylish! Kudos for the cool graphics and great site design. I like to think of myself of graphically versed, but even if I werent, Etsy would have me covered because the graphics and format makes everyones shop look good! Another fantastic thing about Etsy is that it brings in a lot of traffic for a low price. Before mindenmariejewelry opened on Etsy, I had a website that charged a monthly fee and that directed zero traffic to my site not to mention what I paid to get the site up and running!<br /><br />Another plus: Etsy is ridiculously simple. When I first opened Minden Marie Jewelry I sought the advice of prosperous shop owners. I asked ten sellers if they could share insight, advice, tips, etc. regarding their success. I only expected two, maybe three responses. Out of ten people, nine responded and some of the responses were quite lengthy. All the correspondence was encouraging and supportive.<br /><br />What inspires you the most in regards to your creations?<br /><br />The materials themselves provide me with the most inspiration. I utilize gemstone, pearls, coral and sterling silver in my pieces. Gemstones come in the most enchanting colors, patterns and luminosities. One of my favorite gemstones, one that you will see quite often on Minden Marie Jewelry, is red picture jasper. Every piece is like a miniature piece of contemporary art. The Red Picture Jasper Pendant Necklace and the Red Picture Jasper Pendant with Tourmaline, Quartz, Labradorite and Handmade Sterling Silver Beads are great examples of this. Another source of inspiration, at the risk of sounding like a narcissist, is myself. What I mean by that is I would wear every item I create, so the pieces are inspired by my own style and must live up to my standards. Its asymmetrical, with one side onyx black and one side calcite yellow. The black onyx seems to flow straight into the pendant, which has angled bands of black traversing both sides. The pendant also has handmade sterling silver beads, which I think add even more originality.<br /><br />There are many necklaces listed on Minden Marie Jewelry that also have a large jasper pendant. If I may introduce another one of my favorites, one that managed to escape my clutches, but was, rather, given to a friend: the Wire Wrapped Labradorite Pendant Necklace. Several days after I gave the necklace to my friend, she texted me and said that she had received so many compliments on the piece that she thought she should tattoo my Etsy shop address on her forehead. I responded, That would be amazing! She hasnt done it yet.<br /><br />What do you want to accomplish with your online shop?<br /><br />I want to be a star! Seriously, I want to be a star. Joking aside, it would be a dream come true if I could make Minden Marie Jewelry my full time job. Many times I read the Etsy Quit Your Day Job feature with eyes wide open, white knuckling the mouse, full of hope and awe. I have little fantasies about what I would say when I become featured. However, I realize that with any creative field, there are a few who make it and there are many more who dont. Greeting card references aside, hopes and dreams are really important. Im a steadfast believer in positive thinking and if you can envision something to be true for you, it probably will be.<br /><br />Do you have any new creations in the works? If so, what can shoppers expect to see from you soon?<br /><br />I just started selling earrings. Previously, necklaces were my pices de rsistance to be found in my shop. Earrings are an exciting new addition for me and Im having a lot of fun making them. Shoppers can continue to expect unique, modern, beautiful and affordable jewelry from Minden Marie Jewelry. I encourage customers to check the shop often, as I am continually adding new pieces.<br /><br />Where can readers find out about more information regarding your jewelry and other creations and possible special offers including additional websites, blogs, facebook, etc?<br /><br />Right now, my Esty shop is the primary way to access my jewelry. Ive heard that making a Facebook Fan Page is a good way to expand ones business. However, when it comes to the choice, Should I make more jewelry, or should I figure out how to do that, guess what I choose? Refer back to my fantastic business skills. In July, I had my first contest in which a customer could enter to win a necklace of their choice in exchange for an email with some critical feedback about Minden Marie Jewelry. Receiving all the comments was so enriching! As I anticipated, Etsy customers were filled with fabulous ideas! Thanks to their keen perception and well articulated insights, I made several changes to my store, including photos, wording, adding earrings and adding more lower priced items. Unfortunately, marketing is not my forte. If anyone has any suggestions for me, please write me! I sense another contest coming on!<br /><br />Published by Rachel B.<br /><br />Rachel B. is a college student from the Midwest with a passion for political and local issues. Her writing has been featured on the front page of Yahoo! View profile<br /><br />Artist Tip: How to Take Excellent Product Photos for an Etsy ShopCreating high quality, interesting photos is key to finding success with an Etsy shop.