Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Marvelous Mom - Maite of Tamsy Trends

Our EMCA award winner and Marvelous Mom of the month is Maite of Tamsy Trends. Take a minute and get to know her better!

Tell us about yourself
My name is Maite and I am a work-at-home mom. I grew up in the Philippines, but now live in Central Virginia with my husband and our two sweet tween girls.
What makes you unique?
I’m not sure how to answer this question. I think you should ask my husband, or my parents, or my kids. What do you love about kids? What’s not to love? They are fun to be with, love to laugh and keep all of us young at heart. They always have a new and different perspective on things and I love seeing the world through their eyes.



What are you currently doing besides your shop crafts?
Just this month, I have rejoined the workforce and started working part-time again as an I.T. systems analyst. I also try to volunteer to help out at my kids’ school whenever I can (field trips, class parties, special events, etc.).


What is the link to your Etsy shop?

What do you offer in your Etsy shop?
Jewelry and beaded accessories for men and women, including bridal pieces, beaded napkin rings, beaded bookmarks and rosaries. When I create, I always try to make simple but elegant pieces. I go for fun, color and versatility and try to create classic pieces that do not quickly go out of style.

Where do you create?
When I first started my Etsy shop, our dining table was my work area. It was a mess and I always got stressed trying to keep all my tools and supplies before dinner time! Now, I have a little desk in a corner in our living room and it has become one of my favorite places in the house.


Where do you find your inspiration?
I would say that when I do my craft, I draw a lot of inspiration from the colors I see everyday, whether it be from a nice painting I saw or a certain window display, from the colors of buildings on the street or my kids’ drawings.

How did you get started in your current line of business?
I have always loved crafting but my journey with jewelry making started a few years ago when my youngest child started elementary school. I found myself finally having a little extra time on my hands and decided to pick up a jewelry making book and starter kit on a trip to a hobby store. My thinking then was I would learn to make a couple of necklaces and bracelets for myself and my kids and if my end products were good enough, I would give a couple to my relatives as birthday or holiday gifts. Well, needless to say, I got completely hooked and I did not stop making jewelry since then.


How do you promote your business?
I promote my business by wearing jewelry I designed for myself and by donating some items to community fundraising events. I also promote online through my blog on tumblr (tamsytrends.tumblr.com/), twitter (twitter.com/tamsytrends) and facebook (www.facebook.com/TamsyTrends).

What is one of the most important lessons you've learned since starting your business?
Be very organized and be smart about how you spend your time. When I was first starting out and trying to build an online presence, I often found myself getting so engrossed with social media that I spent a lot of my time online in the forums or on facebook and twitter that I no longer had time to work on my craft. Now, I know better. I make sure I set a schedule for my day and I try my best to stick to it.

What advise would you give someone just starting out?
Be patient and be prepared to work hard. Believe in yourself and your product. And most of all, have fun!


What are some of your favorite online shops, both Etsy and non-Etsy?
I have a lot of favorite Etsy shops, but here are a few of them: www.etsy.com/shop/Spiderbite www.etsy.com/shop/StilNovoDesign www.etsy.com/shop/katiefenwick www.etsy.com/shop/IchibanJoyas Outside of Etsy, I like Amazon (www.amazon.com/) and the Apple Store (store.apple.com/us)