Allie's Antiqued Adornments

Name: Alyssa
Shop Name: Allie's Adornments aka Allie's Antiqued Adornments
Shop Link: http://AlliesAdornments.Etsy.com

What inspires you? I have always had a fondness and love of art. My favorite places are galleries and museums and I am inspired by the craftsmanship of items that are well made and endure. I’ve been heavily influenced by antiques, especially those that were handed down through my family. I find that a well made piece of furniture can be just as beautiful as a painting or piece of sculpture.

I subscribe to publisher William Randolph Hearst’s belief that in order to properly appreciate beautiful things, they must be utilized for the purpose in which they were created. Eat off of the good china and silver, use the good crystal, and let them bring you joy every day instead of the once a year that they are brought out of the cabinet.
How long have you had your shop on Etsy? July 1st 2007

Is this a job for you or a hobby? Hobby

How did you get into your craft? After inheriting some gorgeous buttons, I found them too pretty not to want to look at over and over again so I started making jewelry as a way for me to wear and enjoy them as mini pieces of art. That something as small and simple as a button can be so incredibly detailed with wonderful craftsmanship never ceases to amaze me.

I make some funkier styles of jewelry, using elongated pennies, taxidermy eyeballs, and foreign coins; elements not always thought of as jewelry in the traditional sense. However, my fascination remains with antiques especially the tiny buttons because of their history.


Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? I would suggest to fellow Etsyians that there are 2 necessary components to selling online if they are serious about being successful. #1 is that networking is vital. It took me almost 6 months to get in the forums and join a street team, but once I did my sales & exposure more than doubled. #2 Would be to advertise. People aren't going to magically find your product because you posted one listing on the internet. Re-newing a listing on Etsy is one of the cheapest ways to advertise. For 20 cents you get a few seconds on the front page of the website & move to the front of the search. Buyers aren't going to search through thousands of listings for yours that was posted months ago.

Anything else you would like to add? Enjoy what you are doing/making/selling or don't do it. Life is too short to waste time doing things that don't fulfill you.