2nd Annual Membership Drive

Summer is officially here and it's time for our 2nd Annual Membership Drive. If you are interested in applying to join our team, please download and read the Membership Requirements and Application on the right side of this page. Applications are due by July 25 and team invitations will be extended in mid-August.

The Flower Offered of Itself

Amy Rickles of Stick to Your Knittin' Kitten created this treasury, The Flower Offered of Itself, featuring ShowMe Etsy and St. Louis Craft Mafia artists!

1st ever Membership Drive!

The ShowMe Etsy team is excited to announce our first official Membership Drive. If you are interested in applying to join our team, please download and read the Membership Requirements and Application on the right side of this page. Applications are due by February 24 and team invitations will be extended in early March.

ShowMe Green

We're rockin' this week with another Etsy Treasury by Stick to you Knittin' Kitten, this time in lovely shades of green! St. Patrick's Day here we come. :) Click HERE to view!

ShowMe Blue

Check out this lovely treasury, called ShowMe Blue, made by Avaeli Couture featuring SME members. Click HERE to view!

It's a ShowMe Etsy Valentine

In less than a month it'll be Valentine's Day. Why not find a gift from your sweetie among our ShowMe Etsy artists?

Featured SME Member ~ Jools Magools

Give us the 411 about yourself.

What's the story behind the name of your business?
When I was younger, my best friend's dad called me "Jools Magools." It kind of stuck, and when I was searching for a fun name for my art business, it seemed like a perfect option!

How did you get involved in your craft?
I decided to take a class at Craft Alliance when I needed some new artistic inspiration outside of work. From there, I continued to make things for friends, and it soon bloomed into a business.

What inspires you?
I love really abstract things and vibrant colors. My favorite artist is Kandinsky, and I also love Piet Mondrian. Anything geometric and bold with bright colors really catches my eye.

Beside your craft, what other activities do you enjoy?
I like to hang out with my boyfriend and our puppy, Pogo, curl up with a good book, travel to unique places, or watch my favorite TV shows.

Can you give any advice about selling on Etsy?
Professional marketing and photography are key. You have to make your product look nice, and presentation is half the battle.

Favorite movie/book/music?
Show: Dexter and Glee
Book: Count of Monte Cristo
Movie: Love, Actually

In ten years you'll be...
A mom who sells her glass items, stationery, and graphic design services on the side. :)

Featured SME Member ~ Avaeli Couture

Give us the 411 about yourself.
I am a stay at home mom to 3 1/2 year old twins and have been married to a wonderful man for 14 years. I have been my own boss in the direct sales business for over 10 years and it is where I am most comfortable. It has allowed me to stay at home with my children while at the same time having a fulfilling career...... the best of BOTH worlds!! (also the hardest job in the world too!)

What's the story behind the name of your business?
I have boy/girl twins and their names are Eli and Ava. I decided to put the two names together to form "Avaeli" (pronounced UH-VAY-LEE) and added Couture. Couture means it was made for you, the best of the best :-)

How did you get involved in your craft?
I have a love for jewelry and a love for home shows, so I thought it would be fun to combine the two and start my own business! The hand-stamped collection of my business was born approximately one year ago after I saw a friend wearing a similar necklace. Unfortunately, her necklace was very pricey and I really did not want to spend that kind of money. BUT, I soon became obsessed over it and started doing research online. I decided to buy some supplies to start making the hand stamped jewelry myself. I soon became engrossed! I found myself making new pieces everyday and wearing them the moment I created them! Now, I have over 75 pieces in my collection, all designed and made by me at a price everyone can afford! I am selling my pieces on Etsy and via home shows and craft fairs. The response has been incredible and I am enjoying it so much! I absolutely love creating pieces for my customers that I know they will cherish forever :-)

What inspires you?
My family! When I am creating my jewelry pieces I always do it with my kids and husband in mind. I create things that I can wear with their names on it. I am also inspired by all of the other awesome artists on Etsy and on the Show Me team!

Beside your craft, what other activities do you enjoy?
I love to eat, see movies, shop, spend time with friends/family and sleep! I also love live theater and have performed in many shows myself, there is nothing on this earth that makes me as happy as to be on stage. Another thing that makes me feel most happy is the ocean. I feel drawn to it, peaceful and content around it and there is no place else I would rather be! (except for on stage, wait, I already said that!) I also love wine and everything about it. Whether I am learning about it or drinking it :-)

Can you give any advice about selling on Etsy?
Spend lots of time there! Research the site and learn as much as you can. Also, take good photographs of your listings. Your photos create the feel of your shop and customers are more apt to purchase your item if it looks great!

Favorite movie/book/music?
I love so many movies and all types of music! I do however love movies based on true stories and non-fiction auto biographical books are the only books that I read. Music? Everything and anything EXCEPT for country and death metal! LOL

In ten years you'll be...
Dealing with TWO 13 year olds!!!! OH MY GOSH, help!!! hahaha

Featured SME Member ~ The Craft Wino

Give us the 411 about yourself.
My name is Connie, and I am a wino! :) I'm orignially from Omaha, NE, and have lived and visited several of the lower 48 states due to my job and my mother's when I was younger. I've been married now for 12 years to a wonderful husband that is my best friend, as well as the most understanding man one of my nature could have! Our kids currently are 3 dogs (Windi City, Roxy, and Duncan). Eventually we would love to have a little two legged one of our own.

My backround in being creative comes from both sides of the family, both in crafting and cooking! After dabbling in several craft mediums, I found a niche that played on my love of wine. From there it took off and The Crafty Wino was born~

What's the story behind the name of your business?
After being told about Etsy and researching it a bit, I decided to sign up. I wrote down a list of names that myself and a few coworkers talked about at lunch. One seemed to just click with what I was about, as well as made us smile.

How did you get involved in your craft?
I first starting making wine charms, as I was bored with the ones that were for sale and thought it would be fun to make them for my friends. I then saved up some corks and wanted to make a corkboard for myself, and it took off from there.

What inspires you?
My mother, who always has a crochet hook in hand making something for someone or their baby.

Beside your craft, what other activities do you enjoy?
Playing with "kids", walking, gardening, cooking/baking, and of course visiting the fabulous Missouri Wineries!

Can you give any advice about selling on Etsy?
Utilized as many web based social sites to promote your shop, i.e Twitter, Facebook, or the various blogs. These are free marketing tools at your disposal and will lead to sales in your shop!

Favorite movie/book/music?
Movie: Jane Erye with Orson Wells; Book: currently Breaking Dawn of the Twilight series; Music: I mainly listen to hard rock/metal...currently liking the new Breaking Benjamin

In ten years you'll be...
a household name! ;) yep, Wino has high hopes!

Celebrating Fall

Fall is just around the corner! Here are a few fall-themed items from our SME members!

Upcycle Exchange at Artropy!

And just what is the Upcycle Exchange? It's a fabulous program... as artists we're always looking for items to use in our art. Here's an easy way to donate unused craft items at ShowMe Etsy's Artropy event!

Here's a blurb from the Upcycle website!
The Upcycle Exchange is an pilot program aimed at initiating a cradle-to-cradle inspired production concept for the indie craft community. The basic premise is that customers can receive incentives, such as discounts on merchandise or other perks, when they collect and donate materials that crafters use to create handmade merchandise. Micro-manufacturers have formed a vast network both on the internet and in their communities over the past 10 years, and have enjoyed an explosion of popularity through local events and online shops. In light of the endlessly varied aesthetic tastes and resourcefulness of these well-connected cottage industries, we think they exhibit a huge potential to absorb over-consumption, and serve as a model for producing more sustainable domestic goods.

Cool Art, Hot Jazz

The ShowMe Etsy team is fortunate to be at Cool Art, Hot Jazz Festival this weekend! Good music, fantastic art... what more can you ask for? :)