Five Years on Etsy

After graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute I knew I wanted to continue to find the balance of family life and creating. I knew if I wanted to be a happy and healthy mom and wife I needed to also be able to find time everyday to be creative. In January of 2008, I had a daughter play date with Maria Buszek, one of my professors from KCAI. We both had 12 month old baby girls. I learned quickly that during play dates you rarely have time to have adult conversations because your focus is more on your babes. But I remember the little time we had to talk, I brought up how I didn't know really what to do next with my art. I was still weaving scarves and recently was making baby scarves. I showed Maria and she encourage me to start an Etsy shop. I had never heard of it but I was intrigued.

A week later I started up my shop, BillySueTextiles. I named it after I nickname my husband gave me our first year of marriage. It was a little rough starting up the shop not knowing exactly how everything works but I continued to play around with it. But after few weeks of opening I sold my first scarf.

( my first scarf sold.....beautiful model, my best friend Hannah but horrible photo) Life has been busier these days I have now two daughters, Cora who is six and Emma who will be three in February. It's been five years now from today since I opened it and I am so grateful for it everyday in my life. The cost of Etsy is very low and it has helped me to challenge myself creatively. I have also been so suprised about who much I like photography as well. Since I have opened I have sold more 334 scarves online and more than 120 outside of my online shop. I have also started up two other Etsy shops. DebbieBarrettJones.Etsy.com is where I sell my large hand dyed, hand woven panels

And RocktoSleepDesigns.Etsy.com where I sell custom hand cut paper art.

Life is crazy trying to find the balance but I couldn't imagine life any other way. I wish I could meet all my customers from around the world and say thank you to them. With their support, I continue to be encouraged that I am doing what God has gifted me to do and am inspired and challenged to keep on making. Here are some images of a little photo shoot I took yesterday of my beautiful girls. I thought it would be nice to have them show off the "baby or me" scarves. I look forward to the many more years to come making and selling online.