Gotta start somewhere.

As an Etsy shop owner, I go through lots of ups and downs. There are seasons of so many sales I can barely handle the orders rolling in. And then there are slumps. I try to use the down time (if there is such a thing with a 3 month old in the house!) to create new products or to improve the ones I already have. But I can always use encouragement along the way. So I start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. :)

Want to see how I started?

Take a look at my very first sale:

It was one of the first pairs of earrings I'd ever made, and I was feeling inspired. I was living in Chicago at the time, working as a nanny for the summer, and I needed a creative outlet. As soon as I listed the earrings and my shop was officially open for business, I called my best friend Jessica and she bought them. My first sale! I was over the moon. After that, I made scrabble pendants for a while...

 then more jewelry...

 then some paintings...

 then some hand carved stamps...

a few camera strap slip covers...

a wreath... 

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and then finally, my first bag.

Needless to say, it took a while to find what stuck - and what I didn't lose interest in making. And in looking back, I'm encouraged - because when I see how much I've learned and grown and changed with the times, it's a good feeling! I hope you're encouraged, too. I can assure you - shops with lots of sales didn't just pop up overnight.

Just for fun, I love to look at some of my favorite shops and see where they started out, too. For the majority of them, I find poorly lit photographs of items that look nothing like what they're selling now. It's a journey. And it's beautiful to see.

Speaking of Etsy shops, do you have favorites to share? I always love new finds! Let me know in the comments!