Just Hooking

My name is Danielle and I am originally from Massachusetts. However I have been living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for over 5 years now, going to school and working. I am in my last year (finally) of Architecture school at Temple University. When I am not at school or one of my jobs, I spend most of my free time crocheting with my little Yorkie puppy, named Osmosis. I love teaching people how to crochet and sharing my Youtube taught skills with my friends and family!

I chose the name justHOOKing because I wanted a shop name that was funny, yet had meaning to my craft. Crocheting is done with a single hook that you use to loop the yarn through itself many times to create all kinds of cool and complex things. Still makes all my friends laugh that I have a little business called justHOOKing J

I started my business because I had a lot of friends that wanted my crocheted baby products that I was making. Then one of my co-workers that sells purses on Etsy (liliglow) got me “hooked” and it’s been Esty night and day ever since!

The five things I want people to think when they see my products are:

• 1. I need that J
• 2. How fun!
• 3. How creative.
• 4. To realize the time it takes for each piece to be made, even a 5 dollar piece can take hours.
• 5. How can I make it my own? I love making custom orders and creating new things!

My supply addiction is definitely buttons! I have so many buttons I am constantly buying!

When I am not crocheting I am usually making architectural models or writing papers. If I get time when I am not doing either I like to surround myself with friends and give my boyfriend the attention he deserves. I lead a very very busy life, so it is amazing to just sit down put on a movie and relax with my puppy and boyfriend.

Right now I am obsessed with my Infinity Chain Scarves! I love making them and decorating them with bows and flowers.

The amazing thing about crocheting is that it is relaxing and I truly enjoy it, so it does not keep too much motivation to keep up with orders. (usually just lots of caffeine)

Advice:
Promotion Promotion Promotion! I have some friends who have recently started shops and I have noticed only the ones who are actively promoting themselves on Etsy and Facebook and such are the ones thriving. Its hard to start a new shop on Etsy because there is already so many people selling everything. Without getting your name out there by joining teams, making friends, making treasuries, creating a FB page, it is really hard to get noticed among the crowd. This does not mean you have to spend all kinds of money on ads either. I have yet to pay for advertising (minus a few BNRs) and I have been growing. It just takes a lot of time and persistence.


You can find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/JustHOOKing/291226720897773

Holiday Shop 'Till You Drop Treasury Challenge Week 3

Winning Treasuries:

Week 1: Thanksgiving Hostess Gifts From the PCF Team
Week 2: Pumpkin Pie a la mode!

Here are the treasuries that are in the Challenge!! On November 18, we will vote and pick a winner :) Please click and comment on these wonderful treasuries!


THEME FOR WEEK 3:
♥**♥ Is it Too Early To Deck The Halls? ♥**♥

Weekly Wednesday Shop Hop

Do you have an online shop?  Love to check out other shops, and would love some free advertising?  This is the place for you! 

Just click the blue button below to add a link to one of your shop items. Type your SHOP NAME in the box that says "name".

The linky will change every Wednesday, so be sure to come back and add your shop.

There will be 5 shops featured each week, chosen from those that joined the previous week.

This Weeks Featured Shops!

Be Absolutely Lovely

Needle Craft Nook

Clever Ruthie

Heart Felt by Andrea

Josh and Teo

Creative Jewelry

Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am from Riga, Latvia. This is small European country. It is lovely Northern country with great four seasons - hot summers, cold, snowy winters, fantastic autumns and beautiful springs. And capital Riga is truly charming European city. There are many great artists from Latvia in Etsy, I think it's worth checking their work.

How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?

My shop name is foxfragaria. It includes fox, which is my totem animal, and fragaria, which means strawberry in Latin - I love the juiciness and cuteness about it! I started making jewelry more that 3 years ago. Initially I only wanted to make couple of things for myself, but making jewelry turned out a very addictive thing! I have learned a lot during the process, which is a great feeling. Gradually I started selling my things to acquaintances and in local craft fairs, and it fills me with enormous joy to see wearer of my jewelry looking so good. As I wanted to expand the circle of my customers, I opened a shop at Etsy.

What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your product?

I hope they see that my things are: 

• interesting
• well made
• one of a kind
• wearable
• joyful

What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?

It changes through times. For instance, there was a period when I loved wood beads and used them a lot! I still love them by I use them much less. I loved silver toned metal most but just recently I start to feel that I might try to work with brass, and so on. I have always loved quality stones and lampwork beads. I feel very lucky that I have this amazing opportunity to buy beautiful lampwork beads from my good friend, lampwork artist Laila Strazdina. And colours - I like them all, actually color is main component in my jewelry - I, kind of, try to "paint" certain scene with bead colors.

What do you do when you’re not being an artist? What activities do you enjoy?

I work in PR and as a translator and interpreter, mostly with arts therapy field. I love reading, cinema, theatre and art exhibitions.

Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?

Oh, I can't tell. :) Just one? No. I love them all! The interesting thing is that sometimes the simplest designs are the ones that had required most work and consideration. It amazes me, that when it is finished it looks so easily put together. But actually every single bead is in it's place and sometimes it was a lengthy experimentation until the right solution was achieved. And when you have it, that is, when the piece becomes "living and breathing", it is a great joy.

What keeps you motivated?

To be honest slow sales at Etsy rather demotivates me. :(   But making the jewelry is a truly captivating activity so it is not difficult to engage in it!

If you could give a piece of advice to a new shop - what would it be?

I think from business point of view it is very important to have distinctive style dedicated to very certain type of customer. To have it, to develop it and to evolve it.

Are there other places on the internet we can find you?

I do have a blog about my jewelry but it is in Latvian I am afraid. But, on the other hand, I believe that picture is worth a thousand words, so I have very many pictures in my blog, therefore, if you feel interested to take a curious look at it, you are very welcome! The address is: foxfragaria.blogspot.com.
I also tweet things every now and then, and I do that in three languages: in Latvian, in Russian and in English. The address: twitter.com/#!/foxfragaria.