Hot Shop of the Week!

Congratulations to Liz from LavenderLizard -- she has been selected as our Hot Shop of the Week! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea, and enjoy Liz's interview and a few of her lovely creations.

Who is LavenderLizard?
Hi, I’m Liz, wife to a yarn-tolerant husband, mother of four handsome sons, and as the only female in our house, I am hopelessly outnumbered (even our two cats are boys)! I live in San Antonio, but I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the Dallas area and Austin/Round Rock as well. The Lavender Lizard is my primary Etsy shop for eco-friendly crocheted items like market bags and kitchen and bath scrubbies. I opened it in the summer of 2007.


Do you have any other shops on Etsy? If so, please tell us a bit about them as well.
My second Etsy shop is the Lavender Ladybug. I opened it in order to “clean up” my primary shop by moving my handmade embellishments there. Also I often list commercial craft items as well. A third shop is in the works (TaxiDermia), but as of yet, it remains empty. Stay tuned though…


Where else can you be found around the internet (blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc)?
I blog when I can manage to find some time. I usually blog about projects in the works and what’s going on with my boys. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook.


What do you create and how long have you been doing it?
Right now I primarily crochet, although I also cross-stitch and embroider and have dabbled in other craft mediums as well. I learned how to crochet when I was about 7 or 8, so I have tons of experience! My favorite things to create are beautiful and useful items – scarves, market bags, scrubbies and towels. My head is full of design possibilities. The hardest thing is finding the time to make everything that I would like to.


Where do you find your inspiration?
Usually my inspiration comes from either a particular color or fiber or a need. For instance, I needed a quick gift about a month ago so within a couple of days, I made a soft and lightweight scarf in this person’s favorite color. It was a simple pattern and worked up quickly, and now it’s being enjoyed by the recipient who lives in Germany. Also, one of my goals this year is to have a pattern published, so in that regard, I’m now being inspired by the submission guidelines and design themes for one of my favorite crochet magazines.


What is your favorite medium?
My favorite medium?? Yarn, of course! I especially love natural fibers like cotton and bamboo.


Is selling on Etsy your full time job, or just a side project?
Etsy feels like a full-time job that pays like an internship, which is to say, not much. I have slowed down quite a bit on Etsy, because the time commitment is huge. I sure wish Etsy had been around before I had children (lol), but I am happy to have the access of an international marketplace! I have sold items to buyers around the world, and there’s nothing cooler than that!


What is your favorite thing to do with the Etsy Texas Crafters team?
I love the monthly Design Challenges. I usually think and think about what to create for the themes; sometimes I think too much and run out of time. I also must say that I like to create the team treasuries (55 and counting). I love the challenge of creating a cohesive look or theme from 12 shops, and it’s also a challenge to grab a treasury spot as well!.


Any tips for other Artists / Crafters?
Create what you love! If you’re not enjoying the process, then there’s something wrong.


Tell me a Secret about yourself.
I’m going to be in a crafting book! (More details on that to come!) Oh, and I had typhoid fever. Twice.


Thank you, Liz, for such a wonderful interview! We love getting to know our team members better (especially members of our Leadership Team) and checking out their amazing creations!

If you would like to be considered for next week's Hot Shop of the Week, simply go to LavenderLizard or LavenderLadybug and pick out your favorite item. Post back here with the link to the item & why it was your favorite -- and don't forget to post your shop name as well! And if you have more than one favorite item, it is perfectly fine to post multiple times, as long as you post all the requested information each time. Then, I'll use a random number generator to pick a new Hot Shop for next week from everyone who has commented on this post by midnight on Thursday, Feb 25th, and will post the next interview on Sunday, Feb 28th.

NOTES:

>> EVERYONE is welcome to comment on this article, but only ETC members will be eligible for selection as a Hot Shop. Thanks for understanding!

>> Comments by ETC members that do not include the requested information (link to favorite item, why it's your favorite, and your shop name), will not be eligible for selection.

>> Shops that have already been featured as Hot Shops will not be featured again unless the only members who post comments have all already been featured.