Friday Feature -- Upsiedoodle

This week's featured Etsy artist is Becky from Upsiedoodle. Her baby stuff is absolutely adorable, like this cupcake bib. And isn't this black cat hair clippie just perfect for Halloween?

Enjoy the interview!

Tell me two (or more!) interesting things about you.

I live in Austin, TX with my husband and 3 children – ages 4, 5, and 7.
I was crazy enough to run a marathon when I was pregnant.
I love playing the drums on Rock Band (Xbox 360) with my husband. It makes me feel like a real rock star. :-)

What do you sell in your Etsy shop?

I sell baby bibs, burp cloths, blankets, and hair clips.

To which Etsy Street Teams do you belong (if any)?

I belong to 3 great teams: Etsykids, Etsybaby, and Etsy Texas Crafters.

What inspires your creations?

It seems like most people answer this question with “my children.” As much as I enjoy my children, I would have to say that I am most inspired by beautiful fabric. I feel very lucky to live in a time when sewing is very popular and there are so many talented designers producing fabrics that I just can’t wait to sew with.

I am also “inspired” by practicality. I make things that I would want to use myself. For example, I hated the baby bibs that fasten with Velcro because they stuck all over my laundry (and my baby could pull them off). So I make my bibs fasten with metal snaps instead.

Tell me a bit about your creative process and/or how you learned to do what you do.

My mother taught me to sew when I was in elementary school. I remember sewing a blouse and wearing it to school when I was in the fourth grade. When I got married, I became very interested in quilting, but after I had my first son, I needed projects that I could start and finish in one sitting. I also needed baby bibs for my son, and I remembered a quilted one that my grandma had made for me when I was a baby. I decided to try making a bib like hers. I drew out a pattern, and after several prototypes, I came up with the exact quilted bib that I am making and selling today.

What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite?

I think my favorite item is my Funky Floral Initial Bib. It seems to be a customer favorite too, because I have definitely sold more of that bib than any other.

What 3 words would you use to describe yourself? Outgoing, energetic, creative

What do you like about Etsy?

My favorite thing about Etsy is that everything is handmade. I love looking at things other people have made almost as much as I enjoy creating myself. I could get lost just browsing on Etsy for hours (but then my kids get hungry and I have to feed them J). I also like how the Etsy community is very helpful, friendly, and supportive.

What makes your shop unique?

Well, there are lots of wonderful handmade baby items out there. However, I think that my bibs, in particular, are unique because they are quilted and reversible. They are really little tiny quilts – they just get softer the more you wash them, and, like a quilt, they will last a very long time.

What advice do you have for other folks selling or buying on Etsy?

Use high quality materials, do your best work, take great photos, and list often. And always treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?

I just launched my own website on August 2. It is http://www.upsiedoodle.com/. I also have a blog at http://www.upsiedoodle.com/blog.