"keeping the L-word quiet..."

One of my most favorite things to do when I make a sale on Etsy is to take the chance to get to know my customers a little bit better.

With such a disconnect that the Internet can have between two individuals, it's sometimes needed to reach out to get back that connection you would generally have in your everyday life. Thankfully, Etsy allows this and encourages sellers and buyers to be more than just "transactions." Getting to know my customers a little bit better not only helps me understand my target market and why people buy the items that they do, but more importantly, it helps me gain a sense of who they are, and what their story is.

There really is a story behind every purchase, and a recent transaction with an adorable young lady from Boston, an admirer of handmade, told me her story behind her purchase of the Mr. Penguin "I Kind of Like You... A Lot" Greeting Card that was so adorable and heart-warming that I couldn't help but make a post about it (with her permission, of course).


I, of course, sent her a convo thanking her for your purchase, and this is what she said:

Aw--what a delightful little note! You're quite welcome for the purchase--I'd been eyeing the little penguin for weeks now. I don't remember quite how I found your shop, but everything you list is quite adorable. :D

She sounds adorable already, doesn't she?



I then asked her to tell me a little bit more about herself and the story behind her purchase. Luckily, she was more than happy to share:

I've been chatting for two months with a beautiful, wonderful guy in England and while we're both quickly falling head over heels, we're both keeping the L-word quiet until we meet in a couple more months, so I thought a quick reminder that I like him...a lot might be appropriate at Christmas. ;) The cute sweetness of your card is just our sort of playfulness. :D

When I made this card, it was more of a spontaneous thing and was an idea that striked me randomly. I thought it was cute and witty... and hoped it would relate to someone's situation. But I never realized how much simply knowing how my work plays a role in people's lives would make an impact on how I would start to connect with my own work.

Her story really touched me, and it's amazing to know that my silly little card not only encompassed how they currently feel about one another, but will hopefully play a role in their infectious little love story.

Now, if that doesn't keep me creating... I don't know what will!

xoxo,
Steppie

perfect timing.

Let's talk a little about perfect timing...

Considering how much I have on my plate right now, I usually don't have the time to check out all of my favorite blogs regularly (check them out on my sidebar!)... but lo and behold, I decided to dedicate some time tonight, and came across an entry from loveretrocolour that was shocking! But quite pleasant, to say the least!

Ta-da!

A little feature on my "Oh, Deer" Greeting Cards!

To be honest, I've been a little stressed lately with how much I want to do, and how much little time I have to do it. But this little unexpected shout out was all I needed to keep me motivated! Thank you so much, love retro colour! Check out their blog, as it's a fun and exciting one that is frequently updated! :)

Ah - the simple things in life that really make each day a little bit better.
...Or a whole lot better. :)

xoxo,
Steppie

oh deer!

OH DEER!

One more craft to add to my list of obsessions. I remember seeing handmade cards that other sellers had in their shops, and they looked so fun and cute that I decided to dip my own feet into the paper goods category. At this rate, I might be taking the full-on dive, head-first soon!



The cards are made out of acid-free paper that look so natural and grainy, that I couldn't resist. Better yet - the cards are actually made out of recycled paper! Being creative and being eco-friendly? That's A+ status in my book.



Random trivia: I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but my nails match the colors of the cards! Totally coincidental... what can I say... :)



The deer silhouette stamp is actually a little treasure I was super excited to use for a while now! I had purchased it from BlossomStamps through Etsy (I actually blogged about it - you can find the post here!), and couldn't wait to get the little creature on some beautiful paper!



Packaging is also something I enjoy doing - I think it should be considered a craft in itself. I believe that a beautiful craft only deserves to be wrapped in the utmost care, and look good while at it! My little deer greeting cards are wrapped in natural ribbon and carefully enclosed in an acid-free cello bag. I'm contemplating on making some labels for them, but that will be my new project once some free time opens up!

This whole greeting card craze is quite exciting for me, and I just got a custom order the other day that I'm super excited to work on! Actually, I just ordered some custom stamps from the sweet and wonderful Tommie77 that I'm sure will look beautiful when they arrive (be on the look out for penguins and hedgehogs!)! Once they ship in, be sure to keep an eye on my Etsy shop because new surprises will be popping up, faaaaasho!



+ To view my "Oh Deer!" Greeting Cards...
+ Single "Oh Deer!" Card:
(http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14104385)
+ Three-pack:
(http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=14105324)

+ To view my shop: steppie.etsy.com!

Hope to see you there soon! Happy blogging!

xoxo,
Steppie

P.S. Leave me some love in the comment area so I can visit your blogs! :)