Etsy Seller Feature

I found au clair de la lune's shop through the Etsyveg team of which we are both a part.  I have always liked her shop, but it has become one of my favorites.  I had to contact owner, Adrienne to learn more about her and her shop.  So, here is our conversation...

Tell me about what you do, the idea behind your shop.

Au clair de la lune is centered around conservation and all of the items in my shop are made from recycled fabrics. I find so many things compelling about using repurposed materials. There is of course the eco impact of not creating more. As a society we are so inundated by stuff and more stuff. I really like the idea of breaking that chain and trying to be as neutral as possible in my use of new materials. This cuts down not only on the creation of new stuff, but also the pesticides and fertilizers that would be used in creating new fabric, and it keeps old stuff out of landfills.

I also like the challenge of taking something that would otherwise be discarded and finding a way to make it beautiful and useful again. At times there seems to be such a folk art quality in using recycled materials, particularly with the use of found objects that find new purpose.

What other crafts/art do you enjoy that you don't sell in your shop?

Outside of the shop, I love to do arts and crafts with my kids. I’m already making plans for summer activities and projects. First on the list will be building the ultimate squirrel proof birdfeeder. Somehow tie-dye and mosaics always seem to happen every summer too. I also live in a very old house that will forever be a work in progress. All of my projects seem to share a pretty consistent green/repurpose theme.

What other job do you have (if any)?

Job #1 would definitely be keeping up with three very active kids, but I also teach English part-time at a local college. I find it an absolute luxury to spend entire class periods discussing a short story or poem. I hope my students feel the same way.

Do you sell anywhere other than etsy?

In addition to my etsy shop I sell in a few local boutiques here in Central Florida. One of my summer plans is to try out craft fairs.

 

What is your favorite part of having a shop?

I love having an outlet for my creativity. It can be very gratifying to really enjoy creating an item, see it fully realized in the shop, then get feedback from customers. An unexpected but very welcome benefit of having an etsy shop is the camaraderie that develops with the teams. I’ve met so many wonderful people!


What is the hardest part of having a shop?

Definitely the hardest part of having an etsy shop is time management. As an etsy seller, you are responsible for every aspect of the shop from creation, to photography, to marketing and promotion. It has taken me awhile to develop a rhythm for getting things done and I still struggle with the photos. I love to come up with ideas for new items and to sew, so it can also be tough to “turn it off” sometimes, especially because I work at home. There’s always one more project that I want to finish or start…

 

What is your favorite piece in your shop and why?

My favorite items always seem to be what I’m working on at the moment – which right now would be yoga bags. I also like the lunch rolls because not only are they eco-friendly because they are made out of recycled fabrics, but they serve an eco purpose in that they replace disposable napkins and flatware!

 

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I’m a pretty open book – no one who knows me would be shocked to learn about my NPR and chocolate addictions. I literally air my laundry (in the backyard, on a clothesline)! I do love mysteries in all shapes and forms – I listen to audio mysteries in my car, mystery theatre radio programs on-line while I sew, any mystery TV show, read the books – and I always try to solve the mystery before the detective, be it cat, caterer, or Perry Mason!

Thanks to Adrienne from auclairdelalune.  I hope everyone enjoys getting to know her as much as I did.