These leggy beauties, freshly crafted croissants, from my little Etsy shop,
the Felt Farm Market,
will be winging their way toward New Orleans, Louisiana tomorrow.
When they arrive at their destination in the Crescent City, the crescents will become part of the costume for 6 first grade girls, who will dress as bakers for a Mardi Gras parade late next week.
This is why I absolutely love the Etsy experience.
When I opened the shop 54 weeks ago today, I didn't know what to expect. I checked my shop daily, hoping someone in the world would find it. 10 days after opening, the Market sold its first item,
the Berry Collection, which has been its best seller.
Orders have been mailed to 25 different states and 2 Canadian provinces. Over 12,000 people from around the world have viewed the shop online, from Australia to Russia, from China to Morocco, from Argentina to France. Amazing!
It has been a broad learning experience - product design and crafting, material acquisition, composing product descriptions, photography, pricing, Paypal, invoicing, mail regulations and customs, and satisfying Etsy merchant requirements.
And, it has been fun! The Etsy experience is a very personal one. I have had contact with many of my customers regarding their purchases. One mom contacted me about her little girl whose only Christmas wish was for a blue bunny holding a blueberry and raspberry. Another Mom requested a monogrammed banana for her daughter's first Christmas to celebrate a grandparent's nickname for her. A mom from Canada persuaded me to begin international shipping, as there is not a good selection of felt food available for purchase there. Another mom and dad crafted a play kitchen for their daughter for Christmas, with each member of the family giving her felt food to stock the kitchen.
Etsy has made it possible for me to literally connect with the world, one customer at a time. The experience is both joyful and satisfying. I look forward to the next 54 weeks.
If you have never visited, you can reach the Felt Farm Market here.
