This past week, I was scheduled to be in Denver, Colorado on a business trip. At the last minute, I decided to stay behind and let my other two business partners head out without me.

Between braving the 10-day 2012 Sundance Film Festival in January, then visiting Las Vegas, NV for business in February, heading to San Francisco for a conference in early March, and then coming back home to get LASIK, I needed some time to be home getting some things done here around the house.

The past three months have sailed by. Even though I really, really love Denver, I’m sort of glad I took a second to get caught up!

Since I was planning to be in Denver, CO, I wanted to feature a Denver-based Etsy seller.  I came across CounterCoutureDesign and fell in love with the cool screen print designs.

This seller lists everything from baby and kids items to scarves and pillows!

My favorite item is the tea towel pictured above, but here are some other greats in this shop:

Before you think I’ve become a homebody, don’t worry. As we speak, I’m packing for another business trip to Las Vegas, NV – we leave next week!

If you’re an Etsy seller from Las Vegas, Nevada, be sure to Tweet me to share your shop. I’ll be there for a few days and I look forward to featuring local artists.

Shoot me a quick Tweet me at @EtsyToday or feel free to comment on this post below. Thanks!

- Jackie

I am loving the handmade jewelry designs of Samantha Bischof.  My favorite item from her Etsy shop is this cool necklace, which is selling for $34.20 at her shop called TheAdornedArticle.

I first met Samantha via an Etsy Item of the Day shop submission.  She told me a bit about herself and her cool jewelry.

“I grew up in New York-last year I got married and moved to Seattle, WA,” she said. “It was a very beautiful, very long drive-I’d actually love to do it again! I’ve been making jewelry since I was little, my mother was a costume designer and there were always tons of beads and other shiny bits around the house for me to experiment with. Her elaborate costumes continue to be an inspiration to me. Now that I’m a “grown up” not much has changed-I still love making jewelry, I love the sparkle and color of gemstones and sterling silver and I love creating with them.”

When she’s not crafting, Samantha told me she loves to read.  I can relate!

“I’ve always been, well, obsessed with books. You name it-I’ll read it and I never ever ever throw a book away. (As you can imagine my house is a bit crowded with them at this point. I love my two spastic cats-they’re like furry little children to me. And I’m a huge fan of coffee-I drink it all day long. Incedentally I’m very energetic (I can’t think why…),” she said.

When I asked Samantha where she likes to shop on Etsy, she told me that was a tough question for her.

“There are so many fantastic shops on Etsy,” she said.

“A few that I’ve been very into recently are Ozetta Handmade Knits- she makes fantastic knit scarves and hats-beautiful colors and textures plus she names almost every piece after a different town in Alaska and the owner is an absolute sweetheart!” Samantha said.

“Also PegAndAwl – they make gorgeous things from reclaimed materials-they have a bathtub caddy that I’m just in love with. And again super sweet, approachable and easy to talk to. Awesome Etsians!” she said.

Samantha shared great advice to other Etsy sellers with me:

“Research, research, research!” she suggests.  ”There’s so much to learn when starting out on Etsy and they have tons of really helpful articles on the site and in the forums. I would read the seller handbook at least once and sign up for the etsy success newsletters~there’s a ton of helpful information there. Other than that to be patient and stick with it. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

So what’s coming up next for TheAdornedArticle?

“I’ve recently launched my own website and a new line of jewelry which I’m really excited about-and now I’m going to start going to craft fairs and shows locally and just really get out there!” Samantha said. “I’m sure it will be another learning experience for me.”

If you are loving Samantha’s work as much as I am, say hello to her on social media!  You can find her on Twitter @AdornedArticle, on Flickr, read her blog here, and check out her new website here.

Thanks for sharing your shop with me Samantha!

- Jackie

Maria Acevedo has a cute Etsy shop that specializes in great baby items.  I met this seller via my Etsy Item of the Day shop submission page, and thought her shop was absolutely adorable!

“I’m doing Applique Baby Gifts. I really love what I do and I want my items to be beautiful and delicate,” Maria told me.  ”That’s why I just opened my shop, because I couldn’t find delicate baby gifts! I hope you like them too!”

Maria opened her shop in late August 2011, and has already posted a great selection of baby items.  My favorite item is the Elephant Burp Cloths pictured above, but here another item in Maria’s shop that I love:

This item above is the ultimate baby shower gift! The darling set includes a coordinating receiving blanket, burp cloth and a bib – in a fun nautical theme!

“When I’m not sewing I’m teaching Spanish, and researching and writing legal documents and… I’m trying to be a good wife!” Maria told me.

Even though she is new to Etsy.com, Maria has some advice to share with others:

“Take good pictures of your items, that’s where I have to work too!” she told me.  ”And engage in Etsy’s teams and forums.”

Be sure to reach out and connect online with Maria!  Visit her on Facebook and on Twitter @babygingham.

- Jackie

Look Ma! I’m on Facebook!

I have used Facebook personally since about 2005 and got the Twitter bug about the time when I started Etsy Item of the Day back in late 2008.  For almost 3 years, I thought Twitter was the best place to be for Etsy Item of the Day.

Then I realized the more the merrier!  In almost every submission to Etsy Item of the Day, the sellers list both Facebook and Twitter links for their shop’s social media presence.  It’s time for me to add both too!

Plus, I’m sort of a Facebook Geek.

So if you are active on Facebook, please consider LIKING my website’s Facebook page and leaving me a wall post to introduce yourself and your Etsy shop.  Remember, you can always tell me about your shop for a feature here!

Happy Facebooking!

And yes, I will still be a Twitter-lover @EtsyToday!

- Jackie