Item: Spider Greeting Card
Seller: elizasteindesigns

Meet Etsy seller Eliza Stein, the crafter and artist behind ElizaSteinDesigns on Etsy.com.  I met this seller via my Etsy Item of the Day shop submission page.  My favorite item in her shop is this cute spider card that would be great for Valentine’s Day – or any occasion!  It’s selling for $4.00.

“I live in Queens with my husband. Our apartment is too small for pets, but we do have lots of plants, and our computers, which are like large electronic pets to us,” Eliza told me. “At the age of five, I wrote and illustrated my first book. It was called “My Virus” and it was about being sick and staying home from school. Since then, making art is all I’ve wanted to do with my life.”

When she’s not crafting for her great Etsy shop, Eliza said she likes to sleep!

“There is nothing more luxurious than an hour long nap. It’s also where most of my ideas come from. Besides taking extravagant naps, I like to translate my husband’s stories from Spanish to English, write my own stories, and read a lot. My work and most of my favorite activities are pretty sedentary, so I try to fill the rest of the time with some form of exercise,” she said.

I always like to ask Etsy sellers where they like to browse on Etsy.com.  They always have great recommendations!

“I am in awe of the fantasy artwork of Omar Rayyan,” Eliza told me. ”His surreal style and judicious use of tentacles is both whimsical and nightmarish, a most winning combination!”

Eliza shared some good advice for other Etsy sellers with me:

“I haven’t had a lot of sales yet, but most of my sales and views have come via holiday-themed art,” she said. “It’s important to keep up with the major holidays, with appropriate titles, tags and themed items, because that is when most people are searching and shopping online. Also, many people buy holiday gifts, especially greeting cards, far in advance, so list your holiday items early!”

I couldn’t agree more! I love featuring items from sellers that are holiday-themed.  Here are some of my favorite holiday items on Etsy.

So what’s coming up next for Eliza’s cute shop?

“In a week or two, I’m relaunching my illustration portfolio website, which will have a link to my Etsy shop. I hope to find more work illustrating for children and teenagers, my favorite audience. I’d also like to return to both drawing and writing, which is what got me into illustration in the first place,” she told me.

Loving this spiderlicious card? Check out Eliza’s other fun designs by clicking her shop link (elizasteindesigns) at the top of this feature. You can also check out her blog, Facebook page, Linked In, and follow her on Twitter @MsElizaStein.

- Jackie