Sunday, May 16, 2010

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - ETHEREAL BEGINNINGS..."The Time for Luxury is Now!"

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WELCOME, Marie and her Etsy shop, ETHEREAL BEGINNINGS!  As Marie, states in her shop announcement...."The time for luxury is now!" 

Don't we all deserve to take some time and pamper ourselves with delightful, good smelling, "Lotions, Butters, Creams, Perfumes, Spritzers, Body Wash, Shaving, Bubble Bath, Bath Salts and more ~ Naturally Handmade"....OF COURSE WE DO!  These are some of the delightful products you will find when you pay a visit to ETHEREAL BEGINNINGS.  Marie also offers free shipping.

Take a moment to learn a bit more about Marie and how she started on her venture of creating bath and beauty products. You really must read her shop's "Profile", to see all the delicious sounding indredients used in her products.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

I have always wanted to have my own business; to be my own boss. But I wanted my business to be something I was passionate about. A friend of mine came to me one day and said that she had developed allergic reactions to the soaps and perfumes she had been using for years. She was quite disappointed as she really loved the scents she had been purchasing. She felt that she would never be able to use anything scented ever again. Then at a social gathering she had an allergic reaction after she had drank a glass of wine. It was discovered that she was allergic to alcohol. I began investigating and we discerned that it was the alcohol and chemical additives in the soaps and perfumes she was allergic too and not the scents as she had originally thought. During my research for her, I became enthralled with learning about aromatherapy, essential oils, botanicals and naturally made products. I began experimenting and formulating. Now two years later, here I am selling my handmade bath and beauty products and loving every minute of it.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I am a stay-at-home mom with two beautiful daughters and they are just not ready for me to work outside the home. A friend of mine told me about Etsy and how wonderful it would be to be able to stay at home with my girls and run an online business. The best of both worlds.


What aspect of creating your art/craft do you the the most enjoyable?

Developing the scents is my favourite aspect of my craft. While it can sometimes be comical and disappointing when I experiment, I know that somehow I will come up with the right formulation. There are so many new things I still have yet to try and master. I'm looking forward to continuing with my experimentations.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable to describe your art/craft, what would you choose and why?

A fruit or vegetable, oh my...I would have to say something exotic like passion fruit because it describes the image of what I make. I want my customers to feel pampered, luxurious and exotic when they use my products.

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"Our shaving cream provides the ultimate shaving experience. Enrich your skin with luxurious lather that softens the skin, leaving it refreshed and silky smooth".

Scent: A mysterious sweet, earthy aroma. Notes of amber, patchouli, rose and sandalwood blends with nuances of jasmine and citrus to bring out the subtle spice undertones. Base notes of vanilla and powder completes this scent.
 
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your "creativity", what would that be and why?

Someday when my girls are grown, I would love to have a B&M (brick and mortar) shop. It is my ultimate dream.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

 My message is "The Time for Luxury is Now". In our society today, we don't take enough time for ourselves. My favourite thing to do when I have time to myself is to soak in a tub with luxurious bubbles or aromatic bath salts. I want my customers to experience that same dreamy feeling that my scents can bring.  They don't have to wait for a two or three hour block of time to themselves. Just 10 minutes in a quiet place massaging their wrists and hands with my body lotion or body butter can lift a person's spirits ten fold and turn a stressful day into a stress free day.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

I have learned so much in my short time on Etsy. It has been a blessed experience. My advice is  a) to befriend many online sellers, their advice and support is boundless; b) think outside the box, don't recreate the wheel, but try to be inventive when it comes to promotion, advertising etc. and c) even when you are having a slow sales period, remember why you started this venture, let your crafting rejuvenate and re-center yourself ~ you'd be surprised how it can suddenly turn things around.

Marie, thanks for a great interview.  You have some delightful sounding products!  May your dreams all come true.


To learn more about Marie and her ETHEREAL BEGINNINGS products, be sure to visit the links below.

FACEBOOK

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