Meet Radically Riley!

Name: Moyra Riley

Store Name: Radically Riley
www.radicallyriley.etsy.com

What made you choose your store name: Well I just brainstormed an entire page of possibilities and then had my husband go through them with me and we eliminated them one by one until we were left with the one that best describes both me and my jewelry!

Date shop opened: Feb. 11, 2008

What you sell: Bold, unique, colorful, one of a kind, and yes...radical...handcrafted jewelry. My focus to date has been polymer clay and semi precious gemstones complemented with sterling silver, gold filled and copper wire wrapping. I am currently exploring silversmithing, so I'm very excited about how that will enable me to expand the possibilities in my designs.

What made you want to start: Just over a year ago I admired a turquoise necklace a friend had made. She offered to take me bead shopping and show me how to make my own. Well! I haven't put down the pliers since. I had to open a shop to keep up with my prolific production. I can only wear and give away so much, and I need to sell some of my work in order to replenish my materials. Seriously speaking, having been creative and crafty all my life, having discovered jewelry design has really stirred a passion in me. I have no choice. I must do this. It only took me 42 years to find out what I want to be when I grow up. I guess some people never do, so I'm very grateful.

Your store in one phrase: Custom made jewelry for the woman of signature style!

Meet Life is Good at the Beach!

Name: Anna aka. BeachMama

Store Name: Life is Good...At the Beach (www.lifeisgoodatthebeach.etsy.com
www.lifeisgoodatthebeach.ca)

What made you choose your shop name: This is the name of my blog (Life is Good... At the Beach) and I would post all these fun crafty things on my blog. After a lot of pressure to open an Etsy shop I finally did it.

Date Shop Opened: March 25, 2008

What you sell: Sewing, Knitting, Photography and Paper Items

What Made you want to start: Friends and Family encouraged me, now it is a way for me to pay for my hobbies.

Your Store in One Word or Phrase: Fun n' Funky for all.

Meet Ottawa Cupcakery!

Name: Julie and Elizabeth

Store Name: Ottawa Cupcakery (www.ottawacupcakery.etsy.com)

What Made You Chose Your Shop Name: Hmmm..well, we live in Ottawa and our business is a Cupcakery. Seemed like a logical fit (if a bit dry)

Date Shop Opened: May 26, 2008

What You Sell: Wickedly delicious cupcakes

What Made You Want To Start: The cupcake craze had not yet hit Ottawa! We just shook our heads and knew we had to help the people of Ottawa join in the cupcake bliss that is happening around the world

Your Store in One Word or Phrase: Divine!

Meet Jocale!

Name: Stephanie Moores

Store Name: Jocale (www.jocalebystephanie.etsy.com)

What Made You Chose Your Shop Name: It means jewel in latin and seemed kind of chi-chi frou-frou... So I went for it!

Date Shop Opened: August 2008

What You Sell: Handmade and custom made jewelry

What Made You Want To Start: I've always loved playing with beads and designing different pieces. To me, jewelry can make or break an outfit and says a lot about a person. I think every piece should be special and meaningful!

Your Store in One Word or Phrase: Creative release! I'm an accountant....... I'm sure you can understand how limited I can be creatively in my day job!!

Meet Handmade Fun by a Dame Named Redd!

Name: Redd Hynes
(reddhynes.etsy.com
www.damenamedredd.com
www.damenamedredd.com/blog )

Store Name: Handmade Fun by a Dame Named Redd

What Made You Chose Your Shop Name: I thought about a name for months before my shop opened. One day, this came to me, and I got good feedback on it.

Date Shop Opened: February 4, 2008

What You Sell: an eclectic range of jewelry and accessories.

What Made You Want To Start: I was making all of these things anyway so I figured maybe I could try and sell them. If they didn't sell then at least they could be seen. Turns out they sell.

Your Store in One Word or Phrase: Everything from kitsch to class and whatever is in between.

Meet Loopy 4 Ewe!

Store Name: Loopy 4 Ewe
(http://www.loopy4ewe.etsy.com
http://icraft.ca/loopy4ewe
http://loopy4ewe.blogspot.com)

What Made You Chose Your Shop Name: My husband and I bounced names around and then I got some friends involved. I'm not sure how we landed on the actual "Loopy 4 Ewe" except that my hubby came up with the Loopy part. It was certainly a creative collaboration

Date Shop Opened: Feb 2007

What You Sell: I've been making things forever. One day there was an ad in a local directory asking if someone could make a baby gift for them.

What Made You Want To Start: I'm a stay at home Mom. My oldest has life threatening food allergies so we knew I'd be home for awhile so we'd be able to cater to her as much as possible. The idea of doing something I love, getting paid for it and staying at home with my kids is ideal.

Your Store in One Word or Phrase: Cute, fun and practical.

Meet Fireseed: Lampwork Beads and Jewellery By Louise Ingram

Name: Louise Ingram
Store name: Fireseed (http://www.fireseed.ca, http://www.fireseed.etsy.com)
What made you choose your shop name: I was trying to think of something catchy that related to what I'm doing. I make my beads by melting glass in a flame, so in a way they are seeds from the fire, and seeds from my imagination that sprout in the flame.
Date shop opened: Hmmm.. that's a good question, oh it says May 2007!
What do you sell: Handmade lampworked glass beads and, if I'm feeling really creative, jewellery with them on, but my jewellery skills amount to stringing a bead on a cord or chain.
What made you start: I found glass beads online, was amazed by them and had to find out how they were made. It was all downhill from there, now I'm a confessed glass-a-holic
Your Store in one word or phrase: the results of a delicate dance with fire and glass