Forever Andrea
Where are you from and tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, I’m Dawnmarie. I live in the gorgeous state of Utah with my daughter, Andrea, and our cat Blue. I have three other children, and a grandbaby too! I am an avid reader of mostly historical novels and end times prophecy books. I guess you could call me an entrepreneur, since I own/operate two businesses. Besides Forever Andrea, I have another business called My Personal Assistant. I take care of busy people’s to-do lists so they can spend time with family and friends, rather than doing chores and running errands.
Why did you start your Etsy shop?
I started Forever Andrea because I needed an outlet for my creative side, and let’s be honest here; I also started it hoping to make a little money doing something I love.
How did you come up with your Etsy shop name?
My youngest daughter’s name is Andrea. I tell her all the time that she will forever be my baby, even when she is all grown up. She will forever be my Andrea got shortened to Forever Andrea.
What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
Hmmmm, I guess my favorite item right now is my pink heart cubic zirconium and Swarovski Crystal bracelet. I just love sparkly, and this bracelet is sparkly AND pink; two of my favorite things. Every girl needs a little bling.
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
That it is wonderful to be a girl, now matter your age or size.
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
I am just drawn to things that sparkle and have lots of texture. Jewelry is something I have always loved, even before I started creating it. I love all the different colors, textures and materials used in jewelry making.
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
Oh, now that is a tough question. I already use lots of different mediums. I crochet, make bath and body products and paper crafts along with my jewelry. If I HAD to choose just one, I would say paper crafting. There are so many beautiful papers out there and I am really drawn to them, especially if they have a neat texture to them. I am a very tactile person.
Why should people buy handmade?
Handmade is so much more personal than mass-produced products. A lot of my pieces are one of a kind or few of a kind, and my customers like knowing that they are the only one with that item. It makes them feel “special” when they wear it. If someone asks about their bracelet, they can say “oh yes, I bought this directly from the artist and it is one of a kind.” It makes them feel special because it IS special.
Any advice on selling things handmade?
Learn how to talk yourself and your product up. This is a hard one for me, and one I am always working to improve.
Let friends and family wear your products, and wear them yourself.
Don’t give up, even when if feels like you are just spinning your wheels.
Offer great customer service. Go the extra mile and make a great product, then go even further with creative packaging and quick shipping etc.
Apart from creating beautiful pieces, what else do you do?
Well, I have my other business that keeps me busy.
I am always running around taking kids to practices, co-ops, school functions etc. I am your typical “soccer mom” except we don’t do soccer. Lol
I am involved in a program called AWANA (derived from the first letters of Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15) is an international evangelical nonprofit organization founded in 1950. A weekly program for kids that is Bible based.
Do you have plans for expansion?
Yes I do. I am going to start creating pieces for plus size women. I think women of all ages and sizes need a little sparkle in their lives. I have some of my pieces in brick and mortar stores here locally. I would love to get my art out there even more this upcoming year, as well as reach more people online.
Any other sites you can be found on?
Sure. Become a fan of Forever Andrea on FACEBOOK for exclusive discounts and special offers. www.facebook.com/foreverandreagifts
I also tweet and retweet. twitter.com/foreverandreadh
And there is my very neglected blog. foreverandreababybling.blogspot.com
Anything else you would like us to know?
I am happy to do custom work. If you have specific colors, sizes or quantities that you want, simply ask. We can work out the details.
