Handmade Feature and Giveaway - pandacub

Stephanie of pandacub is just as sweet and fun as her darling jewelry and hair accessories, so I was super excited when she volunteered to be this week's featured artist! Even though she's had a whole lot going at home recently, she still managed to get this interview together for you guys, so be sure to read through because she's got some great things to say! In pandacub's first year, Stephanie has managed over 300 sales and is now being sold in three retail shops!

Q. What's the story behind pandacub?
A. Based in Toronto, Canada, pandacub is run by me, Stephanie (with a big assist from my sister, Suzy) that sells handmade jewellery and hair accessories. As a kid, I spent many hours with my mom being "crafty" - lots of homemade papier-mache, molding dough, paints, knitting lessons, etc. so there was always something crafty going on. I kind of abandoned "all things craft" during high school and university, but picked it up again several years ago when I wanted to make my own jewellery. The jewellery led to other accessories (earrings, hair clips, etc) and that led me to investigate crafts online. Once I discovered Etsy, my entrepreneurial instincts kicked in and I opened up pandacub last year. The shop name incorporates the playfulness of many of my pieces, as well as a cultural nod to my Chinese heritage (even though I was born and grew up in Toronto).

Q. You have $100 to buy a complete, all-vintage outfit on Etsy. What will you wear? A. I'd buy a this lovely blue Empire Waist Mini Dress, and then accessorize it with cute shoes, this cool silver cuff bracelet and a purse - all for $98!

Q. What's your favorite thing about making your accessories?
A. I love picking out elements (fabric, beads, cabochons) and seeing how they fit together. Plus, creating accessories is a really great way to forget about my day job (which is very, very corporate) and do something I love.

Q. What's your least favorite thing about it?
A. The smell of the glue and the lack of time I actually have to devote to crafting.

Q. Alien life was just discovered on Pluto {because it is still a planet}, and you've been selected as earth's Ambassador to Extraterrestrial Visitors. How will you welcome our new buddies?
A. I would host a banquet featuring foods from different cultures, then gift them with a crate of Earth goodies (handmade goodies, CDs, DVDs, etc). and fly them around the world to visit major cities and historical landmarks. Oh, and I'd keep them away from reality TV because that's just embarrassing.

Q. What's your best advice for Etsy newbies?
A. Be patient, do your research and keep improving! I have a marketing/PR background and studied business in school, so I keep track of everything and I'm constantly look for new ways to promote and improve my photos. The biggest newbie mistake I see on the forums are ones who have no shop banner, no policies, no profile and 10 items in their shop - they're open for 2 weeks and then complain they haven't gotten any sales. Put yourself in your buyers shoes and work hard at it - the sales will come!

Q. If you had to spend three years on a desert island with either George W. Bush, Paris Hilton, or the Cookie Monster, who would you hunker down with?
A. Paris Hilton. Three years on a desert island - at least we'd still look hot when rescued!

Q. What makes you happier than anything else in the world?
A. My husband.

Q. Angrier?
A. Ignorance and stupidity. I definitely do not suffer fools gladly.

Q. What was your most embarrassing moment ever?
A. Just one? Seriously, I can't pick just one, because there have been quite a few. Like when I was a kid and my whole class laughed and pointed at me after I was tossed into the pool. Or when I was in college and got locked out of my dorm room after a shower and had to go down to the main floor to get a spare key with just a towel wrapped around me. Or...ok, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead...

Q. Favorite Etsy shops and blogs?
A. These are the Etsy shops I want to blow future lottery winnings on: TheHouseOfMouse
immortallongings
jenniferladd
feltmeupdesigns

I follow like 500 blogs, but these are the crafty blogs I have to check every day:
futuregirl.com
makesomething.ca
Life, Craftiness and Everything Else

pandacub around town:

Etsy

Twitter

Facebook

Blog

Flickr

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The Giveaway

Stephanie is giving away a $15 gift certificate to to one of my readers! With those fantastic prices, you could get a few different things! The giveaway will end at midnight on September 20, and the winner will be announced the following day.

• To enter, you must visit pandacub and choose a favorite piece. You can also suggest something you'd like to see in the shop. Leave one comment here with your answer. This step is mandatory before earning additional entries. Feel free to heart the shop as well! Make sure that you leave your e-mail address in at least your first entry, or you will be disqualified.

Additional Entries

• Become a follower of Shrimp Salad Circus using the 'subscribe' options on the left sidebar. Leave one comment telling me you did so.
• If you're already a follower, then you're absolutely fabulous, and thank you! Leave two comments telling me such.
• Follow Shrimp Salad Circus and pandacub on Twitter, and tweet about this giveway for one extra entry Copy and paste the following message: Win a $15 gift certificate to pandacub jewelry and hair accessories from @ShrimpSalad!!! http://tinyurl.com/n4n8zb Leave one comment with the URL from the tweet.
• Put a Shrimp Salad Circus button {Vintage Musings} on your blog sidebar for two extra entries. The button is located on our right sidebar. Leave two comments with a link to your blog after adding the button.
• Stumble or Digg this blog's homepage or favorite us on Technorati for one extra entry each. You can use the 'Share' button immediately below the post signature. Leave one separate comment for each action with your username or a link to the page.
  
• Blog about this giveaway and include a link and a photo of the giveaway item from above for three extra entries. Leave three separate comments with a link to the post.
  
• Purchase something from pandacub for five extra entries. Leave five separate comments telling me what you bought. You could end up with something great for you and a friend, and with that 15 percent discount - why not?