Moms of Etsy ~ Desiree of ArtDecoDame

I am extremely honored and excited to bring you the following interview of the gorgeous Desiree from the Etsy shop ArtDecoDame.  She has an amazingly curated shop full of vintage from the 20s to the 60s with bright photography and a wide variety of apparel.  She does all this while watching her two lovely children and pets!  Find out how she balances her life as mother and shopkeeper in the following interview!

Meet Desiree

What inspired you to start your Etsy shop?

Honestly, it was becoming so disenchanted with selling on eBay.  I sold for years on there off and on. When I got pregnant with my daughter it became my full-time gig, but its a different crowd.  You feel lost amongst a sea of other things and the fees are painful.  Etsy, due to being more select in what they allow you to sell on the site, you don't get that.  I'd put it off for about a year, though friends kept telling me to sell on there, because I felt like it was more marketed at handmade. But Etsy has a great vintage selection and vintage sellers!

How many kids do you have and when do you find is the best time to work on your shop?

I have two kidlets! My daughter Heidi is 4 and my son Wayland is 2.

so cute! love both of their expressions here!

The best times I've found to work on my shop is throughout the day when I can.  I always take photos when I have natural light so I'll set them up with an art project while I take photos of inventory. When they're eating breakfast, I'll take that time to either sneak in a listing or work on ironing any clothing I've picked up.  I try and do prep work throughout the day so I can knock out listings either that night or the next morning.

With kids you just come to terms with the fact that you're NOT going to accomplish everything you want to do right then and there when you're feeling motivated.  So, instead of getting frustrated that you can't work when you feel like, it it is better to break up what you need to do in smaller to do lists.

What time do you go to bed at night?

I am unfortunately a night owl.  I thought having kids would help that but it didn't.  I'm good at making sure I'm in bed by midnight. Sometimes I can fall asleep right away and other times it'll be one or 2 in the morning before I can sleep.  I have an overactive mind and it doesn't shut off until I'm too exhausted to do anything other than shut my eyes.

What time do you get up and do you need caffeine?

My kids are my alarm clock and they're usually up a little before 7am.  Sometimes I can con them into snuggling in bed with me till 7:30am.  I'm not an early bird so yes, coffee is my best friend in the morning.

Do you take your children with you while hunting for vintage for the shop?  If so, what are some helpful tips.

Yes I do. The preferred method is always to go childless, but that is not always the reality for a lot of us.  I will say shopping with one is so much easier than 2 ( and if you're going with more than 2 you deserve sainthood).  When my daughter was a baby, it was so easy to put her in my Baby Bjorn carrier and go.  My best advice is to make sure your kids are fed before you go! I can't say I would dare bring my kids to an estate sale or auction, but yard sales and thrift stores are easier.  I try to give mine something to hold when we go in the store so they're less likely to grab other things.

5 words to describe yourself.

Sarcastic, Sensitive, Loyal, Nerdy and Shy

What is your favorite item in the shop?

Hmmm,that's a toss up between my Bakelite acorn brooch and the lucite purse!

 

Do you have a go to meal you cook on those days where you're overwhelmed?

I wish I did!  I'm very fortunate to have a husband that loves to cook so on days I'm feeling overwhelmed, he'll happily cook for me.

What is the best and hardest thing about working from home with little ones?

The best part is I'm here with them.  I'm not missing them grow up.  The worst is online sales aren't always reliable like an out of the home job. Also finding balance, though your shop needs attention to work you can feel like finding that balance between giving it the proper attention and being there for your kids is a tight rope.

Are there any other networking sites you post on?

Yes,I'm a tad of a social networking whore
I'm on blogger: www.ArtDecoDame.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ArtDecoDame
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Art_Deco_Dame
and if you're an iPhone geek like me I'm on Instagram under BakeliteBroad

Hope you enjoyed getting to know Desiree.  So many honest truths here about being a stay at home mom.  Thanks so much for reading and thanks to Desiree for being so open!

Moms of Etsy - Ellyn of VintageAga

Since much of the content of this blog deals with being a stay-at-home mom while working from home, I like to showcase others in similar situations as myself.  I really do enjoy connecting with other mothers that own Etsy shops.  Each have such different stories, inspirations, yet are all connected with a love for their children.  I've recently been emailing/tweeting with Ellyn from VintageAga- an irresistibly adorable shop full of vintage clothing for the little ones.  Ellyn's shop carries clothing for both boys and girls, ranging from apparel for newborns to size 8.  Her bright photography captures the clothing very well and each piece is extremely affordable!  Amazingly, she does all this while caring for 2 little ones!

Anyhow, meet Ellyn!

What inspired you to start your Etsy shop?
It was a combination of many things! I left my job as a newspaper reporter last year to be a full-time mama. But after I quit last winter and gave birth to my second child in May, I secretly missed working. I wanted something to call my own while balancing mommyhood. At the same time, I had amassed a pile of vintage finds that I knew other mamas would like. And I wanted to promote the idea of infusing vintage into our children’s wardrobes. It saves money, promotes preservation and recycling, and gives our kids a unique, non-cookie cutterlook!

cute dress from her shop! click here for more info

How many kids do you have and when do you find is the best time to work on your shop?
I have two kiddos, Ella, who is nearly three years old, and Miles, who is seven months old. They are my priorities so working on the shop really depends on their schedules. Fellow mamas would know that raising a toddler and infant can get nutty; sometimes, I barely have any time to take a shower and eat a meal. Other days, the kids synchronize their naps and I get to take shop photos, edit them and list a few items. Most of the time, I work when they go to bed at night.

What time do you go to bed at night?
I usually hit the sack around midnight - when I can’t keep my eyelids open anymore. If I can manage to stay up longer, I usually sleep around 1 or 2 a.m. so that I can squeeze in some work.

What time do you get up and do you need caffeine?
I wake up around 7:30 a.m. with the kids. If I really have the need, I drink coffee to rev up my system. Most days, I don’t drink coffee. I am, however, a big Diet Coke girl. It’s my vice!

Do you take your children with you while hunting for vintage for the shop? If so, what are some helpful tips.
My kids are attached to me ALL THE TIME, so wherever mama goes, babies go. I usually go in the morning when Miles needs his morning nap.  My koala loves to sleep in a baby carrier while I shop. My toddler can be demanding while we’re out so I make sure to bring a lot of snacks to keep her preoccupied. If I go thrifting, I make sure to swing by the book section first so my toddler can sift through them while I peruse. If I check out an estate sale, I might take one of the munchkins with me on the weekend.

Ella in a vintage dress.  Adorable!

Mile's pretty cute and big!

5 words to describe yourself.
Giving,protective, sassy, loving and creative.

Is Etsy a job, hobby, or both?
I’d call my shop a hobby-job. I do it because I love finding great vintage items and sharing them with like-minded people. I also have this weird thing about not being able to abandon a treasure that could go to a loving home and find a second life. I also set my own schedule so the flexibility makes it feel less like a typical job. It is a job in the sense that what I do takes a tremendous amount of time. I don’t want to send junk over to my customers. I mend, launder and press the items. I take flattering photographs. I try to describe the items accurately. And I wrap the items up like it’s a present. Don’t you love getting pretty things in the mail, too?

What is your favorite item in the shop?
I sold it! It was a beautiful toddler girl dress from the 1950s, with candy cane red-and-white stripes, a smocked waist and a pointed collar. I wish I saved it for my girl!

Do you have a go to meal on those days where you're overwhelmed by your family, work, Etsy, etc.? What is it?
When it gets crazy around the house, my husband puts on his superhero cape and brings home a yummy dinner from one of our favorite seafood joints. When I’m overall stressed, a bit of chocolate makes me happy. French fries also make me giddy.

Hope you enjoyed meeting Ellyn!  Aren't her kids adorable?  You can find Ellyn on her fun blog and on twitter @ VintageAga.

Have a great Monday!