Monday's Feature -- tyvm

This week's featured Etsy Shop comes from the Aspiring Century-Mark Etsians (A.C.M.E.) Team; it is our esteemed captain tyvm.  Tyvm, which stands for "Thank You Very Much" is run by Shannon and she makes BEAUTIFUL journals, notebooks, cards and other handmade paper goods.  So, let's get to know Shannon!

1)  How did you get into crafting?

I would have to say that I got into "crafting" about 6 1/2 years ago. I went to a "Stampin' Up" party/gathering where we made a card and a gift box. I bought a stamp set and was hooked! However, at the time my middle child was 6 months old, so time was very limited. A few years later I had my 3rd child, so time - and card-making - were put to the side altogether. I never stopped gathering ideas, though, and last spring decided I wanted to put all my idea pictures and sketches (ha! I am NOT an artist -- these "pictures" are discernible only by myself!) into a notebook to keep them all organized. I decorated the outside of a plain memory book I bought at Hobby Lobby it's been a snowball ever since!

2)  How did your Etsy shop come to be?

To be completely honest, I am not really sure how I stumbled upon Etsy. A couple of years ago I did a google-search for something craft-related (chipboard, maybe?), and Etsy came up at the top of the list. I clicked, and voila! I discovered a website dedicated to handmade goods. I quickly forwarded the website to a couple of friends (one that makes beautiful crosses out of baling wire and one that makes jewelry out of clay beads she makes herself) and told them THEY needed to sell their wares on Etsy! I added Etsy to my bookmarks and moved on. Fast forward to last spring, and after I made my Idea notebook, Etsy came back to mind. I wondered if I could have my own shop on Etsy, looked into it, then took an enormous leap of Faith and opened tyvm.

3)  Tell me about your shop name.

When I first nurtured the thought of having my own Etsy shop, I thought I would dedicate it to making 'Thank You' cards, one of my favorite things to make and have at the time. Hence the name tyvm (Thank You Very Much). Little did I know that I would veer off that path to make such a varied assortment of papergoods!

4)  What is your favorite part about being creative?

My favorite part about being creative is that people say I'm creative. I have never. . . EVER . . . in my LIFE . . . considered myself creative. I was the kid in art class that couldn't even draw stick figures right. I was the kid in Kindergarten that when I got in trouble and they took away art as my punishment, I cheered inside. I am incredibly concrete-sequential, very straight-forward, organized, and very much the right-is-right and wrong-is-wrong kind of person. My crafts allow me to escape from the person I really am, if only for a little while.

5)  Are you a full-time crafter or do you have a "day job"?

I have a day job, for sure! I am the testing coordinator at my school. I am in charge of all district- and state-mandated testing for the ~1000 students at my school. (This is where the concrete-sequential, organized part of me comes in handy). I also coach 7th and 8th grade girls athletics (This year I have/am/will coach volleyball, basketball, and track). Oh -- and i have 3 kids, ages 10, 7, and 3 1/2. I guess you could say I have 3 day jobs in addition to my Etsy shop!

6)  If someone were to buy you a birthday gift on Etsy, what 3 words would they use in their search?

Organize, Teal, Brown.

7)  How do you create your designs?

Hmmm . . . I pray, then I just start putting things together.

8)  What is your inspiration?

I get inspiration from many things:
Paper packs at the craft store (love the color combinations - so many colors I never would have imagined that go together)
Digital Paper packs on Etsy (I look at them and think, 'Oh! I could use that to make such-and-such!')
Much of my inspiration, though, comes from seeing what friends use/need and making them prettier, more convenient, and/or more functional.

9)  If you had to choose one item in your shop as a signature piece, which one would it be and why?

I would have to say these matchbooks: www.etsy.com/listing/64122325/notepad-matchbook-feat-amy-butler-and because they're fun-yet-cute and so very functional!

10)  What is your favorite item to create and why?

My favorite thing to create isn't necessarily one single item, but is any item I've made as the result of a customer's request. I love custom orders because it gives me the opportunity to bring to reality someone else's vision. It's a win-win :-)

11)  Do you have a blog of your own where people can get to know you better? A Facebook or Twitter account?

I do have a blog: tyvm-on-etsy.blogspot.com/
I have a Facebook account, but have no idea how to access it and there's nothing on it anyway!
I would LOVE to promote my Team's Facebook page, though: www.facebook.com/teamacme So many talented artisans all in one place! Please visit, like, and share!

Thank you very much (pun very much intended!), Shannon, for taking the time to answer all of my questions so that we can get to know you better!  And thank you for being such a great team captain for all of us newbies!  Stick around to see who I feature next week and also to see what I've been working on this past week.  I've been a very busy beaver, so I have lots to share!  Thanks!