Internet Artisan Interview - TiLT Creations

It's the start of another year, and I'm still enjoying my interviews with internet artisans. Today we'll be talking to Theresa, who makes bags for her Etsy and Artfire shops, TiLT Creations. Theresa and I belong to the Etsybloggers Street Team, and speak to each other a few times a week, through our team thread and blogs. I bought an absolutely beautiful backpack from TiLT and decided to give it to my sister in law for Christmas. It was perfect for her and she absolutely loved it! Theresa's prices are reasonable, and you're in luck - she's just restocking her backpacks this month! WooHoo!

What's the name of your business/shop?

Tilt creations



Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
oh yes...
http://www.tiltcreations.com will take you to my Etsy shop (as will http://tiltcreations.etsy.com)
Artfire: http://tiltcreations.artfire.com
Crafts, kids, home & life blog: http://tiltcreations.blogspot.com
Tilt's creations blog: http://tiltcreationstoo.blogspot.com

and my Tilt Treasures blog where I feature other artisans: http://tilttreasures.blogspot.com

What type of handmade products do you sell?
Handmade handbags, purses, totes, clutches, etc.

Show us a piece you recently finished
These are a couple custom orders I just finished up...

[to view the pick backpack, see here]

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
I am still working on some custom orders. I am making 6 matching bags like this prototype:

I have many sketches of lap quilts I plan to make also. I do plan to make more table runners like this one, only longer in winter & spring colors.



If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?

Advertising, well, I am not so good there. I do have Entrecard, which I do not use aggressively. I also have Project Wonderful ads & I am trying to utilize them more. There are various blogs (like Kind Over Matter) and sites like Craftopolis that I am trying out too.

Avatars...well, I have two Meez that I use for some sites & I change up the ones on Etsy & ArtFire depending on what I have in the store or the holiday/season.



If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
Hmmm...there is a cool new one for Etsy, a cart (it's on my blogs at the upper left). But I really like the Retweet and Linked Within the most I think.


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?

Etsy and ArtFire. Etsy is great for the teams - I am on Etsybloggers, MICE, Big Damn Crafters & Etsymoms - and the size (which is also a con). ArtFire - I love the newness, the smaller size & the rapid response from the admin when it comes to fixing bugs & adding new features.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
Yes - Facebook, Twitter & Plurk are the big 3. I think Plurk is my fave b/c of the easy to view timeline of chats & ability to post elsewhere.


All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Give yourself a break. Both physically & mentally. Time off is so easy to overlook when you work from home. I know I have to remember to set things aside sometimes. And mentally - don't get discouraged by slow months or negative people - both will always be there. As long as you love what you do - keep doing it.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?

I use an average of three different formulas...and then I just ballpark it after that based on what I see elsewhere & what I think will actually sell.
btw, the formulas:
wholesale: (matl + labor) x 150% and matl/25% and (matl x 2) + labor + OH
retail: w.s. x 100% and matl/12% and w.s. x 2
(OH= overhead, ws= wholesale, matl= materials)

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
My corner is smack dab in the middle of the family room. It has the largest windows & I can keep an eye on my youngest so he doesn't feel ignored.


Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I hope to have settled into a more set "look"...I have so many different styles, I nee to narrow it down some. I also want to start adding different items, like placemats, coasters, quilts, etc.


It's the Storybeader's turn! I had a hard time choosing a favorite, because I love so many of Theresa's bags. So I thought, which one could I really use right now? The mock reptile wristlet won out. What a great idea to use a bangle for carrying a small bag around. Perfect for an opening at the museum, when I don't want to carry a purse - and mine are large. It might be hard to see, but this is actually olive in color, my favorite shade of green.


Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
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