Tell me how you got started working with dolls?
"I love to sew. When I started I was making items for things like cell phones and IPads, and even a few clothing items for myself, but then when I was looking for patterns I came across Liberty Jane Patterns and fell in love with the different fashions and designs in the patterns out there for 18 Inch Dolls. I have always loved American Girl Dolls. I think they are adorable and I always loved how they did their historical Dolls."
What motivates you to sell items for dolls?
"I enjoy putting together outfits from the patterns I own, and sometimes adjusting patterns to the look that I want or coming up with my own designs for items that I cannot find a pattern for.I also love being able to work with my Husband, for the items like the Beds and the Science Lab Table. He enjoys doing the wood work I love doing the sewing and for things like the Beds the two skills mesh perfectly."
What is your favorite thing to make for the dolls?
"I would have to say I love making the 2 tier High-Low Skirts. They are something I would love to wear in real life."
What is your top seller?
"I just recently started selling items for dolls this summer. I did some selling at a local flea market at the beginning of the summer and there I sold a lot of socks and tights. In my Etsy store it is more complicated because a lot of the outfits I sell are one of a kind, so it is hard to say what would be a top seller ."
What dolls do you have?
"I call my Dolls the ShimmerMyst Crew. They are all American Girl Dolls and my collection has grown quite a bit over the summer. I currently have 6 Dolls.Taryn: I started out with a Just Like Me doll that has Red Short hair and Green Eyes. I picked this one out to represent me (Which she does nicely except I have Blue eyes not green).Abby: This was my Second doll. She is renamed and was a Girl of the Year Sage doll. As soon as I saw her I fell in love with her! I got her as soon as she came out January.Megan: This was one of 3 Dolls I got 2nd hand from a dear friend I met when my family was stationed in Germany. This was Her Youngest Daughters Favorite Doll and was named for her. She was originally a Girl of the Year Jess Doll. She was in excellent shape, except for her hair, so I recently had her hair replaced with a Weave.Belle: This Doll was also one of the 3 Dolls I got from my friend. She is a renamed Kit Doll.Emily: This doll was the Older Daughter’s doll from my friend and last of the 3 dolls. She was a Just Like Me Doll that I named after her previous owner.Mia: I recently purchased this doll off of Ebay. She is Doll of the Year Mia, but I have not renamed her, or made her Meet outfit yet."
Can you talk about your husband and his transition from military to furniture crafter?
"My Husband was medically boarded out if the Military this Past February. He started doing wood working, however, back in 2010. Besides making a few items for me in My ShimmerMyst Shop, he also makes items for the Novelty Shop on the Nearby Post where he used to be stationed. He makes things like Coin Racks (for challenge coins), Plaques, Statue Bases, Podiums, and Chain of Command Boards. He does a lot of custom stuff for them as well. And a lot of times if they can draw it for him and give him dimensions he can make it (As long as his wood shop has the tools to do it). He has also done small projects for friends and family. For instance he made a wheelchair ramp, refinished steps, and made bookshelves."
How did you come to sell on Etsy?
"I actually found Etsy a while ago when I was looking for a wooden (or Plastic) dagger for my Younger son to complete his Peter Pan Halloween Costume. I found one, purchased it and bookmarked Etsy as an interesting site.When Friends and Family started to see the neat things I was making through my Sewing, they suggested I should put some stuff on Etsy so I took the step and did."
Please feel free to explain your love of science as a teach etc. What part of science you feel most connected with and how you are working it into your shop.
"I have gone back to teaching after 11 years. Instead of being in a classroom I have spent the time at home with my Kids. Now that My Husband is retired from the Military I have back to Teaching. While I was trained for Middle Level Science (My Actual concentrations were actually phased out over the last 11 years – Earth Space and General Science) I will be starting in a High School Position where I will be teaching Chemistry and Physics. I actually started back to work the first week of August. I have always had an affinity for science, even as a young girl and I was happy that I could find a way to share that love of science with future generations.I still feel most connected with the Earth Sciences. It is kind of nice in my house. My Husband has a B.S. in Geology, and my oldest son wants to be a meteorologist so science is a big part of our lives.As for incorporating it into my shop, I have been trying to give each of my Dolls that I own (which model my products in my Store) a story. They are all Middle School level and I am trying to write about situations that children might encounter at that age. It also gives me idea on products. For instance I love the new science set from American Girl. I knew it would be awesome as a small display for my classroom and so I talked to my Husband and gave him dimensions and the Science Lab Table was born to display it on!"
Feel free to share anything about yourself, family, shop etc. That you think my readers would like to know.
"My Family was a military family for 15 years. We got to live and see places both here in the United States and over in Europe. I have two boys, one is a teenager and the other is a preteen, and both have High Functioning Autism. My youngest son also has ADHD. Life at home is always very interesting.
We are also a pet family with 3 cats (All Rescues) and a Dog."
"I hope that everyone enjoys looking at my shop and the variety of items that I offer. Besides having my Etsy shop, I also sometimes run Ebay Auctions (www.ebay.com/usr/shimmermyst), I have a Facebook page where people can enjoy heads up on my product releases and things that I am working on (www.facebook.com/shimmermyst2) and also a Website where you can meet the ShimmerMyst Crew (www.shimmermyst.com)"
"A Little Bit about me: I love Disney Movies, Reading, Sewing, and Computers. I recently received certificates in Web Design and Web Development (I had been Taking classes from August 2010- May 2013)"
I hope you enjoyed today's behind the scenes look at Shimmer Myst Etsy Shop . Be sure to check out their etsy shop by clicking on any of the highlighted words in today's post.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com
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