Meet the Member feature - Anna

It's been a long long time since we did this, so we're delighted to announce that we've resurrected our much loved Meet the Member Feature. To be featured you must be a member of the Positivity Team on Etsy (www.etsy.com). Our focus as a team is support, friendship and making friends, and to join you must have a shop on Etsy.

Now it's time to meet our FIRST interviewee of 2012 - Anna from Anticipation Cards.

Please introduce yourself

Hello Positivity Team! 
My name is Anna and I live in southern Maryland, about a hour or so south of Washington D.C. right on the Chesapeake Bay.  
I am a stay at home mom of 4, 3 boys ages 11 years, 6 years, and 4 months and a girl who is 9 years.  They keep me busy {to say the least}.  
I love vintage {mainly mid-century} and interior decorating. I'm always in need of a good book--I'm just a 'little bit' of a Jane Austen fanatic...I've  read Pride & Prejudice more times than I can count....and all the others a few times too.  
We are a musical family...or starting to be...I've played the piano since I was 5, my oldest son plays the piano and percussion, and my daughter is starting the Violin, my 6 year old declares he is going to play the tuba (we'll see about that).  
The kids all love to do art & craft projects together - which makes me happy--there is rarely a day where we don't have a new drawing or project to display. Oh, and I LOVE to cook & bake :)

Please describe your craftwork / shop and your inspirations for it.

I have two shops - anticipationcards and  seeannasew

 

Anticipation was my first shop, with all paper crafts.  I started it simply because I needed a project...I thrive on projects & with a little prompting from my mom and a few friends I decided to try and sell.  See Anna Sew was started because, well, I love projects and I love to sew too :).  I've been crafting since I was very small.  My mom is very creative and she had us sewing quilt squares and embroidering from the time I was around 7 years old or so. One of my favorite memories was of our 'make and do box' full of crafty goodness to make whatever we pleased. Art has always been a part of my life.

Could you describe to us what a regular day is like for you?

My days tend to change from day to day...the only constant is when the older kids get on and off the school bus.  My time is split between caring for the baby, cleaning up my house {a never ending battle with 4 kids}, and crafting whenever I can fit it in.  I also try to fit in a blog post in there once in a while...

I write two - anticipationcards blog and faithandairdumplings blog

   

How long have you sold your items on Etsy?

I opened Anticipation in August 2008 with a little, unsuccessful attempt {I really didn't know what I was doing} and then ended up taking a break for a little over a year when I suddenly became a 'recession widow' for 7 months while my husband moved ahead of us to Maryland; the kids and I were still in Michigan.  I re-opened Anticipation in November 2009 after a successful craft show and had my first sale in December.  I opened See Anna Sew in May 2010 - sales quickly followed.  My shops have always been on again-off again...due to long vacations to visit family in Wyoming; babies coming...and things like that :) 

What’s your favourite part of the Etsy experience?

I love everything about etsy.  There is nothing better than a sale, or even a heart letting me know someone likes what I'm creating (not just me).  And I love creating treasuries--window shopping through all the beautiful handmade items--it doesn't get better than that!

Are there any other skills you’d love to have?

I would love to learn how to knit.  I started learning in elementary school, then forgot how. That may be my new project this winter :)

What is your favourite item in your own shop?

Hmm...this is a hard one. This one: 

 

   just because it is very 'me'.

What are your favourite materials to work with?

Easily paper and fabric...patterned paper and fabric.  I am very inspired by patterns...I LOVE patterns and prints.

Please nominate another team member who you'd like to know more about.

I would like to know more about galleryoncentral  The photography in her shop is so great!

Thank you Anna, for a wonderful peek into your creative life! Now lets take a quick look at some more of your amazing creations.

note card set - polka dots and ribbons

crayon wallet in calico and denim

 embroidered personalized card set in yellow and green