Hills & Heights Interview

I'm thrilled to be featured in the Ask a Hills & Heighter interview series on our neighborhood news blog, Hills & Heights, this week. Read the interview to find out a little more about my southern roots and why I love the neighborhood where I currently live.

Mary Andrews Interview For Wolf Magazine

I'm thrilled to have been included in the first issue of UK based Wolf Magazine. Currently in sample form online only, this issue is set to print and launch this summer; it will be available in physical format across London. I'll be snagging an issue I hope to share more in depth when in final print. If you can't wait until then for a full preview, the online version is complete and available for an affordable £2 (roughly $3) via Wolf Magazine's online shop.

Expand the images above to read the full interview and find answers to questions like the motivation behind starting my jewelry shop, how and where I source materials, why having a shop contributes to my work for Etsy the company, and my one piece of advice for those considering starting their own design business.

944 Magazine's First Ever Wedding Issue

I love how this guest curator piece for 944 Magazine's first ever wedding issue came out. What a fun piece to collaborate on - not to mention having the opportunity to tout why Etsy is a great destination for covering all the little details concerning the big day.

I love 944's fresh take on nuptials and how they seemed to create not just another wedding zine. Find the extended feature on page 14 and view the full flip book here.

Fork Bracelets at Quirk Gallery

My fork bracelets were included in Quirk Gallery's gift guide for foodies:

Green Berries trivet by: Scandic Imports $18, Fork Bracelet by: Mary Andrews $40, Bird Salt & Pepper set by: Jonathan Adler $50, Cup with handle by: Justin Rothshank $32, Sugar Peas notebook by: Lab Clip $6, Not Plastic Cutlery by: Seletti $5(set), Bowl by: Andrew Coombs $32, Roller Bull brooch by: Metalworks $18, Bamboo Heart cutting board by: DCI $18

Find them available for sale at Quirk Gallery - there's still time to shop for those foodies on your list!

The N.E.E.T. Book Project Arrives

Over the past wee bit of time I've had the absolute pleasure of getting the chance to collaborate with Stephanie of N.E.E.T. Magazine on a top secret (until now) book project for the 5th year anniversary of this influential indie publication. Through this point, N.E.E.T. has always been an online magazine - not a print edition, which makes this collaboration that much more special to me.

Inside the book you will find five sections, first up being a set of interviews I conducted with five influential and inspiring women in the creative world living a N.E.E.T. lifestyle. Interviews include: Andrea Pippins of flygirls and andreapippins, Elsie Flannigan of a beautiful mess and redvelvetart, Renee Anne Baker of renee-anne, Kate Miss of forme-foryou and katemiss, and Jena Coray of modish.

Find the book available for purchase on blurb - with five different cover illustrations to choose from. While you're at it, be sure to check out this month's issue of N.E.E.T. Magazine full of inspiring gems and tidbits:

xoxo

Mary Andrews Named Among Inc Magazine's Masters of Etsy

I'm thrilled to be named as one of Inc Magazine's Masters of Etsy featured on Inc.com.

It was such a great experience interviewing with them and having the opportunity to share some tips for streamlining a small business I've learned over time. Being familiar with the questioning side of the interviewing process via writing Etsy's Quit Your Day Job series, this was a though provoking turn of the tables.

Hope you enj0y scrolling through and discovering some new-to-you Etsy designers (ahem, masters) included in the round up.

Guest Contributer, N.E.E.T. MAGAZINE: Team Work

The long awaited fall issue of N.E.E.T. Magazine has hit the virtual stands. This issue is chock-full of inspiring finds, images, and reads fit for the season. Among the goodies you'll find inside is an editorial by yours truly profiling a set of 5 independent companies who rely on team work, specifically operating the business with their significant other or best friends, to make ends meet.

Enlarge the images below or check out pages 216-237 in this month's issue to dive deeper into the spread.

A huge thanks goes out to each of the companies who graciously gave me a peek behind the curtain throughout the interview process over the last few months. If you aren't familiar with them already, you're in for a treat:

Seesaw Designs
*
Market Publique
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Rifle Paper Co.
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triian
*
Worn Fashion Journal

Happy reading and cheers to fall; I truly am an autumn girl.

As Seen in Cleo Magazine: Mary Andrews' Contrary Zodiac Necklaces

I snagged September's issue of Cleo Magazine where they've selected my Contrary Zodiac Necklaces as part of the "What's Now" column: 15 Reasons we Heart Etsy. I've been saving this amazing news for a while waiting for the actual publish date and couldn't be more thrilled to be included in "The It Issue" featuring none other than Drew Barrymore.

One of the best surprises about this feature for me was the fact it centered entirely around Etsy designers; I'm in good company here and completely humbled to be highlighted in a publication of this magnitude.

Mary Andrews Aprizi Interview

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Giff Constable, the CEO behind the new start-up Aprizi. If you haven't heard of Aprizi yet, you should know about it. It's a site set up like a personal shopping engine updating itself based on your likes and dislikes in order to learn your unique taste - then return curated suggestions based on your activity with the site. There are already heaps of Etsy items integrated and I've been having fun taking the suggestions for a spin on my own while the site continues to be fleshed out.

Learn more about Aprizi and see my full interview with Giff covering all things Etsy, tastemaking, my own creative journey, and some tips I've got for indie businesses over on the Aprizi blog.

Contrary Pocket Knife Necklace Giveaway

Check out the Contrary feature over at Refinery29 to find out how you can win an entire 5 piece set of my pocket knife necklace line. Complete every outfit in your wardrobe, or keep one for yourself and be the talk of your friends when you come bearing gifts.

Richmond's Belle Magazine Feature

Richmond's Belle Magazine published a nice feature in their June 2010 issue covering the move back down to my southern roots, working remotely for Etsy, and my love of jewelry making.

It was a treat working with the Belle writers and photographers on the feature, just click the images above to expand and read.

Vote For Your Handmade Favorite

If you've been following Rikrak Studio's 2010 Handmade Olympics, now is the time to head over and place your votes. I was kindly invited to judge event #6 last week. It gave me the chance to explore many familiar and new-to-me shops, blogs, and products. I found scores of new favorite Etsy shops, and added several blogs I hadn't come across to my daily blog reader. While narrowing down the nominations was a challenge, my final selections include destinations created and brought to you from people just like you and me who are carving out a difference in the world little by little, one person at a time. Each of the nominees I chose captured my attention, inspired me as a creative person, and left me wanting more; all qualities I admire. I hope each of you will now enjoy the voting process for these 10 thrifty-forward, sustainably-minded blogs, shops, and sites.

Head on over to event #6 for my final 10 choices in the "favourite thrifty-forward, sustainably-minded blog, shop, or site" and place a vote for your favourite. Find out more about the 2010 Handmade Olympics and check out the final voting rounds in each of the 8 events over at Rikrak Studio.

Quit Your Day Job series featured on CNN

If you missed the CNN airing this morning, catch up with the online video feature.

I couldn't be happier to see this series getting some traction in the media and providing additional exposure to the success stories that continue to come from Etsy's opportunities. I'm truly humbled learning the many different types of success Etsy has allowed people all over the world and look forward to the part of my work week which involves crafting the Quit Your Day Job series.

While the CNN feature doesn't exactly put the best spin on the Quit Your Day Job series, claiming it "seems to encourage people to quit your day job," I am glad nonetheless the word is getting out there that it's possible, even if it means supplementing a current income.

Since it's conception when the very first seller contacted me to tell me he had quit his full time job in order to keep up with the selling success he was seeing through Etsy, the Quit Your Day Job series has been meant to share the stories of Etsy sellers who have been able to leave or change their previous working situations due in part or whole to their selling success on Etsy. I take pride in highlighting the diverse types of people and different circumstances from which each seller was able to leave there previous working situation.

It is my hope that through sharing these stories, shoppers will feel compelled to shop from handmade independent businesses and sellers can draw inspirational tips from those who are seeing success via Etsy sales...not feel encouraged or pressured by Etsy to quit their own job.

Judging for the 2010 Handmade Olymics

Have you heard about Rikrak Studio's 2010 Handmade Olympics yet? If not, scurry over now to partake in the handmade competition, nomination process, and claim your stake in the $2000 USD worth of handmade and vintage prizes to be had. Kristal, the brilliance behind the Handmade Olympics, graciously asked me to participate in the judging portion of this year's events.

I'll be judging event #6, Favourite thrifty-forward, sustainably-minded blog, shop, or site. Learn more about how to get involved in the overall event here, the specific event I'll be judging here, and more about the other judges involved here.

Quit Your Day Job in The New York Times

This post is tad overdue, but better late then never, right? Over the holidays I was thrilled to see a highlight on the Etsy Quit Your Day Job series I write for on the front page of online Fashion and Style section of The New York Times. It's a great read that digs deeper into the reality of what it takes to run all aspects of your own DIY business.

Interestingly enough, this article turned out to be the #1 most emailed/shared article the day it published.

Something We Like Interview

A few weeks back, Peter from the blog Something We Like, contacted me for an interview to include in their inspirational section. The interview was just published this week and I'd love for you to head over and take a peek:

I'm so used to being the one asking the questions behind the scenes at Etsy with columns such as Quit Your Day Job that it was a bit of a challenge reversing roles and answering the questions on the other side of the screen. Alas, I am very pleased with the end result and hope you enjoy.

Chatter surrounding Contrary...

Each of the kind bloggers below were nice enough to feature pieces of jewelry from Contrary on their blogs and let me know about it. Click on the images below to redirect to the features and possibly find some new blogs to follow!