But don’t plan on hopping in the car and browsing her stores. You won’t find them in Portland, where she lives, or in any other Maine town. They’re located on Etsy.com, a increasingly popular 4-year-old Web site that has become the eBay of handmade products — including many Maine products.

Think candles, soaps, fiber art and jewelry. But also think wedding dresses, hand bags, clothing, cuff links, vintage metal desk fans, you name it. Etsy allows people to list their creations for sale in an online community dedicated to unique creativity.

Crowe says she first learned about the site from a handcrafted postcard sent to her from a friend in the winter of 2007. That eventually led her to Etsy. “I shopped for probably a year before opening my own storefront.”

Sara Holmes, of Millbridge, found Etsy just before starting her jewelry business. She says she knew she would need a Web site, but didn’t have the time or money to create the kind of site that would showcase her jewelry professionally. Enter Etsy. Holmes focuses on creating handcrafted sea glass jewelry for summer visitors; she uses her Etsy store, Sara Holmes Designs, as a way for customers to continue ordering from her after their Maine vacation is over.

“I have used Etsy as a tool for my particular business plan of selling to summer tourists,” said Holmes.

Cortney Rector, a figure skating teacher in Presque Isle, and her art teacher twin sister, Kirsten Arndt of Sabattus, started their Etsy storefront Indigo Twin in 2008. The sisters create ornaments, magnets and sculptures from paper clay. Rector says their bestseller has been the custom caricature, where a detailed likeness from a photo and other specifications is created in miniature form.

“This mini-me can be customized down to eye color, hair color, clothing, accessories,” said Rector. “This has been a popular gift for the person who is difficult to buy for and for the person who has everything.”

Dory Smith Graham of Bar Harbor is a goldsmith at Willis’ Rock Shop. After the birth of her son, she started pattern making, and now creates reversible baby slings and colorful hats for adults and children that she sells from her Etsy storefronts Worthy Goods and Worthy Goods Textiles.

“Pattern making allows the designer in me room to play, and fabric as a medium is so satisfying in terms of color and clean tailored lines,” said Graham. “I’m all about creating with integrity and style.”

Why Etsy?

With all the online shopping sites available today, what draws sellers and buyers to this site?

“I can’t think of another venue that would meet all my needs,” said
Crowe. “Etsy has a customer base; it’s a well-designed and modern
interface; it’s user friendly and inexpensive.”

And it’s a forum for creative people to share their crafts and their ideas. Crowe says that when she realized there were people out there who liked the items she made, she turned her crafting hobby into an income generator. And she says that by using the site to get a better sense of what people respond to, she has developed as an artist and crafter.

Rector says that Etsy is an easy and inexpensive way to reach a broad customer base. Having the ability to advertise, track visits to their shop and join groups all helped increase her shop’s visibility. She and Arndt have sold to people in most states and four countries.

“People that shop there are generally looking specifically for specialty items that are unique or one-of-a-kind, and of course well-made,” added Graham, who has sold all over the country and to Australia and the UK. “It is a great feeling to buy something from a person that directly benefits from your purchase, and that item was handmade.”

Not only do the Maine women list their own items for sale, they also shop Etsy for those things they can’t get anywhere else. Crowe and Graham said they find vintage woolens for their stores, and Crowe says she does most of her Christmas shopping on Etsy. Being able to buy local is important to Rector and Arndt, who pledge to buy only handmade gifts.

And Etsy’s search functions allow shoppers to locate sellers in
specific states, like Maine, eliminating the need to search through
thousands of sellers worldwide. There’s even an Etsy Maine Team of
sellers, making it easier to connect with Maine creators and buyers.

“Etsy gives us the perfect vehicle to locate great and unique finds,” said Rector.

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Getting started

Unsure about where to start? There are 17 ways to search for items on Etsy.com, so check out the Etsy sidebar menu with a list of categories and picks.

One option: For a scrolling view of all items as they are added to the site, check out Time Machine.

Editor’s Picks and Featured Sellers are great if you’re short on time.

Want Maine-made products? The site allows you to buy Maine-made items without having to search through thousands of sellers. Start here: www.etsy.com/shop_local.php?place=maine. And don’t forget to check out the Etsy Maine Team at www.etsymaineteam.com.

Tips for buyers 

Use the “categories” option when searching for specific items.

Items purchased from different shops need to be paid for separately.

Refund and exchange policies vary from shop to shop, so check before purchasing.

Tips for sellers

Create an account.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and can make the difference between a sale or an item that is passed by.

Be sure to put multiple tags on your items to generate more traffic and increase sale potential.

Sellers suggest
spending time reading the forums and posts on certain topics, and asking
questions to get familiar with the site. Guides available on the front page can also make using the site
a better experience.

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