Baby Friendly Beads
http://bfbeads.etsy.com/
Who are you? I'm Jen Johnson -- domestic goddess, published poet, aspiring children's book author, proud SAHM and maker of beautiful things. I'm more original than my name would suggest! I'm an East Coast native thriving in West Coast soil, and I've been happily married for more than a decade. I've been many things in my working life, from high school teacher to professional artist's model. Being a mom is both harder and more rewarding than anything else I've done so far.
What is your Etsy Shop Name? BFBeads, which stands for Baby Friendly Beads(TM)
What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? I make Baby Friendly Beads, jewelry for breastfeeding -- and beyond! My nursing necklaces are designed to occupy and amuse those busy baby hands so that they won't scratch, pinch, or twiddle with Mom's skin and hair. I also make reminder bracelets to help keep track of breastfeeding sessions. My jewelry is stylish, sturdy, practical, and pretty.
What do you like about Etsy? I like the sense of community and the way that creativity permeates the site. I love hearting people and being hearted; IMHO the very existence of the "hearts" says something special about the spirit of the website. And there seriously is a "spirit" to Etsy.... which is a rare find in cyberspace. Perhaps it's the handmade angle -- I often find that quality handmade goods have a sort of spirit to them, a bit of soul from having been made with love. You find that in the shops at Etsy, and you find that in the website as a whole. And of course I adore shopping at Etsy, especially for gifts! I also like the contests that are sponsored by Etsy, though I've only been able to find the time to participate in one. Thanks to the Coproduction contest, I had the wonderful opportunity to befriend and work with amazingly talented people -- including EtsyKids' own StoryBlox and Clever Kitty! I was on two teams and had great fun collaborating. I even had the good fortune of winning second prize in the contest, with our entry of a mobile titled "Botanical Balance."
What do you like about creating? I've always been a compulsive crafter and a creative person. Before kids, most of my creative energy went into writing. Now, as the mom of a toddler and an infant, it's difficult to find the time and focus to write, so instead I take a moment here and there to work on my jewelry. One of the things I like best about creating is how it inspires me to constantly learn new things. Just making the same thing over and over doesn't interest me very much. I enjoy the opportunity to tweak designs and imagine new ways of doing things.I appreciate how crafting requires me to focus both on process and product. There's something magical in being able to make something new, working with my hands to physically create an object that did not exist before. And there's a special kind of satisfaction when the finished product comes close to what I'd imagined it coud be.
What do you love about your business? I'm delighted to make and share something to help other moms with breastfeeding. I believe that nursing is one of the most completely loving exchanges -- but I also know from hard experience that it can be extremely challenging. A baby nursing peacefully at the breast is a beautiful sight, but when baby starts to scratch, bite, or pull hair it can turn ugly pretty quickly! I started this business thinking, "If just one mother is able to breastfeed better thanks to my Baby Friendly Beads, then I'll be happy." I've since heard from many moms who say that their babies love the necklaces and that the jewelry has made things easier for them. I love imagining moms wearing my jewelry and babies clutching the beads with their chubby little hands while they nurse.
What is your favorite product right now? I'm really excited about my Custom Birthstone Baby Friendly Beads Jewelry. I like the idea of giving the customer the opportunity to participate in the design process and decide what semiprecious stones they would like in their nursing necklaces. I don't know of any other nursing necklaces that incorporate semiprecious birthstones into the design, so I'm proud to offer such a unique product. I'll be adding customized birthstone bracelets to the shop very soon!
What makes you unique at Etsy? While there are other Etsy sellers making lovely nursing necklaces, nobody else sells breastfeeding jewelry like my Baby Friendly Beads. My designs are all one of a kind and different from the usual nursing jewelry in several ways. First, my necklaces are made from one continuous piece of cord (instead of a loop that hangs from a necklace) so there is not one piece that might break off from another. They are also adjustable in length, and can be adjusted from choker to full length without taking off the necklace. I am also one of the only shops offering reminder bracelets, and (last time I checked) the only one to offer bracelets that coordinate with nursing necklaces.
What makes you unique as a woman? The same things that make each of us uniquely wonderful: my creative spirit, my brimming heart, my capacity for joy.What do you love about Kids?The way they look when they are asleep! (Just kidding... kinda!) As the mother of a new baby and a two year old, I'm blessed with the opportunity to witness boundless energy, utter innocence, ceaseless curiosity, and total awe -- on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. What's not to love about that?
What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? http://www.babyfriendlybeads.com/ is coming soon... for now, I'm just on Etsy, and my website forwards directly to there. I also just started my blog: http://mamasmagic.blogspot.com/
Who are you? Sometimes I ponder that question myself so I'll keep it simple. My name is Kim and I live in Loudon NH. I am married with two children, Kristen is 3 and Matthew is 7.
What is your Etsy Shop Name? Deedaloos, which most people mispronounce as i made up my own spelling. if you'd like to know where it came from, check out the about me section in my etsy shop!
What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? I make these great scuba-style swimsuits and, knit fabric pj's and lots and lots of quality fun fleece hats which I won't list until Fall! I also make breastfeeding tops in tank, short & long sleeve styles!
What do you like about Etsy? It's so laid back and the variety of products and people is overwhelmingly spectacular!
What do you like about creating? I just love to look at the end product and know that I did it. I love it when I make something for my own and they truly like it and want to wear it! 
What do you love about your business? I love to create high quality products at a fair price and then pass them on to others.
What is your favorite product right now? Right now, I would have to say it's the swimsuits since Summer is here and I love keeping my little one's skin protected for our beach trips! This year, I expect her to be a camo queen but even in camo, I know she's going to stand out amongst the other children.
What makes you unique at Etsy? My variety of products and the name is certainly going to be one of a kind with a history to match!
What makes you unique as a woman? I'm not really sure, you'd have to ask my friends and family that one. Oh, the stories they would probably tell . . .
What do you love about Kids? I love their simplicity and innocence in the way they perceive and react to everything that goes on around them. The way they tell you that maybe we should "drive" to Concord when you say "let's run to Concord".
What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? Right now, I'm more inclined to direct you away from the computer and to a book since we all spend waaaaaay too much time at our computers. Nancy Cornwell has several books out on working with fleece that include a large variety of projects and they are worth every penny. I mostly use the books as a reference tool at this point.
