Who Turned One? The Scrapoholic
While I was searching for other online sellers who had reached the milestone of their first anniversary for my article on IndieSmiles.com, Celebrating One Year, I was lucky enough to meet Jill of The Scrapoholic.
Jill is a such busy person, on several sites, and promoting herself as well as others on her blog, not to mention her own struggles with health issues. AND she recently opened a shop on Zibbet too. Way to go Jill!
It was a pleasure to chat with her, even if only on Facebook. Through our chats, I learned how determined Jill is, and that she is living proof that you can accomplish great things if you only put your mind to it. If you like scrapbooks and 'scrapbooking' at all, you need to get to know Jill and her great ideas and designs. Here is her full interview and part of our chats.
What would you say is the most important thing you have done to get you to your first anniversary as an online seller?
Using different sites to sell my items such as ebay, etsy, on my blog and facebook, it reaches different people I may not necessarily reach just listing in one place.
How did you celebrate this milestone?
I had a contest with letting people choose either a card or layout sketch from my facebook photo album, and then asked people to vote on their favorite to win a prize.
What has been your most successful marketing tool?
Social networking, facebook, blogger, even twitter, blog hops are great way to gain new followers and find new inspiration too. On Facebook, I've made so many "friends" and business associates that gives me the support you need when you have those "slow" months that every business goes thru.
What was your most successful sale of the year, if you had sales events?
I consider every sale no matter how small or big a success. My most fun was a custom disney album, which was so fun to do. I love scrappin' for other people more than for myself.
What, if anything, are you going to do differently in the second year of your business?
I have HUGE plans and aspirations for this next year to really open up. It possibly may be too much but I am planning to go at it slowly so its not too much for me or my "followers". One of the things I want to do is to be more scheduled than spontaneous, which is difficult for me since I am such a spontaneous person. I want to try to meet needs of card makers and scrappers that aren't being met. I plan to do more tutorials and classes online. I am currently working with a few people to start my own line of digital stamps and also working on my own line of Make The Cut collections.
The biggest project I'm working on is a book I'm hoping to get published by the end of this year which will be a tool for card makers and scrapbookers and lead to a series of books. I am hoping to get my own dot com website to leash all my places into one easily accessible site.
My biggest hindrance, not just in my crafting world but in life in general is that I have permanent ulnar nerve damage in my right elbow which effects my entire right arm. I've had 2 surgeries in the past 2 years with no success of fixing it. I was ambidextrous but right handed dominant. It is hard because it is like hitting your funny bone 24/7/365 and some days are good and some are bad. but with the meds they help me have more good days, but do make me forgetful.
I run out of energy easily and there are many things i can no longer do because of the injury. Also, being in a lawsuit with the Doctor who caused the injury (which is a whole entity in itself) and with the government for disability benefits takes up alot of time, also is emotionally and spiritually exhausting.
But I am a survivor and my crafting takes me to another world and it makes me happy and I love sharing what I learn, what I create and love making thing for others.
I am most inspired by our troops. Coming from a family who served our country one way or another I give back by making Cards for Soldiers. The troops inspire me by what they do and willingness to sacrifice so much, If they can do this why not me to just not in the same way.
I can do what I love no matter my limitations. Other people who have overcome their disabilities to continue on and inspire others is what I desire to be able to be like them.
If I didn't have my support from my loving family and awesome friends and colleagues, I wouldn't be able to be the survivor I am and continue to create and share my crafting world.
Jill is an inspiration. Her creativity and determination brings us all some pretty amazing things to look at and enjoy! Please visit Jill at any one of the many places she can be found.
Places you can find Jill and her creations are:
http://facebook.com/TheScrapoholic
http://TheScrapoholic.blogspot.com/
http://www.zibbet.com/thescrapoholic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheScrapoholic
http://myworld.ebay.com/thescrapoholic/
https://thescrapoholic.myctmh.com/Home.aspx
She LOVES custom orders and you can always email her to work on projects at TheScrapoholic@gmail.com
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| Disney Tinkerbell Scrapbook Album |
It was a pleasure to chat with her, even if only on Facebook. Through our chats, I learned how determined Jill is, and that she is living proof that you can accomplish great things if you only put your mind to it. If you like scrapbooks and 'scrapbooking' at all, you need to get to know Jill and her great ideas and designs. Here is her full interview and part of our chats.
What would you say is the most important thing you have done to get you to your first anniversary as an online seller?
Using different sites to sell my items such as ebay, etsy, on my blog and facebook, it reaches different people I may not necessarily reach just listing in one place.
How did you celebrate this milestone?
I had a contest with letting people choose either a card or layout sketch from my facebook photo album, and then asked people to vote on their favorite to win a prize.
 |
| Things I Love Kit |
Social networking, facebook, blogger, even twitter, blog hops are great way to gain new followers and find new inspiration too. On Facebook, I've made so many "friends" and business associates that gives me the support you need when you have those "slow" months that every business goes thru.
What was your most successful sale of the year, if you had sales events?
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| Disney Title Pre-Made |
What, if anything, are you going to do differently in the second year of your business?
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| Hope for Japan Stamp |
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| Sampling of Vinyl wall pops |
My biggest hindrance, not just in my crafting world but in life in general is that I have permanent ulnar nerve damage in my right elbow which effects my entire right arm. I've had 2 surgeries in the past 2 years with no success of fixing it. I was ambidextrous but right handed dominant. It is hard because it is like hitting your funny bone 24/7/365 and some days are good and some are bad. but with the meds they help me have more good days, but do make me forgetful.
 |
| Tri Shutter Caed from Jill's collection of artwork |
I run out of energy easily and there are many things i can no longer do because of the injury. Also, being in a lawsuit with the Doctor who caused the injury (which is a whole entity in itself) and with the government for disability benefits takes up alot of time, also is emotionally and spiritually exhausting.
But I am a survivor and my crafting takes me to another world and it makes me happy and I love sharing what I learn, what I create and love making thing for others.
 |
| Mousabilia Disney Memory Box |
I can do what I love no matter my limitations. Other people who have overcome their disabilities to continue on and inspire others is what I desire to be able to be like them.
If I didn't have my support from my loving family and awesome friends and colleagues, I wouldn't be able to be the survivor I am and continue to create and share my crafting world.
Jill is an inspiration. Her creativity and determination brings us all some pretty amazing things to look at and enjoy! Please visit Jill at any one of the many places she can be found.
Places you can find Jill and her creations are:
http://facebook.com/TheScrapoholic
http://TheScrapoholic.blogspot.com/
http://www.zibbet.com/thescrapoholic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheScrapoholic
http://myworld.ebay.com/thescrapoholic/
https://thescrapoholic.myctmh.com/Home.aspx
She LOVES custom orders and you can always email her to work on projects at TheScrapoholic@gmail.com
Very interesting interview, thanks for posting it! I'm ff to take a peek at Jill's Etsy shop now. :) Thanks for introducing me!
ReplyDeleteGreat feature, it's always fun to meet new artists! :)
ReplyDeleteAww, what a wonderful interview - Jill is very determined and I SO love the shop name - 'oholics ARE a determined bunch, not always detrimental to the environment! It was such a pleasure to meet Jill and have some insight into another small business that is growing, growing, GROWING!
ReplyDeleteGrandmother Carolyn