Stay-At-Home-Moms-of-Etsy: Feature Shop: ScissorGoddess

If you've participated in our business card swaps (and you should!), then you've met Nicole of ScissorGoddess. The swaps were her idea, and she's been running and organizing them for about a year now. Meet this busy mom and three and learn more about her creations! -Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

What is your name?

Nicole

Where are you located?

Lehighton, PA

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a SAHM of three little girls ages 8, 7, and 2. My time is consumed by my girls, being an active member of the school’s PTO, and helping my neighbors with babysitting. When I can manage to find some free time I love to read, draw, paint, sew, and of course -- craft!

What do you sell in your Etsy shop?

Different types of accessories for all age ranges: Hair clips and bows, necklaces, and bracelets.

Upcycled Sunny Yellow Vinyl Record Cuff Bracelet

How long have you been crafting?

I’ve always been inclined to make things for myself but really started crafting in early 2009 when my daughters got interested in hair clips but I felt that the retail stores overcharged for poor quality items. Then it just sort of spiraled from there into other types of accessories.

What or who got you started in your craft?

YouTube is where I got started with simple clips and bows; once you get the basics down it’s really easy to expand with your own ideas.

Tell us the story behind this item: Upcycled Funky Fashion Necklace. What inspired you? How did you choose the materials/colors/etc.

This necklace is actually up-cycled from three or four other necklaces that I had purchased for myself and were either broken or unworn. I don’t like to waste anything so I disassembled them and played with the parts until I came up with something I thought was pretty and interesting. My middle daughter loves this necklace because it’s her favorite colors and she says it’s very “rockstar.”

OOAK Upcycled Funky Fashion Necklace

How did your shop get its name?

Everything I create starts by being cut; from ribbons and bows to metal for beading, my world revolves around a good pair of scissors. I played around with a bunch of different shop names and when I came up with ScissorGoddess, it just seemed to fit me best.

How do you balance mothering and running a small business?

Some days are more difficult than others, any SAHM mom knows what I mean! It’s really about committing to make the time for your shop and all the steps that go into keeping it running.

Disney Cinderella Shimmery Blue Boutique Bow

What is one piece of advice or a tip you'd give other stay-at-home moms?

A giant calendar and scheduling EVERYTHING! Each year I buy a desk-sized calendar and attach magnets to the back so it can be on the fridge. I have a magnetic locker bin that holds pens and highlighters right next to the calendar so I can jot things down as they come up. There is nothing that happens in this house that isn’t on the calendar! There are only two rules with the calendar: mark events/appointments/etc. as soon as you have the information, and don’t over schedule any day. The calendar is my guideline for maintaining my business just like a job, if a day is too busy then it’s a day off from crafting but I can also clearly see where there’s time to get my “work” in too. It’s a real lifesaver and we’ve been using it for over two years now.

Do you have a favorite quote or inspirational saying you'd like to share?

No pain, no gain

What do you like to browse for on Etsy?

I love to check out other shops to see what neat things are popular, maybe gain some inspiration for my own shop in the process. Most of my searches are random by keyword, for example if I’m not having a good day I may search “happy” and then just browse from there, it works really well to lift my spirits.