Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I have forever been drawn to the beach…the constantly changing energy of the ocean, the texture of the sand, the smell of salt in the air and the natural beauty where land and sea come together. I have lived near the beaches in Southern California for all of my thirty years. I am lucky to live a block from the beach, in our comfy little home with my boyfriend and our doggie, in a small beach town just outside of Los Angeles.
Why did you start an etsy shop?
I started my Etsy shop a year ago, November 2009. One of my best friends had moved away from the beach and was getting married. I wanted to give her something creative and meaningful as a wedding present. I had planned to just take a photograph of the beach where we spent most of our youth and have it enlarged and framed. While I was out there, I got the idea to write in the sand her and her husband’s name and wedding date. She loved it so much, that she displayed it her wedding. A few people approached me at the wedding and asked if I would make them one. At the time, I was absolutely obsessed with shopping on Etsy and figured it couldn’t hurt to list a few photographs. After a few months, I received some nice feedback so I decided to concentrate on building my shop and focus on this as a business.
What does your typical day look like?
My typical day starts off with a walk down to the beach with my boyfriend and our dog, Jax. We walk onto the Pier so I can check the surf and sand conditions and take a few minutes to clear my head. A few days a week, I meet with a group of girls and our trainer for a beach workout. When I get home, I head to my office/guest bedroom to read and respond to emails and convos, take down any orders I may have and spend a little time on Facebook, twitter and other’s blogs. If I have photos to take, I build the rest of my day around low tide, which can consist of editing photos, sending photos to print, packaging and shipping orders and getting inventory ready for different craft shows AND all of my everyday house chores.
What is your favorite item in your shop?
My favorite item in my shop is probably the beach themed wedding table numbers and place card favors. They have been such a huge hit since I’ve listed them early this year. I’ve received photos from customers who have used them at their weddings and showers and it’s just so neat to see how they decorate the tables with them.
What would you like the other team members to know about you?
I would like the other team members to know that I am so excited to be a part of this group. Everyone is so talented and they’re such an inspiration to me. I love meeting new people and sharing ideas, so I’m totally open to communicating with anyone to help one another out.
If you’d like to see more of leftbeachfotos, please visit her website, etsy shop, facebook page, and twitter page 🙂
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Etsy Team 