Even Sweeter Dreams: Behind the blog: Tizzalicious

In my new Behind the blog I would like you to meet the lovely Maartje from the blog and webshop Tizzalicious. She makes supercute jewelry, so be sure to check her shop! I hope you all enjoy this read!

Welcome to Even Sweeter Dreams Maartje! Could you tell a bit about yourself and where you are from?

My name is Maartje, but I often go by my nickname Tizz. I’m 30 years old (aaah, it still feels weird to say that!) and I am from the Netherlands.

Your blog is linked with you webshop Tizzalicious. When and why did you decide to start with the brand Tizzalicious?

I started making jewelry and accessories for myself, because I couldn’t find anything I liked in the shops. I had more supplies than I needed, so I decided to start selling on LiveJournal in 2005. I suffer from chronic migraines, so I can’t have a “normal” job and am on disability. Because I have a Danish boyfriend, and I can’t move abroad while on disability, so back in 2007, I decided to start my own shop, so I could provide for myself.

Your webshop is a successful one, what do you think is the secret of a webshop success?

I think my secret to success is that I sell things that are different and original. Of course this means not everyone will like what I make and sell, a lot of people will think my products are a little too crazy or colorful, but it does mean that the people who do like my creations can’t get the things they like in a whole lot of places, so they come to me!

How do you seek new trends and keep up to date on what to sell in your shop?

To be honest, I just make what I like. I have been lucky enough to pick up on some trends before they became trends, but I also read a lot of blogs, surf Etsy, etc. I think a lot of times things that are a little too crazy for people at first, become trends later on. Take moustaches for example. They used to be an indie thing not everyone would wear, but now you can get them anywhere. So I guess having a thing for crazy helps being ahead of the trends.

Do you have tips for others who want to sell their crafts online?

1. Make sure your product photos look great. Having great photos doesn’t only make your products look more appealing to potential customers, but it will also make them more likely to be featured in blogs, treasuries, etc.

2. Have a clear brand, use the same logo and font everywhere, so people will recognize you.

3. Do what you love! Don’t follow trends that don’t suit your style, just because they are trends. It’s better to start a trend than to follow one!

How do you see the future for Tizzalicious?

I have the dream a lot of webshop owners seem to have: My own little brick & mortar shop. I don’t know if it’s ever gonna happen, because running a real store is a lot more work than running a webstore, and I am not sure if I could handle it with my migraines. But I can always dream, right? If the store is not going to happen, I hope that at least I will be able ditch the disability, and earn enough with Tizzalicious to make a living.

Who are your favourite crafters/sellers of crafts?

Oooh, this is a hard one! I hang around on Etsy and DaWanda a lot, to find shops to feature in my blog, so my list of favorites is very long! Currently on my wishlist are items from:

Miss Honeybird http://www.etsy.com/shop/MissHoneyBird

CloverCoeur http://en.dawanda.com/shop/clovercoeur

Swiedebie http://www.swiedebie.com

What is your favourite thing of crafting?

I love the feeling of having something I love, that I made myself. And for the things I sell: It’s a great feeling when you make something, and other people love it enough to spend money on it.