Etsy Seller Interview with Michelle of FiddlesandFern

How FiddlesandFern got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

Hi, my name is Michelle Berry, and I am a mom of two young daughters. My husband and I live on the sunny central coast of California. I work part-time as an elementary school teacher and part-time as a creative digital artist. About two and a half years ago, I started my own business called Fiddles & Fern. This business came about because of my experience with postpartum depression (PPD) in the midst of COVID, having a newborn and toddler, teaching remotely, and needing a creative outlet to try to find myself again. I knew I was juggling too much and putting too much pressure on myself. I knew I loved teaching, but it had become all-consuming, and I needed a way to make money on the side doing something I loved, like drawing and creating.

I started drawing on the Procreate app, and I went down the rabbit hole of YouTube tutorials and Pinterest inspiration for my drawings. This quickly led to me starting an Etsy shop using print-on-demand companies. PODs were a lifesaver because I didn't need to have any inventory at home, so it was not a risk to start it up. After I started with POD products, I got the courage to hand-make products as well. I started out with garden tags and earring holders because I actually wanted them for myself at home! Then, as I was making them, I realized that other people might want to buy them too. And so started my journey of creating pieces for the home as well.

Two years later, I have a successful Etsy shop, have participated in numerous local vendor fairs, have nearly a dozen wholesale accounts, and much more. Even though it's been a challenging journey, I am so grateful to have started my own business. It has allowed me to work from home, spend more time with my family, and cultivate my love for drawing and lettering.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

Ooo, I have my top 3! One of my favorite items is my copper, waterproof garden plant tags. These really took off during COVID when everyone was home gardening, and they never slowed down. They are so versatile that they can be used both indoors and outdoors, and I hand-letter each one. Next up are my rattan earring displays. These come in four different sizes, and they are just a natural and beautiful way of displaying your jewelry on the wall. These sell really well because they are lightweight (so shipping is cheap!) and they hold a lot of earrings and necklaces. My least favorite is my bookmarks! I designed each of these using the Procreate art app, and I just love how they turned out. They aren’t my best sellers at all, but they are perfect for any reader in your life.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

My first few sales came from family members and friends. It is such a great way to start out because there is low pressure; they just want to cheer you on as you figure it all out! Plus, it gives your shop some sales, which reassures potential buyers. The sales that followed were simply a snowball effect. I primarily use social media to attract people to my shop. I use Instagram reels the most, which attract potential buyers, or at the very least, a new follower, to my page. Having giveaways is always a fun option if it is cost-effective for you! If not, running sales or discount codes on your Etsy shop also helps. I typically run Etsy ads when I know it is going to be a slow month. This helps to get my sales back up and keep my eyes on my page, which ultimately helps with my shop’s SEO. I have also done many local pop-up markets where I sell my products. Even if I don’t get a lot of sales that day, I still gain exposure and make connections with customers.

Managing FiddlesandFern

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

I run Fiddles & Fern on my own! It has been a part-time job alongside my teaching career. Honestly, it has been a lifesaver both financially and for my mental health to have something creative. To run my store, I use Alura for listing optimization. It has such a clear way of guiding you through optimizing each listing. It gives you really tangible and easy ways to optimize each product. Taking the time to go through your product listings improves your SEO and chances of being found through Etsy search, which is an accomplishment in and of itself!

For shipping, I use PirateShip for everything! They consistently have the lowest shipping rates and a very user-friendly website. I have two set days which are post office drop-off days; this helps keep my week structured.

For my print-on-demand products, I use Printed Mint. They print and ship out the products for me. This is a fabulous option if you are interested in creating digital designs and using those on products to share.

The future of FiddlesandFern 

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I would love to narrow my niche down more to really create a particular customer base that will keep coming back for more. I have a good mix of products that I hand make and some that are printed through a print-on-demand company. I would love to continue with this model because it allows for some passive income, which is really exciting. I would love to see my shop get consistent sales throughout the slower months so that the income doesn’t fluctuate as much as it does now.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Stay consistent with posting new listings. Do it when you can, but don’t burn yourself out trying to meet a certain quota. When things get slow, enjoy the downtime and work on optimizing your listings. It doesn’t mean that your shop won’t work; it just means that people are looking for something different at that time. If you are interested in learning how to start your Etsy shop with your own digital designs through print-on-demand, check out my course, Procreate to Product