So it’s Sunday again and time to plan. Here is another planner- related post. Today, I am featuring Julia who is another Etsy store LillyTop. She also has a lovely surprise for you guys so make sure you read the interview till the end. So, let’s see what Julia told me.

Interview

Hi Julia!! Thanks so much for this interview!! I am really interested in hearing a bit more about your self and your store. So, let’s chat.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

Hi Joanna! Well, I am a married and am a stay at home working mom of two boys. Seven years ago, my American husband and I moved to the USA from Germany. I love everything cute and girly. My creative outlets are diverse. I sew, knit, bake, and make paper goods, which include stickers, cards, party decorations, and more.

How and why did you start making stickers?

I have a very bad memory and I used to use sticky notes and note pads to write down important dates. However, they can easily get lost and I would end up with a purse full of paper.  I always forgot something. I am not a fan of mobile phone planners, so the solution was a paper planner. Since my penmanship is not the best, I like to use a lot of stickers.  The stickers I found did not always meet my needs or taste. They were often not bright and colorful enough for me. So, I started making my own.

What can someone find at your Etsy store?

In my Etsy store people can find almost every sticker I use in my own planner. In addition, I made some of the stickers according to customers’ wishes. The focus is functionality, while being cute and colorful. The seasonal stickers are more to decorate the pages.

What are the advantages and what the disadvantages of having an Etsy store?

The advantage of having an Etsy store is definitely the traffic that the platform brings to your shop. This is the best advertisement. When people look on Etsy they know most of the shops are owned by real people and what to expect.  We make our products the best they can be. Our goal is to try to offer the best customer service and we like to make people happy with our products. I like the idea to give my money to mothers who need it or small businesses and not to corporations. This is why I like to shop on Etsy, too. I get a handmade item (not in all the shops though, that seems to change) and I support someone in a similar situation.

The disadvantages are the high fees and the possibility that Etsy can decide to close your shop at any time they wish. I heard that this has already happened to so many people, who relied on the income from their shops.  This is also the reason why I have my own web shop (Lillytop.net) in addition to my Etsy shop. My own shop also allows me to pass on my cost savings by offering better prices on some of my items or promotional discounts. We need to be real here. It is awesome to share the art you create and the items you made with your own hands to make other people happy, but we also rely on the income. If I can make people happy with what I like to do and earn a living with it, it is a dream-come-true situation, especially nowadays.  I am very grateful for this opportunity! This is where I really would like to say “Thank You” to every single customer, blogger, Youtuber and everybody who supports me on this path. I appreciate all the help, input and support.  I want to especially thank my husband, who helps me with everything that comes up and needs to be addressed.

Wow! There is a lot of interesting information there. Now let’s move on to planning. How do you plan?

I plan on the go. My planners are always open and when I need to remember something I have to write it down immediately. This way I do not need to sit down at a certain time to plan. I wish I would have the time to do that.

So, tell me Julia, where can someone find you? How can we connect?

You can find me at:

Lillytop.net
www.Etsy.com/shop/lillytop
www.facebook.com/lillytop
https://twitter.com/lillytopsticker
https://Instagram@lillytopsticker/

Thanks so much Julia 🙂

Over to me

Julia very kindly shared a Pdf file with us and you can download it here and make your own planner/scrap-book LillyTop Free Printable You can also use these with your students. They are really pretty and the only thing you need is adhesive a4 sticker paper. If you want to see more of LillyTop’s products, do check out her store.

If you are interested in more free printables check out FruVesasPrintables here.

So, happy planning and talk soon

xx

This post originally appeared in my 2nd blog and if you want to follow me there, head over to it by clicking here.