BESTeam feature: Nevita

this week i have a lovely lady to feature, nevita. her shop has a variety of fun pieces, from scarves, clothing, tapestries, and fiber necklaces. i think some of her most unique items are the gobelin tapestries. because english is not her second language (read on!) she provided a lovely interview for my blog:

How did you hear about Etsy?
I live in Bulgaria, it's a small country in south-eastern Europe where only a small number of people know that there is such amazing place like etsy.com. I have a great post with videos about Bulgaria on my blog http://boutiqueaholic.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-country-bulgaria-in-videos.html
Last year, a friend of mine was searching for online stores for good Christmas sales. She told me about this place. When I started searching in etsy stores, I got lost in so rich choice of handmade items.

[click all pictures to go to their listing]

What made you decide to sell on Etsy?
I always wanted to open a store and sell my hand knitted scarves and baby clothing. However, my full-time job, and pregnancy didn't bring enough confidence in this picture.
When my beautiful baby daughter came to the world, she brought new hope and faith in myself. I found knitting section and crochet section and I was happily surprised that someone is selling so many handmade creations. At that time the idea that etsy.com is an easy way to create and maintain shop came into play. With etsy, I figured, I wouldn't have to care about renting and maintaining a physical shop, and at the same time I'd have flexible working hours. Now I stay at home as mother, enjoy spending time with my baby daughter, my knitting, and promoting my shop via interesting online tools. My shop is www.nevita.etsy.com
Soon I've opened my second shop for Photography Prints www.photosprint.etsy.com . Photography is the expression of myself. I want to show the beauty I see in nature and details.

How did you originally get into Handknit and Gobelin making business?
I learned to knit and make gobelin tapestry, when I was a child. I went to my grandparent's home, during school offs. My grandmother thought me different handmade technics, such as knit, crochet, sewing and others. During the years, I was paying more attention to knitting and gobelin tapestry, and found I enjoyed it a lot. It became my hobby, and after my daughter's birth I decided I was determined to share the products of my passion with people around the world.

What motivates and inspires you to create?
Scarves... When I was young girl, my mother kept telling me to wear scarves so I wouldn't get cold. I hated scarves! That is, until the day I knitted myself a very colorful, soft, and pleasant to touch and look at piece of happiness (yes, a scarf!). My classmates loved it. That motivated me to make more scarves, because I found scarves could be joy, emotions, and good looking fun - yes staying warm became not so bad experience after all :)
Inspiration sources have been changing during my path in life. At some point in time, I enjoyed to come back home, and to get calm and be all by myself while making my needlepoint tapestries.
At other times, inspiration was there, but I couldn't tell where it came from, so I'd like to think of it as coming from deep within the human soul.
Now I am motivated from the smile of my baby daughter and the look of her eyes. In addition, when I look and reflect on the results of my hand made creations I've made during the years, I get a good feeling of accomplishment, and I want to do more. I'm proud of my winter scarves, my gobelins, and last but not least my baby clothing.

What do you like most about being a seller?
Being a seller is something new for me. I like to learn new things, and find information too. I learn how to sell by reading a lot of articles from experienced etsy sellers. It is not easy work, I love to create, but honestly, I don't know how to sell my creations. It is something I want to learn to do. Being a seller is a new opportunity to bring joy to people.

What are your interests outside etsy?
I like the Human Recourses area and I am finishing my masters degree in Human Resources management. I enjoy interacting with people.
I love to travel and regularly organize small trips through my country.

nevita has been nice enough to offer 10% off to my readers (write in the message to seller that you found her from my blog)