Etsy Seller Interview with Graziella of GraziellaMalara

How GraziellaMalara 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?

I am Graziella Malara, owner, and founder of "Graziella Gioielli di Luce" on Etsy. I am very pleased to talk to you. I am an artisan, and my jewels are created with the bead weaving technique. My work is the figment of my imagination and manual dexterity. On my Etsy shop, I sell tutorials to people who want to reproduce or be inspired by my creations. Manual skills have always been my thing, and I’ve tried out many different techniques. 15 years ago, I discovered the bead weaving world—it was love at first sight.

I was in a bookshop, and I was drawn by a book about beads, which featured a chapter on bead weaving. I was amazed by its story, so I immediately started looking for more information on the internet. I was opened up to a whole new, inspiring world. While teaching the technique, I like to tell the story of the various stitches. Nowadays, we lose much information, and some stitches have modern names that do not match their true essence. I am honored to tell the story of the ancient women who created it and handed it down. I posted several projects in Italian, European, and American magazines. I created several jewels for contests. It’s kind of like painting on a white canvas—it gives me the possibility of expressing myself. In 2019, I participated in the Luxembourg Art Prize, and I received a certificate for artistic merit. On January 1, 2014, I opened my Etsy shop. I am very happy because it gives my creativity the chance to reach the whole world.

Favorite items

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

I love all of my tutorials. Flowers and angels became the stars of my work. I believe that the sense of peace I feel during the creation process can be clearly seen in my projects.

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 sale was quite quick after I sponsored my Etsy shop on Facebook. The people who once could reach me only twice a year during the industry fairs finally had the possibility of purchasing my work online. The English translation of my tutorials gave me the chance to expand my market.

Managing GraziellaMalara 

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 handle my Etsy shop on my own. Since I only sell digital goods, I can easily run it from my computer.

The future of GraziellaMalara  

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

I really want to translate all the tutorials into English and possibly another language.

Advice for new sellers

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

High-quality photos and a captivating and inspiring presentation are essential. My advice may seem odd, but in a digitalized world where we can easily maintain our anonymity, I believe in the power of being ourselves. Our products should be our mirrors.