How LemonLeafMarket 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?

As a little girl, I remember admiring my grandmother’s flower garden. My grandparents were Nebraska, farmers. Grandma never had much in terms of physical wealth or belongings, but she loved beauty. She would enter her garden-flower arrangements in the county fair and always win an award. She was a busy farmer’s wife, singing in the kitchen while she peeled home-grown potatoes and fried up catfish Grandpa had caught in the crick. With all she had to do in a day, she found time to enjoy her gift for gardening and arranging flowers. While my life has been very different from Grandma’s, that same spark seems to be in my heart. I love to garden, decorate, and create, especially with flowers.

When I was a very young mom, I designed a line of handmade paper flowers. I would examine a flower and copy the components using wrinkled, tissue-like colored paper. (Quirky, I know!) I then became a designer at a flower shop, and I embarked upon formal training in special event floral design. My passion as a florist grew as I designed flowers for weddings and other occasions.Faux designs always piqued my interest, and I spent countless hours working with faux greenery and florals to make custom pieces for homes and a design firm. At one point, I designed several extravagant, over-the-top arrangements that weren’t really to my taste, but I learned a lot.

I like to watch the world of floral design, and I’ve seen a trend, especially in home decor. These days, faux greenery is the star. The problem is, it’s not so easy to find quality pieces when you shop for faux greenery. I had an idea of filling that gap in the market with nice-quality and realistic pots of faux greenery. I was already an Etsy fan, so choosing Etsy for this business endeavor seemed like a great idea. And so Lemon Leaf Market was born!

Getting started was initially pretty easy because I already had some wonderful wholesale floral suppliers and so many ideas for greenery designs and arrangements. My challenge was photography and shipping, things I knew little or nothing about. Honestly, it took some months of trial and error to produce nice photos and develop a system for shipping. I wanted beautiful photos and for my customers to open up their boxes and feel like they were opening a very special gift.

Favorite items

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

Faux Lambs Ear, Boxwood, and Seeded Eucalyptus in a Whitewashed Cement Pot, Modern Farmhouse Greenery Arrangement
Faux Boxwood in a Vintage Style Pot, Coffee Table Decor, Fireplace Mantel Topiary, White Decor Centerpiece, Boxwood Greenery Arrangement
Herb Topiary in a Stone Pot, Faux Rosemary Topiary Tree, Farmhouse Topiary

I love that they look natural but are pretty too. Items that bring a room to life or add just a touch of charm are my favorites. These items do sell well.

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?

I got my first sale the day I opened. It was from a dear family member. I was blessed by the gesture, but I wasn’t sure how long I would have to wait for another sale. It took only a few days if I recall. Then the sales seemed to come in very steadily.

Managing LemonLeafMarket

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?

Right now, I run my shop alone. I don’t have as many items listed as I have in the past because of my life circumstances, but that is the beauty of this business. I can do as much or as little as I would like. Etsy provides me with a great app for selling. I use Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for marketing. I use Etsy for shipping.

The future of LemonLeafMarket

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

As I get closer to retirement age, my goal is to continue to make designs that I love and to enjoy what I am doing every day.

Advice for new sellers

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

Do your research. Find out what is already on the market and make something that is uniquely yours and that you enjoy making. Pull out all the stops to take great photos and describe your product well using all the tags in your listing.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.