How myemptynestbynora 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?

My husband and I have been married for 30 years. We have 2 great kids who have grown up and flown from our nest; hence, "my empty nest by Nora" has been born! Recently we downsized and moved to a new area, and I was faced with "what to do with my life." A neighbour gave my name to a friend who was an Etsy shop owner and needed some help over the holidays with production. I got the job and loved it! As I have been decorating my new home, I have been gravitating towards ways to personalise it inside and out. I am also a big fan of seasonal decorating; when my kids were young, the house would be decked out from top to bottom! Since downsizing, I have been looking to seasonally decorate and started to think of ways to decorate that wouldn’t take up too much space when storing. I started with garden flags and have now added coasters, tea towels, and Christmas ornaments. Everything in my shop is designed by me. I love designing, and when I get an idea, I just run with it!

Favorite items

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

I really love my items geared towards family; I have tonnes of grandparent options and love designing grandparent flags. I have all sorts of seasonal options.

Personalized Grandparent Flag Custom Greatest Blessing Garden Flags Winter Grandparent flag

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 sold my first flag within a few days of opening—it was a West Point flag. One of the other reasons I opened my shop was to provide families with options to show their West Point pride. My son was a cadet at the time, and the options for garden flags were quite limited. I became an official crafter for West Point and am now licenced to create US Navy and US Army decor items. Part of my proceeds go back to each of these entities. I also sell items in the West Point Spouses Gift Shop on post, and part of my proceeds are donated to them as well. As of now, I advertise on Instagram and Facebook.

Managing myemptynestbynora

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 am the sole manager of my shop; I create and design all items. My husband is my elf during the holidays and weekends! He is a huge help and allows me to really stay up-to-date on orders.

The future of myemptynestbynora

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

I really love creating and designing. Providing items that make people happy makes me very happy! I would love to add other options to my shop in the future.

Advice for new sellers

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

Be patient with sales. Enjoy every moment. Making something special for someone is a gift in itself.

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.