Etsy Seller Interview with Magdalena of SandwomanCraft

How SandwomanCraft 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 Magdalena Nowak, owner and founder of SandwomanCraft. I create handmade miniatures, mostly miniature books in 1:12 scale (1 inch scale) and 1:6 scale, as well as book stacks, bookmarks, and a range of other handmade dollhouse accessories for miniature libraries, study rooms, and many more, such as scrolls, manuscripts, and paper piles.

I started selling on Etsy in 2014, and I discovered the world of dollhouse miniatures in adulthood, years earlier, in 2011. I remember one beautiful, warm, sunny day (which is a rarity in Ireland). I was sitting in my garden looking at various websites, and I don’t know how it happened, but I spotted a picture of an old, stunning miniature book bound in leather with gilding and turnable pages. It must have been destiny. I couldn’t stop staring at this beautiful treasure, and I had only one thought in my head: this was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. In the next few days, I couldn’t stop thinking about this little book, and then I realized that I wanted to start learning how to make them. That was 12 years ago, and since then, making miniatures has become my passion. It took me three years of exploration to feel confident enough to display my work to the public, and in 2014 I decided to share my passion with the rest of the world and try to sell on Etsy.

All my miniatures are handmade in my craft room, which is dedicated only to creating miniatures. Occasionally I create projects where some woodwork is needed, and then my skilled husband helps me with that part, so he is involved from time to time with his indispensable help and skills. Materials and components needed to create my miniatures are sourced in many ways. Local shops, online, nature Some materials, such as high-quality papers, parchments, embellishments, inks, paints, clay, gilding waxes, etc., have to be purchased brand new from my trusted sellers. The same is true with most of the leathers and faux leathers. But I also love wandering through second-hand shops searching for leather handbags. Also, some of my components are stuff picked up by me while walking or from my garden, such as moss, plants, and dried organic components. I love to recycle whatever I can to give "a second life" to things that seem meaningless or forgotten.

Favorite items

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

My favorite products are OOAK (one-of-a-kind) miniature book piles.

I developed my own style, touch, and techniques to create these unique and eye-pleasing miniatures, which became very popular and are a fantastic addition to a miniature library, study room, or fantasy setting. Also this year, in 2023, I introduced a new product, not related to miniatures but totally resonated with what I love. A range of bookmarks from Gothic dark church themes to steampunk, witchcraft, healing crystals, and herbs. These become more popular, and I constantly add new themes and products to the bookmarks section.

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?

It took me 5 months to make my first sale, and since then, my Etsy shop has come to life. Regular sales, more and more views, more traffic: I am not good with promoting my products on social media; however, I post sometimes on my website, www.sandwomancraft.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking at my stats, most of my traffic definitely comes from Etsy search, the Etsy app, and direct traffic, which comes from miniatures lovers who like my shop and my products. To attract more customers and also keep current ones coming back, I use Etsy tools such as discount coupons, sales, and special offers.

Managing SandwomanCraft

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?

It is only me; I create, photograph, and ship my orders. Occasionally I create projects where some woodwork or bits and pieces where a range of tools are needed, and then my skilled husband helps me with that part, so he is involved from time to time with his indispensable help and skills.

Mostly I use all accessories for bookmaking and binding: rotary tools, saws, drills, many clamps, vices, polymer clay, clays, wires, gilding waxes, gold leaves, and many more. A good laser printer is essential, as I need to print a lot in the highest quality to create my miniature books, scrolls, and manuscripts. I like to use Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Illustrator. I ship all my orders from my local post office.

The future of SandwomanCraft

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

Keep doing what I love and believe I am good at. Share my passion and my products as I have been doing it so far, but I have to admit that I hope I will finally figure out the way to do it full time and that one-day SandwomanCraft will become my day job. Then I could devote all my time and energy to creating, expanding, and doing what I love full-time.

Advice for new sellers

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

Be authentic and sincere. Listen to your heart. Learn new skills, be driven by passion, and invest in yourself. Learn how to make good photographs. Don’t stop believing (it took me 5 months to make the first sale). Don’t force anything; be committed. Be grateful for every small success.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: It is very inconsistent at the moment, but in the future, I am hoping to do what I love full-time.