Interview-Ladies Blend

Todays interview is with Pennie of Ladies Blend

How did you choose the name of your shop and how long have you been a member of Etsy?

I am new to Vegan Etsy. Ladies Blend was the name of a scent that I developed back when I was a practicing massage therapist and just starting to make bath and beauty products. When it came time to name my company, the first domain was already taken so I went with Ladies Blend.

What kinds of items do you sell in your shop and what inspired you to start
creating them?

I make soy candles and handmade jewelry, though very different, I love them both. Besides my wedding rings, I have only worn handmade jewelry for probably about 20 years. Before designing jewelry, I had developed an organic line of bath, beauty and spa products. However about a year and a half ago, it came to my attention that it was illegal for me to do so, from my home in the state of Florida. I started making earrings and well, it took off from there. I am drawn to fresh, simple, purposely uncomplicated pieces and that it what I enjoy designing. My latest endeavor is hand stamping; the personalization and meaningfulness drew me to that.

Do you donate to any charities or do any volunteer work?

I donate almost exclusively to animal welfare organizations. I keep a list of them on my friend’s page at my main website. I also donate our house wares and clothes that we no longer use to Molly Mutt which all proceeds go to our local humane society.

What are some of your favorite things about etsy?

Vegan Etsy and perusing all of the talented artisans creations. I also buy tools and supplies there.

Do you sell your items outside of etsy, either online or in retail shops?

Yes, thank goodness. Though I have been a member of Etsy for quite some time, I have just recently listed some items, but have yet to crack the Etsy code. I also started listing on Artfire, but my main website and the only one that I have actually sold well on is Ladiesblend.com. I thought it would be good to put some of my items out there at other venues and honestly; the main draw to listing on Etsy was to be a part of Vegan Etsy.

Have you been featured anywhere?

Not recently that I know of.

Do you have any future plans for your shop?

A possible name change and learning new jewelry design techniques. I’d like to learn how to use a jewelers saw so I can make my own pendants/shapes for stamping.


What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have?

Gardening, cooking, sewing, all kinds of crafting, home décor, landscaping, spending time with my hubs and kitties, making kitchen beauty treatments, writing in my blog, teaching others to make organic bath and beauty products, lots more, I never get bored.

Do you have any animal companions?

We have been blessed with a family of three kitty cats for six years. The mother (Pretty Kitty) and her two-three-week old babies (Nathan & Chloe), showed up in our yard, we nursed them all to happy and healthy and now they run the place. We just recently acquired a fourth-five-week old kitten (Noah), he was found up near the engine in my husbands work truck after a twenty mile drive. He went through quite an ordeal, but is adapting well, he is a beautiful and loved part of our family. We never go looking for companion animals; they always seem to find us.

Do you have any websites besides your shop that you would like to tell us
about?

My main site is http://www.ladiesblend.com/ and my blog, http://www.ladiesblendblog.com/. It is kind of hard at times to maintain numerous websites, but these two are generally up-to-date with all of the latest news and designs.

How long have you been vegan and what made you go vegan?

I just recently went dairy free about six months ago. There is only one reason that I am vegan and that is for the animals. The longer one is vegan the more you see the other benefits, those are just added surprises.

Do you have any favorite vegan things, like books, websites, stores, etc.?

There are some books that I do want to have, The Kind Diet and The Conscious Cook, but I am more of a website, blog person. I use the internet for so much in learning about different foods, especially dairy free items. I follow lots of vegan writers on Twitter, click here, click there, I learn so much.

What are your favorite foods?

I have always been a veggie lover all of my life, even at a very young age. I like all foods, but prefer fresh organic meals. My biggest challenge and it’s not really that big, is baking. I can do a whole lot with Florida Crystals sugar, egg replacer and earth balance.

Is there anything else you would like to add or share?

Yes, I like to thank Corina for nominating me, she definitely surprised me, is so nice and has made me feel welcomed.