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Special AssignmentMoney for MommiesBy Courtny Gerrish
Turn your craft skills into cash, without leaving home.
Some moms are calling it the perfect solution. We discovered the secret to making that happen.
It's a Web site called etsy.com.
Susie Blomquist spends lots of time in her sewing room.
"I've always loved fabric, beautiful fun fabric and of course love handbags," she told us.
So she decided to make them herself. The Franklin mom is the creator of "Mooi" bags. She makes everything from totes to cell phone covers.
"I thought, how can I put those two things I love to do together, and make a little money too?" she remembered.
Susie sells her creations on www.etsy.com. The site specializes in handmade crafts - made mostly by stay-at-home moms looking to turn their skills into cash.
"It's not what everyone else has so I think that's what women like," she said.
In Brookfield, another Susie is hard at work in her kitchen. Susan Ewing creates indulgent handmade treats: Chocolate covered cookie dough.
She explained how she got started. "People are always asking for them, and I thought this would be really cool to do as a business."
She, too, started selling online with etsy. Sales are taking off... And the flexibility is exactly what she needs.
"I'm a stay at home mom and I'm also a caretaker for my 66-year-old mother so I kind of have to have something that I'm in control of," she told us.
Her ideas are born in her kitchen. But that's just the beginning of her business dream. She's now cooking in a commercial kitchen, and would love to see her treats sold in upscale department stores. And, she has another idea.
"What I really want to do is open a cupcake shop," she mused.
But for that, you need money. We asked online business expert Purush Papatla-- can you make enough cash selling online, to make that jump into a storefront? He says-- sure.
"This has transformed amateur into professionals without the cost of being professionals," he explained.
Both Susans would love to see their creations in big department stores.. or upscale boutiques.
But for now.. they're happy doing what they love, making money, and still being home for family.
Susan Ewing explained it simply: "This doesn't feel like work. This is just chocolate."
Both women say selling on Etsy is easy to set up... And has a community feel to it.
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