2008 Woodie Awards
Locals make and sell work
By: Brad Canze
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Lifeline
In order to make some extra cash, many Central Michigan University students and staff work multiple jobs or sell things ranging from collectibles to human plasma.
Many people on campus choose instead to make and sell their own clothing and accessories.
Kathleen Kolb, administrative secretary with the CMU Leadership Institute, began making hand-spun sterling silver jewelry to help her sister-in-law, who sells it nationwide.
"She needed somebody to help her, so she taught me how to do the hand-chaining, and then I started doing it on my own to make extra money," said Kolb, who sells her jewelry on eBay and etsy.com, a social networking marketplace primarily used to buy and sell homemade goods.
"It is very labor-intensive. Each piece can take quite a bit of time to put together," said Kolb, a 1995 CMU alumna.
Kolb said she considers her jewelry, which is adorned with semi-precious stones like amethyst and jade and sells for $20 to $80, a source of extra income rather than a hobby.
Graduate student Angie Henry also sells homemade beaded jewelry on Etsy, as well as crocheted purses and accessories. Henry, an art teacher at Renaissance Public School Academy, 2797 S. Isabella Road, said she prefers to look at her craftwork as a hobby, which is supported by her sales.
"This will pay for art supplies and anything I need. It supports the financial end so I can keep doing that," said Henry,
Henry said she has made approximately eight sales since joining Etsy several months ago.
Lindsey Ferguson, a specialist clerk in the Registrar's Office, also sells crocheted items on Etsy, which provides an outlet for the hobby she's had since college.
"It was more of a hobby, and then I had a friend who told me about Etsy," said Ferguson, who mostly sells crocheted hats, purses and other accessories. "I had just started working at the university and I was low on money, so I thought I'd see if I could sell things online."
Ferguson said the global-marketplace structure of Web sites like Etsy make them optimal for selling goods.
"I think there's definitely a wider audience. Anyone who has an account can buy things," Ferguson said. "I've sold a couple of things to people in England, so it's definitely a large market for selling things."
Henry said selling homemade fashions online can be lucrative.
"I've done art festivals in the past, but it's very expensive because you have to rent a space," Henry said.
lifeline@cm-life.com
Many people on campus choose instead to make and sell their own clothing and accessories.
Kathleen Kolb, administrative secretary with the CMU Leadership Institute, began making hand-spun sterling silver jewelry to help her sister-in-law, who sells it nationwide.
"She needed somebody to help her, so she taught me how to do the hand-chaining, and then I started doing it on my own to make extra money," said Kolb, who sells her jewelry on eBay and etsy.com, a social networking marketplace primarily used to buy and sell homemade goods.
"It is very labor-intensive. Each piece can take quite a bit of time to put together," said Kolb, a 1995 CMU alumna.
Kolb said she considers her jewelry, which is adorned with semi-precious stones like amethyst and jade and sells for $20 to $80, a source of extra income rather than a hobby.
Graduate student Angie Henry also sells homemade beaded jewelry on Etsy, as well as crocheted purses and accessories. Henry, an art teacher at Renaissance Public School Academy, 2797 S. Isabella Road, said she prefers to look at her craftwork as a hobby, which is supported by her sales.
"This will pay for art supplies and anything I need. It supports the financial end so I can keep doing that," said Henry,
Henry said she has made approximately eight sales since joining Etsy several months ago.
Lindsey Ferguson, a specialist clerk in the Registrar's Office, also sells crocheted items on Etsy, which provides an outlet for the hobby she's had since college.
"It was more of a hobby, and then I had a friend who told me about Etsy," said Ferguson, who mostly sells crocheted hats, purses and other accessories. "I had just started working at the university and I was low on money, so I thought I'd see if I could sell things online."
Ferguson said the global-marketplace structure of Web sites like Etsy make them optimal for selling goods.
"I think there's definitely a wider audience. Anyone who has an account can buy things," Ferguson said. "I've sold a couple of things to people in England, so it's definitely a large market for selling things."
Henry said selling homemade fashions online can be lucrative.
"I've done art festivals in the past, but it's very expensive because you have to rent a space," Henry said.
lifeline@cm-life.com
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