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Tonya Bice, 38, Geneva, IL
BIGGEST WEEKEND HAUL: $1,831
When Tonya, a former stock trader turned stay-at-home mom of four, saw a glorious wreath at Pottery Barn eight years ago, she was bummed that it was out of her price range. "I decided if I couldn't buy it, I'd learn how to make it " she says. Now the craft project is her full-fledged business, Twoinspireyou, which she started two years ago when she joined etsy. com. the online marketplace for handmade goods. "I had done craft shows before, but I wasn't great at pitching the products in person," she says. "Etsy really catapulted me to the next level. Thousands of people saw my work, and it spoke for itself." During one of her biggest weekends, Tonya made $1,831 after offering repeat customers free shipping. For newbies looking to cash in, Danielle Maveal, Etsy's manager of seller education, suggests joining one of the site's "sale teams," where like-minded crafters can connect online to get advice from successful designers. "They'll offer tips, such as how to tag your product so it pops up more often when people search on the site. It's all about making it easier for shoppers to find you. Once they do, it's like sparks flying."
When Susan heard from a neighbor that Once Upon a Child, a child-oriented consignment chain, was opening up in her town, she decided it was time to sell all her daughter's outgrown but carefully stored clothing and toys. Over three days, she dropped off five SUV-filling loads. Susan credits her success to the state of her goods. "Take the time to wash and iron old clothes," she suggests. "They should look like things you'd buy yourself." Susan was surprised when the store rejected brand-name items by Ralph Lauren and Laura Ashley, only to accept stuff from Target But according to longtime consignment-shop owner Kate Holmes, whose site, howtoconsign. com. offers tips for resalers, "Store owners know their customers and what sells." So before you lug bags and bags of stuff to your neighborhood thrift shop, stop in to see what the place usually stocks, and edit your giveaways to meet their needs.
