Etsy Shop Profile- MeredithCarey

Shop owner Meredith Carey grew up always feeling like she was in the wrong time. Going to places where people reenact history like Renaissance Fairs was a homecoming for her. Now that she is older she enjoys surrounding herself with items from the past. Her shop is filled with wonderful items that anyone who is a lover of Steampunk or Victorian items will adore. Her shop is still new and growing. So stop by her shop and take a look around. Also when you get a chance check out her fan page on facebook you can also keep up to date and contact her at her twitter account @MeredithDCarey


If you could visit any period in time where would you end up?

If I could visit any period in time it would definitely be the Victorian era. I have always loved and admired the fashion, architecture, music, literature, and social history of the time. In fact, I received my BA in sociology with a minor in history partly because of it.


What is your favorite item in your shop?

My favorite item in my shop is a vintage barware set I found. It is like nothing I've ever seen before. It has four shot glasses and a decanter that all rest in what looks like a German soldier's helmet. The detailing on it is just amazing and fun. Sometimes I debate about keeping it for myself.



Since your shop is so new do you have plans on what you would like to do with your shop? My personality is very planned and organized so before I opened my shop I read a lot of books about having a business and they all said to pick a niche. They warned against being too broad or trying to sell everything to everyone. I really enjoyed cardmaking and scrapbooking so that's where I started. I make cards, invitations and scrapbooking kits for people that have a Victorian theme. But very quickly I felt unsatisfied because I also have a love for antiques and collectibles but I didn't want to try and start a second business while this one was still so new. Then one night as I was talking with my husband about it he suggested I add vintage items to the shop I already had. I was worried about being "too broad" but he thought I could sell the collectibles like I wanted and still offer cards to go with them for people who were buying items as gifts. And it just seemed to fit together. So now I am building on this idea. Since my direction has changed a bit I have some work ahead of me to clearly define my shop but I love every minute of it and am excited to share it with others.

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What made you decide to open up a shop on etsy?

I had been interested in having a business, as I've said, and I knew it had to be online because of the financial costs involved with a brick and mortar building. One night I was reading an article in a magazine and someone was advertising their shop on Etsy so I checked it out and it was exactly what I was looking for. At that point I still hadn't decided exactly what I was going to do but since my passions are for handmade and vintage items, I knew I was in the right place. From there I worked my ideas until I had a shop that was really like me. A place where people can "Imagine life from another time," a slogan posted on my shop's homepage to remind me and everyone else of my mission.