EFA MEMBER iNTERViEW... NatureGoods by Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals

EFA MEMBER INTERVIEW 
1st in our new series!

Meet Athena of Nature Goods… 

“Nature Nerd” and Cat Lover!

by Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals

Athena Rayne Anderson is “a recovering PhD, hoping to be able to quit my day job and "do" my Etsy shop full-time.”  She says she’s been a “nature nerd” from her earliest memories. “The first adventures I remember are of chasing lizards through stick piles, staring in disbelief when I grabbed them and their tails popped off, then having mom remove ticks from my belly afterwards.”  No wonder her shop is filled with nature-themed items!

Athena’s shop is “a meeting of many interests, most of which I've always held.” Her love of writing and of feeling real paper in her hands led to the inclusion of stationery. She is fascinated with little details and how they can be captured in a photograph, so including pictures in the shop was a no-brainer.

Autumn Pumpkins Photograph

She loves to try new things, so the nature theme of her Etsy shop allows her to sell almost any of her experiments.  Athena says she has a simple, classic style that comes through in her work. ʺDon't gild the lilyʺ is a phrase she’s always loved. She has a hard time finding items that are simple and classic, so she believes others who are like-minded will be drawn to her creations. Currently she has all nature-themed stationery, photography, decor, and supplies for sale in her NatureGoods shop.

Set of Tree-Themed Cards

She is a big advocate for conservation, sustainability, and ʺgreenʺ initiatives. She sells recycled envelopes with her stationery; she reuses packaging, and she recycles every scrap of paper that is too small to use for something else. I’m with her on that, and I most definitely applaud her efforts in this regard!

PETS & ANIMAL CHARITIES

Athena loves cats, and she says she has found ʺmy peopleʺ in the rescue groups she's volunteered with and in her EFA teammies.  She has five cats, all rescues, and they're her shop helpers. Oliver is her snuggle-bunny. Leo is like a dog and makes her nuts sometimes, but he reminds her when it's time to eat. Endora and Samantha are little black twinsies that provide comic relief and also assist with reminding Athena of treat-time before bed. And last but not least, Olivia is the baby, more than a year old now, and she makes Athena take breaks to throw her favorite squishy ball toy. Then she brings it back so she can retrieve it again. And again...

Oliver... the snuggle-bunny

Athena is a volunteer with a local feral cat rescue group, capturing ferals, bottle-feeding kittens, fostering kittens, bathing kittens, attending adoption events, and maintaining the Petfinder page and the "adoptables" books in several vets' offices in town.  Her shop also supports animal welfare, and a percentage of all her sales helps to rescue cats. Depending on the item, 10-100% is donated to a group with which she volunteered while working on her PhD, Campus Cats, a feral cat rescue group operating on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, USA. She also has an item that supports Victoria Trap Neuter Return, the group with which she currently volunteers.  Is it any wonder that Athena would like to be a cat in her next life?

FAVORITE PIECE OF WORK IN YOUR SHOP? 

"The photo of Barred Owl babies was such a surprise. I was on my first vacation to Everglades National Park, just poking around like I do. I stopped on a walkway under an enormous, beautiful old oak tree, and was looking around of it for photo subjects. Then my eyes met with this pair of fluffy babies and I could not believe the luck. They were peeking at me like owls do, and I nearly squealed with excitement.”

Barred Owl Babies Photograph

NEWEST PRODUCT OR PROJECT THAT YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT? 

“I'm gathering supplies for a beach-themed scrapbook. Yeay! It's going to be done in soft colors, like the beaches of North Carolina where I grew up.” I’m betting that will be beautiful, and a good seller too.  Beach-themed and ocean items seem to sell well and be featured a lot in treasuries!

Set of Four Dunes Photographs

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT ON ETSY? 

"Lately, I'm either working on something related to my day job (teaching college biology), something related to cat rescue, or something related to my shop. When my brain can't handle any more, I love spacing out watching a good movie. I also love a stroll in the woods, but there's nowhere to do that where I live now.” Athena, you're most welcome to come stroll in the woods around my home in North Carolina any time!

Cracked Earth with Plant Photograph

ANY TIPS FOR OTHER ETSY SELLERS & EFA MEMBERS?

"Improve your item photos. Mine aren't perfect, of course, but I see a lot of nice items with photos that need a lot of improvement. When I'm shopping on Etsy, a nice photo makes a difference in whether I want to click on the item.” 
I can’t agree more, Athena!

FINALLY, ANY ADVICE YOU'D LIKE TO OFFER ABOUT LIFE, THE WORLD, ANIMALS? 

"Follow your passion. I don't like hearing people say things like, ʺYou're never going to like everything about your job.ʺ Or, ʺyou're always going to have to deal with (insert annoying thing).ʺ I want maximum fun! Figure out how to do what would be your maximum fun, then go do it.” Can we get a loud AMEN!

Artwork by Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals