I'm fairly new, but I'm both a buyer and a seller on Etsy. As a buyer, I can tell you that great product photos are essential to your shop!!! I cannot stress this enough. Invest in a decent camera, learn how to use your portrait and macro settings...
I'm one part of a mother and daughter team who craft handmade gifts (quilts, scarves, gift jars, greeting cards, etc) and sell them via Etsy. We are fairly new to Etsy, but enthusiastic and we love all things handmade :)
Thanks for leaving a response to my forum posts. And thanks for the info about your blog. Would love to have my cards featured. It would be my first feature. Just let me know. Love your shop items.