Modern artisans and shoppers have the world at their fingerprints, thanks to the internet and online marketplaces such as Etsy and Shopify.

Crafting enthusiast and entrepreneur Rhonda Newton of Rathdrum was introduced to Etsy in 2014 when she sold NFL-themed wedding bouquets, garters, corsages and boutonnieres. Etsy (etsy.com) is a digital marketplace that connects creators and vendors of handmade, vintage and custom items with audiences seeking those unique products.

"Before Etsy, the only way anyone could find what I did was to run across me at a local craft fair," Newton said Jan. 10. "Etsy opened up the worldwide door to brides. It’s an amazing platform to reach a customer base that goes well beyond just local customers. Obviously, Etsy has changed a bit. It originally had mostly handmade or handcrafted items. Not so much these days, but if you have a following, you can do very, very well on Etsy."

Newton said she quickly learned how to drive traffic from social media sites to Etsy. The skills she learned in the first year of using Etsy helped her to understand how customers find vendors online. Once she figured out how Etsy worked, her customers found easily found her.

"I learned a lot from YouTube, another amazing platform," she said. "I joined Facebook Groups and read not only the questions, but the responses. The responses were probably the biggest thing that helped me figure all of this out."

Newton's parents owned a craft store when she was young, so she had their example from which to learn, as well.

"I literally have crafting in my blood," she said. "I’ve been a life-long crafter."

Creativity as crafter and as an entrepreneur proved pivotal when it was necessary for Newton to take her business in different directions. She pivoted from selling football-themed wedding items in 2016 when sales dropped off after former San Francisco 49er quarterback kneeled during the national anthem before a game against the Seattle Seahawks. She shifted to making rustic wedding items with a natural country motif.

When the COVID-19 pandemic canceled weddings in 2020 and subsequent years, Newton shifted to making face masks. In 2023 she began writing children's books, such as "Masher the Potato," "Paisley the Potato," "Sprout the Potato" and "The Fuzzybutt Gang." She now focuses on writing and producing inventory that ties into her book characters.

Newton said she tries to upload content to social media a few times a week.

"I have learned this is the way people find you these days," she said.

She keeps her audience engaged by mostly posting short video reels about her books, characters or events.

"I have potato mascots that appear in parades, and I videotape them while walking in the parades, so this gives me a lot of content for my reels," she said. "I have found that if I also post just general things, like reels with dog Remi playing in the snow, or a reel of our remote-control Jeep crawling over snow mounds, a lot of people will view my videos that may not necessarily be a customer, but they’ll start following me based on their interest in general reels."

Newton said she was reluctant to jump on the digital bandwagon but hired a professional to give her one-on-one training so she could better understand the processes and best practices.

"It made all the difference in the world because I understood not only the how, but the why, which really clicked with me," she said. "I’m now a whiz at putting a quick reel together and finding the perfect music to go with it! I love, love, love creating reels and I love, love, love coming up with creative ideas for my reels."

While finding her online footing, Newton has never forgotten the importance of person-to-person interactions.

"Engaging with people in general, whether online or in person, will always help build your business," she said.

Although Newton doesn't have her own brick-and-mortar store, she said she plans to always have a presence in a physical location so her local followers have a place to shop for her items. Locally, her books and character swag can be found at Marketplace@Miles, a new vendor mall at 10374 N. Government Way in Hayden.

Newton participated in seven local craft fairs during the 2025 holiday shopping season. Craft fairs are hit or miss depending on what is being sold and who is shopping, Newton said.

"My items appeal to parents or grandparents of littles since I have children’s rhyming storybooks and character swag," she said.

Newton continues to dream up ideas for new books she writes and illustrates. Visit rhondanewton.com to see a list of her published works and other inventory.

"I just finished two books which should be available by March 1," she said.

"Masher the Potato Learns How to Fly" is Newton's 11th potato-themed children’s book. "The Ghastly Books of Boys’ Smells and Noises" is all about bodily noises and smells attributed to boys. The inspiration for the latter came from parents and grandparents who contacted Newton after their children read "The Fuzzybutt Gang," one of her top sellers.

"The title has the word 'butt' in it, and the story has 'poop' in it, so obviously kids, boys in particular, love this book," she said. 

She said she realizes the "Ghastly" book may catch some attention.

"This 'disgusting' book will most likely be the book that goes viral and the book I’m known for if I ever get to 'famous author' status," Newton said.

Newton will participate as a vendor at Potato Days in southern Idaho in September. Last year’s event brought in 35,000 attendees over one weekend.

"This year’s two-weekend event is going to be huge," she said. "I’m still wrapping my head around all that this will entail in the way of inventory, stamina, etc., but I can honestly say, I’m having the time of my life right now, and having a blast with social media and having an online presence."

    Rhonda Newton of Rathdrum is seen at a recent event with her books and famous potato characters Paisely, Masher and Sprout. The author connects with audiences and sells inventory at local markets and brick-and-mortar stores as well as through online marketplaces such as Etsy.
  

    Children's book author Rhonda Newton is pictured with Paisely the Potato, played by B’Shaun Taylor.