California Mom Says She Grosses at Least $70K a Month on Etsy

— -- Alicia Shaffer started her site on Etsy, selling homemade headbands and socks, in November 2011 just hoping to make a few bucks.

"I just wanted to pay for dance lessons or my son's soccer," Shaffer told "Good Morning America" special correspondent Becky Worley.

Now, nearly four years later, Shaffer's site, "Three Bird Nest," is one of the top five-grossing stores on Etsy, grossing anywhere from $70,000 to $80,000 per month.

"I was literally hoping to make like $100 a week," Shaffer said of her humble beginnings.

Those humble beginnings included Shaffer sewing every item herself until her Etsy site exploded in popularity.

"I'm literally crying because I only have so many hours to get stuff done," Shaffer recalled. "There was stuff everywhere."

"Three Bird Nest" now sells everything from clothing to leg warmers, turbans, scarves, purses and jewelry and hair accessories.

As demand grew, Shaffer began hiring friends to help her meet the demand. She also hired a professional photographer and a model to show off her goods, two hires Shaffer says were important to her success.

Shaffer, who lives with her family in a rural part of California, pays herself an annual salary of $55,000. She says she reinvests the rest of her earnings back into the business and her employees, which number eight, according to the store's page.

"You can run any business now with the Internet," Shaffer said.