FRIDAY - Friday Finds... SOiNTOiT

Friday Finds... SOiNTOiT


This is my 12th interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy, and my first one since the End of November! Eeek! Don't worry though I'm in better health now and Christmas is nice as far away from being able to disrupt too much of my blogging for now :)

Today I am posting an interview with Pam, a carvedboard artist known on Etsy as SOiNTOiT! By nature I am quite the hippy and I do tend to feel attracted to things that burst with color, contain spiritual undertones or have a very naturalistic feel to them. So for me to stumble across Pam's store was a wonderful find in my hunt for my usual Monday Magic-ers funnily enough! But her work is so unique and beautiful. I love the way they have a very ethnic feel to them, as well as the way they reach out to you (quite literally!) and the colors of the rainbow dance around each piece! I had to ask if she would be interested in an interview about her work and store. And obviously very pleased that she wanted to, so I am very pleased to share on my blog this week another very new and talented artist on Etsy that deserves all the exposure and interest I suspect she'll get in the future on Etsy :)


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)



Tell me a bit about you. (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you’re at it.) My name is Pam Reinhardt. I’m 56. I live at a lovely lake in Northern California. I’m married, a mom and ‘gramma’. Random fact: Colors 60 feet below the surface in warm, tropical waters are indescribably and breathtakingly vivid.

What is your business about then? I don’t have a business! I do, however, have a passion and I enjoy directing that passion. So, I guess that’s my business. The direction of my passion right now, is my artwork. My artwork is uniquely mine and that is empowering. (I suppose I could organize my closets or clean out the junk drawer---nah!) I also like putting myself in situations that bring on extreme learning mode as I seem to thrive on learning. Putting my artwork out there is extreme for me. It’s inherently satisfying.

How did etsy come into your life? I’m running out of wall space! AND I like the etsy community AND I like learning new skills and I like art exposure and meeting talented and creative people.

Are you working a day job, too? Big smile! Sigh! I’m a recently retired public school band director and classroom music teacher. I’ve stepped into a perpetual weekend mode and my husband and I can come and go as we please. I am blessed!

How long has the artist in you been ‘unleashed’? I’ve not had the luxury of uninterrupted time before. For me, creativity is time for exploration and experimentation and time to follow my ideas to a satisfactory completion. I’m fortunate to have a supportive and understanding husband who knows how to serve a good meal!

What has been the inspiration behind your business? It’s such a charge to follow a dream. It’s scary and I like stepping out into new territory.

If you could describe your products in 3 words, what would you tell me? Colorful. Unique. Eclectic.

What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? Wake up when I feel like it. Cup of coffee in front of the fire and check out the weather and the bird feeders. Do a check-in with my husband and rough out a day plan (looks like a good ski day tomorrow, hon….that kind of thing). Check e-mails, the etsy shop and facebook, maybe call my kids. (I babysit my grand-daughter on Thursdays.) Head to the den where my desk and supplies are and play for a couple hours, or go for a walk. I’ve been doing a lot of breathing and being thankful to God. Piddle around the house or in the yard. Love to read. Might drive to town and explore. We live near two beautiful Sierra Foothill towns full of great restaurants, bookstores, art galleries and boutiques. Never at a loss for something to do. We own a 20 acre parcel on a hill overlooking our lake and sometimes we go up there and just sit, listening to the quiet and dreaming and talking over our house plans. Like I said, I’m blessed.

What’s your favorite material and techniques to work with? Acrylics, oil pastels, encaustic, collage, mixed media.

What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? To continue to have a lot of fun at my art desk. If someone can get enjoyment from viewing my work I’m tickled. I wasn’t actually expecting anyone to show any interest. I’m totally doing this for myself. I love that what I’m doing gets reactions from people and they want to let me know what their reaction is. I wasn’t expecting that.

Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? Travel. Snow ski. Kayak. Hike. Camp. Scuba dive. Write. Visit with my kids.

What are you likely to search for on etsy? New artwork. Brightly and creatively arranged, colorful objects. Somebody doing something different.

Any last words? Yes! Watch for one of my CarveBoardArt pieces in the May 2010 issue of Somerset Studio Magazine. (The Exemplar feature.) And, of course, go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/SOiNTOiT and view my shop! This has been a fun interview! Thanks!

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... MilkwoodDesign

Friday Finds... MilkwoodDesign


This is my eleventh interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

Today I am posting an interview with a resin jewelry maker known on Etsy as MilkwoodDesign! I just love the vibrance and abstract nature of some of her pieces... you all know what I'm like! i think they're just gorgeous so I asked the shop owner if she would like an interview and so glad when she agreed :)


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)








- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Amelia, I'm 30, I live in Melbourne, Australia with my darling husband and two angel children (4 years and 3 months). Well, the 3 month old is an angel... Random fact? All porcupines float in water (thanks Libra!)

-- What is your business about then? I create organic, natural shaped resin jewellery. My aim is to make pieces that are smooth and tactile that you just want to reach out and feel - I love the mix of natural organic shapes and textures, with the endless variety of colours - and the translucent ones really glow beautifully. I create models out of clay or found objects, pour over silicone to create a flexible mould, then fill the mould with resin, pigment, papers, fabric etc. When mixing colours, it is always a surprise to see what will come out at the end, as you can't really see what is happening within the mould. The 24 hour wait while it cures is a killer! Then there is the drilling, sanding and finishing. It is a labour of love... but the end result is an amazing, unique piece of jewellery.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I read an interview about some crafters over here who sold on Etsy, and it was so easy to set up and get going. I kept getting more ideas for new pieces, but my jewellery drawer was getting crowded. This way I still get to create daily, and explore a bigger range of techniques and colours.

-- Are you working a day job too? I wish! It would be easier than keeping a 4 year old entertained all day...but we can lose hours with the scrap box and a bottle of glue.

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I studied Textile Design (knitwear) at university, then worked in costumes before getting all corporate - but I always found a way to sneak some creative work into my roles.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I'm inspired by natural forms and colours, and working with my hands to create something beautiful from quite basic raw materials.

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Touchable. Smooth. Bold.

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk?

Wake up waaaaay too early and feed baby. Snuggle with 4 year old, then the breakfast / dressing etc routine starts. We'll potter around at home or the park unless we have kinder/swimming/playdates etc. I try and sneak onto the computer to edit photos sometime during the morning, and my 4 year old and I will often get together and do some clay modelling in the afternoon while bubs sleeps. End of the day, dinner, kids in bed, glass of wine, then out to the studio (glamourous name for my shed) where I'll work until it is time to wake the baby for her last feed of the night.

-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? Resin! Also love fabrics, knitting, threads... anything with colour.

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? To be fabulously rich and successful would be nice. I'd settle for just having some more time to create though.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? Drink. Hmmm, that doesn't sound like a responsible mother. So I'll say, at the moment just loving the warmer weather and picnics with friends.

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Gifts, items for kids and babies, homewares and art.

-- Any last words? I make custom items and almost everything is available in another colour, so feel free to contact me about creating your own unique piece! And a massive thanks for the opportunity - been great to discover the broader Etsy community, and all those who take the time to help out others! Love to all!

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... IvyKeep!

Friday Finds... IvyKeep


This is my tenth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

Today I am posting an interview with a lovely teamaker known on Etsy as Ivykeep! It's probably in my veins being a Brit but I just LOVE tea and was very excited to find such gorgeous looking blends from someone who seems as equally passionate about tea variety. I will certainly be giving some of her blends a go at some point, especially the gorgeous pressed green tea hearts, how cute! So feeling very inspired by her store I just had to ask for an interview of course, and so pleased that she took the time out to complete my questionnaire. So here is Ivykeep on Etsy!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)








-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Krystyne and I live in wine country - the Niagara Region - in Ontario. I moved here while attending Brock University. After graduation, I stayed. Then I met my husband and settled here.

-- What is your business about then? Tea. All kinds of tea. Here in Niagara we have a culinary school, fine restaurants and we have wineries, but if I made it about food and wine, I'd be eating and tipsy all day. *grin* With tea, I can enjoy all the great flavours with which this region inspires me, without the guilt. Besides - I love tea.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I was doing a search one day for a present for a friend. Following the links, I found etsy, was intrigued and stayed to buy things. In fact, it's my first stop now. Recently, I decided to open my shop here.

-- Are you working a day job too? Yes. I work in ecommerce. I set up people's on-online stores and shopping carts and help them get going. I love that job too.

-- How long has the artist inside been 'unleashed' for? For as long as I can remember. However, the materials kept changing. I used to draw. Then I moved to computer graphics. I also make jewellery, cards, bookmarks, and occasionally sew (mostly historic costumes).

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I think I mentioned earlier that I am in wine country and surrounded by great food due to the culinary school, fabulous bed and breakfasts and incredible restaurants in the area. The tastes of the Niagara Region definitely inspire me.

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Fresh. Affordable. Quality.

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? Morning - check email and orders.
Mid-morning - go to the day job.
Supper time - return home. Check email and orders again. Print orders. Pack orders.
Evening - try out new blends in the kitchen. When I find one I like, it will go to the blending kitchen and be packaged. I also use the evenings to work on the website, create new labels, and work on newsletters and marketing ideas.


-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? I have a little "flavour rack" in my kitchen that has core teas in it and mixing ingredients - the same idea as a "perfumer's organ". This allows me to go wherever the muse takes me. I love working with all the teas, but my current favourite (which will change once winter has come and gone) is chocolate flavourings.

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I always joke that this is my retirement plan, but the truth of the matter is, I'd rather be doing this than pretty much anything else. I'd like to see it take off so that I can hire someone for the more mundane aspects and leave me to be creative. There is never enough time for creative pursuits when you wear all the hats in a business.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I curl up with my latest tea blend of choice and a good book.

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? I love searching etsy for vintage teaware and I have had some wonderful tags and cards and packaging done up by artists on etsy. I also met my photographer there.

-- Any last words? Etsy is a great community, full of wonderful handmade items. It is also a great place to sell. I have met tons of great people - all of which I'd love to have to tea sometime!

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... LunarBelle

Friday Finds... LunarBelle

This is my tenth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

Today I want to introduce a wonderful jewelry maker that hails from Australia, whom came into my awareness after contacting me via the Etsy Promotions forum. I am in love with her work, there is something very romantic and delicate about her jewelry that appeals to me and I think she pieces together the findings and beads she uses in an extremely beautiful way. So here is LunarBelle on Etsy


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)









-- Tell me a bit about you! My name is Regina, I am 37 years old and I live in Australia. I lived in Austria when I was a little girl and had to translate for my English speaking mother!

-- What is your business about then? I design and make jewelry that I love and hope others do too. My jewelry design is more of a hobby than a business, I get great satisfaction creating beautiful peices and even greater satisfaction when people enjoy what I make.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I had been selling peices at a local gift shop and found that I needed another outlet for my designs. It was through a google search that I came upon Etsy. I had never heard of it before but thought it was a wonderful way to get my jewelry out there.

-- Are you working a day job too? Yes and no! I am a stay at home mum to two beautiful girls. I have been very fortunate in that I am able to do this. I really appreciate my time with them.

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I have been plying my family and friends with my creations for around five years now. Before jewelry making I was dabbling with other arts and crafts such as stained glass, sewing and painting with watercolours.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? A new bead shop opened up at the local shopping centre and I had never seen such a pretty shop before. I fell in love with all the beautiful things in there. Ever since then I have had a passion for beads. I feel like they have taken over my life! When you start dreaming about them and your designs you know its a passion!

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Pretty, unique and colourful.

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? It starts off with getting everyone off to work and school, then I spend one or two hours promoting my business. After this it is housework, washing and shopping (not a very exciting part of the day!). I then do the school pick up and start thinking about dinner. Often I will bake at this time as well. After dinner and everything is done I sit down and start creating (this is my favourite time).

-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? I love crystal beads and use them all the time. I accent these with metal and I am particularly fond of antique brass and gunmetal. It highlights the colours of the crystals nicely. I love gemstones and pearls also.

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I am very happy with how everything is at the moment and hope to keep on creating. Sales are good because then I can continue buying lovely peices to work with!

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I play tennis twice a week - Wednesday is competition day and Friday night is for fun. I love to read, garden and catch up with family and friends. Fun is watching my husband's band play at functions so I can have a dance!

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? I like to look at the treasuries and would love to try one of my own. I search art as I am in awe of their talents. I also like to look at other jewelry designers beautiful work.

-- Any last words? Thanks for the interview! I have really enjoyed it and am glad to be featured on your gorgeous blog. If I can make somebody happy with one of my creations then I get so much in return.

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... Hell0Z0mbie

Friday Finds... HellOZOmbie

This is my ninth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

After posting this week's Monday Magic, I was contacted by a fellow Etsy artist known by the shop name HellOZOmbie with a request to check out an item of hers that may have been suitable for next Monday. Well, I was so impressed when visiting her store I had to ask for an interview, I was absolutely enthralled by her paper arts! The colors springing out at me! My particular favorites being the origami cards. I think they're beautiful and was so pleased when she wanted to do the interview, so I'd like to introduce Emma of HellOZOmbie!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)







- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Emma, I go by Firheruwen and Hell0z0mbie around the interwebs. I am 23 years old, I grew up in Boise Idaho but escaped to Phoenix Arizona right after high school! I love Arizona! A random fact? I have been vegetarian for about 16 years!

-- What is your business about then? I love crafting and trying new things! Arts and crafts have always been a bit of a passion for me, although I don't think I am good enough at them to make a decent living at it alone. There is no better feeling than someone buying something handmade from me though! It makes me so happy!

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I have been an Etsy shopper for a few years, and this spring I finally got motivated enough to list some of my stuff. I started out with mostly bracelets and am branching out.

-- Are you working a day job too? I am, it takes up way too much of my arts and crafts time! I work for an economic consulting / expert witness company in Phoenix. I only recently graduated/started so my job can be a little boring sometimes (copying and data entry - barf!) but on good days I get to do cool things with MS Excel, I love spreadsheets at least as much as I love arts and crafts!

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I have been into art since forever! I was never super good at any one thing, but I like to try everything. Having my artistic side repressed at work during the day makes it come out harder on my off time.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? The happiness I feel when someone wants something I made enough to purchase it motivates and inspires me. It is vindication, approval and acceptance, the money is fairly secondary!

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Random, Girly, Colorful

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? Get up at six, fart around on the internet and shower and all that until I go to work at around 8.
Work all day at the office, leave anywhere from 5:30 to 9!
Have dinner with the boyfriend, maybe watch TV or a movie or work on my arts and crafts, do some Etsy and blogging stuff and go to bed. So exciting!

-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? I love paper, decoupage is awesome as is Origami, collage, scrapbooking...

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love to find a niche, something creative that I do really well that I could market and sell. I have no idea what this would be, at the moment. I always want to do art and keep trying new things.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I love to read, I mostly read fantasy and science fiction but also some non fiction. My favorite authors are Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, C.S. Friedman, Richard Dawkins, Max Brooks.

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Purses! I am seriously obsessed with buying purses. I search that all the time, sometimes to blog about it and sometimes just to buy. I also like searching for pretty jewelry.

-- Any last words? Live Long, and Prosper!

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... ChocolateCreative

Friday Finds... ChocolateCreative

This is my eighth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

It has been a long while since I have done my weekly searches through my favourite newest of the new on Etsy so over the weekend I almost felt peace washing over the diffiulties that have surrounded my families lives lately, by just being able to do what I love doing the most here on Blogger and Etsy. I haven't managed to finish updating my own store as of yet, but as you discovered on Monday I found 12 great new artists with wonderful work to share that I wanted to share with the community as my favourite finds of the week. Today I want to introduce my favourite artist of the week in my artistan interview, that makes beautiful home decor printed cushions and textiles. I love her work because it is fresh, unique and elegantly abstract that reflects times of old, as well as the fact that she likes to use eco sound materials like organic cotton and hemp in her eco collection. I think her concept is just so carefully thought out and produced so well that I couldnt resist asking for an interview, and thrilled that she wanted to take part! I'd like to introduce you to Designer Margarita of ChocolateCreative. Also check out her wonderful blog http://chocolatecreative.blogspot.com.



(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)







-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) Margarita Lorenzo, 38, London, Spanish at heart, living and enjoying my English life in London.

-- What is your business about then? My business is about creating sustainable handmade textiles and accessories for the house, spreading the word about craft and traditional skills and promoting handmade design above mass produced one.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I learned about Etsy last year while browsing an American blog, and thought what a brilliant idea!! As it reaches out globally and have a great designers/makers community.

-- Are you working a day job too? My background is in Graphic Design, and have been doing this for the past 15 years, still work part time for a company, but trying to give up on this job to concentrate on my textiles business.

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to do/study art, I went to University to do Fine Art, specialised in Graphic Design, and since them never have stopped studying and learning new ways of expressing my creativity, printmaking and textiles have been my latest studies.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I suppose the main reason is my passion for what I do and make, and wanted to be my own boss for a long time. I believe in handmade design and love making my own things. I look for inspiration in traditional craft, embroidery, stitching, old linens, vintage textiles, the colours and look of old houses in Cuba and Brazil, etc…I like mixing the old with the new and that is what I try in each design, to bring a bit tradition into a contemporary piece.

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Sustainable handmade textiles

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? It differs from day to day, (this is when working on my textiles from my studio at home), I am not an early bird, so start around 9.30/10am,
have my coffee while I browse a magazine
read and answers emails
organize the day’s work
If time, go for a walk in the park/have lunch
Print/sew/make cushions
Work on new ideas
Market the business
Run the blog
Shop for materials
And last browse blogs and sites for inspiration and networking while I watch TV on my sofa, absolutely exhausted but very happy!!

-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? I only work with natural fabrics, such as Linens, hemps, 100% cottons and organic cotton, I soon hope to start introducing some old linens and vintage fabrics. I want to reuse as much as possible, I value old textiles and believe in recycling very much. I screen print my own designs and use transfer paper for some motives, I love using traditional skills such as cross stitch and embroidery.

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? In the ideal world and hopefully in my near future I see myself dedicated to Chocolate Creative full time, and living between Spain (Canary Islands where I come from) in Winter and spending Summer/Spring in London. Expanding the textiles lines and introducing stationary and ceramics. Running the blog, and who knows what my creative mind and new opportunities will bring along the way. I am very certain this is what I want to do as I feel very passionate about it.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I love being with my friends and family, (they are a very important part of my life and feel very privilege to have so many supportive people around me), cooking and entertaining at home, traveling as much possible, going home to my local beach and relax by the sea. I love going to the cinema, museums, galleries, browse second hand shops and antiques markets, and above all a good piece of cake, cup of tea, good magazine, my cat next to me and my confy sofa, HEAVEN!!!

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Anything that looks gorgeous and is being well crafted, I have already bought a few pieces from it and I am always surprise about how much talent is out there, it is such a source of inspiration!!

-- Any last words? The piece of advice that has helped me the most and that I pass on to you all is: “Be true to your heart, believe in yourself and follow your dreams”. I want to thank to all the amazing global community that is out there, making, designing and creating for being a constant source of inspiration!!

SUNDAY... Coffee and Cake

Sunday - Coffee and Cake

I'm Back!!!

After an astonishingly awkward few weeks, I can hope that this is the beginning of a most definite return without disruption!

Wow things have been hectic. Infact that is a slight understatement really, so much has happened it's any wonder I haven't lost the plot yet but to my relief I think things surrounding our life at home will return to normal fairly soon.

Unfortunately my other half's very poorly dad passed away about a week ago, so in amongst everything that has been the saddest part of our busy few weeks. However it's good to know that he is no longer suffering. I commend Elric for being as strong as he is being about it. He has had such a difficult time lately, I am really glad that he's now ready to move forward.

As for me and my pregnancy, things are going well of which I am glad about. No scans booked yet but I shall be seeing a midwife for the first appointment in a week or two so hopefully I'll know more about what's to come then, including which hospital is willing to take me! I'm excited as unlike my first two pregnancies with my first ending prematurely, this one minus the morning sickness seems to be going pretty well to our relief! I only hope that things continue this way, minus the morning sickness LOL!

So let me inform you of my plans... I intend to bring back Monday Magic tomorrow, and my Friday finds interview this week also. As for Sunday Coffee and Cake, I will be continuing the post however because of time and planning that is involved with the articles, I will be intergrating normal posts like todays as an example into the updates each week. So Sundays may not necessarily bring an article, but sometimes just a normal blog post about whatever may inspire me at the time! It means I can be an organised lady and reserve just the 3 days I usually use for the blog instead of 7 days which was what I had to do before (mainly for the Sunday posts... planning and writing!). With a busy family life and busier one to come, I think this is a fair deal on everyone at home, and still allows me to help new sellers on Etsy without any changes in how I do things on both Mondays and Fridays. I look forward to doing this again :)

I'd like to announce that I now offer flat rate FREE POSTAGE worldwide on all photography in my store. I am due to make some new price changes too, to make the process of understanding how much different sized print costs more easy to understand as I know at the moment my prices can be one of two things depending on the work put into the photograph during editing. I intend to make this cost flat rate for the size, without taking the time of working nor the type of paper into account. This will make my work more affordable and a lot more straightforward when it comes to choosing what you would like me to create for you. This change should come into effect shortly!

I also have lots of new prints coming into the store that I have been diligently been working on lately. They are perfect for the halloween and colder seasons as they are very mystical and gothic in ways. My work always seems to reflect my moods so understandably you'll know where the inspiration is derived from considering recent events, when you get to see them.

All in all I think that is all I wanted to say. I am off now to search for my Monday Magic peeps for tomorrow! If you're a new seller with 0-19 sales, then get in touch and I'll be straight over to your store for a peek :)

All the Best everyone and thanks to those who have left such lovely supportive messages lately, my love to you all.

moonangelnay x x x

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... RAJewelryDesigns

Friday Finds... RAJewelryDesigns

This is my seventh interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

There are quite a few jewelry sellers in the world, and some are far from being unique. Yet on Etsy there are so many people with incredibly innovative ideas that I personally find awe inspiring. Particularly the seller I have interview for today. Her work is simply AMAZING and very artistic, inspired by the beauty of floral designing, and very carefully considered. For anyone looking for the perfect wedding adornments, or gifts to bring beauty into one's life I'd like to introduce you to RuthAnne of RAJewelryDesigns.



(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)







--Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is RuthAnn, I am 64 years of age, live in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., area. I am married with one son and one grandson. I worked over 40 years as a legal secretary. In my spare time, I would tinker with making quilts and jewelry. About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis which altered my daily life tremendously. No longer being able to work, I turned my interests to the hobbies I had and am now a full time artisan making custom designed jewelry and wedding floral designs. Thanks to the wonderful people who purchase my designs, I keep busy 7 days a week sometimes 12 hours a day making complete bridal party flowers and jewelry. I thank God every day for awakening me to this hidden talent I have had for so long.


-- What is your business about then? I design and create custom made jewelry and silk floral designs. My jewelry is mainly sterling silver and 14k gold filled. I create items from simple necklaces and earrings to elaborate wire wrapped designs. Sometimes when I have a piece of wire and a lovely gemstone or cameo, my mind just goes on and on and next thing, I have created a lovely pendant. My floral designs range from complete wedding packages including cascade and round bridal and attendant bouquets, boutonnieres, cake toppers, pew bows, pomanders (kissing balls), hair accessories and more. I was asked to make a flower girl halo for a friend's daughter's wedding and it all started there. My love for floral designing has been enhanced ever since.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? I started as a buyer on Etsy, purchasing my jewelry supplies, ribbon, flowers, etc. Then one day it hit me, why not sell what I buy. I opened RAWeddingCreations.etsy.com first and a bit later opened RAJewelryDesigns.etsy.com.


-- Are you working a day job too? No, due to my spinal stenosis, I can no longer be gainfully employed. Etsy has helped me feel like I am still contributing to the income and not a burden on my husband.

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I was "artsy" from grade school but never to the extent it is now. I wish I had realized years ago how much I love making things and began full time much sooner.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? My illness. If I was still gainfully employed, I probably would not be doing my crafts to the extent that I am.



-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Beautiful, stunning, well made.


-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? We are up at 5 a.m. every day. Get my husband off to work by 6 a.m. and he does not return until 5 p.m. After he is gone, general everyday household chores get done (takes me a bit longer than the average person). Usually by 11 a.m., I am working on my orders or creating something new I may have thought of or saw something that gave me an idea. I work on my orders and crafts until about 4 p.m. when I begin to prepare dinner for the 2 of us (in between there, I have to take a few minutes to pay attention to Patty, our cat). After dinner, I will go back to what I was working on for a few more hours. In the course of an average day, I spend about 8 to 10 hours crafting -- creating or completing orders. Of course, there are days with doctor's appointments, repairmen, etc. which totally messes up my day.



-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? With my jewelry, gemstones of all kinds, sterling silver, gold filled, wire, fancy beading. With my flowers, all silk florals, lovely satin ribbon.

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love to see my shops grow to the point where I can make a total living just doing the crafting that I love. It would benefit me not only financially but also as part of my therapy. I encourage all my customers (especially weddings) to send me photos so I can see my crafts "at work" and to see how much joy my handiwork has brought to other people.


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I like reading and canning foods we have grown in our garden.

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Gemstones, wire, beads, silk flowers, ribbon.

-- Any last words? Thank you for contacting me and especially for your interest in RAJewelryDesigns. I think what you are doing is a fantastic thing and wish you well with it. I deeply appreciate your interest in me and my crafts.

SUNDAY... Coffee and Cake

New Prints On Etsy - Click Images to Visit Listing




Sunday - Coffee and Cake



Hello!

I'm a bit rushed today, as so far my week has been a mixture of battling through a never ending crashing PC, new ideas for my Etsy store, and tasks unrelated to the stuff I do online. So being VERY behind is an understatement. In the long run however I'm hoping that I shall achieve peace with my computer and digital files on my Etsy store. For now my focus is today's article which I know is a week late! Apologies!

For today this is more of an opinion than anything that is of the record, but I hope that my little insight is worthy of consideration. I'm certain that what I am going to write about has been said before as with most things everyone has their own way of taking on board information and then displaying it for others to see. So this is just my take on things.

Objective Thinking : I am one of those people who have a firm belief in what is known as "The Secret", although I have been well aware of the Law Of Attraction for many years having being blessed with the freedom to find my own way through my mind. My mum is a very Spiritual person so naturally for me I was left open to think objectively about the world, without too much influence of my mums ideas but having the freedom to choose to take them on board if i wanted to.

Without thinking about it consciously, I always found myself taking on board new ideas without taking them on board, if that makes any sense? I think in order to have a point of view that is unhindered by bias or immediate belief, you must have a strong sense of self. Not necessarily eradicating self consciousness which in New Age society is the "thing" to do in order to be completely "self aware", but to have love for your ideas is actually part of the journey to loving yourself. The thing that is most important about having "your own" ideas is that any incoming ideas trigger conscious thinking on your part, and not any sort of immediate lemming response "without" conscious thought. Not to say that everyone is a lemming, but in a lot of instances when you think about it no-one really has an idea that is their own as we are born into a world that likes to impose itself on us from birth, and we have to rely on our teachers and elders to show us the path to making the right choices in our lives. In order to do that, we also have to be able to 'identify' with these people in order for their ideas/ways etc to have that sort of impact on us. Even if you're the most lonesome person in the world that doesn't really talk to anyone that maybe does form ideas of your own, the place that you're in didnt happen by mistake and more than likely your life events, choices and surrounding entourage from the earliest of your days will have lead you to that point of existance (or non existance if you find yourself completely absent from any social interaction.)
It's not something we think about either, as we all know babies are like sponges, and you too were once a squidgy porous little thing that literally sucked up everything that displayed itself infront of you. So I guess the first thing to realise when trying to work out the beginnings of where you may pick up things from is truely within yourself. Unfortunately as a baby you can't really stand up and know who you are to the point where your ideas can really do great things, but 'Knowing' who you are and having confidence in that is where you can say that maybe more than a person that follows the crowd, you have more potential to be a dream weaver and know that your ideas are influential to others. Until you can think for yourself you are not really able to think objectively. Without being able to think objectively you will more than likely always have finality, bias and judgment ready to leap out and do the talking, when in reality being able to embrace both polarities from a neutral perspective without being clouded by immediate responses will lead you one step closer to freeing your mind and helping you feel more confident in your descisions. Ultimately without a mindful attitude, how can you be sure of anything?

FRIDAY - Friday Finds... IndigoElephant

Friday Finds... IndigoElephant

This is my sixth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

Being a mother myself, it's really hard not to notice cute things for kids especially if they are handmade, as you know they are made with genuine love! IndigoElephant has that kinda bright style that I love to see because that's what I like to think about when it comes to our children. That they are bright and happy and brimming with love :)



(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)









-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Sash, I'm 30 and live in Sydney, Australia with my wonderful husband, two sons (2 and 9 months) and our dog. Random fact: I have a degree in Interior Architecture!

-- What is your business about then? I create accessories and toys for kids, but love things that are different to what you'd find at large shopping centres. I started with making bibs, as my first son was extremely chucky and commercial bibs just didn't soak up enough - plus they didn't look that great either! Since then I've included the various toys and the Dribble bibs, which are the perfect size for keeping a teething baby's shirt dry, while also being long enough to wipe their chin. I have a particular interest in items for boys, as having two of my own has made me realise that there is so much lacking in clothes and accessories for boys. That said, I do enjoy indulging my girly side with things for the girls as well!!

-- How did Etsy come into your life? My husband actually told me about Etsy about a year ago, but it took a LOT of persuasion for me to give it a go. There was always the fear that no-one would want to buy my things, however, being a stay at home mum meant I really needed a creative outlet and something to think about other than housework and the boys, so it was the perfect opportunity to give it a go.

-- Are you working a day job too? Before kids I worked for an Interior Design company here in Sydney, but now my day job is my family, so I guess quitting my day job won't happen for a very long time!!

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? My parents were both graphic designers, and one of my earliest memories is of sorting the coloured pens & pencils at their studio! I would've been about 4 at the time, and ever since then I have been dabbling in various forms of creative expression!

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? Definitely my kids.

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Gorgeous, colourful and functional.

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? 6am-ish Wake up and get the boys fed, dressed and ready for the day, feed the dog, put on some washing, check my emails, list or re-list something on Etsy, get myself ready for the day. Oh, and hang out the washing if I have time!!
9am - 10am Get ourselves out the door for whatever morning activities we have planned, playgroup, swimming, play dates with friends, a visit to the park, grocery shopping, the library...
1pm Start heading home, hoping that the boys will fall asleep in the car, transfer them to their beds, hang out the washing, check my emails again, sew/cut/plan until the boys wake up - which seems to happen as soon as I get into the groove of what I'm doing.
2:30ish Kids are up, have something to eat, read some stories or go outside to play.
5pm My husband gets home from work, he plays with the boys, we cook dinner and eat all together.
6pm Kids are bathed and into bed by 7pm.
7pm I 'work', either making things, or designing new items until I crash into bed!


-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? Currently it's fabric, but I also love paper and paint!

-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love for IndigoElephant to be so successful that I wouldn't need to go back to a 'real' job. At the moment I fit my sewing in around the kids but as they get older I'd love to be able to spend much more time, expanding the range of products and honing my skills.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I love reading, cooking and gardening, catching up with friends when the kids are tucked up in bed, or watching a good movie. In reality, my sewing time is my wind down time right now!!

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Fabric, jewellry, art, things for the kids...

-- Any last words? Thanks for taking an interest in me and IndigoElephant, I'm very new to Etsy and am loving the community there! I love working on special requests so if you have anything in mind please contact me, I love having an idea of who I'm creating something for as I make it.