FEATURED ARTIST

When you first take a look at this shop you are going to say, hey, this does not look like craft- but if you look closely through the listings you will see some very fine, handmade jewelery mixed in with listings for antiques and vintage collectibles. Many of our shops are eclectic and I also have added some vintage to my listings from time to time - so with that said, come and meet



Here is our interview with the artist -

Briefly describe what you make?

I handcraft One Of A Kind items. I love Gemstones! I create many pieces with all kinds of lovely Gemstones. I make Gemstone Jewelry, Hair Accessories, and Wall Decor.
Other Items that I handcraft are Candles, and Catnip toys.
I also Collect and Sell vintage items as well.
My Vintage collection comes from my grandmothers personal collection of over 30 years.
She decided it was time to start down sizing her collection of Fenton, Depression glass and more. She gave these items to me to keep what I desired, and to help me in starting up my shop.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I Craft all my items from home.
I work with my children sometimes when creating some of my items.
This way they can put their finishing touches to it, and be included in my work.
I also help them create their own Items to sell on my site in the Kidz Craft Section.
This gives them a sense of accomplishment when I tell them how well they have done, and that their craft they made is online for sale.

When I am working on something more complicated I like to wait till my children are off to bed, or at school when the house is quiet and I can put my full attention into a piece.

I currently work from the comforts of my living room.
I have the nice table with drawers and a large Armoire next to the recliner to keep all my supplies and finished products in. I am currently working on making a work area in my basement where I have more space to lay things out, and keep supplies in as I am starting to running out of space in my little area.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been creating my own crafts since I was a little girl.
My mother has always been one of those Artsy, Crafty people.
When my sister and I were young we would do Ceramics, and make Porcelain dolls with our mom.
We also helped our mom with her on going projects.
We always wanted to do our part where our help was needed.
We even helped run her booths at the craft shows.

How did you get started?

I have always loved to do crafts, and create new things.
My Husbands sister is the one who introduced me to Etsy.
She convenience, and inspired me to join Etsy and open my own shop.
She told me I should share my work with others.
She still keeps my spirits high when she compliments one of my pieces.
I have been a member since June 2009 because of her, and have met a lot of wonderful people here.

I plan on continuing to follow in my mothers footsteps of creativity, by creating one of kind hand crafted items to share with others.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My Sister in Law and I sat back and came up with all kinds of off the wall names.
Nothing fit.
She said Mandi Your first name and Middle name just sound so nice together. Plus the spelling is so different to.
It reminds you of a mom and pop vintage shop, or craft shop why not just use that.
I thought about it and said why not?
Its different, sounded like a good shop name and I couldnt seem to come up with anything better.
I think it fits to and that is what is most important.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I create with love. Each Item is always made with love, as I love what I do.
I spend alot of time creating my items. I focus on detail, quality, and trying to create something you wont find somewhere else.
Sometimes I will remake a piece over several times before I am satisfied with it.

Sure you may find a lot of jewelry, hair accessories, wall hangings, candles, and cat toys anywhere, but my focus is to make sure my items are not like others.

I strive to make them different, and interesting, yet lovely.

I also strive on Customer Service as it is a must! I worked in Customer Service, and Management for over 15 yrs.

My goal is to make Every customer Happy, and Satisfied with their purchase, communication and delivery.
I have been selling Antiques, and Vintage plus many other items for years on Ebay with 100% positive feedback from every customer and made it to a power seller.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Just hang in there and keep doing what you enjoy.
I know its hard, and sometimes it can get frustrating in the beginning when you are trying to get your business to grow. But if you love doing what you do just stick with it.
Advertise Locally, Word of mouth and Online and they will come.
I am still trying to get my face and products out there myself.
But I wont give up because I enjoy what I do.

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Now come and take a look at this shop!

Another Sales Venue Site

I sell my craft, or perhaps I should say, OFFER my craft on several different sites. So far there have only been three that have been four that have brought any sales, with Etsy remaining the number one site for consistency of making sales. One of the other sites has brought three sales in almost two years, another has brought four in more than a year, and the other has brought two sales - but no payment as there is a minimum that must be reached on that particular site before you are paid. So when I focus my attention on my shops it is the Etsy shop that gets most of my time.

I recently came across anther site called Zibbet. I came upon this through a tweet on Twitter and went to look. What interested me most about this site is that there is an option to sell on the site completely for free. The free account includes the listing of up to 25 items and provides more than enough features to set up a shop. When I looked at the site, the first thing I did was look at several shops to see if anyone is making sales. Unlike Etsy, this site has no visible sales statistics for its shops. Not good, really. When I do not see visible sales stats I figure that is because the site does not want you to see that no one is making sales - which is what I have discovered through direct experience on some of the sites that I offer work for sale. I looked around. Checked the terms of agreement. Everything seems to be legitimate and I registered for a free sales account and opened a shop.

I now have a shop on Zibbet - Q Branch Ltd. (what a surprise! - same as all my other shops) I am starting with just a few items - my big craft sellers on Etsy and we shall see how it goes. Since it is not costing me anything but time there really is nothing to lose.

If you are interested in a shop on Zibbet follow this link and see what there is. You can get the free site or for less than $10 a month you can get a premium site with unlimited listings and a number of other features. Or get yourself a free one to start and see how it goes. If sales start coming in you can always move up to the premium account later. As time goes along I will post here if any sales are made.

The Lucet

Many years ago on a vacation we were visiting The Jamestowne Settlement, a recreation of the Jamestown Fort on the James River in Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America. The site then was not as well developed as it is now, having just past the 4ooth Anniversary of the founding of the settlement, but it had a small museum, an Indian village, reconstructions of the ships that brought the settlers to found the colony, and a recreated fort. On the schedule that day of demonstrations, it said "cord making". I interpreted this to mean rope and was excited to see how this is done. At the specified time we headed down to the area inside the fort and I looked for the large rope making apparatus that I expected to find. Nothing like that was there. Instead, sitting on the side of a path on a small bench was a woman with a basket in her lap and a small tool in her hand. I asked where the cord making demonstration would be and she smiled and said, "right here".

What she had in her hand was a lucet. She explained that is an ancient tool used for centuries to make strong, decorative cord that would be used to embellish clothing or tie things together like lace. She proceeded to move her fingers and twirl the tool around in her and as she worked - hardly looking down, a length of cord grew from the bottom of this lucet. I watched amazed. I had never seen anything like that before, and as a student of history I was fascinated. In my head I could see so many possibilities with this and this was before I had started reenacting history.

When we got home I had to find out more. At the time there was no Internet and therefore no Google to search. I went to the library and started going through historic needlework books. I looked through many until I found one that talked about the lucet or lucette. I learned more history but did not find what I wanted - a detailed photograph of an historic artifact. References led me to other sources and I found what I was looking for.

I took the photo and the described dimensions - plus knowing what the lucet that the woman had demonstrated looked like and proceeded to recreate one that was historically accurate - though there are many historic designs of lucets. My first lucet was carved from walnut. I still have and use that lucet.

Now that I had the lucet and some basic instructions on how to work it from one of the books, I got some string and tried it. It did not take long to produce cord just as the woman at Jamestown had done. Great! But what to do with that cord? I bought some floss in various colors - variegated color floss should be great as the cord would then vary in color shades. I also found a variety of metallic cords from which I could make larger, lucet cords. I started making these cords on the lucet and they looked great. The idea came to me to make earrings from the loops of cord. Setting the ends of short lengths into finding caps and then attaching ear wires, I had earrings that looked very different and attractive. I took them to work with me and they sold right away to co-workers. I took them to craft shows and they sold there too.

As I was making cord I decided to make a second lucet out of cherrywood. That one came out great too! And I still have and use that lucet. Years past and I became involved with 18th Century Living History - and saw the lucet as a way to interact with the public and talk about history. I also decided to make a few lucets and see if they would sell. While I did not figure on interest from the general public, I focused on those with an interest in history and approached one of the larger suppliers of period items to reenactors - from all periods in history. They liked the lucets very much, placed an order, and put my lucet in their catalog - as well their as bringing it to sell at living history events. They continue to order them form me and resupply their inventory.

Some time later I decided to add the lucets to my Etsy shop to see if they would sell there to the crafting and general public. I had the first lucets for sale on Etsy. They started selling and I added lucets in different American hardwoods - each designed and hand-carved as my original, historically accurate reproduction.

The lucet is easy to use and when I started offering them for sale I wrote a small booklet with photos to show exactly how to use them. Most of my lucets come with this booklet and those that do include illustrated instructions with all of the necessary steps. Anyone can learn to use the lucet within ten or fifteen minutes of following the diagrams and the text and once you know how to do it you will always be able to do it.

The cord may be used to make jewelry - like the earrings that I made or bracelets or necklaces. Multiple cords make great belts. The cord is strong and can be used to make laces for shoes or for clothing. It is truly unique.

In the past year I decided to add another style lucet to my offerings. Some lucet have handles and while I prefer the smaller lucet that just fits in the hand, some do prefer a lucet with a handle to hold and turn while working. The handle lucet that I designed is historically correct in design but is not a reproduction of an ancient lucet. It is still appropriate for living history events. It works exactly the same way, though it is held in the hand by the handle. I make this lucet of thicker wood with a larger eye to allow much larger cords to work with this lucet - while still being perfect for the thinnest fiber. I make most of my handle lucets from poplar wood. It has a remarkable grain pattern and coloring that will vary uniquely from piece to piece.

All of my lucets are for sale and may be found here at my Etsy Shop - Q Branch Ltd. It is definitely unique. No two lucets of mine are ever exactly the same - the wood alone, plus the hand-carving makes each one of a kind. Many have never seen a lucet before. The cord that one can make has a million creative possibilities. Come over to the shop and see what great ones are there now.

FEATURED ARTIST

We have an artist that has taken some time off and is now returning with her work for all to enjoy once again. I would like to introduce you to -



Here is our interview with Tara!


Briefly describe what you make?

I am best known for my OOAK vintage pieces that combine found pendants, charms, and Lucite. Other items I create are scrabble, domino, and glass pendants, rings, earrings, and bracelets.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Since I have an appraisal certificate in antiques/vintage, I really do enjoy searching for my vintage finds. Creating OOAK necklaces and earrings is truly rewarding. Lately I have reintroduced graphic design to my shop and I am really having fun with that too.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been creating for a lifetime and selling online/offline for almost 11 years now. The first piece of jewelry I ever made was a friendship pin, very popular in the 80's. I remember that no one showed me how to do it and I severely damaged myself with the safety pins and pliers. From then on I was hooked!

How did you get started?

I've always been crafty and full of endless hyper energy. I constantly needed projects to entertain myself when I was little. No computers, bad T.V., and small New York City apartment = the need to express yourself creatively. I used to make Barbie little soaps from larger bars, and I had rigged up an actual little shower for her in her house.

I started selling when I realized it was getting too hard to leave the house every day and try to cram in a part time job, dogs, kids, errands, and housework. I was doing random craft shows but found it equally as hard to commit to certain times. My husband was extremely supportive and didn't want me to work at all. I felt I needed to occupy myself and since I already had tons of handmade jewelry, the next step was naturally to sell it. Plus, you need to make money to buy new supplies!! LOL

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Honestly, it's not a really meaningful story. About 5 years ago I was looking to buy a domain name. It seems everyone in the universe is also named Tara. I purchased jewelsbytara and thetaracollection. I didn't like it at the time and wanted to make it more specific. Eventually jewelrybytara came up for sale and I grabbed it.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

That I take it extremely seriously and put a lot of effort and time into each piece. I inspect everything before it leaves my workshop and I redo if necessary. I try very hard to label correctly and give out specifics on pieces. I am always keeping my designs fresh and enjoy bringing everyone new pieces. Customer service is a huge thing with me and everyone gets their problems resolved ASAP.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Searching out answers to questions yourself can actually lead to more knowledge than someone just telling you. I started with absolutely no knowledge of accounting, web design, graphic design, marketing, and selling online. My husband refused to help me when I was setting up my first site and gave me the speech about figuring out everything myself. I was so angry then, but I thank him now for letting me find my own way. I believe that learning by doing is the best way to retain knowledge. Also, DIY (do it yourself), should become your new motto. Everything that you can buy so far as supplies, packaging, etc. Can be made by you for a lot less money. I learned website coding and graphics on my own too.

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Great interview - come an take a look at Tara's shop and of course, come on back and leave a comment for Tara!

FEATURED ARTIST

I would like to introduce you to an interesting artist that works in hemp! Come and meet



Here is our interview with the artist, Courtney...

Briefly describe what you make?

I must admit to being yet another Etsy jewelry designer, but I like to think I have a different take on design than other sellers! Personally I love taking a concept that others may think of as drab or boring and making it come alive. For instance, I base all of my design ideas on things I've seen in nature. I've had many people convo me saying that they love how my designs are so bright and full of different textures since they think of nature-inspired items as being a bit monotone in both color and texture. However, I feel that the natural world is full of different colors, shades and textures that many people just never notice!

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

In particular I love macrame because I like taking hemp and dressing it up to be more than a "teenage" accessory, which I feel is how many people think of it. I also enjoy the feel of the fibers in my hands and how easy it takes on any shape or pattern I envision.

How long have you been creating craft?

I, of course, began tying hemp jewelry as a teenager and later began to expand my designs to include beaded and wire jewelry.

How did you get started?

I started designing jewelry because I needed a creative outlet and felt that I had no artistic talent, which I recently realized isn't true! It actually turns out that the OCD control freak in me was just afraid of the lack of control I feel over the paint and the canvas. I originally began selling my designs to make a little money on the side for groceries and extra spending money. Then a couple of months back I began to realize how much I love to create and that if I took my work more seriously I could actually turn it into a legitimate business, which it is well on its way to becoming!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My shop name was created while I was on one of my hippie chic fashion kicks and derives from the word eco-friendly. I thought I may end up regretting the name, closing shop and starting over, but as my design aesthetic has developed I have realized just how much I believe in being "green" and using as many earth-friendly materials as possible. After all, the rest of the world shouldn't suffer just so you can look fabulous!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

Personally I believe the most important aspect of my work is the fact that it is all environmentally friendly. I use locally made materials, materials I create myself and scour yard sales and rummage bins for things to take apart and reuse by incorporating them in my designs. I feel that it is extremely important to keep as many items out of landfills as possible and this environmental consciousness definitely carries over to my designs.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

The most influential advice I ever received both as an artist and a person is to be true to yourself and let it flow through everything you do because that is the only way to be truly happy.


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You have got to go and take a look at this very different jewelry. Go and look at this shop and then please leave your comments here and let Courtney know that you appreciate her work!

FEATURED ARTIST

The work by this artist is adorable. You must come and meet
THE FAIRE GLEN



Here is our interview with the artist, Ruth -

Briefly describe what you make?

I hand crochet a lot of women's accessory items, such as capes, shawls, and neckwarmers. I especially love sculpting faeries, and have many of them in The Faerie Glen. Three years ago, I discovered needlefelting and just had to make some tiny bunnies and it evolved from there.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Of all the mediums I work with, I get my greatest pleasure from sculpting with polymer clay.

How long have you been creating craft and how did you get started??

All of my life I have been creative. When I was very young, my mother showed me how to make a kite from twigs and paper and flour glue. Next, she taught me how to make dolls, and I have never stopped creating. There have been many flea market type booths in my life, and then along came Ebay and Etsy.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Creating a name for my shop was easy since I began with only FAERIES. Where do faeries live? In a glen of course. Thus THE FAERIE GLEN was born.
What would you most want people to know about your work?

Of utmost importance to me is that People know that when I create, from any medium, is that I am totally absorbed in what I am doing and always do it right. If it is not right, it goes to charity. And I have tried purchased knit and crochet patterns that were not up to my standards.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

My advice to new artists is practice, practice , practice until you are good enough that you would purchase your own product. Do not get discouraged. You will improve and so will the sales.

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You have got to see these cute, little fairies in Ruth's shop. Come and visit - and then leave a comment here to let her know what you think!

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Another wonderful member of POE - Photographers Of Etsy is here to to tell us about her work. Please come and meet


Here is our interview with the photographer, Racquel -

Tell us what you make?

Fine Art Photography and Soldered Chainmaille

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

For my jewelry I love working in silver, gold, gemstones and artist made lampwork beads

How long have you been creating craft and how did you get started?

I have always made crafts of some variety ever since I can remember. As a child I was into painting and cartooning. At age 10 I submitted my portfolio to an art college in NY. I conveniently left off my age and won 1 out of 5 art scholarships they hand out each year. Of course when they found out my age (thanks mom!) I of course could not accept the offer. I stopped painting in High School when my AP art teacher decided to break me down and discourage me from pursuing my dreams. This was my 3rd year in the program. Every year at the end of the year we submitted our portfolios to Princeton where you would get a rating of 1-5. If you received 3 ratings of 5 you received a full art scholarship. The 2 years prior I received both 5s and was on my way to my 3rd. Everything I painted or drew in my 3rd year was ripped apart by my teacher and I could not find the will to create any more. I eventually dropped from the class as I could not create anymore. From time to time I will pick up a pencil and do a cartoon but the passion is still not there.

For years I could not create then about 10 years ago while struggling through a horrible divorce I need something to keep my mind occupied. I tried a few different crafts but nothing that I was passionate about. 7 years ago I stumbled upon a bead show and I was hooked. I tried different types of designs but found that I did not like strung designs so I started exploring silver. This is when I discovered the world of maille. After mastering weaves I decided I needed to learn soldering so I set off on that adventure. After many hours and many months (really almost a year) of wasted silver I perfected my craft and it was ready for sale but that was not to last.

With the economy being down and silver being up I had to pack things up for a while. I was going crazy as I need to create to survive. But wait a minute what about that nice camera I used to take pictures of my jewelry? Why could I not create with that? Well I was on a quest to now learn a whole new skill. I bought a ton of books, read many online articles and joined online groups that helped push me to keep growing. After 2 years of practicing and practicing (then upgrading my camera form an XTi to a 40D) I thought it was time that I would try selling my art.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

SM Gemstones comes from Sacramento Mountains which is what I get to look upon every day. Sirius Imagery came from my husband and I combining businesses. His business name is Sirius Group. Yeah, nothing exciting and creative there..

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I take pride in my work and I don’t start selling it until I have mastered the skill. With my photography (while I do not claim to be an expert) I do take pride in letting me alone determine how the image will come out. Even though I have a Canon 40D with all the nice auto features I still shoot the old fashion way in manual, leaving me in full control of the images produced. Most my macro shots are also manually focused allowing me to get closer to the subject than the lens in auto would normally allow.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Learn your trade before trying to sell it. I see too many people who will buy jewelry supplies or a nice camera and immediately start selling their work before mastering it. This hurts all artists especially if you customer is disappointed in the craftsmanship as they will think this is the way it is with all artists. Also once you have mastered your craft charge a fair wage for your skill. Again selling something cheap hurts everyone as customers will learn that our time is not valuable.

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You must visit Racquel's photography shop at Etsy, her nature work is fabulous. Please also take a look at her jewelry shop - she does great work.

Featured Artist

This featured artist is in Canada and she makes beautiful creations that are useful as much as they are pretty. Come and meet -



Here is our interview with the artist, Beth -

Briefly describe what you make?

I hand paint household objects everything from telephones to toilet seats.I love taking boring everyday household items and giving them beauty.I also paint on canvas,my favorite things to paint are butterflies,birds,spiders,animal prints and silhouettes of people.I am working on some canvas paintings right now that will be added to my Etsy shop soon.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I use mainly acrylic paint,enamel or fabric depending on the surface i am working on.Because i paint on so many different things i have a very,very large paint cupboard as most items have their own type of paint to be used.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been painting for about 7 years on and off.

How did you get started?

I have always envisioned how something would look painted from the time i was young,i would see background color and all the different shades in my head.I have always had a great love for art,but did not attempt to paint until about 7 years ago.I am a self taught painter and think it shows when i paint on canvas as i break every rule to painting there probly ever was.But it does make my work unique.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My shop name CanadianCreationz Canadian-i am canadian Creationz-i create it was the first name that popped in my head when i was thinking up a name and i just thought it had a nice flow to it.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I love what i do and get the greatest enjoyment out of every second.When i am painting i am truly happy.Creating my new ideas or even someone elses gives me great pleasure,and i always love a new challenge.I paint household items for fun and i paint most of my canvas pictures more seriously,but still get the same satisfaction in the end result.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

The first thing i ever officially attempted painting on as an artist was a pickle jar,i used dollar store brushes and paint and it looked quite awful when i was finished.But i loved how the brush flowed the paint almost as if straight from my thoughts.My mind opened so wide i felt as is i had found a whole new world.And i had,creating is a world of its own no matter what it is you make its the most wonderful way to express yourself.I still have my ugly painted pickle jar and will keep it always to remind myself as long as i love what i am doing it is all worth it.The most important thing is to enjoy yourself.

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Now, go and look at Beth's great SHOP!

Featured Artist

This featured artist creates fine jewelry. This is a cut above much of what you will find and goes beyond craft to artistry. Come and meet this artist, Jen, and her shop, A Blond and A Torch.

Briefly describe what you make?

I make organic jewelry, mostly using sterling silver, some gold-filled material and a littl brass. Mostly I make rings, but I also have earrings and a few necklaces and braclets. I am always striving to design more!

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I enjoy sterling silver the most. I guess because I have worked with it so much that it is the most comfortable.

How long have you been creating craft?

I started making beaded jewelry about 2 years ago when my doctor recommended a hobby to try to reduce stress. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a book on beading and it went from there.

I eventually wanted to try metalsmithing so once again I bought some books and started practicing. I opened up this shop almost 3 months ago to sell my metal works.

How did you get started?

I was doing some random Google search on some beading techniques and I came across a blog. I wish I could remember whose blog it was, but she talked at length about Etsy and how to get started selling there. I took her advice and it went from there.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Ha! It actually comes from a friend of mine. She was throwing out some ideas for a shop name and I thought A Blond And A Torch was pretty cute. Well, I am a blond and I do use a torch, so it works!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

How much I love to create it. I treat each piece with love. I know each item I creat is a representation of me so I put all my efforts into making each one as perfect as I can. If I wouldn't wear it myself, I start over.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Make what you love! If you do that then it won't matter if you are not selling 100 items a week. Just keep doing what you enjoy and it will show.

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You must come over to Jen's shop on Etsy and see her work! You will want it!

Featured Artist

Our featured artist sculpts in Fabric and what she creates is fabulous! Come and meet



Here is our interview with Donna -

Briefly describe what you make?

I design and create one-of-a-kind, fiber fantasy sculptures in the form of fairies, mermaids, sea nymphs riding their magical fish, fairy face pins, magical witches, butterflies, fairy scenes, leaf spirits, and whatever else pops into my imagination!

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

My favorite medium is "fabric" and "fibers" because I love the warmth and texture that these mediums provide. I especially love using silk, which I hand-dye and hand-paint using silk fabric dyes. It allows me to come up with one-of-a-kind colors and patterns. The many wonderful, colorful yarns available allows me to come up with some pretty wild hairdos for my creations!

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been designing and creating, and selling my sculptures for a little over 10 years.

How did you get started?

I always liked to create things out of fabric, especially when our daughter was little. I started out making cloth dolls, and designed all their clothes, and drew on the faces. After I started getting into craft shows and selling my work there, my work evolved over the years to my current whimiscal designs, which I now sell at art shows in my area, my web page, and on Etsy.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

I came up with the name DZFANTASY because DZ are my initials and I am totally into "fantasy".

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I would want them to know that each creation was created with a lot of love, with the hopes that it will bring a bit of joy into the lives of whoever may own them.


What words of advice do you have for other artists?

If you truly love what you are creating, don't ever give up and be discouraged if you don't happen to be selling as much as you would like. Keep on creating what makes you happy! Also feel happy and blessed that you have this creativity within you to share with others.

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Wow! You have got to see these sculptures! Go right now and visit Donna's shop!

While you are at Etsy please come see the new photographs at PAST PERFECT!

Featured Artist

Our featured artist makes wonderful greeting cards. Come meet



Here is our interview with the artist, Peggy -

Briefly describe what you make?

I make handcrafted greeting cards for many occasions. I also do special orders for invitations and list gift tags.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love to stamp. I usually make my stamps 3 dimensional and watercolor them for a soft effect. I always add glitter for a little sparkle! I am a glitter-aholic!

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been making cards for almost 8 years now. It has been a growing hobby for me and now is a lucrative passion.

How did you get started?

I started making cards when one of my best friends asked me to help her with her wedding invitations. I loved it so much that I ran out to buy my own supplies. I have definitely improved over the years but I still try new things all the time!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Last year I participated in a large Christmas bazaar. The application asked for a booth name and after much contemplation, Beautiful Greetings was born.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I make each card completely unique. My cards are never exactly the same unless ordered that way. I always add something extra to my cards such as 3-d characters, hardware, ribbon and of course glitter!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Nothing feels better than selling your craft, especially if you love making them. Knowing that others love your work as much as you do is so fulfilling!

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Wonderful. Please be sure to visit Peggy at her SHOP!

While you are at ETSY there are some wonderful new fine art photo prints for you to see at PASTPERFECT.

Featured Artist

I have a great artist to introduce you to! She makes some very different jewelry. Come and meet



Here is our interview with the artist -

Briefly describe what you make?

i make a wide range of eclectic jewelry and accessories. i dabble in everything so i have everything from the kitsch to the elegant. i like to have something for everyone.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

i REALLY love shrinky dink. it's just so much fun to watch them curl in the oven.
i also love gems and pearls, i have oodles of them, and yet, never enough :)
How long have you been creating craft?

i've been crafting my whole life. i used to sew, draw and paint a lot when i was younger. i also learned to knit and crochet in my early 20s.

How did you get started?

with my etsy store? i had been making so much stuff and having it pile up in my studio and not getting much outside love. i figured if i put my stuff up on etsy then people all over the world would at least be able to SEE all of the hard work and love that i put into my items. bonus points that they may actually buy them as well.
Where does the name of your shop come from?

i don't know. it used to be the tag of my blog that i started in 2000. so it was 8 years ago, so i can't remember. but when i started my NEW blog i revived it. then when i opened my store and found myself needing a name, it just seemed natural for it to be A Little Piece of the Madness.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

that each piece has so much awesome in it. no, seriously, so much awesome your head would explode if you knew just how much.
okay, really? i want people to know that i just really love what i do. (how cheesy)
What words of advice do you have for other artists?

to sell 100 items, you have to list 100 items.
also, make things that you love. do this because you love to. buyers can tell if you're into what you're making. so put all of you in it. i don't care how gross that sounds

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Wow! Come and take a look at her work. I know that you will love it. There are TWO places to look. Her etsy shop
and her own site .

While you are at Etsy, please come see my TWO shops
QBRANCHLTD
and
PASTPERFECT

My Newest Shop

I have had a second shop on Etsy for some time and it has varied what it has featured for sale. Originally it sold vintage jewelry and later I added banners. It made some sales, but I never paid enough attention to promoting it as I have with qbranchltd. I let all of the items in the shop expire and set it aside to decide what I wanted to best use the shop for. With my recent decision to sell my photography on line - along with its exhibition sales - I started thinking that this second shop should sell my photography - and only my photography. This week I reopened PASTPERFECT.

This is gives me an online venue for my photography that I have control of. My photography is also on line at Redbubble and at Lulu. com. Both of those sites sell prints and framed prints that they create from my photos and sell. Those sites are still active, but from pastperfect the prints are coming directly from me.

Come and take a look at Pastperfect. Let me know what you think!

Featured Artist

Our artist is a glass artist. Working in glass always intrigues me. A friend once told me that you can always tell a glass artist by the bandaids on her fingers. I don't know if our featured artist has any bandaids, but her work is beautiful. Come meet Carrie of




Here is our interview with Carrie -

Briefly describe what you make?

I create custom leaded stained glass windows, hanging panels, cabinet inserts, and many various smaller gift items such as mirrors, candle holders, picture frames jewelry boxes, sun catchers, coasters, and many more things.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I am first an artist using various mediums, pencil, charcoal, watercolor,conte,I also started working with stained glass, but pride myself on not using other people's patterns. Most of my pieces are unique, created by me unless a client wants otherwise.

How long have you been creating craft?

I've been working with stained glass for 11 years.

How did you get started?

I lived on the east coast, and my husband built this fabulous wine cellar with bricks from a demolished 1817 building in New Bedford. We wanted a window for the cellar, went around trying to find one when I decided i wanted to make my own. I took classes in Boston and the rest is history! I loved creating so much, I had to start selling some in order to afford to buy materials to make more. I started doing craft fairs, finally along with a good friend, we had our own Christmas gift show every year and word of mouth spread. I worked with builders and interior designers. I only did commissioned work from then on. I've since moved and now have to start over to establish myself in a new market that already has stained glass studios.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Instead of Designed with Class, I substituted Glass.
What would you most want people to know about your work?

It's all created with the utmost care and with no shortcuts, If I don't think a piece looks good, I'll re-do it. All my designs are one-of-a-kind. I love to work with in peoples budget so they can have what they want.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Just to keep doing what you love, try to have a lot of self-confidence, be able to take rejection, not everyone will love your work. That's what makes us so unique! Do what makes you happy first then worry about the money, otherwise, you'll grow to despise your craft.

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Great! You have got to see Carrie's work. Come visit her Etsy Shop

I also invite you to come see my newly, redesigned site, Pop Goes the Needle
It features an art medium that many of you are probably not familiar with. Come take a look!

Featured Artist

This is an interview with a felt artist. I find this work fascinating and it is something that I would personally love to try. Here is our interview with the artist, Tara of




Describe what you make?

I'm a fiber artist who makes all things felt and functional. Felt is made from taking wool fibers and rubbing them together to create a durable fabric material.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Wool of course! But I also love paper. There are so many cool types of paper out there now a days. I love to visit my local scrap booking store and just unload money on paper for no reason. I hope to one day open another etsy paper shop.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been creating since conception it seems. I have experimented with all sorts of mediums from, watercolor, pencil drawings, clay, jewlery, copper sculptures. The list goes on and on.

How did you get started?

Felting was a accident. I decided that a purse I crocheted from wool needed washed. And so out came my purse from the wash 10 times smaller and very thick. I wasn't sure what was going on till I told my mom and she said that I felted my purse. I googled the term and the rest is history. I was hooked ever since.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Project Felt actually wasn't my original etsy shop name. When I first signed up for etsy my name was funky by tara. I sorta grew out of that name and decided I wanted something a little more professional. I redesiged my whole image, products, pictures, everything. People always ask me what I'm doing and I would always say " I working on a project" and so that's where Project Felt came from.


What would you most want people to know about your work?

The time it takes to make. I'm not the fastest crocheter in the world and I'm not the slowest either. But what people don't realize is when you felt something, it shrinks ( a lot) so this means that you have to crochet a peice about three times the final size before you felt it. It takes time. Not to mention the three to four washing cycles it takes to actually get a good felted piece

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Don't give up. There is always someone out there who will fall in love with your craft. Knowone said that thinking outside the box or even being different was easy. Starting a business isn't easy. Marketing isn't easy and if you think so then you better ask to be pinched because you are sadly mistaken. I work my butt off. I have a dream and goals in mind. I encourage all crafters who want to make a business doing what they love to never give up. And most of all don't give up on yourself.

____________________

Tara has some great things in her shop
You must come and see her work!

Featured Artist

This featured artist is a jewelry maker. Come meet the artist, Marsha



Describe what you make?

I make unique jewelry for unique people. I try to think outside the box and put the components together in unexpected ways.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love metalsmithing – sterling silver and copper specifically. I took a class about a year ago and fell in love immediately. I am gathering the many needed supplies slowly but have started making my own headpins and ear wires. The items I’ve made with them will soon be available in my shop.

How long have you been creating craft?

I’ve been officially selling my creations since mid-November 2007. But I’ve always loved working with my hands and making tangible things.

How did you get started?

I was checking some postings on another site I belong to and noticed a link to a 10% off advertisement for a seller of handmade jewelry. I didn’t care much for the shop’s items but after searching around Etsy for a while I was in awe that so many people could make and sell such beautifully crafted items. I immediately wanted to learn how I could make my own items.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

It’s a play on my initials – sort of. I use “mero” as part of some of my email account names. M for Marsha, E for my middle initial, and RO the first two letters of my last name. A friend once said my email out loud and I realized it didn’t read to people the way it read to me so I added an E.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I want it to be something that you look forward to wearing and that puts a little spring in your step!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Don’t give up! I started majoring in Fine Arts in college and then decided it wasn’t practical. That was almost 9 years ago. I wish I had, at the very least, kept it up as a hobby. I could be so much further along in my craft than I am now. But it’s never too late.
And take a leap of faith. It’s such a cliché but when someone said it to me and I took it to heart, I felt like the possibilities were closer to me than they would usually seem.

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Terrific artist. Great shop. Come see Marsha's work at her shop.

While you are at Etsy come by and see what we have - already for Valentine's Day!

Featured Artist

We are featuring another glass artist. This glass artist specializes in making glass beads. These beads are beautiful - and while intended to be added to jewelry creations, each of these beads stands out as a piece of art on its own! Come with me to speak with the artist, Michael at his shop -



Describe what you make?

I love working with glass. I make beads using a technique known as lampworking. It is the oldest form of glassblowing that dates back as early as Mesopotamia.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I use glass, silver, copper, platinum, and CZs.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been working with molten glass about 2 years.

How did you get started?

15 years ago I bought all the equipment, but i was in college. My roommate couldn't believe that I left several hundreds of dollars worth of equipment sitting in the basement and started teaching himself. He spent 7 to 10 years learning and I watched. Two years ago, I took a break from fiber arts to play with the torch. I have been hooked ever since.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Because I feel Carl (Flamekist) has established master status, I frequently saw myself as his Protege, thus the name.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I am always striving for growth. I feel that I can only get better. I take care to make sure that the work I put out there is quality.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Don't be your worst critic. If you don't like something you have done, put it away for a while. You might be surprised by what you have created if you take a step back. I give work away all the time that I felt was disappointing, only to see it later and wish i hadn't!
______________________

There you have it! This is a great shop. You must see this beautiful glass work! Please visit Protege.

Featured Artist

This week's artist does some very different work - collage turned into many different forms including jewelry! Our featured artist is -


Here is our interview with the artist, Tammy!

Briefly describe what you make?

I create digital and mixed media collages, focusing on those used for decoration or jewelry. I have a line of digitally and/or paper collaged pendants.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love the versatility of using both paper and digital elements in my designs. I collect vintage books and ephemera, and enjoy using those in the digital medium (I can’t stand cutting up vintage ephemera – it’s a disease, I know!) I guess I’m a pack rat at heart. With Photoshop I can cut up whatever I want, repeatedly, without guilt. 

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been creating collages for a year now, although I’ve been a scrapbooker (in the loose interpretation of the word) since High School. I used to create layouts with construction paper and markers, but I have evolved. LOL. Now I create layouts, digital scrapbooking elements, and projects for several sites/publications, combining all my loves.

How did you get started?

I started collage after discovering Claudine Hellmuth’s book “Collage Discovery”. Since then I have been hording collage ideas and information like a junkie!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

CollageObjects came about because I wanted to create a shop that could include all my various collage products – paper and digital. I hope to expand my shop to include other collage jewelry items and paper collage items soon.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I want people to “FEEL” when they look at my work – either to laugh with me, cry with me, or smirk! I hope to illicit a reaction to my work – whatever that reaction might be.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Go with your gut. It took me a long time to realize that “collage” didn’t have to mean “dirty-looking”. My collage is very “clean” looking – and that’s “OK” with me. Don’t worry so much if people will like your work – do what YOU want to do, and people will respond to your honesty.

_______________________

Wonderful! Tammy has a shop
and a blog site!

Go right over and visit her shop! And while you are at Etsy come see the great new things that we have added to our shop!

BUY HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

You are about to start racking your brain for what gifts to get family and friends for the soon to be here holidays. You will walk through the malls and look in each store and see the same things that you saw last year. You think to yourself, "What did I buy for Mary last year? I can't give her that again!" The holidays are supposed to be fun and festive - not a marathon shopping excursion weekend after weekend with no results. And then when you finally find SOMETHING, ANYTHING and buy it, wrap it, and give it with a smile - that gift some how makes its way back to the store on December 26th to the return counter.

You know you know what I am talking about! Would you like to avoid all that? Would you like to buy something that will not be returned and will be appreciated. It is easy. Would you like to know the secret? Sure you would. Buy handmade!

Buy gifts that have been created with love by an artist who has put talent and effort into making that gift. No worry about if it has LEAD in it! No concern if it is a recall put back on the store shelf!

So this is a good idea, eh? Where can you buy handmade? ETSY! This is an internet site that is a world of handmade. There you will find wonderful craftspeople and artists with great and unique things ready to sell to you!

Start by looking through the great artists that have been featured here on our site. All of them have shops there. Come by my shop and find some really unique and different things.

Don't exhaust yourself before the holidays even begin! VISIT ETSY and enjoy yourself this year!

Featured Artist of the Week

This week's featured artist is


Here is our interview with Joy, the artist -

Describe what you make?

I make lampwork glass beads, which means I spend a lot of time over a hot torch melting glass into wonderful shapes. Then I use those creations to fashion into jewelry. I enjoy using silver mostly, but recently have ventured into the gold scene.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Glass is my favorite, but I also draw and paint. My avatar on Etsy (the cute little monkey that represents my shop) is a drawing of mine.

How long have you been creating craft?

All my life I've been up to some kind of art, but I started in glass about 2 years ago.

How did you get started?

On a whim, really! I saw a "Make Your Own Glass Beads" kit in a art supply/hardware store, and I thought "That would rock!". I took it home, made a couple of hundred dreadful lumps of molten glass, and here 2 years later I have the right tools and equipment (along with a lot of practice!) and can make a beautiful bead. I have never taken a class though.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Monkeys are my favorite animal. I live near Boulder on a street that has Boulder in it, so it seemed a logical choice. Plus, there's a lot of flinging that goes on in my studio!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

Many people assume that I just buy glass beads and make jewelry out of them. Because I make each of the beads in my pieces by hand, one at a time, each one is unique and different. I also try never to have repeat pieces. If its sold, its the only and last one you will ever see.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Be patient! It takes time before people start to see that you have something they want. Keep creating and eventually you will be recognized for your efforts!

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Joy is a wonderful glass artist. You must see her work at her shop Boulderglassmonkey

She has a blog site too so take a look at that as well!

While you are at Etsy come see the new things that I have added to my shop!