Eye Candy

I don't know what happened but this Featured Artist was supposed to be featured Thursday AM. I just looked and this post was not there.

ERG!
Sorry Ana!

Anywho... I'm wishing I lived in the UK. I'd get FREE SHIPPING with any purchase! Actually, I think Ana's creations are worth the shipping fees no matter what! And if you like the jewelry in her shop but maybe want a different color than is listed go ahead and contact her and ask about it. She just may have it!

Did I mention her photos are A.MAY.ZING??? Just check them out.

Anacdesigns

Your Name: Ana

Location: London, UK

Etsy Store Address: http://www.anacdesigns.etsy.com
Facebook, Twitter, etc. address:
Facebook: http://www.tinyurl.com/anacdesigns
Twitter: http://twitter.com/anacdesigns

What Etsy groups do you belong to?
Etsy Artist Lounge, although I haven't been active for many months now. The time difference makes it difficult.

What is your craft?
I design and make unique colourful jewellery.

{Hot Pink Ring}

How did you start doing what you do?
Jewellery making started as a way of releasing my creativity while traveling about 7 years ago. Taking paint and canvases didn't seem practical. It started as a hobby and soon turned into an obsession. New and exciting beads find me everywhere I travel.

{Silver Rose Tourque Pendant}

What part of your work do you most enjoy?
I love everything about the process of making jewellery but the moment just before I starting a new piece when everything starts coming together is very exciting. I only make my jewellery in the best of moods and I try to put good thoughts and love into every creation.

What part of your work do you find the hardest?
I find it hardest to duplicate pieces. I get bored of it very quickly so most of my pieces are one of a kind.

Where do you get/find your inspiration?
I get inspired by nature, people, different shades of light, shapes, smells, conversations, the touch and colour of beads... The list is long! :)
What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?

{Orange cube - urban agate necklace}

{Mermaids Cuff Pearl Bracelet}

{Red Heart Bracelet}

What is the best advice you have received?
Every contact counts! By the time the credit crunch is over people want to know where to shop.

Featuring Fab Finds For You

G'day mate!


Okay, do they really say that in Australia? I don't know, but maybe today's first Feature Artist can answer that questions! Sam(antha) is from Down Under aka Australia and makes one of my most favorite things! Pretend Food! It's even better than that! It's made from FELT!

I don't know what it is about felt food but I love it. It makes me happy. warm. fuzzy. My son would really have a hay day with it because he puts everything in his mouth and with this being food....I'm thinking it would be okay! Criky!

Okay, I'm done with the Australian 'lingo' which I don't know how to use correctly. Please fast forward....

Sam McLean Designs

Name: Samantha (Sam) McLean

Location: I'm in beautiful Sydney, Australia

Shop name:
Sam McLean Designs: http://mclean2612.etsy.com
Retrology, http://retrology.etsy.com

Facebook: as Samantha McLean,
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammcleandesigns,
Blog: http://sammcleandesigns.blogspot.com

Etsy groups: DUST (Down Under Street Team) and Etsy Artists Lounge


What is your craft?
My background is in costume design and dressmaking so I have 2 shops on Etsy, one for felt food toys and one for handmade retro-inspired clothing.


How did you start doing what you do?
I began costume design and dressmaking for my dolls as a child. The felt foods came to be after I made some sets for my nieces a few Christmases ago and they loved them so much that I designed some more pieces and they found their way into the Etsy shop.

{Cookie Plate}

What part of your work do you most enjoy?
I love the inspiration and the design process especially. I love looking at a 3-d shape and figuring out what shapes I need to cut from the felt to replicate it. I love researching and finding the right felt colors to make the foods too.


What part of your work do you find the hardest?
I think I find making lots of the same thing the hardest, like for a market or if I'm stockpiling items for a rush. I do suffer from RSI so fiddly work takes a toll also.

{Play Fish Dinner}

Where do you get/find your inspiration?
Inspiration comes from exotic recipe books, little patisseries, home-cooked dinners and just general shopping in the supermarket. My children often suggest new ideas for felt foods to me and love seeing their suggestions materialize.


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?
My favorite items in the felt food shop are:

the Banana,



the Sushi Platter




and the Jammy Dodger Biscuits

What is the best advice you have received?
The best advice I have had in regard to Etsy is to keep it fresh - keep creating and listing, especially during slow times. I aim to list or re-list each day to keep in the first few pages of searches. Customer service is a top priority too. Make an effort to have great products, be accomodating, prompt and courteous and watch those customers come back again and again!

___________________________________________________________

Next up we have a lovely collection of jewlery made by Lola {LOVE that name} creator behind

Little Earrings

I love the delicate nature of her earrings and the beautiful colors. And they are priced so reasonably! I can't wait to see more of her wired wrapped earrings!

Name: Lola Cordova

Location: New Mexico, USA

Etsy Address: Little Earrings - http://www.littleearrings.etsy.com

Facebook, Twitter, etc: I need to catch up with all this web stuff

What Etsy teams do you beong to? None

What is your craft?
My craft is silversmithing, but my store currently only features earrings. I want to expand to include my wire wrapped rings (which I LOVE making) and more of my silver wire wrapped earring designs.

{Orange Crush Dangle Earrings}

How did you start doing what you do?
Around 4 years ago I took my first silver course at the University. I have taken several other courses and many courses outside school to expand on my knowledge, learn new techniques, to have fun. That's the best part of what I do. I get to shop for findings, silver, and beads, then I get to put it all together - it's my break from the real world.


What part of your work do you most enjoy?
I enjoy when something comes out "just right" and as planned. I also like combining colors. I must also admit I like when I get unsolicited compliments when I wear my own creations.

{Blue Round Swirls Earrings}

What part of your work do you find the hardest?
Finding time for silver soldering. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do much of this because I have a 2 year old little girl who wants to "help" and it's just not safe around the fire and chemicals. I've been able to do a few items to submit to local galleries, but I wait for the day when I have an entire weekend to myself and my torch.


Where do you get/find your inspiration?
I find other Etsians very inspiring. I love looking at other people's creations and it makes me want to pull out all my supplies. I also love reading books and magazines, and I like to look to nature for some of my silver pieces.


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?

Peruvian opals are some of my favs

I personally love cluster type earrings (these are also available in pink)

My husband is Irish, and these are inspired by him

What is the best advice you have received?
My husband is my biggest supporter, and it's not necessarily that he gives me advice, but he lends an ear and will always give an honest opinion. Oh, and advice I've never received but I want to give is: it's OK to take a break. For me, it's not about sales, it's about working on something I truly enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you in 'two and two'.... {name that show}

Playing With Beads and Dough

Once again we have two fabulous artists from opposite sides of the United States--Washington state and Virginia.

I'm really digging the cute salt dough ornaments from Stylish Ornaments and Crafts! How fun to play with 'playdoh' and make stuff!

We also have anther Etsy artist who's Etsy address may confuse first comers to her site to what she creates. He shop name is Jewelry Wiz and she creates jewelry but her Etsy address is candlewiz.etsy.com. It's all good though because she's currently in the process of creating a NEW shop with jewelrywiz.etsy.com as the address so there will be no mistakes to what her shop's all about!

Enjoy!

Stylish Ornaments and Crafts

Name
Stylish Ornaments and Crafts

Location
Seattle Metro

Etsy address
http://www.stylishornaments.etsy.com/


Facebook, Twitter, etc address

Twitter
http://twitter.com/stylishornament
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/people/Stylishornaments-Crafts/100000185611281 Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41576866@N04/


What Etsy groups do you belong to?
None


What is your craft?
Our brand products are angels for every occasion. We also create tons of various seasonal products: witches, jack o'lanterns and the like for Halloween, Christmas ornaments, hearts for Mother Day and so on. Each item is hand-made and therefore unique in form, shape and style. We also use different materials, mostly salt dough, acrylic painting and varnish, but also wooden frames and raffia. And we constantly try new things and techniques, adding new collections to our repertoire.

{Sweet Blue Angel}

How did you start doing what you do?
We are best friends and we like to do lots of things together. Last winter we were looking for ways to have even more fun and to chill out during long winter evenings and we ended up with playing with salt dough. The results were so encouraging that we went on and started to make angel figures and Christmas ornaments. We liked them so much that we decided to share our creations with others and also to expand our range by making more items, both in terms of numbers and variety. We are very happy with what we have done so far and we really enjoy what we do. And we challenge ourselves to do completely new projects which you will be able to see soon.


What part of your work do you most enjoy?
Exploring new possibilities of what we can do with materials and techniques. Satisfaction when what we created looks just like we imagined it. And, last but not least, we value time that we spend together talking about, well, everything: new ideas, new promotions, our children, local news, etc.

{Baby Boy's First Christmas}

What part of your work do you find the hardest?
The hardest part is painting process, especially when it comes to choosing the right color. It is amazing how the color can affect the final product.


Where do you get/find your inspiration?
Our inspiration comes from recognition of special occasions and events, like Christmas, Mother Day, etc. But we often catch ourselves at simply looking at a thing we have just seen and thinking how it would look like in a particular setting, for example, hung on a wall, or a Christmas tree. This usually brings good ideas not only how the product should look like, but what methods we need to improve in order to make it look better.


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?

We love them all, but if we really, really, really need to choose three, they will be the following:

Original Witch Aletta

Beautiful Angel

Vampire Bats & Jack O'Lantern Ornaments

What is the best advice you have received?
Promote, Promote, Promote!!!

Earring Whiz
{Genius Design for your Ears}

Name
Jessica Cheek

Location
Blacksburg, Virginia

Etsy Address
www.candlewhiz.etsy.com

Facebook, Twitter, etc address
I don't have any

What Etsy groups do you belong to?
None actually I'm not even sure how to join any :(


What is your craft?
Contrary to my name I make jewelry.

{Hemitite and Swarovski Crystal Earrings}

How did you start doing what you do?

I started with earrings, I found some beautiful earrings I wanted but they were way out of my price range. I got online starting googling and hit up youtube and found they were easy to make (and for a fraction of the cost!). I fell in love with creating beautiful earrings and have just expanding from there. I hope I can continue to create amazing jewelry.


What part of your work do you most enjoy?
Feedback from customers, I love to hear that they truely enjoyed what I made them, that it was exactly what they wanted or better :)

{Pearl & Burgundy Teardrop Earrings}

What part of your work do you find the hardest?
Getting my name out there honestly. Since my shop name is "Candlewhiz" everyone assumes I know nothing about jewelry and I often get dismissed. I'm in the process of setting up a new shop (jewelrywhiz.etsy.com), but it's hard to get sales with zero feedback even if you refer them to your previous shop.


Where do you get/find your inspiration?
From everywhere, places I've been, pieces of jewelry I've seen before, the clothes I wear, the books I read; just....life :)


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?

{Chained Down & Beaded}

{Beaded Fabric Black & White Necklace}

{Classy Pink & Clear Crystal Earrings}

*These are the jewelry items I have had the most fun creating, and have inspired several more pieces I'm in the progress of making as we speak :)


What is the best advice you have received?
To keep it up. You're going to have times when no one is viewing your shop and no one is interested in your bids, just don't get discouraged.

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I just want to link a few Etsy sites that might be helpful to some artists. I see that some of you do not belong to an Etsy group. I really believe joining and contributing to an Etsy group helps to keep you focused, positive and can help with the creative juices!

Here's a link on how to join or create a new Etsy team. And here is the link to the page with all the current Etsy teams. You can browse through and see what teams you might want to join and get all the pertinent info.

Also, here is the link to Twitter. It's fun to follow people and see what they are doing and creating. You can share your blog posts, recently posted shop items or just say whatever's on your mind! My Twitter name is pinkpatrice if you want to follow me! :)

Facebook can be a great place to start a fanpage for your shop. I have one that I don't keep up at all {shame on me} but at least it's there just in case someone happens to stumble across it!

That's all for now folks {until tomorrow}! Thanks for coming!

More Beauty for your Eyes!

Today we meet two more fantastic Etsy Artists. They live on opposite sides of the United States but both produce fabulous items. Since I've already read their Spotlights, I'm off to go heart some lovely items in their stores!!! Meet you there shortly!

nenafaye
{bags, jewelry, handcrafted embellished cards}

Name Nena Scrambling

Location Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Etsy Address www.nenafaye.etsy.com

Facebook address nfscram

What Etsy groups do you belong to?
New to Etsy as of July 3 (first posting) have not joined any groups yet...work full time.

{Orange & Cream Little Bit Purse}

What is your craft?
I am a beader and a crochet artist and a lover of embellishments!

How did you start doing what you do?
When I was a young girl I would sit and watch my mother sew late into the night, when I became a mother, it came natural to continue on in the same fashion, and I have evolved over the years into what I do now.

{Mauve Pearl Earrings}

What part of your work do you most enjoy?
I love working with color and texture. I find that the embellishments that I use bring so much to my art forms, I am loving cotton yarn, because of the texture of a completed piece, it is wonderful. I love working with the colors and textures of the beads, I guess to sum it up I love color, texture and natural cotton!

{Green Lampwork Bead Bookmark}

What part of your work do you find the hardest?
The hardest part of what I do is finding the time to do it in! I love what I do and really, once I am into it, there is nothing hard for me, just finding the time. I have to admit, I find the photography involved in listing items challenging!

Where do you get/find your inspiration?
I have gotten my inspiration from years of creating and seeing the results of something so amazing. For example taking a string of yarn and making something from it. From seeing the look on peoples faces as they purchase my stuff at craft fairs, knowing they love what they are purchasing. New Mexico is a state that is rich in colorful cultures; I have lived here my whole life and find it vital to have the richness of creating, of art, of making beautiful colorful items. It is part of my soul.


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?

I love my Little Bit Purses,

{Bright & Beautiful Little Bit Purse}

my Everything Bags,

(Orange Everything Bag}

and my special clasp bracelets!

{Natural Red Jasper and Shell Heishi Bracelet}

What is the best advice you have received?
The best advice that I have received is to promote, be creative with photography and to be patient about sales, they will come to you!

************************************************************************************

Fiberfads!

When the owner of Fiberfads! contacted me about being a Featured Artist I immediately thought she was way cool! The reason is that she has quite an uncommon name (at least I think so) AND it just so happens to be my mom's name!

WAIT! That's not all.

She then tells me that her second daughter's middle name is Patrice. Can you start to hear to 'Twilight Zone' music??

WAIT! There's more....

Her daughter, whose middle name is Patrice, is her second daughter. I'm my mother's second daughter.....

Goodness!

So far, that's all the similarities I know of....other than the fact that I love felted stuff {like the stuff over at Fiberfads!} . I once attempted to needle felt a cupcake which turned out looking more like.... an ice-cream cone according to my husband.

Oh well. At least I can drool over the awesome goodies at Fiberfads!
{I really like saying Fiberfads! It's kinda like saying "Sha-zam!'}

Name Adele

Location Fredericksburg, VA

Etsy Address www.fiberfads.etsy.com

Facebook Address I don't do Facebook, Twitter, etc.

What Etsy groups do you belong to?
I haven't joined an Etsy group as of yet.

{Fiber Holiday Giftcard Holders}

What is your craft?
I hand knit, hand felt, and needle felt.


How did you start to do what you do?
My husband liked the idea of his wife knitting, I guess, because he bought me a huge encyclopedia of knitting book about 18 years ago and once I started, I never stopped.

{Three Knitted & Felted Acorns}

What part of your work do you most enjoy?
I most enjoy the feel of the yarn and the rhythm that develops when I know the pattern I'm knitting by heart. Very relaxing!


What part of your work do you find the hardest?
Actually, I am really drawn to the felted finish of a knitted item, but find the process of hand felting to be laborious.

{Scalloped Felted Bowl}

Where do you get/find your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from the two dimensional...decorating magazines, books, fabrics...once the third dimension is thrown in, I'm lost! I'm also inspired by the rich, warm colors of Fall.


What are the three most favorite items in your store right now?
The three most favorite items in my store right now are my

Fall wine cozy,

my holiday bowl with holly berries,


and my felted vases.

What is the best advice you have received?
Best advice: "Do good and avoid evil." I try my best to create a lovely product that someone can enjoy, sell it at a fair price, and treat my customers with gratitude. Thankfully, I am then able to donate the net profits from Fiberfads! to a local woman's shelter that aids women facing a crisis pregnancy.

Until we meet again!