Friday, November 30, 2007

Moda Designs Jewelry




3-Strand Amber, Topaz, and Magnet Bracelet With Healing Magnets Give the gift of healing this holiday season




How long have you been selling online? Did you make your living as an artist before then, and how?
2 years.
Does anyone EVER make a living as an artist? No.




What do you think the benefits are to selling online for the disabled artist, if there are any?
(I know that for my mom, the physical labor involved in doing a show isn't possible, so that was a big plus for her). Well, there is less running around, I guess, but I do that too. This is just another outlet for my sales. The best part is having a social life without leaving the house!


Large Faceted Amethysts and Bali Silver Pendant and Ear Rings Shop HANDMADE this holiday season (J1)




Have you interacted at all with other online sellers with disabilities?
(I'm curious as to the extent of an online "community) Most sellers here have one disability or another. Low mood is the biggest issue with artists. "The artist's melancholy."




Are there any particular sites or resources that you depend on or sell through, besides Etsy? Anything you can recommend?
It doesn't hurt to look around, but Etsy has brought me the majority of my sales. Other sale sites are confusing to try to sell on.



Does your physical condition influence your art, and is it reflected in it?
I mostly sell bracelets with magnets in them. These are for pain releif. I can tell people what it's done for me. How it's relieved my pain...


Dark Amber and Healing Magnet Arthritis Relief Bracelet Only 26 Dollars Shop HANDMADE this holiday season

Where can the reader find Moda Designs Jewelry?
Metal Bracelets: http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb46/modadesigns/Precious%20Metals%20Bracelets/ some of the supplies for these creations can be found in my Etsy supplies shop: http://cheapboutique.etsy.com




Thursday, November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your family a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! Remember to tell those in your life that you are thankful for how much you appreciate them!

God Bless!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Personal Treasures







Loooong Hessonite Stripe Necklace


Meet Phyllis Mufson of Personal Treasures http://personaltreasures.etsy.com/, http://personaltreasures.blogspot.com/ and Mufi Jewels http://mufi.etsy.com/.

What items do you sell?
One of a kind and limited edition gemstone beaded jewelry, necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

Where, how, when did you learn your craft?
I learned how to do the basics by reading instructions on the Internet.








Pink Biwa Pearl Ruffle Necklace






Who has been your biggest inspiration?
My customers. In addition to ETSY I sell through jewelry parties and trunk shows so I see women interact with the jewelry; talk with them about what’s important to them, and see my jewelry on many women so I know which designs are particularly flattering to wear. I love their enthusiasm for what I do.

How long have you been doing your craft?
3 years

Tell us a little about your design style?
I had a career as a textile artist before picking up a bead. My background in textiles influences how I design. I'm very concerned with drape and how the jewelry moves with the body. I'm also inspired by the stones and like to challenge myself by choosing unusual stones and then figuring out what to do with them.





Bali Silver Spheres Earrings



How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Since September

What do you want the readers to notice about your work?
That almost all of the work is one of a kind. In a few cases I have limited editions, and an edition of 5 is the largest I’ve made. They’re made carefully with love. If I’m not satisfied with a piece I’ll keep making it over until I am. The materials are sterling silver, gold-filled and vermeil, gemstones and pearls. (Some additional materials at the Mufi store.)

What do you like most about selling on Etsy?
It’s a fun place to shop and there is a nice community among the sellers. I’m a buyer as well as a seller.


Where can the reader find you?

Sunday, November 18, 2007

ContasBrasil and ContasKoeln








Meet Bebê de Soares of ContasBrasil and ContasKoeln!

What is your Shop name?
Me and my sister Suzy Wortberg share 2 shops: ContasBrasil for our jewelry and ContasKoeln for supplies.

What items do you sell?
ContasBrasil is a brand, all our fashion-jewelry is designed by 3 artists: me, Suzy Wortberg (we both are Brazilian but live in Germany) and Ana Vilas Boas (she's an architect too, lives in Brazil). All pieces are unique, one-of-a-kind, and are made by the artists themselves. We create mostly necklaces, but also some armbands, and we have just started to make our first earrings! Will be brand new this week in our etsy shop! . We also create pieces for children.
Besides, we sell Doll Bags, a fabulous brand by Sandra Funkelman, a Brazilian artist, all handmade and embroidered, unique, original pieces that go very well with the ContasBrasil spirit.

Where, how, when did you learn your craft?
I started by accident 2 years ago, when I was still living in Brazil. I had bought some beads for my sister, and although the 2 of them were already very successful in Germany, I had not yet seen their work at that time. Before I packed them I decided to give it a try...and send it to Germany together with Ana's necklaces. I loved it instantaneously, kept some beads with me right away, enrolled in a jewelry course, bought some more beads... one month later I had my first show! By the way, my very first necklace was sold, I've never seen the color of the money because I forgot to tell my sister!! She only realized it some months ago!!
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
If anyone, Ana Vilas Boas! Although my style differs totally from hers, I was really inspired by the beauty of her creations! We always say Ana is the Lagerfeld from the fashion-jewelry world!
How long have you been doing your craft?
Exactly 2 years.

Tell us a little about your design style?
I studied architecture, and I love modern architecture. I think some of my pieces are very influenced by that. Very much the shape of the bead and the color. But I have always been a fan of flea markets, vintage stuff, I loved indie before I knew what the word meant. So I have this very baroque side, full of details, not symmetrical, not perfect, non industrialized aesthetic. You can see this influence in my costume and set design (for theater).I am an actress and director and have my own theater company T4G!

How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Roughly 6 months.

What do you want the readers to notice about your work?
We've been putting a lot of attention in our photos, because they have to conceal the originality from our design. We also invest on an eclectic mix of material, quite unusual in my point of view: semi-precious stones, pearls, muranos, crystal mixed with seeds, cocos, wood beads. Almost all our clasps are gold plated or silver. Our sole enemy is the lack of time!!

What do you like most about selling on Etsy?
The network one builds with other sellers, with everything that this involves. But also, I would only buy at etsy if I lived in the States! I love this marketplace! And I'm addicted to the treasure!

Where can the reader find you?
Besides Etsy, we sell on DaWanda, an European platform for handmade creations. And we will be opening our atelier with a little shop in Köln in November!!Everyone is invited to visit us there!
http://www.contascoeln.etsy.com/
http://www.ContasBrasil.etsy.com
http://www.contasbrasil.de/
http://contaskoeln.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

EtsyBABY Kris- Mouse Holiday Hunt Promotion




The EtsyBaby Street Team is having a Holiday Promotion Starting Saturday, November 16th through Wednesday, December 12th
there's a mouse in the house...that's right Santa's helper kris-mouse is making his way through the EtsyBABY shops listed below. Kris wants to help you find special gifts and great deals for those sweet babies On your list.
You'll find kris hanging out on at least one item in each of shops listed. If you buy an item Where kris's picture shows up you'll receive a free gift with your purchase.
(you'll know kris as soon as you see him)

Prizes vary from shop to shop so be sure to look at as many shops as possible.See shop announcement's for prize details.Remember this Christmas Season shop where kris-mouse shops...EtsyBABY!!!

Alaska Hot Doggies






Meet fellow Alaskan, Jodi Hughes of Alaska Hot Doggies from Anchorage, Alaska. Her hometown is Chugiak, Alaska…can u pronounce that? When she was growing up, her family managed a church camp with a beautiful lake that looked a lot like Jason’s famous killing ground. The camp was 1 ½ miles from the nearest house on a dirt road thru the woods. There were dog trails that mushers trained on that crossed the road and cars had to yield to the dog teams. By day, she masquerades as an Application Analyst for a large corporation. She takes conference calls in her jammies and analyzes code without even stepping out of the house! But in order to bring some originality into her world, away from the logical rules, she sneaks away from the phone and emails to play in marbling goop! It calms her nerves and helps her feel creative. She gets to color outside the lines, unlike her day job!






She started with simple beading projects for herself…taking apart store purchased items and re-doing them more to her liking. Her friend, Anthony, got her started shopping at thrift stores. She wanted comforter covers for the house in special colors and pre-made ones where just too expensive. When she was growing up, her mom had made her a customized comforter cover made from 2 sheets, so she did the same except she bought 2 used sheets, dyed them to her liking and stitched them together. TaDa!! Then she started dying everything! She made covers for the furniture, dyed clothes, curtains, EVERYTHING!! She dabbled in free form painting, mainly on clothes. Then she found Dharma Tracing’s website with a cool starter kit for marbling. She can’t say that her 1st attempts turned out very well but for some reason she was determined to keep trying…and she still is! Jodi has been doing this for decades…in one form or another.






Most of the time her attempts at art never turned out very well. It took her a few years to find her niche. She just opened her Etsy shop mid July of 07. This is her 1st attempt to sell her crafts. Her family, friends and personal closet space is getting over stocked with her creations! Stop by her shop and buy something so she can continue to create! In Jodi’s Etsy Shop you will find wonderful things. She enjoys marbling the most. This last month, she started moving away from regular clothes and moving towards unconventional textiles and other materials. She’s been experimenting with wood, plastic & glass which have proved to be challenging. Jodi also started marbling different paper items. She recently marbled business card stock that turned out wonderful and really make my business card standout from most. Jodi loves to watch people and adopt current color schemes into her design. Browsing thru other artist’s works is also a great way to get motivated. She’s inspired thru the use of color and diverse materials then she brings these approaches into her visions.

Stop by her shop!! www.AKHotDoggies.etsy.com





“Additional Resources”
Her work was sold at the local ‘Trapper Creek Festival’, in addition to Etsy. http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/AkHotDoggies
http://www.myspace.akhotdoggies.com/.
http://akhotdoggies.blogspot.com/ She also wrote an article for the IndiePublic library. This is a basic introduction on marbling paper. http://www.indiepublic.com/library/topic/show?id=946391%3ATopic%3A69155

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Mineral Magic Cosmetics


Meet Kellie, owner and designer of Mineral Magic Cosmetics where you can find Skincare, VEGAN mineral makeup, air fresheners, cosmetic tools, massage oil, and scrubs. She did a lot of research on all the products she makes and sells.




Vegan ROLL ON Mineral Makeup By Mineral Magic Choice Of Color Safe For Sensitive Skin



Kellie takes great pride in her makeup line and guarantees 100% satisfaction. Mineral makeup is pure, crushed minerals from the earth, that improves your skin condition. It provides an SPF (sun protection factor) of up to 20, depending on how much you apply. It is an anti-inflammatory for your skin, as well. Her makeup does NOT contain bismuth oxychloride, which is a kind to arsenic, and is most likely the reason for skin discomfort and bad skin reaction.








Vegan Mineral Makeup Kit By Mineral Magic Plus Mineral Veil






Her biggest inspiration is God. Kellie has been selling making her products for a few years. She has been selling on Etsy since August '07.








Mineral Magic Hand And Body Lotion In Your Choice of Scent







You can find Mineral Magic Cosmetics at the following locations.