Cosa Verde Interview

Cosa Verde is a great site to advertise your environmentally- friendly shop. Check them out!

They put a call out for interviews, so I submitted one. Come on over and read a few tidbits about me and my shop. You can find it here.

Until next time.....

Interview With An Etsian ~ OhFaro~

There are people that we come across throughout our lives that we immediately take a liking to. Faro is one of those people that showed up on my radar. I love browsing through her shop. That photography style is unmistakably OhFaro's.

1. Your name, shop and craft(s).

My name is Faro, my shop name is OhFaro and I make hair accessories for special occasions with a focus on weddings.

2. How long have you been at your craft(s)?

This craft, for about a year. I've moved from 8 years of strictly mosaic art (which I still enjoy) to hair jewelry; it’s a lot less messy, my hands don’t get cut from the china and stained glass shards and I can create my pieces in the house with my family near by.

3. One thing no one knows about you that influences your craft.

As a young girl, I was quite taken with Fred Astaire, he was SO romantic and the ladies he danced with were stunningly beautiful. They were always so sparkly. I love it so much that whenever I’m watching his dance scenes my toes actually point! HA! It’s so weird; my husband sees it and laughs. Something about the dancing, and the costumes and the beautiful women have always enchanted me and so I express my love of old Hollywood glamour in my creations, especially in my product photography. BALLROOM! What a delight! Somewhere inside of this skin I’m in is a true diva, even though I live jeans and Birkenstocks, and in a house full of men.(Here is a YouTube video of Fred with Ginger, check out the sparkle in her hair!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOBdQykKQY&feature=related)

4. Favorite color? Does it affect your work? Why/why not?

I actually have quite a few favorite colors, but I do adore pink and offer several pieces in all shades of pink. However, when it comes to vintage rhinestone jewelry I can see the beauty in all colors. I acquire large jewelry lots for my craft and the variety of color in my collection is so broad that I simply can’t stay all pink all the time. Which is good.

5. Learn anything new lately that's related to your craft? If yes, what is it? If no, what would you like to learn?

Yes- Feathers are FUN and they look marvelous with rhinestones.

6. Best piece of advice that someone gave you that benefited your shop?

In my early twenties a very old (and very beautiful) woman cautioned me to always strive to be unpredictable and unique. She said “make sure and keep them coming back for more.” At the time we were discussing relationships and men, but I think it is great advice for almost any facet of life.

7. Favorite Etsy category to browse and why?

It’s a toss. I love hand painted silk scarves/shawls and seriously covet them on occasion. But I suppose my most favorite category would have to be Purses; I have several favorite sellers in that category, one in particular is daphnenen (www. daphnenen.etsy.com) - her purses are beautiful, she uses the most beautiful fabrics and her crafting is top notch. I’ve given one of her hobo bags away as a gift and hope to be able to get one for myself one day soon. The silly part is that I don’t even carry a purse most of the time.

8. What one thing on Etsy can't you live without?

My shop. It feeds my soul and keeps me moving forward. I love moving forward.

Thanks for doing the interview Faro. After reading this, I now know why our bridesmaid dresses were pink! :)

Until next time.....

Interview With An Etsian: BlackSheepDesigns and BlackSheepBeads

Anyone that knows Pam will agree that she is one of the most genuine, friendly sellers on Etsy. I started ordering vintage beads from her a while ago. I also own some of her jewelry. One day I sent her a convo with a picture of a pair of earrings that I made with some of her beads and the rest was history. We've been buds ever since. I do want to give a shout out to her other half ~ Jay. I always imagine him sitting atop a mountain of beads. One look at their sold items in the bead shop and you'll know why!

1. Your name: Pam Laurenzo
Your shops: Black Sheep Designs and BlackSheepBeads

2. How long have you been at your craft(s)?
This is my 13th year - how the time does fly!

3. One thing no one knows about you that influences your craft.
I'm a very tactile person - I look for materials (particularly vintage beads) with interesting textures. I also love to experiment with color mixes. When I was young, I used to spend hours and hours coloring and drawing - and noticing which colors looked harmonious together.

4. Favorite color? Does it affect your work? Why/why not?
Definitely turquoise/teal/aqua. My studio is painted a soft pale aqua - a color that helps me stay calm and focused. I could design endless pieces with aqua as a focal color - sometimes I have to forcefully steer myself toward a different color scheme.

5. Learn anything new lately that's related to your craft? If yes, what is it. If no, what would you like to learn.
I've started adding green and blue metal patinas to the metals in my jewelry - it's given me an excuse to add more of my favorite colors to most of the pieces I make. :) I'm having a great deal of fun mixing different finishes, and experimenting with their effects on different findings and vintage stampings.

6. Best piece of advice that someone gave you that benefited your shop?
My favorite piece of advice was to make what I love instead of following trends. I'm very fortunate to have many creative friends - their influence and encouragement keep my ideas flowing and give me inspiration.

7. Favorite Etsy category to browse and why.
I can't choose just one! I love to browse handmade findings, vintage beads, edibles (particularly cookies) and children's clothing.

8. Ever collaborate with another seller? If yes, what did you learn about yourself?
I collaborated with several other sellers for an Etsy contest. We created a mermaid doll with a cradle (I made the jewelry - a matching set for the doll and her owner). I really enjoyed watching every one's ideas come to fruition. Even though we didn't win the contest, I was very proud of what we created! When I sold children's jewelry on eBay years ago, I often collaborated with clothing designers - an experience that I found challenging and enjoyable. I don't make children's jewelry anymore, but I did enjoy dreaming up wild and funky designs to match particular fabrics. My daughter has quite the jewelry collection!

9. What one thing on Etsy can't you live without?
Time Machine 2 (for sold items). I've found many of my favorite sellers this way!

10. What question would you like to see included in an interview, that you've never seen? You can answer it if you like.
What is your most favorite material? Do you still work with this material?
Vintage sugar beads. I love their texture and the nifty way they catch the light and "sparkle". I still have a few in assorted colors, but they've become increasingly hard to find. Every now and then I make a pair of earrings with them to showcase their beauty!

I want to thank Pam for her friendship, her beautimous vintage beads, her lovely jewelry and for taking the time to let y'all know a little bit about herself. xoxo

Until next time.....

Interview with an Etsian: jNicDesigns~jNicLoft

I'm starting a new series on my blog today, entitled "Interview with an Etsian". Let's jump right in.....

Up first is one of the most genuine, down to Earth folks that I've met on Etsy. I love her work and own several pair of earrings. And her gem shop should be on every one's favorites list! She also owns the cutest chickens that I have ever laid my eyes on!

1. Your name, shop and craft(s).

I'm jenn Trott and my shops are jNicDesigns and jNicLoft. I play with pretty stones and metal all day long (aka creating jewelry) =)

2. How long have you been at your craft(s)?

Ooohh that's a tough one. I started making jewelry in 4th grade that consisted of those little flowers you find in clover patches tied together to make bracelets and necklaces.. then I advanced to friendship bracelets in middle school and in high school I actually took a jewelry making class where I used a lot of huge rhinestones and paper-mâché - hey it was the 80's! I made the jewelry for a lot of my classmate's proms, dances and other outfits so I guess that's where my "business" first emerged.

3. One thing no one knows about you that influences your craft.

I am not someone that enjoys being the center of attention which is why most of my pieces tend to lean toward the simple, understated and refined. I find it really challenging to create pieces that I wouldn't want to wear myself.

4. Favorite color? Does it affect your work? Why/why not?

I love blues and greens and it definitely affects my work because those are always the stones I gravitate to. I have to challenge myself to work with different colors!

5. Learn anything new lately that's related to your craft? If yes, what is it. If no, what would you like to learn.

Not within the last few months but last year I took two metalsmithing courses through the University of Georgia and it was a blast! And I'm always talking to the head of the Athens Gem and Mineral Society and learning new things about the stones I love.

6. Best piece of advice that someone gave you that benefited your shop?

I'd have to say it came from my district manager during my retail days and we referred to it as the "5 P's" - Proper planning prevents poor performance. I am very much a planner and I try to have a game plan for every day, week and month.

7. Favorite Etsy category to browse and why.

I love to browse the clothing category because I'm amazed at the talent in that category!

8. Ever collaborate with another seller? If yes, what did you learn about yourself?

I haven't done any collaborations yet...

9. What one thing on Etsy can't you live without?

Time Machine 2! I love browsing sold items!

10. What question would you like to see included in an interview, that you've never seen? You can answer it if you like.

What's your favorite holiday? Halloween =)

I want to thank Jenn for helping me kick off this series. Check out her shops. You'll be glad that you did.

And if you poke around her blog, you just might see those chickens that I mentioned.

Come back next week to see who's talking.

Until next time.....