Featured Artist: wanderlustNpixiedust

My name is Valerie and I live in Riverside, California. I am an ex-flight attendant and current part-time crossing guard. I mention my previous occupation because since putting that job behind me, I have found it close to impossible to return to an 8 hr a day, caged in, office job. This is a huge reason for me winding up on ETSY. My original intent was to offer only handmade jewelry. But I started a blog and opened an ETSY shop at the same time, aggravating tendonitis in both my hands. I've been dealing with this condition for many years now but I've given myself a double whammy here. I have more supplies than handmade goods available at the moment but am slowly but surely trying to change that. Two of my greatest inspirations are music and my past travels. I find it difficult if not close to impossible to create or make anything without music playing. When the music stops so do I. It's almost as if the music has some magical ability to inspire me and keep me motivated.

I am espescially fond of sacred heart images. They remind me of everything from Christmas time at my grandma's house as a child to past adventures in Europe and Rome. Beautiful churches and cathedrals. San Antonio & Santa Fe even. I find them very soothing and always have several up and about my home at any given time.

I think that people should by handmade for two reasons. Number one, to support one another. Number two, because it's a wonderful and easy way to find items that are unique and not mass produced. Having said that. I am well aware that there are many folks out there who just love common AND mass produced. I am not one of them.

Favorite thing in my shop? Actually at the moment it's the glass glitter. I've always loved glitter and things that sparkle. Earliest memory: Walking home from junior high. There was a glass enclosed phone both that was always being smashed to smithereens. I loved picking up the bits and pieces and placing them on my bureau. I also had a mirror that shattered. I wrote all over it with lipstick and refused to throw it aways because I loved the design the cracks made when it broke. Mom was always scolding me to toss these items away claiming that I was going to cut myself. Come to think of it, she'd probably say the same thing if she knew I was playing with glass glitter!

To visit wanderlustnpixiedust's Etsy store, please go to: http://wanderlustNpixiedust.etsy.com
To visit wanderlustnpixiedust's blog, please go to: http://wanderlustnpixiedust.typepad.com