Featured Artist: ShannonSaylor

1. Tell me a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).

My name is Shannon Saylor, I live actually in Wise, VA a college town an hour from Bristol TN where they hold the Nascar races where people would affiliate my location better. I am part of We Love Etsy blog, Jewelry Galore, Etsy Friends, All things Handmade, Blogger, and Myspace. That's all I can think of at the moment.

I'm also part of several chat groups where there are groups of ladies that are my wonderful support group and cheer section. Sometimes I wouldn't be able to make it without them as I am on SSI Partial Disability. I have several debilitating illnesses that prevent me from working a job outside the home, but I got into beading for relaxation, and it just took off and one of the girlfriends from the boards has a link to Etsy so I figured that I would give it a shot.

It's been a long road for me, but I am soon to go back to school, I have to keep learning from being bipolar, I'm a workaholic within my mind. I can't sit still for very long moments unless I'm in front of the computer doing several things at once. I network, create videos, blog, and pet one of my 5 cats and talk with my hubby at once.

2. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?

One of the first things I made by hand was a necklace from a kit that I had gotten. I had bought from Etsy several necklaces and bracelets for the holiday gift season, and I was so interested in how they were made that I had to try it. My husband was kind enough to allow me to get a few sample kits from the local stores just to try it out and test my learning ability... I took it right up. The next thing I knew, I was buying beads like crazy and making something new every day if not several things new every day.

3. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

I take from the seasons, the weather, the rooms, my cats and dog, an image in my mind from something that I've seen before. I just try to make my pieces fun but beautiful at the same time. Something that I would want to wear, but someone else would want to as well. If I don't like it, then no one else would too.

4. Why should people buy handmade?

There is more heart in handmade jewelry. For Example, When I bought a piece for Christmas from the girlfriend on the chatboard I'm on, she also sent me a set of freshwater pearl earrings with a note stating that every bride should have a set of pearls. My hubby and I had just gotten married.

5. What is your favourite thing in your shop and why?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7661881 I absolutely love this one as it is chocolate and black with magnets in the beading. I've heard of the healing powers of magnets, so I beaded some in it. I love the wild side look of the necklace. I made two similar to it for both my aunt and my mother. They love them.

Etsy Shop: http://ShannonSaylor.etsy.com
Blog: http://shannonsaylor-etsyshop.blogspot.com/