Locket Love From Down Under

** Paper and Ribbons is offering all readers of CoconutPalmDesigns FREE worldwide shipping on any purchase over $20 for one week from today's post. Please leave "CoconutPalmDesigns" in the note to seller at checkout to receive your shipping refund. **

Today's featured artisan, Paper and Ribbons, has a beautiful selection of vintage style jewelry in her shop but I am going to focus on only one aspect. I've always found lockets to be intriguing and these sure don't disappoint.

This heart shaped locket comes complete with a tiny brass key and an ivory glass pearl. Stars and hearts and it opens! Can it get any better than that?


I know it's a flower but I think it looks like a little angel floating along beside this antiqued gold locket.


And for the bride in your life, there is this gorgeous oval locket which is embedded with a white dahlia cabochon.


You can contact Paper and Ribbons at the following places:
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mnhince
Blog: http://unofficialfiction.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paper-and-Ribbons/141886207454?ref=ts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/paperandribbons

Iridescent Beauty from AW Designs UK

Angela, of AW Designs UK, is the creator of these fabulous fused dichroic glass jewelry pieces. Her jewelry shimmers and shines and will look splendid on anyone.

Just take a look at this gorgeous dichroic glass and sterling silver wire pendant and tell me you don't want it!



Or if jewelry isn't your thing but you are in love with the look of Angela's work take a look at this set of glass buttons. Can't you just imagine them on your next sewing creation? Or simply to dress up that boring button down shirt.



This pendant is more simple than many of AW Designs UK's other pieces and yet it is still stunning. And it can also be worn as a brooch!



AW Designs UK also offers gift certificates in various denominations!

Featured Artist: Art 2 the Extreme

I am an elementary art teacher from Indianapolis, Indiana. I graduated from college with a Visual Arts Education degree and a Ceramics concentration.

Travel is a HUGE part of my inspiration to create art. I have been to England, Scotland, Mexico, and lived in Italy for a short period of time to study art.

I love working with ceramics, printmaking, and fibers most of all! In my free time, I create art to share and sell, as well as scrapbook.

Art is all around us. It is everywhere and in everything.
My art is my world and I guarantee that my work is 100% original and of the highest quality. Buyer satisfaction is of extreme importance to me.

Please enjoy and feel free to provide feedback or receive further information about myself or my products by contacting me at art2theextreme@yahoo.com.

Etsy Shop: http://art2theextreme.etsy.com
Blog: http://art2theextreme.blogspot.com/
Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/art2theextreme
Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/art2theextreme/

Featured Artist: A Pretty Rock

"Oh Shiny!" should definitely be Yazmin Wickham's mantra and says a lot about her.

Yazmin of A Pretty Rock creates one of a kind or limited edition pieces of jewelry. Brought to life with carefully selected gemstones, mineral stones and freshwater pearls, the collection is meant to lend affordable, quality elegance to all.

Yazmin, a jewelry designer, has always been an artsy-crafty person, but it seems like she just moved into jewelry unintentionally. In 2004, she went to the Yellow Daisy Festival for the umpteenth time and found a pair of beautiful hair chopsticks with beaded ends. She wore them for about a month straight! They were a true obsession.

She spent a lot of time thinking about the chopsticks and how to make her own. This led her to local stores like Michael's and Joann's, but it also led her to several boutique bead shops... Many gemstones and wire later and here she is!

There is no reason why every woman shouldn't have A Pretty Rock in their life!

Etsy Shop: http://aprettyrock.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.aprettyrock.com/blog
Website: http://www.aprettyrock.com

Featured Artist: Bella Dio

Bella Dio {bel-uh dio} is Italian for "Beautiful God". My love for my Lord and Savior, is always in the forefront of what I do and I wanted that to be conveyed in my name.

I am a stay at home mom with 3 boys living in Indianapolis. Six years ago I began playing around with beading during a play date with friends. I started out just making jewelry for myself and then giving them as gifts. As more people took interest in my work I started taking it more seriously. A few years into crafting, buying beads and stringing them no longer thrilled me, so I decided to go to the next step and make my own beads. Thus began my work with polymer clay. Polymer Clay opened up different avenues for me as I was able to sell my designs in the antiques/tea room where I worked. I am never content for long and felt the need to branch out even more and added wirework to my designs. In between all of these ventures, a friend turned me on to Cafepress. I started to design t-shirts from drawings that I had done. Looking around, I wanted to express my faith to any generation so I made designs that had scriptures in them, but could be worn by anyone. Thank you so much for stopping by and looking through my shop.

I am a very proud member of the INcrowd Etsy Street Team.
The INcrowd is having a scavenger hunt! It is the yearly Wearin' o' the Green Basket o' Fun and will run from March 1 through March 15, 2008.

The prize will be a gift basket full of items generously donated by INcrowd members.

Please feel free to ask any questions. I do take custom orders. So, if you see a design that you like, but wished it came in a different color, just ask. Happy shopping.

Etsy Shop: http://BellaDio.etsy.com
Blog: http://belladio.blogspot.com
Cafepress: http://www.cafepress.com/belladio

Featured Artist: Mooretaste

Hi, I'm Toni Moore (also known as Toni Geary), I have always loved jewellery so making it really satisfies a passion that I've had for many years.

I am a work at home mum of 2 small children so my days are very full.

My aim is to create unique and beautiful jewellery items that you will love for many years.

I love learning new techniques and I constantly strive to create something that's just that little bit different. My items combine silver, copper, crystals, semi precious gemstones and my own handmade Dichroic pendants.

Anyway, enough from me. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy wearing my jewellery half as much as I enjoyed making it, you'll be one satisfied customer.

If you find that something isn't quite what you're after, please contact me as I love creating custom items.

Etsy Shop: http://Mooretaste.etsy.com
Blog: http://Mooretaste.blogspot.com
Website: http://mooretaste.com

Featured Artist: little brown bird

My name is Mary Ryan. I am an Interior Design Consultant by day and a Jewelry Artist every other waking moment.

My art is not limited to any one medium. I love photography, writing, painting, singing, acting...I could go on and on. Still, my love for all things shiny keeps me happily engrossed in jewelry design. Every piece created is a product of a restless imagination.

I prefer to use semiprecious stones or interesting glass beads in my work and love to pair them with sterling and .999 Fine Silver, yet I will not overlook the aesthetic value of a beautiful bead or found object simply because it is a base metal. My style is ever changing and evolving. As a result, you will find a little bit of everything in my work. I don't believe in stifling my creative energy and will try my hand at just about anything.

I am an adventure seeker and traveler and always hungry to discover new things. I have been greatly influenced by my travels and the amazing people I have met along the way. Having zip-lined through the cloud forest canopies of Costa Rica, jumped off of a bridge into the Urubamba River in Peru, hiked the Andes to Machu Picchu, traveled Death Road in Bolivia, and driven the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago...I have learned that life is something to be embraced with all senses. I believe life and art hold the same truths...that it must not only be viewed, but heard, touched, smelled, and tasted with an open heart, an open mind, and always with an open-mouthed hearty guffaw.

I have a variety of collections to complement any style and price point for young girls to women. I will happily accept orders for custom sizing or a change in clasp or ear post/wire on any of my pieces.

My work has been featured on-line and at local boutiques. I welcome inquiries for wholesale opportunities at boutiques and galleries. Please contact me for details.

Etsy Shop: http://littlebrownbird.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http://intheraw.etsy.com
Blog: http://thelittlebrownbird.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Thumbelina Creations

Jonquil Thiessen is a stay-at-home mom of three boys who loves to be creative in many different ways. She loves to sing, knit, crochet, draw, scrapbook, write music, and make jewelry. She would feel lost if she wasn't able to be creative.

She started young, singing in church and at weddings at three years old. Music and art have always been her passion.

She has tried to pass on that passion to her boys, but as you may know, little boys do not have a long attention span. Some of the boys are off to school now, so she has a little more time to focus on her art.

Her main priority is her family. Etsy has become a valuable method of continuing with her art and still being able to love and take care of her family.

Member of: etsyBEAD, ETSYMOM, and ETSYAlberta

Etsy Shop: http://thumbelinacreations.etsy.com/
Blog: http://thumbelinacreations.spaces.live.com/

Featured Artist: Lucky Girl Trading Company

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

In the spring of 2001 I was overwhelmed by sadness and huge piles of clutter. My marriage was in the midst of a very ugly ending, and he had left tons of his stuff behind. I suddenly realized that I was a very lucky girl to be rid of him, and Lucky Girl Trading Company was born. I began listing his stuff for sale on eBay, clearing away both the clutter and the sadness. A few years later I met my lucky guy--who was selling a bit of jewelry--and married him in a hot air balloon ceremony in 2006. We've worked together to build Lucky Girl Trading into a fun and fulfilling enterprise. I've also discovered working with glass--one of my all-time favorite creative outlets. I've also discovered two ancient arts: Kumihimo and Temari. Both are centuries-old crafts, and both give me a zen-like tranquility while working.

I truly am a Lucky Girl! Every day I gather pretty, sparkly things and send them to people. I imagine a person opening their mail and taking out their new pendant or chain or Temari ball. It's perfect--they have a huge smile on their face--and so do I.

Be my friend on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/luckygirltrading

Make Every Day Your Lucky Day (my blog): http://luckygirltrading.blogspot.com/

Visit me on eBay: http://stores.ebay.com/Lucky-Girl-Trading-Company

Visit me on Etsy: http://luckygirltrading.etsy.com

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

I never know what's going to inspire me until it happens. It could be something one of my children does, a "science project" I discover in the fridge, or a beautiful piece of art I see. Often my ideas come from picking up bits of glass and rearranging them--glass fascinates me and I could play with it for hours without ever doing anything productive.

3. What is the best thing about your products?

Every piece of glass, Temari ball, and Kumihimo braid is unique, so you're guaranteed to have a one-of-a-kind item. I can try to duplicate them, but it's never an exact match.

4. Why should people buy your product?

I want my customers to be completely happy with their purchase. It's difficult to shop when you can't actually pick an item up and feel it, turn it around, hold it up to the light. I'm happy to take returns and/or exchanges--it's more important to me that the customer is pleased with their purchase. I have a large number of repeat customers, and I think this policy plays a big part.

5. What is the best homemade item you have ever bought?

I can't pick just one! I think anything that inspires my family--whether it's one of my grown children or younger stepchildren--to be creative. I bought a chainmaille keychain that intrigued them so much that my 12-year-old asked where she can find a list of all possible arts and crafts so that she could try each one. I don't think it gets any better than that!

Etsy Shop: http://luckygirltrading.etsy.com
Blog: http://luckygirltrading.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist: Purrfectlydevine

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

Donna....York, PA.....etsyBEAD, BBEST (Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team)....Married with a 27 year old daughter. I am a special education teacher and alsso work part-time in a deli and make jewelry and am thinking about expanding by adding small crochet items like ponytail holders.

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

The first thing I made was a crocheted granny square large enough to be a baby blanket. I'd graduated from college and had only a part-time job and time on my hands. My late grandmother had crocheted, so I bought a hook, yarn, and a 35 cent book and taught myself how to crochet.

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

Everywhere and anywhere. Bead books, bead magazines, and the beads themselves. Often I will take an element from one piece and an element from another piece and yet add something not in either piece to come up with a unique piece. My Crystals and Swirls Necklace http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7441288 is one such piece. Purple and Teal Sensation http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6566661 is a piece where the focal bead seemed to speak to me.

4. Why should people buy handmade?

Uniqueness is one reason. You can purchase inexpensive jewelry from a company that sells make-up etc. nationwide. In the course of a week you might see 15 women wearing the exact same piece. Even if handmade items are not OOAK [one of a kind], it is unlikely that you will see too many people wearing the same piece. Most people who make items to sell care about their reputation and take care to make a quality item.

5. Creatively where do you think you'll be in five years?

I hope that I'll have increased to number of skills that I will be proficient in, therefore my creativity will take off because I won't be as limited by my skill set.

Etsy Shop: http://purrfectlydevine.etsy.com
Blog: http://purrfectlydevine.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist: A Passion For Fashion

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

Jennifer Meyers..Phoenix Arizona..Jewish

I am a stay at home Mom and I take care of my 2 kids..Both Under 6 years old. I started making jewelry about 7 years ago after my Dad bought me some books on the subject. I have always been creative and and I started calling myself an artist at age 5. I got my degree in Art from ASU where I did more painting and photography. My career includes more than 15 years as a professional artist, designer and consultant.

I have been on two local television morning shows, channel 3 and 12. My work has also been featured in the Arizona Republic Newspaper (in Arizona, USA). I have also been in many juried art shows, and high end retail shops. And now I am addicted to Etsy.

My Husband wrote two great stories for me in the Storque..one of those on Etsy addiction... http://www.etsy.com/storque/author/aPassionForFashion/

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

I am inspired by everything... I look at everything and try and think how I could use that. I tease my kids that I will turn their toys into jewelry and sell it on Etsy if they don't clean their rooms. Most of my idea come to me when I am working on a project... or hunting for something different on the Internet... I am always looking for that next big thing.

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

This is my favorite right now [Field of Flowers...Glass and Japanese Chiyogami Paper Pendant Necklace]... It is my newest design and very classy with my unique stamp on it. Plus I had a great time shopping for the supplies for this... It took 5 different venues to put this piece together... 2 brick and mortar stores and 3 online stores.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8838095

4. What is the best thing you have ever created?

The best thing I ever created first I'd have to say the relationship with my Mom... My Marriage... and My children... but I had help in those...

My best creation with my hand was when I built a 30 ft redwood trellis across our pool area in our former house. I had more time on my hands before kids and I love to construct things. I even designed and planned it all myself... Jewelry wise I am really tickled by a wholesale order I had... 33 pieces that went to Saudi Arabia.

5. What is the best homemade item you have ever bought?

I love my Cheetos Change Purse... I love Cheetos... I always have... so when I saw it I had to own it! Made by MoJo on Etsy. I also love aBreathofFrenchair shop on Etsy... I bought some grape-seed lotion with the smell of carnations... I bought some for my Mom as well... I just love it! I won't buy store lotion again...

Etsy Shop: http://apassionforfashion.etsy.com
Blog: http://jewelsbyjennifer.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Katrin Lerman Jewelry

I come from a family of makers and have been doing jewelry since I was a little girl (if making friendship bracelets is considered jewelry ; ) Originally from Germany, I settled in Massachusetts, US almost ten years ago. I can’t believe it has been such a long time already! Nonetheless, I draw inspiration from my German childhood as well as from the time spent here and from every little moment I can remember happening in between. Sometimes, photographs of finished jewelry pop into my mind and I have to quickly run to jot them down before they are gone. Other times, I have an idea in mind and it takes a lot of drawings until I have figured out how to best do what I was thinking about. Of course, those sketches are not written in stone and I often change a design while I am making the piece to arrive at the best end result possible.

All of my pieces are entirely hand made by me using sterling silver wire and high quality genuine gemstones. First, I create the desired shape/shell for a piece out of thick sterling silver wire. Then I string on the gemstones and wrap the entire piece with feet upon feet of thin sterling silver wire to give it a finished look. I add tiny sterling silver beads to the frame during wrapping to give it more dimension.

Every piece is different so if you see something and you like it you better grab it fast!

I also LOVE to work on custom designs. So if you have a certain gemstone or color in mind, please contact me. I can also incorporate keepsakes, such as beads, shells or charms into a beautiful pendant.

I graduated from the New England School of Art and Design at Suffolk University in Boston with a Degree of Fine Arts in Interior Design. Interior Design is all about color, form, and texture – and that’s what I’m integrating in my jewelry designs.

Now that I have a beautiful baby girl, I try to spend every free minute (and those of you who have a baby know that there are few) creating jewelry. Naturally, I have lots more time thinking than creating and so my sketch book is filling up with ideas for years to come. I can’t wait to get working on all those ideas and designs!!!

Etsy Shop: http://KatrinLermanJewelry.etsy.com
Blog: http://katrinlermanjewelry.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist: Autumn Leah Designs

I absolutely love making jewelry and come up with new ideas every day so my pieces are always fresh and unique!

I am a stay-home mom and I love being able to see my daughter grow everyday... with that said I also need something to keep me sane. So I make stuff! I just recently started making jewelry so it is my habit right now but I also love making anything on my computer. I do all of my scrapbooking digitally. I create Christmas cards, birth announcements, birthday invitations etc. I have a degree in graphic design so that is my passion. I would never actually work in the advertising world (too much pressure) but I love using those skills for personal use or for friends, etc. I love to look at a craft and figure out how to make it myself. That is why my shop is kind of eclectic.

I am also willing to do custom pieces if you need something specific for an outfit and I also customize my prints.

Etsy Shop: http://autumnleah.etsy.com
Blog: http://autumnleahdesigns.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Berry Beads

My name is Rosi Berry and I'm a 50-something divorcee from Long Island, NY. By day I am a supervisor for a defense electronics firm and by night I craft, whether it's making jewelry, sewing, embroidering, drawing. I also play flute and love celtic music. Many different things interest me. I suppose I inherited the crafty gene from my parents. Both of them valued things made by hand and they encouraged me and my sisters from an early age to create with our hands. The earliest thing I remember making was a wooden dish that I painted and drew designs on for mother's day in kindergarten. I was supposed to put my mother's initial U (for Ursula) but I put an A instead because that is what the teacher put. My mother never got rid of that dish.

Many things inspire me. I love animals so I am always looking to incorporate them into my designs. Color also, especially natural, earthy tones and celtic designs. I've only been making jewelry for a few years so I am still experimenting and trying to find my own style but I especially like working with wire. It's hard to say what my most favorite thing is in my shop. I love all my things that I put there, otherwise I wouldn't want to sell it to others. But thinking about it, I guess my absolute favorite item are the fishy earrings right now because it incorporates both an animal design and wirework.

The best homemade item that I bought is a hard question to answer. I have so many handmade things from family that were given as gifts. For example my sister is a deocrative painter and she makes amazing nutcrackers. I have quite a collection of her work. Hopefully soon she will open up an Etsy store herself. Anyway, a few years ago I bought a hand-painted fruit bowl at a craft fair of a strawberry man. It is my favorite bowl since I love strawberries and Berry is my last name. At that same craft fair I bought a beaded badge lanyard and that person's design inspired me to start making lanyards myself since all my coworkers wanted to know where I had gotten mine. That is how I got started making lanyards and jewelry.

Etsy Shop: http://berrybeads.etsy.com
Blog: http://blog.berrybeady.com

Featured Artist: On A Thousand Hills

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

My name is Cheryl, and I live in western Massachusetts. I have been involved in crafts and sewing in particular, since I was in grade school. I took 4 years of a clothing shop in our local vocational high school. I try to integrate my love of nature with my love of craft.

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

I remember my aunt getting out boxes of supplies when we'd visit. We'd sit for hours and make all sorts of things. I most remember the snow globes we'd make out of baby food jars.

3. Creatively where do you think you'll be in five years?

I am just beyond the beginning stages of beading, so I will certainly become more creative in 5 years. I have a lot to learn. I also get ideas for other craft and art ideas, and am hoping to branch out into some of those soon.

4. Why should people buy handmade?

It keeps our dollar in our own, American economy. When you buy handmade, you know it is not being made using slave-labor. It is usually something unique, not one of a zillion that were made by machine somewhere.

5. What is the best homemade item you have ever bought?

I would have to say that the beautiful butterfly bowl, made by Judy B Freeman (JudyBFreeman.etsy.com) was my best homemade purchase so far. It was hard to give it up as a gift to my Mom this Christmas.

Etsy Shop: http://onathousandhills.etsy.com
Blog: http://onathousandhills.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Cigarboxbeads

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I'm a retired Home Ec teacher, loved what I did, love what I'm doing now.

I became a non-stop beadweaver when I purchased 3 vintage cigarboxes full of beads at a flea market---about 20 years ago. I'm still using those beads, plus a 'few' more I can not help but purchase!

I also knit, sew, crochet, decoupage and lots and lots of other stuff so some other goodies might show up here as well, along with beads!

Happy looking!--here and at my other etsy site - http://suchandsort.esty.com. I also just took the big plunge into blogging- come see me there- http://cigarboxbeads.blogspot.com

I've also joined Etsy Beadweavers and am a humble participant!

Beadweaving is my joy, along with knitting, crocheting, sewing AND being with our twin grand daughters. Not at the same time though, they love to 'help'! We do have 'crafting time' every day that I watch them, so I hope I'm instilling the love of creating in them.

Etsy Shop: http://cigarboxbeads.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http://suchandsort.esty.com
Blog: http://cigarboxbeads.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: MyFairLadyvt4

My name is Ann, I'm a stay at home Mom in Vermont. I am married and have 2 children a boy and a girl. My favorite hobbies are reading and beading.

I get inspired from nature, photos, books, friends, colors, I love putting different colors that you would not think to put together. Then see the colors together and think wow, that actually looks good, at least to me. Currently, my favorite item in my shop is my new Red Brick Road freeform Brick stitch bracelet. I created it for the Etsy Beadweavers January Challenge. The theme is "RED".

Wow, I think my dream buyer may be Sarah Jessica Parker because she seems to appreciate different things. In 5 years I hope I am still doing what I am doing now, but I hope I have learned a lot of new things and incorporated them into my creations.

Etsy Shop: http://myfairladyvt4.etsy.com
Blog: http://myfairladyvt4.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Zoe Stewart UK

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

My name is Zoe Stewart, I am from Edinburgh but currently living in Yorkshire with my wonderful husband and cat. I work part time at a nursery and I sew every other minute of the day, and I love tea :)

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

The first thing is a Mother's Day card for my mum. I made it in nursery and it had a teapot on the front and I glued and celotaped a teabag to the inside as a gift for her, lmao. I don't think she drank it though.

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

In the nursery we have a lot of imaginations, so I get kids to draw me pictures and then I sew things. That's how the long hearts came around, and the monsters. They think it's funny when they see one they drew all sewn up, and they help me name them too.

4. Why should people buy handmade?

Handmade is wonderful! And I think more of it should be bought. I am buying all my Christmas gifts from Etsy this year, all handmade, all made with love, and just for me. Buy something individual for a change.

5. Where do you think you'll be in five years?

In 5 years, if my Etsy doesn't work out how I think it should, I plan to be teaching, high school art. I would love to be a teacher but right now I love my sewing and 'what if' isn't an option later, I see myself still happily married and to have a baby or maybe 2 soon also, and more animals, and a new house in the country, and just to be happy, nothing more important. :)

Etsy Shop: http://zoestewartuk.etsy.com
Blog: http://zoestewart.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Scorpienna

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

I'm Emily and I live in Rolla, Missouri. I'm currently a student at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly UM-Rolla). I received my bachelor's degree in biological engineering from the University of Missouri. I like to use tools to fix things and to make things, so I find that making jewelry is a fun way to relax when I'm not in classes. I now sell on Etsy at http://scorpienna.etsy.com and I'm a member of EtsyLou, the St. Louis Etsy street team.

When I'm not in school or playing on Etsy, I enjoy going to the Missouri wineries, playing with my beloved green cheeked conure (parrot) Charlie, and dancing. I'm currently taking ballet and modern dance classes for adult beginners, and the classes are a fun challenge for me.

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

I'm inspired by a mix of current trends and classical beauty. I'm attracted to rich, vibrant colors and patterns, symmetry, motion, and sparkle. I developed an obsession with Swarovski crystals after I became enamored with the glitz and glamour of beauty pageants, so I look for ways to take evening glamour down to a level that's appropriate for everyday wear with jeans and a favorite shirt. I'm also on a quest to make fun-and-funky things that have never been created before, so I have some unique creations to show from those endeavors.

3. Creatively where do you think you'll be in five years?

I imagine that I'll still be creating jewelry with an eclectic mix of bright colors, sparkle, beauty, and uniqueness.

4. What is the best thing you have ever created?

Chandelier earrings. I certainly didn't invent chandelier earrings, but I love to make them. I've created them in just about every size, color, and pattern under the sun, yet I still come up with new ideas on what to make.

5. Why should people buy handmade?

People should buy handmade for the heart and soul that is put into their purchases. It's a good feeling to have something that a real person has made as opposed to buying things that were produced on an anonymous assembly line. When I'm complimented on something I bought, I love the feeling I get when I say that I bought it from a friendly man or woman who makes things and sells them on Etsy, which is a feeling that I don't get when I say I bought something at the mall. Buying handmade is buying something made with love.

Etsy Shop: http://scorpienna.etsy.com
Blog: http://myspace.com/scorpienna
Blog: http://scorpienna.livejournal.com

Featured Artist: Regal Beads

I have loved doing crafts for most of my life (in fact, my dad loves to tell an embarrassing childhood story on me about this passion ;))

Both of my parents are quite creative, and passed this down to me!

I started beading over five years ago and took to it like a fish to water.

I love the feel of the beads in my hands, the challenge of a new pattern, and the joy of a completed piece!

For years this has been one of my hobbies, with my personal collection growing quite large, and with many family members and friends also benefiting.

I have now decided to share these treasures with the world.

I am a proud member of the Etsy Beadweaver Street Team.
Check our the blog for the latest in beadweaving adventures on Etsy - http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

Etsy Shop: http://RegalBeads.etsy.com
Blog: http://regalbeads.blogspot.com/