Featured Artist: Glory2727

Let me share my joy of painting with you

What inspires me as an artist? I would have to say everything! I am always amazed at cloud formations. I look at this all the time. The flowers with delicate petals of color are considered God’s Art- work. The beautiful birds and butterflies could give anyone a color theory lesson. My slogan for my business and my work is “Let me share my Joy of painting with you”.

I work each year on a technique of painting. So far I have done oils, acrylics water color, pen and ink with watercolor wash, colored pencil, and one stroke painting. I am having such a good time with my pursuit of colored pencils that I shall work with them for now.

I got started late in life on an art career. I am a widow and have battled with cancer and a handicapping accident. Art has given me a new purpose to get up each morning and being glad to be alive. What more does anyone need in life?

I have my own hours, eat when I want, watch TV programs I like, sleep when I want, get on the Etsy forums anytime I like , and travel and share with my daughter and friends. And I will have to say the mother and daughter roll has switched. My daughter is my roll model now and she inspires me and encourage me in all that I do.

Etsy Shop: http://glory2727.etsy.com
Blog: http:/www.frommybrush.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

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

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: My Cat Lulu

MyCatLulu
Lulu is one of the cutest cats out there. She has great big eyes and really soft fur. She reminds me of an anime cat, but only better–no crazy effects...though her purr could use a little more volume.

About me:
Professional facts:
BA in Art
Day Job: Desktop Publisher
Trained in Photoshop, Indesign, gocco, my medium format camera, black and white darkroom, and the color darkroom.

I am:
I'm a lover not a fighter who enjoys the company of people, the songs of birds, and an occasional Mia tai. Don't like mean people, but really who would. Don't own bowling shoes, but I did play in a league when I was in 5th grade. Other than art, my passion is traveling. My last trip took me to Kauai, Hawaii...lovely.

Read about art and the life on me and Lulu at:
http://mycatlulu.blogspot.com
Pictures, pictures pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beccaphoto/

Proud Member of the following street teams
California Crafters Club Of Etsy
EFA- Etsy's For Animals
Gocco
Paper
SF Bay Area

I love custom orders, design work with the gocco or a banner for your own etsy shop.

Etsy Shop: http://mycatlulu.etsy.com
Blog: http://mycatlulu.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/

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/