Balanced Interview and Giveaway!

1. Who is Balanced?

My name is Rachel. I'm originally from Northern California, but currently living in Dublin, Ireland with my wonderful Irish husband and our baby Ginger, the cat.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

Oh goodness. I've been making things all my life. But, regarding my Etsy shop, I've been making jewelry for about 10 years. I do papercrafts as well, my sold section shows a set of cards I did. I paint also and sell prints an another venue you can find on my blog, http://balancedcrafts.com.

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

Everywhere really. Nature, art, fashion. I browse a lot of magazines and read a lot of blogs. I'm inspired everyday.

4. What is your favorite medium?

I haven't met a medium I didn't like yet and I'm always looking for new ones. Right now I'm trying out encaustic painting, but the old stand buys like oil, acrylic, pencils, chalk, etc. are always near. I do a lot of digital painting these days as well. And with jewelry, I would say beadweaving as opposed to bead stringing, though I love that too.

5. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

I suppose it is. I'm always working on it in one way or another and I have no other job, so, yeah. :P

6. How did you find Etsy?

Magic.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

I think it was all the awesome people I met.

8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

Wow, I am no good at these 'favorite' questions. I love and am proud of every single thing I make to sell, or I wouldn't put it out into the world. I'm very sensitive, haha. I do, however, have a special fondness for the beadwoven pieces as there is more time put into them.

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

My head is spinning trying to think of favorites, honestly. There are just so many!

10.Tips for other Artists?

Yes, though it's not originally mine.“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some" by Robert Fulghum.

11. Tell me a secret about yourself!

I know where you live. (If you've ordered from me that is.:P)

12. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

Just a sincere thank you. I'm so glad to be a part of this team and to have met the wonderful people in it. It's a lovely thing.

Balanced is offering this beautiful Pearly Squares Bracelet in our giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is go to her Etsy Shop and come back here and leave a comment telling us which of her items is your favorite! Be sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Sunday, March 8th at midnight EST.

MyMotherMary Interview and Giveaway!!

1. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

I do all kinds of needle craft, but have been concentrating on sewing, machine embroidery and crocheting. I received my first sewing machine at the age of 6, and have been sewing since! I can’t even remember my first project. My mother taught my brothers and I how to crochet as well. After a long car rides, we kids would crochet chains of yarn. The person who crocheted the longest chain would get a prize. My mother knew how to keep us busy! My first sale was of crocheted hair ties. My second sales job was selling doll clothes to classmates!

2. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

Working with a customer on a custom item is the most inspiring. I just love getting an idea from a client and bouncing ideas back and forth. What first starts out as a simple idea usually ends up becoming a beautiful, personal item.Alchemy, I have discovered, is a wonderful place! It allows me to create a custom item for a customer, freeing my creativity more than the listings allow.

3. What is your favorite medium?

I love cotton…in yarns, materials and threads! Different combinations of such a simple item can create a keep-sake for years to come. In our closet, I have beautiful little gowns hand made for my daughters. They are 100% batiste cotton with hand embroidered shadow work. They were a joy to work on, and I look forward to the day my daughters have little girls to where them again.

4. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

Everything seems to be on the side! I am a mom to eight kids ranging from 16 years old to 9 months old. They will always come first. My etsy business is growing fast, but I always try to remember to pull back if it interferes with my family life. Usually the kids are just as excited as I am when I create a new item or have a new sale. I could easily become a work alcoholic, but my kids are keeping me grounded.

5. How did you find Etsy?

I found Etsy through a friend who urged me to set up a shop. After a year of her encouragement, I finally took her advice. I am so glad I did!

6. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

I have a bit of the blarney in me! Becoming addicted to Etsy chat seemed to happen instantly. Can you imagine? A room full of people who love to chat and craft, all in one place?? That’s just asking for addiction to happen!

7. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

My favorite piece is the custom tote I made for Pumpkinpye517 (a fellow etsian). She wanted a tote with her daughters name embroidered on it. It turned out wonderfully! I love it, and from what I hear, so does Pumpkinpye517ei!

8. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

Favorite shop? Oh my! That is hard! There are so many wonderful crafters that I can’t just pick one. The crafts and skills that are on display are just amazing!

9.Tips for other Artists?

Believe in your work. An artist gave my daughter great advice, value your art and never give it away. Too many times we see our items as “simple” and think no one would pay for them. Don’t fall into this trap! Value your work, and others will too.

10. Tell me a secret about yourself!!??

For a while I was on the way to being a college professor. I was even a graduate assistant, teaching and grading papers for professors. How life has changed for me!

11. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”~ Mother Theresa

There are so many quotes from Mother Theresa that I love, but this is one of my favorites. It reminds me to do all things in my life with love.

MyMotherMary is offering these adorable Squishy-Soft Baby Blocks in our giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is go to MyMotherMary's Etsy Shop and come back here and leave a comment telling us which of her items is your favorite! Be sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Friday, February 27th at midnight EST.

BeInspiredDesigns Interview and Giveaway!

1. Who is Be Inspired Designs?

My name is Inga Leonce. I live in “Hot-lanta” (Atlanta, Ga) with my lovely husband, three kids and dog. I graduated from Gwinnett Tech with a degree in Photography. My home is filled with up and coming artist as we are all pursuing art in some fashion.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

I am a self taught jewelry designer. I currently run two shops on Etsy. Be Inspired Designs where I sell upcycled Scrabble Tile Pendants and Ingas Gems where I sell gemstone jewelry. After taking a break from product photography in the late 90’s (showing my age) I began making gemstone jewelry as a hobby. After a friend suggested that I start selling my jewelry, I began to throw home parties and eventually opened my own website. I have been selling my wares for over seven years and I’m currently focusing my time on my scrabble tile pendant shop. My mom and I love playing scrabble and to be able to use those little tiles in a creative way has been great. I’ve added phone charms, hair bows, magnets to my shop. I’m currently working on something special for those “blank” tiles. I’m not telling yet, you’ll have to check my shop in the near future to see what it is!

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

I draw my inspiration from this beautiful world that we live in. I love to incorporate bright colors, nature and different cultures into my pendant designs.

4. What is your favorite medium?

For me, this question has many answers. Currently, I would say Japanese washi paper and digital painting.

5. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

My Etsy shop is my full time job.

6. How did you find Etsy?

I found Etsy in 2007 after I became totally exhausted running my own website.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

Unfortunately, when I originally signed up with Etsy in 2007, I was unable to use the Etsy chat rooms or even view a Treasury. For almost a year I tried everything the techs said to do but to no avail. So for me chat was something I read about in the forums but couldn’t participate in. I felt like an outsider. I switched internet service providers and they installed Firefox onto my computer and to my amazement, chat opened up. I was so excited that I began to spend way too much time in the chat rooms! I have met some awesome people in Etsy chat, we talk about our lives, businesses, showcase each others work and shop; what more could a girl ask for!

8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

My favorite piece is “The Lord’s Prayer” Scrabble Pendant. I haven’t sold any on Etsy as yet but I wear one and it reminds me to never lose faith and keep moving forward towards my dreams while loving people in the process.

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

Heathens Hearth is my favorite shop. I met these two beautiful young ladies in chat and there was something special about them. For the longest time I actually thought Heathens Hearth was one person with two very distinct personalities (some type of multiple personality disorder) but it pays to read a shops “profile” lol. I love their handmade bath and massage oils as I am a “spa baby”. There shop is defiantly my new “gift shop” for family and friends.

10. Tips for other Artists?

When it comes to business, we are all artist but we also have to keep in mind that we are in the “service” industry. Provide good customer service, respond quickly to convos and never talk bad about your customers. Most of all do what you love, make it your own and have fun. Enjoy the journey!

11. Tell me a secret about yourself.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone but I run a business in my PJ’s! I’ve always wanted to do that so with coffee in hand and fuzzy slippers on my feet I run Be Inspired Designs!

12. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

See you in chat!

Inga is offering this awesome pendant in our giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is go to BeInspiredDesign's Etsy Shop and come back here and leave a comment telling us which of her pendants is your favorite! Be sure you leave your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway is open internationally and will run until Thursday, February 19th at midnight EST.

Wiseoldowl

A member of the Etsy Chatters Team and a maker of gorgeous jewelry (among other things!) Wiseoldowl is our first featured seller!

1. Who is wiseoldowl?

I'm neither as old or as wise as I would have you think. I'm a new mommy to the most incredible baby boy. I live in Raleigh, North Carolina with my husband and our three crazy puppy dogs.

2. What kind of crafting/art do you do? How long have you been doing it?

I really love it all. If it requires creativity or ingenuity I'm in. No matter if it's actually labor or requires an inane amount of detail - I am proud of my creativity, and hope to help others find what makes them artistic as well. I've been into painting, drawing and crocheting since I was very young - my grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 6 or 7. I've been making jewelry with beads since I was about 16, so almost 9 years. (Good for you, those who can do the math.)

3. Where do you pull your inspiration from?

Everything. From animals, buildings, nature in general, friends, a well accessorized individual. I definitely always have my eyes open. One thing that can be said about me is that I pay constant attention to detail. Do you have a new haircut? I'll be the first to notice.

4. What is your favorite medium?

Right now I really love chain and brass charms. I really like any arts or crafts supplies and could wander around AC Moore for hours.

5. Is Etsy/your art your full time job, or just an on the side project?

It is definitely an on the side project. While I would love for it to bring in enough money to at least support my coffee addiction - I enjoy just being a part of such a fine group of people.

6. How did you find Etsy?

I have no clue, actually. I can't remember for the life of me.

7. How did you become ADDICTED to Etsy CHAT?

Etsy chatters are hilarious, intelligent and inspired people. It's so nice to talk to people with whom I have something in common. (HA! Just kidding.)

8. What is your favorite piece that you have done?

I really can't pick just one! I certainly have pieces that I've made for my shop that I've loved and turned around and made one for myself, that's the great thing about making accessories - and why I originally got started with it, when I didn't have something to match an outfit, voila! I made something!

9. What is your favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)?

Oh, I couldn't say. Check out my favorites, there are some incredibly talented people on Etsy!

10. Tips for other Artists?

Do what you enjoy! Everyday find time to invest in yourself and practice your craft.

11. Tell me a secret about yourself.

I have a scar on my left side from when I was little. I was climbing a tree in a dress, and when I fell a branch pierced me. I'll never forget that walk from the tree to my house, sobbing and holding my dress up, all bunched around my waist. Classy, I know.

12. Any parting words of wisdom? Questions? Comments?

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. -Dr Seuss

Advertising for your Etsy

Well, this is the first time I'm blogging for the team blog. I'm not sure what to blog about yet but I've been browsing around in the Forums and found a site that provides free trial advertising until Jan 15th.

There are only a few days left but I thought I'd just briefly introduce the site. The name of the site is Found Handmade! It's where you can purchase a block of advertising from the site for as low as $5 for each block per month.

The look is clean and nice, sorta like Etsy.


I've included a partial print screen of the site. Check it out at http://www.foundhandmade.com.

And these are a few of my favorite things...

I snagged a treasury this morning (weeeeeeee!) and put together just a few of my favorite creations made by my other team members.

Show it some love!