Wednesday, September 29, 2010

♥.•*•Featured Treasure: AccessoryLove•*•.♥

This feature interview is with Sarah of AccessoryLove.  By visiting her shop, you can see just how much she loves making earrings.  She has a way with pop tab bracelets,too!  I think this is a pretty neat idea, don't you!

I have to say after visiting Sarah's shop, she has a passion for dangle earrings but then who doesn't?  Dangle earrings always make me feel young and sexy.  There is just something about the movement of the earrings against my skin that puts a spring in my step.  If the earrings are shiny and dangle, that is the perfect combination. 

 Well, enough about what makes me feels young.  Let me show you a couple of my favorites from Sarah's love of accessroies!


Whimsy Clear Heart

Aren't these earrings just lovely and I bet when the light hits them just right the sparkle is fabulous!




Twilight Eclipse Bella Swan




This is one of Sarah's famous upcycled aluminum soda pop tab bracelets trimmed with black ribbon.  Isn't this adorable?

Let's have a chat with Sarah.

1) Tell us something you want us to know about yourself
Hi! My name is Sarah. I’ve lived in Michigan the entire 27 years of my life. By day, I am a product engineer for a major office furniture company, designing custom products per clients requests. My husband and I are working on having our first child! It’s hasn’t come easy for us, so we’re undergoing fertility treatments right now. Hopefully we’ll be blessed with a little bundle of joy sometime soon! In my free time, I love to spend time with my husband, read (I’m part of my neighborhood book club), and make earrings (obviously)! You can get to know me more by following my blog .

2) How did you get started crafting and how long have you been doing it?
I’ve always been dabbling in random crafts for as long as I can remember. I always handmake greeting cards for birthdays (although mine aren’t nearly as good as I’ve seen in some of the Etsy shops!). Then, in March of 2010, I was looking for a more focused hobby, and decided to try making jewelry, because I love being able to wear a different pair of earrings every day! I started out pretty simple, but I continue to experiment with different, unique designs.


3) Where does the name of your shop come from?
My birthday is Valentine’s Day, so I love anything that has to do with pink/red, hearts, and LOVE! So that is where the “Love” part came from. And the “Accessory” part just happened to be a generic term for what I wanted to put in my shop. Right now, it consists of just earrings, but I’d love to be able to expand into other accessories, like purses, more jewelery, and hair clips!


4) Briefly describe what you make.
I can be very brief here: Earrings! :-)


5) What inspires and motives you to keep crafting?
I’m inspired by new clothes. If I happen to get a new outfit, or dig something out from the back of the closet, I want a new pair of earrings to match. I always try to make something that I can repeat, so if I fall in love with it, I can make a pair for myself! I don’t really need much more motivation to craft. I usually just craft whenever I’m in the mood. If I’m too busy and don’t get to it, I don’t feel bad, I know I’ll have a chance some other time!


6) Do you have a favorite piece or design that you make?

 

Teal Blue Green Czech Fire Polished



My favorite type of earrings I make are the 3-strand style. For example, this listing is one of my faves! 



Pale Blue Glass Bead Chain Dangle Drop Earrings







But my best seller are the chain dangle style, like those shown here  









7) What would you most want people to know about your work?

That I do it for fun, not for profit. I want everyone to be able to wear unique, but affordable earrings!


8) Where can people find you?

 
Website: http://www.accessorylove.etsy.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AccessoryLove

Blog: http://whereivebeenwhereimatandwhereimgoing.blogspot.com/



9) Is there anything else you want to share, a bit of advice or something you have learned since selling on Etsy that would benefit other sellers?
Ah! I’m terrible with advice! So, I will just say, Do what you love! If you don’t love it, don’t do it! :-)



Sarah, Thank you for letting us spend a little time with you!


Please visit Sarah's shop to see here latest creations!

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs, Kim








 
 






Friday, September 3, 2010

♥.•*•Featured Treasure: lilkt384•*•.♥

Today's interview features Katie of lilkt384, also known as Katie's Vintage Jewelry & Things.  Katie's shop is full of beautiful vintage jewelry and home decor but she also recycles different materials into calendars.

You can see Katie's love for vintage in both her avatar and banner.   Both display beautiful pieces of jewelry which I am guessing are a couple of her favorites. Speaking of favorites, I must show you a couple of beautiful brooches:

Flower Brooch






Yellow Flowers Brooch
Both pieces are just beautiful pieces for an excellent price. Can you tell that I kind of favor the brooches?









Her is one of Katie's recycled calendars designed around Christmas.


Christmas Calendar
Didn't she do a wonderful job on this calendar?


Now that we have seen a few of Katie's treasures, I think it is time to meet the lady.


1) Tell us something about yourself
My name is Katie. I work for a municipality in South Carolina. I created my shop because I had such a great time browsing this site and I loved the idea of sharing my love for vintage with the rest of the Etsians. I also work with paper crafts, recycled/upcycled crafts, and other similar projects in my spare time.

2) How did you get started crafting and how long have you been doing it?
I've been doing paper crafts for about 10 years. I've been so busy with invitations and scrapbooks for friends and family the last couple years that I haven't been able to display much of that on my site. I hope to get some of that work on my site this fall/winter.

3) Where does the name of your shop come from?
The name of my shop was from my email name when I signed up for the site. I did not anticipate opening up my own shop at the time, but when I chose to do so I just decided to stick with it.


4) Briefly describe what you make.
 I sell a lot of vintage, but I also enjoy working with pieces of broken vintage jewelry and paper crafts. I make magnetic calendars from recycled materials, brooches, magnets, cards, etc.


5) What inspires and motives you to keep crafting?
 I have a pretty stressful job and my crafting gives me a release from that stress. I truly enjoy sharing my work with others.


6) Do you have a favorite piece or design that you make? 
 My favorite piece so far is actually a decoupage wood coat rack. I recently sold another wood decoupage item and the buyer was thrilled with the piece.


Wood Coat Rack

 7) What would you most want people to know about your work?
 Everything in my shop has a story behind it and a lot of heart has been put into the handmade items. I just love to sell stuff that makes people happy!

8) Where can people find you?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilkt384


I'll be branching to some other sites eventually, but haven't done so yet :)


9) Is there anything else you want to share, a bit of advice or something you have learned since selling on Etsy that would benefit other sellers?

Get involved and get to know other Etsy crafters. They are your best resource! I've met some wonderful people on Etsy and they have been extremely helpful.



Katie, Thanks for letting us get to know you a little better!


Please visit Katie's shop soon!

Thanks for visiting our blog!
Hugs, Kim