Check out this Etsy Artist!

Greetings!

I was just browsing some Etsy shops (yeah, I do that on occasion), and I found this amazing polymer clay artist! Check out this totally awesome, miniature food jewelry!

Salty Pretzels with Spicy Cheese Dip Earrings

The Etsy store is called The Mouse Market and I find the detail in these pieces to be absolutely mesmerizing!

Custom Made Party Cake Pendant

How cool are these? Imagine getting a customized slice of cake, made to look just like your own birthday cake!

Lemon Cupcake Charm

I think that the cupcakes are my favorite... I do LOVE cupcakes!

If you're looking for something truly unique and special for someone for the upcoming holiday season... shop Etsy or Artfire or 1000Markets for something handmade.

~Anne

Gott Beads?

No, it's not a typo... that's the name of the Artisan Studio that I'd like to share with you this evening! Gott Beads!

I love beads. I have a rather large stash of them, as I tend to horde them. I don't use them as often as I should in my altered artwork... mostly because I seem to be rather enchanted by just keeping jars full of beads on my shelves in my studio... and leaving them untouched!


Just a sampling of some of the treasures you'll find at Gott Beads!

Check Out Rocky Creek Gems!

Greetings!

I'd like to share another artfire studio with you! Check out Rocky Creek Gems! If you like jewelry (and who doesn't?) you can find some really unique pieces at this artfire studio!



I really love the color and the unique beauty of each of these pieces... stop by this artist's studio on Artfire today for some quality finds!

~Anne

Meet Jennifer of Jennuine Candles!

Greetings Everyone!

This past week has been crazy for me, as I've already mentioned, I was sick toward the end of last week, and I'm still trying to get caught up! I'll be posting pics of my latest artwork soon, fatbook pages for the Sweet Treats fatbook! woot!

In the meantime, I'd like to share a new interview with you... this time, I got the opportunity to interview Jennifer from Jennuine Candles!

photo from Jennuine Candles at Artfire

Beautiful! I love the crystallized appearance of Jennifer's candles! Let's learn a little bit more about Jennifer, and her beautiful candles!

How long have you been creating your art?

I've only been creating my candles for about 6 months now, and the first couple of months were spent solely on learning the process so I could make the best candles possible. However, I think that I've had the creative "bug" for a long time and just recently opened myself up to that creative side. I've always had an interest in the arts, dating back to my elementary and high school days, when I belonged to the "Art Club." But I really didn't pursue anything in the arts, per se, until I had a realization just recently that my job requires me to be creative every day. As an occupational therapist over the past 13 years I have worked with older adults and pediatrics, but my "mission" has always remained the same... improve the quality of life for each person/patient/resident that I have the opportunity of serving. In order to acheive that mission, creativity is my number one "friend." Although I may have not always been a true artisan, I can say I have been a "creator" for quite a long time now.

Where do you sell your art?

I currently sell my candles on Artfire, Etsy and 1000Markets.

How do you advertise/market your store?

This has been my most difficult task thus far, realizing that marketing is really the key component to succeed in being "found" by buyers. I have created a blog on Blogger (http://jennuinecandles09.blogspot.com/), a business page on facebook, a profile on byhand.me, and I try to make sure that I regularly visit and post in the forums on ByHand, Etsy, and Artfire. I also have a twitter account and a plurk account. It can be quite time consuming, but I believe that the time, effort and research will pay off in the end.

At what point did you decide to sell your art?

When I first started out making my candles, I only intended on making them for friends and family, and of course for my house as well. :) That is until my husband took a few of my candles to work to burn at his desk while he was working and then my "business" kind of bloomed from there. His co-workers started asking if I could make candles for them and then my co-workers got wind of my hobby and they started ordering the candles and the orders just kept coming, thus the creation of jennuinecandles.

photo from Jennuine Candles at Artfire

What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

I would tell them that marketing, item photos, shop organization and forum presentation are the keys to not only surviving, but thriving in these types of venues. There are hundreds of artisans that do the exact same or very similar thing that they do and making themselves unique and stand out to buyers is the biggest barrier standing between them and success. I am still learning these rules myself!

What inspires you?

Honestly, it depends on the day. I know that sounds vague, but when I make a new candle it's solely based on how I am feeling that particular day and what scent will meet that need for me. Now, obviously, I do custom orders as well so I won't wait for the "feeling" to overcome me to make an ordered candle. :)

Every artist experiences "creative block" - a creative dry spell - how do you deal with creative block?

I have yet to experience a true "creative block," but I guess it could be those days when I don't pull out my supplies and a new and beautiful creation.

How did you choose the medium you work with?

I was actually introduced to palm wax by a good friend. Prior to this exposure, I only knew of paraffin, soy and beeswax candles, but the intrigue and beauty of the palm wax really inspired me to learn more about it. And, the added benefits of it being a sustainable product that is good for the environment, unlike some of the other waxes, was definitely the final decision in the candle path that I chose.

photo from Jennuine Candles on Artfire

How do you wish to be remembered?

Smart, funny, honest and trustworthy.

What blogs do you visit on a regular basis?

Hmmm.... I have so many these days. Since I've been involved in ByHand, Artfire, Etsy and Plurk, the blogs I follow has grown and I try to visit them at least once a week to see what is new and exciting with everyone.

For anyone who might be reading, what shops would you recommend that they visit right now?

I would actually recommend following the link to my ByHand.ME spotlights because that's where I "store" my favorite items/shops:

http://www.byhand.me/jennuinecandles

Note: You can find her spotlights if you scroll down and click on her "my spotlights" tab

Any final thoughts?

Thanks for doing this... it's been fun! :)

Meet Teri from The Beaded Branch

Hello everyone!

It's been a pretty eventful week for me, I came down with a pretty nasty cold! At first, I thought it was just my allergies kicked into overdrive, but, when the Allergi-TEA wasn't as effective as it usually is, and when resorting to OTC options didn't help, I realized that I had a cold virus. Fortunately, I was able to knock it out pretty quickly with a secret weapon (I'll share the secret weapon with you on my other blog).

But on to more interesting topics... such as the artwork of one Teri Landow of The Beaded Branch.

Photo from The Beaded Branch on Etsy

Recently, I was able to interview Teri about her amazing jewelry, as well as her thoughts on art and selling online. I hope that you'll find her interview as enlightening as I did! Enjoy!

How long have you been creating your art?

I've been crafting and creating pretty much one way or another for my entire life. With a mother who sews and crafts, and a father who does woodwork and basket weaving, I've always been surrounded by people who were creative and creating, so it was natural that I took up crafting too. It was about 10 years ago after taking one or two classes in beading that I really caught the jewelry bug, and feel as if I truly found my niche in the art world.

Where do you sell your art?

I started off at one local craft show which I still do, Fluvanna County Old Farm Day. I also do one or two other very small local craft shows, as time permits. After starting to sell at craft shows, I started selling online, at http://www.thebeadedbranch.com. Over the last year, I finally decided to start slowly moving all my stock over to my store on Etsy: http://TheBeadedBranch.etsy.com I also sell on consignment at a small local store, the Palmyra Country Store.

How do you market/advertise your store?

Marketing and advertising is something I'm still learning a lot about. Right now, I concentrate only on free advertising. I have pages on http://byhand.me, http://www.indiepublic.com, http://www.merchantcircle.com, http://www.talentdatabase.com and facebook. I also participate in IndieSpotting, where I can submit one piece a week to be on their spotlight page. Plurk and Twitter have also been helpful, along with the old standby, business cards. Right now my business cards have only my main web address on them, but when I order more, I will also include my etsy shop address. I leave them on any community bulletin board I can and my husband hands them out when he's at work, to coworkers and other people who might be interested.

At what point did you decide to sell your art?

It was around eight years ago that I decided to start selling my jewelry. I had been making jewelry on my breaks at work, and people kept asking me, "How much is that one worth?" After my jewelry stash started to fill up several plastic shoeboxes, I decided I was never going to be able to wear it all, and so I had better get my business license and start selling. If for no other reason, than to recap some of the losses I had from trying to buy every bead I could get my hands on.

Photo from The Beaded Branch on Etsy

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out?

I have several pieces of advice:

1. Learn time management skills. They will be invaluable to you as your business grows.
   
2. Figure out how big you want your business to grow. How much time do you have to put in to this?
3. Figure out what you want to sell. If you are only in it to make money, then don't do it. If you truly love your art, and want others to be able to enjoy it, then by all means, sell.
4. Stay organized. Organize your finished stock by where you want to sell it. Keep your supplies organized. Keep your paper work up to date and organized. Do whatever it takes. Disorganization takes time away from creating, listing, and promoting.

[Good advice. I definitely can learn from the disorganization tip... I so badly need to get organized!]

What inspires you?

Everything. Books I read, nature, architecture, photography, art, friends, family, magazines, and movies. I try to glean inspiration from wherever I can get it. People inspire me the most. I'll pick a person I know, and create a bunch of jewelry that I believe they would like. I think about the colors they wear, or should wear, what styles they like to wear, how they carry themselves, everything. I believe that if one person in the world likes it, then there's a pretty good chance that there is one other person in the world who will like it.

Every artist experiences "creative block" -- a creative dry spell -- how do you deal with creative block?

Walk away. I get away from it for a while. I try working in a new or different medium. I color with my kids; I cook a new dish that I have never tried before. I listen to new music. I just see if I can experience something new and different, or re-experience something I haven't done in a while. And most importantly, I don't let it bother me.

How did you choose the medium you work with?

I have to admit, I kind of giggled at this question. Yes, I work in jewelry, and yes, I basically work with beads. But there are so many other mediums I use at this point that I start to lose count. But it all ends up as jewelry. I love the versatility of jewelry. There are a million different mediums that can be used to make it, and it seems like more are coming out every day. I love to try different things, experiment and play with my supplies with only a basic knowledge of how they work and what they are supposed to do. I'm less afraid to to try something new if I haven't taken a class in it, because then I don't have a bunch of "can't do's" or "won't works" hanging over my head. ("You can't do that." "Well, you can try it, but it probably won't work.") More or less the actual medium I use pretty much choose me. I get an idea, and then have to figure out what medium will be best to create the pendant, earrings, necklace, or whatever it is I'm trying to envision.

Photo from The Beaded Branch at Etsy

How do you wish to be remembered?

First off, as a good mommy and wife. Of course, that goes without saying, probably. Second, as a jewelry artist who might not have pushed everything to its very limit, but did step enough outside the box once in awhile to create something beautiful and unique.

Who are your favorite artists (living and deceased)?

Salvador Dali, MC Escher, Leonardo Da Vinci, Rene Jules Lalique, and my mom and dad.

What blogs do you visit on a regular basis?

http://3zArt.blogspot.com

http://dropofsunshinedesign.blogspot.com

http://hairtiesgaloreandmore.blogspot.com

http://handmadeshopaholic.blogspot.com

http://juliadarling.blogspot.com

http://rainwolf.blogspot.com

http://timothyadamdesigns.blogspot.com

and

http://bishopmadison.blogspot.com (which is my brother's very conservative blog, but he's my brother and I love him anyway!)

For anyone who might be reading, what shops would you recommend that they visit right now?

http://andreabaker.etsy.com

http://juliadarling.etsy.com and http://juliadarling.artfire.com

http://rainwolf.artfire.com

http://3zart.artfire.com

http://dropofsunshine.etsy.com

and of course:

http://liberteas.artfire.com (Thanks Anne!)

Any final thoughts?

Go ahead and play. Get your hands dirty. Color in a coloring book, but color outside the lines. When life gives you lemons, make grape juice and make people wonder how you did it? ;-)

Thanks for the great interview, Teri! Very informative!

Meet Elizabeth at ElizaArt!

Hello Everyone!

I guess it's no real secret that I love art. It's one of my greatest passions in life. And that passion extends from my own canvas to the work of others... I find great inspiration from other artists, their process, their journey. My soul comes to life when I see the artwork of another. There is a restless stirring within me that needs to capture that exhilaration that I feel when I am experiencing another person's art... as well as my own.

To that end, I have decided that I'd use this blog to not only chronicle my own artistic journey, but also to learn about other artists by interviewing them, and publishing that interview, along with some of my favorites of their work, right here... I hope you enjoy this new feature as well!

My first interview is with Elizabeth from ElizaArt. Elizabeth is a painter, and creates stunning works of art such as this.......

Photo from ElizaArt.com

Amazing, huh? Well, that's just a sample of what you'll find in the gallery of her website. Please, read on, and learn a little more about Elizabeth!

How long have you been creating your art?

I have been creating art ever since I was little and could draw with a crayon. I actually remember using nailpolish and painting in a coloring book when I was around 4 years old. It wasn't until I became a florist at 16 years old, and that is when I became more passionate about creating art. I was raised with a creative family where my brothers sang opera and my Mom was always into crafts, so it fascinated me to want to venture into art. Working as a florist for over 8 years taught me the importance of line, color, texture and the passion to create even more. I had always painted and drawn on the side, but it wasn’t until I grew in my paintings throughout the years, that I knew I could do something really great with my gift. I started letting people know that I could do commissioned paintings and that is when my art began to sell. I created my website last summer in the hopes that viewers could see what I could do and then commission me to paint something unique for them.

Photo from ElizaArt.com

Where do you sell your art?

I sell my art through a few online websites: Or should I say promote my art. I am new at promoting. I guess you could say I am not the pushing type to make people buy my art, so it has been hard to try and promote myself, but it is a good experience. I definitely would love for more people to see what I can do and purchase my art and prints!

www.ElizaArt.com Is my official website where a lot of my art can be viewed and you can learn more about me. www.ElizaArt.Etsy.com is where I just created my “ElizaArtshop” almost a month ago. I don’t have any sales, bu t I am hopeful!! Right now I am selling my art, prints of my art and my mini art pendants. www.handmade.me is a place where I can also market some of my work.

I also sell my art through word of mouth and at my hometown Veterinarian Clinic where I offer to create custom Pet Portraits.

How do you market/advertise your store?

Well, lately I have been trying to visit forums throughout Etsy and Handmade.me, because that is how you gain more exposure, and I have been adding new items to my store every week.

I also created a “mini art video” on “Youtube” where some of my art is shown. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsT6CcRfe70

I just started a blogging website where I have some of my art listed on www.ElizaArt.Blogspot.com
I am fairly new to the blogging world, so if you visit my blog, be one of the first to follow me! I would love to make new friends and learn more about all the artisans out there!

At what point did you decide to sell your art?

I actually decided to start selling my work, when I couldn’t possibly cover any more of my walls at home with my art….lol. It was last year that I really took my art to a new level and felt driven to create even more and to give people art that they can have in their homes or as gifts. I have worked for Fleer Corporation and designed game playing cards, but I knew that my style was more about landscapes, pet portraits and home décor art. I think finding out what my speciality was, made it easier for me to focus on the types of paintings I was best at. From then on, my paintings had a certain theme and that is when I began staying true to that theme and selling my art.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out?

I would tell them never to give up on something they love to do. I was always and still am a dreamer with big dreams. Everyday I keep motivated and pushing myself to do more. I would tell someone starting out to continually strive to do better. I still have a lot more to learn and can’t wait to see how I’ve progressed when I look back in 60 years!

What inspires you?

Really good music inspires me! I love to paint to all sorts of great music. I also have to wake up and have that creative feeling for the day. Some days I have it and some days I don’t, but when I do, that is when I turn up the music and paint away!

Photo from ElizaArt.com

Every artist experiences “creative block” – a creative dry spell – how do you deal with creative block?

I tend to step away from what I am creating for a couple of days until I feel motivated to come back to it again. It doesn’t do any good to work on something if you are not “feeling it.” The creativity will flow, but there has to be breaks in between where you spend time doing something else and rejuvenating your soul. I often take a look at my work and after hours of working on it, I don’t see it with fresh eyes anymore, so I have to walk away from it and come back to it with a new mind.

How did you choose the medium you work with?

I actually work with oils, acrylics, watercolors, oil pastels and just about any type of medium you can think of. I like to say the medium chooses me, but sometimes I go back and forth with the mediums I use. I will use oil for a couple days on a painting and then use acrylics on a new painting. I think I am one of those artist that likes to mix it up a bit….no pun intended ;)

　

How do you wish to be remembered?

I wish to be remembered as someone that was super creative, talented, warm, passionate about my work, loving, persistent and was a hard worker!

Who are your favorite artists (living and deceased)?

Monet, is one of my all-time favorites, for the way he captured light so well in his paintings. One of my other favorites is an artist named Marty Stanley who captured the California Delta sunsets and landscapes so beautifully through his paintings. I love his work not only for the way he mastered water colors, but also because he was a local artist.

What blogs to do you visit on a regular basis?

Blogging is new to me, but the blogs I have been following are:

Etsy Supply Street Team

Nesting Place

Original Artists on Etsy

Soap Deli News
pursesbagsandsewmuchmore

For anyone who might be reading, what shops would you recommend that they visit right now?

I love browsing the shops that offer delicious looking soaps, like the shop www.Adorationsoap.Etsy.com. The other shop I enjoy looking at is www.Hodakapottery.Etsy.com. Everyday I discover a great place!

Oh and make sure you add them to your favorite list! It’s nice to see who likes your shop if you are an Etsy member.

Any final thoughts?

Persistence, following your passion and getting yourself out there, whether you are a person like me who is not so keen to being noticed….sometimes you have to make yourself be! Oh, and don't forget to have fun during your creative journey!

You can learn more about Elizabeth at her website: http://www.ElizaArt.com