Featured Artist & Giveaway

I recently met Donna ,a WAHM homeschooling mom through our ETSY She team (a group of homeschooling mom's that own home-based business on etsy.com). Donna has two wonderful shops CellChic and Huebsch Designs and she is generously sponsoring this week's giveaway of a beautiful Cell Phone Charm similar to the one seen below. Donna will let the winner choose which charm they prefer from her CellChic Shop(9.99 value).

I've had the pleasure of talking with Donna via email and got to ask her some question on running a homebased business and homeschooling...

What inspired you to begin creating cell charms and open your homebased business? I've always loved crafting of all sorts. I started beading about 5 years ago, and it really stuck! I made and gave away all the bracelets, earrings, necklaces and jeans jewelry that I could, and then I discovered the little straps for making cell charms...I was hooked! I made and gave them away until everyone I knew had one of my charms. I was interested in selling my crafts, but knew that weekend craft shows didn't mesh with our lifestyle. I placed my items in several boutiques, but having to sell them at wholesale prices made it difficult to make a decent profit.A few weeks ago, I discovered Etsy and thought I had died and gone to heaven! It was exactly the venue I wanted. It's like having your items in a 24/7 craft show with the entire world as potential customers, and you never have to leave your house!

What inspires you? Almost anything - I'll see something where the colors catch my eye, and think about how I can use that in a piece of jewelry or a decorative accessory. For example, I was making a pumpkin pie yesterday, and when I had dumped the sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl, I thought, "Ooo-o-oh! Nice colors. That would look great in a cell phone charm." Check my shop - I'll be adding a charm called "Sugar and Spice" soon :o)

Why do you homeschool? and what lead you to that decision? We homeschool because we feel it offers the best educational oppotunities for our very bright child. I guess what led us to that decision was the experience of having our child in public school for grades K-5, and realizing that we wanted something different.

How do you balance running a home-based business and homeschooling your children? With our eclectic style of homeschooling, it all kind of blends together actually. Starting the home-based business is giving lots of opportunities for practical, real-life educational experiences.

What has been you biggest handmade "oops"? There are probably lots! The first to come to mind is when I decided I just HAD to try working with PMC (precious metal clay). I made one attempt at a pair of earrings -- the clay dried way too quickly as I tried to work with it. I finally fired the pieces in my little "hot pot", and then promptly broke one of the earrings in half as I tried to finish them. Before I could try a second project, I broke the lid to my hot pot, so I have shelved my interest in PMC for awhile!

How do you spend your time when you are not creating? We love to camp, so every now and then we pack up the people, the 3 dogs, the cat and the Abyssinian guinea pig and head off to the wild blue yonder.

To enter the giveaway simply visit both of Donna's shops CellChic and Huebsch Designs and tell us in the comments section what your favorite items from her shops are. Giveway ends February 23.2009.

Featured Artist and Giveaway

My featured artist this month is Bad Cat Jewelry from San Antonio, Texas. Bad Cat Jewelry offers stunning handmade jewelry using sterling silver, vintage beads, lampwork, Swarovski crystal, and textiles. You can find Bad Cat Jewelry on Etsy, Artfire, 1000Markets, twitter, http://www.badcatjewelry.com/ which links to her *new* blog: http://www.blog.badcatjewelry.com/, and Flickr. If Bad Cat Jewelry is typed into Google, she will turn up. Bad Cat is also in the process of increasing her stock to sell at a crafter's market in February.

I recently spoke with Bad Cat via email and asked her a few questions...

What inspired you to begin creating jewelry? I needed an outlet when my husband was deployed. I put all the blame on my sister-in-law who got me back into beading (I did a little in college). Then I found out that our friends' child had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and I couldn't help them since I was so far away. So I decided to set up a little tiny business online and donate 10% of the profits to Specially for Children in Austin, Texas.

Where did you start and how did you learn to make the products you are creating today? I am totally self taught. I took one class, but it was basically what I had already taught myself.What are your favorite products to make? Anything that has been in my mind's eye. I love seeing an idea come into fruition and working.

What inspires you? Color and symmetry. I love playing with colors. Symmetry is very important to me. You probably won't see me using chips or oddly shaped stones in my pieces. I just can't do it.

What was your biggest handmade oops? Ummm...really just messing up with some sterling. That always irks me. I'm too impatient at times and just jump into a project without a practice run on some cheap wire.

How do you spend time when you are NOT creating? I would love to say I am an incredibly organized person who runs a perfect household. Its just not true. In my spare time I am trying to coax my active preschool boy into clothing, finding matching socks, and making sure shoes are on the correct feet. I am also trying to fix whatever toy is broken, building train tracks (I should have an engineering degree), cleaning up from little "helping" hands (Pinesol gets crayon out of the carpet), and explaining why the cat doesn't want to be dragged around by his tail.

THE GIVEAWAY

I will be giving away of a pair of Bad Cats beautiful Pink Stacked Earrings, which are constructed using two fabulous, faceted pink stones on sterling silver headpins and attached to earwires. These earrings would make the perfect Valentine Gift for yourself or someone you love. To enter the giveaway simply go to Bad Cat's shop http://www.badcatjewelry.etsy.com/ and to http://www.smokeymountainscents.etsy.com/ then leave a comment on this blog (please don't forget to leave contact info or I will have to choose a different winner because I won't be able to reach you) to tell me what your favorite item is in each shop is. The contest begins January 21 and will end February 4. I will have one of my lovely kiddos choose the lucky winner. The Earrings will ship in time to give as a Valentine gift.

Christmas Shopping with ETSY Part III

There is soooo many wonderful things on etsy for women that I had a hard time narrowing it down to just a few. Any woman would LOVE to get these as a Christmas Gift.

Bad Cat Jewelry's Say Anything, the Necklace is made with Sterling Silver and milky swirled lampwork beads is the perfect necklace for any occasion.

A Long Cardigan is one of my favorite articles of apparel and the Royal Rattlesnake Long Cardigan by Ahpeele is gorgeous!

Look at this beautiful All About Green Bracelet from Mom Potter. I love it.

Anyone would be proud to have Spice of Life's Chaste Tree stering silver, aquamarine and pearl dangle earring.
Keep her warm and in style with this Green With Envy Clonch from Ohio Crochet Lady. I would be green with envy of anyone wearing it.

She will be thrilled to open this stunning necklace and earring set in a beautiful mix of swarovski cream pearls, copper findings and a deep olivine swarovski pearl for BGK Designs



And she would be tickled pink find this Kelsey Reverible Tote from A Stone's Throw under the tree on Christmas Day!

Featured Seller & Giveaway

At KristieGK you can find beautiful jewelry, cards, scrap booking items and cute primitive salt dough ornaments. Kristie is a very talented craftswoman who is also a fellow home schooler and East Tennessean

Kristie is generously sponsoring a giveaway of a pair of her lovely Cascading Pearl Earrings. These earrings would be perfect for all your holiday dress occasions. To enter the giveaway simply go to Kristie's shop http://www.kristiegk.etsy.com and then leave a comment on this blog (please don't forget to leave contact info) to tell me what your favorite item in her shop is. The contest begins November 6 and will end November 16. I will have one of my lovely kiddos choose the lucky winner.



I've had the pleasure of chatting with Kristie and had the opportunity to ask her a few questions.

What inspires your designs ?
Anything and everything! I can see a color, smell a fragrance, feel a texture, or think of someone, and the next thing I know I am elbow deep in another project. It can be a curse and a blessing at times. Mostly a blessing though.

Tell us what one of your products we shouldn't be without and why. A simple yet sophisticated pair of pearl earrings. The classic white or ivory pearl is versatile for so many occasions. They can compliment jeans and a nice blouse, business casual, and certainly formal attire as well. Also, If white isn't your "thing" and you want more variety you now have so many color options available.
Lastly, they are great for passing down from generation to generation. There is something timeless about pearls that will never go out of style.


What is unique/sets you apart from the rest about your products, materials, process?
Quality materials, genuine hands on creativity, and fair prices.
I like to have products available for all budget levels. Whether you have a six figure income or are just looking to spend $5 you won't get cheap, shoddy products!
For me, Etsy is a venue that allows me- as a stay at home mom- to turn my creativity into a little extra "me" money. Which is why I can operate my shop with a bit more flexibility price wise. I know that a lot of sellers cringe at me for even saying that, but I choose to look at my business as a place where friendships are made as well as money. Never forget that there is a real person on the other end of the transactions and treat them with respect and fairness.

What is your favorite item from your shop
If I were to choose just one it would be my salt dough candy cane ornaments right now.I enjoy the entire process from mixing the dough to the right consistency, rolling it between my hands and forming the canes. I love the smell as they are baking, then painting them, sanding them, and dipping them in the wax. I am very much a fan of primitive decorating in general because it just makes me feel like life doesn't always have to be so rushed and so corporate. I hope to convey that peaceful feeling through my prim goodies to others as well.


What do you do when you aren't making jewelry and paper crafts?Actually I am a brain surgeon in my spare time. I wish! Nope! Actually I am just a typical happy housewife doing things like washing this, cooking that, raising my two teenage boys and loving every precious, and rare minute I get to spend with my husband Chris.
Oh, and spending insane amounts of money shopping on Etsy! Shhh... ;)