Featured Friday - The Wooden Bee

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Oh my! I have sure been on quite the hiatus! Going to start a few things back up (yay!). I will be changing the posting approach to "Featured Friday" so that only one shop will be featured a month. The shops coming up will be a mix of some left over interview's from last year, as well as a chance to get to know our Team Leader's who help put together and manage our Etsy Page.

This Friday's interview is with Bee, owner of The Wooden Bee

Tell me a bit about yourself and what you sell:

Hello! My name is Bee, a nickname from school that stuck. The Wooden Bee sounded like the perfect name for our reclaimed wood business, when we opened three years ago. I try to stay as involved as possible with our Florida Etsy Street Team. They are great resource of artist and info for an Etsy shop like myself. I specifically help out with FEST Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Favorite piece you have made- and why?

Oh this has to be the hardest question. I love all the things I make. My husband often asks, "Is that for you or a customer?" when eyeing a new custom piece in the workshop. One wedding anniversary we made ourselves a reclaimed wood frame. It is probably my favorite. Beautiful cherry wood and salvaged glass, frame a bee printed on antique paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 What inspires you?

The wood. It still amazes me how much BEAUTIFUL, unwanted wood is out there. 100% of our wood would have otherwise found itself in a landfill. We drive all over Central Florida collecting quality hardwoods for our shop.
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT

Favorite part about living in Florida?

The weather. We can spend 365 days outside... gardening, playing, and enjoying mother nature here in the sunshine state!

See yourself in 5 years?
Gardening, playing mom, and upcycling wood. I love my life, so I hope too much doesn't change.
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Lots of fruits and vegetables. If I'm not growing them, I'm getting them from a produce coop. My newest thing is flavored water! There is always a bottle in the fridge. Just add some lemon, cucumbers, herbs, or whatever you like to filtered water. It's so refreshing!

If you could have any pet what would it be?

If you could have ANY pet, what would you have (why and name)? I want chickens! lol I dream of the day that we have a little backyard coop with some hens and fresh eggs! Do you name chickens? Maybe something like Hattie, Clover, and Flo? :)
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT 






Thank you for letting me interview you and all the hard work you do for our team. Remember to go show The Wooden Bee some love <3
-Chelsey
As it comes, it goes

Featured Friday - Gifts Galore and More

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This Friday's interview is with Gifts Galore and More!

Tell me a bit about yourself and what you sell:

I've been scrapbooking since college and love to preserve memories. As cards became more expensive and I had TONS of scrap papers and embellishments I decided to make cute, affordable, handmade cards, tags, enclosure cards, etc.
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT

Favorite piece you have made- and why?

My favorite piece I have made are my Thomas the Train (and friends) thank you and notecards. When my boys were younger they lived and breathed all thing Thomas. It has a special place in my heart. I've even done custom orders with the theme
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT 

 

What inspires you?

My family inspires me. They love the scrapbooks I have made and are supportive of my shop.CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT

Favorite part about living in Florida?

I love everything about Florida! I was born and raised here and love the beaches, parks, attractions and history.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be?

If I could change places with anyone it would be the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. She does a lot of things I love, cooking, writing, photography and spending time with her family. Plus she has a famous blog and cooking show - how fun would that be?!
CHECK OUT PIECE TO LEFT 


Thank you for letting me interview you! Remember to go show Gifts Galore and More some love <3
-Chelsey
As it comes, it goes

Featured Friday - Richard and Richard

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 Hi Fest Followers! Each Friday we will be featuring a different Team Fest Member. Whether you are getting featured for a giveaway or because you won a challenge, we will slowly but surely learn all about each other!

So give some love to Richard and Richard of A Third Life, our first Team Fest interview feature!

 

Tell me a bit about yourself and what you sell:
A Third Life" is a father and son team, Richard and Richard, that makes crafts primarily from recycled wood that otherwise would probably end up on a trash pile. We utilize limbs pruned from our trees, discarded furniture, old fence, and construction remnants along with environmentally harvested exotic hardwoods. Our shop combines the skills of Richard Sr's years as an architect (retired) drawing and designing with the son's skills as a carpenter and painter to create original art pieces such as wooden wall hangings, jewelry, toys, guitar picks and much more.

Favorite piece you have made- and why?
Richard Sr's favorite pieces are the sensuous mermaid wall hangings and the Peanuts wall hangings and Christmas ornaments. Richard Jr's favorites include the life sized Snook and Redfish replicas, with other fish species in the works.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT

What inspires you?
We are encouraged and inspired by our daughter/sister, Barbara, an accomplished jewelry artist with her own shop "World Treasures Collection", who introduced us to Etsy as a means of expressing our creativity. (Barbara will be moving back to Florida soon and would be an excellent addition to TeamFEST.) We are also continuously inspired by the wood grains, colors and textures to create pieces that incorporate their natural beauty, into our artworks.

click to visit listing on left
Favorite part about living in Florida?
The best part about living in Florida is the awesome weather and fantastic scenery associated with living in a tropical climate. Where else can you enjoy the beautiful flowers, trees, birds, butterflies, and the incredible beaches and oceans along with some of the best sunsets in the world.

See yourself in 5 years?
We thoroughly enjoy making our wood crafts and five years from now, hope to be doing the same thing, only with more skill and artistry.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be?
If we could trade places with one person for a week, it would be Leonardo da Vinci, a great painter and inventor. His masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Annunciation continue to be appreciated long after his time on earth had passed.

 click to visit listing on left

Thank you Richard and Richard! Have a good weekend everyone!

-Chelsey
As it comes, it goes

Care for Some Simply Divine Dessert?

Tweet Florida Etsy Street Team has the good fortune of having members who love to blog, so in an effort to share their posts and features we will be "reblogging" here on EtsyFEST! Our first is Chris, owner of Memories in Mosaics. Her blogspot is called "Chris' Comments" where she features her mosaics because that is her passion. She also blogs about her family and friends, vacationing, how-to's of easy home decorating, recipes and personal observations.

Chris recently interviewed Sharon who is the owner and baker behind Simply Divine Desserts  on Etsy.  She is a fellow  FEST (Florida Etsy Street Team) member and resides in Sarasota, Florida.

Here is her interview with Sharon:

Tell me a little about yourself.

I’m a brown-eyed girl, strong in mind and body, with a Christ centered spirit. I am a happy, busy, productive, strong willed, organized, unemployed, single mom. I have two grown sons, 25 and 22, who are the biggest blessings in my life (along with my new daughter-in-law!). I was a home school mom for 16 years, and they were some of the best years of my life. I’m an active member of a great church, I love music, the beach, and going to the movies.

How long have you been baking?

I’ve been baking for most of my life. I grew up loving to be in the kitchen with my mom and grandmothers, not only for the great food that was always being created, but for the warmth and comfort that it brought. My older brother started calling me “Bake” when I was 11, and for some reason the nickname stuck and to this day, I am “Bake” to my family and many old friends.

What made you decide to sell on Etsy?

I decided to try etsy after a dear friend of mine kept poking and prodding me to give it a shot. I sold books to homeschoolers on ebay for many years, so I’m used to online selling, but the thought of starting an online bake shop seemed strange to me at first. But now that I’ve made some sales and have sent my goodies to various parts of the country, I’m excited to see what the future will bring.

Read more about Sharon...

Interview with Happy Shack Designs

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Meet Kelly of "Happy Shack Designs"

Who are you?
I'm Kelly Warren! I work full-time as the Director of Student Life and Leadership Development at Florida State College (been doing that for about 16 years now!). I have two beautiful red-headed soon-to-be-seven-year-old twin daughters, a very supportive husband, and oh yeah, an art business! I create artisan jewelry as well as fine art photography and dabble in mixed media and bookmaking.

What do you create?
The majority of my jewelry designs are one of a kinds. I love to work in handmade lamp work, and use beads collected from talented bead makers the world over, plus a few made here and there by my husband. I've played with photography for years and now love the versatility the digital format gives me. I also combine my photography with my jewelry by turning my photos into glass tile pendants.

How did you come about your store name?
a "happy little shack" has just always been in my mind. I wrote about it in this blog post: http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/07/purple-cottage.html

What is the crafting utensil you cannot live without?
bent needle nose pliers for my jewelry and glue dots for everything else. I love glue dots. I use them to mount and matte my photo as well as for innumerable other uses

What is your favorite material to work with?
Hmmm...sterling wire for my jewelry and my trusty Nikon for my photography. Actually I have three Nikons and have been eyeing another. It's a very expensive addiction. :-)

What is your life like outside of Etsy?
My job and family life are very demanding and both take precedence over my art (unfortunately on the job part, wouldn't have it any other way on the family part). My job is very hectic and requires a crazy schedule at times. In my role at the college, I handle all cultural and leadership development programming as well as advise the Student Government Association and oversee all clubs and organizations. I also teach English and Student Life Skills (basically a "how to succeed in college" class) one night a week. My girls will be seven in July and are so much fun I can hardly stand it sometime. I would love to be able to quit my day job and spend all my time with the kids making art, but that's just not in the cards for us. As far as hobbies, we love to spend lots of time outdoors doing just about anything.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?
I like the Shop Local. Love seeing who else is in my area.

What do you enjoy "window shopping" on Etsy on your free time?
Lately, I've been "window shopping" small mixed media pieces and book arts. Some very inspiring stuff out there!

Is there an online "tool" that you like to use?
I wish I could say I spent a lot of time doing advertising and research, but there's just not enough time in the day for it for me. I post my work on Facebook, and I try to blog regularly, which tends to bring in a lot of traffic. I'd sure love to hear what others who work full-time, have kids and juggle their art are doing!

Where in Florida do you live?
I live in Jacksonville and have been in this area for more than 30 years. I'm a Florida native, born in Miami. My family is from the Keys!

Could you recommend a fun activity near your Fl home that other members might enjoy?
Little Talbot Island State Park is one of those undiscovered jewels of North Florida. It's all the way up Heckscher Drive/A1A on the beach heading up to Amelia Island. The drive up Heckscher itself has always been one of my favorites, and my DH and I built our home on Heckscher 10 years ago.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
Blog: http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com/,

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Happy-Shack-DesignsKelly-Warren-Photo-Art/119192559282,
website: http://www.happyshackdesigns.com/.
Three Etsy shops: happyshackdesigns, kellywarrenphotoart, and knwarren65 (destash!)

What animal would you like to be for one day and why?
When I die, I want to come back as one of my dogs. What a life they have!

What was an embarrassing moment in your life?
And speaking of dogs...we had a black lab, Oprah, and a yellow lab, Bear, that we wanted to be a breeding pair. Couldn't get them to breed for the life of us...until one day, they decided to, um, hook up, while I was walking them through the neighborhood on our morning walk. You know what happens when dogs "hook up", don't you? They can't get unhooked for a while. So I just had to sit there on the curb and wait. It was one of the most mortifying moments of my life. :-)

Interview with WonderfulWire

Tweet Meet Mary of WonderfulWire:

Who are you?
*My name is Mary Lamoray and I'm a self-taught artist...at present, I do wire sculptures. I say at present because my art mediums have a habit of changing every so often :) I've been a scrimshander (one who does scrimshaw), polymer clay artist (I still do an occasional clay 'painting') and I've played off and on with various colored pencil, water color marker and sharpie drawings and illustrations. But right now, I am most serious about wire! :)



What do you create?
*I create wire art animal and abstract designs. The first rule of wire art is “There are no rules”, the second rule is “Don't put your eye out”! And yes! In that order! :) Wire art is especially unique because of the very nature of the medium. It allows for wild, crazy, abstract concoctions that might look a total mess on paper or canvas... but in wire, it comes to life in the most fantastic way. Likewise, realistic wire art comes across as very deep and raw... it touches the soul in various ways. Sometimes like a gentle breeze and at other times in explosive zaniness! I also liken my particular style to music. Each piece has its own sound and can come through as Jazz, classical, the blues or even a children's sidewalk marching band! :)

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?
*I love the 'Time Machine'. I learn a lot watching what's 'sold' or 'just listed'... I get inspired and encouraged to do better.

What other interests do you have?
*I love good movies, iced coffee, ice cream and snorkeling! I used to have a lot of other interests but I have Multiple Sclerosis so I'm curtailed in just about everything except my art! :)



Where in Florida do you live?
*I live in Sanford on a 30 ft. sailboat with my wonderful husband (We've been married 28yrs :) and our 'rescued from the pound' dog 'Jake'. We lived aboard and cruised our old sailboat for 12 years (Our son has it now), and then moved on land for about 8 years. We've been living on this boat for over a year now! So wonderful to be back on the water. We haven't gone anywhere with it yet though... still doing repairs and my husband has to commute back and forth to Winter Garden four days a week... so we are going to be in Sanford for a long time yet.

If one were to visit Sanford what would you suggest they do?
*The 'Rivership Romance' dinner cruise!! We have never gone ourselves but it is always packed and everyone seems to really enjoy themselves! It's docked at Monroe Harbour Marina here in Sanford (The city marina).

What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?



*I just started a brand new blog called All Things Seahorse
*My other blog is called Living With Walls
*I'm also on Flickr

What “super” power would you like to have and why?
*I would love to be able to breathe under water and walk around on the ocean floor!! Now THAT! Would be cool!! :)))

What famous person would you like to meet and why?
*I would love to meet Christopher Loyd... I just love his incredible versatility in character roles! Of course my absolute favorites are as 'Doc' in the 'Back to the future series' and he also played the 'Klingon commander' in 'Search for Spock'! Now That's! Versatile! :)))

Trying to pick out just 3 of Mary's Wonderful Wire was extremely difficult - you have GOT to go to her shop and see how talented she is for yourself!

Interview with AquarianBath

Tweet Meet Cory of AquarianBath

Who are you?

My name is Cory Trusty. I'm an herbalist, soap maker and gardener. I like to grow wild craft herbs and grow herbs organically. I am originally from the Seattle area where I studied Biology at the University of Washington and Traditional Chinese medicine at an herbal college.

I give community herbal workshops, consultations, and teach community herbal classes in St. Augustine at Maggie's Herb Farm.

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I have a five year old daughter who I am home schooling. She and I take care of five hens who free range in the back yard and give us high quality eggs. My husband is very supportive and encouraging of my business and designs Solar Powered Computer networks called SolarNetOne.

What do you create?

I make a variety of natural soaps and body products from scratch with all natural ingredients. I also make herbal remedies with home grown and wild harvested herbs, and sew lavender flax neck pillows. Recently I added natural perfumes to my etsy store. I also make jewelry, but I haven't had time yet to set up and market a new etsy shop for that.

How did you get started?

I had two years of professional herbal training which was primarily lectures and book learning. I taught myself the hands on aspects with the help of various books, websites and herbal communities. I think it helped that before that I worked in a biology lab as a research technician for a number of years. Calculating concentrations, converting units, using scales and formulating is relatively easy for me.

What is unique about your products?

All of my products are made from scratch and formulated by me, so they are unique by definition. I don't use melt and pour bases or premixed oil blends. All of my products are also Orangutan and Rain forest friendly which means that they do not include palm oil or sodium palmate. .

What other interests do you have?

I volunteer in a community garden called Fair Share once or twice a week (http://wedigfairshare.org). The purpose of the project is to create sustainable local food sources in our urban communities. Right now I am selling raffle tickets for our fundraising event we are having called Hallowgreen, which will be a free family event held at the City Island Farmer's Market in Daytona Beach on Halloween morning. We are hoping to raise enough funds to dig a well for a large cultivation area on which we will raise food for low income families in need. At this time we have a demonstration garden in which we grow vegetables, give free workshops focused on how to grow organic vegetables and use herbs.

Where in Florida do you live?

I have lived in urban Volusia County near Daytona Beach for the last six years. My husband is a Daytona native. It is nice that we have his family here in town. I love the beach and have the feeling that I'm on a permanent vacation.

What are some other sites to find out more about you ?

My main website is AquarianBath.com.

On it you can find :

My blog

my facebook business page

my local events and classes

my twitter page

My flickr page

What was you worst crafting disaster?

There have been a few disasters for certain. One of the worst was a couple of years ago when I made a batch of Dark Stout soap with some Guinness that had not gone completely flat. When I added the sodium hydroxide to the beer, a caustic volcano erupted in my kitchen and poured down my counters and onto the floor. Yikes!

What makes you laugh?

My five year daughter brings a lot of joy to my life. She has so many amazing observations and cute ideas. I can't help smiling and laughing about many of her antics or clothing choices.

What was an embarrassing moment in your life?

I was at a show selling as usual, when I accidentally sat in a container of cheesy nachos. What a shock! I felt like an overgrown baby who needed a diaper change, but it was a great excuse to buy a fancy new lavender dress from the vendor next door.

Need to treat yourself to something special or get started Christmas shopping? Visit AquarianBath!

Interview with iWunder

Tweet Meet Jennifer of iWunder

Who are you?

My name is Jennifer Wunderlich, and I am a scientist and teacher by day, and a compulsive knitter by night. I grew up in Southern Maryland surrounded by tobacco fields, left all that behind to pursue a marine biology degree at Eckerd College, and have been bopping around the country every since. I have taught various forms of science and math in various types of educational settings, and have lived in fabulous places like Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and near the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia.

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I currently live in St Petersburg, Florida, where I met and married my husband Ray. He owns a vitamin store and graciously gave me a really long German last name that means “odd or strange in a brilliant, magical sort of way.” We spend our time traveling around the state visiting parks and preserves, and keeping lists of all the Florida native plants we encounter.

***

Nerd + Nerd = True Love.

***

When I am not studying municipal solid waste and landfills, my current research topic of choice for my masters degree in Environmental Science and Policy at USF St Pete, I am buried under mountains of yarn in my living room. I worm my way out occasionally, knitting needles in hand, only to dive into another mountain of luxurious fibers and see what sort of inspiration hits me this time.

What do you create?

Mostly hand knit scarves, but also crocheted luxury cowls and flower brooches.

How did you get started?

My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 7 years old, and I taught myself to knit when I was 21. I've always been making something with yarn and needles.

What is unique about your products?
Probably the materials. The brighter the color, the better. I prefer to seek out original and unique wool yarns that are handspun and handdyed by other artisans, that way no two of my creations are ever the same. I also buy yarns that are rescued or reclaimed from old sweaters, and knit up new things to give the yarn a new life.

What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?Learning the best sort of advertising strategies to get my name out there. Selling my wares in Florida is pretty difficult, but selling to colder climates and internationally really helps move my items

.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?

The clean, uniform look of every shop, and how they are all the same. I like the consistency from shop to shop.

What other interests do you have?

I'm very interested in garbage and the waste stream, I play clarinet quite well, and I have a great interest in native Florida plants and their bird/butterfly associations.

Where in Florida do you live?

St Petersburg, since 2001, I love the downtown, I love that it is near the ocean, and I love the thrift stores.

What animal would you like to be?

My cat, Gray Kitty. He is either all go or all stop. And he is gone for most of the day. I really want to know where he goes, what he does, where he sleeps, and what is going on in his mind. He is an All American kitty.

Beautiful scarves!

Makes me wish we had more cold snaps here in Florida!

Interview with Glimpses&Remains, Inc.

Tweet Meet Drew of Glimpes&Remains, Inc.

Who are you?
My close friends call me a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ artist but I don’t know if I agree.
What I do know is that my brain seems to have a conflict of interests, meaning part of me is complete artist – not caring whether or not what I’m creating at the time is paying the bills or taking care of my family or reaching toward an obtainable goal.
The other part is the scientific, investigative brain which loves doing math, analyzing things and reading non-fiction. That side taps the other side to fantasize about having the money and storage space to make ordering things in a larger bulk feasible (to keep costs lower). That side is the degree-collector which studies things like business and criminology.
What do you create?
I mostly create photographic prints and stationery (letter sets/cards) featuring my photography. I love photographing everything with every type of camera I can get my hands on (and find film for). I also really enjoy painting and ceramics. The paintings these days seem to be largely things that show up in my dreams and daydreams, little snippets of weirdness that show up and won’t leave me alone until I at least sketch them out somewhere.
The ceramics is more of an expensive form of relaxation therapy which results in bowls and mugs I can serve dinner in or my husband can use as candle holders. Writing is also a huge part of me. Occasionally I make my own jewelry, sew, or craft with found objects or supplies I find around the house.

How did you get started?
I’ve been taking pictures for about as long as I can remember. When I was little, I had a Kodak Instant Camera until they lost their lawsuit and I had to give it up for a little disc camera.
My husband and friends have been pestering me for years to do something with the thousands of negatives I’ve accumulated . There are binders full of black-and-white photos and film from my college days and boxes of Polaroids and whole hard drives of digital photos and digitized photos.
I started Glimpses & Remains officially as a business in early 2008. At first, I started building my own website, but decided Etsy was a better way to test the market.
What is unique about your products?
When I asked a friend what she thought of this question, basically while I was hemming and hawing and sipping Merlot, she responds with, “I don’t think that your work is influenced much by current trends, the media or other artists and that, alone, makes your products unique.”
The reason for the hemming and hawing is because with photography, you’re capturing an image that is there for one of two reasons: it is there because someone else or something else put it there or you’re capturing something you thought up and set up. One feels more original than the other in theory, but at the same time, a lot of “set up” photography is fashion or beauty oriented – sort of the opposite of a lot of my rusty fences and doll parts.
What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?
Focus and time. When I’m supposed to be shooting photos, I’m painting. When I’m supposed to be writing, I’m reading. When I’m supposed to be finishing a painting, I’m baking cookies or experimenting with tofu. When I want to be writing or editing photos or reading or baking or painting or gardening, I’m probably at work or having to run errands or grumbling through laundry and dish-washing. I need a clone.
What other interests do you have?
Coffee, reading, and wine (not necessarily that order). Also I enjoy – well, I need – exercise. I also like gardening and cooking/baking.
Where do you live?
I live in Fort Lauderdale. I’ve been here since moving from North Carolina after high school about a hundred million years ago (okay, 1995). I like the diversity of culture and food and entertainment, etc., but occasionally I like to retreat to my husband’s family’s native Maine for a little back-to-basics nature stuff.
What are some other sites to find out more about you ?
MyBlog:
http://glimpsesandremains.wordpress.com/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/GlimpsesRemains/100168388112
Handmade Highway exit:
http://handmadehighway.blogspot.com/2009/08/glimpses-and-remains-art-paper-goods.html

Have you ever been fired from a job?
I wasn’t really fired, but I was laid off once from an automotive advertising company. The place was one of those offices where you feel like you’re working in a sitcom – which, by the way, is much funnier to watch than to live.People would walk around in bunny slippers, some drunk and high: there was a woman who passed around nude pictures of herself thinking it would get her ahead; another guy who hired body guards because he thought the mob was after him; an accountant who dressed like an extra cousin from The Munsters; a guy whose parents bought him into the company because they were afraid he’d mess up their business;and a woman who got bored and threw pencils and X-acto knives at the ceiling tiles. All in all, it was kind of a relief to get laid off.

What makes you laugh? There is also an essay by Augusten Burroughs about Junior Mints that is hysterical to me.Fart jokes and that men-are-from Mars stereotype kind of things just don’t tickle me – probably because I married a man raised by his mother to be a neat freak, sensitive, a hard worker, caring and smart; and my father wanted a boy so I know how to change tires even in 3” open-toed pumps (the trick is WD-40 and jumping on the crow bar a couple of times).

It was very hard to pick only 3 items from Drew's shop. She has so many interesting photographs and cards. You must go and enjoy them all!

Interview With JeniLuScraps

Tweet Meet Georgi (aka Lu) of JeniLuScraps.

Who are you?

I'm a retired legal secretary who moved here with my wonderful DH a couple of years ago from Michigan. I'm actually one-half of JeniLuScraps ~ my daughter Jen (still in Michigan) is the other half.

What do you create?

love creating useful things out of fabric ~ wallets, pouches, key fobs, and a bag here and there. I have a couple of friends that belong to motorcycle clubs, and I created a little pouch for them that hooks onto their belt loops to keep things safe and handy for them when they're riding. The ones I've made were all special orders so I haven't listed any of those yet ~ soon, I hope!

How did you get started?

When I was working full-time, my dream was to stay home and sew. I had sewn a bit when my daughters were small ~ but, once I started working, my sewing/crafting went to the back burner.

What is unique about your products?

I love to scour the thrift stores for interesting patterned fabrics that I don't see every day at the fabric stores. Besides making things out of fabrics that are unique, I like to think that I'm being "green" by recycling clothes.

What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?

I've always been on the shy side, so just putting myself out there has been a challenge for me. I'd love to say "THANKS!" to all of you who have made this journey so worthwhile ~ it's been a blast "meeting" so many wonderful people in the Etsy community.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?

I love browsing the Treasuries and drooling over all that's out there ~ and I always love to read the Featured Seller interviews to see how other people got started and how their creative process works.

What other interests do you have?

I love to read (just a kid at heart, really ~ loved the Twilight and Harry Potter series!). And I'll have to admit that I love playing video poker ~ Vegas is my favorite destination now that I live here.

Where in Florida do you live?

My DH and I retired in August 2007 and moved to Bonita Springs soon after that to be close to both our moms who live here full-time. Coming from Michigan where it seems to be gray skies 6-9 months out of the year, I love the sunshine down here where I get some much-needed Vitamin D every day. Aside from that, just the beauty of the birds, trees and flowers ~ do you ever get tired of that?

What are some other sites to find out more about you ?

I try to keep my fabric stash up to date on Flickr, along with a few pics of other things (like my biker bags): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeniluscraps

I'm also on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/jeniluscraps

What was you worst crafting disaster?

I don't know if you could call it a "crafting" disaster, but the first craft show we did was a total bust ~ we didn't sell one thing! Talk about discouraging.

What animal would you like to be for one day and why?

I'd love to be a giraffe for a day ~ they're so graceful and they have gorgeous eyelashes.

What makes you laugh?

My husband and my kids have all been blessed with a great sense of humor ~ they always make me laugh! Our favorite thing to do is to play games when we all get together ~ can't tell you how many times I've almost peed my pants! (Can I say that here?)

Choose a movie title to sum up your life’s story.

"Enchanted" ~ I met my husband a little later in life and he changed it completely ~ for the better of course!

I really enjoyed choosing pics for this interview! The fabrics in her shop are really unique,....go and check them out!

Interview With DevineDesignsJewelry

Tweet Meet Cindy of DevineDesignsJewelry

Who are you?

I am a veterinary technician by trade;started making jewelry a little over a year ago. I have always been creative, ( I used to sew and make swimsuits for friends). I went to beauty school a long time ago, with the intention of becoming a make-up artist, but never did pursue that career.

What do you create?

I make wire, metal, and beaded jewelry designs. Mostly in sterling silver or copper, with artisan made lamp work beads and/or gemstone beads.

How did you get started?

I am a jewelry junkie. Have always been buying artisan made jewelry, and always wanting to tweak a piece to my liking. While in Target, I was looking at some beading magazines, decided to buy one, bought some supplies, really enjoyed creating, and the rest,as they say, is history.

What is unique about your jewelry?

I try to make my jewelry items different than any thing you may have seen. I only make a piece once, so my jewelry is "one of a kind". I am a member of Self-representing jewelry artists: SRAJD#1658.

What has challenged you?

I think my biggest challenge has been the economic crisis of the past year.

What is you favorite feature on etsy?

My favorite feature on Etsy, I would have to say is The Storque, because you can find so much information there. How to set up your shop, business advise, & features on shop owners.

What other interests do you have?

Reading, yoga, my cats, tattoos, mythology, the beauty of nature & shopping!

Where do you live?

I'm in Tarpon Springs; been here 15 years now, originally from just outside of Philadelphia, Pa.

Where else can we find out more about you?

My blog:

http://www.devinedesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/

See previous work, sold pieces, and other stuff: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devinedesignsjewelry/

View my gallery: http://www.jewelryartists.org/devinedesignsjewelryhttp://homebasedjewelers.gotop100.com/in.php?ref=163

and most recently: Devinedesignsjewelry.artfire.com and Devinedesignsjewelry.1000markets.com

What Super power would you like to have?

I would have to say that I have a fondness for Wonder Woman. So not so much 1 super power, but I love the whole idea of a strong woman, capable of doing any thing, including physical strength, bullet proof (loved those bracelets!) And the power to make people tell the truth, now that's something! Although I'm not sure I would want to know every body's thoughts!

Cindy's jewels are beautifully made with intricate details and color schemes! Go browse her shop and enjoy the various styles all in one location!

Interview with CinfulArt

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Who are you?

I am Cindy of CinfulArt on etsy. I’m a lifelong crafter. Making things is a passion as is finding those hidden treasures in Junk Shops. I have a married son, great daughter-in-law and a terrific significant other who supports and encourages my crafting madness. I enjoy all kinds of music, love to go to our local Lemon Bay Theatre and just thrive on the Florida sunshine.

What do you create?

My current passion is creating art quilts depicting tropical themes. Flamingos, Sea Turtles, Sandhill Cranes, Fish, Mermaids… Most have been wall hangings but I have some ideas for pillows and table runners on the drawing board. I have also created a number of Counted Cross Stitch Rounds featuring fish, animals and geometric designs.

How did you get started?

My Grandmother sparked my love of all things handmade. I was sewing on her old Singer Treadle Machine before I could reach the pedal…several books on top of it that kept falling off and creating major frustrations.

What is unique about your products?

My objective is to “paint” with fabric. Using lots of batiks and different shades, hues and values of colors to create images – some lifelike, some just fun and quirky. I love working with lush and bright colors in both my Art Quilts and Cross Stitch Rounds.

What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?

A challenge for me is finding the time to create all the things I would like too, and, of course, finding that special someone who will buy them. And then there’s figuring out how to get the Shop more visibility.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?

I really like lots of things about Etsy. The freedom to develop your own shop and show case your craft, the opportunity to connect with so many talented and wonderful people, artists and creators, the "FEST Team", the "Quiltsy Team" and the support one gets from colleagues. I just marvel and am totally in awe of all the amazing ideas and fabulous finds that are available here.

What other interests do you have?

All kinds of crafts…. I crochet, embroider, do needlepoint, bargello and just plain love working with my hands and creating things. Then there’s biking, reading, traveling, music and junking.

Where in Florida do you live?

I live in Englewood Florida (a transplant from Wisconsin) …just South of Sarasota in a small town off the beaten path that’s laid back and just Paradise on Earth. Our Manasota Key is zoned to preclude buildings over three stories. I love the Old Florida feel, the beach, the birds and the sea.

What are some other sites to find out more about you ?
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1478905115&ref=name

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38197978@N06/

What was you worst crafting disaster?

Oh, those dreaded buttonholes. How about getting them in on the wrong side of the jacket or fabric? Need I say more?

What animal would you like to be for a day?

It would have to be a dolphin. I love being near water, a puddle or an ocean. And gliding so gracefully, playing so joyously and skimming along with lots of mammal friends would be just a kick.

What makes you laugh?

I guess I really like to laugh but I’ve had the best belly laughs with gal pals and and I can still remember some of those fabulous, funny and oh so true to life scenes from “Sex and the City”!

Cindy's art is just a tropical paradise , perfect for floridian home decor! Every photo is a link to her shop, go and see it all!

Interview with Fragiacomoglassart

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Who are you?
I'm a stay at home mom and lifetime crafter/artist. I love being a mom and alot of the crafts I've learned to do and have done is because of being a stay at home mom. Learning to make things with the kids, needing to make things for the kids, scouting crafts, all those things have been a big part of my life. Without some type of art/craft anything, I think I'd go crazy!

What do you create?
Glass Art! Brightly colored beads, small sculptures of animals and deserts.

How did you get started?
When I was a little girl my grandfather would take me down here to florida and Disney. I would stare at the glass artists in awe. Years later we took the family to kentucky for a race, my daughter raced BMX. We didnt have anything to do one day and found out about the glass school there. We went and toured it and it rekindled that love for glass. About 5 more years later I discovered it was something I could do at home with the purchase of a kit! April 5, 2006 I lit my torch for the first time and have been doing it ever since!

What is unique about your products?
They are made by me! LOL Lots of bright colors, they always remind me of mexico! No special patterns just as many bright colors as I can get on them!! I love that!

What has been your biggest challenge in developing your business?

Advertising, I really dont like doing it and it takes so much work!

What is your favorite feature on Etsy?
Treasuries! I love them. I love how someone can take one thing of mine and put it in a treasury and then someone else take the same thing and it has a whole different feel. I love to go look through all the treasuries and see all the color choices and all the different handmade things! AWESOME!

What other interests do you have?

I have done alot of scrapbooking in the past. Its been a while now but with a new baby (9 months old) and a new grandbaby (3 weeks old) I'm determined to get back to it! I also like to work in the garden and lately have been painting brightly colored bird houses for the back yard.

Where in Florida do you live ?
I love florida! I grew up in massachusetts and couldnt' wait till I grew up so I could move here! I live in lake wales for now but would love to live closer to our daughter and son in lakeland. I love that there is NO snow and very little cold. I love love love the heat!!!

What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
Facebook and I have a fan page on face book for fragiacomo glass art,

My blog glassymom.blogspot.com and I also have a lot of pictures on beadartists.org but I haven't updated in a while there. There are TONS of pictures tho. I'm also on artfire as glassymom


What animal would you like to be for one day and why?

A cat! Cats always sleep and look so peaceful. When they wake up from their 18 hours of sleep they dont look tired or exhausted, they look rested. I want that.......for one day! or at least 10 more hours in my day!! LOL


What makes you laugh?

My husband and oldest son like to make me laugh till my stomach aches and I have to beg them to stop. Its usually about our old chihuahua and his loooong life of craziness!

Sue's beads, jewelry, sculptures, buttons and vesssels are the most beautiful glass art I have seen on etsy. You must go and see it to Ooooo and Ahhhhh!