Here is one of Nora's colorful kitchen items:
This is a blog about creative fashion, art, interior, graphics, and handmade products. Zoica Matei and Susan Newberry share their tips, experiences, and invite you to join the conversation. There are DIY projects, pictures of handmade art, and links to shops.
Showing posts with label earrings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earrings. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2014
Friday Finds Soccer Fever
Welcome to this week’s Friday Finds! The theme had an appropriate title: “Soccer Time”. We picked a treasury curated by Nora from Sunchildsews with the title: Soccerfever. Nora makes beautiful fabric items for kids, for the house as well as accessories.
Here is one of Nora's colorful kitchen items:
We hope you have enjoyed this edition of Friday Finds. Next week's theme will be “Red, white, blue”. If you have a treasury you would like to submit, just send me or Susan a link via Etsy convo by Thursday afternoon and we will take a look. Remember, if your treasury is featured, we will feature an item from your shop. Thanks for stopping by! Until next time…
Zoica
Here is one of Nora's colorful kitchen items:
Monday, March 10, 2014
Artist Showcase - Jewelry by Andrea
Welcome to another edition of Artist Spotlight, our
regular Monday blog. This week’s artist
is Andrea from Jewelry by Andrea. Andrea
creates beautiful
tribal and ethnic jewelry. Here
is one of Andrea’s gorgeous pieces.
How did you get your start?
Where do you get your inspiration?
Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business
I’m Andrea with Jewelry by
Andrea. I have been making jewelry for 6 years. I hand make Spiritual, Yoga and
Zen jewelry. I love using pieces that are made through Fair Trade by
traditional and old methods. I also love to create with spiritual symbols. For
the most part I am self-taught. I have taken a few courses in metal fabrication
but found I enjoy creating with beads and components so have stuck with that.
I have always loved to travel
and collect unique jewelry. After having children I wasn’t able to travel as
much or as far. Making jewelry started as a creative outlet for me. I was drawn
to materials that reminded me of an exotic vacation and creating with those
pieces gave me a feeling of connection to something bigger. I started selling
through home shows and then expanded to selling on line. In the last few years
I have taken my business from hobby to full time. I now have several wholesale
accounts, sell on Etsy and through my own site. I write a weekly blog exploring
the meaning behind the symbols I use in my work.
I get inspiration from the
materials I use. I love using spiritual and symbolic symbols. I may not know
the full meaning behind each piece but I do my best to learn about them. I
focus on finding amazing quality items with beautiful finishes. I use the
spirit and vibe of my materials to inspire my designs. I love to open a package
from a place like Nepal or Thailand and wonder what life was like where they
came from and think of what I am going to make with it. Equally inspiring is to
open a package with stunning components and vibrant colored beads... then my
mind spins with ideas for them! I often have pieces sit for years before I
figure out what design to use them in. I’ve learned rushing the process never
works for me.
What has been your biggest successful moment so far?
Last year one of my designs,
“Garnet Moon”, was worn by Nina Dobrev on The Vampire Diaries. It was really
exciting to see something I created on TV. Definitely a high point for me!
What challenges do you face selling online?
Selling on line is all about
getting found, having wonderful photos and being able to convey your message
about why your items are unique and what they are going to bring to the buyer.
It’s a process figuring out how to tell your story and how to stand out in the
crowd.
What advice would you give someone just starting out on
Etsy?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed on
Etsy by all of the amazing other items for sale there. My advice for someone
starting out selling on Etsy is to do your research, allow yourself to get
inspired but never copy. Customers purchasing on Etsy want to know your story,
your inspiration and purchase from “you”. It’s important to be authentic. Great
photos are a must. Photograph with good lighting and close up shots showing
lots of detail. Know your prices and what you need to charge to make some
profit. You don’t want to be too high or too low. Don’t be afraid to play
around with your prices as well. Put thought into your packaging and
presentation. Think of what impression your packaging gives when a customer
opens their purchase. It doesn’t have to cost a ton but a nice wrap in tissue
paper, business card & handwritten note go a long way.
Want to see more of Andrea?
Thank you Andrea for sharing
your story with us.
Well that wraps up another
edition of Artist Spotlight. We run this
column every Monday and we’re always looking for artists to spotlight. So if you are interested or know someone that
we’d enjoy reading about please pass on the information.
Thanks for stopping by,
Until next time…
Monday, March 3, 2014
Artist Spotlight - Lotus Handmade Hoops
Welcome to another edition of Artist
Spotlight, our regular Monday blog. This
week’s artist is Eliza from Lotus Handmade Hoops. Eliza creates beautiful
hoop earrings. Here is one of Eliza’s gorgeous pieces.
Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.
Where do you get your inspiration?
What has been your biggest successful
moment so far?
What challenges do you face selling
online?
I have recently discovered that another seller (on a different selling platform) has taken not only a design of mine but used the product photo off my site! This sort of thing is a challenge in the online world and it happens to many sellers. The internet has given us so much, yet everything is now very accessible. Steps can be taken though and you are never powerless. Needless to say even though I am in Australia and they are in Germany their listing has now been taken down.
I remind myself that no one can steal my imagination and that the copiers are always playing catch up!
Don’t water yourself, your style or your product down just to appeal to a larger market or to fit in. In my opinion generic is boring (yawn yawn). The excitement is in all those fascinating sub cultures!
I read a quote on a blog which sums it up for me “Speak your truth your tribe needs you”. This means remembering what you are all about and being real.
Thank you Eliza for sharing your story with us.
Tell us a little about yourself and your creative business.
Originally I am
from New Zealand an incredibly picturesque country with many mountains, lush
green bush and wild coastlines. I moved to Australia with my Australian partner
(now husband) so we could pursue our dancing careers. Australia is a
magnificent land, with wide open spaces where you can watch parrots in flight,
and breathe in the magical smell of eucalyptus and tea tree.
I am a proud Mum of three. This creative work was born out of the need to be
with them in their younger years, and of my personal need for freedom and
flexibility.
Some people find
working for themselves stressful, but I find it incredibly liberating. I practice yoga. I love to grow organic food,
and I adore getting away to the freedom of the beach and coast. I love to walk
in the bush.
How did you get your start?
It all started with
a vision of how I wanted to live. I knew deep down that there was a path for me
as an artisan.
Nature, Culture, Freedom. My Celtic and Pacific history have given me a strong
sense of tribe/clan/ family…these concepts give me inspiration.
My background as a dancer has given me a love of theatre and movement which has filtered its way into my pieces.
My background as a dancer has given me a love of theatre and movement which has filtered its way into my pieces.
When I realized that producing pieces from my soul and letting my own experiences
filter in was appealing to a group of people who wanted what I was making and
loved what I love. This realization took me by surprise and set me free! I
didn’t have to look around at what was “trending” I didn’t need to compete, I
just needed to trust my instincts.
I have recently discovered that another seller (on a different selling platform) has taken not only a design of mine but used the product photo off my site! This sort of thing is a challenge in the online world and it happens to many sellers. The internet has given us so much, yet everything is now very accessible. Steps can be taken though and you are never powerless. Needless to say even though I am in Australia and they are in Germany their listing has now been taken down.
I remind myself that no one can steal my imagination and that the copiers are always playing catch up!
What advice would you give someone just
starting out on Etsy?
Do the time. Just like any career learning the craft of selling online takes time and education. Just keep going…
Do the time. Just like any career learning the craft of selling online takes time and education. Just keep going…
Don’t water yourself, your style or your product down just to appeal to a larger market or to fit in. In my opinion generic is boring (yawn yawn). The excitement is in all those fascinating sub cultures!
I read a quote on a blog which sums it up for me “Speak your truth your tribe needs you”. This means remembering what you are all about and being real.
Thank you Eliza for sharing your story with us.
Well that wraps up
another edition of Artist Spotlight. We
try and run this column every Monday and we’re always looking for artists to
spotlight. So if you are interested or
know someone that we’d enjoy reading about please pass on the information.
Thanks for stopping
by,
Until next time…
Friday, December 6, 2013
Friday Finds - Gift Ideas for under $50
We had no takers
this week for our recommended theme so I thought I would look at some of my
favorite treasuries. This one is called “Gifts
Under $50” and was created by Sharon from wolfwhispersjewelry.
Here is a very cute French press cozy designed by Karen of ChocolateDogStudio. I think my aunt would like one of these! It's adorable and it's on sale!
I just ordered
this for my daughter and can’t wait to get it.
Designed by Bobbi of MereBlissSupplies, it's a wristlet that holds your cell phone, credit cards and even some money. Bobbi has a unique technique that treats the fabric so that it can be wiped clean. I can't wait to get it.
Here is a beautiful cable knit pillow by Aura of Adorablewares. Aura makes beautiful pillows. I know because I have one! Look at the detail on the pillow!
Here is one of
Sharon’s lovely items:
Here are some
other great finds that I found on Etsy.
Keeping with Sharon’s theme, they are all under $50.00.
This one is
called "Girl in Pink" and was done by Zoica of Zoia. Zoica does beautiful fashion illustrations and also welcomes custom work.
And finally here’s
something from my shop, SusanNewberryDesigns, that has been very popular
lately. It’s a poem by E.E. Cummings and
perfect for that special someone. All you need is a frame!
Well that wraps
up another edition of Friday Finds. Let’s
keep this gift theme going. The theme for next week is: "Gifts under
$20”. If you have a treasury you would like to submit, just send me or Zoica a
link via Etsy convo by Thursday afternoon and we will take a look. Remember, if
your treasury is featured, we will feature an item from your shop.
Thanks for
stopping by.
Until next time…
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