One of a kind !

Here I am sharing some of my weekend creations :)


Handmade beaded hair clips - Brooch pins or exclusive Headbands

Featured Artist of the Week

Dear Friends

I am so glad to announce the 'Featured Artist 'of this week CloudNineDesignz.She has a lovely shop on etsy. 
Hope you all will enjoy reading this interview :)

 Featured Shop - CloudNineDesignz   

1. Tell us something about yourself. Where did you learn your skills ?

    I taught myself how to make jewelry. I had ordered a box of destash supplies off ebay for card making. In the box there were different beads as well. I played around and started making jewelry ever since. That was about 2 years ago.
2.What motivates you to create ? 
   Anything motivates me to create, a song, a picture. I love memories. I think it is very important to have an item for someone to remember a certain day/person/feeling.
3. Apart from creating things, what do you do? 

   Apart from creating things I love volunteering. I volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and To Write Love On Her Arms, is my favorite charity. I love helping people.
   All proceeds from my "Think Pink" section goes to Susan G Komen for breast cancer research:
www.etsy.com/shop/CloudNineDesignz?section_id=10425229

4.Of all the things that you sell, which item or style is your favorite?

    
I love selling my button bracelets, they are great for any age. I love selling my sorority items, because being Greek is important to me. It shaped me into who I am as a person. I love selling anything that means something to the buyer or recipient.
5. Your advice / suggestion to the new sellers ?   
Advice I would give to others is don't give up and make new friends in the art world. They will be your strongest help.
6.Where can we see more of your work ? Share your Links 

 You can see my work at:
http://www.cloudninedesignz.etsy.com
Here are my links if you would like to connect!
Follow me 
on facebook: www.facebook.com/cloudninedesignz
twitter: mandee mundrick
My blog: www.lifechaosandquotes.blogspot.com

Featured Artist of the Week

Dear Friends

I am so glad to announce the 'Featured Artist 'of this week Rikke for FeltedByRikke. Rikke is a teacher and also makes hand felted toys & dolls. She has a lovely shop on etsy. 
Hope you all will enjoy reading this interview with the super talented Rikke :)

 Featured Shop - FeltedByRikke   

1. Tell us something about yourself.

   
I was born in 1970 in a small town in the south of Denmark. 22 years ago I moved to Copenhagen, which is the capital of Denmark and am still living there. I´m a single mom of 4 children aged from 10-15 years. I work part time as a teacher in science, history, art, cooking and geography. I do my creations from home - my couch actually, I like sitting there with the TV on and my wool and needles around me. I don´t have the space for a studio, but I don´t think I would make one if I had, I like listening to music on TV while I´m working and talking to the children.
2. Where did you learn your skills ?  
    Actually nowhere - 3 years ago I saw a needle felting kit in a local supermarket. I didn´t even know that needle felting existed. I bought it and made the 2 small dolls that were in it - and I have been needle felting since :-) Now I design my own items. I´m in contact with a lot of other needle felters all over the world and we share ideas and techniques but apart from that I´m selftaught.
3.What motivates you to create ? 
   Well I don´t think I cannot create :-) - It comes very natural to me - I have been creative since I was about 6 years old, knitting, painting, sewing and now needle felting. I have asked myself if I maybe a day will find another kind of craft but honestly I don´t think so, I love needle felting so much, so I will proberly do it until I´m 95 years old
4. Apart from creating things, what do you do? 
   Well actually nothing else;-) - my work as a teacher, the children and the needle felting take up all my time. I do enjoy Scandinavian and English crime series on TV, but I must admit that I´m needle felting while I watch them - or should I say listen to them, because it can hurt a lot if you don´t pay attention to your barbed needle;-)
5. How would you describe your creative process?

   It depends on what I´m creating. When I needle felt my dolls I pretty much let them be who they want to be - they seem to have a life on their own;-). When I needle felt animals I have to concentrate a lot on getting proportions right in another way than when I´m creating a doll who is "allowed" to be more personalized. 

6. Your advice / suggestion to the new sellers ?
   Be active!!!!!! You need to join teams, make treasure lists etc Its not enough to make a treasurelist a week. You have to remember that there are more than 900.000 shops on Etsy so you really have to work on getting yourself "known". I don´t count the hours I spend on Etsy, but I know it´s more than 5 hours in workdays and maybe 8 Saturday and Sunday.

7.Where can we see more of your work ? Share your Links 

Here are my links if you would like to connect!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/FeltedByRikke?ref=ss_profile

http://www.facebook.com/pages/FeltedByRikke/153610001377208

www.feltedbyrikke.com (please use another browser than Explorer, that there are some technical problems)

http://twitter.com/#!/FeltedByRikke

A Rose a day !

  
  When I was a child, I remember those beautiful days when we used to go hiking in the mountains covered with tiny wild flowers. It was so fun to try on all these colorful flowers ! 
  
  

   

  Those were the days when the cameras were rare & pictures were taken only in studios. But the memories of the flowers have lasted in mind for ever !

  Here are some of the pretty little rose flower earrings, perfect for everyday & a lovely gift for someone you love ! 

Featured Artist of the Week

Dear Friends

I am so glad to announce the 'Featured Artist ' of this week Kim for - Kandu Handmade Jewelry Designs. I loved walking through her shop, here I found a beautiful pair of earrings , which I love the most.... made with gold filled components, swarovski crystals, an antique button and a "golden moss" vintage lucite rose.

Hope you all will enjoy reading this interview with Kim :)

 Featured Shop - Kandu Handmade Jewelry Designs   

1. Tell us something about yourself.

   My name is Kim and I am the mother of two teenage boys and two gorgeous whippets. :) I grew up in the desert southwest and ended up marrying my high school sweetheart. We just had our 18th wedding anniversary! I attended the University of North Texas where I got a master's degree in Audiology. Since the birth of my first son I have been blessed to be able to be a stay at home mom. This has allowed me invaluable time with my kids and time to explore my creative side! 

2. Where did you learn your skills ?  
    I have always been into arts and crafts even as a child. I had a neighbor who taught me to paint, crochet, and knit among other things. She instilled a love of creating in me that has never gone away. It was on a trip to Santa Fe, about 7 years ago, where I first got inspired to make jewelry. I saw a woman in a bead shop making a piece and I wanted to know how! I taught myself through reading books and watching tutorials on the internet. I began making beaded jewelry using only the finest gemstones and opened Kandu on Etsy. I found it was a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day. Through the years I have dabbled in steampunk design and precious metal clay (which I still love) but I always come back to my love of using antique buttons and vintage components.

3.What motivates you to create ? 
   The funnest part of what I do is buying a big lot of antique buttons and diving in! I love dumping them out on the table and seeing what I've got. I spread them out and see if there is a pattern to group them in (dogs, birds, twinkles, military, etc). I love to research them if there are markings and imagine the history behind them. Sometimes I start a piece not having any idea of what I'm going to do and let it just evolve. Some of my best pieces have been born out of this "un-planned" creativity. My biggest flaw is what I like to call my "Adult onset ADD". :) I start a project and before I'm finished I've started 4 more! Sometimes it leads to a creative flurry that produces multiple items quickly, but sometimes it does slow me down and prevent from finishing ANY! 

4. Apart from creating things, what do you do? 
   In addition to making jewelry my other hobby is photography. A few years ago I finally invested in a good camera and decided to give it a go. I have had so much fun with it and have been able to share my work on Etsy as well. It is a wonderful way to stay creative when I'm away from home and away from my work station.

5. How would you describe your creative process?

   I am constantly motivated by nature and the world around me. There is so much to be inspired by when you stay still, quiet and present. I believe creativity is a gift that everyone possesses but not everyone explores. If I'm not hanging out with my family or snuggling with my dogs, I have to be doing something creative (I also love stamping, scrapbooking and collage). 

6. Your advice / suggestion to the new sellers ?
   My advice for new sellers would be to network!! Don't put it off! It can be intimidating at first but it actually can be alot of fun. I have met so many interesting artists through craft forums, facebook, and Etsy teams. It definitely takes a considerable amount of time, but once you get into the swing of it you can "schedule" it right into your day. I like to network early in the morning or late at night leaving the day open for creativity to strike! Remember there is no "wrong" when you are creating! :) 
Cheers!

7.Where can we see more of your work ? Share your Links 

Here are my links if you would like to connect!
www.kandujewel.etsy.com (my jewelry shop)
www.facebook.com/pages/Kandu/144303225665888
twitter.com/#!/Kandujewel

www.kimage.etsy.com (my photography shop)
www.facebook.com/KimagePhoto
www.redbubble.com/people/kanorth02/portfolio/popular