Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: SleepingCatBeads

Heather, a Philidelphia resident and 37 year old homemaker, is the creative jewelry artist behind SleepingCatBeads. She lives in a "wonderful old steel town that's going through a 'revival'" with her husband, two young sons, and three cats. She is also heavily involved in her Unitarian Universalist congregation as a leader of the youth spirit program.

Heather first found inspiration in nature. "There's something special about wearing a piece of the earth, whether it's a stone or a metal, that's very grounding." Sometimes it's just the beauty of an object that speaks to her. "I no longer only use stones and metals, but will put together anything I think is pretty. I guess the quest for beauty, and sharing that beauty, is what inspires me now," she expalins. Her gorgeous, earthy pices are often reminiscent of her old home of Santa Fe. "The turquoise, coral, and silver always brings me back (to home)." She tends to create her designs simply by rearranging beads until she finds a perfect "fit...sort of like a puzzle." She is a very tactile person and enjoys working with beads of different textures and shapes. The outcome? A unique earthy style that is "a bit eclectic, but always noticeable."

Heather has always been a creative soul, but only began beading a few years ago. "I started really getting obsessed with it last spring," she admits, "and when I could no longer justify buying so many beads to 'play' with I started selling." Her unbelievable talent has helped her turn her addiction into a career. "I have invested too much time and money for it to be just a hobby. But it's hard to see as a job sometimes, because I enjoy it so much." She plans to promote more and create a blog next year. "List often and don't get discouraged," she advises. "If possible, wear your creations and when someone compliments it, hand her your card. Take good pictures (still working on that myself!). And above all, have fun! If you start to feel too negative take a break for a while. The most important thing here is to enjoy what you're doing." Please check out her shop: http://sleepingcatbeads.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com