Etsy shop Huajilla is run by a Thai American couple living in Chaing Mai, Thailand. Wife Huajilla is the "tech side of things for now, but just as much a artist." Not only does she run the shop, but is also the designer and creator of the beautiful Jewelry on their site. She, like her husband Pichet Sibonreung, is also a painter and hopes to have her work posted soon. Pichet has finally gotten back to painting after a 2 yer hiatus. "In coming back to painting Pichet has decided to follow his bliss," she explains. "No matter how painstaking the detail." This is what led them to Etsy. "To relax he creates the small water color sketches . His inspiration is simply his roots. He was raised in rural Thailand were Buddhist and Hindu beliefs meld with animist practices. He is creating the current collection with the hopes of giving joy. Ganesha is the remover of Obstacles, appropriate for a new beginning." Pichet's preferred medium is acrylic and water color and has been painting for 6 years. "Painting has always been his way to make a living," Huajilla says. "We are hoping with Etsy to branch out." They would both like to thank the Etsy community for their tremendous welcome and all of their help. Please check out their shop: http://huajilla.etsy.com/
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Meet Etsy Art Collective: huajilla
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist: mbush1us
When Michelle Bush is in create mode, she tends to "look at the world through a mental view finder of sorts." Her artistic eye is always on the lookout for vibrant colors and great composition. "I moved to New Mexico a few years back from Washington State in order to be closer to the art culture of Santa Fe with all the wonderful galleries. Nothing kills a creative funk like a stroll down Canyon Road," she jokes. Her works are often a unique fusion of photography, watercolor, and digital art. "While the image may start as a photograph (taken by me) the process to produce the finished image is pretty time consuming and involves lots of various techniques," she explains. "I also paint in watercolors (though I don't yet sell them on Etsy) so my digital art tends to take on the same kind of look and feel." She has been a graphic designer for over thirty years and "made the change from a board artist to a digital one when computers first became available for design work." She has always been creative and admits to being "one of those kids who doodled on everything." In fact, her mother had to constantly carry paper and pencils just to keep her quiet. Right now Etsy is just a hobby, but she hopes to turn it into a job. As a designer, she realizes that Etsy buyers are generally "visually sophisticated and artsy. They are likely to be influenced (positively or negatively) by the look of your site (banner, avatar, etc). Give it the attention it deserves," she recommends. Please check out her shop: http://mbush1us.etsy.com/
Friday, June 20, 2008
Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: SkyDreams
Hee Soon is the amazing designer and artist behind SkyDreams. She and her husband are proud parents to a beautiful daughter, Sky, who is her shop's namesake. "I make jewelry while Sky sleeps, so my husband named my business 'Sky Dreams.'" A Korean American, I she feels neither American nor Korean. "I like middle path anyway," she admits. Her evocative designs are always beautiful and often represent the inspiration she finds in nature. "Stones and colors speak to me," she explains. "I rarely sit down and design. I let colors and stones guide my eyes." Her pieces represent a range of style, from classic to romantic - to bold. Surprisingly, she has only been making jewelry for three years. "I am very lucky to call this a full time job," she says. She recommends fellow artists remember to always "respect other Etsy members - both sellers and customers. Please check out her shop: http://skydreams.etsy.com/
http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Recycled Ecofriendly birth announcements with a twist from RecycledIdeas...
RecycledIdeas is a fellow Etsian I respect and admire very much. She is dedicated to preserving animals and their habitats and - of course - recycling. She has found ways to reuse every day objects that many people throw away. They are not only functional, but beautiful as well. This next find is so cool and so ingenious on so many levels I don't even know where to begin. It's a birth announcement made of recycled paper and embedded with seeds, so the recipient can cultivate a variety of seedlings. It's symbolic of the whole birth and growth process and while it announces a new footprint onto this planet, it helps reduce our current carbon footprint. I am just astounded by her depth of creativity that I am truly at a loss for words. Please check out her shop: http://recycledideas.etsy.com/
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
My latest local find...
Greetings! I was perusing the Portland Saturday Market on Sunday and stumbled across this gorgeous ring from South American artist Edwin G, who runs Bella Vista. It's completely hand forged of sterling silver with blue Peruvian opal. I usually go for smaller rings, but this one was so stunning I HAD to have it. I wear it everywhere now - even just bumming around the house in my PJs. Next time you're in the Portland area please check him out - as well as many of fine, talented artists - at the Portland Saturday Market... Top Ten List for Beating the Etsy Blues (courtessy of AlliB)
**Please note the following article was written by fellow Etsian AllieB and used with her permission.**
-Wendy Baylis :-)
Have you got the Etsy Blues? Lots of stock , but no sales?
Top Ten List for Beating the Etsy Blues:
10. Hold an empty brown paper bag over your mouth, bend your head back and yell into it as loud as you can. Now twist it fast to catch all your 'hot air' and BOOM...pop it with your fist! Now don't you feel better?
9. Force your family to collect all the tiny bits of lint off their clothes and from the dryer. Make a gigantic lint pumpkin and spray paint it bright orange. Now list it on Etsy. SOMEONE will buy it! 8. Take a walk around your block BACKWARDS while repeating the Etsy Creed, 'Your Place to Buy and Sell All Things Handmade' over and over and over again at the top f your voice. Sure you MIGHT get hauled off to the loony bin but maybe, just maybe, you will get a new customer for your shop!
7. Go to your Etsy shop at least once a day and visit the people who have 'hearted' you in their shops. Once their banner comes up repeat this phrase thrice...."Thank you for loving me and for not putting a value on our Etsy love by …NOT BUYING ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!"
6. Just for fun post a picture of yourself as a new item in your shop! Sell yourself off for a few dollars and see who buys you! And if no one does, than you’ve now got an EXCELLENT excuse to stay depressed!!
5. Hide under the covers with all your craft supplies and ponder on the meaning of life and most importantly on the meaning of.... marketing techniques to drive sales with search engine optimized wording!
4. While someone you love is sleeping, glue sparkles and sequins on their foreheads and dangle a few beads from their toes...when they wake up shout, "Yay, you TOTALLY look like an Etsy project!!!!!!!"
3. Find a new hobby in addition to Etsy...perhaps sword-fighting or wrangling alligators. What a better way to vent out zero sales instead of just sitting at your computer crying about it!
2. Send a note to “Admin’ at least once a week and ask them WHY OH WHY they never feature your shop on the front page but rather focus on mundane and boring seller items like hand-carved wood art or hand-crafted pottery. I mean, REALLY glittery jellybean pants are super HOT items these days!!!!!!!!!
And the number one way to beat off the Etsy Blues is...drum roll please...tata...tata...tata....
1. When you wake up each morning, take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror and affirm this aloud to yourself, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog-gone it...someone will BUY something from me today!"
-AllieB
http://allieb.etsy.com/
Monday, June 16, 2008
Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: becomeinspired
Robin Bonnell lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and Durango, Colorado with her husband, 4 horses, 1 burro, 3 dogs, and "one very beautiful Ocicat." Creating and designing her inspirational jewelry is not only her full time profession, but also her passion. "After spending 20 years in corporate America as a search firm owner and worldwide executive search consultant, I took some forced personal time and began exploring my creative side that had been dormant for those 20 years," she explains. Like me, she was diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia - but also has damage to her central nervous system due to a brain injury from a motorcycle accident 15 years ago. "I had always been an overachiever and was very driven. I did not know what to do with myself," she says of her lack of energy. "Even though I felt terrible physically, my mind would not stop. I never slept. Partially because the brain injury affects my sleep mechanism and partly because I felt so lost. Frankly, I got very depressed. Then I discovered metal clay." It was then that she realized her calling, and fell in love with it right away. "I felt a new sense of purpose." She has always been very spiritual and often finds inspiration from within as well as in nature. "I started transforming feelings into jewelry," she says. Lately she has even made a few memorial pieces, "something special that...makes them feel their loved one is there with them all the time." Often times her designs are asymmetrical and she admits, "my thought is that beauty is not in a perfection of form, but how it makes you feel. If it feels good, it is beautiful." Passionate and soulful, she is, as a friend once described, a “drinker of life." Despite - or perhaps in spite of - her illness, she has led a full and happy life and feels blessed. "Etsy has been a great thing for me," she says. "I have met fantastic people all over the world and even joined the local Phoenix Etsy Street Team, The Crafty Burritos. They are a special group of people that are devoted to Etsy, art, and to each other." She joined Etsy on my Birthday - Oct 7 (2007) and as of June 15 has amassed 100 sales. "I have loyal customers that come back again and again to have custom jewelry made. I am slowly getting to know them and they all have such great stories of life." She recommends her fellow artists think outside the box. "I think having a great title for the listing makes people curious and want to look at the item." Please check out her shop: http://becomeinspired.etsy.com/
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Meet Etsy Graphic Designer: AllieB
The artist behind AllieB is an American, who moved to Kuwait 11 years ago. She is a busy mom to 4 kids - the youngest of which was born on May 8 of this year. She finds inspiration in the surrounding desert. "The lack of color is my catalyst for creating colorful graphic designs and offering other colorful items in my shop," she explains. In order for her to create her eclectic custom designs, she familiarizes herself with the style of their Etsy shops. "I wait for the items to speak to me (no joke!) and then an idea for a banner pops into my head." She's been doing freelance work for 10 years - and even created a series of Kuwaiti postcards that sell in local souvenir shops. She is also a professional writer for publications in 5 countries: USA, UK, Kuwait, Dubai, and Egypt. "I always have a deadline. My graphic design work helps me to refocus and is a breath of fresh air in my hectic day." She hopes to "enrich (her) life with Etsy friendships and make a few sales along the way." Please check out her shop: http://allieb.etsy.com/
Friday, June 13, 2008
Meet Etsy Felter: dolittledesign
OK - I admit it - I have a thing for fortune cookies lately, but when you see this next find, you'll understand why...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Meet Etsy Fortune Cookie Maker: worthafortune
I'm a sucker for all things Asian - and what's better than a fortune cookie, right? How about a really BIG one! I saw this on Etsy the other day and fell in love with it. You can even customize your own fortune! How cool is that?!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Phase I (Paint) Complete...
Yippeeeee! I finally finished painting the bathroom, but now I'm so tired I'm afraid I'll have to wait until this weekend to decorate. OMG - I forgot how much I HATE painting, unless it's artistically, of course. I absolutely refused to tape this time, since it usually bleeds anyway. Instead I painted as close to the moulding and ceiling as I possibly could and then took an artists brush to the edges. Sadly, it took about the same time as taping. Oh well. At least it was a tad less abhorrent than taping. Anyway, check out the cool celadon green. It's leftover paint from my downstairs. I can't wait to add the bamboo to the cabinets. Stay tuned...Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Meet Etsy Card Artist: steliedesigns
Stephanie Giesen-Kath is the fresh talent behind Stelie Designs and I was lucky enough to stumble upon her recently while perusing Etsy. I saw her Asian engagement card and fell in love with the classy, contemporary design that still captures a fascinating culture. Aside from her art, she is also a busy stay at home mom to three year old fraternal twins (I'm an identical twin, myself). "There is never a dull moment in our home and it’s only quiet when the kids are sleeping," she says. Not surprisingly, she finds a lot of inspiration in them. Currently she specializes in custom invitations and announcements for all occasions, including weddings and baby showers. "It's important to me to bring simple delights to everyone who receives a handmade card or invitation," she explains. She started making her cards 12 years ago for family and friends and turned her hobby into her job. "I left the corporate retail design world a year ago to spend more time with my kids. Now I have the best of both worlds, kids during the day and creating during the night." She recommends her fellow artists "find a product you love making and believe in, then know it takes time and perseverance." Please check out her shop: http://steliedesigns.etsy.com/
My Bathroom Makeover Project Begins...
OK - I've been saying this forever now, but this time I'm really doing it...I'm redecorating my bathroom and master bedroom. As many of you know, I love all things Asian and the bottom half of my house if fabulously decorated with my prize possessions, including gorgeous Japanese dinnerware, brass flatware with Thai Buddhas on every piece, and countless carved Buddha busts from Thailand and Tibet. However, the upstairs is a different story, no pun intended. I decided to finally redecorate the bathroom and master bedroom to look like an Asian spa/B&B suite, so here are the BEFORE pictures of the bathroom (I'll tackle the bedroom next week). I'll post pictures of the finished project soon, which will include bamboo matting on the cabinets, a new coat of paint, and lots of little details. I'm doing it all on a budget, too. Wish me luck...Monday, June 9, 2008
Meet Etsy Artists: OtterandtheBee
Ryan Lemar and Erica Vess are the talented - and soon to be married - couple known as the Otter and the Bee. "He's the otter, I'm the bee," Erica says. "I am so dull," she jokes, "really, mind-numbingly, 1950's dull." They enjoy watching old, bad movies, making fun of their cats, and "poking lumps of felt into weird creations - that is our idea of an exciting Friday night." Ryan is a huge inspiration to Erica. "He's waaay more creative than me, it just happens to manifest itself in different ways, like cooking a fantastic meal or making a really weird felt creature that I could have never thought of in a million years." The Richmond Craft Mafia is another source of inspiration for her ( http://richmondcraftmafia.com/). "These ladies are my sisters in craft and they are all so good at what they do. Man, it really makes me want to be a better seamstress, that's for sure." She is also a fan of fellow Etsian Kit Lane. ( http://kitlane.etsy.com/). "Her stuff is so cool! She can hardly keep it in her shop it sells so well!" Like many of us, she is an Etsy addict and has nothing but praises for the handcrafted site. "I can't say enough how much I enjoy being part of Etsy and seeing all the amazing things that other people create. It keeps me on my toes," she admits. While she and her fiance share the Etsy shop as a side business, she also has her own website for her paintings, which is her main focus ( http://beeskneesstudio.etsy.com/). Her modern yet self-described whimsical style is showcased beautifully in her pieces, whether it be felted sushi or a painting. "I hate the word 'whimsical,'" she admits. "How about wacky. I am modern and wacky." Originally "Otter and the Bee evolved as a way for Ryan and I to pay for our felting habit and also to insure that we didn't have a house crammed full of weird felt animals we had made," she explains. Although they have been crafting and creating their whole lives, they've only been felting since December of 2007. "Have fun," she recommends. "Don't expect to make a lot of money right off the bat. Put some character in your listings and profile. Did I mention have fun?" Please check out their shop: http://otterandthebee.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Dharma Designs
http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: IndieCoJewelryDesign
I was lucky enough to find the next jewelry designer in the Etsy forums.
The hip, young New York artist behind IndieCoJewelryDesign is a Pisces, who describes her studio as "a bombsite; I can’t get from one side of the room to the other because of jewelry, let alone make it to the computer to do promotions." Lucy keeps herself busy, improving upon her skills, and is "currently on the last leg of the GIA’s Graduate Gemologist degree." She is also taking metal smithing and jewelry rendering classes. "Hopefully every time you come back to my store, you will see my art developing and changing as I learn new techniques to help you ladies out there feel beautiful," she says. Her inspiration often comes from her travels. She is "a true Brit," transplanted in New York, where she moved to 9 months ago from the Philippines. "I have travelled throughout Asia, and as you will see, a lot of my designs incorporate inspiration taken from there, if not the materials themselves (many of my precious stones were personally picked up from Hong Kong, Manila, or Bangkok)." Her classy yet eclectic style showcases vibrant colors and quality gems that are sure to be attention grabbers. "I like to see jewelry, I don't want it to disappear into the background of an outfit," she explains. "Stay true to your art," she recommends, "otherwise why do it - its not for the money most of the time." Please check out her shop: http://indiecojewelrydesign.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Friday, June 6, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist: faeryspellcreations
The unique artist and sculptor behind faeryspellcreations is "a native San Franciscan, mom of two amazing little boys, and wife to the most wonderful husband...who makes (her) living sculpting and sewing dolls based on fairy, mythology, history, and folklore." Her favorite mediums are clay, paper, and fabric. She is inspired by the natural beauty in the world. "I also love reading history, fairy tales, and myths," she admits. "And I always create to music." Although she currently focuses on sculpting her magical dolls, her first love was fabric and "for a long time (she) did custom period and fantasy clothing." While she still works on costumes from time to time, most are for her dolls. "You will find handbags, hats, gloves, masks and fairy wings in my store regularly." She describes her Etsy endeavor as "a job, a hobby, and an absolute pleasure," and hopes to transition into selling there solely within the next year. "Keep creating," she recommends. "When you first start here, it takes a while for people to find you--for those first sales to come in. But don't be discouraged! Instead, use your time productively, create a beautiful store, introduce yourself in the forums and have fun! Please check out her shop: http://faeryspellcreations.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Dharma Designs
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist: LaurenAlexander
Kansas artist Lauren Alexander has a "knack for painting with watercolors in a sort of whimsical abstract style." Although she enjoys painting nature scenes, she admits that she is not an outdoorsy girl. "Other artists are always an inspiration," she says. "Being a part of collective group of artists of all kinds is how I stay creative." She has always loved art and jokes, "According to my parents, I have destoyed just about anything a pen will mark on." As far as Etsy goes, she hopes to "build a positive relationship with other artists and keep making work that I am proud to share with others." She reccomends, "Be fearless. Be honest. Be open to what the world of other creative minds can do and use that inspiration to constantly make your work the best it can be." Please check out her shop: http://laurenalexander.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Meet New Etsy Artist: Katuno
I found another brand-spanking-new Etsy artist by accident. WOW! There are so many talented people here! I'm going to be busy profiling everyone...
Kat is a Hawaiian resident, whose ethnic background is Japanese. Both aspects have an impact on her whimsical art. "I started drawing at a young age and have always been fascinated by crafts," she explains. "My mother was a full time mom, but she also did many types of crafts, which I found amazing and inspirational." She was lucky enough to have parents who supported her interest in art and went on to earn an Art degree in Illustration. She began experimenting with digital mediums 5 years ago and is currently back in school, studying web design. Some of her works are inspired by her love of Japanese anime. "I love the bright colors, large eyes, and cuteness." She admits, "Anything visual can spark an idea in me...but I'm a chameleon when it comes to style, I change when it fits my purpose." She also loves to crochet, "particularly amigurumi." Etsy has provided her with an opportunity to share her work. "I love having people find joy in my art. It really makes me feel as if I am doing something special and that inspires me," she says. "Don't be afraid to showcase your own style." Please check out her shop: http://katuno.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Dharma Designs
http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Meet New Etsy Artist: jules13art
As most of you know, I am absolutely enamored by the cultures, art, and people of Asia. I was lucky enough to stumble upon this brand new Etsy artist the other day while doing one of my usual searches. Yep - you guessed it: Buddha. :-)
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