Meet Etsy Artist: KeepsakesByKristie

Aside from being a jewelry artist, Kristie Jones is a 38 year old stay at home mom to "three terrific children" and a few cats, dog, and birds. "I’m a lover of the Victorian era and collect period clothing," she admits. "My interest have a wide range - I am not above panning for gold in Alaska or digging for emeralds in North Carolina." Thankfully she also hunts the beach for treasures to use in her beautiful jewelry designs. "I was fortunate to grow up in a very artsy crafty family," she says. With talented quilt makers for a mother and grandmother, she followed in their footsteps. Eventually her grandmother taught her the Victorian art of redwork. "I have done some very intricate Victorian portraits; you know the big hats and bustles." Jewelry came came later. "It was actually my daughters who inspired me to make the jewelry when they saw it at some sort of festival and had mentioned to me how much they loved the sea glass jewelry," she explains. "So after years of ignoring the glass on the beach I started to pick it up and make a few things for the girls and the rest of my family." Her earthy designs show off the natural beauty of the found pieces, letting the glass take center stage. "I am not fond of overshadowing the natural beauty of the sea glass, I am often afraid that if I use too many extras I’ll lose what first attracted me to it." She lets the treasures "speak" to her and inspire her to create something special. "I am often overwhelmed with ideas and not enough time to try them out," she jokes. "There are so many talented people out here that I am just proud to be selling my creations along side them," she says of her fellow Etsians. Please check out her shop: http://keepsakesbykristie.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/