Meet Etsy Photographer: organicstills

Natalie grew up in England, but is now living in California with her new husband. "I've been interested in photography for about 4 or 5 years and have been branching out into other crafts (i.e. digital art, knitting, jewelry, collage art etc.) for the last year or so," she explains. "I'm constantly looking to learn something new." Her photographs tend to capture a moment in time, opening a window to her world and her soul. "Being able to share it with others is a wonderful feeling." She enjoys experimenting with new concepts and ideas. "As the name 'Organic Stills' suggests, my photography is organic - I try to keep it natural and unaffected. I don't post-produce my pictures, preferring to show them exactly as they were the moment I took them." She does, however, work on specifically digital art pieces, such as the one above. She hopes Etsy will allow her to share her art with the world. "I love knowing that there are people out there with a photo that I took on their wall and that they get enjoyment from looking at the view through my eyes...I enjoy the fact that Etsy is a forum for the little guy, like me, to have a voice." She advises her fellow Etsy artists to "decide what you really want to get out of the site. Whether you want to make a living out of it, or just want to use it to showcase your hobby, think carefully about the different ways to market yourself and explore those possibilities. Building a business, no matter how small, takes time and dedication, so give yourself a chance to become seen." Please check out her shop: http://organicstills.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/

Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: soulharborjewelry

Joni Doyle-Sims is the creative mind behind SoulHarborJewelry. "Nature is my inspiration and muse," she admits. "My heart has always been drawn to anything that grows from our Earth and everything silver that I could adorn myself with. As a young girl I spent any money I had on either a plant or a silver ring!" Her classic, earthy designs beautifully showcase her complimentary passions. Before Etsy she "spent 15 years as a floral designer feeding (her) love of plants and flowers." It wasn't until 5 years ago when she was introduced to precious metal clay that she combined her passions. "Instant obsession is the best way to describe it. I immediately bought a kiln and starting firing away. I never even told my husband that I had purchased the kiln. He discovered it under my work bench one day, gently asking 'where did the Easy Bake Oven come from?'" Many of her pieces showcase her Irish/Scottish heritage with Celtic themes - or are beautifully accented with colored enamel in natural hues of the sky and sea. She sees her craft as "something that I have to do, it's part of who I am." Of course, like many of us, she has a full time job as well. "I do have this horrible day gig that I'm stuck in for now," she jokes. Aside from Etsy her work can be found at Wisconsin art festivals and Charlene's Gallery Ten in Gills Rock, Door County WI. As an artist she hopes to be an inspiration to her young sons. "I want to be an example to them that you can live your dreams by working hard and having passion for what you do." Please check out her shop: http://soulharborjewelry.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/

Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: natureallwell

The life-long artist behind Natureallwell is a 21 year old newlywed from Alberta, Canada, who - aside from Etsy - is passionate about biology and the ecology. She has successfully combined her love for her craft and the environment in her eco friendly jewelry. "It’s so sad that we’re destroying this vast planet with our human greed and ignorance. Hundreds of species are endangered or extinct every day, we add tons of waste to landfills, burn and chop down forests, pollute the ocean and waterways. In doing so, we’re killing ourselves." She believes a natural lifestyle is the answer. "Handmade itself is better for the environment, helping to stop mass-production and the massive waste (it) causes." She even donates some of her profits to animal charities and buys organic products. Many of her pieces incorporate recycled, natural, and vintage materials - and all of her props and displays are second-hand or natural elements. She has even gone as far as switching to corn-based biodegradable bags for craft shows. Additionally, she offers restringing and jewelry repair so less material ends up in landfills. "I’ll happily take old jewelry and revamp it for new life in this generation." Her hip retro style definitely reflects her eco-centered mission, each beautifully showcasing aspects of earth and life.

"Currently my day job isn’t satisfying at all and I think my jewelry is what keeps my sanity right now," she confesses. Although Etsy is not her current career, she acknowledges that it is more of a business than a hobby. "I spend far too much money on it to justify it otherwise," she jokes. She actually maintains two shops - one for her beautiful jewelry and another for supplies (naturefinds.etsy.com). Eventually she hopes to make Etsy her full time job, but in the mean time is working diligently to get her name out there. "Concentrate more on your store than talking the forums," she advises. "Forums chat is great and helps advertise somewhat, but it’s your product, photos, packaging, prices, customer service, etc. that really get customers coming and coming back for more." Please check out her shop: http://natureallwell.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/