Boomer Buddies

Showing off some of our favorites....

 1.  What is the name of your shop?  

ANSWER:  Something Pretty 
                    On Etsy:  Dust and Clay

2.  What kind of items do you sell?   
 
ANSWER:   My hand crafted items- Handcrafted buttons, whirligigs, personalized mugs, decorated mailboxes, birdhouses, windchimes, window charms-  etc. 

3.  How long have you been engaged in your art/craft? 
 
ANSWER:    Since the 70's

4.  Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson? 
 
ANSWER:   Since I sell my items both Wholesale and Retail, I would say I am a Professional Craftsperson.

5.  What inspires you?  
 
ANSWER:   Everything I see, leaves on trees, wood, bugs, birds, nature in general

6.  Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio? 
 
ANSWER:  I usually have work to do on orders I have to fill.  I sell on 3 ecommerce sites and stay really busy.  It is good occasionally to have a day when I am caught up on things and I can be lazy.  I just started a kiln and it is after 11P.M.  Sometimes I work late.  I work better late in the evening and at noct, than in the mornings.

7.  What keeps you company while you are working on a project?
 
ANSWER:   I have a cat named Bubby

8.  What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
 
ANSWER:  I love to paint.  I prefer to paint on ceramic clay with under glaze colors.  But I can, and will,  paint on most anything available.

9.  What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
 
ANSWER:   Cleaning my shop after I have messed it up. And I do mean- messed it up!

10. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters?
 
ANSWER:   Just do what you love to do. Never say  "I can't do that"  If you want to, and believe in yourself- you can do anything.

11.  Would you care to share some other information about yourself and/or your shop that i have not asked about?   Please tell us here.
 
ANSWER:    I am 68 years old and everyday to me- is treasured.  I wake up every morning of my life, thanking God for the talent he has given me.  It brings me so much pleasure.

1. What is the name of your shop?
My shop is called

   Easily Suede -

I'd like to take the credit for coming up with the name but sadly I can't.  My partner thought it up and I get lots of people saying what a great name it is! 

2. What kind of items do you sell?
I make retro style suede and leather belts which are very popular at the regular Arts & Craft fair that I have a stall at.  I also have some vintage jewellery which I think compliment the belts as they are from the same era. 
 
3. How long have you been engaged in your art/craft?
Less than a year! I didn't start out with the intention of selling, I made a belt for myself and wore it to work.  I was amazed at the reaction from my co-workers - they loved the belt and asked me to make them - so I had a heap of orders.  I then looked into selling at markets and craft fairs and eventually found a great fair in Leeds city centre and of course, Etsy.
 
4. Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?
It's purely a hobby that has got out of control for me!! Although I do take the selling seriously.  It's opened up a whole new world to me and I've made lots of great friends along the way.
 
5. What inspires you?
Getting positive feedback from customers, friends etc

6. Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio?
My workshop is the living room and I have boxes of suede and leather stashed all over the house! I probably spend only an hour or two at most during the week cutting belts as I work full time.  Sometimes I'll be in the right mood for cutting and so I will spend my time cutting the links.  I have days when I just can't cut the shapes at all and so spend that time making up the belts. 

7. What keeps you company while you are working on a project?
Music! I like to plug in my I-Pod and get cutting!
 
8. What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
It has to be when I make the belt up and add the tassles.  i always think 'wow, what a fab belt'. 
 
9. What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
Colour blending for multi-coloured belts.  I am a perfectionist and so it can take hours for me to get the blend just right.

10. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters?
Take the plunge - share your creations with the world!

1.  What is the name of your shop?
I have two:
   Figments by Kathleen

2.  What kind of items do you sell?
My primary work is in unique beaded jewelry but I occasionally have destash items in Eclectic Miscellany and I currently have a gorgeous jacket in Figments.

3.  How long have you been engaged in your art/craft?
Off and on for 20 years with the beading. I have sewn since I was about 10 years old.

4.  Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?
I am a hobbyist right now but would like to become a professional craftsperson.

5.  What inspires you?
Nature, myths and stories, beads that I see.
 
6.  Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio?
I don't think there is a "typical" day. But when I sit down to work I will either have a project in mind or will be finishing up a project I started. I will pick out beads and work on creating a piece. Often I will have interruptions from my daughter, my husband, the phone, the dog.... it is all part of the process, though.  When I finish I piece I will either photograph it immediately or put it aside so I can photograph several items in one session.
7.  What keeps you company while you are working on a project?
I have several lovely pieces on my wall from fellow etsians that I love to look at before I sit down to work. Sometimes my daughter or my husband come in and sit down with me and often the dog will lay on the floor nearby.

8.  What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
Finding the beads. I love to visit the local gallery where I get some of my lampwork beads. If I am lucky the artist herself is there and we talk about what we are each working on, etc. I love to find new bead stores and explore their stock. Often a bead itself will inspire me so finding the ones that do is always great!

9.  What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
Taking the photographs! I am still working on getting my photos to look good and to me it is soooo tedious.

10. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters?
Not sure I have any.

1. What is the name of your shop?

The name of my shop is Fire Fly Glass Design

fireflyglassdesign.etsy.com

2.  What kind of items do you sell?   I sell fused glass jewelry.  I design glass pendants, earrings, bracelets, rings and barrettes, using art glass and beautiful dichroic glass. 

3.  How long have you been engaged in your art/craft?   I have been working with glass for 7 years. 

4.  Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?  I like to think of myself as a professional craftperson.  I do sell my art and have been trained by glass artists. 

5. What inspires you?  I am inspired by nature, music, art and most recently my grandchildren.  Being able to see life through the eyes of a child has broadened my imagination and creativity. 

6.  Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio?  First I choose the colors and patterns of glass that I want to use.  I begin cutting the glass and layering my pieces on a background glass.  When I finish several pieces of jewelry I fire them in the kiln to approximately 1500 degrees.  I cool them slowly and then shape and smooth them with a grinder and fire them again.

7.  What keeps you company while you are working on a project?  My 2 Corgis, Murphy and McGee, and sometimes Judge Judy or Oprah. 

8.  What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?   My favorite task is opening the kiln and seeing how the glass has melted.  It is like opening a special gift. 

9.  What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?  Cleaning my table. 

10. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters?  Don’t worry about whether your work is good enough.  Negative thoughts will hold you back. 

11.  Would you care to share some other information about yourself and/or your shop that i have not asked about?   Please tell us here.  I am a retired family therapist and began beading for my own mental health.  I took a glass class and was hooked.  I moved to AZ after living in the Midwest for 64 years.  It’s very hot here.

1. What is the name of your shop? From My Brush

2.  What kind of items do you sell?

     Paintings in Watercolor, pen and ink with watercolor wash,acrylics, and colored pencils. Some originals available. also prints, note prints, and Aceo prints. Bookmarks, bud and bookmarks hand painted rulers, and hand painted soaps.

3.  How long have you been engaged in your art/craft?
14 years

4.  Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?
Both.
     I didn't start until I retired in 1996.As I improved an opened this shop I feel I have earned the right to be a professional.

5.  What inspires you? Every thing around me in nature does. I love the colors in nature and have often said flowers were God's art work. The Etsy community inspires me to keep learning.

6.  Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio?
     I  get a cup of coffee, do a jigsaw puzzle on the internet, www.JigZone.com. Then I open the shop to see if there were any sales, convos etc. Then I eat my breakfast and take a shower. I paint at least two hours in the am. Breakfor about 15 minutes. Then I list items on Etsy. After lunch I check the forums, paint some more or print cards and package them.
In the evening off and on I surf the forums

7.  What keeps you company while you are working on a project?
My two cats stay in my studio, and I have music and my TV.

8.  What is your favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?
I love to paint and create. My motto is "let me share my the joy of painting".

9.  What is your least favorite 'task' related to your art/craft?   Packaging because it is a very repetitive task.

10. Would you care to share any 'words of wisdom' with other aspiring artists or crafters? Enjoy your skill. Love what you do. Keep your mind open to new ideas and techniques. Share your work with others.

11.  Would you care to share some other information about yourself and/or your shop that i have not asked about?   Please tell us here.
I am a 75 year old widow and new technology like computures,scanners,digital cameras,fax machines, and graphic art are the the things I have had to conquer. I have completed some online courses for a lot of this. I research on the computer. Designing and printing my own promotional material has been a good thing. In other words I do excercise to my brain.