Thursday, April 7, 2011

Friday Spotlight: TTP's Nifty Things

Our ongoing Friday Spotlight features our members of TeamBPAL. Let's meet Dana of TTP's Nifty Things!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
jewelry mostly, and earrings for the most part. i'm experimenting with some necklaces, bracelets and house jewelry.

house jewelry?

yep. :D

confused? you won't be after the next episode of Soap....er....i mean if everything goes according to plan :)


What is your creative process?
generally, if i'm out shopping and find a piece of jewelry (new or vintage) that's just begging to be remade, or if i buy a big pile of loose beads.... i'll have an idea in my head of what the finished project ought to look like. but sometimes the supplies take on lives of their own and i'm surprised at the end result.

...and occasionally i'll sit in the middle of a gihugic pile of assorted beads and sparkly things and just play with them all, and admire the colours and textures and sparkles until something takes shape in my imagination.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
just TeamBPAL!



Winter's First Frost Earrings


When you are not creating things, what do you do?
what is this not-creating-things of which you speak? :P even if i'm not actively making something jewelry-ish, i'm generally still doing my best to manufacture carbon dioxide. or possibly creating a mess. or, i'll tell ya, i'm darn good at making sure furniture doesn't levitate!
but, er, that's not what you meant is it?
i love to browse and shop both online and in the real world, i've usually got at least three books that i'm reading, i don't so much watch TV but i love to watch our kittens being generally adorable, and i enjoy being boring with my husband.
one of my other favourite hobbies, for lack of a better word, is couponing! i have a coupon binder, and have fun figuring out the best deals on everything.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
do i have to? if i try to think of something interesting about myself, it just makes me feel silly!


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
when one of my mom's co-workers asked me to create jewelry for her wedding, for her, the bridesmaids, her mother and her husband's mother!


Dark of the Moon Earrings


What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
do what you love because you love it, make what makes you happy.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
a handbag, made of wood, paper and cellophane, that my grandpa made for me when i was just a baby. i lost him when i was about 3, and my grandma gave me the handbag a few years later. it's fragile with age, and i've never carried it as a purse, but it holds all the little trinkets and memories that are precious and irreplaceable.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
i've been coveting a skinny eternity ring for ages.


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
i had originally set out to be a high school teacher, so probably that! although, crazy as it sounds, i LOVED working retail. i had SO MUCH FUN working as a sales clerk at Hallmark - i've worked at several different locations. i even enjoyed working the seaonal gift wrap booth at the mall!



Where else can we find you on the web?
aside from the BPAL.org, i'm on a couple of jewelry forums (i always use the same avatar, so you'll know me if you see me!), and i've got an idea for a blog but i haven't worked out all the kinks just yet.
when i get sentimental, i'll load up mIRC and idle there, like the good ol' days ;)

That's all for this time! See you in two weeks. :)

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