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. :)

Friday Spotlight: Acorn Alley Designs

Our ongoing Friday Spotlight features our members of TeamBPAL. Let's meet Kirsten of Acorn Alley Designs!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I make delicate wire-wrapped jewelry, using gemstones, freshwater pearls and sterling silver or gold-filled wire. My designs are simple and feminine, not at all frilly, and I take the utmost care to ensure they are well constructed.


What is your creative process?
My creative process typically involves staring into my boxes of stones, mentally putting together combinations. I often have several projects going at once, plus many lists and drawings of ideas that I may never get around to making.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
The Naturalist Society, El Paso Etsy, and Team BPAL, of course!



Tanzanite and Aquamarine Necklace - Spring Meadow

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
My day job is as the industrial hygienist for an oil refining company. I am responsible for ensuring that the employees who work at our refineries are not overexposed to chemicals, noise and radiation. I like my field because I can use both my scientific knowledge and creativity in solving problems.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
1) I am a big time hippie Deadhead. I saw the Grateful Dead thirty-some times when I was in college.
2) I used to be an EMT and am not grossed out by body fluids. But the smell of ketchup makes me nauseous.


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
Back in November, I won a non-team treasury challenge and my work was featured in over a hundred treasuries (and several front pages). It was certainly the most exciting weekend I’ve had since I’ve been on Etsy.



Pink Amethyst Marquis and Sterling Silver Hoop Earrings - Rose Petals

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
I’ve only had my handmade shop open for 6 months, so my advice is more from the buyer’s perspective. Make sure your policies are clear and adhere to them (especially in regards to shipping times and returns). Absolutely have good pictures that accurately depict the item you are selling. And don’t be afraid to communicate! I love to get a convo telling me that my order is appreciated and letting me know when to expect my item. If you ship through some means other than Paypal, and you have a tracking number for my package, share it with me.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
The three things I would grab in a fire are a Charley Kinney haunted house painting, the leather medicine bag I made for myself (filled with all sorts of secret and special things) and a clay horse sculpture my mother made as a child.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
I recently lost my favorite kitty – RIP, Manny – and I would love it if someone could capture his likeness in watercolor for me to remember him by: Custom Cat Portrait


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
I would love to be able to capture the essence of a perfume in words, like Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, or Katie Puckrik. Sadly, my scent vocabulary is lacking.




Where else can we find you on the web?
Wordpress: acornalley.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/acornalley

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

Friday Spotlight: Seven Cats Company

Our ongoing Friday Spotlight features our members of TeamBPAL. Let's meet Jitka of Seven Cats Company!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I make things I'd like to wear, or that I wish I could wear. Right now it's mostly jewelry, though I have a pair of velvet fingerless gloves in the works!


What is your creative process?
It depends on what sparks it. Usually it's the urge to create; then I go through my supplies and see what springs out at me, whether it's color or texture or a new combination of things I hadn't thought of before. Once I have an idea, I get started on it. One of the benefits of working with jewelry is that the supplies are small and easy to store, and pieces don't take quite as long to finish!


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
Just TeamBPAL right now... teams are a bit of a mystery to me!



Honey and Amber

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
Chase my three-year-old, spend time with my husband, hang out online, watch movies... I'm pretty laid-back.


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
Every sale I make leaves me prouder! (Don't worry, I'm not about to take over the world... yet. I'll leave that to my kids. :P )



Pendulum Lariat

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Always promote yourself. It feels awkward sometimes, but if people don't know you're out there, they won't be able to buy from you.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
Ooh, tough one... I'd have to say the quilt my great-grandmother made from the scraps of fabric left over when she made my grandmother's dresses. It's beautiful and warm and incredibly well-made.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
This one's hard; there's so much I've fallen in love with on Etsy! But I love sandals, and these remind me of a pair my dad had (he grew up in the 60s and 70s!).


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
I wish I could write, or rather, I wish I had the self-discipline to make myself sit down and write consistently enough to actually finish something. Jewelry is nice like that; it doesn't take a lot of time to finish a piece. :)




Where else can we find you on the web?
Facebook: Seven Cats Co on Facebook
Twitter: twitter.com/sevencatsco

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

Friday Spotlight: Stormslegacy Designs

Our ongoing Friday Spotlight features our members of TeamBPAL. Let's meet Michelle of Stormslegacy Designs.



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I make a variety of animal-inspired things, including art and jewelry. Sometimes a bit of steampunk slips in as well =3 I started with small charms of people's pets, including ferrets, chinchillas and rats. I've branched out into small "budget" earrings and nicer crystal and ceramic styles. I'm going to be doing a line of marker and watercolor pet portraits which I'm hoping to get into because I love working with pet owners.


What is your creative process?
It depends on the piece but most lines take me a little while to think up. I rarely do one-offs any more, though originally almost all of my stock was unique. In the case of jewelry I think through the design, buy the materials and then set myself in front of a good movie for the assembly. For the polymer clay earrings I often dedicate a ten hour day sitting and playing with clay to come up with different designs--I'll often start with a list of things that I know I want to make but will also make things on the fly as I feel it. For artwork, I sometimes just sit and knock an art card out, but my most successful pieces often take days of sketching out plans, editing them, playing around with the composition in thumbnails and then finally committing myself to the paper. It's not uncommon for the planning process to take longer than the painting itself!

For steam punk pieces, I buy things that attract me (did I mention that my spirit animals include the coyote and the crow?) and then play around until I have a composition that pleases me. Those are the pieces I find most enjoyable.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
Pets Jubalee and TeamBPAL



Ocean's Treasure Steampunk Pendant

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
I am involved in rat rescue and foster for my local rescue group. Currently I have my fosters Hope and Faith who we have been rehabilitating: http://mainelyratrescue.org/rattieblog2/?p=614

I also have a day job at an office, spend time with my SO and am teaching myself how to track wild animals and identify their signs. I love going out into nature and taking lots of pictures to look things up later.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
-I have a degree in biology but decided just before finishing that I actually want to be an artist
-My interest in animals goes back as far as I remember and the two things I wanted to be most when I grew up were 1. an ornithologist and 2. a cat. My favorite book as a young kid was my father's zoology textbook which I referred to as zoo-goo-lee.


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
I have several times been asked to make clay portraits of animals for folk. One of the most touching was a woman who's cat passed away after 16 years. He was a brown tabby with a difficult pattern and a very characteristic lying down pose. When I finished the key chain for the person she was so excited and commented that I had utter nailed him and that it brought her joy to see him again. I've had a few moments where pet owners have told me that it was like I could see their pets.



Marker Pet Portrait

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Market yourself, do not expect to sell things just because you list them. Project Wonderful is a good place to look, and you can advertise on your favorite blogs or webcomics depending on your audience. It's also good to join a forum that will probably include people in your target audience and include a small, subtle advertisement in your signature. Second: find a theme and stick with it or open multiple stores because you don't want your store to look like a garage sale. I have issues with this myself, but I sell a lot more now that my store has more of a focus then when I used to have a wide variety. Find what sells and make it your focus.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
Oooo that's a hard one. Right now I would have to say my kitchen table--my father used to be a carpenter and made the table a few years before I was born (25 years ago as of the 28th!). It's rock solid and still looks brand new. I grew up with it and when my parents gave it to me I accepted in a heartbeat.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
Grinning Coyote Carved Wood Mask. My spirit animal is the coyote and I LOVE the expression captured here. While it's not how I picture Coyote, I love seeing different interpretations and would totally hang this on my wall!


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
I originally had dreams of being a naturalist but I have very bad anxiety that makes it difficult to drive or do many of the things that would be needed to go out and study animals in the field. I would love to be a writer about the natural world but I'm too motivated to move and work with my hands to sit and write!



Where else can we find you on the web?
Livejournal: stormslegacy.livejournal.com
Furaffinity
Deviant Art: stormslegacy.deviantart.com
Website (still in a bare-bones state): stormslegacy.com

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

Friday Spotlight: Paintbox Soapworks

Welcome to our next Friday Spotlight! Every other week, we feature a new interview from one of our TeamBPAL members.

This week, we interviewed Hayley of Paintbox Soapworks. Let's go!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I make a colorful & irreverent collection of SLS-free glycerin soaps, 89% organic hand & body lotions & emulsifying sugar scrubs… Stuff wot gets folks clean, soft & smelling delicious. I do monthly Limited Editions, & am working on a line of men’s products. And a heavier weight lotion. And a million other things. Not short on ideas, no…


What is your creative process?
It takes me, on average, 30-45 minutes to fall completely asleep at night. My brain likes to hover in semi-consciousness for a while, & that’s when I do some of my best development. I also cull heavily from pop culture, song titles, and the 4 or 5 unfinished novels I have in my head – my husband will put a record on & I’ll suddenly feel like I got punched in the chest & have to go write down a scent concept that instant. I’ll mull it over for a few days, then start test-batching to see if what’s in my head is ready to see the light of day. I am also blessed with an army of outspoken, devoted friends & family who are constantly coming up with challenges for me. They’re a bit sick that way, actually.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
TeamBPAL, baby!



The Black Heart

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
I have a desk job for 25 hours/week, in ways a blessing & a curse. I have a nearly-5-year-old son & the best husband in the universe, & we like to spend our evenings building incredible LEGO spaceships & reenacting scenes from Star Wars. I am a trained pastry chef, & keep my hand in with the occasional wedding cake. We garden, play Chutes & Ladders, hang out with our amazing clan of neighbors & friends, & generally live the hippy-dork dream.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
I was born in Canada, of British parents, & have the charming/annoying quirk of maintaining both an American & an English accent. I’ll slip into one or the other depending on the accent of the company I’m in. It’s completely involuntary, & I occasionally come off as a total prat.

I have an arsenal of odd skills & interests under my belt, from animal husbandry to mechanics to botany to horseback riding, but I can’t ride a bike, swim, or drive stick shift. Priorities what?


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
When I look at the names of my customers & recognize so many of my wonderful, amazing, supportive BPALers. It is only by their love & generosity that I was able to get this ship in the air so quickly, & I am honored to have earned their devotion. Breaking the top 100 sellers for my category on Etsy was pretty farkin’ sweet, too.



Dead Leaves

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Take your time & do it right from the beginning. Don’t panic. There are so many things that need to be done when you fire up a business, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Make lists. Talk to the professionals. Decide what’s going to work best for you – there’s no one formula that works for everyone.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
Just before our son was born, my mum unearthed her old Singer & made a simple quilt for him. It’s known affectionately as Sheepy Blanket, & has been the backdrop for some pretty amazing moments over the past 5 years.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
I’m always stalking train cases from GetReadySetGo.
But our house is crying out for this beauty.


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
Animal husbandry. Or woodworking. Brute force combined with skill & knowledge gets me all aquiver.



Where else can we find you on the web?
Blog: paintboxsoapworks.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/paintboxsoapworks
Facebook: Paintbox Soapworks on Facebook

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

Friday Spotlight: Tara Nova

Welcome to our next Friday Spotlight! Every other week, we feature a new interview from one of our TeamBPAL members.

This week, we interviewed Tara of Tara Nova: Fine Art by Tara Sasiadek. Let's go!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I paint and sculpt ritual items and icons. Much of what I make never makes it to my etsy shop, but what is there is a reflection of the shows I am working on and the different myths and stories I am immersed in at the moment. I make images like meditations- and I hope the story my paintings and talismans tell is open enough to speak to others. My favorite materials are beeswax, stained glass, and reflective pigment powder.


What is your creative process?
I have a million ideas floating around in my brain and organize them in different lists, where they often sit collecting dust or living as mini sketches for a long period of time. Inspiration will strike all at once, and a previously incubating concept will flesh itself out all at once in a flurry of writing and drawing, and then I go to work for weeks or months of painting and sculpting. I love this part of the process best: I feel honored, humbled, proud and silly all at once dragging new things into being kicking and screaming.

When I paint, whether I use beeswax or acrylic, or pieces of glass, I start with a number of different compositional sketches and use life models or maquettes under set lighting. Once I get the base design or drawing set to my liking, then I let go and just create more openly, blending in colors and concepts on instinct.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
I am a proud member of TeamBPAL, FAEteam, and the Pagan Team



Brigid Strength of the Earth

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
Creating other things, like tents in the middle of my house. I love canning and preserving, and also cooking in general. I read voraciously- a mix of silly and serious: usually a book on art or philosophy next to a graphic novel or sci-fi series. I play WOW in the winter and garden in the summer. I love the art community in Buffalo and am involved in local galleries and Emerging Leader in the Arts, so I am blessed to get to interact with amazing creative types and see all of their different openings and projects.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
I recently played “Tintinabula” in a musical, and my favorite line was that I had “The pelvis of a camel.” I also got to have an awesome third eye painted in the middle of my forehead.

Every time we have a mural painting party in Buffalo, I somehow end up adding naked women to the mural… I just like to infuse Goddess energy ;)


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
I recently sold a painting that means a lot to me, and had that classic artist reaction: I was feeling a bit of separation anxiety mixed with elation that someone else wanted to have a thing I made in their home. I can’t think of anything more affirming of an artists' work than others having your work speak to them enough to place them around their lives purposefully. The work I have from others infuses my life with good energy, beauty, and humor, and I hope to do the same for anyone who finds a home for my work.



Our Lady of Glaciers

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
You get exactly what you give. If you are open to the work, Etsy is a great place full of wonderful opportunities. It will always be work though, because it is such a big place and you have to commit to being a work in progress. You will never finish a to do list and be set here: you need to keep doing, doing, doing. If that makes you happy, this is the place for you!

Join groups and get involved: I have learned a lot from others here, especially on teams and through the etsy blog. I also would really recommend setting up a blog roll and flowing the rss feed of artists you admire, and perhaps a site like copyblogger that talks about internet marketing.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
I participate in art swaps quite frequently, so I have many beautiful items that have been made for me by incredible artists. A quilt and a set of tarot cards made by my late great artistic Aunt Kathy make that top the list. I also really love the wax-dipped book-lanterns a fellow artist made for an installation we made together that adorn my bookshelf, and a hand forged metal cuff and this incredible old trunk coated with tiny map bits that I traded paintings for.

Also, nothing tops a jar of homemade marmalade.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
Definitely this sculpture- it just sings out, even across the internet. Nike of the Forest.


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
I enjoy telling stories through my paintings- but I only touch on little bits of longer narratives. Writing fiction full scale is something I greatly admire and would love to have pursued as a career. I am in total awe of friends and family who have the ability to weave whole worlds into being that way. Storytellers are a huge resource that I feel get taken far too much for granted in a world of endless remakes and sequels.



Where else can we find you on the web?
Blog: TaraSas
Facebook: Tara Nova Fine Art and Design
Twitter: twitter.com/tarasas

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

Friday Spotlight: Lavoro Designs

Welcome to our next Friday Spotlight! Every other week, we feature a new interview from one of our TeamBPAL members.

This week, we interviewed Shelly of Lavoro Designs. Let's go!



Tell us a little about the items in your shop. What do you make?
I make jewelry that is simple, timeless and easy. Pieces that you can wear to work and in daily life. I like my items to be affordable so people can express their individuality thru their accessories without breaking the bank. I could never find the type of jewelry I like to wear so I started making it. I like unique pieces that are affordable. I also love working with stainless steel and brass.


What is your creative process?
I start with the materials, most often. I am drawn to a certain bead or material and then once I have it, I decide what it will become.


Which Etsy Teams do you belong to?
TeamBPAL.



Birch Grove Necklace

When you are not creating things, what do you do?
I’m a childfree by choice housewife and stay at home pet mom to 2 dogs and a cat. I love horror movies (the grosser, the better!) and things like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Lately, I’m obsessed with learning about nutrition and following a clean eating/vegan diet. I also have a few home based businesses that I am a rep for – Watkins, Willow House and Avon.


Tell us two random, interesting things about you.
I can’t drive a car, ride a bike or swim but I did take flying lessons.
I’ve been vegetarian since July 2003 and a vegan since August 2010.


What has been your proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
Getting referrals from customers. That is the highest compliment. I still excited when I get an order from a stranger.



Baccaro - Blue and Gold Bracelet

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Make sure you focus on listing new items every day if you can and maintain your own original style.


What handmade possession do you cherish?
Anything that was made by a personal friend. I have a friend that knits and multiple friends that are jewelry designers. Those items make me smile whenever I use them because I know they were made with love especially for me.


If you could have any item on Etsy regardless of price, what would it be?
I love skulls and I am so drawn to this belt buckle. I wish I could afford it!


What other skill or talent do you wish you could possess, if you had not taken this creative path?
I always wished I could play the piano. I have less than zero musical talent! I also wish I could have an animal rescue sanctuary to save unwanted dogs and cats and/or a farm where I could show people how amazing farm animals are and where the animals could live their days in peace without fear of being eaten. I’d love for people to see how cows, pigs, chickens and fish have personalities and aren’t different from the animals we call ‘pets’.


Where else can we find you on the web?
Lavoro Designs Facebook
Personal Blog: girlbehindtheglass.blogspot.com
Personal Facebook: facebook.com/MineralGirl

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