Feature: TreasureBoxJewelry on Etsy

There is a lot of talent to be found on Etsy. Today we are seeing the talent of Aisha from Treasure Box Jewelry on Etsy. Aisha is a wife and mother of two children living in New Jersey. She has many interests including photography, scrap booking and painting in addition to her jewelry creations. Aisha has crafted for as long as she can remember and when Etsy came on the scene, she saw it as the perfect opportunity for her to work in with the responsibility of raising children. However, her children will always remain number one! Etsy allows her to stay home with them while giving her a creative outlet and earn some money. Eventually, she would love to be able to create clothing in addition to her jewelry. What a wonderful complimentary side line!

The Secret Garden Necklace
$18

Aisha has definitely seen her craft evolve over time. She notices that her pieces are more complex and the look is more refined due to the fact that she has mastered some techniques. She also finds she is more willing to take risks in her creations. To help her evolve even further, she is studying the history of jewelry. She feels that so many areas have been added to her life. "Becoming a jewelry artist has opened a whole world for me, and that is a gift in itself", Aisha comments. During the creation process, she really doesn't make sketches or record ideas. She simply keeps them in her mind's eye and they just happen to evolve from there. It is not uncommon for her to have several pieces going at once and will often come up with a name for pieces before they are even completed. Quite ironic, this is exactly how I work! I always being with a set idea, but the piece just somehow seems to create itself and usually looks nothing like my original idea when it is completed. I love this as each piece has it's own life...own essence. Each piece controls itself. I would love to hear comments from others who work this way as there really doesn't seem to be many based on the volume of features I have done! Kudos to you, Aisha! While she is creating, Aisha usually listens to her iPod on shuffle to drown out background noise. She loves to listen to classical while creating.

Moonbeam Bracelet
$15

When Aisha hits a roadblock, she will put everything away and take a break to pursue her other interests like gardening, reading or browsing on Etsy. She feels it is very important not to push yourself which she fears will make your love a chore. After taking a short break, she feels the creative flow return. Her favorite venue for selling her pieces is Etsy, but she is branching out to doing craft shows this year. She loves Etsy as it allows her to stay home with her children and give her pieces exposure at the same time. She finds that it is getting harder and harder to get your product out there with the market so saturated with jewelry, so she relies on creating quality pieces in addition to using social networks and word of mouth. She admits to not having paid for advertising yet and also relies on her blog to expose her wares.

Fairy Dust Earrings
$14

She finds that it is getting harder and harder to get your product out there with the market so saturated with jewelry, so she relies on creating quality pieces in addition to using social networks and word of mouth. She admits to not having paid for advertising yet and also relies on her blog to expose her wares. Aisha states that her most memorable moment was putting it all together. What an accomplishment! She was so tickled to receive compliments and hearts!

Sweet Dahlia Ring
$6

I asked Aisha to offer some advice to new business owners. This is what she had to say:

"To not lose heart. It is so easy to get lost in the shuffle, especially since there is so much talent. But you have to remember why you are creating in the first place. If it is just to make money, then maybe you are in the wrong place. I get deep satisfaction and contentment from making my jewelry...and that is without the sales. Just work hard and be patient and believe in what you do. If you believe in what you do then people will see that and they will see your passion and enthusiasm and they will be drawn to both you and your craft. So never lose sight of the true purpose of your craft!"

Contact Aisha:

Blog: http://treasuredlife786.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/aishaTBJ

La Cravate Du Chien Thursday Feature

Today I am featuring Daphne from La Cravate Du Chien. Daphne comes to us from Greece. Her love of working with her hands led her to where she is now on Etsy. Working with her hands makes her feel more connected to the earth. In time, she would love to add glass working to her repertoire as she loves the many vibrant colors you can derive from glass. As her craft evolves, she becomes more brave to the concept of experimentation with other mediums. When she works, she finds she is more in tune with music or silence, depending upon her mood. Daphne is still waiting for nature to sing to her as she lives in the city. Perhaps some day, she can relocate to the country where nature will sing to her all the time!

Summer Necklace Blue
$16

To keep her ideas organized, she records them on tiny pieces of paper in her room. To much of her surprise, sometimes she finds papers she recorded ideas on from months previous. I don't know, Daphne, I would listen to those ideas that keep resurfacing just begging to be worked out! Daphne has a very interesting philosophy regarding that dreaded lag in inspiration we all suffer from time to time. Usually she just waits it out as they usually do pass over time. However, if it is taking to long to pass, she takes it as a sign that it is time for a change and goes from there. Very refreshing view! Daphne loves to expose her products online and is just tickled when one of her pieces are sent to the other side of the planet. She has done craft shows, but they are not really big thing in Greece, which limits most of her exposure online.

Flying Monster Brooch
$20 each

For Daphne, she is awaiting her most memorable moment in her business. It will be the day she says, "I quit my day job!". The biggest obstacle she faces is her fear to take risks. She prefers to approach things with careful little steps.

Fabric Choker
$12

As far as marketing goes, Daphne finds her most success with online social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc) as well as dropping her business cards and talking about her business where ever she goes.

Blue Bird Belt
$25

Finally, I asked Daphne if she had any words of advice to new business owners. This is what she had to say:

     "Be patient and believe in what you do and why you do it."

Treasury Report!

I love treasuries! I have been trying to curate treasuries for almost 2 years now and have only gotten one in all that time. So for now, I am just satisfied being included in treasuries.

I just received word of this treasury today. Mine is the bracelet in the upper right hand corner. Thanks to AnnyMay Eco-Clothing for including me! Be sure to visit AnnyMay and click on the picture of the treasury to comment!

As a side note, I have been doing Vacation Bible School at my church all week - I am the crafts teacher (go figure!), so I am a little behind on my schedule, plus I have a show this weekend! (Eeeeks!). I will be posting the Feature Thursday tomorrow after my class is over and will keep it up an extra day :)

Alice In Wonderland

Off topic from the antique button jewelry world, I know, but just as important just the same! I know...I'm what, 41? Well, when it comes to Alice, I will never grow up! I own The Complete Works of Lewis Carrol, The Annotated Alice, and Alice's Adventures Under Ground which is the published facsimile of the original story and artwork by Lewis Carrol for the original recipient. This is in addition to various other editions in my collection.
My favorite computer game? American McGee's Alice.
My favorite Disney movie? Alice in Wonderland.
My favorite mug? My Alice in Wonderland mug that depicts Alice under a tree with the Cheshire cat. The best part? The cat disappears (except his smile) when the mug is full of hot water!

My husband got me a very nicely framed picture depicting various matted illustrations from Tenniel (my favorite Alice illustrator). I prize my Polish hand blown Alice Christmas ornaments, as well as my plethora of other Alice collectibles and clothes. What can I say? That story pulled me out of many a funk when I was a kid and I am happy to say that it still does to this day!

Now...the best part of Tim Burton recreating this wonderful classic? You can be that Johnny Depp will be cast in there somewhere.


And, to my pleasure, he is one of my favorite characters...The Mad Hatter! My other favorite? The Cheshire Cat. Either way, I can't lose! Yes, I admit it. I have been in love with Johnny Depp since I saw him in Nightmare on Elm Street as a teenager when the movie first came out in theaters. It was actually a date I went on. Poor date. He could never compare to the handsome creature that met his fate by being eaten by the bed. Have been smitten ever since then. Don't worry, Johnny, I'm not a stalker...just an admirer (and dreamer)! My husband is still jealous of Mr. Depp...after all these years!

Okay, enough of my rant. Just be it known that I will be waiting patiently for 2010!

Oceanside Creations - Feature Thursday

Today, I am introducing you to Amanda from Oceanside Creations. Amanda lives on the coast in Maine, so you can be assured that her creations are truly coastal-inspired! Amanda has created jewelry for many of her friends and family and after becoming unemployed in 2008, her loving family and friends encouraged her to pursue her talents as an artisan on Etsy, and the rest has been history!

Tropical Breeze Wire Wrapped Seaglass Pendant with Tahitian Pearls
$25

Besides making jewelry, Amanda likes to put her talents to a sewing machine and would like to eventually add clothing and handbags to her line of fabulous adornments. Can't you just see some coastal beachwear and bags with her beautiful beach glass jewelry? Hint, hint, Amanda!
Since Amanda has been on Etsy, she has seen a definite evolution of her artisan pieces. She notes that they have gone from cute and simple to more elegant, higher quality and more sophisticated. To me, one of the pay-offs of being an artisan is watching your pieces evolve over time. It shows real growth as an artisan. Now that's big!

Wire Wrapped Coil Bracelet in Chocolate Brown
$20

Organization is key for any artisan and Amanda has her system down pat. She keeps notebooks chock-full of ideas in addition to retaining all her pictures of previous pieces so she can actually see how her art has evolved. This also helps her to refer back to techniques she has used in the past. When she hits a creative road block, Amanda takes a break to refresh her creative mind. She feels her work is higher quality if she is not pressed with the demand to create and finds she creates better when she is relaxed and can concentrate on the flow of ideas that come to her. Amanda feels that she works better alone with the TV mumbling in the background. Although she tends to tune it out anyway so as not to distract her from her creativity, she cannot work well with silence, either.

Freshwater Pearl Double Ribbon Bridal Choker
$32

Currently, Amanda's pieces are available exclusively on Etsy. However, she will be moving to Oregon in a few months and plans to feature her pieces in area shops and at shows it time permits. She will always be on Etsy, so never fear, as she loves the support that is offered to artisans by fellow artisans! Amanda is so very proud of herself for attempting to offer her pieces to the public and finds that this currently is her greatest accomplishment for her business at this time. At the same time, attaining regular sales and keeping above the fold with fellow jewelry artists is a challenge. She promotes her work on Twitter, Facebook, her blog and constantly has sales and specials. Amanda, please note that you are not alone on this avenue. There are so many jewelry artists out there and it is very hard to achieve and to remain above the fold! One of her secrets, however, is word of mouth marketing with her friends and family. She does see more results online after incorporating Twitter and Facebook into the mix, so she finds that those avenues are worth pursuing.

Floral Passion Chandelier Earrings
$15

I asked Amanda if she could offer any advice to fellow artisans. This is what she had to say:
"Stick with it and offer really great quality products. There are a lot of sellers out there so you have to stand out to make people want to come back to you"

You can find Amanda on her Etsy shop, on Twitter, Facebook fan pages, and her blog. Be sure to check her out and say Hello!

What a Great Weekend...Time to Catch Up!

What a great weekend I had! After preparing laboriously for a week, my showing this past Sunday was Fabulous! Met some great customers, made some fantastic contacts and was invited to attend a few more shows this year. Life is good! I can only credit my success to God. Period.

I spent the whole day yesterday with my kids. Their half-sister is having a baby today, so they have to go to Dad's for some time to see the baby. They are so excited! I did spend a little time yesterday morning connecting with the contacts I had made.

Today, I spent three hours trying to get my house back in order and after the kids go, my husband gets me for the rest of the day. I still have to re-open my Etsy shop. I had my husband put it on vacation Sunday morning. All my things are one of a kind and if something sells in my shop that sold Sunday, I've pretty much painted myself in a little pickle! Hubby is on vacation for the rest of the week, so I may not work too much. I have more showings coming up this summer, so I can't vacation too long!

I apologize to my dedicated droppers for not dropping for a few days. I have been trying to catch back up with you all and will be in full swing by the end of the week. So many blogs and friends to catch up on...it may take me a while!

Thursday MishMash...

A quick refresher to remind you to vote if you haven't already. Pictures are above, voting is in the upper right hand corner. Voting ends July 15.

Today there is no featured artisan...my apologies. I did not schedule one so that I could have more time to prepare for a show this weekend. Shows tend to creep up on you awfully quick and you always find yourself so many things that have to be done, even when you try like heck to plan these things not to happen.

Have a great weekend if I don't get to post before then! Oh, and wish me luck!

We Have a Winner!!!

First of all, I hope everyone had a happy, safe weekend!
Now on to business.....I have numbered all the comments (after omitting Grampy's comment - he didn't want to enter, just wanted to comment!) and ran the numbers through random.org. Here is the results:
...which makes OneCreativeQueen the winner! I have just contacted her via email! Thanks for everyone who entered! I love having these giveaways!

Have a great week!

SolSisters Handmade Originals Feature Thursday

This week, we are going to take a peek into the shop and life of Krystal from SolSisters Handmade Original handbags. Now, who doesn't love a cheeky bag?

Krystal specializes in unique, original bags using various quilting techniques. She at one time was a mom-taught sewer and eventually began quilting, but as anyone knows who have tackled this task, quilting does take a lot of time, and Krystal ended up with many UFO's (unfinished object). Hmmm, that sounds familiar! So, she channeled all the talent and skills she has as a quilt maker and sized them down to these adorable handbags which work up much quicker. She find the best part is that she has the final say in all her designs. By trade, she is a graphic designer and when you work for someone else, they have the final say. SolSisters allows her absolute control from conception to final product. Now that's rewarding. Over time, she would like to explore the world of lampwork glass beads and cold process soapmaking.

Frantic a Colorful Striped Handbag with Button Decorated Flap
$50.00

As far as the creative process, Krystal organizes her patterns in plastic slip sleeves on her sewing table. When she needs a pick-me-up in the design department, she shoots over to craftster.org to mull through the forums, picks up a magazine and studies designs or rummages through handbag groups on flickr. When Krystal first began creating bags, she thought of them more as art, but found functionality was compromised. After mastering several tasks in handbag making, she find that they now are way more functional as well as hard to ignore.

Paws and Leashes for Fast Pet Waste Cleanup
$15.00

Krystal finds that what she has playing in the background while she is creating tends to sway the final piece. She finds that if music is playing, her bags tend to me more colorful. Krystal tends to stay away from the television, not for any other reason than it is a time waster. In fact, she commented on how much more time one can find when that "vacuum of useful time is banished from your life". Too funny, and I couldn't agree with you more! Well, except for the occasional House episode! Aside from music, she also does appreciate certain pod casts as well as that ever-so-famous silence.

Tintagila Orange and Purple Market Bag with Original Skull Art
$95.00

On a business note, Krystal prefers to show her work in person as handbags are an accessory that must be felt and tried on. Second to showing in person, she does like to sell on Artfire and Etsy. She especially loves the attention, tools and support that Artfire offers their sellers compared to other online selling venues. Unfortunately, the traffic just doesn't compare to some venues, but I am confident, Krystal, that you will see a shift in this over time. Which leads us to what she considers her biggest obstacle in her business - Exposure. Krystal is right when she told me this: when things are not mass marketed, you have to get your products seen by the people where they can identify that they need this wonderful piece of functional art that you created. I am sure I am not the only one who feels the twinge of pain in this department. Krystal tries to keep her creations in the public eye by way of Her Blog, Twitter, Google AdWords as well as tackling as many face-to-face opportunities as she can snatch up! Krystal finds that pairing up a good blog and twitter has been her most powerful tools to get the word out. She also recommends looking into Twitterfeed and Twittermass.

Nichelle Zipper Cat Art Marbled Wristlet
$25.00

Now, for my favorite part of the interview! I asked Krystal what advice she can give to new business owners in the artisan world. This is what she said:
"For seller so handmade goods, three things:

"#1 PHOTOS! learn how to use your digital camera, especially the marco mode,and take photos outside in sunlight if you can. Dark, blurry or photos with too much going on don't sell. You are proud of your work, and your photos should show that pride.

"#2 Don't count on people to show up at your shop (real or virtual) begging to buy things. Be prepared to invest time in your business with promotion/advertising. Learn a little bit about marketing and why people would buy from you. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and make every aspect of their shopping experience with you one that YOU PERSONALLY would enjoy.

"#3 - Think carefully about the look of your product's labels, your hang tags, your packaging, your shop name, your shop banner and so on. If that part of things looks slipshod or appears to be an afterthought, you will be taken much lest seriously. Invest money in actual printed business cards and try to work with a graphic designer to make an identity that is yours alone. Presentation has a lot to do with the price you can charge for your goods. The best product with poor presentation will not command a price that is fair to you or your work"

PatchworkMan Stitched Handbag
Sold
This just so happens to be my favorite!
Who can pass up Edward Scissorhands?!

Thank you again, Krystal, for sharing your wonderful story, your sound advice and your motivation to your craft!

Vote for June Challenge Winner...

June has come and gone, and it is time to present the entries for your voting pleasure! It's a tough one again this month...everything is so beautiful! This month's theme was "Victorian Vacation" suggested by CopperGoneWild. Well, this is what the artisans of the Victoriana Guild of Artfire came up with. Be sure to vote in the Right Sidebar------------------------->

Entrant 1
Victorian Initial Hand Decoupaged Glass Coasters - The Birds and The Bees
Tzaddishop

Entrant 2
West Indies Necklace
JewelledTrellis

Entrant 3
Reconstructed Egyptian Revival Vintage Relic Necklace
Cobwebpalace

Entrant 4
Walk In a Victorian Garden #1
BeadArtBy Houkje

Entrant 4
Jewelicious Victorian Necklace
Jewelicious

Of course, as always, each item appears in the artisan's store, so they are all open for sale! To get more information about each piece, click the pictures. Voting is from Today until June 15, so be sure to get your vote in!

Good Luck, Victoriana's, and if you want to become involved in fun little challenges like this, leave a comment! I'll tell you how you can get involved in the fun!