Focus on... StephanieFizer

Sally: Tell us who you are… what makes your crafty passion tick…
Stephanie: My name is Stephanie Fizer and I'm a fulltime illustrator.  Right now I run my Etsy shop (http://stephaniefizer.etsy.com), do some freelance illustration work and teach my e-course, Flourish.  My work is almost entirely digital now, although I love incoporating handmade textures, patterns and brushes. 

Sally: Who, or what inspires your creations?  
Stephanie: Well, I'm inspired by practically everything these days, it seems that I've constantly got new ideas popping in my head.  So many actually, that I can never quite find time for all of them, so they get scribbled down in my idea book until I find time to start developing them.  I'm definitely inspired by nature, I grew up in a rural area so I spent a lot of my childhood wandering through the woods and making up stories about the animals.  I'm also inspired by vintage illustrations and teacups. 

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?  
Stephanie: Well for me, no matter what product is the end result, it all starts with an illustration so my favorite thing is that journey from the first doodly sketch to the actual finished illustration.  But beyond that, I love dreaming up new stationery designs for my shop.  I think the world of email, Facebook and Twitter, we often forget who delightful it is to give and receive snail mail and I hope that my sweet notecards will encourage more people to start writing letters and litlte notes instead of just jotting off a quick email. 

Sally: What do you do besides working on your passion and shop?  
Stephanie: I'm pretty much always working or at least thinking about my work; I thrive on staying busy and find that oddly I am most creative when I have the least time.  But when I do take breaks I'm an avid reader and music listener.  I also love to cook, it's so a wonderful stress relief for me.  I'm a vegetarian and I live in a town that isn't exactly friendly to that diet choice so instead I always search for exciting new veggie recipes to try out here at home.  As I'm typing this, I've got a vegan cinnamon crumb cake baking in the oven!

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?  
Stephanie: I think as a general rule, I avoid doing things that I don't do well, but then I think everyone does that.  As far as my work goes, I'm terrible at hand-lettering and would love to have the time to really study and work on that.  



Sally: Do you have favorite Etsy peeps?  
Stephanie: Yes!  I really dig Belle & Boo, Sarah Jane Studios, Nella Designs and Gorjuss right now.  All lovely, sweet ladies and very talented artists. 

Sally: What’s your fav thing about Etsy?  
Stephanie: I love the sense of community and the face that I can really get to know my buyers.  


Sally: One tip you could give, about life, about Etsy, about the weather…  
Stephanie: More than anything, it's so important to maintain a positive attitude and avoid letting yourself get stressed out, especially about things you just can't control.  There was a time when I would absolutely turn into a bundle of nerves when my Etsy sales were slow or when I didn't have any freelance gigs lined up and I would find myself just languishing in stress and misery.   Now I've learned to just push the nerves out of the way, stop worrying and instead just focus my energy on creating new work and thinking up new ways to promote myself. 

Call for featured Etsians!

I am looking for shops with 

wonderful product line,


original & handmade design,


intriguing photos,

 and most of all a love of talking about it all! 

If you would like to be considered for a feature on this blog, please contact me at nightowlcraftworks@gmail.com with a few sentences on why you would like to be featured on NightOwlCraftworks blog.


Hurry  to get an upcoming spot!

Good luck & thank you for submitting!

Featured Etsian... blueberryshoes/ imfromthewoods!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Hollie: The fact that I love creating more than anything, am confident in my craft, hate the 9-5 thing and am very driven when it comes to promoting. Etsy just works out perfectly for my personality. It's a venue that was introduced to me through my good friend ohvotrecoeur :)

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?
Hollie: -Dark fairy tales and history. Little Red Riding Hood and The Little Mermaid are my favs.
-Fashion: street, couture, futuristic, spaceage, medieval, victorian. I love period clothing. The weirder the better. I adore Alexander McQueen.
-Music: Gaga, Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, The Smiths, Tori Amos, etc)
-Girly Nostalgia: Barbie, old dusty dolls, frill and lace you'd find in grandma's trunk in the attic, My Little Pony, Rainbow Brite, Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, etc. I love glitter, pink and kittens.
-John William Waterhouse, Alphonse Mucha and Edmund Dulac. They introduced me to pond nymphs, half clad curvy women with long hair and sad eyes.
(see the pics I attatched)
-Life experience, especially the sad parts. I would not create the pieces I do without that bit of longing and sadness. Call me dramatic, but it's true. This is especially applicable for my illustrations. They have a depth about them, and it just wouldn't be there if I had a perfect life. Thank god for hard times, I'm a fan of the maturity it's brought into my life.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?
Hollie: Definitely at night! I rarely create a thing in the morning/midday. I like being in the dark. Alot of nights I'll go to bed with my hubby, but jump right back out once he's asleep cause I have an idea I just have to get out. This happens way more than I'd like to admit, lol.


Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?
Hollie: I market to indie types, fashionistas and those who care for the earth and recycling. Sometimes my drawings go to the most random people. Usually people who feel deeply and have that longing I talked about. The bows go to girls and women who love high fashion, Gaga and Japanese street style. So pretty much all people I love! A good amount of young girls love the bows too, which is AWEsome. I'm a huge fan of little girls. They're little princesses I can play dress-up and make believe with :)

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?
Hollie: Definitely the bows. They're tangible, and can be worn as many times as you want. They're like the gift that keeps giving. I absolutely adore hand sewing, bunching the fabric and seeing each piece turn into a cute lil' piece of their own. I love thinking of what outfits they would match and where my customers would wear them. A recent bow went to a girl who was going to wear it to a Gaga concert, and that totally made my day! The illustrations are very emotional to create. I literally have to block everything out around me. No one can be around. I blast my music and get into the zone. It takes me about an hour to do an entire piece and it flies right by. I can't really draw well when the mood hasn't hit. It has to hit me hard and then I know I'll churn out a few pieces that I'm happy with. Music is really important to creating great pieces.

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?
Hollie: I have so many. But I really love Catcher in the Rye (of course), Handmaid's Tale and Day of the Triffids. I like autobiographical novels with a bitterness and sarcasm about them, medieval or period ficion and then science fiction.

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?
Hollie: Omg I can't draw hands. If you notice my illustrations, all of the hands are hidden. For some reason I have never enjoyed doing hands and thus they're stuck in the 5 yr old drawing style phase. I've never practiced them and so they suck, big time. But I have gotten such great feedback on the pieces WITH hands, that now I know I have to work on them and really include them in more pieces. I have a hard time with arms as well. And I'm pretty bad at drawing men. They look like manly women. It's pretty sad. But I do want to get better at these, cause I'd love to do some really deep maiden and knight pieces!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?
Hollie: This is tough. It would be a tie between Morrissey, Lady Gaga, Tori Amos and John William Waterhouse. All I care about is what moves people. I would ask a million questions based on what they love, long for, went through and are moved by. 

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?
Hollie: I have an itunes list called "Crafty" and I play it everyday. It's filled with songs I never tire of and that continually move me. For sewing I've got alot of old school Madonna, Gaga, Heart, Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Wham!, Smiths, Billie Holiday, YYY, etc. When drawing I listen to stuff like Arcade Fire, Dead Mans Bones, Sunset Rubdown, Gaga.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?
Hollie: For readers of this interview, buy either a bow or an illustration and recieve a second one half price :) Just type in "Blog Interview" in the notes to seller :)

Featured Etsian... TheExtentofSilence!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Amariah: A year and a half ago I was browsing the internet looking for ways to sell my art. I ran across an artist who linked Etsy from her personal web site.  I emailed her and asked her how Etsy had worked out for her. She was really nice and gave a lot of great advice and so I decided to open a shop.

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?

Amariah: I would say that my inspiration comes from all over.  Sometimes just seeing a little kid at the grocery store will give me an idea. I watch a lot of movies,  read a lot of books, and I like to look at old photographs.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?

Amariah: I think that I work best at night. It isn’t unusual to find me awake at 1 in the morningJ

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?

Amariah: My target audience for my original art and prints is younger people, probably 20s thru 40s. I also do portraits and my target audience is fairly broad.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?

Amariah: My favorite mediums are charcoal and pastel combined together. This will probably change over time, but right now it’s my fave. J

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?

Amariah: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien

Anything by Dr Seuss!!

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?

Amariah: I would like to be a better more creative writer. Writing descriptions/stories to go along with my art has always been a struggle for me. I guess I’m not very creative in that department and I wish I were…

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?

Amariah: While I work I usually listen to an Oldies station J  I don’t listen to music much when I’m not working unless I’m at the gym.

Amariah, Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.  Your work is wonderful!

Readers, This seller was so wonderful to me when I started out.  She was a guide and helper and was so very very kind.  She is an exceptional etsian!!!

Featured Etsian... BroocheFromMaris!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?
Mariska: The first time I heard of Etsy was when I found Econica (http://www.etsy.com/shop/econica) on Google and absolutely loved her shop. I was searching for organic clothes because my ultimate goal is to have a organic atelier in about a few years. In Holland its very hard to get organic fabrics and I was doing some research about other designers. I'm very against mass production and I loved that Etsy found a way to stimulate creative people to expose there unique items and create a online boutique/shop.

Sally: Who or what  inspires your creations?
Mariska: Its not really that I get inspired by something in particular. Sometimes a idea just pops into my head, its like a feeling and you just know it would turn out great! I love to try out new techniques with different kinds of materials. A few months ago my teacher taught me to crochet, now I'm crocheting everything! I started with yarn, making hats,flowers and a pair of house shoes. (which are soooo warm!!) Then I got experimental and tried to crochet with strings of fabrics, ribbon and it turned out to be soo beautiful the ribbons gave my designs a very shiny twist. My next idea was to crochet with metalwire/silverwire and my hands were not very happy with that brilliant idea! But I was... I'm so glad how it turned out! I love to experiment and one idea leads to another.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?
Mariska: I collect my idea's all day long and right after dinner when I'm most relaxed I work at them. My head sometimes spins with thoughts and idea's, I'm full of creativeness. If I find a little spare time I will start to make a portfolio for my blog, I think people will love to see what else I do besides Etsy.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?
Mariska: Ummmm YOU are my market ;)

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?
Mariska: The silver wired items, every time I finish one I'm actually surprised how well it turned out. I love to use beads/pearls to they make it more colorful. Crochet + silverwire + beads = pretty jewelry.

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?
Mariska: I'm a real fashion book addict, bought last week 6 (six!!) fashion books and love them all. Very hard to pick my 3 favorites! Uhmmm lets see..
1 - How to set up & run a fashion label by Toby meadows.
''No matter how talented you are as a designer, if you are going to run a successful fashion label you also need to know about business - from marketing and PR to manufacturing your collection, and where to find the money to finance it all. In How to set up & run a fashion label, Toby presents a no-nonsense guide to running your own business.''
This book has loads of tips to help you set up a label. It really helped me a lot although I haven't even started yet, it helped me to get prepared of all the ideas I have for my fashion label which I want when I finish my collage.
2- Embroidered flora & fauna by Lesley Turpin-Delport & Nikki Delport-Wepener
Literally stunning! I was overwhelmed when I saw this book.. Full of projects of mixed media techniques. Three dimensional textured embroidery insects, flowers, animals and fruit.
3- Complete guide to Needlework. - Readers digest
As the title says it really is a complete guide! Found this book in a second hand shop. Its a very big book full of tips and projects. If I don't understand a technique or want to try something new this book is the first source Ill check.

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?
Mariska: The dishes. No really! Its so hard to get started...

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?
Mariska: I would love to ask you (Sally) the same questions just to see what your answers will be!
Sally: Mwah ha ha... moving on...
Mariska: I would love to interview Rick Owens & Stella McCartney. Both amazing designers, really love their style.
Can't really come up with questions for Rick, probably when he got inspired and how he starts his collections. That kind of questions.
I would ask Stella McCartney how difficult it was for her to start a business with a famous father. And also ask questions about how she comes with her designs etc.

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?
Mariska: I listen a lot lounge music while I work. I'm a big fan of the Hotel costes and the buddha bar albums. They are so relaxed and a bit funky. Tango forte is one of my favorite songs. While I don't work I listen all kinds of music, don't really have a favorite genre. It really depends on my mood, sometimes I just love swinging with Disney music!

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?
Mariska: Off course! Just add 'Nightowl' In the message from the buyer and you'll get free shipping and 10% off all items!  (refund through paypal)

Thanks a lot for reading, hope you enjoyed.
http://twitter.com/frommaris
http://www.frommaris.com


Mariska, As usual... you are wonderful!  Thanks so much for sharing with us!


Readers, I'd watch this girl!  I was paired with her in a shop critique... she has come a long way in a short period of time!  Great Etsian!!!

Featured Etsian... HandiworksbyJanice!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Janice: I came to Etsy upon recommendation from my daughter-in-law, who at the time had a shop on Etsy. She knew that my creations needed to be available for sale, and was so complimentary of the way Etsy is set up. I am glad that she was persistent!

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?

Janice: My inspiration comes from many different mediums which include color, nature, the beach and the actual beads or fibers that I have in my “stash”. I actually let my design come about once I pick the main color or bead that will be featured. I create with an abundance of love and attention to detail, and with my own “signature”. When I am wearing one of my designs, I usually get numerous compliments from total strangers….which gives me a good excuse to pass out a business card! I am in the process of putting ideas together for my first series of lines. I hope to introduce them this spring. The lines will be “By the Sea”, “Metals”, “Enchanted Garden”, and “Celebrations”. I am also interested in offering a “Tweens” line of fun, colorful and affordable jewelry for girls from about 10-14.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?

Janice: I could work any time of day, but do most of mine in the evening. The day’s “other” work is done, dinner has been prepared, and I can settle down in my studio with my favorite TV show…HGTV….and let my imagination go. I usually do not get interrupted during my work as my husband is aware that this is my creative time, and loves to see what I have managed to produce once I shut down my shop for the evening.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?
Janice: At the moment, I try to market my creations to the young to middle age professional, as most of my jewelry is non-traditional and is of “statement” status. It is usually the woman that loves to accessorize and has the means to do so. Not as an afterthought, but with intention. My dream is that one of my designs will make it to the “Red Carpet” or with a TV News Anchorwoman. Also, I am in the process of establishing my “brand” within my Etsy shop, blog and website to make them consistent with one another. This will include all marketing materials as well as the “look and feel” of each site.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?

Janice: A necklace is my most favorite item to design. This piece is usually the first thing someone will notice when they see you and gives one an insight as to who you are. I love to name my designs as I give them life, as well as a creative introduction in my Etsy shop.

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?

Janice: “Simple Abundance” by Sara Ban Breathnach. So empowering. Good for women of any age. It is easier for me to give authors rather than books, because I read many books from these authors: John Grisham; Anne Rivers Siddon and Maeve Binchey. I am a sucker for mystery, love, and good heartwarming stories.

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?

Janice: Say NO to every bead that I see! I understand it is the same with most beaders or jewelry designers…..I have more beads than I will use in a long, long, time! I need to control the urge to buy everything I like.

Sally: What do you listen to while you work?

Janice: Most of the time, I watch HGTV while I work since there are good design ideas that come about. But if I don’t have the TV on, then I listen to soft jazz or soft rock. Very inspiring and calming at the same time.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?

Janice: There are some creations in my shop that are on sale. I do not do a percentage off as it can become confusing, so I just lower the selling price but let the client know what the original price was before the sale. I will be adding more “On Sale” items in order to make more room as I introduce my new lines. Also, I offer free shipping for orders $60 or more.

Janice,  Thank you for letting us get to know you!  I think saying "No" to anything crafty is one of my biggest weaknesses!

Readers,  What do you wish you could do better.  I'd love to hear! :)  I wish I could draw... or skateboard :P... or play guitar...

Featured Etsian... POPpeople!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?
Kathryn: A good friend of mine introduced me to Etsy after I spoke to her about my work. I originally started selling on Etsy with my Emerald Lily jewellery collection (www.emeraldlily.etsy.com) and then branched out to other creative endeavours and started working with paper clay. Etsy seemed like the best forum to sell my products as well as become more involved with the creative community. There is a lot of support on Etsy and many friendly and interesting people.

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?
Kathryn:  One of the great things about being creative is that the more your create, the more inspiration you see around you. It seems to open up your eyes so that you actually take notice of the things around you and discuss ideas with other creatives. I think that the internet is a great way to also find inspiration, particularly when you are starting out learning a craft. There are so many resources on the web to help develop your crafts.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?
Kathryn: I work full-time as a graphic designer and try and fit in my other craft projects around that! I probably work best on my crafts around mid morning (if it's the weekend) but this isn't usually what happens! I usually have to squeeze in time at night and also try and promote online during this time. It can be quite tricky to balance time promoting and time creating.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?
Kathryn: Since starting my shop and opening it early this year, I probably market mostly to other Etsy twitterers and also try and get involved in the Etsy forums. I hope to develop my Facebook fan page more and create a blog, but it all takes time. I think it's important not to spread yourself too thinly across too many areas otherwise you don't get time to promote well on any of them. I find Twitter has been a great way promote my new shop and meet other like-minded people. I would hope that my POP People appeal to almost everyone. As my shop develops, I hope to create at least one doll that someone can relate to. Each doll has its own unique story, stereotypical as it may be! But I think that introducing some frivolity and humour into what I sell is part of its appeal both to me and to others. I think that because I truly enjoy making my product and get a kick out of their quirkiness, I figure others do too. I get quite attached to each of my doll characters and almost don't want to part with them!

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?
Kathryn: Each doll has its own appeal. When I create each one, I sometimes have an idea of how I want it to turn out. But sometimes, the doll doesn't take on its true personality until I finish painting it and sit it in front of me, stare into its eyes and wait for a story to be revealed about its life and personality. It can be quite sporadic and unplanned, which is so much more fun than planning out everything from the beginning.

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?
Kathryn: This changes! But probably my three favourite 'books/series' would be 'Aphrodite' by Isabel Allende (so beautifully descriptive), the Harry Potter series (particularly 'The Goblet of Fire') and any Roald Dahl books (his collection of short stories are gripping).

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?
Kathryn: I have a short attention span! I can tend to have so many things I like or want to do that I get easily distracted and move from one idea/project to the next. I will start one thing then see something else I want to try and move onto that quickly. This most applicable when I look at all the different creative things out there and think 'Gee, I think I'd like to try my hand at that too!' This seems to apply to most of the endeavours I do!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?
Kathryn: Probably my main influence stems from my childhood love of puppets and claymation during the Jim Henson 'Muppet Show' era and Aardman's 'Morph' character. I loved these as a child and still enjoy watching how animation has progressed over time. Some of the best work over recent times have been Australian animator Adam Elliot's work. I think, if I had a chance to interview any of these influencers, I would ask how they kept themselves motivated when creative ideas sometimes wane. I think at the beginning when you first come up with ideas, your enthusiasm drives you quite far. But after a while, it can be disheartening when sales may not be as good as you hoped for or interest in your product plateaus. It can be hard to keep focused.

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?
Kathryn: When I work, it depends on my mood as to whether I have silence or the radio/tv on in the background with the hustle and bustle of others around. When I am working on my clay dolls, I find it a really soothing way to unwind from my day job and can often enjoy talking and listening to people while I work away.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?
Kathryn: Soon! I will be offering deals and promos as my shop matures a little (I just opened it a week ago). I would like to develop my Facebook and Twitter fanbase and offer special deals and promos to those followers and supporters of my work.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/poppeople
Facebook: http://bit.ly/5O7iHa


Kathyrn, Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed.  I can't wait to see what other people you come up with.  I see myself as more of the introvert.  I love that gal!  Good luck!


Readers, I'm quite confident that you can find a POP people that you connect with.  I'd love to hear who you are, post a comment with a link!  

Featured Etsian... bjwCREATIVE (JUKEBOXART)!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Brooke: Back in 2006, I read an article on the start up of Etsy and its founder Rob Kalin. I had previously been selling on eBay as a self-representing artist and was very intrigued by the idea of translating the traditional craft fair into an online shopping venue. Needless to say, it was love and first site!  Immediately I realized that Etsy was a great site in dozens of respects- well designed and it had a good sense of community.  I signed up right away and started shopping!  It wasn’t until 2007 that I opened my own shop.

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?

Brooke: I have many inspirations that influence my art but music is what sets the tone.  When I hear lyrics I see visions painted before me. I feel colors as if they are pigmented by emotion. I experience melodies set to rhythmic tones of nature and I imagine the result of poetry poured onto paper. Such experiences influence my creations so strongly that the titles of my work are derived from the lyrics of a song that I had been listening to at the time.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?

Brooke: I’m a night owl; as I assume you are too!  See, I’m a full-time graphic designer, I freelance projects on the side and I’m a single mom.  So, the only time I get to really indulge in my passion for music and art is after all has been settled and quiet around my house.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?

Brooke: My audience is very broad when you consider the diversity of music.  But, I find other artists, crafters, musicians, designers and usually eccentric people with a strong appreciation for the arts are the ones who purchase my work.  There is a definite cross-pollination between music and visual art so I believe the connection is natural when people with these interests come across what I do.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?

Brooke: My most favorite aspect of creating art inspired by music is being asked to create a custom design.  Not only do I love the challenge of a song someone else has selected, as I have to go purposely looking for a vision that represents that song but also I really enjoy the stories of connection to the music.  Many commissioned works I create are for weddings or anniversaries, some for birthdays or special occasions and every now and then I get asked to create a design in hopes of providing a source of inspiration to someone going through a rough time in life. It really is an honor.

Sally: What are your 3 favorite books?

Brooke: The Giving Tree is hands down my favorite book.  I have a piece inspired by Ray LaMontange’s song Shelter titled I Give to You.  The visual for the song was pulled from the giving tree. I’m also really attached to Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book and The Day the Babies Crawled Away by author/illustrator Peggy Rathmann. The illustrations in these books are just awesome.

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?

Brooke: Play music. I love and feel music so bad it hurts inside.  I’m just not good at playing it. Believe me, I’ve tried!  I guess that’s why I make art about it!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?

Brooke: Wow!  What I loaded question!  In looking at my body of work, The Beatles seem to be my main influence but actually the Counting Crows is my favorite band so I would choose front man Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows.  His lyrics hit home, song after song, album after album.  I’ve been listening to him hone his lyrical craft for 17yrs now and my question would be, “Who’s Maria?”  (If you’re a Counting Crows fan, you know what I mean!)

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?

Brooke: Well, I’m a BIG fan of Pandora.com. I have around 27 radio stations setup including everyone from Michael Franti, a hybrid of dub-infused reggae with some hard-hitting rock to the smooth foxy blues and jazz of Nina Simone.  It’s all about what inspires me at the moment.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?

Brooke: Sure.  I’d like to announce two promotions:

1. I welcome suggestions! If anyone has a suggestion for a song I should use as inspiration, contact me either through Etsy convo or my website.  If/when I use the suggestion, I offer a free 5x7 of the print to the person who had the idea!
   
   
2. I’d like to offer your readers 15% off anything they’d like to purchase with the keyword “NightOwl”. Stop by my Etsy shop, http://www.bjwcreative.etsy.com and have a look at what is currently listed or if you’d like to see the full body of my work, please visit http://www.jukebox-art.com and click on the Gallery.  All designs are available at any time so if you don’t see it on Etsy, contact me!

Brooke, Thank you so much for doing this feature!  Your work is fun & meaningful.  It's been great getting to know you!

Readers, I'd jump on that offer while it's still fresh in everyone's mind!  Suggest away!  (Brooke, I think you're in trouble now ;)  What's your favorite song or artist.  I'd love to see what you love in the comments below!

Featured Etsian... MariaLuna!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?
Maria: I have been making jewelry for quite some time now. I started creating them for friends and family as gifts. After I lost my job, I started making more and more since I have all this time on my hands...lol. I started posting them on Facebook where a friend of mine suggested selling them. I told her she was insane. She led me to Etsy and everything was history. If you were to tell me a couple of years ago that I would be selling them, I would not believe you. 

Sally: Who or what inspires your creations?
Maria: My creations are influenced by my education as a graphic designer and my upbringing in Indonesia. Indonesian art is very rich and organic. Lots of curves and movement, very emotional. My nature as a graphic designer, however, is totally on the opposite end of the spectrum. Everything is clean and controlled, down to the dot. Working with my jewelry, I found myself to be drifting back to my own culture where everything seems to be an explosion of the senses. My instinct as a graphic designer keeps this explosion in check though. You can feel it when you see my jewelry, they are organic and rich, but not crazy. You can say that I am trapped in between cultures and trying to make the best of it :)

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?
Maria: I found night time after my son goes to bed to be the most inspiring time of the day, it seems like. I have to make myself sit and work most of the time, but once I start, nothing can stop me...lol. Mostly, I think because it is so quiet, nothing else needs to be done for the day...when I can let go of my worries and just chill. Just me, my music and my beads.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?
Maria: I see a person who is full of love and spirit wearing my work. I am marketing them to women who wear jewelry everyday so that they have something special to wear everyday. Therefore, I make them to be easy to wear. They are light and flattering, not to mention exotic!! I feel like I'm a super hero with a mission to make women feel special one woman at a time...hahaha. 

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?
Maria: I love working on my leather necklaces the most. They are so warm and so much fun. I suppose it's because I wear lots of leather necklaces :)

Sally: What is your favorite beverage while you work?
Maria: A nice glass of red wine :)

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?
Maria: Definitely painting!!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?
I would love to interview the famous graphic designer Paul Rand. I'm not sure what I would ask him, but I am sure we would have a great time.

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?
Maria: While I'm working, I listen to classical music. Whatever Pandora plays on my Bach station :) I find them to be soothing and it helps me focus. That or my meditation music.
While I'm not working, I listen to 80s and 60s music, punk, Otis Redding kinda jazz, pop...etc.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?
Maria: Sure, I would love to offer your viewers 15% off their Maria Luna purchase with keyword "NightOwl."


Maria, Thanks SO much for taking the time to let my readers get to know a little bit more about you.  Your work is astounding!!!  You are doing a wonderful job!  


Readers,  I love doing the feature posts.  Maria is a great seller, and hopefully has a ton of success with her shop in the very near future.  I would like to point out one thing that jumped out to me when looking through her shop.  It is very browser friendly.  I try often to change the way I arrange my shop... but Maria has it down!  Take note... and use your offer code!  I think everyone should have one of her delicate & blissful pieces... and just in time for valentines day!

Featured Etsian... 2SweetThings!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Mandy: I ran into etsy from another blog (I'm not even sure which one!), and I was immediately hooked! I signed up for an account on that first day, even though it was almost a year before I began selling. It kind of felt like 'home' and I found myself spending hours just searching and sort of drinking in all the amazing shops and products.

Sally: Who or what  inspires your creations?

Mandy: Mostly I am inspired by my darling little ones, Remy, who is almost 4, and Halle, who is 1. I also find inspiration in random things like a Josh Groban song, a dress from an Audrey Hepburn movie, or a favorite Psalm. I find that God waits to inspire anytime I'm willing to listen!

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?

Mandy: Usually I find the time to create during nap time and/or after their bedtime. I am truly a morning person and love to work early, but out of necessity I work when I can keep little fingers away from my supplies.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?

Mandy: My items are great for parents who want to be a little bit bold and funky in their baby gear but don't want to spend a ton of money or lose the functionality of the piece. I have sold a lot to young, new moms and also those buying gifts for new babies. I am finding that people think my items make great gifts so I try to incorporate great packaging into the items as well.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?

Mandy: I love working on all my items, truthfully, especially new items. Baby things make pretty quick projects because they are so small, and that is gratifying. Right now I am working on patterns for dresses that will be coming in the spring, choosing fabrics and making sketches, and that is really exciting to me!

Sally: What is your favorite beverage while you work?

Mandy: Coffee. I drink gallons of coffee!

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?

Mandy: I have a really hard time valuing my work, as do I think a lot of hand-makers.. I wish it were easier to find the kind of confidence to really see the items for what they are!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?

Mandy: I have a hard time pin-pointing this one because so many things influence me!

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?

Mandy: During nap time I usually have soap operas on... I know, I know, smut, but it's my guilty pleasure! Otherwise I listen to a lot of silly songs with my littles=). I also adore Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra and Doris Day- I really think I was born in the wrong era!

Featured Etsian... PrettyNPreppy!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?

Jennifer: I've known about Etsy for awhile and when mom and I decided to start a business and make some of our own products, I knew Etsy was the best place for us to get our feet wet.

Sally: Who or what  inspires your creations?

Jennifer: Without a doubt, the fabrics.  There are so many designers out there making fabulous fabric lines.  As soon as we see one, ideas start flowing as to how we can best showcase it.

Sally: What time of day do you work best and why?

Jennifer: Afternoons and evenings tend to be the most productive around here.  No sense even trying to work before caffeine has been consumed.

Sally: Who do you market to? Who do you see buying your work?

Jennifer: We market mainly to women although we have had some requests for more "manly" designs.  I would think college students, moms, eco-friendly type people would be drawn to our work.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?

Jennifer: So far, we've liked everything we've worked with.

Sally: What is your favorite beverage while you work?

Jennifer: We get so wrapped up in making stuff that drinks usually go warm.  We will celebrate their completion though with a beer. :)

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?

Jennifer: I just started sewing in June so there's still a lot I need to learn.

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?

Jennifer: Starting out, we looked towards Lily Pulitzer as a role model - all the pinks, greens, and flamingos!  I would just love to know what words of encouragement she could give us.

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?

Jennifer: While we work, our go to music is Pink Floyd which seems kinda weird but it works for us.  While we're not at work, I tend to stick with the 70's classic rock, 80's new wave, or 90's grunge.  Mom leans a little more country.

Janet & Jennifer, Thank you for taking the time to answer all of the questions!  It is always so much fun getting to know new people!

Readers, Thank you for joining us once again... it is a joy to have so many interested in what is behind the shop!

Featured Etsian... AbsolutelySmall!

Sally: What brought you to Etsy?
Claire: I've always wanted to share and sell my artwork with a larger audience. Etsy really enables me to do that, and fairly easily too. I'd really rather not do all that coding myself.

Sally: Who or what  inspires your creations?
Claire: I'm inspired by fiddling around with words, bad puns, good fabric, and all things cute. My pugs and bunny keep me pretty inspired, too. There's nothing like watching some animal antics to perk your brain up.

Sally: What item do you like to work on the most and why?
Claire: Making the regular 7" Chickenpants is absolutely my favorite thing to do. For one thing, it allows me to play with all that fabric I've been hoarding. Nothing compares to seeing another Chickenpants come to life!

Sally: What is your favorite beverage while you work?
Claire: Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Wait, is this a trick question?

Sally: What is something that you don’t do well that you’d like to do better?
Claire: I'm always working on improving my time management skills. I know that's not a 'creative' answer...but the better I get at balancing time, the more creative projects I could do!

Sally: If you could interview your main influence who would it be and what would you ask?
Claire: I'd love to talk to Maira Kalman. I don't know specifically what I'd ask her...I'd just want to know everything!

Sally: What do you listen to while you work? While you don’t work?
Claire: I've been listening to They Might Be Giants a lot lately. Jonathan Richman, the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, and Of Montreal are always on pretty heavy rotation too.

Sally: Do you have any deals or promos to share?
Claire: I've got a few retired plushie designs that are still waiting to find homes.  (http://www.etsy.com/shop/absolutelysmall?section_id=5927960) They're marked down to $11 each already...but there's also a listing or two floating around the shop where you can buy two of the Poppets/ Wee Goats for just $20. (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25860939)

Claire Chambers ~ Absolutely Small

~Thank you, Claire!  I love getting to get a little peek into the lives of other Etsians.  And, yes, coffee is a preferred beverage for me also :)  I need my daily caffeine fix!

~Readers, thank you for joining Claire & I for our little interview... I hope you go check out those listings!  There is a little guy for everyone!  I think I love them all!!!