Member Interview

Introducing...

My name is Sule, I live in Istanbul the most crowded and magnificent city of Turkey.I am graduated from Business Administration Faculty,I am a pr professional besides having a shop on Etsy. Our shop name is “Bysweetmom”, inspired from my Sweet creative MOM. We opened our shop with “my sweet mom”, my mom is not familiar with computers so I manage our shop. We are a cosy family company. My sweetmom has been always so creative. When I was a child, I was watching her while she was sewing, knitting, crocheting or creating something new. She can’t sit without doing nothing and I am the daughter of my mom:) So, I love crafting since I knew my self...I am very proud of being daughter of such a SWEETMOM! She is a creative angel, perfect mom, good friend, excellent teacher, wonderful person… I learned lots of thing from her and still learning…
My beloved,creative sister Sebnem (aka “ shebbodesign” and ”pashiko” shops on Etsy), is the person whom introduced me with Etsy. She helped me lot, I learned everything about Etsy from her, all my photos are taken by my talented sister. She is also a good crafter and knitter. I am also a porcelain painter. We all family members feeds each other with our talents and creations. We all complete each other:)

I was looking for a new team and saw Etsy Project Embrace. The aim of the team influenced me and joined to team. Etsy Project Embrace is a good cause, unfortunately cancer is a very common disease, four years ago I lost one of my best friend from colon cancer and I am so sensitive about this disease.


Of all your creations, what is your favorite? And why?
It’s really hard to choose, I love everything in my shop. My favorites are my ponchos;
www.etsy.com/shop/bysweetmom?section_id=6621108

the cutiest one is our pinecone red earflap hat with pompoms;

the sexiest ones are the grey glitter crochet cuff



and the glitter powder pale pink wedding shrug;

What is your favorite possession, and why do you cherish it?
My favorite possession would definitely my silver jewelery. Without them I feel naked:)

Is there something special you collect? (If so, photos are very welcome!)
I love marionnetes, 4 years ago I took a puppet course ;so I can also make my own pupets:) and I have been collecting puppet for the past 4 years..

Do you have a blog? URL?
For the time being, unfortunately no. But, I already took my blog adress from blogger , creating my blog is the “major” topic in my next month’s TO DO list.

Where do you hope to be, personally and in your artistic endeavors, in say 10 years time?
Living in a giant metropole (more than 13 million people lives in Istanbul, and Istanbul connects 2 different continents Europe and Asia; there is always traffic jam, so many people etc.) brings a lot of difficulties, even I love my born city, in 10 years time - I am dreaming to live in a peaceful and calm place near by the sea in nature surrounded by olive trees at Eagean side of my country. Living in a stone house - countinue creating with “my sweet mom” while listening the whisper of peaceful Eagean wind...
Thanks

Thank you so much for sharing!
xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing...

Hi all! I'm Stephanie from Bonita Bellita and I'm so glad to have some time with you! Bonita Bellita is my etsy shop, and the name comes from my belief that everyone is in their own way beautiful (bonita is beautiful in spanish) and Bellita is my daughter who's nickname is Bella, and the -ita makes it more of an endearing term. It's also a play on Bella, Italian for beautiful. My shop holds lots of little treasures to choose from. Most are hair accessories, little blooming bobby pins are my favorite, but there also are rings, the occasional necklace, brooches, and I'll be introducing earrings and some home decor soon. Everything I make comes from my home in sunny southern California.


I learned about Etsy Project Embrace around Christmas time, when another shop Lillyella (www.etsy.com/shop/lillyella) told me about a fun Christmas exchange she was doing. I took a quick peek and found it was based on good etsy shops that wanted to do a little more than just sell fabulous items; they wanted to give a helping hand back to others who were hurting, specifically from cancer. It hit me personally, because my mom was diagnosed with cancer this last year. It made me want to do something. I decided this was a good way to achieve that goal.


Out of everything in my shop, I think my favorite to share with everyone is the Golden Afternoon hairband (www.etsy.com/listing/60053425/golden-afternoon-hairband). It was just an experiment, and it turned out beautifully. It's been requested for weddings and now there will be more color options coming soon from the fantastic feedback from everyone! The color just matches so much, and it flatters everyone!

Golden Afternoon Hairband

One of the things that inspires me is also one of my possessions most dear to my heart. My wedding ring. It's not just pretty diamonds or a promise of love, it's a symbol of the support from my amazing husband. His own wedding ring and mine were custom made by his grandparents so its generations of love, not just a brand new ring (although I would just love one of those too! Since I work with my hands on a constant basis, it's nice to see a little glint of sparkle and be reminded that my other half as well as my ring's is out there, loving me too.

I also like to collect photos... well, take photos is a better way to say it. I take all the photos for my shop, but I also do photography for fun on the side. All my family events, friendly gatherings, and just in general my life are always captured on my Canon camera. I keep cds of it all, I want to keep those memories for my children one day.



I try to share a bit on my blog, but I'm not always as devoted to it as I should be. However, if you'd like to visit me atbonitabellita.blogspot.com you're more than welcome to!


The current dream is to have some stores locally consign my items over the next few years (so far there is just one dear shop that does for my baby items) and then one day, probably during that 10th year, to have a brick-and-mortar shop. There will be expanded lines of clothes and house decor, which I also want to get involved in. I don't just want to hold my own items, but also those of other artists with a similar dream. By then I also want to be in a home with a garden, more fluent in spanish.

Thank you so much for sharing Stephanie!!
xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing...

Hello Everyone
My name is Leslie Lee and my Etsy shop name is LeslieLeeArt, which is the name of my website, my email, my blog etc. Seemed like I should stick with it - it’s my “brand”!


I have been a professional artist of varying kinds all my adult life, mainly because my parents never told me I couldn’t be one. I was the last of four girls and the Wild One so they just let me choose my own route. I studied graphic design at Washington University in St. Louis MO but returned to my native Portland, Oregon to begin my career. When my daughter was old enough for pre-school I began taking sculpture classes and then got into ceramics, which had been a favorite medium as a child.
For nearly 25 years I pursued ceramic sculpture and even made the cover of Ceramics Monthly in 1994. (I always wanted to be a Cover Girl!) By then I had (re)married a potter and we had bought some land in Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley to begin building our studios and home. In the middle of this adventure I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which was caught earlier than it might have been thanks to a wonderful acupuncture practitioner who helped my body present symptoms. I had surgery and chemotherapy and started painting since I did not have enough energy to work with clay. Starting to paint was the silver lining in my cancer experience - I never went back to clay. This print, called HeartRoots was created as a thank you notecard which I sent to everyone who helped during my recovery. Later I had more cards printed and donated the sales to cancer research. Perfect for Project Embrace!

HeartRoots

How did you learn about Etsy Project Embrace?
I think I was just exploring different features of Etsy and when Waterrose encouraged me I jumped in immediately. This is a great team and I am so grateful to all of you who have included my prints and cards in your Treasuries, chosen my work in Weekly Challenges, and made purchases.

Of all your creations, what is your favorite? And why?
I’d have to say the straw-bale home and adobe studio I designed and built with my husband and many volunteers. This is a creation that will endure and continue to inspire building in a more sustainable manner, with beauty and energy efficiency. The property is now for sale and people are having a hard time believing that we could ever leave this wonderful place, but the truth is we are artists who make things and then sell them so we can make more things. Our home just happens to be the biggest piece of art I have ever created and the one that makes a huge impression on people who visit here. If you’d like to see it go to StrawBaleHomeForSale.com and watch the video tour – guided by…me!

What is your favorite possession, and why do you cherish it?
My wedding ring (rose quartz in a gold setting), but what also pops up is our bright red leather couch, which was purchased with money my Dad left me, and on which I take a siesta ever day after lunch: my Heavenly Half Hour.

Is there something special you collect?
I don’t think of myself as a collector, but I am a sucker for more art supplies than I could ever use in a timely manner.

Do you have a blog?

leslieleeart.blogspot.com Twitter- LeslieLeeArt URL? www.LeslieLeeArt.com This is a site a share with my husband and our doings at our Hummingbird property where we have a small B&B and host summer ceramic and painting workshops. I need to separate all this into different sites, but the amount of time I spend on the computer is really taking a toll on my creative studio time; I also manage my husband’s Etsy store atwww.etsy.com/shop/dennismeiners. Lately he has been making terra-cotta cups and I have been painting them. It’s very fun and I’m looking forward to get more of them photographed and into his store.


Where do you hope to be, personally and in your artistic endeavors, in say 10 years time?
In ten years I will be 72 years old. I would like to be comfortably settled with Dennis in a small home in Portland, Oregon, with studios on the premises. I want to be enjoying my grandson who will then be 11 years old and possibly have a younger brother or sister. I would like to be able to paint every day and sell most of what I do directly from my studio, website or Etsy. Ideally I will find a young whipper-snapper who will take care of all the computer work I now do to market Dennis’ and my work, giving me more time to delve into making art that might be meaningful to people and help shape their lives.

Thank you so much for sharing Leslie!!

xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing...

Tamela from HappyDogButtons

I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and our dog Jack. My shop is Happy Dog Buttons where I sell pinback buttons, magents and mirrors. I also sell dog coats, beds, jackets and dog toys under the name Happy Dog

I have always liked crafts, beaded jewelry, quilts, making handmade cards, and things for dogs and now buttons, magnets and mirrors. My favorite things to make right now are the mirrors.

In the past I have sold at craft shows which I love because of the interaction with people. I'm frequently asked if I have a website, so Esty was the answer I was looking for. I didn't realize there would be such a great community of other sellers. That has been the bonus.

Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser Pinback Button Set

I found the EPE team when searching through the Forums one day, it was a good fit because I like to raise money for the Susan G Komen 3 day with my Breast Cancer buttons. Many close family members have battled Breast Cancer so I participated in the 3 Day in Seattle in 2010 and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Robbie Robot Pinback Button

Some of my favorite things are the handmade recipes that I inherited from my husband's Grandmother. I love to cook too so having her recipes means a lot. I used some of her recipes in our local Fair where I enter a variety of food competitions every year.

Bridal Thank You Gift Pocket Mirror

I hope to grow my etsy shop and open a new one for my dog items over the next few years so that it will begin to pay for itself along with the craft shows that I will continue to do.

I've started a blog, but it is very new (only 1 blog) and definatley a work in progress. happydogbuttons.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for sharing with us!!

xoxox

Member Interview

Introducing....
Hi, my name is Liz and I live in Dunedin, Florida. The name of my shop is Far Field Designs. When I was a child, I used to wander around the fields and woods of Ohio, so I named my shop after a poem called Far Field by Theodore Roethke that reminds me of those days. I sell handmade jewelry; mainly necklaces.




I learned about EPE by looking through the list of teams on Etsy. My father has stage 4 lymphoma, so I'm painfully aware of the effect that cancer has on people and families.

Handmade Eco Organic Cactus Skeleton Necklace in Silver

My favorite creation is my silver cactus skeleton necklace. I found a dried cactus part laying on the ground with all of these cool crevices, so I just had to see it captured in pmc. It took me forever to paint each layer of silver paste in each crevice, and then file each nook and cranny after I fired it. It's got a very interesting look, and it's definitely one of a kind. My other necklaces are are very varied. Some are made from charms, druzy geodes, and bronze. I usually have a lot of design ideas racing through my head, so it's hard to decide on what to make next.

Handmade Bronze Frozen Charlotte Baby Head Necklace

Are pets possessions? My favorite possessions are my cats; who I just love!
I don't have a blog or URL. I haven't figured out what to blog about yet.
I collect vintage charms and findings for jewelry making. I find them at flea markets and on ebay. They're like treasures to me.

Light Blue Crystal Druzy Geode Necklace

In ten years I'd like to be living with my husband in the mountains somewhere, close to nature. Hopefully, I'll still be creating jewelry and taking long walks in the woods and fields. I'll probably be on the lookout for interesting textures and shapes in nature.

Handmade Spike, Etched Cone w/Fluorite, Purple glass Charm Necklace

Thank you so much for sharing Liz!!
xoxo,
Erica

Member Interview

Introducing....

I am Andrea Badgley, and I live in St. Paul, Minnesota. My shop is Sacred Suds, and I handcraft spiritually inspired essential oil soaps. Many of my soaps are inspired by ancient Goddesses, including a healing Goddesses like Kuan Yin and Eirene, and as I deepen my Yoga practice, I have begun adding Yoga inspired soaps to my shop as well.




How did you learn about TeamEPE?
Back in the olden days, when we still waited into the middle of the night to grab a T West (remember those?), I remember seeing a lot of team EPE treasuries, and I was always amazed by the talent showcased in those treasuries. I learned about the team through those collections, and when my mom was diagnosed with endometrial cancer last year, I was so glad I had seen those treasuries. I needed a support group, and what a beautiful group I found in Etsy Project Embrace.

Aphrodite- Goddess of Love, handmade cold process soap
Amber, Rose, and Ylang Ylang- Vegan Friendly

Of all your creations, what is your favorite? And why?
I think it would have to be my Aphrodite soap. It was my first Goddess-inspired soap, and at the time that I created it, I had been pregnant or nursing for four (loooong) years. I felt frumpy, haggard, and like I had no identity of my own anymore. Someone else always needed something from me, and I felt I would have nothing left to give if I didn’t give myself what I needed.
And what I needed was to feel beautiful, and sexy, and womanly in a non-Mom way. I wanted to feel radiant, like a Goddess! So I turned to Aphrodite, “the lover’s goddess, beautiful, gold-crowned, a blossom riding the seafoam…” (Homeric hymn to Aphrodite). To me, Aphrodite (or Venus) represents the energy that we as women feel when we are confident in our femininity and beauty, and I wanted to channel that energy. Every time I smell the soap it makes me feel beautiful.






What is your favorite possession, and why do you cherish it?
Right now? My down comforter! I'm from Georgia, and this Minnesota winter thing is way beyond any cold I've ever known.
No, my favorite possession would have to be my engagement ring. It is a sapphire in a setting of two butterflies. My husband had it made for me, choosing the sapphire because it's my birthstone, but also because the sapphire represents both the heavens and the oceans, as well as sincerity, fidelity, and romantic love. It makes me feel very loved.

Prana- Breath of Life handmade essential soap
Peppermint- Vegan Friendly

Eirene Goddess of Peace, handmade cold process essential oil soap-
Lavender and Oats- Vegan Friendly

Do you have a blog? URL?
Yes! www.blog.sacredsuds.com/

Where do you hope to be, personally and in your artistic endeavors, in say 10 years time?
I hope to have figured out a way to balance my family life with running a rapidly growing business out of our home! In 10 years, both of my kids will be too grown up for me to think about right now. But I would like to be settled into our forever home, with happy, confident children who actually want to share their lives with my husband and me (they will be teenagers in 10 years). I envision free time to ride my bike, to practice yoga, and to sit still. I would love to have my own soap studio by then, dedicated solely to Sacred Suds (i.e. - not shared with our living space).


Thank you so much for sharing!
xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing...

Liz from Fierce Angel's Fantastical Finds.

I live in Glen Burnie, MD. My shop is Fierce Angel's Fantastical Finds; when I was in high school I had a dear friend who gave me the nickname "fierce angel" one day randomly and even though we grew apart and the friendship faded, the nickname became an important part of who I am. I always dreamed of using it as the name for an off-the-wall boardwalk shop where I would sell unique treasures. So when I decided to try selling jewelry on etsy, it only made sense to incorporate it in my shop name. I sell bracelets, anklets, and necklaces made out of hemp with different kinds of charms, beads, and metal clasps.

I learned about Etsy Project Embrace while I was searching around on etsy. I had wanted to join a team on etsy for awhile, but some of them are real selective about when they allow members to join. In the past year I've gotten involved in some of the American Cancer Society's events, like Relay For Life, and I've been selling some of my jewelry as a fundraiser for those events. So when I found EPE, and learned how the team started and what their mission was, it seemed like a good fit. I was accepted to join the team right away and I'm excited to be networked with other crafters who are helping make the world a better place.

It was hard to pick a favorite out of my jewelry, but my favorite right now is the Lilac Hope Awareness Ribbon bracelet (shown below), and that's because it combines my favorite color, purple, with my favorite metal spacer beads that I've found so far, and my favorite charm, the Awareness Ribbon with HOPE engraved on it. The charm is made by Blue Moon Beads and it's perfect for raising awareness and funds for a great cause.


It's tough to pick a favorite possession, but I think it would have to be the baby blanket my Grandma made for me. There's something special about an item that someone took the time to make by hand especially for you, and that blanket went everywhere with me when I was younger. I've had to put away in a storage bag because the yarn has started to unravel in several spots and especially after losing my Grandma this past year, I would hate to have anything happen to the blanket.

I collect Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. I love anything by Tim Burton, and this was the first movie I saw with my fiance when they re-released it in 3D. (Below are pictures of one of my NBC snow globes and one of my cat, Jasper wearing a Jack Skellington hat).

I do have a blog written under a pseudonym, ccatbqfm.blogspot.com/

In 10 years time, I hope to be successful enough that I can afford to spend lots of quality time with those that I love. Artistically, I hope that I can find ways to continue to fund-raise for the American Cancer Society and other causes by creating things that I enjoy making. Crafting is in my blood, and even if I can never make a successful business, I'll be happy as long as I'm still creating.

(Below is a picture of myself and two friends at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, I'm the one in the KISS T-shirt, KISS drummer Peter Criss is a breast cancer survivor)

Thank you so much for sharing!!!

xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing...

Hi, my name is Patty Woodside and the name of my shop is Patidecaz. My shop name is a mixture of my name, my birthday is in December, and I live in Arizona. I'm married to an adoring and loving husband, we've been together for just over 25 years. We raised a blended family together (1 daughter, 3 sons), we have eight grandkids (4 girls, 4 boys). We enjoy boating on the lakes, camping, and hiking. We love to travel.

I joined Etsy in June of last year to sell my pink bracelets I made to help a friend raise money for the Komen 3-Day Walk. It was held in Phoenix, Arizona in November.
I have had breast cancer twice in two years, and then had breast reconstruction with tissue expanders (for seven months). My last surgery was in September, 2010.
In the past, I have participated in several cancer walks - but last year, I just helped with fundraising.
I had read about Etsy Project Embrace on the Storque blog. I knew then that EPE was the team I needed to be involved with.


I'll tell you a secret - My entire Etsy shop is kept inside a brown leather ottoman in my livingroom.
I sell many different things in my shop. I have pink bracelets, small quilted items, jewelry that I made, vintage jewelry, linens and other vintage items, craft supplies, pincushions, little girl's dresses, and a Pay it Forward section.
Lately, I've been working on several things made from Pendleton wool.
I try to make something everyday (often, several things). It's a great motivation for creativity, and I am never bored. There's a quote by Picasso that says: "Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working"
I sew, make quilts, make jewelry, knit socks, crochet, cross stitch, embroider, make cards, scrapbooks, and I am writing a book with my granddaughters.



I would have to say that my favorite creations are the quilts that I make. My family is very important to me - they are the recipiants of most of my quilts.
I am also a member of Project Linus - a national organization that provides all kinds of blankets to children in need. The blankets are distributed to hospitals, police and fire stations, and disaster aid services. It's important to me to do something that matters.

I have a blog. You can find me here at
patidecaz.blogspot.com

Pink Ribbon for the Cure Pink Pearl Bracelet Fundraiser

My favorite possession would have to be my sewing machine - and my craft room. I am happiest when I can assemble some supplies and put them together to make something wonderful. It's very rewarding to me.

Besides collecting craft supplies, I am a collector of Postcards, Huckleberry Hound, and Sock Monkey.




What are my goals as to where I'd like to be with my artistic talents in 10 years?

I enjoy challenges and always love to try something new. I strive to do things that will make a difference in someone else's life.

As our technology keeps evolving, Who knows? Maybe one day I'll be cyber-crafting with aliens from another universe! Wouldn't that be wild?!

In the meantime, I'll just keep on living life to the fullest and staying cancer-free!

Thank you so much for sharing!!!
xoxo

Member Interview

Introducing....

Hello, I'm Anne from WishArtGlass. I've been a professional glass artist for 15 years. I design and make stained and fused glass candle holders, suncatchers, jewelry, and garden accents. I currently live in Pikeville, KY, although I've lived most of my life in Cincinnati, OH. I live with my wonderful husband, Sam and my 5 year old son, Nathan. We have two dogs, Tiggy (we refer to her as a "pitiful bull") and Rose (a tiny "Chorkie" we found hiding in our bushes).

Wish was the name of my brick and mortar shop/gallery which I owned in Cincinnati. I closed the shop when my son was born. Before Wish I owned a funky little vintage and handcrafted store in Columbus, Ohio. Etsy seemed a natural fit for me.

I found Etsy Project Embrace after being included in a treasury curated by Mollie of RoughMagicCreations. I had been looking for a team. I liked the strong sense of community on this team and there is no doubt that this is a wonderful cause. I'm absolutely grateful to have been able to connect with such caring people.

When I discovered glass, I never looked back. I'm self taught. I get an idea and then I experiment until I make it happen. I always keep my mind open to "happy accidents" because they often send me in a new direction.




My day usually starts after I drop my son at kindergarten. I grab a cup of coffee then hit the computer. I answer emails, list/renew items, check treasuries, tweet, and then fill any orders. By late morning I'm cutting glass. The images typically need to dry for a few hours, so then I solder and bead the previous day's fusings. After lunch I return to the freshly cut pieces, add any details to them, then load them into the kiln. I usually fire it later in the evening. In the afternoon I drop off packages at the post office and then pick my son up from school. Evenings are spent with my family. I blog and check emails again aftr my son has gone to sleep. I find it hard to stay awake after 10 pm. So much for my previous rock & roll lifestyle!

Swirls and Orbs Fused Glass Suncatcher

I collect blown glass and Mid Century Modern home decor. I also have an incredible collection of vintage fabric. I used to sew frequently but haven't had much time to endulge in that for a while. I would have to say that my favorite item is this venus fly trap. My husband and son planted and have nurtured it together. It's strangely entertaining.

Peacock Feather Fused Glass Hanging Lantern

I blog at www.wishartglass.blogspot.com. I'm also on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Wish-Art-Glass-Anne-Simon/56600659065?ref=mf and twitter as wishartglass. I read more on Twitter that I tweet. It's become my personalized news feed. My blogging is inconsistent at best. When I'm busy with work I neglect the blog (and housekeeping, apparently).

Random Red Circles Fused Glass Necklace

In 10 years I hope to have a happy son in high school and to continue to grow closer to my husband. We would love to travel internationally as our son gets older. I just started working on my business full time again this Fall after staying home with my son. This past year saw incredible growth, which I hope will continue. I want to broaden my skill set. I've been playing with more lampworking techniques which I plan to incorporate along with other techniques into more upscale home decor items. I love my bread and butter suncatchers and candle holders, but have some fabulous ideas for bigger items!