Interview with glasswingdesigns

1. Tell us a little about yourself and when did you start crafting.

I've always designed and made things, even at school. I studied design at Uni - specialising in metalwork, jewellery (big body artpieces) and furniture. I've stopped and started a few times over the years. But when I was busy with other projects I always really miss being creative. I started making beaded jewellery about 3 years ago, and just recently started silversmithing again. This time I don't plan to stop.

2. What do you sell in your etsy shop and how long has it been open?

I sell handmade jewellery using a mixture of metals including sterlingsilver, gemstones and Cornish sea glass that my family and I collect on our local beach at Marazon, opposite the famous and beautiful St Michael's Mount. I also sell beaded butterflies and flower jewellery,in which I use wonderful Japanese Seed Beads, gemstones and silver. My Etsy shop, Glasswing Designs, has been open since February this year.

3. What is your favourite item in your shop?

The Moonfly Necklace I think. I made one as a special order for acustomer, who chose the colours, and it came out so well I made another one.

4. What other craft would you like to try?

I've worked in quite a few crafts, including furniture(wood and steel), bookbinding, stained glass (copper foil and leadwork),and I was a 'journeyman' blacksmith for a couple of years, and love wrought iron work. I really like felted jewellery at the moment, and would like to give that a try, but really welding pieces of lovely steel togetherand bashing hot iron is still my passion, I'd love to start making larger scale metal pieces again. Now I am based in Cornwall, with a good size workspace, I plan to do this soon.

5. Do you have a blog or website?

Yes, my blog is http://www.allthingsglassandbeautiful.blogspot.com/ and my website is http://www.glasswingjewellery.com/.

Featured seller - Kate from katecronin72

This weeks featured UK etsy seller is Kate from katecronin72

1. Tell us a little about yourself and when did you start crafting?

I'm nearly 36 (that thought makes me want to faint!) and have just graduated from University with a BSc though I will probably be going back in September to do my Master's. I started crafting about 10 years ago after teaching myself cross stitch and embroidery, though cross stitch won the day really :)

2. What do you sell in your etsy shop and how long has it been open?

I sell cross stitched items in my shop, mainly bookmarks, needlecases, scissorfobs,purses and spectacle cases etc. I like practical things and at the moment I'm working through my huge stash of kits in the hope that I can get round to designing my own things. My etsy shop has been open since the end of March 2008 and I've been selling since the 6th of April this year. So far it's going quite well!

3. What is your favourite item in your shop?

Ooo that's a toughie! I think my favourite is probably the Orange Blossom needlecase and scissorfob set, although it was hard to stitch and I did get fed up with it as the colours are quite similar.

4. What other craft would you like to try?

There are so many other crafts I'd like to try! I'd love to get the hang of crochet, I've been trying for years but so far it's not been a roaring success. I'd also love to try silversmithing and make my own jewellery too.

5. Do you have a blog or website?

I don't have a website but my blog can be found at http://katecronin72.blogspot.com/ . I tend to feature people that I've bought from, though I have no clue if anyone actually reads my mitherings or not :)


Thanks Kate you have one of my favourite shops and I wish you luck!

Pillow Boxes

Have a look at these Pillow boxes I have listed on etsy.

They would be lovely to put your gifts in or your etsy sales.

New items

I added some new envelope seals today, I think the pattern is really pretty. They would jazz up any gift of letter.
Available in my etsy shop now!!

Interview with Alexandra of bigbluebed

This week it's the turn of Alexandra from bigbluebed to be interviewed.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and when did you start crafting.
I am mother of a little girl. I work part-time at an after school club. That leaves the mornings for me to work on my shop.
Crafting has always been a part of my life. My mother taught my sisters and me to sew and knit, and my father used to draw funny little pictures for us.
It is only really in the last six months that I started in earnest, thinking of crafts as something that I could do as a business.
Also I made lots of Christmas presents for family members and really enjoyed that. But this year I am going to start a lot earlier!

2. What do you sell in your etsy shop and how long has it been open?
I have quite an eclectic shop. I did worry that that might be a problem so we will have to see. I have some purses, some knitted brooches, some paper work like bookmarks, and recently added dog identity tags. I opened the shop in September 2007.

3. What is your favourite item in your shop?
I love the little zip purses, I designed the shape and eventually worked out how to put the zip in properly. So I am quite proud of those. I have also started making dog tags. I have sold one on etsy, and 3 to my sister for each of her dogs. I think they are fairly unique as I have not seen anything like them on etsy or elsewhere.

4. What other craft would you like to try?
There are so many I would love to try. I started crochet this year, also I want to try tatting. I used to make bobbin lace so wouldn't mind taking that up again some time.

5. Do you have a blog or website?
My blog is : http://www.bigbluebed.blogspot.com/
and my website is: http://bigbluebed.weebly.com/

Thanks for your time Alexandra and I hope you get time to try out some new interests.

Another UK seller next week!

Marjorie's Cracked Plate Jewelry

Marjories Cracked Plate Jewelry Store offersbroken china, wire wrap and wire crochet jewelry: pendants, necklaces,rings, brooches, earrings, bracelets, etc. and now offering sea glassjewelry.

http://www.marjoriescracked.com

Marjorie offer a novel way of using broken pieces of china and turning them into lovely items of jewelry.

She also has a blog located here -

http://marjoriescracked.blogspot.com/

hand made with amour

I'm a bit new to blogging but thought this would be fun way of getting to know some other UK based sellers.

Each week I hope to feature a UK based etsy seller so here goes!

The first seller is Maria from handmadewithamour.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and when did you start crafting.
I started crafting not that long ago, last summer, when I moved to England. Changing my background, and finding myself in the countryside with loads of time made me think of trying something creative and fun. I started with felt, then with polymer clay. I am self-taguth and always learning.

2. What do you sell in your etsy shop and how long has it been open?
I sell mainly jewelry and brooches. It has been open since december last year though I must admit that my other shop, Dawanda is working better. I still do not know why :)

3. What is your favourite item in your shop?
Probably the black cat brooch

4. What other craft would you like to try?

I just found out that there are some lampwork courses around my area and can't wait to try!!! I'd be great to make my own glass beads!!! I am also sewing with the sewing machine, but not my brooches, at the moment (they all are hand-stitched) but things like purses.

5. Do you have a blog or website?

I have a website http://www.handmadewithamour.com/
and a blog www.handmadewithamour.blogspot.com/

Thanks Maria and good luck with your sales!

New items

I have some new items for sale in my etsy shop.

I am branching out into paper goods, starting with a range of gift tags.

Yart sale on etsy until 20/6

Check this link out for details

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5659993

Link to my items

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5374473&section_id=5483078

I have 25% off selected items

Crafting

Although my shop contains mainly jewellery, cards and buttons, I love cross stitch and tapestry.
I find it a lot easier to just get my work bag out and start doing a little bit of the design, whilst sitting on the sofa watching TV.
So my polymer clay work tends to get neglected as I find it a hassle getting the stuff out. I prefer the end result of my clay work and the fact it probably sells better, but as a personal preference I find my cross stitch more relaxing.

My favourite tapestry kits are made by Elizabeth Bradley. I discovered them whilist on holiday in North Wales about 18 years ago. I have done a great number of them and several I have had framed and made into cushions.

These are 2 are amongst my favourites.

My last project was this picture of these cute cats

and this will be my next.

Etsy Bloggers featured blogger

This month's featured blogger is AliciaMae

Her blog can found here.

Her etsy stores are here for home decor items, and here for her art and photos.

These prints of New York's Central Park are great.

DaWanda Euro 2008 Discount Promotion

From June 7th until June 29th 2008 the European Football Championship is taking place, and to celebrate this, DaWanda is organising a special promotion!
I'm participating and am discounting my prices by 11% during official game play times only. Once the official play time is over for each game, the selling prices automatically return to the original amount... so grab those discounts while you can! The change in prices is implemented automatically in the shopping basket by the system. So drop in and check out!http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sallers

The DaWanda European Championship is running at these times:
07.06. - 14.06. from 6 pm til 7.55 pm and: 8.45 pm til 10.40 pm
15.06. - 22.06. 8.45 pm til 10.40 pm
25.06. - 26.06. 8.45 pm til 10.40 pm
29.06. 8.45 pm til 10.40 pm