Wednesday, November 5, 2008

in the cafe spotlight: stelmadesigns

Featured Etsian: stelmadesigns
Shop link: stelmadesigns.etsy.com

KAIKALA Necklace With Abalone Pendant And Vintage Ocean Pearl Shell Buttons (by stelmadesigns)

Give us the basics:

Stelma Designs, We live in the Great Northwest in Sammamish, Washington very close to Seattle.

What’s your favourite smell?
My daughters heads, really! A close second would be the smell outside after a rain.

How long have you been doing your craft?
I have always been an artist, but making necklaces and jewelry from vintage and antique buttons started about 16 years ago while I was living in Chicago and came upon several large tins of antique buttons at a thrift shop. I found buttons dating to the civil war and began stringing them and just have kept at it!

Who/What inspires you in your craft?
I'm inspired by all the endless possibilities that come to my mind thinking of past era's and who wore these buttons and I think of the fact that women were the ones who sewed all these tiny buttons onto articles of clothing. I think vintage and antique buttons of shell, abalone, and bone are simply beautiful and I just keep thinking of new designs I have yet to make. It's all up in my head.

Dramatically Long Flapper Necklace of Vintage Buttons (by stelmadesigns)

What do you like least about your craft?
I love it all; the time it takes to string all the buttons is relaxing and meanwhile my mind is thinking up new designs.

What’s a normal day for you?
Well, I'm a Mom of two young daughters who, by the way also sell things in our shop, so they come first. I do a lot of things for myself however such as exercise, I belly dance and I have a large sometimes overwhelming organic garden with perennials as well as veggies, fruit trees and berries. We have eight chickens, three dogs, one cat and a mean love bird. Also, a wonderful husband who thinks I spend too much time with etsy, and shoot, I've just started!

What advice would you give Etsy sellers just starting out?
Well, since I'm just starting out myself, I can only say to be positive and make sure you have nice photos. clear descriptions, all shop policies and bio filled out and when in doubt, go to the forums because you will learn so much there and all the other etsy members are just great.

How do you discover new things on Etsy?
I like the front page but I have found things to buy after seeing shops while in the forums and also looking at the favorites of shop owners I like.

Leucosia Siren Necklace of Antique Buttons (by Leucosia Siren Necklace of Antique Buttons)

3 comments:

Lindsey said...

What a neat shop, I hearted it.

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stelmadesigns said...

Wow, what a great feature for my shop; the photos look better on your blog than at Stelma Designs! I love reading about all the other etsy artisans you are featuring and thank you so much for showing my work.

Julia