Honey Mesquite Candle Holders

Here are a pair of very cool candle holders made from one of my favorite woods, Honey Mesquite. The lines are simple, letting the natural beauty of this stunning hardwood shine through.

The color is red-brown, rustic, with darker markings and golden highlights. It changes with the changing lighting conditions.

This is a dense, heavy wood. It is durable, able to stand up to repeated, continuous use. The grain is course, but it has been refined, tamed for use in the most romantic of settings.

This pair will be equally at home in the dining room, den, or in your master suite. One pair of candles is included with your purchase from my Etsy shop.

And while you're looking at the Honey Mesquite Candle Holders, check out the rest of my candle holders, wine rests and bookends at my Etsy shop, and at my 1000Markets shop.

I Made It! – Blog Party at Everything Etsy (and Giveaway!)

I'll be participating in the I Made It! Blog Party at Everything Etsy this Thursday, February 25, 2010. Drop by and see what I'm promoting this week, and what the other participants have in store for you.

Featured

I have written a piece for the Design Style Guide blog this week in which I talked about four Etsy shops and the beautiful art they produce and sell. And now I've been mentioned by one of those artists, in her blog. Thanks, Liz, of Lizardo Art fame, for the recognition. I appreciate it.

DSG: The Real Deal

I am a member of Design Style Guide. This is an Etsy Street Team, yes, but it is so much more than that. I have been contacted by clients to do projects for them, for cash, as a direct result of my membership in DSG. I'm not a cheerleader by nature, but this team is the real deal.

If you are an Etsy artist who builds or sells things usable to an interior decorator and you'd like more sales, please click on the banner above and join our team of highly motivated designers. We'd love to have you on board. We'd love to have you even if you aren't an Etsy artist.

Sarah Smith: Etsy Artist from Missouri

Sarah is an 18-year-old redhead from Springfield, Missouri. I used to date a woman from Springfield but she's old enough to be Sarah's mom. Hmmm...

Anyway, she's a remarkably successful artist, especially considering her age. She took the time to answer a few questions so I figured I'd take the time to publish them.

1. What is your shop name and URL and what do you sell?

My shop name is SarahNwonderland and the URL is http://sarahnwonderland.etsy.com

I sell custom artwork, original artwork and paintings, plushes, earrings, clothing, graphic design, and all kinds of other odds and ends.

2. What long series of events led to you doing this?

I have been drawing and creating ever since I could pick up a crayon, it is my passion!

3. When did you start selling on Etsy?

I have been selling since March 19, 2008.

4. How does an 18-year-old girl from Missouri end up with 140 sales on Etsy?

Haha, I guess people just enjoy my work. I put a lot of effort and love into each piece. At first, I thought I wouldn't sell anything, but to have that many sales is awesome!

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

I love meeting all kinds of friendly people on Etsy. Networking with other artists and to browse all of their shops is always fun.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?

My favorite thing to sell would be custom orders. I love creating personal works of art for someone and to collaborate with them.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?

Hmm, tough question. I love all the things in my shop, but right now I would have to say the painting entitled “Noir”.

8. What is the coolest thing you do to promote your shop?

I do a lot of murals in the city I live in, I always leave brochures or cards at their businesses to locally promote. I have also been lucky, with blogs like this one, for people to like my work and be promoted on their blogs. I have gotten a lot of attention from that.

9. I think I remember you telling me Design Style Guide is the only team you belong to, is that right? And, if so, how long have you been a member and how are you liking it so far?

Yep, it is the only one. I have been a member less than a week and I love it! It looks like a great community and can't wait to see all that it has to offer!

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?

I have so many favorites! I am a sucker for anything cute and Japanese, FromJapanWithLove.etsy.com is such a cute store! I also love anything vintage, Victorian, anything simple and elegant. TillyBloom.etsy.com has some lovely items. Also, for custom clothing, hodgepodgedesign.etsy.com has made some gorgeous custom clothing for me, love her! Those are just a few of my favorites, I could go on and on, haha.

11. What do you do in your spare time?

Besides art, I love photography, writing, horseback riding, taking care of my infinite amount of pets, spending time with family and friends, gaming, and random things in between :)

I love creative writing. I love to do short stories, sometimes my writing also influences my art. I am guilty of playing the occasional video game :)

12. Do you have anything else you would like to share?

I want to thank you for the interview! I am always glad to share my experiences with others about my art and store. Thanks so much!

You're welcome so much!

By the way, since these questions were asked Sarah has racked up another sale, bringing her total as of December 4, 2008, to 141 sales on Etsy.  Congratulations, Sarah!

Fort Worth, ETC...

I belong to two different Etsy teams. One of them, Design Style Guide, is an interior design team. We each produce items which can be used to decorate a home or office. I make candle holders and bookends and wine rests, and they fit right into that idea.

The other team I belong to is, on the one hand, more generalized, in that it doesn't matter too much what your selling in your Etsy shop -- soap, cookies, Edwardian chairs, jewelry, note cards, clothing, pottery -- and on the other hand it is a lot more specific because everyone on the team either lives in Texas or is from Texas. This team is called Etsy Texas Crafters, or ETC for short, and I've actually been a member of it longer than I've been in DSG.

On December 2, 2008, there was a meeting of ETC members from the Fort Worth area. It was held in (drum roll, please...) Fort Worth. We met at La Madeleine way out on Camp Bowie.

In attendance were Samantha Leonard of Old But New (really cool jewelry), Robert Leonard III of Draknor Designs (web design and hosting), Angela Niles of Flutter Bugg Creations (handmade crafts and gifts), Lori Browning of The Paper Elephant (handmade cards and paper favors) and Snuggle Junkie (handmade baby blankets, rag quilts, fabric and supplies), Connie Owens of HossLass Art (functional cards and original art with a western flair), Rachel Bates of TileSmile (handmade ceramic tiles), Cari Shannon of GoodScents (soap and bath products) and, of course, me. I was promoting both my woodworking business and my new tie dye business (right now that's just t-shirts but it will expand).

We met each other, had a little small talk, I ate some onion soup, and then we got to the point, which was becoming active members of ETC. One thing we can do (obviously) is to continue having meetings such as this one. Once a month seems reasonable. Beyond that we simply went over the things that ETC already does every Monday on Etsy, including the 1st Monday sale every, ummm, first Monday of every month. 

The issue for me was that no one has a really clear idea how to promote ETC successfully or how ETC can promote out individual businesses successfully. I have found that communication within ETC is limited and unreliable. This is an easy fix. Getting people who have never had support from an organization to suddenly start seeking that support is a bigger issue, but it can be overcome as well, and these are all issues we'll be tackling in the near future, one suspects.

All-in-all I had a great time, met some cool people and, perhaps, found someone to produce a few pieces of jewelry I've been searching for and someone else to make some Halloween cards for next year. I think Lori -- who ran the meeting -- will have a full plate dealing with all the issues we have before us but I also think she's capable of handling it. And, with the help of the rest of us, and maybe some more Etsy people from the area, we should be able to make some progress in 2009.

Here's to a great new year for Etsy and for Etsy Texas Crafters!

Colleen Cannon: Etsy Artist from Hawaii

Colleen Cannon is an amazing conceptual artist from the big island of Hawaii. I've had the pleasure of visiting her shop at Etsy and her other website on several occasions when I just sat gazing in wonder at her work. It turns out she's a pretty nice person, too.  And you can find out a lot more about her by reading my interview with Colleen Cannon...

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?

UV Light Studios Designer Boutique - I sell illuminated cosmic landscapes in various formats from photographs of the illuminated imagery to backlit prints incorporated in frames that actually light up. My latest creation is the QuantumLyte where the imagery is incorporated into an acrylic tube and lit from within. Many of my products function as both ambient light and abstract art. 

2. What is your shop URL?

http://www.uvlightstudios.etsy.com for designer discounts.

http://www.uvlightstudios.com is my home website where you can find more images, design and custom application etc.

3. What long series of events led to you doing this?

I joined Etsy after hearing about it over the summer on GMA. I checked it out and was amazed at the high level of excellence in both web design, interaction, information and sheer numbers of talented artisans from around the world.  I thought Etsy would be a great place to offer my imagery to the public for the same discount prices I offer to the interior design industry.

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?

I joined Etsy last August but didn't start listing until September 12. There is a  lot to learn about navigating the site and developing marketing strategies so I am still getting up to speed.

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

My favorite thing about Etsy is having access to so much worldwide talent, such a wide variety of “handmade” goods. 

Pretty astonishing! I also like the Treasury. I think its a great idea to have these curated pages. In fact, I just got selected for a Treasury for the first time.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?

My work is multifunctional and unique - cosmic art that lights up. When I figured out how to light up my imagery I was very excited because I knew I was on to something. I don’t want to get too esoteric but my work is highly conceptual. I have spent years studying physics and metaphysics and have sought to find visual ways to show the inherent energy that exists in all of matter. I have developed a proprietary imaging process where I create 2 or 3D prototypes that I cover with wet media including fluorescent. The resulting cosmic like imagery is photographed under ultraviolet light (that’s how I get the otherwordly color and amazing patterning) and captured digitally for use in a variety of formats. Because the images are digital they can be customized in color and shape to meet a wide variety of design 

applications.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?

My latest creation - the QuantumLyte is my favorite. I have spent months experimenting and developing prototype after prototype to come up with the winning design. It works as a piece of beautiful sculpture as well as a light source. Looks great lit or unlit. 

8. What teams do you belong to and what do you like most about 

them?

Design Style Guide

Artists of Color

Fashion, Design, Lifestyle

Mad Scientists

Photographers of Etsy

Visual Arts Street Team

I really like Etsy teams [because] they allow you to work in groups to broaden your marketing, promotional, and support efforts. I just joined these teams and am getting up to speed. I am very excited about joining the Design Style Guide and being on the new DGS website. I really appreciate all the work and effort made into developing this one stop shopping destination for interior designers and am glad to be part of the team.

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?

Besides other things I recently joined Facebook to market my site. I’m not much into online social networking so its been an interesting experience especially since I have ran into old childhood, high school and college friends from decades ago.

 

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?

There is so much great stuff on Etsy that I love I will just name a few here:

formfireglassworks - great jewelry

amysfunkyfibers - beautifully crafted and funky knitwear

theivorymagnolia - delicious looking body products

frenchlandscapes - beautiful art

sweetiepiesdelights - the name says it all!

11. What do you do in your spare time?

I live in Hawaii so I like to go to the beach when I can. These days with gas being still expensive here I enjoy the sanctuary of my beautiful property in the Hawaiian Rainforest. This year I have been blessed, some very exotic and cute little birds - Java Sparrows - have moved into the crawl space in my attic. They perch on my eaves and I enjoy watching them interact and frolic in the trees. In these difficult times I seek some peace and solitude in the beauty of nature. I also like to enjoy local art and cultural events, spending time with good friends.

12. Do you have anything else you would like to share?

Yes, for the holidays I haved reduced the price of my QuantumLytes from $125 to $95 until the end of the year. A truly unique gift that is both beautiful and provocative. Art + Light = QuantumLyte!

I was delighted to do this interview.  Thanks Jay!

You are most welcome!

Barbara Haviland: Etsy Artist from Texas

Barbara Haviland is an artist I have become ever so slightly acquainted with over the last several weeks. Her work is luscious and inspiring, and you can own some of it! Her shop at Etsy is filled with beautiful originals just waiting for you to buy them.

On the personal side, Barbara has been very interesting to "converse" with, even if that conversation has only been by e-mail. I'd love to meet her some day and, since she lives right here in the great state of Texas, that might actually be possible.

Anyway, I asked a few questions, she gave me a few answers, and here's the resulting interview, all typed up just for you.  Enjoy!

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?

My shop is Barbsgarden and I sell fine art.

2. What is your shop URL?

http://barbsgarden.etsy.com

3. When did you start selling on Etsy?

About 2 years ago.

4. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

I like the low fees and all the people I have met.

5. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?

I am afraid that I love all my items, because they are painted with love.

6. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?

Each piece that I create was done from some experience I have had. I mainly paint from photos I shoot. I love it when the piece I am doing comes together. I guess my bayou paintings are my favorites. I have always loved the mysterious bayous.

7. What teams do you belong to and what do you like most about them?

Design Style Guide, Etsy Texas Crafters, DAWG (Designing Artists Women's Group), WWAO and EBSQ. I have met so many wonderful caring people online in the groups. They are artists of some kind and we can relate.

8. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?

That is one of my major problems. I am not good with promoting myself. I am trying to do that more as I started a blog and am posting every day.

She also has a web site.

9. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?

Oh, I have found soaps, earrings and bunches of items I would like to trade with. RoseofSharonAcres.etsy.com for soaps. Monica is a gem. Leisab.etsy.com for jewelry. I like to trade and we traded their items for my art. Everyone won.

10. What do you do in your spare time?

I like to spend time with my husband, family and friends. I also like to read. We travel and play board games and have cook outs and watch baseball. My grandsons play baseball and that means lots of tournaments.

11. Do you have anything else you would like to share?

Life is short so make each day count. Do something for someone.