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.

First Monday, part three

Only one more day until we go to Weatherford for First Monday Trade Days. Events have conspired to prevent me from producing as many pieces as I would have liked, but I'll still be taking over 100 candle holders and bookends to the sale. Just over, but still...

I was able to take ten mesquite candle holders all the way through the finishing process in one day today. That is not generally thought of as a good idea, but it was just sunny and warm enough to pull it off, without being too warm. Tomorrow I will complete the finish on some curly maple candle holders and I'll be done with the manufacturing for this show.

I have one more sign to design, and I have to affix two signs to a small billboard I built a couple of days ago. After that I only have to pick up a table we're renting and load the truck and we'll be ready to go. I will post the concluding chapter of this little saga, along with photos from the show, after our return Saturday evening... and by "after" I probably mean Sunday or Monday. Right now I need to rehab my knee. I tripped over a box of candle holders here in my office earlier and landed on my right knee. It's swollen and it hurts, but I'll recover fast.

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!

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!

Arline Ostolaza: Featured Artist from Design Style Guide

Arline Ostolaza is a member of Design Style Guide. She is one of the more gifted artists I have come across in a number of years. She is a woman of few words, at least in my experience, but her art speaks volumes.

Arline Ostolaza is my Featured Artist.

1. Hello, Arline. What is your shop name?

ArlineArts.

2. What is your shop URL?

http://arlinearts.imagekind.com  

(I'm working on a website (www.arlinearts.com), which will link to imagekind.

3. When did you start selling online?

Can't say exactly when.  However, it hasn't been much more than a month.

4. What is your favorite thing about selling online?

I don't have to concern myself with shipping problems.

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

I've always enjoyed all aspects of art-making, and I particularly enjoy drawing.

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

My computer.  It allows me to explore the work of other artists here and abroad, and supplies invaluable information in this regard.

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

Visiting museums and galleries via the computer.

8. What are some of your favorite things about other sellers online?

Unusual points of view in the works of other artists.

9. What do you do in your spare time?

I read a great deal, visit museums/galleries, botanical gardens, zoos, I exercise, and I cook for family and friends.

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

I'm having my art work redone in order to offer larger prints of my work to the public.