KIG Gifts

"It all started with seedbeads, anklets, then hemp, earrings, earrings bracelets and necklaces. Now it’s pendants. Pendants have been the longest stretch so far," says Kathy of KIG. "I think what I like most about them is their simplicity and ability to make a statement without being too showy."

She likes to make are of places that she has already visited or that she aspires to visit one day . "My pendants make me think of my travels and all the great experiences that I had." Teaching in Southern Japan for a year was one of those experiences, and has led to a deep love for Nippon and all things Japanese. So it's no surprise that many of her pendants are of Japanese stamps, images and maps. "The stamps that I use in my pendants are from my personal collection and stamps that I have acquired through the years."

Kathy is inspired by other talented artists on Etsy. "There is such variety here it’s amazing." She is also inspired by her sister who has made art her career, and who also has a shop on Etsy and is featured in many galleries in Montréal. "I would love for my jewelry to be my career... I admire those who have taken the leap."

Visit her blog to learn more about Kathy and her work.

Designs by Tami

"I am a typical craft junkie artist," says Tami, of Designs by Tami. "I have always been a crafty person." As a child, she drew, painted and made and sold bracelets. She eventually moved on to sewing and crochet, and today, she loves making custom designs for people! "It is wonderful to make knitting needles with someone's beloved pet, or a necklace with a new grandbaby's photo. I am inspired by so many things and I am constantly inspired to try new ways to express my creativity. Happily, I will never be able to put out that fire."

TN Glass Stains

If you visit the studio of TN Glass Stains, you'll find a Dachshund named Gracie, Macy the spaniel mix with ADD, and 2 cats-- Jager and Lexxus sharing the space.

The artists have been working in stained glass since 2001, and each item is one of a kind, "so if you like it, get it." Fused pieces are made mostly from hand-rolled Bullseye or Specturm glass, and panels are usually constructed in the copper foil method. See stained glass panels on their Flickr site.

I was someone's featured shop today

If you'd like to read more about my shop, visit dreamsaboutart by Mary of DreamON.etsy.com.

BONZIE

BONZIE has been obsessed by art and design since she was small, and suspected even then that she would study fashion design at the National College of Art and Design in Ireland, where she lives. " I'm consumed by creativity, my mind is always churning over with ideas," she says.

Her favourite items to make are corsets. "These have always been a fave of mine because i guess they remind me of yester year, I love the oldy worldy look about them, not to mention the fact that they are very feminine and seductive. Love to see a clients face light up when I give that final tug on the lacing and they realise they look a size smaller -- it's priceless," she says.

Bonzie is constantly thinking about design and her next project. "I suppose we pick up inspiration from our environment all around. I would say however, that I get a lot of ideas from looking back. I love anything antique or old or aged, always prefer fabrics that are somewhat old; if I have to buy new pieces I can't help but distress them in some way!! I feel its more romantic, and has more character." She loves anything Victorian, Medieval, Renaissance, Gothic, basically anything with a bit of history and drama attached.

Be sure to stop by and visit her blog.

Magdalene Jewels

Magdalene Jewels is named after Mary Magdalene. Pamela Baker works from home and sells her jewelry on both Etsy and in craft shows. She also designs and makes quilts, knits, and crochets. She is also a calligrapher. She uses Swarovski Crystals in all of her designs, "mainly because of the intricate colors which, when reflected in the sunlight, make each piece unique."

Don't be surprised if you also detect traces of India in her work -- it's her favorite place. "If I could be anywhere in the world, I would love to live in India." She has visited several times and spent time especially in Southern India where she visited many temples. She loves the peace that she finds there.

Don't forget to stop and visit her blog.

Susarto

"I decided i wanted to be an artist when I was three years of age," says Susarto with a huge grin.

Her true love is painting -- mostly in oils, but sometimes in acrylics or ink. Her favorite topics are people and still lifes, but she sometimes likes to break out of that, and do some collage or acrylic stuff -- "it keeps me thinking and changing," she says.

But she has also created the "weirdo," a style of doll that she first made for her niece, and she loves the ones that make her giggle. For her son, she created the "zombie" line of dolls. "I started basing the weirdo descriptions on myself. ie: my sugar addiction, fear of squirrels, painting, etc... they now have spread into descriptions of people I know, as well...I know a lot of weirdos," she says, smiling.

She suffers no shortage of inspiration. "I guess in my painting, I'm inspired by shapes, and simplifying objects. There's a definite shape there, and I tend to make it obvious by surrounding it with line. People inspire me, color, and maybe even humor.

Susarto is a member of IrishRogueArtisans and the Etsy plush team. She currently lives in Pennsylvania, and has a B.F.A. from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she majored in painting and drawing. She has been a professional artist for several years, and exhibits in local galleries, and sells to individual collectors in the U.S., and also in Ireland and England. She is also married and has one son. You can see more of her paintings at her Web site.

Flurrsprite's Nook

"I've always loved crafts, but only came upon bookbinding recently while I was doing a theatre internship out in Pennsylvania," says Maiko, a member of BEST and proprietor of flurrsprite's nook.

I stumbled across bookbinding after a friend of mind posted in her livejournal about her new shirt that she had sewn, and a friend of hers commented with links to craftsy livejournal groups, which led to the bookbinding group. Tthe rest is history, she says.

Maiko's interest in jewelry evolved later, when she had "a ton" of vintage and antique things that she was either reselling or recreating into something new in her shop. Recently she has made some linocut cards, returning to a skill she learned in high school.

"I enjoy making everything," she exclaims, noting that each craft brings a different mood. "I get a bright sparkly feeling when I finish say, a pair of earrings, but there's a satisfactory mellow feeling when I finish a new book. Imagination is fun!"

Learn more about Maiko at her blog.

Nancy McNally, LocalColorist

Nancy, the proprietor of Local Colorist on Etsy is a native San Franciscan, and mother of two grown children raised in SF (all three are practicing artists). "Some people are compelled to create art and crafts whether or not they have an audience. I am one of those people who keep on making art no matter what is going on. I do appreciate a community like Etsy," says Nancy. "Today it takes an electronic world wide village to help keep art alive."

Nancy began painting at age nine because art was a life preserver in a stormy childhood. A mother of one of her classmates in 4th grade, "a beautiful woman from France," taught her class watercolor and chalk pastels, beginning a life-long love of both art and France.

As a teenager, Nancy began creating theater sets, costumes, landscape and interior design. She simply can't resist adorning myriad surfaces with color, form, and light. "Learning new techniques is crucial for me. Joining Etsy is a an opportunity to learn about other practicing artists all over the world." She is active on Etsy in the California Crafters Club of Etsy, and enjoys discovering and promoting new artists on the site.

Right now, the ancient art of origami has her attention and her love, and it shows in the beauty of the peace cranes she creates. She shares her love by teaching children, teens and adults how to make peace cranes at public forums.

Artemisia Designs

"Let the beauty we love be what we do."
-- Rumi

Her jewelry has the appearance of music, and it's clear that this is a woman whose many talents feed each other. "I really like the creative process of designing something new or stumbling upon a great combination by accident," says Lupe of Artemisia Designs. "Having a new idea is so fun, and seeing how unlikely things can be put together to make something beautiful." Lupe particularly likes interesting color combinations and mixing and matching different metals and. She has been reconstructing jewelry from found objects and old jewelry from thrift stores for over 20 years. With the opening of her Etsy store, she's begun to do more cold forging with silver and copper. "I really enjoy that process of moving the metal around," she says.

Like many artists, Lupe finds her greatest inspiration in nature. "Plants and flowers are sort of a theme in my life -- gardening, farming, spending a lot of time in nature hiking. I have a deep admiration for nature's beauty and the perfect imperfection and purity. I am also inspired by the bold colors and designs in tribal/ethnic styles from all over -- India, Africa, Middle East, Mexico , and native American," says the proprietor of Artemisia Designs.

Lupe has so many creative pursuits that she feels there are just never enough hours in the day to pursue them all. "I have 12 years of stained glass experience and a deep love and appreciation for the craft. I have also made and sold basketry, jewelry, pottery and seed beadwork for years. Then about six years ago, she began painting with acrylics and finds it a fun way to create and express ideas. In addition, she has gotten into photography -- "almost by accident...I got a camera just to take pictures of flowers so I could have them when it was winter for drawing...but then the love of photography took hold." Nonetheless, given the opportunity, Lupe will be outdoors in her garden where the light is perfect for drawing plants.

Her creative endeavors seem almost boundless -- she has played the violin for the last 15 years and has begun to write music this last year. "I guess I pursue alot of creative paths," she says. "I am so grateful for these pursuits, they're teaching me a lot and give back so much."

Racheal Anilyse

Racheal, proprietor of RachealAnilyse has always loved art -- drawing, photography, doodling, making cards, scrapbooking, etc. since she was little. "I made my first pop up book in 6th grade. It was about a mouse. It never survived our basement flood unfortuantely," she says, ruefully. She began school thinking she would be a teacher, but an intense art history course convinced her that she was surpressing myself, leading to a shift to art school and an art degree.

Racheal is inspired by some very famous people: Gustov Klimt, Aubrey Beardsley, Norman Rockwell, Alphonse Mucha, DaVinci, Raphael, Edward Dulac, and Arthur Rackham, as well as by what surrounds her -- family, nature, and life's chance encounters. Learn more about Racheal Anilyse on her blog.

KDemArte

Karen of KDemArte has always loved making art, and has worked in a lot of different media through the years. Currently she's working with metal -- using fine, lead-free pewter -- and using an ancient method of gravity casting. "I love the earthy, rustic quality that it gives my work." In addition to her metal work, Karen also paints pet portraits. She finds her inspiration in nature and its tiny details.

Winemaker's Sister

Winemakerssister is a new Etsy shop currently featuring handmade notecards, charm bracelets, and other whimsies. Her background includes many years of graphic arts, a production artist in a major art fair, and lots of nonprofit marketing experience. Wondering about her name? She currently runs her family's winery ("my sister is the winemaker").

Visit her Flickr site and blog. To sign up for her email newsletter, send contact info to winemakerssister@yahoo.com.

She is a member of EtsyPaper and EtsyGreetings street teams.

Natural Historie

Natural Historie is a fanciful collection reminiscent of the past and of nature, crafted in girlish pastels, delicately designed and prettily packaged, says Livy, the proprietor. "I want you to feel as though you’re gazing upon antique maps, leafing through a naturalist’s sketchbook, and trifling through splendid little treasures Marie Antoinette might have envied." Her expedition into the world of Etsy began this past summer, and she’s planning to concentrate exclusively on art prints and paper goods printed with her own original designs. Currently, Livy is a UCLA undergraduate double majoring in History and Art History, with the hope of a career in advertising. Her painting, “Waiting” was her first published piece, appearing on the cover of the 2007 UCLA literary arts journal, Westwind. Etsy has been such a lovely -- and excellent outlet for her creative endeavors, she says. Visit her shop and her blog.

Jenngee

Sewing may just run in her genes. Although both of my grandmothers are superb sewers and quilters, Jenn George, known on Etsy as Jenngee, grew up a great distance from both of them and wasn't lucky enough to learn directly from them. She dabbled with sewing and needlework off and on as a kid, but became serious as a freshman in college where she had a design school student for a roommate. "I was fascinated with the things that she made with her sewing machine. I asked for my own machine for Christmas that year and that is when Bertha (my straight-stitch-only, loud as a freight train, workhorse of a sewing machine) came into my life," she says. "At that point there was no turning back."

She learned everything her roommate would teach me and then bought or borrowed every book she could find that would teach her new skills. "I became obsessed with the quilting show that Georgia Bonesteel was doing at the time (she was the first TV quilting diva as far as I know) and decided that quilting was my calling. I spent all my extra money on fabric yardage or quilting notions. That was almost 13 years ago and I continue to learn new things almost every day," Jenn says.

These days, she finds real joy in making smaller items like the Coffee Corsets she sells on Etsy since she gets all the pleasure plus the added bonus of finishing them quickly, but she still loves making quilts. She also enjoys creating her own fabric with inks/dyes/paints, carving her own stamps (for the same purpose), painting and embossing metal hardware, machine needle felting, cross stitching, and hand embroidery.

What inspires her? "I'm very heavily influenced and inspired by the work of others." She became a craft-show junkie way back before the craft shows on HGTV, PBS, and the DIY Network became popular, and the DVR in her sewing studio works overtime recording every show that is even remotely craft-related. "I enjoy watching these shows to learn new techniques and to see the work of other artists. I also have a huge library of books and magazines to reference and I make a special effort to visit traveling quilting/textile exhibits whenever they come to my town. When I see something that makes me say 'WOW' it just renews my creative spirit all over again and I want to make more and more."

Amanda May

Amanda May has been a practicing artist all her life, and enjoys working with fiber, many varieties of paint, soft and hard sculpture, and in graphics - from papermaking and pen and ink to web site design and digital editing.

"I have an artistic personality," she says. "I just love to try new things." And her shop is full of the creative expression of an excited artist. She maintains a website where she tries to keep track of her work, and a blog called Artistically Speaking where she talks about arts and crafts.

Heidi Burton

"I have always been surrounded by creativity," says Heidi Burton. As a child she used to ponder over the sweet drawings her mother made when designing beautiful clothes that her children would later wear with pride. Her father painted as a hobby, and his employment involved cartography ("which is probably why I love maps so much!" says Heidi. Her interest in old black and white and sepia photography derives from her father's interest in family history, and she gains further inspiration from her sister's success as a photographer and fashion designer.

She hoped to attend art school in college, but got a nasty surprise when she was rejected. This led her to move from job to job and feel creatively stifled and emption -- feeling what she thought was an unrequited love for art. But her confidence was restored when she re-applied six years later and was accepted, finishing last summer with a degree in illustration. "The most important thing I learned from my degree is that, at least in my case, imperfect drawing has so much more character and energy than that of accurate perspectives and flawless shading. My critique feedback was always 'your sketchbook work is so much more interesting than your final piece.' I discovered there is such a thing as 'final-piece anxiety' where one can try TOO hard. Draw now, think later!" she laughs.

She loves to draw people when they don't realize they're being watched, and she appreciates vulnerability of the subconscious self. Heidi also draws inspiration from the patterns and sysmmetry she sees in nature. "I love geometric lines, simplicity, and experimenting with texture." Her work is also inspired by poetry; at the moment she's in love with the work of Sylvia Plath, Tennyson, Christina Rossetti, along with novels by Haruki Murakami.

For Heidi, the best thing about being a seller on Etsy is the heart-warming feeling she gets from the knowledge that people all over the world have her prints and cards in their homes. "It is the best incentive to be creative," she says.

Visit her blog as well as her Flickr account.

Seven Bridges

Elizabeth of Seven Bridges studio has considered herself a writer -- far removed from visual arts -- for most of her young life. "When I was about 17, I was first introduced to digital art, and I found a world of tools that could bring my inspiration to life," she said. But it would be another 10 years or so before she actually picked up a camera.

Elizabeth loves to create images that stir the soul. She finds it difficult to tell what that will be, and shoots 300 to 400 frames during a good week. Her favorite moment is when she looks at a shot and can tell that it will evoke emotion for someone. Inspiration is her constant companion -- "I have more inspiration than time," she says. Her latest fascination is fashion photography.

Keri Love Jewels

Keri of Kerilovvejewels has a Barbados-based Etsy shop, specializing in jewelry and ornaments. She has been crafting for three years, and is a university student pursuing a bachelor's degree in ecology and psychology.

pumpkin sputnik

Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to go to art school, says Emma of pumpkinsputnik. "I never wanted to do anything else - I just loved to draw." At art school that passion turned to jewelry design as well as computer graphics. She has since combined the latter with an interest in photography and turned the combination toward making simply beautiful notebooks and stationery. "I love notebooks and usually have about three on the go for different things."

Winter and autumn are the times of the year when she's most inspired by nature and the shapes and silhouettes of trees and flowers, and the colours. "Whenever we go out walking in Scotland," says this Glasgow-based artist,"I'll take my camera - I usually get left miles behind my husband and children because I'm taking photos of trees!"