Some of my favorite things from etsy artisans....

Three Rabbits drawing by HellsSewingCircle
Surreal art card by WoebegoneArts
Red cloth slippers by netamir
Zoli painting by shealeigh
Tourmaline and sterling silver ring by Menno

The delightful TemporaryInsanity

This seller is relatively new to the etsy selling world but has been working in her medium for many years and is also an interior designer. She also has a wonderful sense of humor that comes through in her work that I think you will enjoy.

1) How long have you been selling on etsy?

I have been selling on Etsy since October 2009.

2) Do you have advice for etsy newbies?

It’s hard for me to give advice to other Etsy newbies, since I still have so much to learn myself! I have started a Facebook Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Temporary-Insanity/179811324930?ref=ts and I made a marketing postcard at www.vistaprint.com with pictures of The Vintage People that turned out great. Vistaprint has so many free offers! I got free business cards from them and a free banner for my craft shows. I don’t think you can really beat free! I haven’t gotten the hang of twitter yet, but I’m working on it. For now, I talk, talk, talk about what I’m doing. I’m a Gemini so that’s pretty easy for me.

3) What are your fave etsy shops and why?

There are so many sellers whose work or shop I admire, I don’t think I could possibly begin to list. The fact of the matter is I could easily spend my whole days shopping on Etsy and I’ve told everyone in my family that we should just have an Etsy holiday! There’s definitely something for everyone there and part of the fun is in the searching. It really is a treasure hunt, something that is near and dear to my heart.

4) What are your fave pieces in your shop and why?

My favorite pieces in my shop are Helen Makes Heavenly Music, Ruby says, LOL and Randy Randy. Helen is just so sweet with her toy xylophone body and her slightly tipped halo. She’s a good girl, but not too good. Ruby is named after a good friend’s alter ego. She’s like me…just getting into the social media thing and LOL is her catch phrase for everything. Her little skirt is the rack from a toy pool set. She was fun to make…like a puzzle and she’s colorful and whimsical and I find her very entertaining. LOL! Randy is, well Randy and I think we’ve all known a guy like him. Or…is that just me? Randy has some stunning springy body parts and his pulley…well, it makes things go up and down. And his heart belongs to mama. What more could you want in a guy? You can probably tell I have a soft spot for saints and sinners. As I design each of The Vintage People, they come to life for me. Their personalities start jumping out and I begin to hear their story. It’s fun.

5) What plans do you have for your shop?

In the future, I’m going to add some beautifully decoupaged cigar box purses and mixed media jewelry that will also be made of found objects. And I plan on being featured on the front page one day!(I think I can, I think I can….) You have to believe! It’s very likely that I will start another Etsy shop for vintage items as well.

6) How long have you been creating art?

I have been creating art all my life. I had my first art show at my grandmother’s house when I was about five. My relatives obligingly paid dimes and even quarters for my first creations. If I remember correctly, they were crayon, the big box of 64 colors. Then I moved on to painted rocks that my uncle sold for me in his flower shop. Later, as a rebellious teenager, I began fashioning deerskin leather halter tops and purses. (Am I dating myself now?) They were adorned in hand cut lacing, feathers, and turquoise stones. As an adult I became a floral designer and later I started the first incarnation of Temporary Insanity. I wanted to work at home with my then two small children and I started a hand painted clothing business that had a cowboys and Indians theme.(I live in Colorado.) That lasted for seven years and we had a great run. Fun times! Now I juggle my art with interior design, which I also consider to be an art form. Interior design is really a giant 3D collage, mixed media assemblage of colors and textures, space and form. I love it too. I need to be creating at all times. My people come from all the stuff I’ve collected over the years, simply because I was attracted to it and knew that one day , it would become something real, like Randy.

7) Who are your art heroes?

I have one art hero and that is my uncle, Charles Maloy Love. He is in his seventies now and still creates the most fabulously delicious floral designs in his shop in Mountain Brook, Alabama. He taught me about art, exposed me to design and taught me to always do my best. That’s what I’m trying to do now.

8) Where do your ideas come from?

Most of my ideas come from the way I look at something. I’m very visual. I’m always processing, processing what I’ve seen. My favorite thing is making something out of nothing. When I’m looking for parts for The Vintage People, I am thinking of body parts and suddenly that’s what different objects become!

9) What do you do when you have a creative block?

When I have a creative block, I either spread my treasures all around me to look at them or I flip through files I’ve made of magazine pictures. I always see something different later. Of course, I’m listening to music the whole time too!

10) What other interests do you have that feed into your art?

I am a scavenger at heart. There’s nothing like the thrill of the hunt! I love to look for antiques, shop at thrift stores, garage sales, anywhere I might find something different or unusual. That sets the tone for my other passions, art and interior design!





Terrie Hall

Interior Designer

designthehallway@gmail.com



DESIGN THE HALL-WAY

11533 Running Creek Lane

Parker, CO. 80138

303.332.6835

303.840.6418 fax

A peek into the world of artist LivaRutmane...

I don't remember when I met Liva Rutmane but I know it was in an etsy chat room and I was instantly fascinated. Her style reminds me of some Russian cartoons and surrealist artists but she has a unique interpretation. I just know that I like visiting her world and I hope that you will too!

1) How long have you been selling on etsy?

it will be a year after month and a half

2) Do you have advice for etsy newbies?

I still feel like a newbie, still don't know what is my target market and I still feel really confused about what other people find interesting, so it's an experiment for me
but after a year I have discovered, that patience and learning constantly is very important, I have never sold my works before on internet, so there's so much to learn, forums and blogs are great place to find information.

3) What are your fave etsy shops and why?
I really don't have favorite shops, on etsy, I like a lot of stuff around here, for example - I really like http://www.etsy.com/shop/sealmaiden because shes a great person, she have nice style, then I like http://www.etsy.com/shop/ruffeoheartslilsnoty because their style is very specific and colorful, http://www.etsy.com/shop/michelemaule because of traditional printmaking, http://www.etsy.com/shop/etaletc way of photographing things is unique, and so on, I really like a lot of shops, there is so many talented people, that to choose something ir very hard...

4) What are your fave pieces in your shop and why?
I like this one
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26712874 I feel like I have accomplish something new, I like to draw illustrations, and somehow this is the best ;)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33715580 just a weird sketch, something interesting about this
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33329899 - it's shiny and golden and I love how it looks on my wall, I don't want to take it off, haha

5) What plans do you have for your shop?
none, really, I know it's not right, but I feel little confused when it comes to goals for my shop, it's a great feeling when I sell something, so I guess, my goal it to have this feeling more often

6) How long have you been creating art?
for a while, since 2000, it's when I discovered art school, and how great place it is, then I started to draw, paint, and make plans for the future, and since then I know what I want to do for a rest of my life, it's a very calming thing.

7) Who are your art heroes?
and again, it's not that easy to choose some, there is so many - Yayoi Kusama, Hyungkoo Lee, Hundertvasser, Misha Gordin, Terry Richardson, so many interesting ideas!

8) Where do your ideas come from?
Just living, things around, thinking, talking to people, thinking again, sleeping is a very important part of my creative work

9) What do you do when you have a creative block?
I don't have those, I just start to do something and then it's all ok again, and usually I have something that need to be done, something for a larger project, so I can't just have creative blocks

10) What other interests do you have that feed into your art?
I love photography, but not as work, I could never be a commercial photographer, I have tried, it's not working

thank you!

For better views of her images, visit her shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LivaRutmane?ga_search_query=LivaRutmane&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

New green leaf necklace with plum pearl!

Here are some pics of my new necklace! I took them with my Mom's phone camera and it amazes me how good her camera is actually! I was inspired to make these by the green silk fabric that I made the leaves out of and I've always liked purple and green together. Let me know what you think!