Featured Seller: Anca Gray

There is nothing as special as having a deep and unnerving passion for the work one does. Artist Anca Gray is not stranger to this. A passion for her art seethes from her every word.

After acquiring a degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, spending a few years as an architect and designer, and working at a local organic restaurant, in 2010 Anca finally started working full time on her art.

"My parents say my favorite toy to play with when I was very young was a pen and paper. When we went camping, I would first sit down and draw the trees and mountains and only then run around and explore. To my mother's despair, I always loved getting my hands dirty, and creating is in my blood. Although I got derailed by family and society's expectations, in the end it was just a matter of listening to my heart, letting go, and jumping in," Anca said.

You can purchase the Romanian born, Chicago based, artist's beautiful mixed media artwork internationally through her Etsy shop, Anca.



"I love creating delicate new art pieces out of discarded vintage books and found objects! They become one of a kind, original, mixed media abstracts and figure paintings. I also create found poetry reclaimed from existing vintage books. I am interested in everything poetic, emotion, capturing and savoring unique moments in time and space, the simultaneous absence and presence of all colors, embedded memory of objects, texture, and a raw and feminine aesthetic. I wish for my work to reflect glimpses of hope and [to] help widen the horizons of possibility," Anca said.

Anca's artwork is also at times dreamlike and geometric, and always unconventionally alluring.



"My husband dubbed me Anca Gray because I surround myself with black, white, and gray, and lady gray is my favorite tea, of which I drink about a pot of every day," Anca said.

Her daily pot of tea might be what allows Anca to work often chaotic hours. "I'm fairly obsessive, so I stay with a piece until it is finished, which means it needs to be finished within days. I've been known to work on a piece for 30 hours straight, and only get some sleep once it feels complete. I often work on several pieces at once while I wait for layers of paint to dry."

Anca's inability to stop once she's started working on a piece, is a true testament to her passion. And every piece she creates and sells is a piece she truly believes is complete and ready to be hung in a buyer's home.



"I finally know what I want to be when I grow up, so I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am doing what I long to be doing. What I've always longed to be doing," Anca said.

Outside of her craft Anca enjoys everything about food, cooking for friends, reading food blogs, parties and afternoon tea with friends, camping, reading, skydiving, seeking god, and loving her husband all while trying to remember to breathe.

Anca is not truly sure where she will be in five years, as she believes that anything and everything can change within that time frame, but she hopes that she'll still be cooking for and feeding the people she loves, getting her hands dirty, and becoming more comfortable by the day in her own skin.

You can follow Anca's journey through her Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts.

SPECIAL TO MY READERS: Get 15 percent off your purchase at Anca's Etsy shop by entering promo code MORE15 at checkout!

Featured Seller: Becca Sohoni

It's getting cold. More often than not in the ever growing chilling town of South Lake Tahoe, I find myself reaching for my scarf whenever I go out. But it's just a plain black scarf, nothing like the uplifting and beautiful scarfs by Becca Sohoni owner of Happiknits.

You can find Becca's bohemian style knitwear, including her fabulous infinity scarfs, for sale internationally through her Etsy shop.



For Becca the craft runs in the family, and unlike my mass produced scarf, her's are a little more genuine of character and heart.

"I learned how to knit about 10 years ago. I grew up in a family where all the women did some kind of needle craft. My mom sews and does embroidery, my grandmother was a master crocheter, and I have a great Aunt who embroiders and knits. I fell in love with the serenity that the knitting brought into my stressful life.

"I found Etsy about a year before I became a seller. Opening my shop came at a point in my life when I was suffering a lot of disappointment from infertility. I needed something to lift my spirits, and my customers do that for me. 
In addition to my knitting I work as a full-time Pharmacist and I am a certified yoga teacher," Becca said.



Although you wouldn't think that there is a lot that goes into knitting besides knowing a pattern and executing it, Becca does a good amount of research for her craft. This means that her work is not only easy on the eyes, but that she also strives to keep up to date in style.

"I read all the fashion magazines, Somerset magazines, which is where I find a lot of inspiration. I also will go to Anthropology and walk around. I love their window displays. I have been inspired by a lot of my customers and sometimes ideas just pop into my head! My passion comes from truly enjoying the way a piece of yarn feels in my hands. I tend to knit with some fabulously soft yarns," Becca said.

The research step it truly only the beginning as her knitwear creations can take anywhere from several hours to several weeks to create, which makes it no wonder that Becca, like many other crafters including myself, faces time management as her greatest obstacle.

"As my business grows, I sometimes struggle to keep up with all of the social networking involved in growing a successful business," Becca said.

But as hectic as it all may seem, not having enough time to do everything is also a sign of success. Becca is close to reaching a well deserved 650th sale without any negative or neutral feedback, a true testament to her passion as a crafter and seller.



Besides knitting Becca enjoys working out, visiting her local vintage market for buttons, lace, or anything that catches her eye, and baking, which she learned from her grandmother.

In five years Becca sees herself on a beach in St. Lucia with a needle in her hand.

You can follower Becca's journey through her Twitter and Facebook.

HER WINTER HOLIDAY PROMO: Enter HAPI10 for 10% off any purchase OR HAPISHIP for free shipping from Happiknits!

Featured Seller: Julie Gautier

One thing that small businesses should never take for granted is their ability to create with eco-friendly materials. For Julie from Jye, this is something that is as important as creating one of a kind accessories.

You can find her various exquisitely soft and feminine accessories ranging from hand-folded origami earrings to wedding garters for sale internationally through her Etsy shop.





"I love living in the big city, but I am still also close to my roots, indeed I really care about nature and being eco-friendly in my creations. For example, I dye fabrics myself with natural pigments, and I also recycle vintage materials. [It] matters a lot to me to pollute less and give a second life to old materials," Julie said.

Julie's accessories cater to women that love being poetic and enjoy nature. Also to those that enjoy a unique handmade flare.



"I love natural fabrics like silk of cotton and natural pigments. I also love the French glamor from the 50s with all those polka dot prints. Creating modern vintage with true vintage materials is usually my goal. Japan is a huge inspiration for me too, I enjoy integrating origami to the sewing, it enhances the fabric with special reflects, which I love so much.

"Sometimes people think I buy already made origamis or already made organza flowers like some crafters do. But I don't, and it's very important to me to make everything myself. Behind each creation there is thoughts and true ideas," Julie said.

There is something to be truly appreciated from Julie's passion for making her creations from scratch. From sewing it all together to folding fabric into birds, her ideas are not only innovative but completely true to herself and her soft aesthetics as a designer.



Other than creating for her Etsy shop, Julie likes to cook, especially from Asian as well as vegan and vegetarian recipes.

In five years Julie hopes to be living in a cute town somewhere in France with a little house, her family and pets by her side, and a big garden with a lot of organic veggies growing in the back.

You can follow Julie's journey through her Facebook, Blog, and Twitter.

A SPECIAL OFFER TO MY READERS: Get free worldwide shipping for any order in Julie's shop by using the promo code: ALITTLEMORETHANLIFE at checkout.

Featured Seller: Lisa Lehmann

A lot of people might not realize that being a jewelry maker can be fiery. But Lisa Lehmann isn't afraid of a little heat, in fact getting to play with fire is what profoundly plunged her into the craft.

"I have a fine arts major in photography and illustration. I did graphic design for years, I hated it. I started playing around with making jewelry and I liked it a lot. Then I learned to play with fire and I was so hooked. It is my passion!" Lisa said.

You can find Lisa's sleek and rustically feminine handmade jewelry for sale internationally through her Etsy shop, Studio Jewel.



"I've wanted to be an artist since I was handed a crayon. I was meant to create," Lisa said. Although she knew she was meant to be a creator she wasn't so sure about the success her work would have.

"When I started making jewelry 10 years ago, I never knew it would take off like it did," Lisa said.

But her success has left her with almost a thousand Etsy sales, and only one possible regret. Because she was unsure of her success, she titled her shop, "thebeadgirl", though that isn't her brand name. "I'm trying to shift people to realize my actual store name is Studio Jewel even though I may be 'thebeadgirl'," Lisa said.

Whether you call her the bead girl or know the shop as Studio Jewel, Lisa Lehmann's jewelry is plain and simply organically pretty.



The finishing result may be visually appealing, but according to Lisa, the actual act of creating can be otherwise.

"Making beautiful pieces of jewelry is a VERY dirty business!" Lisa said.

But this fact far from deters Lisa from her passion. What makes her such as wonderful seller is that she plunges into the often unrecognized mess of creating beauty, and loves it.



Besides making jewelry, Lisa still enjoys photography as well as cooking. She also homeschool's three of her four children, making her life a balancing act of work and family.

In five years Lisa would like to continue to see her company grow, but with a little bit of help so she can concentrate on simply being a jewelry designer and not so much of everything else that comes along with it.

You can follow Lisa's journey through her Twitter, Facebook page, and Blog.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR MY READERS: Get 15 percent off your purchase from Lisa's shop by using the promo code: justbecause15 at checkout.



(photos curtesy of Lisa Lehamann's Etsy shop & Facebook page)

A Look Back At My Featured Sellers, And A Move Forward

It has been over six months since I began my featured sellers segment on my blog, which has become my favorite and most successful addition. It has given me a chance to interview my favorite handmade artisans on the web and share a little piece of them with my readers. And it never ceases to amaze me how different every artisan is, and how inspirational they can each be in their own way.

As I move forward with this segment, my newest featured sellers will also be offering promo codes to my readers, so be on the lookout for the first of these next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, revisit some of the features from earlier this year by clicking the images below.

Mojo Spa:


Jonathan Russell:


Liese Chavez:


You can view the entire list of my featured sellers by clicking here.

Featured Seller: Kiva Ford Glass

Glass blowing is handmade at its most enticing. And there are no glass blowers quite like Kiva Ford. His miniature and inspired glass creations are impeccably made and awe-inspiring.

Kiva has perhaps one of the most unique creative jobs out there. He creates glass instruments for scientific use, and he has perfected his glass blowing technique through his creation of complex scientific glass instruments. He also teaches at the Jersey City Art School, and conducts glass workshops throughout the year.

In other words, Kiva breathes, lives, and is enveloped constantly by his passion for glass blowing, meshing complementing work and creative arts to constantly create his glass works.

You can find his wearable and miniature glass creations for sale internationally through the Kiva Ford Etsy shop that he runs with his sister, Andrea Ford Quinones. While Kiva is in charge of the molding aspect of the shop, Andrea, a classically trained musician, is behind the product design and conceptualization.



"Kiva's artist work is influenced by his interests in history, mythology, and the natural world. his creations span from delicate pendants and tiny vases to large, elaborate bottles encasing glass animals, figures, and even smaller versions of themselves!" Andrea said.

Kiva's influences have brought him to create even the most enticing of glass creations, from wearable glass earrings to tree ornaments with miniature glass animals in them.



"Working with glass requires a lot of patience, attention to detail, and foresight. With one wrong move, you can lose hours of work! You have to think fast, and this inspires a certain kind of creativity," Andrea said.

Like many artists and musicians will tell you, their level of expertise was not gained overnight, but is the product of years of practice and study. It is evident that Kiva has spent an overwhelming amount of time perfecting the art and reaching the level he is at today.

Interested in learning more about Kiva Ford creations? Watch Kiva at work during the five minute video by Alex Rappoport, where you'll be taken into the unique world of glass blowing by someone who has mastered the art.

Handmade Portraits: Kiva Ford from Etsy on Vimeo.

(photos curtesy of Kiva and Andrea, video by Alex Rappoport)

Featured Seller: Jill Zdunich

If I had the money. Do you ever have that thought loves? That's the thought that constantly runs through my brain as I transverse through Etsy, the biggest international marketplace for crafters, artists and vintage collectors online. As I looked through Jill Zdunich's web Site to write this blog post, I found myself thinking that one thought over and over.

Jill's background is uncommon, she has a BSc in Primate Studies and another in Archaeology. And although she worked over five years in private banking, she is now developing her own clothing line, jumping from a very different industry to a more creative outlet she is truly passionate about.

You can find a small portion of Jill's feminine and extremely wearable clothing line available for international purchase through her Etsy, Mortal & Pestle, as well as in several boutiques in Canada.



"I've always liked how 'motar and pestle' sounds. Although traditionally used in food preparation, and subsequently in medicine, to me it represents being involved with the fundamentals of creating something, breaking things down into smaller pieces and understanding them individually. That's what I hope to do with my designs.

"My creations are modern, simple, timeless and hopefully appealing to a wide range of women from different industries, with varying body types...all with the need for comfortable, smart clothing that is well-made and effortlessly flattering," Jill said.

If I were to describe her line, I would use a lot of the same terms she used when describing her collection, which shows that her vision is truly being represented by her designs. She is truly catering toward women that want clothing that they can be comfortable yet still stylish in.



Jill's greatest obstacle has been her lack of patience.

"I've always been a 'I want it and I want it now' type person, so its been fun and exciting to watch my little company grow as much as it has so far and I'm excited to see where it goes in the future! But I need to remind myself to conquer each day as it comes," Jill said. But, I'm sure a lot of us crafters and artists can empathize with this. It's simply called enthusiasm caused by the thrill of success.



In five years Jill would like to see herself doing the same thing she does right now, only on a larger scale, expanding her clothing line to the United States and Europe.

Outside of designing Jill loves everything about food. She's an experimental chef that enjoys reading cookbooks. She also loves spending time with her boyfriend.

You can follow her journey through her web Site and blog.

Featured Seller: Hug A Porcupine

Watch Project Runway and one thing you'll see over and over is the panel telling designers with simple designs that their garments are gorgeous. The same goes when designing accessories. There is something about simple geometric designs that go a long way.

I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of the necklace and pin designs from Hug A Porcupine, and their simple clean-cut photography.

You can purchase the Singapore based shop's quirky animal and geometric wearables internationally through their Etsy shop.



Such as it would take a huge amount of boldness to literally hug a porcupine, the shop encourages its buyers to go out and be bold with their perky and bright colored wearables that truly have a positive and lively feel to them.

"Our name has a subtle and somewhat hidden message in encouraging others out there to do extraordinary things despite challenges faced," Hug a Porcupine creators said.



The creators of Hug A Porcupine plan to keep creating wearable art and expanding their range of accessories over the next five years. You can follow their journey through their Tumblr.


(photos curtesy of Hug A Porcupine)

Featured Seller: Maria Vasechko

There is not a single item made by Maria Vasechko that I would not purchase. While she juggles being a student at the Latvia Art Academy, being a graphic designer, photographer, and sometimes video director with her boyfriend, she finds time to work on another spectrum of art, fashion accessories.

"It's not the only thing I do, but maybe it's the most pleasant. I love trying something new all the time and now I"m just looking for myself in this life.

"My Etsy shop is just a way to share my ideas and a great motivation to create more," Maria said.

You can find her unique handmade accessories and vintage finds for sale internationally through her Etsy shop.



"I just see people who could wear my accessories or jewelry - their lifestyle, self-perception and even appearance. It's always different, of course, but it's in my head all the time. That's why it's always very interesting to communicate [with] people who want to buy something - I love personalizing things or adjusting them for someone specifically," Maria said.

It is hard to imagine that her customers would want something other than what she has produced though. Her jewelry caters to a specific group of feminine women with a taste for rustic feeling jewelry such as her geometric bracelet and antlers headband.



Her use of suede, chain, leather, and even seashells makes it no surprise that her inspiration stems from the materials she uses to make her accessories.

"When I see some piece of fabric, stone or just a piece of something I imagine where it can be used," Maria said. This doesn't always means that her creations will turn out the way she first imagines them. Rather they evolve through the process and are finished when she feels one specific emotion toward them.

"If I'm already in love with the product I see - it is finished," Maria said.



Outside of creating Maria enjoys dancing, bike riding, cooking, walking with no certain place to go, chilling with friends, watching movies, making art, chatting, and sometimes simply staying in bed all day enjoying life little pleasures.

You can follow her journey through her Etsy shop, mariaHandmade.

Featured Seller: Angie Lawlar

There is something about the rustic feel to jewelry made out of recycled and upcycled materials that is captivating. This is especially true with the creations of Angie Lawlar, a steampunk jeweler whose work I have been obsessing about for months now.

Angie sells her unique handmade steampunk jewelry internationally through her Etsy shop, Steampunk Funk, as well as locally in Janeau, Alaska where she lives with her husband, three kids, and their dog Reuben.



From her crooked house necklaces that I am absolutely in love with, to her unique take on a pair of wedding bands, her jewelry has its own voice; a loud yet subtle enticing hum. So although her jewelry falls under the steampunk category, she has added a funky edge to her work that for me has made it come into a category all on its own with the capability of a universal appeal.

"I create because it's who I am, it's a part of me that can't be denied or suppressed. I think I try to create pieces that will be enjoyed by many different people. For example the barn nail rings are popular not only with steampunk enthusiasts but also the ranchers, farmers and cowboys/cowgirls.

"I have a wide age range and style of buyers. I've had 60 year olds purchase the steampunk sparrow, and I've had 13 year olds go for the skeleton keys," Angie said.



Although producing appealing jewelry isn't an obstacle for Angie, her remote location is.

"Living in Janeau means there are no roads in and no roads out. The only way to Juneau is by plane or boat. So supplies are limited and ordering supplies is a job in and of its self. For example I just ordered supplies and paid $125 for shipping. I can't just run out [and] find what I need, I have to carefully plan it out and order accordingly," Angie said.

How hard Angie works just to be able to come by the materials she needs to produce her jewelry makes her that much more attractive as a seller; when you buy a piece of jewelry from her Etsy shop, you know she worked through obstacles to make it for you.



"I sincerely hope in five years I'm creating in a nice bright studio. That is my goal, to move out of my garage phase," Angie said.

Outside of creating Angie enjoys being a mom first and foremost, and the park hopping, hiking, biking, beach evenings and bear scoping that comes with it.

You can follow Angie's journey and a mom and jeweler through her Blog and through her Facebook page.

(Photos curtesy of Angie Lawlar)

Featured Seller: Carrie Gault

Some of the most admirable people are those that can overcome a disability to do what they love. There are people who lose limbs that go on to surf, swim, or run. There are those who are blind that go on to give nature walks and ride their bicycles throughout town. And there are people like photographer Carrie Gault, who strive to overcome an incurable double vision.



"I have had operations for it, but the type I have is so rare they don't know how to fix it. Every time you have an eye operation there is the risk you could lose your sight, so mine is never taken for granted. By practicing photography, I, like everyone else, close one eye and though it is a strain, I see a single image for the click moment," Carrie said.

However difficult to overcome, her double vision has not hindered her ability to create unique images that portray her sense of time and space through wonderfully vivid photographs.

You can purchase Carrie's photographic prints internationally through her Etsy shop, cherryblossomtattoo.



It is not only a photographer's ability to take an image that creates the frame, but the manipulation of the scene through the photographers viewfinder. This is something Carrie fully embraces.

"My pieces are all about looking to find beauty in the world around me, to remind myself just how much beauty there is, even in the most unexpected of places.

"I get to choose what I focus on and therefore what my viewer focuses on. It's wonderful to hear comments like 'I never saw it that way' or 'I didn't even notice that'. I have a deep respect for all art forms, but for me I love the way photography is so accessible," Carrie said.



Outside of creating, the Northern Ireland resident enjoys growing her own fruit and vegetables, traveling, running her allotment blog, and practicing Yoga while being married to her grammar school boyfriend.

You can follow Carrie's journey through her Blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Featured Seller: Irit Abraham

The Internet has not only made it easier to communicate with people worldwide, but it has also housed a global marketplace for crafters. Sites such as Etsy.com make it possible to shop from people throughout the world, from the United States to the UK to Israel, the home of crocheter and artist Irit Abraham.

Although Irit studied civil engineering, her life has again and again brought her back to the world of crafting and art.

The 49-year-old lives in the green Galilee region of Israel, but you can purchase Irit's jewelry and artwork internationally from your home through her Etsy shops, prettywomen101 and miShMeSH.



Irit admires impressionist painters for their atmosphere, light, color combinations, and scenes, and although her artwork has a similar feeling, her works are distinctively and beautifully matured in style and expressions.

Although her admiration lies in impressionist painters, her inspiration lies closer to home.



"Sometimes my muse is a material, sometimes a photo I see or a story I read, a leaf on the ground, basically everything surrounds me... and my grandmother.

"My grandmother, who was sewing and crocheting at nights, so she could help [raise her] family had a big influence on me for the type of person that she was. She was the one who taught me crocheting," Irit said.



In five years Irit hopes to continue exploring and growing with good health.

You can follow Irit's journey through her Facebook Page, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Featured Seller: Huiyi Tan

The road we begin on is never the road we end on. This is exemplified by the road of Huiyi Tan.

Huiyi began her career life as an interior designer in Southeast China, but she went on to pursue an MA in jewelry design in the UK and is now a GIA accredited jewelry professional. After a four year stay in America, she returned to the UK where she is now settled in Cornwall with her husband. Since 2010 she has been an independent jewelry designer and maker. She creates her handmade jewelry at her little Cornish studio in Southwest Britain.

Huiyi currently sells her unique and sleek contemporary jewelry internationally through her Etsy shop.



"When doing interior design, I created and solved problems for my clients. When [it comes to] jewelry, I design, create and solve problems for myself," Huiyi said.

This may be something that is true for most creators. The love of the art begins by loving what one creates. And it is through Huiyi's evident attention to detail and desire to create clean-cut work that her passion for creating jewelry is demonstrated.



Her handmade jewelry pieces are designed by both her and husband, who is an architect. This may be the reason why her work can sometimes be quite geometric and exquisitely enticing.

Though her inspiration does not stem from architecture, but from art.

"My parents sent me to an art studio to learn painting when I was at the age of nine. I see the drawing and painting knowledge gained when I grew up as the foundation for my inspiration. It trained me to see every day life in an aesthetic way. Also, friends I know, things I've seen in my traveling inspire me quite a lot," Huiyi said.



Outside of her jewelry works, Huiyi enjoys spending time with her friends and family, cooking, and daydreaming.

In five years Huiyi would like to still be creating, in a home of her own, with a child.

You can follow Huiyi's journey through her Facebook Page.

Featured Seller: Liese Chavez

Artists truly have the ability to take the observer into another world. This cannot be more true than with the work of Liese Chavez, a self-taught artist from Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Her works mesh fables, fairytales, and dreams into vivid and enchanting paintings and prints that are truly for those that love to imagine.

Liese sells her various prints and jewelry internationally through her three Etsy shops: Pale Preoccupation, Deadpan Alley and Rhombus Jewelry.

"I find inspiration in all the dreaming I did as a child. I spent a lot of time inside my head. Still do," Liese said.



Although Liese has undeniable talent for bringing those dreams and visuals from inside her head onto canvases, she is a strong believer that her ability has formed not from pure talent, but from hard work.

"Sometimes I think that people get the idea that I woke up one day being able to draw anything I fancied. Drawing like painting is a learned skill, just like playing the piano or becoming an athlete. It takes practice and dedication. People often tell me they don't think they could ever learn to draw, but I think they are just being too hard on themselves. Give yourself a proper chance to try, then judge," Liese said.

Though many of us might have a "yeah, right" response to this, there is no denying that Liese's encouragement and modesty make her a truly likeable artist, whose imagination we feel truly invited into.



Like other crafts that take dedication to minute details and extreme patience, Liese's works take a lot of hard work and focus to finish.

"It can take dozens of hours of preparation before I begin what will become a final painting." From there "oils with layers of glazing take the longest, almost two months to finish..." Liese said.



But all that time is very much worth it when the finishing results are feminine classics.

"I create things as a way to connect to others and to keep my head in the right place," Liese said.

In five years Liese hopes to be a full-time artist that can still pay her mortgage and can give herself two days off a week. To her that would truly suffice.

You can follow Liese's imaginative journey through her Twitter and Facebook pages.

Featured Seller: MimsMaine

In 2008, Natasha from MimsMaine opened her Etsy shop to sell her hobo bags and backpacks, and wristlet purses internationally. Just two years later her sales are creeping up to 3000, which is no surprise given her unique creations and impeccably clean-cut style.



"This is two full time jobs, no kidding. I work six to seven days a week, and never hit the sheets before one. Partial necessity and partial insanity," Natasha said.

Lack of time hasn't stopped Natasha from creating a custom order friendly atmosphere. Not only can you pick your bag style, but you can start your order process by choosing from a variety of canvas or leather fabrics first, such as her 1960s office chair design shown below.



Her favorite thing about creating is designing a new bag and the imagination that lies behind this act.

"I can make the same bag fifty times and every time I am looking for the light, the better way. It is almost never tedious. In fact, I don't listen to music or the radio so my mind can be free to meander in search of the solution. If there is one it will be found eventually.

"What I lack in ability, I make up for in stamina," Natasha said.

This same stamina is what has kept her going through her busy schedule. Stamina and of course her love for the work.



"If my hands hold out, I will always be happy making something. It hardly matters what. My Etsy shop was supposed to be little girls dresses...last minute switch to bags," Natasha said.

Natasha's studio is currently in her home, a Catholic Church and rectory on the top of a mountain in Maine surrounded by an abundance of trees. During the winter she mostly works from her kitchen close to the coffee and cookies. Although she doesn't have a Facebook, you can follower her journey through her Etsy shop.

Featured Seller: Five Sisterz

Sometimes, a little nudge is just what a creative needs to take the selling plunge. This exactly what Mariah, Kamilla, Julia, Analisa, Elora, and their brother Eric, six Southern California siblings ranging from five to 20 years of age, received. They found this nudge, in their mum, who after noticing that her children could create adorable and very well crafted items, began encouraging them to sell their works.

"None of us wanted to do it, we're all a little stubborn, but she set us up a shop and nearly forced us...we're so thankful for that now!" Mariah said.

Currently, Mariah and her sister Kamilla run the FiveSisterz shop on Etsy.com together, where they sell their works from knitted scarfs and booties to lollipops to jewelry to photography prints to their super cute crocheted animals, all available for purchase internationally.



Their road to creation began when they were little, and as children often do, when they created not for customers, but for their toys. They would knit tiny sweaters and blankets, sometimes even pillows, for their Star Wars action figures, in a crafters and animal lovers' home.

"Our home is notorious for having coffee mugs, yarn, cameras, and animals everywhere! People tell us we have a petting zoo with our three dogs, two birds, three turtles, three cats, one ferret, and one stinky hamster," Mariah said.



"I just imagine everything in our shop is for rainy days, from cozy slippers to silly lollipops," Mariah said. This is the exactly feeling I get when I look through their shop. A cozy, warm feeling. The kind of joy that I get with a good cup of coffee, the exact drink that happens to be an important part in the creative process the sisters have.

"Mainly it's the coffee that gets the work done. We live off of it," Mariah said.

Although you wouldn't think it, their booties take only 30 minutes to create, while their crocheted animals can take up to two hours.



"We are just ready for whatever life brings us, ready to create adventures out of everything and just to love the handmade, cozy life we live," Mariah said.

An adventure that will surely including many more pets, sibling laughter, and warm creations.

You can follow their journey on Twitter or through their blog.

Featured Seller: Jonathan Russell

I never thought artistic bowls would draw in my attention, but this has very much been achieved by the blue slip-cast works of Jonathan Russell, a Portland artist.

After his first show, "American Craft", Jonathan opened an Esty shop, hoping to see his work in more intimate settings like personal collections instead of simply within the confines of a gallery. In it, he sells his artistic bowls, which can be used for decorative purposes or as food friendly kitchenware, and hand-crafted pieces.



"I draw a lot from the human figure, especially when I’m trying to resolve my hand-built forms. I think of the way parts of the body, like the ear, come together. I also consider the roles imperfection and asymmetry play in defining human beauty," Jonathan said.

Although Jonathan is only 24 years old, his art is extremely mature. His works hold a serenity to them that remind me of the homeliness of family. To put it simply, they make me smile.

According to Jonathan there is "nothing quite like pure expression, but also nothing like a good old-fashioned commission." Ideally, and with a genuine honesty, he would like to fall between those two extremes in terms of his reasons for creating.



Like a lot of other artists, Jonathan has had to find a way to separate a prominent part of his identity from the subject matter of his art.

"It can be hard to be gay and an artist without making 'gay art.' This is especially true when wanting to address this aspect of your identity. Is there anything wrong with making 'gay art'?—no, but it seems like a limiting genre," Jonathan said.

This is something, I believe he has done wonderfully. His works, above all else, are definitively and simply that of Jonathan Russell.



Outside of his works, Jonathan spends a lot of time writing music and short stories, as well as entertaining and cooking. In five years, he sees himself in a room with lots of windows. You can follow his journey through his Esty shop.