Etsy Glass Artists Member "Jewelry By Natsuko"

I am a member of the Etsy Glass Artists Street Team and I wanted to introduce you to Natsuko who is also a member and share some of her talent and creations with you. Here is what she has to say....

Tell us about you, and as much as you'd like to share with the world:

I am a wife, mother, originally from Japan. Now live in Columbus OH for 16 years. Stay at home mom at the moment and trying to make living with my jewelry. Used to work at fine jewelry store but got laid off due to economic draw back. I think I’m pretty boring person to other people. Not very outgoing. Like to lie out in the sun, take a walk, stay home and make jewelry and hang out with my 19 month old son!

Let's hear about your shop and how you got started:

My shop “Jewelry by Natsuko” features simple and stylish handmade jewelry. I use various media. Mostly glass enameling, some wire wrapping, and polymer clay. I was making jewelry for about 10 years and it was always my dream to have my own shop!

Where did you learn how to do make jewelry?

I am self-taught for the most part. Took some polymer clay classes and taking an enameling class once a week to expand my repertory.

What inspires you to create?

Season change. Weather. Nature. Color. Silhouette. And new out fit:)

Descibe yourself in one word and why:

Prude. My friend called me that once and I agreed.

What's your favorite:

Book: The Chronicles of Narnia The lion, the witch and the wardrobe. (My all-time favorites!)

Movie: This is tough one, I didn’t like “Chronicles of Narnia” as much as the book. I’d have to say Lampoon vacations.

Song: ”You are the sunshine of my life” I love Stevie Wonder!

Etsy shop: MagdalenasAtelier.etsy.com Her jewelry is out-of-this-world beautiful!! And of course my other shop amomenttowear.etsy.com this shop features jewelry using my business partner Lisa’s photography transfer onto polymer clay. And all of EGA shops! We are seriously talented group of people!!

Anything else?

I loooooove making jewelry! I’m so thankful that I have opportunity to do what I do!!

Snail-and-RainDrop-SterlingSilver-Dangle-Earrings

These are so pretty. I love the description as well.. Anything you would like to tell about how they are made (don't worry I don't want your secrets :)

Thank you! Not much secrets to this one. Simply cut off wire and make spiral, then hammered and oxidized. It was a rainy day. I thought about rain running down the snails.

Turquoise-Poppy-Enamel-Disk-Pendant
I love this too. Anything you would like to add about it.

I just adore poppies:) Actually I’m amazed by how pretty this one turned out. A lot of work goes into this. It has so many layers of different color of enamel. And trick is when to stop. Because of texture and fire scale, if I put too much it wouldn’t show through enamel. Each firing is thrilling moment! I’m very satisfied with this. Not many times things turned out the way I imagined…. I’m thinking about making earrings of this design.

So that is a little bit about Natsuko so be sure and check out her shops. I know that I will be returning to see all of her wonderful creations.

Featured Etsy Artist of the Week - Signature Sterling

This week I have chosen Signature Sterling as the Featured Etsy Artist. She has quality jewelry and uses only the finest components in her creations - sterling silver, semiprecious gemstones, Swarovski crystals & pearls, Czech glass, & artisan lampwork. Here is a little more about her.

Let's here about your shop and how you got started:

I made my very first pair of earrings on a visit to Sassy Beads in Toronto, Ontario almost three years ago while visiting one of my dearest friends. I was "hooked" immediately (and, in fact, just recently re-visited my "beading birthplace," Sassy Beads, on another trip to Toronto just a short time ago).

What inspires you to create?

Usually the beads themselves ~ the designs, colors, texture, shapes...give me some time to "play" with them and the inspiration eventually flows...

Descibe yourself in one word: evolving

What's your favorite:

Book: The Secret Life of Bees

Movie: Rain Man

Song: Stairway to Heaven

Featured Etsy Seller of the Week - Mud and Mint

I was shopping around on Etsy the other day and ran across this seller Mud and Mint. I saw these earrings and immediately was looking around in her store.

Aren't those just pretttttty! Such spring colors. Wait there is more.....

I just LOVE these. She calls them Color Drops and Color Pools... fitting names. So I was intriqued and asked her to be my featured Etsy seller this week. Here is one more little delicacy for you to see and then I will let her tell you about herself... Here you go...

Tell us about you, and as much as you'd like to share with the Etsy world:
my name is cari and i live in madison, wisconsin with my fiancee will and our bulldog lola. during the day i work as an office/general manager and all around "girl friday" for two locally owned businesses: a bakery/cafe and a funky, retro decor tavern. both are owned by my good friend jane and i have some of the best co-workers a girl could ask for.

in the evenings and on weekends you'll usually find me having happy time: hanging out in my attic studio, playing with beads and wire. seriously, we all have our problems but answering this question reminded me that all things considered, i really do have a pretty sweet life.
:)

Let's here about your shop and how you got started:
i got started making my own jewelry primarily to justify my bead addiction and it grew from there. i was eight years old when i strung my first little seed beads i had purchased with my allowance onto a safety pin and attached it to my shoelaces (as was the style at the time). then, i went into my first bead shop when i was 16 and was immediately hooked; the color, the sparkle, polish and texture. to this day when i walk into a bead shop i can’t just look, i always have to touch and feel the beads as well (shop owners must just love me!).

over the years i would occasionally buy beads, make a few things, then put everything away until the next urge to get crafty hit me (sometimes i would also feed the crafty urge with cross-stitch but that's another story!). then about 4 years ago ..two things happened: first, i discovered the world of online bead shopping (yes, i was a late online retail bloomer) and it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me... i was no longer trapped by limited supplies or materials. second, something in me changed. i had always had artistic or creative interests but always found "art" or the idea of creating things and putting it out there for public consumption a bit intimidating. now, i'm just so over that. i love what i do and it feeds a piece of my soul. the rest of it... having a business and other people appreciating my work... it's just the icing on the cake.

i originally opened shop on etsy in january of 2007 as caris designs before i decided on a name change; my current shop, mud and mint, is named after a necklace i designed last year and has been open about 8 months. as for my work itself, i do some strung jewelry, a lot of wire wrapping, and i work primarily with sterling silver, gold fill, semi-precious stones and vintage beads and components.

What inspires you to create?
I love to play with size, shape, texture and contrast but the biggest inspiration to my work is color. It could be a beautiful painting or a small bit of left over wrapping paper…certain colors and combinations really draw me in and inspire me to create new and interesting things.

Descibe yourself in one word:
complicated.

What's your favorite:
it is really impossible for me to narrow these questions down to one decision...

Book: i can't say i have a favorite book but john irving is my favorite author... i love just about everything he has ever written.

Movie: rushmore... i'm a big wes anderson fan.

Song: heroes by david bowie.