The Thrill of the Hunt

Don't you just love the adventure of finding new materials, and being inspired by colours, finding treasures- old and new. Antoinette enjoys the hunt for materials and finds it almost more fun than making the objects. She says ...I'm always looking for great sales and interesting fabrics and yarns. This makes for original and one of a kind items. Have fun visiting her Etsy shop~ Ants Accessories at http://www.ayoka.etsy.com/

My name is Antoinette and I am AntsAccessories. During my regular job I am a freelance makeup artist. There can be long intervals between projects and I needed a way to stay productive and creative. My husband bought me a new sewing machine complete with embroidery options and things started to take shape from there.

I love fabric,yarn and beads and just cannot resist searching for bargains and new,
fun things. Antique shops and Thrift stores are also becoming an interesting source for my pincushion addiction. So really my shop is a product of addiction and obsession. As long as I have a need to collect materials and create things I will have my Etsy shop.

I am endlessly grateful that I am able to live a creative life. And again because I am given the opportunity to share it. I thought at first it would be hard to part with the things I took so much care making. But the experience has been quite rewarding, and my customers are very encouraging. So...I keep sewing.

I don’t know that I can give advise on keeping organized since my work space and storage system is continually a work in progress. But for anyone who is uncertain or hesitates to push forward I say "Don’t stop, keep doing this thing you are driven to and good things will follow".

Magnificent

MegnificentCo is a lifelong Jersey girl who loves to create and be inspired. She believes that it is important to accessorize because it is a reflection of your personality, and something which allows you to experiment with more readily than anything else. Enjoy a visit to her shop and to be inspired by her beautiful pieces http://www.megnificentco.etsy.com/ .

MegnificentCo

I started knitting and crocheting about six years ago, after I took a class at a local community college. I’ve always been artsy and crafty, but unfortunately, I did not pursue that avenue in college. I love all different types of yarn, but lately have gravitated towards the thicker, bulkier types (I like the exaggerated look and feel of them). I find it so rewarding when all the long hours of stitching results in wearable item. I look at the finished product and really feel proud of myself, because in the past, I tended to start projects and then abandon them. I work a 9-5 job with a 45-minute commute. I’m married and have 6 rescued pets, so I do have to manage my creative time wisely. I try to use any of my spare time towards working on my craft or tweaking my Etsy page. I do not have a set space where I like to knit—it depends on my mood, the season, the day. But I have an office with a craft table and an upstairs enclosed porch overlooking my backyard which makes a great “yarn” room. I enjoy working with bright, vibrant colors. I think accessories, such as scarves, are great to experiment with, and I try to search for patterns or develop ideas that deviate from traditional scarf designs.

I Can Do This! TikiBead Style!

Lampworking

Pam shares her love of lampworking and how it all began.

She also gives great tips on how to get started if you are interested.

I started lampworking about three years ago after seeing some glass beads in a bead magazine. They were so beautiful and unique, I just had to find out more about them. I did alot of research on the internet and thought, "I can do this!"

So I found a local glass store and took lessons.

Here are some of Pam's beautiful TikiBead pieces.

It isn't easy... Lampworking involves so much practice! But there is so much you can do. So many shapes, so many colors. You can make beads with silver, or gold, or sparkling dichroics. Bead presses come in so many shapes... hearts, squares, lentils, barrels.

Sometimes I spend 15 minutes before I start work just trying to decide what I want to do that day. Etsy is the perfect place to sell beads, because the buyers are so friendly and encouraging. I've made many friends through my etsy shop, and received and given help to other lampworkers. To anyone who has lots of time and even more patience, lampworking is so rewarding.

Visit her unique bead shop http://www.daisydog7.etsy.com/