I met Catheline of Miles of Textiles when she posted some handmade buttons on the Zibbet forums and I had to have some. She made some for me with my color choices and they are spectacular! I had to find out more about this multi-talented creator.
How did you get started?
I’ve had a needle ‘n thread in my hand ever since I can remember. My mother taught me to sew and I have a warehouse full of memories of she & I creating fun things together. We often spent Saturdays having lunch out and fabric shopping. In those days major department stores sold fabrics. So…you get an idea of how long ago THAT was! I loved making my own clothes, decorations for my room, all the macrame plant hangers on our patio, and more. I had a huge wooden wine barrel full of yarns & fabrics. I’m still wondering what ever happened to that old wine barrel.

Before you opened your shop what did you do?
Fast-forward 30 years. I took an early retirement from the foreign service a few years back. It was during those years of living in the Middle East and Southeast Asia I started seriously collecting textiles that has blossomed exponentially and is now the basis of my shop name. In New Delhi I discovered by accident the finest silk saris were kept under wrap in brown paper beneath the cash register. How any customer would know they were there was beyond me. But once I discovered this I would ask to see them and the store proprietors would roll many of them out for me to see. Soon I found myself swimming in an ocean of silk. For all my years of working with fabrics these surely were the most magnificent I had ever seen. To me, the world of textiles offers a fascinating and endless journey of discovery. You may agree as well.

What amazes or intrigues you about the textile world?
Buttons on these robes are all obviously handcrafted and in perfect proportion. I’ve tried countless times to recreate them but cannot even come close. And the robes themselves are some of the most magnificent I’ve ever seen – all handsewn hundreds of years before the invention of the sewing machine.

Your new life after the business world?
I am single and now live in Las Vegas. My 20-year old daughter has just gotten her certification as a veterinary assistant and works with a local veterinarian’s office. She absolutely loves working with animals.
I now have the freedom to create every day. Being a creative person does not just mean doing artistic activities. It is also having the ability to devise many solutions to situations that arise in our daily lives. Thinking “outside the box”, new ways of doing normal chores, etc. My head is constantly spinning with new and fresh ideas. So much so that I always have a pad of paper and pencil with me wherever I am…..otherwise I’ll forget my latest brainstorms!
Being retired from federal bureaucracy is wonderful. There is only one problem with “being single, retired, and living in Las Vegas.” You can probably guess what that might be….activities outside of the casino world is the key!

A visit to Catheline’s shop is worth the trip & you don’t have to pack! View her ready made creations or work with her with your ideas and her textiles to create a one of a kind adventure. The journey is worth it!

Article by Barbra of All About The Buttons
Slide photo courtesy of artbyjywheeler
Pin photo courtesy of Imagine247

I received an e-mail about a month ago stating that at the end of August the planet Mars would be very close to Earth. In fact, in the night sky, it would be as big as the moon and this will NEVER happen again in our lifetime…wow! Okay, not true. Mars will not be that close or that big but it got me thinking about the Moon. There are so many quotes and sayings with the moon as a symbol. I wanted to see how artists use the moon in their work. I found evidence in everything from paintings and jewelry to shoes and quilts. Here are a few samples of what I found which have plainly put me over the moon!
This is a stunning Victorian Lunar map engraving from 1892 offered by PetitPoulailler

JewelryByNorth has created a wonderful sterling silver moon pendant.

Another pendant, this time in black resin, was created by Janimie

This wonderful quilt by HMJQuiltsPlus has the moon in fabric.

And finally, what fun to be walking in these by Inkwear99

Do you use the moon in your work? Are you attracted to the night sky? And by the way, the expression “once in a blue moon” refers to the rarity of 2 full moons in one month! And that comes straight from the man in the moon….!

By Contributing Columnist Jay of Haffina Creations

Not many people know, but I am the mother of twin boys, and as such I understand how challenging it can be to be creative with twin bundles of joys dancing like a whirlwind through your house. Now let me introduce you to another mother of twin boys, who creates beautiful items whilst being a fabulous mom to her darling boys. Teri Landow is the driving force behind The Beaded Branch and my featured ArtFire artisan.

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
An eclectic mix of bead jewelry, sterling silver chainmaille, Bug Bag pouches, and of course, my very own line of Present Past Treasures.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
The name for my shop came about by combining several ideas:
1) I really love trees, and wanted to incorporate the idea of trees into my business name somehow.
2) I loved the idea of “branches” being related to arms, necks, ears, etc of a person and them being decorated with my jewelry.
3) When I started out, my designs were very simplistic bead earrings, necklaces and bracelets. I never really thought I’d expand out past the beaded branch of jewelry making. Of course, I was wrong, but I still try to incorporate beads in everything I sell.

How long have you been selling online?
I started my own online shop over 10 years ago. I ran into the trouble that so many do, though. After I got married, and started a family, the huge time commitment of having to maintain a website just got to be too much. So, I started exploring my options, and came across Etsy, then ArtFire. In November of 2008, I opened my Etsy shop, and then in May of 2009 I opened my ArtFire Studio. I still have my own website, and might actually get around to updating it now that my children are actually starting school.

What lead you to join ArtFire?
Many, many factors lead me to joining ArtFire. The sense of community was the main thing, but other than that, all of the wonderful features that AF offers. The guilds, the ability to have ten pictures of each product, the coupon and gift certificate codes, being able to edit everything in my store with a few simple keystrokes, the list goes on and on. The real clincher for me was when I made my first sale in my ArtFire Studio. I was so excited, I tweeted it on my Twitter page. When the owner of ArtFire sent me a direct message, congratulating me on my sale, that meant the world to me. I’ve never deleted that tweet, and still read it when I need a little boost. The fact that he took that time to do that was a real sign to me that ArtFire cares about the artisans that choose to sell there.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
I have to pick ONE? (lol) It’s a toss up between the coupon codes and the bulk editing feature. I love how easy it is to set up coupon codes for my customers. The fact that I can pick what code for the coupon will be is awesome, because it makes it much easier for me to keep track of when it was used.
The bulk editing feature is awesome. Being able to go in and reprice everything in my studio, or add tags to everything with just a few keystrokes, is wonderful and so time saving. It’s just so easy and convenient.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Read up on how to take really good photographs of your products. Make sure your photos are nice, clear, and in focus. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learn how to market using blogs and social networks. Figure out all of your shipping prices before you start listing. Set aside money for advertising. Join guilds and participate. Make a lot of friends in the crafting world. We are the best support to each other when sales are slow, and we need a little mental boost.

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
I try to create the feel of a cozy and relaxed slightly upscale boutique where you never quite know what’s going to spring up next.

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
I don’t necessarily revolve my stock, but whenever I add pieces, I always try to make sure that I add an assortment of pieces in a new line at the same time, as a boutique would do when they received a new shipment, instead of one piece here and one piece there.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
Right now, at this moment, I don’t really have a favorite. Actually, at any moment it would be hard for me to narrow down my favorite of anything to one thing. I love pearls, and would incorporate them into every piece I make if I possibly could. I’m also currently exploring materials and techniques that are new to me. Polymer clay and epoxy resins are the big ones right now, and since I’m still in the learning phase of those two mediums, I get to play with them, and learn how to make pieces that are good enough to sell.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
Oh, several. I would love to learn to work with glass, and also I want to expand my knowledge of polymer clay, epoxy resins, metal clays, painting, and sewing. I love to learn new skills and techniques that can cross over from one medium to another, seeing how and what I can combine to create some new, unique pieces.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
Yes and no. Yes, I still sell my basic bead jewelry. I’ll never fully get away from that, and wouldn’t want to. But, because I get distracted easily, and my desire to explore new techniques often overwhelms me, I switch off what I’m working on at any given moment, and my lines are continually expanding and growing. That’s the one problem with having so many friends who are so very talented in different art forms. I see their work, and think “Ooohh, I’d like to try that!”, and I do.

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
The whole process of listing products in my Studio- pricing, photographing, descriptions, tagging, all of it. It can really drag me down. The way I deal with it is to just bite the bullet and do it. Generally, I wait until I have a stockpile of products made, and I do a several day long photo shoot of everything. Then I spend another day editing the photos, and then another day or two listing. It’s a very draining week or so for me, and I always refer to them as my “necessary evil” days.

How do you balance your online and offline life?
I try to keep it balanced, but there are some days when the lure of the online world is just too great, and I’ll spend all day chatting, and drooling over my friends new works. There are other days, however, when I have no desire to go online at all, so I just check my email once or twice those days, and leave it at that. Having kids helps keep the balance, because their needs come first. So, I do have to spend time offline feeding them, playing with them, reading to them, and doing arts and crafts with them.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
It used to be beads. Now, I have to admit, it’s pretty much whatever comes into view that I think I might be able to use. If I find a new craft that I find intriguing, I’ll buy just enough of the basic supplies to try it out. But even that I’ve slowed down on. I need to use up what I have before I buy anything more.

To see more gorgeous creations from The Beaded Branch check out her ArtFire Studio.

By Columnist Jay of Haffina Creations

There is something about wood, a warmth that few other materials can attain. My latest artisan feature is about a man who works with wood, shaping it into decorative and functional forms via the use of a scrollsaw. But then he gets creative, and introduces polymer clay to the mix. Let me introduce you to Chris Newcomb, aka Eaglehawk, the woodworking wonder behind C Newcomb Woodworking on ArtFire.

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
I sell various handmade wooden items. Currently I have ornaments, key chains, wall plaques, decorative plates and other personalized items. I will soon be adding a chess sets to my studio. Occasionally my wife will have something to sell on my studio that aren’t made of wood those items are few and far between.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
I couldn’t think of a name to use other than my name – C Newcomb Woodworking

How long have you been selling online?
Not very long, I had been selling handmade items to friends and family

What lead you to join ArtFire?
I chose Artfire because of their price structure I was not sure if I would be selling enough items to be able to justify Etsy’s pricing structure.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
My favorite feature on Artfire is the global editor it makes changes that have to be made to all the active products easier and quicker.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Make sure that you are prepared to promote your items.

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
I would like all my visitors to be excited about what I’m selling.

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
I offer sales frequently and try to get people to share through word of mouth about my shop.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
Currently my favorite material is oak; it looks elegant and is relatively readily available.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
I would love to work with some of the more exotic woods. I enjoy working with new woods it always presents a new challenge trying to learn how the saw would react to the wood.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
I’ve started selling more complex items and custom items. Most of the items that I started with were only available ‘as is’.

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
Generating sales and promoting my shop. I have a hard time trying to decide the perfect balance between proper promotion and unsolicited promoting aka spam.

How do you balance your online and offline life?
Since most of my day is spent at a computer for my normal day job, I find it very easy to stay offline when I get home from work.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
Wood and wood finishes seems to be my weakness on purchasing even if I don’t need it.

You can view more of Chris’ work in his ArtFire studio – C Newcomb Woodworking

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

By Columnist Linda aka LindaGJ

“What could be better than creating works of art based around you and what you love?” Cathie Carlson”

Cathie Carlson’s inspiration is found in vintage beach images, surfing scenes, and her ocean side surroundings. In her sunlit studio you can experience her passion for color, whimsy, and the coastal environment in which she lives and creates.

“Although I love working in different mediums, my main medium of choice is paint, whether on canvas, wood, or bisque.”

Cathie always thought that growing up in a beach town, marrying a man that loved to surf, raising children who grew up with the sand between their toes, having well-ridden beach bikes and beach gear always ready to go, and spending almost every family vacation at a coastal town somewhere, were what stimulated her love of painting colorful images of beach babes and surfing scenes.

“But upon closer introspection, I now realize it goes much further back than that! The love of the sea and all things beach related, run deep within my blood!”
Here, in this slide show are some pictures of Cathie’s work. I also included some pictures about her very own Art School.
Enjoy!

“I hope that I have encouraged you to consider from who or what comes the motivation behind your creative spirit.” Cathie Carlson

Her grandmother and sister, as teens, would go to the Jersey Shore with Cathie’s great grandfather. The love of the beach continued throughout each generation of Cathie’s family. She grew up in Virginia Beach with her 2 brothers and 2 sisters. This is where Cathie got married to her surfer husband and now they are raising their 2 children who are now teenagers!

Cathie also teaches art classes in her home to children of different ages and to women! She offers so many fun classes along with a variety of subject matters. You will want to to go visit her Art Studio site to see all that is offered. I love the class offered that is called “Surfer Art Camp”! Her own art and passions just shine through Cathie’s classes! She also shows a lot of her classes activity on her blog!

VISIT CATHIE’S AWESOME SITES!
MagicMarkingsArt- Cathie’s Etsy Shop
Magic Markings Art Studio – Cathie’s Art Studio & School
Magic Markings Art- Blog including all kinds of inspirations and also pictures of her art classes!

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

By Contributing Columnist Jay aka HaffinaCreations

One of my favourite things to do is lose myself in a well written fantasy world, filled with magic and mystery and all manner of creatures, so naturally I am drawn to artisans who create items drawn from fantasy. One such artisan is Meri Greenleaf from Elfing Creations. She kindly agreed to answer my questions

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
Fantasy art and accessories, but everything is very eclectic: crocheted art dolls, runestones, costume ears (like elf, hobbit, faun, etc), horns, hemp jewelry, chainmaille, cartilage earrings, dreadfalls, crocheted bracers and cuffs… all sorts of randomness.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
Elfling Creations comes from my fantasy alter-ego who is half-Wood Elf/half-Halfling (an Elf/Halfling or Elfling for short); this is also where my alias Meri Greenleaf comes from- that’s the name of said alter-ego. Since almost everything I make is inspired by fantasy, it works well for my shop.

How long have you been selling online?
I started selling some art (mostly crochet) here and there on Etsy in early 2007, but I didn’t really start concentration on my business as more than a hobby until 2009.

What lead you to join Etsy?
One of my friends had mentioned Etsy- I can’t remember if she had already opened a shop there or had just been buying things, though. Anyway, it sounded like a great idea, so I started listing my jewelry and crocheted things there.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
The street teams- I love being able to interact with other artists who share my interests.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Definitely work on your photography to get good, clear, bright photos. I’m still learning how to take good pictures (my early ones were so terrible I’m amazed I sold anything), but when selling online it’s vitally important to be able to show off your work.

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
Like they just stepped into an elven forest, into a world of fantasy, magic, and color. That’s what I’m going for, anyway!

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
Almost everything I make is fantasy-related, and I have a tendency to work in greens and browns with lots of leaves and flowers. I’m a wood elf through and through so I have to remember that people do like colors besides the greens, blues, and browns that I gravitate towards.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
As much as I love all the art I do, I think crochet is my absolute favorite. I love how you can do pretty much anything with a ball of yarn and a hook; I can turn it into clothing, ears, dolls, accessories… pretty much anything.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
I’d love to learn how to spin on a spinning wheel someday. I can spin on a spindle, but I’d really love to be able to use a wheel, too. I’d also love to learn how to crochet wire (I crochet and I do some work with wire, but I haven’t combined them) and I’d love to learn more chainmaille weaves. And drawing- I’d love to get better at that.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
Definitely changed- I made a lot of simple crocheted things like wristbands to start, but as I’ve gotten more practice I’ve been making more intricate crochet like dolls, and the regular earrings I used to make have switched over to mainly cartilage ones. I can do a lot more types of art now than I could to start, so I’m making a wider variety now, too. (I have a very short attention span, lol!)

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
I have a really narrow target demographic, so my main challenge has been getting the people who are looking for fantasy accessories and art to find my shop. I cater to the Renfaire population, I think, and I’m not entirely sure if they’d know to check Etsy for things like that. Thank goodness for sites like Google, which I think is how people are finding me- and I’m assuming search engines help people find out about Etsy too, so it’s win-win!

How do you balance your online and offline life?
By not having much of an offline life, lol. I have health problems so making and selling my art is my job right now; otherwise seeing friends is pretty much the only other offline thing I’m up to doing right now, and they don’t mind when I bring my craft supplies along. Being creative with my art and writing (I do some fantasy short stories and run a “Dungeons and Dragons” game) helps keep me sane and gives me something fun and distracting to do while I work on getting better.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
Yarn. Ye gads, it’s like my yarn stash is spawning- and the fact that friends and family will sometimes gift me with found or randomly acquired yarn is *awesome*! I can never say no to yarn because I can always find a use for it, and usually pick up a skein whenever I’m at the craft store. I always end up with more yarn than I could possibly use- yet I never seem to have the color I need on hand, so that means I need to get more. There must be fiber-imps stealing from my stash while I’m not looking.

Delve into the world of Elfing Creations on Etsy. You can also find her on ArtFire and her own website.
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By columnist Jill aka: JillysStuff

I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet. -Anonymous

Have you heard that quote before? It was brought home to me the other day.

As I scan my shop and many other shops on Zibbet, Etsy, Artfire and Folksy, I can see how blessed we are to have the freedom to sell our crafts. But as I was browsing the blogs, I found that there are women and men who aren’t as fortunate as we are.

I found a website called World Crafts Village, and stopped to have a look.

World Crafts Village is a nonprofit organization that imports crafts from impoverished artisans and sells them by fair trade. Not a new concept but one that deserves a little more attention. By supporting these artisans, they are assisting them to be productive, and make an honest living to support their families. No exploitation.

Amofavelas
Amidst the Brazilian slums, known as favelas, criminals and drug dealers run rampant and disease and dire poverty dominate. Yet, here, women gather and they carefully paint dishtowels, make soap, crochet clothes, and weave ribbon. Although these women live in shacks—without running water, electricity, or a sewage system—they use their skills to help provide a better life for their families. One woman—mother to three children—was able to move to a new town, purchase land, and give her family new opportunities by using her earnings from her handpainted dishtowels.

I can’t imagine, even in my wildest dreams, living like this. Do I feel spoiled? Yes.

Nanyok
Although the Maasai women of Tanzania who formed Nanyok are no longer nomadic, their lives revolve around livestock. The five-month dry season kills the grass, leaving the goats to die, meaning no milk for Maasai children. Each eight-strand beaded bracelet sold through Nanyok creates a savings fund for new goats. In the past year, the women saved $150 from the bracelets and bought 15 goats to nourish their children.

These are just two of the stories that got me going. I am not a strong advocate of anything but I feel that, by writing this, I am doing my part in helping this organization and the people they support. It’s not much, just a small contribution.

There are many more stories from countries all over the world. World Craft Villages have groups in –
Afghanistan, Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Laos, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Bank, Zimbabwe.

So, as we support each other we should also be getting the word out about all of those who are not as lucky as we are. Drop by World Craft Villages and help support this company in their effort to help those climb out of the oppression and depression of poverty. Even the smallest of gestures would help. A tweet, blog message or discussion is a start. Isn’t that what we are all about – Artisans helping fellow Artisans.

Photos courtesy of World Crafts Village

By Contributing Columnist Jay aka HaffinaCreations

I am a Polymer Clay artist, and one of the best things for me about being involved with Polymer Clay are all the other ‘Smooshers’. One of my absolute favourites happens to be the Guildmaster of the Polymer Clay Smooshers on ArtFire, and one of my best friends. It gives me much pleasure to introduce you to Coltpixy aka Star.

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
Small sculptures, scale miniatures and some jewelry and accessories.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
I love and collect fairies. I have 100’s of them ranging from sculptures to paintings to just about anything. Magnets, a zippo lighter, pretty much anything. Many are handmade, some are not. A ColtPixy is a mischievous fairy.

How long have you been selling online?
I’ve been on ArtFire since 2008.

What lead you to join ArtFire?
I learned about ArtFire from an ad they had on a blog I read. I did not join it immediately. It was very new and I didn’t like the way it looked but I thought it had promise so kept an eye on it. I saw them make changes based on the sellers input. The staff were friendly and approachable. I joined and have been very
happy there.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
I like how buyers do not have to register on ArtFire to buy. I love that the studios are customizable so that they reflect the individual sellers. There are lots of great tools.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Read the Help guides. There are many available giving step by step advice along with screen shots to help you learn not only how to use ArtFire but how to use SEO and even payment processors, various networking sites, etc. ArtFire wants you to be successful and not just on their site but everywhere.

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
A sense of playfulness. I really hope that my shop and the things that I create make people smile.

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
Everything from my colorful banner and avatar to the items that I make.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
I have worked in many different mediums over the years. Right now my favorite is polymer clay. The possibilities of what can be done with it are endless.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
I would very much like to play with precious metal clay.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
It has changed quite a bit over time. My first job was as a teenager designing and painting murals and huge signs for a big real estate company in Texas. The man who owned the company saw some of my pieces
that my high school art teacher had entered in a gallery show and liked my work.

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
Time management. I live in a rural area where the only internet option is dial-up. For me the most challenging thing is having time to do everything I need to do online and still have time to create, take care of family and other offline responsibilities. No matter where you sell online or offline people cannot buy from you if they do not know who you are so I have to schedule time to network and promote at various sites online.

How do you balance your online and offline life?
I can’t stand to sit for very long so I go back and forth from online to offline. I am blessed to have wonderful people in my life both online and offline. They are all very important to me.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
I don’t think I understand the question. I really need all of them from every medium.

Drop into ColtPixy on ArtFire and see her fantastic Polymer Clay creations, you will not regret it.



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By Contributing Columnist Jay aka HaffinaCreations

The ability to crochet well amazes me, the ability to crochet well with wire astounds me. Catrin aka Catswire from Germany crochets with wire, incredibly well. She graciously agreed to answer my questions.

What will people find when they drop into your studio/store? What types of items do you sell?
I sell mostly jewelry crocheted, knitted or spool knitted from wire, beads and nowadays polymer clay. I just started to list my wire crochet sculptures as well.

How did you come up with your studio/ shop’s name?
The name came up with itself, even before I opened an online store. I have been called Cat by my friends forever and I work with wire.

How long have you been selling online?
Since February 2009.

What lead you to join ArtFire?
I saw a report about Etsy on German TV. When I looked it up on the net, I stumbled upon ArtFire. A few people from the handmade jewelry forum that I had joined already had ArtFire studios. Their experiences sounded good, so I decided to give it a try.

What is your favourite feature on the site?
That is a tough question. ArtFire has lots of great features, like the Etsy importer, the Tweet button, the global editor, the possibility to edit/delete/deactivate an item right from the listing, the merchandizer and they add new ones all the time. If I have to choose one, it would be the global editor.

What tips/advice would you give to others considering joining the site?
Work on your pictures. Online shopping means your pictures really have to bring across the message of what you sell, so show your item from all sides if necessary. Size is important. Even if you tell about the size in your description, it is helpful to show scale in one of the picture, may it be a necklace around a neck or a miniature with a coin. Be creative using your tags. Think about how you shop online first and then list accordingly.
And get your name out there!

How do you want people who visit your studio/shop to feel, what mood are you attempting to create?
In fact I want them to feel comfortable and have fun. I want people to feel they are welcome, no matter if they want to spend a small amount, a large one or just have a look and want to ask something.

What types of things do you do to try and create that feel/mood?
I try to bring across the message that beneath the avatar and a banner there is a human. I hope customers will be able to tell from my bio, from my descriptions etc. that they are welcome and that they can talk to me.

What is your favourite tool or material to use at the moment?
My favorite tool is always the one I use at the moment, but I’m still addicted to the crochet hook. For someone like me who didn’t like to crochet with yarn it’s unusual to love it so much when I do it with wire. The possibilities seem to be endless and I’m sure I have barely started yet.

Are there any skills or techniques that you would like to learn, or materials that you would like to work with, aside from what you already do?
I would like to learn how to make lampwork beads. Glass has always been fascinating to me.

Are you still selling the same kind of items as when you started selling, or has it changed with time?
I added items made differently, but I still sell the same kind of items as well.

Which part of being an online seller do you find the most challenging, and what do you do to deal with that?
Taking pictures and promoting myself. I never used to take many photos before I started selling online, but I experiment a lot and try to catch up on things I don’t know yet.
Promoting myself is hard because I don’t like to talk about myself much. I joined social networks and try to learn from others how to do it right, though.

How do you balance your online and offline life?
As I have a daytime job , I do have an offline life automatically. I meet friends, I love to watch movies, but I have to admit that my craft follows me everywhere. It’s easy to take it along, I craft during my commute, during the lunch break and so on. If there is a real balance, I seriously don’t know.
What I know is that sometimes I have a phase in which I try to cut down on computer time. I guess I need that to get back into balance.

What kind of supplies do you always seem to buy, even if you do not really need them?
In the beginning I got too many large beads because I couldn’t resist them. I try to cut down on that and just buy what I really will be able to use.

Catswire on Artfire is well worth a visit, you may not want to leave.