Feature Friday: Crystalyn Kae

There are so many incredible artists out there I wanted to start a feature to showcase some of their talent. (I try to not make it all me, all the time!) Most of these artists are people I have met or found online. I think handmade can use all the applause it can get. So, without further ado, I give you this week's featured artist: Crystalyn Kae

I first found Crystaly Kae when looking for a green handbag. I have decided that I want something bright green for spring. Off to Etsy I went searching. This is the bag from CrystalynKae I found.

I love it! I love how it combines the two greens, has pleating with the pattern peaking through. I love that the print gives it just enough to create some interest but is not overwhelming.

A bit about the artist: Crystalyn lives in Seattle and got her BA in Apparel Design and Textiles from Washington State University. She makes gorgeous bags that are sold in boutiques around the country as well as on Etsy. Her style is a mix of classic with a sophisticated touch of modern in the details. It's apparent why she has been featured in many magazines. Here are a few more of her great bags. I wish I could afford one in every color! Go check out her Etsy shop if you haven't discovered her yet! You can also find her on her website.

Featured Artist is Me!

Today Allison from Allison Kelley Designs has featured me as an Etsy seller. How exciting! Thanks Allison! Click here to read the interview and support handmade.

Show Considerations

As I've been seeking out shows to display at, I have found more shows than I can possibly attend. There seems to be a show almost every weekend. Not only do I not have the time to attend every one, but I don't have the financial resources either. In my effort to narrow down the ones that will be the most successful for me, here is a list of questions I have been asking the show curators.

1- What is you average customer attendence?
2- What is the demographic of your customers?
3- What are averagae show sales?
4- How many vendors will be at the show?
5- How many other jewelry vendors will be there?
6- What kind of marketing has been done for the show?
7- What is your checkout process? Each vendor does their own or one central checkout?
8- What is the booth fee and what does it cover?

Ideally, I would like to attend the show and get a feel for it before I commit to the booth fee. But that doesn't always happen. Are there other questions that you ask show curators to decide if the show is right for you? After all, good sales help everyone, the vendor and the curator.

Spring Shows

Spring shows are starting up in full force. This is the first year I will be doing shows and I'm really excited to start! I have been noticing flyers pop up all over the place for various shows. So I have been contacting the boutique hosts as asking about vendor spots. I am late on many of them, but often the host has offered to keep me informed about later summer or fall shows. And that's a great start!

I also put in an application last week for an outdoor summer boutique . I'm still hoping to find someone to split the booth with (assuming I'm accepted). An outdoor show brings on a whole new set of challenges and supplies. I know I'm not fully prepared for that but there's no time like the present!

Indoor stuff I can handle. I have done several home parties and recently did a charity boutique. It's so fun being new, learning so much, and getting to know people in the circuit! My neighbor has been doing this for a while and has offered to help me out. Hurray! Since she is being so nice to me, you should stop by her shop and check her out. She makes cute hats, flowers, and bows.

Custom Sale

Sorry for being MIA this weekend. I was busy at home jumping for joy. I got my first custom order from Etsy this weekend. Hurray! I had placed a bid on Alchemy and was chosen. It was very exciting for me and I spend a good portion of the weekend working on the project. It is for a bride who is looking for a Sapphire pendent. I will be using the same crystal the I use to make this necklace. Tonight I will be photographing it and will post pictures!

I am so excited to get my first real sale from Etsy and look forward to having some feedback.

The rest of my weekend consisted of putting a top coat on my shelves and housework. I'm hoping to get those hung soon.

Fixture Sale

Did you know that the new Fashion Place Nordstrom is open!? Hurray! Did you also know that the old store is selling all their fixtures?

The sale will take place tomorrow, Friday, March 13 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. I stopped by today and peeked in the window to see what kind of stuff they have. It appears to be everything from tables and lamps to chairs and mannequins. They have been selling stuff by appointment, so I don't know how much will actually be available. The sale is cash and carry. I plan to make my way over there tomorrow and see if I can find some display stuff for craft shows at a good price. You should come too!

Sapphire Cluster Drop

Here is my newest piece. It's made from a giant Sapphire colored Swarovski crystal. The cluster is made from Citrine and Swaroski crystal with a few green pops of Malachite. Everything is hand wrapped and hung on sterling silver. It's different than a lot of my other pieces and I kind of like it. What do you think? Click on over and check it out.

Featured Piece

Hurray! My Deep Blue Sea necklace was featured on Indie Spotting. Be sure to visit this great site and submit one of your own (or another one of mine, whatever!) :)

Sold it

Today I went searching for old product photography on my computer. I have several pieces of jewelery that is not currently on my Etsy site that I want to add. For many of those pieces I have photography - somewhere! My husband helped me find it today and I was going through it.

You know what I learned? I have actually sold a lot of my stuff! It was kind of fun to go back through the old photos and say, "Sold that, sold that, don't have that anymore, sold that." I forget how much I have actually sold when I always have a full chest of stuff. That's because I'm constantly creating. It was fun to go back through some of the my old favorites and get inspired by my past portfolio. I may just have to remake a few of them because I loved them so much!

I guess this is a lesson that I need to be more organized about keeping track of what product I have, and what I have sold.

Studio Space

Any crafter needs a space to create. That space should be somewhere they love and is inspiring. I have a studio/crafting space. But it's not somewhere I love. In fact, it's pretty bland and uninspiring. The walls are white. The tables fold and storage is nowhere to be seen. Recently I have been on a mission to turn that blah into Hurrah.

My better half for some unknown, crazy reason didn't want to paint so I graciously agreed. I scratched the original plan and moved on to plan B which left walls white. Since my decorating budget is pretty small, most new furniture is also out of the question. (I have keeping an eye out of Craigslist though.) My office still isn't complete but here are a few things I am doing that will make it fabulous.

I made this great art piece myself out of scrapbook paper and styrofoam. I made a tutorial here if you are interested.

I am excited to see it all come together and have a space I love to be. For even more incredible and beautiful creative spaces, visit here.

Be the Wow!

I have been spending a lot of time cruising the Etsy forums and looking at lots of other shops. I have been flipping through the Buy pages to see what others offer and trying to gain some insight. Most recently I have been trying to really pay attention to the items that catch my eye. Why that one? Is it the colors, the background, the piece? What about it makes me want to click into their shop to see more?

I am slowly starting to realize that for me, it's the WOW factor. I make jewelry. I know how to string beads and thus, am not impressed by strung beads. But, show me a necklace intricately wire wrapped or some difficult metal work, and I am impressed. That's what makes me what to click into a shop. The WOW factor of something that isn't easily replicated.

Along this line of thought I have decided that I want to BE the WOW. The competition is fierce and if I want to make this work, I'm going to have to stand out. I've decided that I want to learn more, advance my skills to be the WOW that only a few possess. The last few nights I have been working on a new piece that is a bit out of my element. I finished it tonight and am still deciding if it's totally done. It's unlike my other work. It took much more time and planning. I am trying to find the balance between my passion for creating and making something others want to buy. But this is the first step for me in becoming the WOW. I am excited to keep walking this path of self discovery.

I am adding this post to Works For Me Wednesday. Be sure to visit to join in on the fun.