Etsy Interview with Hearts Inspirations

I'm the creator of the Etsy shop Hearts Inspirations. I recently just turned 20 this year and I am very excited to be out of my teen years *laughs*. I'm currently attending a community college and am somewhat unsure of what I want to do with my life. Though I am pretty sure I have destiny with the Japanese language, I find it fun and exciting to learn and speak. I'm also a dedicated cat lover with three cats, Princess, Sophie, and of course... Elvis! Elvis is a little different, and acts more like a dog at times than he does a cat. I live happily with all three of my cats (and family) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

How and when did you start making jewelry and your other items?

I first started making jewelry around the time of Hurricane Katrina, when the power was out for a week there wasn't much to do, my mother and I would sit at the table and make beaded jewelry together. We'd have a huge fan on us as we talked and made rather simple jewelry, I think that's what started my obsession. I never got serious about jewelry making until I started college. I would make cards and jewelry to sell at a local store that I work for to make extra money for books and schooling. That's when I expanded my jewelry to include wire wrapping and other forms of jewelry making.

When and how did you originally find Etsy?

I was showing some of my friends at work some jewelry I had made, and one of them made a comment about how she buys most of her jewelry through Etsy. Of course, then I didn't now what Etsy was, and I actually thought it was a person at first, *Haha* but then she showed us the website and I was instantly addicted.
At first I was just buying supplies through Etsy, but then the same friend that told me about Etsy, recommended me creating a shop. It took some thinking, but I eventually made one. That's how my shop HeartsInspirations made it's way onto Etsy.

What is unique about Etsy and what about the website do you like the most in regards to your shop?

I love how easy it is to use, and just about anyone would be able to figure it out. Reading the blogs on Etsy has helped me out tremendously as well! Watching the different seller help videos and reading tips makes it even easier for me to come up with cute ideas on how to package items and ship them with ease. I also love the many different Verities of shops that you can find on Etsy. So many people are creative and Etsy is like an outline for everyone's creative ideas.

What inspires you the most in regards to your creations?

Nature is really an inspiration to me. There are so many colors in nature that you can find just by going out and exploring. I love taking walks and just examining everything, there is always so much to look at. When I get an inspiration, I always make sure I jot it down in my little 'jewelry diary' and come back later and try to create the idea that I imagined.

What is your favorite piece you've created and why?

The Rustic Tear Necklace. I love this piece the most because it was the first wire wrapped piece that was used with oxidized silver, and it turned out beautifully. I also love the length and how beautifully it goes with almost everything in my wardrobe. Blue is also my favorite color, so it comes with no surprise that this piece of jewelry is one of my favorites. But I really find myself attached to almost every piece some way or another.

What do you want to accomplish with your online shop?

I want to be able to make beautiful jewelry that whoever may purchase can love forever. I also want to be able to make more beautiful pieces that people can enjoy. So far my shop is a little small, but I find myself slowly building my collection and I find myself getting better with the more pieces I create.

Do you have any new creations in the works? If so, what can shoppers expect to see from you soon?

I'm always trying new things and creating new pieces of jewelry. I would love to try and make rings next, out of sterling silver, or use hammering in my work. I would also love to use more glass beads in my works, and I already have a few ideas in mind for some creative vintage looks.

Where can readers find out about more information regarding your jewelry and other creations and possible special offers (including additional websites, blogs, facebook, etc)?

I would love to eventually create a facebook for my jewelry and maybe eventually a blog (if I can ever figure out how to create one), but for now it seems that Etsy is my only website for my jewelry.