Etsy Interview with Sapphire Cove Jewelry

My name is Suzanne and I am originally from Southern California. I live and work in Bellingham, Washington over looking the Beautiful San Juan Islands. My "real" job is in the mental health field and my Etsy shop Sapphire Cove Jewelry is my primary creative outlet. I absolutely LOVE creating jewelry. Sapphire Cove Jewelry to me is about beauty, love, laughter, relaxing and enjoying life! Every piece of jewelry I make is inspired and created with love!

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

I have been making/designing jewelry since around 1996 when I picked up a pre-packed packet of blue beads at the farmer's market to string together an anklet. I had dabbled with bead work back in the late 1980's but got distracted by life events. After making the anklet, I started buying beads and designing pieces for my family and friends for gifts. By 2003 I had amassed quite a collection of beads and started selling on-line with a different on-line vendor. In 2008 I officially opened my Etsy store Sapphire Cove Jewelry.

When and how did you originally find Etsy?

I had been making jewelry for myself, family and friends for years and had started selling some on another on-line venue but didn't feel it was getting much exposure because it wasn't a site devoted to hand made items when a friend mentioned Etsy to me.

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

It is so wonderful to have a venue like Etsy where people like myself can present their hand made creations to the world at reasonable prices. At my Etsy shop Sapphire Cove Jewelry most of my necklaces are one of a kind originals, so when someone buys it they have a truly unique piece. Sure you can walk into a department store and pick up a nice non-gemstone beaded necklace but another million people can buy the same exact piece too. With our modern society everything is a replica and so for someone to have a uniquely designed piece of jewelry is something truly special. Besides with the ease of Etsy's sign up and buying process an individual can point, click and buy a unique hand made item from their living room instead of wandering through countless boutiques in search of the right piece of jewelry.

At Sapphire Cove Jewelry when an individual purchases an item I generally get it in the mail to them within 24 hours or less (M-F) so they get it fast! At Sapphire Cove Jewelry I strive to make quality pieces of jewelry for every budget. At Sapphire Cove Jewelry I design my necklaces, bracelets and earrings primarily with precious, semi-precious and non-precious stones from all over the world and only use real sterling silver or gold filled/gold vermeil for accents and finishing touches. I also love that Etsy allows potential buyers to contact Sapphire Cove Jewelry directly for special orders. At Sapphire Cove Jewelry I can work with a buyer to design them a special piece just for them or as a gift for a relative, friend or even a business associate which I think is just an awesome feature of Etsy!

What inspires you the most in regards to your creations?

COLOR! Primarily, I love BOLD colors, I love jewelry that makes a statement. So much inspires me...but I would have to say nature is number one for me... I live in the Pacific Northwest and I am surrounded by natural beauty... forests, lakes, waterfalls, mountains, islands, the Puget sound, raspberry fields, tulips festivals and just a huge variety of flora and fauna in peoples yards and on the side of the roads. For example, I will be out in the woods or on the street walking and depending on the season the colors that mingle together catch my eye and get me thinking... when I find beads that flow in those color schemes I am on my way. I also find inspiration at the fabric store as the mosaics of color can just blow me away sometimes. When I am in a true design phase I often dream of designs and jot them down upon awaking. I also look to the fashion world for seasonal color picks and trends and try to incorporate those into my current designs. So, for me at Sapphire Cove Jewelry once I know my color palate everything else just falls in to place.

What is your favorite piece you have created and why?

I usually fall in love with each new piece I design.

What do you want to accomplish with your online shop?

To be able to continue to make beautiful jewelry for people all over the world. I love creating it really brings happiness in my life, so I just hope I can continue to do that.

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

I am always designing. Currently, I have over 50 new pieces in the works. The designs are over a broad color spectrum. Currently I have been focusing a lot on summer colors of hot pinks and turquoise/teal blues, but more diverse color ranges are coming. I am also starting to design more with Baltic Amber which just comes in a delightful array of oranges, browns, yellows, greens and reds. So that is something new for me. I also will be doing some chain and wire wrapped beaded designs, as well as some new sterling silver cast pendant necklaces which will be more of a multi-strand variety.

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

For education and entertainment value, I always try to add some general information about the stones I use in each piece in the listing for my jewelry designs at Sapphire Cove Jewelry. Sapphire Cove Jewelry is also on Facebook. l often post new designs on my facebook page before they make it to Sapphire Cove Jewelry on Etsy. I also have an album of many of my jewelry designs from the past 2 or 3 years on facebook.