Friday's Featured Etsy Seller--Ears!

I love to shop and help a cause, and this Etsy seller is donating 10% of sales through January to The Global Fund (www.theglobalfund.org), which is a nonprofit organization that is working to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria throughout the world. You'll find many earrings and bags, many with an ethnic feel. Make sure you read down below and check out her favorite earrings. They're amazing! Enjoy!

What is your shop name and URL?

EARS, http://www.ears.etsy.com/

-Tell me two (or more!) interesting things about you. (Hobbies, achievements, favorite something-or-other, family situation, jobs, etc)

1. I have a degree in art history, but have a terrible memory for dates, names, and facts in general (what was I thinking!). I eventually found myself with a career in museum education, which I LOVE!2. I consider myself to be a traveler, and I've taken a dip in both sides of the Atlantic (from beaches in the US and in Cameroon and Europe), but I've never seen the Pacific, or travelled anywhere in the US that is west of Pittsburgh, PA for that matter. I need to work on this!

-What do you sell in your Etsy shop?

Beautiful things for your EARS! I also have some fun totes that I make, which don't really work with the title, but I'm a craftaholic and just can't stop creating. I’m sure there will be more fun things to come in time.

-To which Etsy Street Teams do you belong (if any)?

None yet. I have been on Etsy since April 2008, but I'm just recently starting to promote and get involved in the Etsy community.

-What inspires your creations?

COLOR. I love bright bold (sometimes obnoxious) colors. Patterns are a big draw for me too. African fabrics encompass both of these things, and I use them a lot for my bags and also use them as design inspiration.

-Tell me a bit about your creative process and/or how you learned to do what you do.

My mother loves to make jewelry as a hobby, and she is skilled in everything from weaving to basket making to macramé. I sucked it all up when I was younger and always wanted to learn new crafts. I started playing around with her jewelry supply box once and fell in love with making earrings. It seemed so simple to me; make two pretty things out of just about anything, and then stick an earring hook on them! Tada! Necklaces and bracelets always frustrated me with all the hooks and clean finishing of the ends, so I stuck with earrings.The ironic part is that I was always afraid to get my ears pierced, so when I started making earrings about 5 years ago, I didn’t even have pierced ears. My sister took me to get them done on my 21st birthday. When I’m making earrings I will use all kinds of materials. I’ve made earrings out of ribbons, macramé, buttons, and more. Whatever combinations of textures, colors, and patterns appeal to me, that is what becomes an earring.

-What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)?

I have a new pair of earrings that I made with some great metal pieces I got from another Etsy shop, http://www.doubleangeldesings.etsy.com/.

-Why is it your favorite? (Please provide a link)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18347568

The textures and the shapes are what I love about these. They are a little more subtle with the only bright color being the turquoise bead, but I just think the shape is fun and the layers are what make them really interesting. Having such flat metal pieces to work with, I was able to layer horizontally, instead of the usual vertical layering that is possible when using a headpin.

-What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?

Curious, Resourceful, Easygoing

-What do you like about Etsy?

The sharing. It is just such a wonderful community, and so many people are willing to help others.

-What makes your shop unique?

I think that my products have an artistic flair that some other craft items don’t. I was trained in fine art since I was very young, so I approach my work with an understanding of balance and composition and it has always made people look at my products and notice those features. Plus, I am not afraid of color and love to make bold decisions with my work.

-What advice do you have for other folks selling or buying on Etsy?

Make sure you are a part of the community. It makes the whole process so much more interesting and educational. There are so many people who want to know more about you and teach you more about what they do, so be sure to connect in one way or another.

-Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations (please include a link)?http://www.cassielynott.com/ That is my website. It has more information about my printmaking work, which I don’t sell on Etsy, and about my studio, classes I teach, events, etc.