Friday Feature -- StormyDesigns

This week's featured Etsy artist is StormyDesigns. Regular Mama's Magic readers may remember my previous post about Stormy, who was a featured EtsyBlogger in April. Her adorable ladybug zipper pulls are still on our diaper bag, adding their bit of whimsy and cheer to our boring black bag. You'll find this and many other beautiful and charming polymer clay items in her shop!

Tell me two (or more!) interesting things about you.

I like to read a good novel when I have time. I like to go fishing and camping, although I haven't been in years.

What do you sell in your Etsy shop?

I sell polymer clay jewelry, including necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets that feature my hand-crafted polymer clay beads. I also sell accessories for the home such as vases, sculptures, bowls, mirrors and more, all covered with clay.

To which Etsy Street Teams do you belong?

I belong to Etsy Bloggers and PCAGOE (Polymer Clay Artist Guild Of Etsy)

What inspires your creations?

Other artists inspire me. Christi Freisen hooked me on sculpting. I saw her dragons and fell in love with them and had to make one. Jana Roberts Benzon does some amazing work with her Arabesque canes. Donna Kato, Lisa Pavelka, there are so many artists that have inspired me. I can spend hours looking at other artists' work. Nature and the colors and textures of the world around me inspire me as well.

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

I started working with polymer clay in April of 2007 as a way of making my own beads. I just wasn't happy with the prices at the bead store and a friend had told me about polymer clay beads and that I could make my own. So off I went to the craft store and bought some clay. I started out making just beads and quickly moved onto sculpture, which I love. I experiment alot with my clay, blending and shaping. I will create a really nice pattern and save it and look at it, envisioning what it will become. What kind of beads should I make with it or should I cover a vase or tin? Once I figure that out I will spend hours creating. Most of the time my clay dictates what I will make.

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

My favorite item is my sculpted seahorse necklace. "Taffy" as I've named the seahorse, is my logo and on all my banners and business cards. Why is it your favorite? It's the first seahorse that I sculpted and I'm quite pleased with how she turned out.

What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?

Over the hill LOL ;-) Seriously? Artistic, friendly, homebody

What do you like about Etsy?

I like the way the site is set up, easy to use & I love the teams.

What makes your shop unique?

My creations are what makes my shop unique.

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

List, list and re-list. Don't list all at once though, spread out your listings. Keep at it, don't get discouraged, join a team and get noticed, make friends. Sales will come.

Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?

You can read more about me and my work at my blog http://stormydesigns.blogspot.com/ and also at my website http://stormydesigns.biz/. The blog is updated regularly.

For more Mama's Magic Friday Feature interviews, click here.