SOTW Dallied!

We look on etsy shops all the time but while looking at their items have you ever wondered “what is this person’s life like?” Well I did thus creating SHOP OF THE WEEK! We all see the wonderful work this person has created but behind the work is a wonderful person with a story and lots of things to share with you.

I would love for you all to meet Dallied our shop of the week winner for last week! She owns a very darling little shop on etsy. ( Dallied.etsy.com )

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dallied

Blog: http://www.dallied.blogspot.com

“"I opened my jewelry shop in August 2009. At the time I was tackling learning the technicalities of selling online and Etsy alongside of my full-time job, zoo-like house and the new semester coming up in a new school. I got too ahead of myself and had to close the shop after a mere week of opening, I was working at too fast of a pace and the stress was overwhelming. A month ago, after working out the rest of the kinks to Etsy over the semester I re-opened with a better head on my shoulders and things are looking up!”"

The following is a little interview with Dallied

1. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everywhere! Movies, books, characters, food, color combinations, emotions, the weather and much more. I'm lucky that I find inspiration easily; I think that's what has helped me to develop my work so much more over the past couple years.

2. What is your age:

19

3. What is your shop(S) name:

Dallied

4. Do you only sell on etsy or do you go to craft shows as well:

Right now it's just Etsy. I'd like to get a little more involved locally this summer, so we'll see how that goes.

5. Is there an item you have made that has significant meaning to you and why:

The items I make that hold significant meanings to myself don't tend to wind up in my shop because I find it too hard to let them go. Usually, the significance isn't very deep though, it's just little things that I find hard to let go. Two pieces that I've been unable to let go are a jellybean inspired necklace make with tons of small, colorful assorted gemstones and an explorer locket simply because of my love for baking/sweets and traveling.

6. How did you first get the idea to make what you are now:

When I first started making jewelry I loved that I was creating and I felt pleased with the results. I understood that they were pieces that people would, and did, like and buy, but it was never quite my style. I never had the struggle like I often do now when I make a piece and think “can I justify keeping this?!” After so long of this I had to suck it up and realize that if I wanted to make and try the things that I really wanted to I had to bite my lip, cross my fingers and buy all the supplies needed to do so and hope it worked out. And voila, it did!

7. Do you ever change your “craft style”? Example jewelry to ceramics?

I've been expanding my knowledge and skills within jewelry but no, I haven't left that area. There's so many crafts I would love to try but time and money aren't so kind. In a perfect world, I'd love to learn more about soap making, designing/stenciling china and sewing. I'd also love to learn how to make tea and wine! Oh, life.

8. How do you feel about buying and selling handmade items:

Love it. I love the feeling of buying homemade, how you know that someone else made it and put their time into this one thing and it wasn't just mass produced or made by a machine. I've always treated handmade items of mine with more care and I think that most other people do too. This is also the same reason why I love selling it, along with the feeling that someone else appreciates my work enough to buy it.

9. What is your favorite material to work with?

This is answer definitely changes all the time but right now I'm really loving crystal, silver and lots and lots of wire wraps. Next week it'll probably be cabochons and brass.

10. How long have you been in your craft?

I know this sounds weird but I'm actually not 100% sure. When I was young in elementary school and my friends and I were learning how to make hemp jewelry I became totally obsessed. Somewhere along the way, later in junior high I'm pretty sure, I ultimately ditched the ball of hemp for some earwires and pins.

12. Do you have a “day job” and if you do… what is it?

I'm currently attending the local university here in St.John's full-time, working part-time at Tim Hortons and babysitting a couple nights a week for my cousin. I also live in a complete zoo of a house. Most of my crafting, promoting and other shop work is done in the evenings and the early hours of the morning. The bags under my eyes are getting a little ridiculous!

13. How has your work developed throughout the years?

When I first started making jewelry it was very basic for a long time. I only made very simple wired wrapped or headpin earrings and that was it. Somewhere in the past couple years I've really managed to step up my game by a) sucking it up and spending the money needed on supplies for things I wanted to learn and b) sitting down and trying over and over again until I learned the things I wanted to learn. It's really come a long ways!

14. Did you ever feel like giving up before you got to where you are today?

No way! I love making jewelry! In terms of etsy I'm only starting off but it seems to be going okay so I don't know why I would want to.

15. How do you feel when people interpret your work differently than you?

I don't mind at all, everyone sees things differently, and a lot of the time their interpretations shines new light on the piece and makes me realize more ways to look at it.

16. What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

Believe in your product, pour your heart into but most importantly don't over do it, nothing happens overnight. When I first opened my shop in August I overdid it and was working at a pace I couldn't keep up with as I was still in a full-time job and about to attend another new university. One week after opening the shop I had to close it down and didn't re-open until a month ago. I'm more prepared this time around and a little more sane and things are running much more smoothly.

17. Who first inspired you to begin crafting?

Everyone who gave me all the positive feedback when I made those first few god awful pairs of earrings years ago. I realize that they were so ugly that they wouldn't have even sold in a dollar store and that my parents probably had to bite their tounges really hard to say they were beautiful.

18. Do you have a space for your work area or do you craft anywhere?

I recently took over my fathers “office” ... a.k.a room filled with 30 years of mess that my parents didn't know what to do with. I organized it and packed it all up a moved in a couple months ago and it's perfect!

19. What are your favorite childhood memory involving arts? Making hemp jewelry! I really loved it!

20. Do you feel accomplished when you finish creating?

I get wayyy too excited when I finish making something. When I'm sitting down, halfway through a piece, I'll say, “Alright, when I'm done this necklace I'll stop for the night,” but I never follow through because once I finish I'm usually riding this childish high that moves me onto the next piece.

21. What does your personal style (living space clothing ect…) Reflect anything you make?

It does to a certain extent. I would categorize a lot of my jewelry as “stuff I would wear if I weren't so freaking casual.” It works out though because then I'm not giving in to keep everything! My only problems are the loops I've been creating lately, I've had to make two pairs of most of the ones in my shop because I couldn't help myself.

23. Do you like custom orders?

I've never had one but I would love to do custom orders!

24. Do you have any sales coming up?

Not any coming up that I know of, no, but I did have one a couple days ago and it seems like I'm having around 2 a week now so I've got my fingers crossed for the next couple days.

25. What are your favorite shops on Etsy?

Most of my favorites are supply shops! Bead shopping kills me. Aside from that though I'm really loving ForStrangeWomen's shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ForStrangeWomen Her shop has such a natural cozy feel to it, I'm in love! When the day comes that I'm no longer poor I'm going to buy the new Kings of Convenience CD and a little something from her shop.



Thank you all fore reading! PLEASE take time to comment :D

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