This week, I bring you another MadeItMyself shop, Moonfire Creations, where you can find one-of-a-kind jewelry and gifts made by an awesome artist - this time one from the UK!
Name:
Danielle (Moonfire Creations)
Craft:
Earrings.
Favorite material (or medium, whatever you want to call it!):
I adore the history behind reclaimed beads. I like to imagine the people who used to own them, and what life they have led, and in turn what the beads have experienced.
Most Popular Seller (whether it be online or at shows):
Each of my earrings are different, and so it is unable to asertain what item is most popular. However, more people have bought the longer drop earrings that I have made. Most of my selling has been in person, either at a stall or at an artisan community shop where some of my work currently lies. I have only recently started listing items in an online shop in the past month or so.
Beautiful, warm, golden brown. These remind me of amber-gold leaves in Autumn!
What got you into your craft?
When I was little, there was a local fayre in a nearby church. In there was a stall selling handmade earrings. I had recently had my ears pierced, so my mum bought two pairs for me as a treat. I still have those earrings, but I cannot and could not feel the care and attention in them that I give to each and everyone of my unique pieces. That, and my ever growing craft box items were itching to be used.
How did you learn your craft?
It was self-taught. I forgot exactly how I learnt it. I think it was trial and error.
These say "mystic" to me, almost as clear and pure as a seer's crystal ball speaking deep secrets.
What about YOU? Who is the artist behind those wonderful items?
What would you like to know? I like being generally creative, I have knitted, crocheted, worked with textiles, iris folding (a card-making decorative technique), latch hooked, worked with clay, worked with wood, to name a few. Anything that gets the creative (moon)fires blazing! My current 'moonfire' is for earrings.
What is a typical "working" day for you? How does it usually start and end? How many hours do you spend crafting? How many hours do you spend on other things? What about distractions? I know we all have them! Do you usually accomplish all you wanted to?My usual day is not spent crafting, unfortunately. It is spent working on my brand new blog and my new and shiny website. It starts when I have drank enough tea to be awake enough to focus, and it ends when my head hits the pillow (although I know my mind is still working on designs and other ideas whilst I sleep). Oh the dreaded 'D' word! I am rather partial to playing online games, answering emails, and general procrastinational style activities. As such I usually have a huge 'to do' list.
Bright, vivid and gives people who see it no chance but to comment! I love them.
What happens when you Oops? Everyone gets one sometime or another! Do you get frustrated and destroy/start over, or do you go with the flow and see what comes out in the end?When I Oops, it is usually just the silver-plated and gold-plated findings not waking up yet, and like most people awoken from a deep slumber, they get rather annoyed and ping the beads all over the room! So, a large part of my Oops is to hunt down the beads that have escaped.
These remind me of fresh purple plums and call just enough attention to accent!
What is your design process like? How many tries does it take to be happy with the final product?I am an artist, and a self-proclaimed art critic (of my own work). I do see room for improvement, but I guess those tiny individualities that each of my pieces have add to the charm of them being unique and handmade.
What is your greatest roadblock, be it government regulation or that little frustrating thing that just likes to sneak up and stop you in your tracks? Broken needle? Jump ring jumping out of your pliers? Thread knots? Cats? Dogs? The family hedgehog rolled about in your yarn basket?My greatest roadblock has to be storage for those earrings that I have made. I have to keep remembering that I need to take photos of my creations for you all to see, and unfortunately that takes time as I'm not a whizz with the camera -I'd much rather be crafting. The family hedgehog, doesn't have much interest in beads and shiny silver-plated and gold-plated metals, it is the family magpie I worry about!
Beautiful spiral work, and such a wonderful selection of what to put inside it!
The all important pricing... Do you have a formula? Do you wing it? Do you feel your work justifies your prices?I have to say, I am still in the trial and error phase of my prices. Quite a few people who do not know the current prices have quoted me double of what I am asking for, so I still think there might be scope for amending the prices.
Another lovely spiral, another lovely assortment of choices to make a lovely shiny to help find that pesky keyring!
And of course, is there anything else you'd like to say to our "viewers at home"?I think a shameless plug is in order here. Moonfire Creations' official home is www.moonfirecreations.net. You can see a full portfolio of those I have photographed at www.facebook.com/MoonfireCreations. If you would like to ask me more questions, or comment on my answers, please contact me at handmade@moonfirecreations.net.A huge thank you to you, Danielle, for sharing a look into you world and your beautiful creations! Make sure to visit Danielle at Moonfire Creations on MadeItMyself!
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