Six Years of Tradition + Handmade Shopping - Celebrating Etsy NY's Holiday Handmade Cavalcade

Some would say they can hear elves hammering away finishing up last minute gifts to be added to the bags Santa will carry on his sleigh from the North Pole to good boys and girls.  Others, might say those hammers are in fact being used by local New York artisans and crafters who sell on the handmade market place Etsy.com, as they finish up one-of-kind products to sell at the upcoming Etsy New York's Holiday Handmade Cavalcade.

The Etsy New York Holiday Handmade Cavalcade has six years worth of history, and has become a must for holiday shoppers looking for unique and locally crafted gifts to give their loved ones.  Featuring more than 40 vendors and team members of from the Etsy NY Team and showcasing one-of-a-kind goods ranging from handmade clothing, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body products, toys and housewares.

“What originally started as a chat at the Brooklyn Flea in 2008, because we could potentially have access to John and Kristie's, of Beacons Bookmarks, wood shop, grew into a whole group of artists and NY Etsy vendors rallying together to share cars and band together to promote and organize a DIY event that showcased the mission of Etsy.  It's always amazing how access to one key resource can be a game changer” says Kimm Alfonso, Founder of Etsy NY. "We decided we'd test out our event hosting skills here and thus the Cavalcade was born, with amazing graphics that showed cars loaded with craft supplies headed up to Beacon, NY."

The graphic created for the first Handmade Cavalcade in 2008.

"The holiday event was the big one, where we felt we had a smaller successful event under our belts and could really be successful in NYC.  Similarly, we had access to an amazing space for free/low fees and would have to DIY everything, which was right up our alley," says Alfonso.

Etsy NY team member, Jenny Topolski of J. Topolski Design, remembers her Cavalcade experiences. "When I first joined the team a million years ago, I wanted to get more involved and meet the other members, so I signed up for the Cavalcade. The last one I sold at was held at Public Assembly, but I've always loved the feeling of team-spirit and that the artists collectively work together to create an event that is inclusive not just to them, but neighborhood and customers."

The Holiday Handmade Cavalcade hosts more than 2,000 people each year and has become a New York City winter tradition for those looking for local and unexpected holiday products.  "Now, six years later, the Cavalcade has grown and changed to reflect the amazing talents and resources of the present team providing an organic feeling also aligned with the mission of the original Calvacade vendors and of the expanding network of artists and Etsy sellers in the Tri-State area,” says Kimm.  

In addition to the high-quality, handmade wares for sale, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with our event sponsors, including Etsy, Lion Brand Yarns, Yelp, Zipcar, Purl Soho, and more, and mingle with local artisans over delectable treats and cocktails and/or beer provided by Brooklyn Brewery. 

Admission to this indie shopping event is free. The first 100 guests both Saturday and Sunday will receive a complimentary gift bag filled with wonderful treasures donated by The the Etsy NY team Team and the event sponsors.  Below are some pictures of the gift bags

Additionally, with each purchase at the event, shoppers will be entered into a raffle for one of four amazing goody bags of handmade items and let's not forget the currently open rafflecopter raffle through the Etsy New York Facebook Page.  Below are some pictures of some of the wonderful handmade goodies that lucky raffle participants will have a chance to take home with them. 

For more information on this exciting holiday event, visit www.handmadecavalcade.com . I hope to see all, or some of you there.  And if not, well, you can do some shopping online via Etsy.com with the list of vendors (I'll be there!) on the Handmade Cavalcade's site.

Happy Holidays, shopping, and thank you for supporting Etsy New York events and artists all these years!

//Sara Stroman 

S2 Stationery & Design // Sara Stroman S2 Stationery & Design

Falling into Fall...

What rituals do you follow to prepare your home for fall?  For me it’s starts with organizing my closets!  In fact I tend to organize several times a season so I’m always on the look out for cool and functional storage options that help me stay clutter-free all year round!   Here are my fav finds:

Featured ETSY Shops:  

FritzAndFraulein | LaraLeib | KnittingGuru

Featured ETSY Shops:  

Brooklynrehab | HammerAndHandImports | Lostpigeon

Featured ETSY Shops:  

DelHustonDesigns | BlueBirdHeaven | SawDusty

A Crafty Life: Angeliki Jackson And AstrODub

This is Birdy27 and I'm stoked that June is finally here! I'm ready for warm summer breezes, free kayaking on the Hudson River, Shakespeare In The Park, skating season, and hanging outdoors all day. And I hope you're ready for another intriguing installment of the in-depth interview series "A Crafty Life." I'm having a great time interviewing talented artisans from the Etsy NY team and helping them share their stories. I try to mix things up a little, so this month I decided to focus--pun intended--on photography. Angeliki Jackson of AstrOdub immediately came to mind. The exotic Angeliki--with her trademark bangs--is a exceptional photographer, fine artist, DJ, and graphic designer. Through her photography and fine art, Angeliki explores the gritty yet beautiful world of urban decay and street art. I finally met the statuesque photog during the holidays and immediately loved her spirit. I knew that Angeliki had an interesting story to tell and I'm elated she let me into her world.

Like many New Yorkers, you weren't born here. Where were you born?

I am from a small island in the Aegean Sea in Greece named Chios. It is a great off-the-beaten-path destination with beautiful beaches, medieval villages, and amazing food. It has a population of around 50,000 people. My town is the second biggest on the island with 3,000 residents.

Wow! It must be incredible there.

It's pretty amazing as far as beaches and nature go. It's a great island to visit when in Greece. It's very close to Turkey, so you can kill two birds with one stone as there are day trips to Turkey daily.

You were surrounded by so much history and culture. How do you feel your formative years in Greece influenced your aesthetic sensibility?

My aesthetics are heavily influenced by my upbringing. In my fine art, the Byzantine influence derived from religious imagery. This imagery is very evident in the ornamentation of many of my pieces.

Also, growing up on an island that flourished in the Middle Ages and then was ravaged by wars, I was surrounded by stone, aged buildings, and a lot of ruins and abandoned houses with an abundance of texture and color.

You have a great eye, but I now see why you are so enthralled with decay and ruin. You must miss aspects of Chios. How often to you go back? 

I last visited in 2006 when I went to baptize my daughter Isabella. (She's now eight years old.) My husband Stefan and Izzy met my extended family for the first time. It was very homogenized community growing up, but that has changed in the past decade.

Isabella is great in this shot. So what ultimately brought you to the Big Apple?

I grew up in a society with very limited opportunities, especially when it comes to jobs. I left Chios after I graduated high school at 17 and came here to go to college. In the past 20 years or so that I've lived in the U.S., globalization has reached the island. With the current economic crisis in Greece, even if I hadn't left in the 90s, I'd be immigrating now.

Did any of your family members relocate with you?

My parents had been traveling between New York and Greece since the mid 70s, trying to figure out where to settle. When I came here in 1990, I lived with my father and, a short while later, my mother joined us. They lived here until they retired to Greece last month. My entire family--aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.--is in Greece, including my younger brother.

You mentioned you came here to go to college. What did you study?

I have studied Greek literature, Latin and ancient Greek, attended Queens College for a few semesters, and eventually got a BFA in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

I love that you have a graphics background to support your photography. That background is evident in the "FWIS Geometry" photo. It's graphic and personal.

Heh! My stockings always make a statement. I wanted to showcase them in an Instagram, but there was nothing but asphalt and concrete around. I work in a very industrial neighborhood and see the same landscape three days a week. This photo is a perfect example of how I shoot. I observed my surroundings, took a moment to look down and reposition myself in the center of a Con Edison manhole cover, five feet from the entrance to my office, while on a ten minute break.

I can't believe this was a spur of the moment shoot--it's like guerilla photography. The design of the stockings match the manhole cover so perfectly. I have to ask you about your moniker. "AstrOdub" is such a cool name. How did you choose it?

I have been a DJ since I was 13 years old and through the years have taken different alter egos as stage names. "AstrOdub" settled in as my DJ alias in the 90s. Since the internet was popularized at the same time, it became my email address at Yahoo and it is now my alias in all social media, including my street art persona.

You do so many things! Do you still work as a DJ?

I love music so much! But I never got paid to DJ. I did it out of sheer pleasure. (I bartered with artists, though.) I did it regularly until I was five months pregnant with my daughter. It started to get harder to fit my growing bump behind some of the DJ booths. I still keep up with new music and discover old music. I mostly DJ at art openings these days because the club hours are not family-friendly.

We have a lot in common. My day job involves music, singing, dancing, and I act a bit like a DJ. Do you feel music influences your photography?

Music influences everything I do! [The lyrics in this photo by Radiohead.]

I find it immensely important to my creativity. I whistle while I work, so to speak. And I am very glad when I am able to listen to music when I do consulting. It makes the day go by faster.

Consulting? Is that your day job?

I am a freelance graphic designer. I have a steady gig three days a week working for a textile company in Richmond Queens. I'm very proud to be living and working in Queens.

Can you tell us a little bit about your "street art persona"? 

My street art persona is my avatar. A fantasy. If we were in The Matrix, I'd be AstrOdub, a femme fatale that could kick ass! If Christopher Walken had a female counterpart, I'd be it. [The quote in the first photo below is from the movie True Romance.]

LOL! I can definitely image you that way. I see you're heavily influenced by film, too. How early did you start thinking about being a photographer?

I started taking photographs regularly in high school. At my foundation year at the School of Visual Arts, I fell in love with photography. I entertained making it my major, but since dark rooms and prints were expensive, I went into graphic design. So my training consists of two semesters in photography back when you developed your own film. That said, I consider myself a hobbyist and ultimately self-taught.

Interesting. I taught myself the basics of graphic designing and now make money doing it. Can you briefly describe your "self-education"?

Practice, practice, practice. The more photos you take of the same thing in different angles, the more you'll find your desired angle and establish a style. Observing other photographers' techniques can be inspiring. Apps like Instagram and EyeEm offer weekly challenges, which essentially are themes/tasks/projects to get you out there and shoot. I am also part of a local Instagram community-- Instagram NYC--which is basically a meetup group of like-minded individuals (i.e., photo geeks). We take photo walks and exchange tips. 

When did you buy your first camera and what kind was it? What were your first subjects?

My parents financed my first professional camera for my class at SVA in 1996: a Minolta X-700, which was one of my instructor's recommendations. I mainly shot  in black and white. My subjects were commuters in the subway, nature, and family and friends.

We talked a little bit about your aesthetic sensibility. What are some of your other influences?  

I tend to photograph architectural details, all kinds of textures and urban decay. Lines, geometry, symmetry, and vanishing points are aesthetically appealing and interesting to me.

Thanks to you, I now know that a vanishing point is "that spot on the horizon line to which the receding parallel lines diminish."

I love learning new things! Please continue.

The textures, colors and shapes of urban decay--be it graffiti or a weathered structure--capture me at a deeper level because they convey the age and history of a given environment. One can't help but wonder and imagine the stories those walls could tell if they could only speak.

Yes, I get that. When you see ancient architecture or even vintage furniture and clothes, you immediately wonder about the designer, the builder, the owner, or the wearer.

It is clear your upbringing in Greece led to your fascination with the urban landscape, nature, and decay. Can you trace it to anything else?

I always had an affinity for paper collage and what can be achieved by manipulating and layering paper. In the same way, graffiti on a wall, a rusty bridge, and abandoned and forgotten structures are layers of history in the landscape of our every day lives. There is some insanely good street art out there, original pieces created and placed on a wall for everyone to enjoy.

And when this art gets weathered it becomes all the more interesting to me. In a graffiti piece the paint cracks and peels, someone tears a posted bill, someone posts or writes over something else adding or revealing layers and so on and so forth. Whenever possible I go back to see if something I have photographed is still there and whether it has changed.

Love this! What is your theory regarding composition?

Composing elements to fit an allotted space is one of the main principles of graphic design. It is the same in photography. Anyone can push a button and take a picture. Not everyone composes it. It's a matter of taking the time to study your subject, ask yourself what attracts you to it, and find the right angle to shoot so you convey what you saw to the viewer.

That is something I'm learning about as I take photos for my Etsy shop. I'm also learning that lighting is everything. 

Indeed. Good lighting and the right angle can make even the most boring subject come to life and ultimately produce a successful photograph.

The lighting in the "Industrial Workspace" image is amazing! Do you prefer natural (outdoor) light? Or do you prefer indoor lighting that you can control?

I always shoot in natural light--overcast days are the best--and do not like to use flash. That said, I would love to be able to control and manipulate light and one day would love to have the opportunity to shoot in a professional setting.

I learned the hard way that overcast days are best. You mentioned that you didn't have a dark room. How do you think photography has changed in the digital age? If so, do you miss the good ol' days or are you totally down with digital?

I never had any dark room experience besides my foundation year at SVA. I would love to have one, absolutely. I am totally down with digital, especially mobile photography. Ninety percent of my photos are taken with my iPhone. You cannot beat the convenience of an instant capture, being able to edit on the spot, and not have to schlep a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera at all times. However, the phone lacks the quality of the DSLR. There are also other limitations including aperture control issues, lens versatility, etc.

I'm surprised you use your iPhone camera for so many of your shots. Depending on which model you have, you're talking about up to 8MGPs (mega pixels). Is that the minimum requirement for good pictures?

There is no minimum requirement for taking good pictures. I have seen amazing pictures taken with the first iPhone. It all depends on your style. The more MGPs, the more detail in your image. My iPhone has high-dynamic range imaging (HDR); however, my camera does not. In a low-light situation, my phone takes a better photo than my camera. For example, I took this photo when I went urbexing--"exploring urban areas generally off-limits to the general public"--at the Freedom Tunnel. Light is very limited there.

I don't have an iPhone, but when I get a new phone, I'm going to think about the camera in a whole way. And I might even go "urbexing" for my next photo shoot. When you do use a DSLR camera, what kind of camera do you use? And, for the amateur photog, what is the key to taking great photos?

My DSLR is the first one that SONY produced, the Alfa a 100. It is 10MB and came with an 18-70 lens. I have been faithfully using it for the past eight years and only recently bought a fixed 50mm lens for it. It's very basic, has no bells or whistles (no video capture, no LCD display). It's the closest thing to my manual camera as far as operating it, but with the convenience of digital. To the folks like me out there that want to buy a DSLR but can't afford the Canons and Nikons, just remember: It's your eye that ultimately takes the picture. Your equipment can only get you so far. A good lens is very important, using the rule of thirds, always have the grid and HDR on your device, and compose, compose, compose. Don't just shoot!

I'm so relieved. Last year when I needed a new camera, I wanted a DSLR badly. The cost, however, was prohibitive. But you're saying I can get the job done with just about any camera as long as I have an aesthetic that works. Excellent! What is your biggest seller?

It's probably the photo on the Woodside No. 7 train platform with clouds around sunset (Woodside Clouds). It seems that everyone who has bought that picture has a special connection to that station. It's great to hear from the customer why this photo is so special to them.

I like this one, too, even though I don't know that particular station. I like the off-center vanishing point. Where in Queens do you live? Do you have a dedicated studio? What is your work space like? 

I live in the Briarwood section in Jamaica, Queens, in a two-bedroom apartment with my husband and daughter. No dedicated studio space. I have spray paint and block prints in the kitchen, my working surface is my dining table, and I have two armoires full of working and potential art supplies. It's tough to operate as an artists when you have to lay everything out and clean it up immediately afterwards. It really messes with the creative process which is why I work in small scale.

I understand completely. My living room used to be just that. Now it's my studio and, unfortunately for my living room, I like to have my tools an projects handy. So it's taken over by yarn, projects in progress, my mannequin head, a dress form, my laptop, tools, etc. Let's switch gears a bit and talk about social media. How do you deal with it? Has it helped your business? Do you long for the days when you didn't need to spend time on all the different social media sites? Or does this energize you? 

I started with My Space then moved to Facebook, then Twitter, and then Instagram and Tumblr. I don't have much time to spend on social media. Thanks to Instagram's push feature, my posts are mirrored on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr. My popularity on Instagram has not boosted any of my sales unfortunately, but I get other perks from time to time like a free ten-day all inclusive trip to Israel last summer, a New York Rangers playoff game backstage tour, going to the MET museum when it was closed, shooting for Panasonic at the U.S. Open, an exhibit at the W Hotelin Times Square, a lecture on mobile photography at the Apple Store, and many more. 

Nice perks indeed. This brings me to time management.  How do you manage your time?  Do you spend, like, 75% on the actual photography portion and 25% on everything else?

It's a wonder I can get anything done! I work 9-5 three days a week. I take my daughter to after-school activities on Mondays and Wednesdays. I also cook every day, clean, and do the laundry for my family. I wish I had more time to spend on my photography, art, and urban exploration, and I do just that whenever possible. I don't take many pictures and, with time, I learned to edit as I go along, sort of like shooting with film. I hear of people shooting thousands of photos at an event. Somehow I can't do that. I shoot what I find interesting, not everything. But everybody has their own way of doing things.

I like that. Doing more doesn't necessarily mean higher quality. What do you do when it all seems to be too much?

When life gets too much I take my camera and ride to 5 Pointz. That's how this whole "I gotta go take some pictures" started first place.

Now I'm going to have to check out the 5 Pointz Aersol Art Center. You have a varied product line. Please tell us about what you offer.

I sell photographic prints in various and custom sizes, repurposed cigar boxes that feature my photography, journals for charity that feature my photography, tote bags, and calendars. I just debuted my new black and white 2014 calendar in my Etsy shop! (All the photos were taken on my iPhone.) For my fine art, check out my other Etsy shop, In Stitches.

Thanks for announcing the calendar debut in this interview. Do you sell at craft fairs?  If so, approximately how many per year?

I did craft fairs regularly for the past four years. I only do two a year now. The craft fair thing was not profitable for me and it was not worth the time away from my family.

That makes sense. I, too, am trying to do craft markets in a smarter way--again, quality, not quantity. I struggle with this, though, because I think that people really need to try on my hats, scarves, ear warmers, etc. They also like to feel the items and that means in-person contact. So selling online may not work well for my crochet and knit items. What about you? Do you think people are best served by seeing your work in person?

As far as my fine art goes, yes. It has to be seen and touched. Photo prints not so much. They look the same online or in person. Only the size only changes.

Yes, you're right. My handmade items sell well in person and my graphic designs sell easily online. Do you have any wholesale accounts?

I have one for my fine art and one for my photography. The product moves slow, but it's nice to have it out there.

No matter how much you sell on your own, being in a store is great validation. Marketing is challenging for most creative artists.  How do you approach marketing and advertising?

I don't have much money to spend in advertising so I market myself the best I can. I am always thinking of more ways to reach an audience online, but let's face it, it's very competitive out there and unless you have a big advertising budget it's hard to stand out. I do my social media thing, send some Mail Chimp blasts every once in a while, and did craft fairs for a while.

You offer fine art as well as photography and photo-related items. How do you approach pricing for the different arms of your business?

All my "In Stitches" cards are original one of a kind pieces of art. Each of them takes me an average of 1.5 hours to complete and I couldn't even sell them for $12! That's when I decided to try to capitalize on my photography. The overhead is reasonable and it takes almost no time to produce compared to fine art. My photography sold better than my fine art, but not well enough to make a living out of it.

Stefan and Izzy must be proud of you. How do they help you? Do you have any pets? 

Yeah, they are. I wouldn't be able to pursue any of my hobbies without their support and my husband's chauffeuring and babysitting. I am very grateful to have them in my life. We recently adopted a gray tuxedo cat that came with the name "Dante."

Nice. It's wonderful when you have a supportive family. Where do you see your business in 5 years?

It is very difficult predict an art/novelty business in a fluctuating economy. For the past 3-4 years I tried new products, vended at pretty much every market in NYC, and placed my product in consignment shops. It was not enough to get by, so I had to go back to being a graphic designer and took a 9-5 gig. Needless to say, that does not leave me much time to create. However, I am redoing my business plan and focusing on selling on more online outlets and vending at art-specific markets--which are very rare in NYC. I am returning to the Better Than Jam’s pop-up shop on Governor’s Island this summer with a pretty eclectic collection of photographs, where I will also be offering  a free workshop on making collage postcards. The new 2014 calendar will be available there, too.

I hope you do really well on Governor's Island. Well, it's time for my last question. How has being part of the Etsy NY team helped you?

It has helped me immensely as a business advice resource, a materials resource, and for vending opportunities. On a social level, I have made some great acquaintances. I love being part of Etsy NY and try to give back to the team as much as possible.

Thank you, Angeliki, for an incredible interview! I learned a lot. You are a gifted artist and a wonderful person. I have no doubt you will be hugely successful in the near future.

The fourth of July is on the horizon and so is another exciting installment of "A Crafty Life." I hope you've enjoyed meeting some of our team artisans. These interviews aren't like the four-minute fluff segments you find on your favorite morning TV shows. We go deep here at ACL! Our amazing artisans need your support, so don't just read the ACL interviews. Comment below and share the ACL series with your friends, tweeps, and family. This is Birdy27 signing off. Please support the handmade community. Successful creative artisans change change the world! Chirp, chirp!

Birdy27 is an actor/writer/singer/songwriter/graphic designer/knitter/crocheter/yarn-based accessories designer/jewelry maker/entrepreneur and founder/president of Birdy27 Designs. Please join the action at the Birdy27 Designs Facebook Fan Page. 

A Crafty Life: Stephanie Maslow And Metalicious

I'm Birdy27 and I'm so happy spring is here! Although the weather isn't consistently springlike, this month's "A Crafty Life" in-depth interview with Stephanie Maslow of Metalicious (and Metalicious on Etsy) will help you forget about the temperature. I connected with Stephanie through the Etsy NY team almost two years ago and I've been a huge fan ever since. She marries the modern with subtle traces of the traditional and creates distinct pieces that are unique and memorable. Originally born in Byram, New Jersey, Stephanie is industrious, focused, and innovative. She is just as accessible as she is lovely and I've been waiting for the chance to talk to her about her process, her designs, and so much more. I couldn't be happier that she agreed to be this month's interviewee.

What brought you to New York?

I moved to New York City after college in the '90s when there were still drive-by shootings where I lived in the West Village.

Drive-by shootings in the West Village? I didn't realize it was so dangerous in the Village back then.

Yep, but it was mostly awesome living in a part of the city where the buildings are low enough for you to see the sky. I lived in a 4th floor walk up as big as a shoebox. I loved it.

I'm sure a lot of our readers can identify with the shoebox-sized apartment. Sounds like you were determined to make New York your home no matter what.

I came here because everyone is accepted no matter who you believe in, what color you are or who you love. It's home and I'm proud to be raising my two boys here. I have a 3- and an 8-year-old. It's normal for us to see Barbara Corcoran, a drag queen and a mowhawk-wearing-punk on our walk to school. And we've been monitoring the progress of the Freedom Tower. While the boys don't know all the specifics of 9-11, they understand that it's a really important skyscraper to me.

Living in New York City certainly enriches one's life in so many ways. You mentioned attending college. What is your educational background?

I have a dual degree from Syracuse: English and Textual Studies, and Television, Radio and Film Production. Two of the longest named majors ever. 

We have a lot of in common. Although deeply in love with the theater, I reluctantly enrolled in a mass communications program at a large university. Now we're both in very different places. 

Yeah! I'm thankful for the experience of college. Well, it turns out that Syracuse has an amazing Metals program! But I had no clue back then it would become my life's work. I guess I wasn't ready for it at the time.

Wow! Timing is indeed everything. "Metalicious" is great name. Can you tell us how you knew this was THE name for you?

It's funny because once in a while I get people who think I chose the name because I was really into '80s heavy metal music. The truth is that I love to play with words and was trying to find a company name that expresses how I feel about jewelry and metalworking. Delicious. Metal.

It reminds me of the "licious" craze that started around the time of "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child. It's perfect. When and how did you decide to become a silversmith? What was the process?

It was a complete accident. About 15 years ago I had a job working in TV and hated it. I wanted to work with my hands and needed a creative outlet and thought it was going to be ceramics. But that class was full and the only one they had left was "Intro to Jewelry." As soon as I sawed out my name from a sheet of copper, I was hooked. Tools are awesome. Being able to make something with my hands that came from my head and my heart was so fulfilling. For a few years I took a class after work at the local YWCA and made jewelry in every ounce of spare time I had. It was the only thing that made me forget about everything else, even eating. I'm Italian and nothing stops me from eating, so I knew I was onto something. 

This is yet another story of the universe working to fulfill your dreams, even dreams you didn't know you had. Well, thank goodness for us that ceramics class WAS full. What happened next?

From there I changed careers, got out of TV, and went to work for a small designer helping her with the business side of jewelry. Then I went to work for a mass jewelry manufacturer where I worked my way up until I was in charge of merchandising one of their diamond jewelry lines. A few times a year they sent me to India, Thailand, and Hong Kong to work with the overseas factories, designers and model makers. It was an incredible experience involving a lot of hard work and long hours, but I loved it. Then I had kids and decided to stay home with them, so the travel and career had to go. I started Metalicious as a side project to keep me sane, knowing that I would grow it once the kids went to school. Over the past 7 years I've shaped my business to be flexible and I'm incredibly thankful to have customers who are so supportive and wonderful to work with. They make me love what I do.

It takes a lot of courage to go against the grain and build something for yourself. You knew you HAD to leave television. You knew you HAD to make jewelry. You could have continued in an unfulfilling job for security's sake, but you did what you felt was right for you and never looked back. That was very courageous. Earlier I identified you as a silversmith. Was I correct?

I was taught that a silversmith is someone who uses a hammer and sheet metal to forge and raise cups, bowls, silverware, etc. so I'm not sure that's the right term for me. I am able to "smith" as a technique, but I don't really fit the silversmith profile. I've always struggled with what to call myself. I didn't have any formal education in jewelry; I'm kind of a hack. So I just call myself a jeweler. I see what trained goldsmiths create who have been working as jewelers for 20 years and it brings tears to my eyes. It's so beautiful. I saw a Lalique exhibit years ago and literally was weeping looking at the brooches his team created (in addition to the beautiful glass work). I don't yet have the exquisite attention to detail that, to me, denotes a true goldsmith. So I'm a jeweler.

Ok, I've got it. Working with metals must be very labor intensive. Can you walk us through what you do for one design? Do you make your own molds? How long does it take to finish a typical piece?

I hand build all my models using fabrication and wax carving/lathing techniques. I don't use pre-made components in my work; it's all originally made with my own two hands. Then I have a mold made and have it cast into metal. I choose casting because there are certain things you can do in wax that you can't do in metal and vice versa. Casting also allows me to change the metal type with each order so I can customize my ring as needed. From there I get the raw metal casting. A new design can take anywhere from 5-40 hours of work to create. Then it takes a few hours of work to clean, set, and give each piece a final polish. I love the process and it works for me, but you'll find each jeweler has their own way of doing things. No one way is any better than another; the process is unique to the individual.

Fascinating! I was a very dramatic child who was always singing and dancing, so a creative path was pretty predictable. What about you? Would anyone have predicted you'd become a jeweler?

No. Honestly, I never wore a lot of fine jewelry. As a kid, I loved making mud pies, but I also loved figuring out how electronics worked. I was weird and nerdy (newsflash: I still am), but I was never very good at art. I always loved working with my hands and what resonates with me is that jewelry combines science with art and that I can use both sides of my brain to create meaningful work. I play with fire, carve wax, and use machines and hand tools every day. I love my job.

What's your favorite part?

My favorite part of making jewelry is when I work with someone to make a piece of jewelry as a symbol of a major event in their life. Moms have bought my Wrought birthstone necklace in the various birthstones of their babies. Men buy my Modern Rock ring to propose to their girlfriends. When customers write to me about such important milestones, I'm humbled and incredibly thankful. Making jewelry isn't saving lives or changing the world, but it's nice to know that my work is bringing a little bit of happiness or specialness to others.

Well, you are changing the customer's life in a way. As you mentioned, people use jewelry to create memories and to commemorate births and deaths. Receiving a treasured piece from a loved one can honor and/or cement a relationship. Life changing for sure. I assume you make prototypes. What do you do with them if they don't cut the mustard?

It took me a long time to learn to let them go. Like, 12 years. I used to work on a piece over and over and then it would come out looking forced. My best friend, Madelynn, of the Etsy shop One Garnet Girl, taught me that it's okay to let something go if it's not working. She's incredibly talented, successful, and smart. So now, if it doesn't work, I scrap it or melt it down. It's incredibly freeing to not be tied to the money and time I've put into something, once I recognized that the time I'm saving by letting it go and moving on is way more valuable. Because if I don't love it, my customers won't love it either.

Yes, I feel exactly the same way when I'm designing: if I love it, someone else will love it, too. For those of us who are new to metal work, can you tell us a little about the metals you use?

I love working with metal, all kinds of metal. I work with sterling silver, 10-22k golds in all colors, palladium and platinum. As a nerd, I know the different properties of each (melting point, weight, malleability) and each one has it's own challenges. Whether I'm working with sheet, wire or castings, I have a pretty good idea of how things will turn out. But nerds also know that experiments can go wrong. I have bad soldering days. I have porosity in castings. I can't figure out where to sprue a piece to get the metal to flow correctly. The fun part is experimenting, and sometimes coming up with new ways to do things. You learn from each success, but you learn more from each mistake. I don't know who said that, but it's this nerd's mantra.

You mentioned soldering. I'm intrigued by it, but it's looks dangerous. Is it? Is it something you like to do?

Yes, it's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. I still sweat sometimes when I'm soldering something tricky, but not because I'm afraid I'll blow up. It's more out of fear that I'll melt a gold ring. Do I love it? I love soldering when soldering loves me back. But on the days when the torch and I aren't getting along... ugh.

Oh, I know what you mean! People always say that knitting and crocheting are relaxing, but they are very stressful if you make a mistake or things aren't going your way. I love the way you use gemstones. What is your fave?

I love faceted gemstones. Like an addict. Similar to metal, each gemstone has different properties. My main concern is hardness (hello, MOHS Scale of Hardness). The hardness of a stone will dictate whether I use it in a ring, a necklace or earrings. My favorite is sapphire--blue, pink, orange, green; it's beautiful and has a hardness of 9. (Diamonds are 10). I bought a stunning sapphire when my second son was born and made it into a ring so that I wouldn't eat it. It's so delicious.

Like a fashion designer, you create collections.  How many collections do you have?

My collections come from my heart, which is hard to pin down to just one influence. I grew up in the country among dairy farms and cornfields. I can drive a tractor. But I also love cities and architecture and geometry (nerd). So I think it all goes into my creative blender and pours out in the collections you see in my shop: Wrought, Modern Rock, Raw, and Metropolis. Derivatives of the core design come from customer requests. I love making my own designs, but I also love the collaboration with my customers, I get a lot of satisfaction from that.

Your concepts are particularly strong. How do your designs come to you?

I'm a 3-dimensional thinker, so I'll take time to sit and imagine a design and turn it around in my head before I make a sketch. I want to make sure every angle will work first. That happens when I make time to sit and think, which isn't often. I usually have an idea that simmers in the back of my head for a while before I can make time to fully imagine it. And then even longer before I can make the model. I've had design inspiration while running on the treadmill, during dreams or while driving. If I'm open to it and make time to imagine, inspiration is always there.

I do the same thing. I call it "steeping," like one lets tea steep. Do you sketch your designs or, like me, just start creating after letting ideas steep for a while?

Oooh, I like the term "steeping." I've done it both ways, but the most successful for me is to sketch it out first. My jewelry is about dimensions, finger sizes, gemstone diameters, weight. So the best designs have been ones that I've at least roughly sketched out first so that everything is in balance.

You describe your work as eco-friendly. How so? 

I work very hard to leave the smallest footprint I can. I use recycled boxes, recyclable mailers, and recycled metals. I also choose ethically-sourced gemstones whenever possible. I work mostly with U.S.-based companies. It's important to me to help my own economy even if it's more expensive. So sometimes I have to go the extra mile to research and ask questions, but it's worth it to me and it's important to my customers. Win-win.

That's a great selling point. I know you create necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, but your rings really stand out. Do you prefer making rings?

I personally love rings and would look like a crazy gypsy if I didn't have to work with my hands every day; every finger would have 2-3 rings on it. But I also like to wear earrings and necklaces since I don't have to take them off as often. I feel like my outfit isn't complete without earrings, a necklace and rings. Oh, and I love looking down at my wrist to see my silver and gold initial hearts that I made to remind me of my boys.   So I love earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets. Gypsy!

I feel the same way. If I could keep up with them, I'd have at least 3 rings on each hand at all times. What is your biggest seller?

My biggest seller is my Wrought wedding set. It's interesting because I've sold this to men who are buying it to propose with, or married women who are buying it as an alternative engagement ring set, and also single women who just want a cool gemstone ring without the matching band. It resonates with lots of people and that makes me extraordinarily happy. 

Do you sell at craft fairs?

Last year I gave up doing craft fairs. It was really hard because I missed meeting my customers directly. But I realized that there was a disconnect between the lower-end work I sold at fairs and the higher-end work I sold online. No one wants to pay $300 for a ring at a craft fair, but those are the kinds of pieces I love to make. So I gave it up fully last year and worked really hard on building my online sales. It was a leap and I was nervous it wouldn't work. But once my focus was solely on my online business, my sales doubled and more than made up for the income I got from fairs. I feel so much happier making this kind of jewelry. Plus, I get to spend weekends with my family now.

That was another courageous move. You saw that something needed to change and you took a chance. Good for you! What about wholesale?

I still have some wholesale accounts, but selling direct to my customers and hearing their feedback is really what I love to do. I have a plan to design a wholesale line that doesn't compete with my online work, and roll that out in early 2014. It's written on a paper plate here somewhere...

Do you have a blog?

Yes, but it's woefully neglected. I prefer to talk to people on Facebook. We have a lot of fun there!

As you know, I visit your fan page often and share your designs with my fans. I prefer Facebook to a blog, too. This leads me to marketing. Marketing is always challenging. How do you approach marketing and advertising?

Ugh, I'm the worst. marketer. ever.

No, no, I think I am. Really.

It's so hard, isn't it? I hate talking about myself; I worry that promoting my work will seem like I'm bragging. But I also know that if I don't put my work out there, no one will know it exists. So I try to do it in a nice, happy way. 

Marketing gurus always talk about knowing your customer.  It seems you have figured that out. Can you describe one of your typical customers?

It took me a long time to figure that out. My customer is a lot like me: non-traditional. They love colorful gemstones instead of diamonds, they don't need all their jewelry to be matchy-matchy, and they have strong opinions about the environment. So they love this wedding set because it combines all of those things. They'll buy the Wrought necklace usually in different color from their ring, or they'll pair it with some squared bands. My customers love modern, elegant jewelry, and that's what I strive for in each piece.

Also, I'm a Gemini which means I have lots of different interests and personalities. I love modern, sleek, simple, edgy. But I also love country, flowery, girly-girl. And those are two very different customers. It's really hard because if I promote one of those looks, I lose the other customer, so I'm moving toward incorporating the two sides of me. It's a process.

A smart friend of mine, Lenny of the Etsy shop Lenny Mud told me, "Your customer is you." And she's right. (Why is she always right?). As a craftsperson, I make what I like. So why wouldn't other wives/moms and edgyish/modernish/flowery/sentimental women like my work? Duh. My advice is: take a good look at yourself because you are your customer.

I've never thought of it that way. That's kind of brilliant. Have you been able to join the "quit your day job" club? Is your business self-sustaining?

Yes, my business is self-sustaining and contributes to childcare, food, bills, etc. My day job was being a mom, so you don't really ever quit that. :-)

Lucky you! Your hard work and dedication has paid off. Let's talk about the tricky issue of pricing. Just let it rip.

There are formulas, but I like to think about 3 things: income tax, cost of goods, and profit.

1. Income tax: it will differ depending upon your tax bracket, but you still need to pay it, so it needs to be part of your formula.

2. Cost of goods: metal, gemstones, my labor, utilities/rent/supplies, packaging, shipping.

3. Profit: how much I need to pay for my family to eat and live and go on vacation? (Wait, what's a vacation?)

I think a lot of people forget about income tax and actual profit. And you don't make vacations a financial afterthought, even if you haven't had one in a while. I adore your photos. You do your own photography, correct?

Thank you so much. Yes, I do my own photography. Second to marketing, photography is my worst subject. It has taken me 5 years to get to the point where I don't hate my photos, which is directly related to my boost in sales. I am selling online, so my photos need to be impeccable. Once I stopped making excuses as to why I can't do it, I just tried hundreds of times until I got it right. Hundreds of times. I'm not even kidding. My hard drive is sagging under the weight of my mistakes. If something isn't selling, I re-take the photo until it looks as good as my best-selling ring set.

You're right about it being a process. Where do you live? Do you have a dedicated studio?

I live in Chelsea with 2 boys, my husband, and 2 cats. The space is small, but we keep it minimal so that we don't feel cramped. In February I moved my studio out of our bedroom into an office building a few blocks away. It was a big deal for me because whenever I'd dream of what success meant, it was to have my own studio space outside of the apartment. I still can't believe it. It's really helped me separate my work and home life; I had to get used to wearing shoes once I moved out. And there's no laundry or dishes to do during the day now; they patiently wait for me to get home. Isn't that nice of them?

Yes, that's very nice of them. It's great you found a space so close to home. We've talked on occasion about our mutual vegetarianism. Has being a vegetarian affected your business and your aesthetic? How do you handle being the sole veggie in your family?

I think being concerned for things outside my own bubble definitely seeps into my business. Being passionate about making my company as eco-friendly as I can is directly related to my own vegetarianism. I don't want to do harm to others if I can help it, so conserving resources is key to my business model. Being the solo veggie in my family is really hard. But I was forced to eat meat as a kid, so I don't want to do the reverse to my kids and force them to be vegetarians. They know I'm vegetarian, but it's not a big deal. I've been veg for 22 years so it's become just one part of who I am. Just like I don't expect them to become jewelers, you know?

I've been vegetarian and mostly vegan for even longer. My family doesn't share my plant-based lifestyle, but they help me with my business in many ways. How does your family help you? Do your cats contribute? 

LOL! My cats couldn't be less enthusiastic about my work unless it has ice cream on it. But the rest of my family is incredibly supportive and I'm really blessed. My husband has a job with health insurance. He reminds me to look at my profit and loss every week. And he tells me when I've posted something non-Metalicious-related on Instagram usually via a snarky e-mail. My kids are also supportive of my work. They're still young and don't really know that most moms don't have their own businesses. I'm hoping that changes and it is definitely becoming more the norm thanks to Etsy. GO, MOMPRENEURS!

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

I hope to continue to make handmade work for my customers. There's only so much business that I can handle as one person, and only so much that my family needs. I would love to work with a non-profit to make donations on behalf of my customers. I'd also like to increase my wholesale business so that I can hire other artisans. That would mean that I'd have to share my CD player and I'm just not there yet.

Lastly, how has being part of the Etsy NY team helped you?

Being an entrepreneur is lonely. The connections I've made with other artists here in New York has given me the ability to have the camaraderie of an office, except our water cooler happens to be an online Google group.

Stephanie, interviewing you was a joy! Thank you so much for sharing your story. You are an gifted jeweler, an unstoppable force, and an inspiration to us all.

The Etsy NY team's 2013 Spring Handmade Cavalcade on Saturday, May 4! If you're looking for the best handmade market in the New York area, look no further. And later in May, I'll bring you another thrilling installment of "A Crafty Life." This is Birdy27 signing off. Please support the handmade community. Successful creative artisans can change the world! Chirp, chirp!

Birdy27 is an actor/writer/singer/songwriter/graphic designer/knitter/crocheter/yarn-based accessories designer/jewelry maker/entrepreneur and founder/president of Birdy27 Designs. Please join the action at the Birdy27 Designs Facebook Fan Page.