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Chrystalyn makes wonderful OOAK jewelry, keychains, and everyday ornaments.
Her items definitely have an 'earthy' feel.
Here are some favorite picks from her store.
I Love this Artists description of when she gets most creative, read it!
Favorite item from my shop: My favorite item right now is my Coral Valentine Necklace. It's red dyed coral strung on a delicate gold filled or sterling chain and measures about 17 inches. I was marketing it and developed it for Valentine's Day, but just had it published on myshoppingconnection.com and listed as "The Shape of My Soul" necklace. It's understated but totally fantastic!
How did you first hear about Etsy? I think I heard about Etsy because I was looking for some handmade items myself? It was almost 5 years ago now... I guess I don't actually remember how I discovered it. I just recall promptly realizing that it was a great solution to help me establish my internet presence. Of course, then, it was much smaller and the regular traffic so much less than it is now.
When did you first start selling on Etsy?I started selling on Etsy right after I discovered it. I had just made my website and was needing to sell online but wasn't ready to splurge on the whole e-commerce setup such as a shopping cart. And because so much of my early work was exclusively one-of-a-kind, it made sense to find a platform that was faster to update than building and rebuilding a webpage every time I designed a new piece.
What made you decide to make what you make?I started making jewelry because I couldn't afford what I liked, namely freshwater pearls. In fact, my trademark design early on was a color mixture of freshwater pearls in different lengths. At the time, I was living in uptown Dallas and was surrounded with inspiration from hip friends to funky music to lavish eateries. And because Dallas is known for it's shopping, I think my location really aided me in establishing an initial fanbase. However, I was working a job that didn't exactly leave a cushion for the beautiful things that I saw in the local neighborhood shops. To keep myself sane while working the job, I started revamping my own jewelry, handbags, and clothing. I then realized I had a real knack for design after all my friends wanted my whimsical creations for birthday presents to sport around town.
Where do you get your passion/motivation?My passion roots from a very honest sort of love of beautiful things that say something about the ins and outs of life. My initial theme was very much "contradiction by design" and I often revisit that notion to see how I, as well as my work has progressed. I love the irony of imperfections and a lack of predictability in my own work. Like life, those are the things that are real and intriguing and worth noting.
Do you have a day job?Well, sort of. I do alot of temp work locally here in northern California. It's flexible and gives me the opportunity to constantly network my creative projects. As a plus, I'm a total multitasker so the variety is probably what keeps me grounded enough to keep doing what I love which is creating.
Where do you invent your items? i.e. do you have an office or do you work in your house?Before I moved to the west coast, I had a studio space in my house with tons of windows and plenty of room to hang designs all over the walls. Now though, I have a little section of a room that has all of my supplies organized for portability. Everything is in glass containers or on vintage plates that I scored from a few garage sales so they don't look so "craft-time" like. It's sort of like the art closet in kindergarten class where all of the markers, crayons, and construction paper are kept. I pull them all out when I'm inspired and try to remember to put them away when I'm finished. That, often, is days later...
Do you belong to any Etsy Teams?I do actually belong to a Chico Etsy Team. The problem is that Chico is an hour or so from where I live so I've not attended a single meeting yet. Shame on me!
How long does it take you to create a piece?It depends on what it is. If I've been thinking about it for awhile, then I can knock it out in about half an hour. I try not to sit down with the intent of just making unless I've just landed some new beads that I'm really psyched about. I just wind up being fussy about the designs when I don't have a vision for it yet. And in that case, it could take me a week to create a piece. Creative forces are like waves: I don't mind riding the crest but I detest sitting there in the trough.
When do you get most creative?I used to only be able to work late at night. I'd stay up so late sitting on the hardwood floors in the doorway between my bedroom and living room. Now, I think it's still evening because I'm most relaxed then. I like to make an event of creating. I get a good glass of wine, put on a cool movie, and just create according to the mood. The only time I create during the day is if I have a deadline. I try hard to keep the joy of my art at the forefront rather than treating it only as something that pays the bills.
What is your most popular item in your store?During the holidays, the gemstone ornaments just go like crazy! I'm trying change the perspective on the ornaments though. I call them all occasion ornaments because they are such a sweet original gift that goes so far beyond the Christmas tree. I think people are starting to catch on. I think they're lovely gifts as a token of remembrance of a life milestone or to honor a hostess.
Any advice you could give to other new sellers on Etsy?Don't get down if you've been on awhile and have yet to get a sale. I think i was on for about 6 months or so and, even still, my first sale was a good friend. Read tips in the forums and learn from others that came before you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and play around until you figure out how Etsy works best for you.
What do you do to promote your shop?I have a blog (www.chrystaljewelry.blogspot.com) as well as my business website (www.chrystalynjewelry.com). I also make use of all of the social networking sites that my sphere of influence has a presense in. I love doing promotional postcards; They are my favorite!
How do you balance your creative work with home life and family?I try not to make my creativity the be all/ end all. On the contrary, I ride the waves as they come and don't try too hard to make it happen. I think it works well for me because that causes me to be deliberate in the way in which I divide up my time. Of course, everything changes when you have a deadline...
Are you trade friendly with fellow Etsians?Heck yes! I love trading! Gosh, I'd barter for everything if I could. I currently trade massages for jewelry. I'm still looking for someone to trade pedicures for jewelry. I actually just did a trade for an all occasion ornament with a gal in the Philippines. I need to get on the Etsy Trade blog and look around. I LOVE trading!
Do you have your own blog?My jewelry blog is http://www.chrystalynjewelry.blogspot.com/. I try to keep it updated with my monthly promotions and photos of new designs. It can also be accessed from my website.
WOW!! Her jewelry is amazing! Love those earrings. Obviously need to see her shop.
ReplyDeleteI love everything Chrystalyn does!!! Talk about custom and unique design... Her designs speak to my personality and moods. It is all about our own unique character, right?? I have many of her pieces and love each one.
ReplyDeleteEverything is so green and earthy...I love it. It's beautiful without being too flashy and over the top. Thanks for the giveaway again:)
ReplyDeleteamy_881@yahoo.com