Friday Feature -- CalKat the Jewelry Junkie

This week's Friday Feature at Mama's Magic is also the featured Etsyblogger for the month of December -- CalKat the Jewelry Junkie! Actually, there are several shops associated with the incredibly creative team of Carrie and Kathy: CalKat, Ametista, the Clay Shoppe and YogaFairies.

I had a great time checking out all these shops full of pretty shiny things, and was utterly charmed by the Yoga Fairies, particularly this purple Namaste pose!

CalKat was kind enough to take time from their busy holiday schedules to answer a few questions. Enjoy the interview!



1. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?

We make one of a kind artisan jewelry. We use only high quality gemstones and precious metals. In our other three shops we work with polymer clay as our primary medium along with recycled glass and wood.

We began 7 years ago designing and creating artisan jewelry under the tutelage of our dear friend Suzanne Colucci of Belandaria Designs. What we didn't learn from Suzanne we learned from books and experimentation.

Our use of polymer clay was a progression in to a more flexible medium, something that allowed us to be creative and widen our spectrum of items.

2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?

EtsyBloggers Team

Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy (PCAGOE Team)

Etsy Dark Side Team

3. How did you get involved with Etsy?

We heard about it and fell in love with it. It seemed to us the perfect venue for our artistic offerings.

4. What inspires your creations?

The miraculous mind of Tim Burton, A.D.D., our love of all things shiny, Halloween, vintage inspired anything, the artwork of Dr. Seuss, the amazing imaginations of Lewis Carroll and JK Rowling, nature and the endless possibilities provided via polymer clay and pmc (Precious Metal Clay).

5. What is your biggest challenge related to your Etsy shop?

Getting noticed amongst so many talented artists and making a name for ourselves.

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

Our signature Zodiac handcrafted pendants in CalKat. In Ametista, Night's Grace Artistic Apothecary Bottle and any of our Monster boxes, in our Yoga Fairy shop, we love them all.

7. Why is it your favorite?

In CalKat it's our Zodiac necklaces. These pieces are extremely unique, everything from the hand carving of the mold to the firing of the PMC is done by us. Each necklace includes corresponding gemstones to signify ones sun, moon and rising signs. Our customers who wear these personal talismans tell us that it is their favorite necklace and rarely take it off.

In Ametista it's "Night's Grace" as it embodies the look and the idea of Ametista,which is a darkly whimsical shop in which old is made new and uniquely re-purposed. We like to incorporate the use of recyclable glass and wooden boxes to create our artistic oddities.

Our Yoga Fairies shop just makes us giggle every time we look at them.

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

Be persistent, don't give up, try new ideas. Check out your favorite stores, find out what makes them sucessful and then follow their lead. Make things that you love and it will show through in your work.

9. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.

A. One of us is an avid photographer and the other one has a beautiful singing voice.

B. The whole reason we decided to work for ourselves, was so that we' never have to wear pantyhose EVER AGAIN.

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

http://calkatthejewelryjunkie.blogspot.com

http://ametistadea.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ametistagirl/

Facebook search Ametista Artistic Offerings http://twitter.com/AmetistaEtsy http://halloweenart.ning.com/profile/Ametista

http://designstyleguide.ning.com/profile/Ametista

11. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your shop or your work?

We're excited to be working with PMC more in the upcoming year. We have a number of ideas we can’t wait to manifest.

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: mamasmagicstudio

See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

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