Fabulous Friday Feature with StoryBeader!

Welcome to the next installment of the Fabulous Friday Features, where I feature a different Etsy artist each week! If you know of a great Etsy artist who should be featured (or if you want to be featured yourself!) please leave a comment with a way to contact you (Etsy store, email address, blog site, etc.).
This week's featured artist is StoryBeader! She makes beautiful jewelry at great prices, please read on to find out more about her :)

1. What kind of art do you do, where do you sell?
I create one-of-a-kind ethnic jewelry. I also make seasonal keychains and bookmarks. For every necklace, I write a haiku; something I'm thinking about while I'm creating the piece. I started selling my jewelry and accessories where I work, The Museum of the Great Plains, in Lawton, Oklahoma (http://www.museumgreatplains.org) Then I branched out online - first on Ebay, then I found Etsy {{♥♥♥♥}} .

~One of her fabulous Necklaces~

I pay the most attention to my Etsy shop ( http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5588115 ),
1000Markets ( http://www.1000markets.com/users/storybeader ) and
Artfire (http://www.artfire.com/users/storybeader )
I also sell my jewelry at regional art shows and craft festivals, though I don't spend a lot of time doing this. I used to have some of my pieces on consignment in other local shops, but now I just use the museum's gift shop for consignment. Been thinking about getting together with some artist friends and creating an artist cooperative, where we can work and sell out of (that's a long-term goal!)

~A Stunning Pendant Necklace~

2. How did you get started doing your art.
I was making presents, like a lot of us. Then some people started saying, "you could sell this" and I thought, why not try! The gift shop at work is a great place for me to put my jewelry in. For me, it's just a creative outlet, that and writing (which has really taken over my life!)

~This Necklace is On Sale!~

3. What are your inspirations?
I'm inspired by my surroundings and by the arts. If I go for a walk on a beach, I have a hard time not picking up shells and stones. I love going to a nice bead store - get a lot of ideas there. I enjoy going to museums - I might not be able to create what I see, but it sure inspires me. I also love looking at fabric as art. And of course music and words. Gosh, that covers just about everything!

~Playful Horse Bookmark~

4. What are your current favorite pieces?
I think someone said in one of my interviews, that their favorite piece was the one they just finished. That's about the same way I look at things. Maybe it's because your thoughts are so involved with what you're working on. So what have I been doing lately? I decided to make a series of necklaces with the stones I picked up on a beach in Ireland. My first one, Blasket Stone #1, is a mix of sterling and shell - http://www.1000markets.com/products/71257. Blasket Stone #2 uses chipped stone and a horse fetish - http://www.1000markets.com/products/74390

~Fabulous Bracelet~

5. Are you involved with any animal or other charitable organizations? How did that come about?
I've always been involved in environment awareness and the arts. I believe in educating people and supporting these two causes, locally and nationally through action, politics and what little extra money I have. Each individual person has to do their part.

~Great KeyChain!~

6. Are you having any specials/sales or anything else you'd like me to mention.
No specials or sales going right now. I do have it in mind, that I will start making products involving paper, but I need to play around with my supplies first. And of course, come Stroll Through Storyland with me at http://www.storybeader.com

Thanks so much for a great insight into your beautiful business! I wish you all the best of success and I can't wait to see what you come up with next :)