BESTeam Feature 8/21/11

Weekly Interview with an Artist times two.
This week we have a great team.


Gilliauna
 and

 

TwisttheLeaf

When did you first get into making jewelry?

Gilliauna - "I've been making jewelry since a very young age. My family is filled with creative people and artisans of all kinds both on the men's and women's side of the family. My mother started out early introducing me to different artisan crafts and ideas. Jewelry was one of those that caught my attention and has kept it for over 20 years now."

TwisttheLeaf - "Gilliauna taught me how to make jewelry. When I was a kid, she used to babysit my twin sister and I. Gilliauna would bring over craft projects to keep us busy and one of my favorites was when she brought over her beads and taught us how to make different types of jewelry."



Where do you get most of your inspiration from?

Gilliauna - "I absolutely love color! Whether it's in nature or in stores, in the city or just around the home or on the internet. Color is what inspires me every day of my life, not just in jewelry but in every creative thing I do, even in my daydreaming."

TwisttheLeaf - "I find a good deal of my inspiration comes from the supplies themselves. I'm drawn to colors and shapes, and designing jewelry gives me a chance to play with both and join them together in interesting combinations."


Can you describe your creative process?

Gilliauna - "I'm very free-style in my creative process. I usually find a piece such as a pendant, charm or colorful bead that I'm inspired by and then build a design around that piece, adding and adjusting the developing piece until it feels finished and complete."

TwisttheLeaf - "I dream of most of my pieces before they come into being created. I stockpile supplies when I find beads and other supplies that I like. My mind then puts different ideas together in my sleep until I'm inspired to the point of creating what I've dreamed."


What do you love most about what you do?

Gilliauna - "The colors that surround us add an extra level of beauty and richness to every day of our lives. Sometimes color isn't just seen but experienced through all the senses and even the emotions. Jewelry design gives me a chance to share a bit of my love for color with others as well and brighten their lives in the process. I cherish that opportunity everyday."

TwisttheLeaf - "For me, creating beauty feels good on an emotional level. I enjoy that feeling that comes when a piece is finished and I'm happy with it."



What are your plans and hopes for your shop in the future?

Gilliauna - "I want our shop to flourish because I love the opportunities it gives me to express my creativity and share my enthusiasm for pretty things and my love of color with the world"

TwisttheLeaf - "Offer more. Creativity is addicting and I enjoy creating more every day. Sometimes it becomes a challenge to get them offered in the shop when ideas are really flying so my goal."



Other than crafting, what do you like to do during your spare time?

Gilliauna - "Crafting pretty much consumes my life so there's very little I do that isn't crafting in one way or another. I also love to read, though, as well as to garden, especially with flowers and herbs."

TwisttheLeaf - "I'm currently working three different part-time jobs and preparing to go back to school to continue working towards my double major during the winter quarter."



Is there anything you'd like people to know about you and your shop? Special offers, sales, future plans etc.

Gilliauna - "I love doing custom orders! If you see something in the shop that you like and want it in a different color or want something made just for you, I love working with my customers to create special orders."

TwisttheLeaf - "Keep watch on our Facebook page (facebook.com/BitsnBeadsbyGilliauna) to see new items and learn when sales take place in our shop."

Here are some of My Favorite things 

from this teams shop.

Handmade Gemstone Bracelet - Malachite in Summer

Summer vibrant in green and gold, this a handmade bracelet is made of clusters of malachite chips interspersed between green and amber bicones and golden suns. The bracelet is then completed with a matching toggle clasp.

This item is a unique OOAK (One of a Kind) piece

Bracelet measures 8" length (20.5 cm) including clasp.
(Toggle clasps overlap slightly when worn.)

Handmade Pearl and Crystal Zipper Pull - Ruby

A creamy pearl teardrop dangles beneath a cabochon in vibrant ruby red on this beautiful charm. The piece is then finished with a touch of gold plated accents.

This is a charm that can be attached to a phone, zipper pull, key chain, purse, wallet or anything else that needs a bit of decoration. It could even be used for a rear view mirror dangle for your car!

1.2-inch (30 mm) in length

All orders come with a matching 0.75-inch (2 cm) keyring loop unless you request otherwise. If you want another type of connector instead, please indicate in your order which connector you would like. Your choices are:

A) Small Claw clasp (12 mm)
B) Large Claw clasp (23 mm)
C) Cell Phone Strap (52 mm)

Evil Eye Norse Necklace Strand in Blue and Green (22-inches) - Historical Reenactment Jewelry

A handmade Norse necklace themed for historical reenactment. This Norse cascade necklace has been designed with a variety of colorful glass beads in variety of sizes and shapes, many of which depicting eyes upon their surface.

This colorful blend is an array of rich blues and greens and both ends of this strand include a small split ring that can easily be attached to your shoulder brooches to be worn in the traditional fashion. It can also be worn around the neck as a contemporary necklace for everyday wear simply by connecting the two rings together.

Length: 22-inches (55.9 cm)

All of our Norse viking necklaces are unique OOAK (one of a kind) pieces!

Red Eyeglass Chain Beaded with Black, White Pearls and Gold

A handmade red eyeglass chain beaded with black, white pearls and gold.

This eyeglass chain is created with a classic combination of colors and a splash of vibrate red in the form of vintage opaque red beads. The strand is designed with smooth beads at the nape for the comfort of the wearer and decorative beads at the ends to show off a sense of style while keeping eyeglasses easily in reach.

29.5" from tip to tip - 75 cm
(Length adjustable on request.)

If you have skinny arms on your glasses and are worried the eyeglass chain won't hold them, check out the solution posted on my blog!
http://www.colorfulartisanjewelry.com/2011/07/how-to-tighten-ends-of-eyeglass-chain.html

Links:

Etsy Store: www.etsy.com/shop/Gilliauna

Website - www.bitsnbeads.com
Facebook - facebook.com/BitsnBeadsbyGilliauna
Blog - www.colorfulartisanjewelry.com
Twitter - twitter.com/gilliauna
The Meandering Musings Blog - www.handmadeshoppingguide.com

TwisttheLeaf's Profile: www.etsy.com/people/TwisttheLeaf

Join BESTeam - Boosting Etsy Shops Team 
The Boosting Etsy Shops Team's goal is to provide marketing support for each others' Etsy shops by writing WEEKLY features on our blogs.