Meet the Boomers!

What is the name of your shop? eversoDear but hopefully in January, if not before, I’ll be starting a second shop here at Etsy called “Twirling Vine” with more funky artsy pieces.

What kind of items do you sell? Hand made one of a kind jewelry.

How long have you been engaged in your art/craft? about 13 years

Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?  I’m just beginning to see myself more as professional than hobbyist.  I’m probably in the middle. I’m always trying to improve the quality of my supplies, my skills and techniques.

What inspires you? Everything! I am in awe of this gorgeous creation called earth that we live upon. Nature has a great influence on my work, but inspiration and the creative juices really flow seeing new beads and seeing the artistic creations of others, regardless of their field. There is something so special and cool about this artistic community; here we all are creating and sharing our visions and dreams. We can be worlds apart by distance, politics, or values, yet here we are connecting!

 Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio. After the morning routine of devotions, Bible reading, and green chai tea and bagels, I hit the computer to see if anything sold or if there are any convos to answer. If I can tear myself away from the Etsy treasuries and the searching for more beads (very difficult to do I might add!), I begin at my workshop, which my husband made for me. The workshop is also my husband's ham radio room and storage room! On the work table I have those plastic storage cabinets that usually hold nails and screws, and tall towers of plastic containers from my husband’s lunch meat.  (They're perfect for holding more beads and findings!) I usually have three beading trays going at the same time, waiting for inspiration, inclination and uninterrupted time.
Due to a back problem, I can't stay at the work area too long.  So after I’ve made my selections, I grab my lap tray, a beading tray and some more beads and head to the recliner. I place a kitchen chair to the left of the recliner, and fill it with even more beads and findings just in case I want to change the color palette or direction of the piece. I might redo a piece 3-4 times till I capture the look and feel that was in my mind.

What keeps you company while you’re working on a project?  The news might be softly on the TV, or maybe an old black & white film. I discovered that as much as I love music I can’t have it on as I’ll be singing and bobbin’ around with the beat. Apparently I can’t sing and bead at the same time!

What is your favorite task related to your art/craft? I love looking for and getting new beads.  I love the satisfaction I get when my piece is finished, and I love wrapping up my jewelry for a customer!

What is your least favorite task related to your art/craft? I dislike having to clean up my work table and beading trays, and I especially dislike writing the description and coming up with a title!

Do you blog? Yes, I have two.  EversoDear is more Etsy- and business-related and Sunflower Songs, which is more personal and spiritual.

To which teams do you belong? BBEST, CAST and WWWG.

Do you use other sites? Yes I just opened a second branch of my shop at Lollishops.

Related to your craft, tell us about a funny, strange or unusual situation you found yourself. Hmmm. Is it strange or unusual that I haven’t had any?

Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t necessarily know about you by talking to you in the forums. My daughter and I know practically every line from the movie All about Eve.

What’s your favorite book and why? Favorite book is The Good Earth, and I have read it almost yearly since I first discovered it in high school.  I’m not sure why I love it so much:  perhaps its the lure of a culture so different from mine or how the love of the land became a love of money and drove a wedge between the husband and wife. Another favorite is The Joy Luck Club -- a terrific read!  Because of the complex relations between mothers and daughters, I learned something about myself reading it.

Do you have a favorite movie? Way too many to list! I love silent films and  those from the late '30s and '40s especially. A favorite kind of music? Ah music! I love contemporary praise & worship, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue makes me weak in the knees, and I love the Beatles!

Would you care to share any words of wisdom with other aspiring artists or crafters? Don’t be afraid to experiment with new techniques or directions. Strive to improve your skills. And if you run into a patch in which nothing is working out right, stop. If you are tense or unhappy when you’re making it, it’ll show in your finished piece. So put it away for a while and do something else.

Now that you know eversoDear a little better, please leave a comment for her.