Aspiring Artisan: Flowerleaf

"Where does a sea otter buy things

handmade and vintage? Wetsy." -Jocelyn of Flowerleaf

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am 33 years old and sometimes I actually act like my age. Most days I am a little kid in an adult's body, but even that is debatable since people tend to think I am about 7 years or so younger than I actually am. So I am a kid at heart who is serious when the time calls for it, and very serious about art and anything creative really. I have been singing since I can remember and all the visual art stuff gradually took precedence over the music majoring part of my life, but I will never give up singing. When it comes to making jewelry, I just love putting everything together and when someone purchases one of my pieces, that's just icing on the cake. - Oh and YAMS on roller skates! --> I am random.

"What happens when a buyer finally goes to retrieve their Etsy package from the mailbox? It's time to go getsy."

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I am basically like a cat when I am not working. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Not really. I hang around my little sister a lot. She and I are pretty weird folks and love poking fun at the oddities of life. She and I take a floral design class together and we love it. The ladies in that class are amazing and so much fun. I love being around people, so if I am not creating then I am around other people somewheres.

World Traveler Unisex Necklace

What made you first want to become an artist?
I would draw the most detailed things when I was little. I drew this factory where all Easter things are made (very fitting for this time of year, actually) down to the conveyer belt with boxes packing up chocolate Easter bunnies. I still have it in my possession. I didn't start getting serious about art until college though. I was needing an outlet from all the stress of being a music major and my love for painting, drawing, ceramics, and anything else I could get my hands on just grew from that point on.

"What would be the coolest way for Etsy admin to travel?

By a private jetsy."



Golden Sunrise Earrings

Please describe your creative process.

Are you sure you want to go there? It's a scary place...my process is so unprocess-like, so I guess it means I am just wired more organically. I will either be drawn to a color combination or a bead and a found item that I know need to be with one another in a piece of jewelry. Sometimes I sketch, but that hardly ever happens. Mostly I just sit and look at my drawers full of beads and things and get inspired to put some of them into one or two pieces. Music is always in the background. Got to have music.

Please tell us something about your subject matter, a little background into why you make art about what you do.

I love nature and color and shadows and light. Things that play off one another grab my attention and then I want to create something inspired by that feeling I had when I was looking at it for the first time. I also love to bring in old things and making them new...or juxtapositions of old and new coming together to make something different. I love glass...I use it a lot in my pieces and I would love to see Czech glass beads being made.



Antique Rose Necklace

What specific steps you are taking to grow your Etsy shop.

I still have some photos that I want to eliminate completely and just make my entire shop flow as best as it can. I am also in the process of bringing back some oldies, but making sure I am also keeping my shop fresh and not worry too much about that, but just keep creating. I am always open to new ideas, too...

"Would you adopt a pet off of Etsy?

If you did, I think they would call that section "Petsy."

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

There are a few very important words that help me and I know they will help new Etsians:

Patience - Your shop may take a month or two or even three before it sees its first sale, so don't lose heart.

Persistence - Don't give up and work hard on your shop. It's yours...no one else's and you have to think of it like a real piece of storefront property. Make it pretty, make it appealing to customers and keep true to who you are as an artist.

Honesty - Be honest with your customers in every way and it will pay off. Be honest with yourself as well. Don't take on more than you can handle and don't second guess yourself.

I also can't stress how important community is. Finding a group of people who are at different levels of success and creativity can do so much to help you out. I have met some amazing artists and have confided in them when things are crazy. They have helped me more than they will ever know. Also...Get involved. Join a team. Make treasuries. Get to know your fellow Etsy sellers and you will at the very least make some awesome friends.

Handpainted Rings by Flowerleaf

How do you promote your work?
This is where I still need much work. I network a lot and I have Twitter, Facebook, and a very neglected blog. Also, word of mouth. I make sure to keep some business cards to show people when I am getting to know them. That's about it.

In ten years, where would you like to be?

In Australia. Hehe. Seriously though. I would love to be living somewhere else and have at least two Etsy shops that are doing well. I have another Etsy shop, but I have had it on the back burner ever since it opened. Hopefully my man has showed up and he can help me with all my orders and make me muffins... I really don't know. I just hope I am happy as I am now and with people I love and that I am still doing what I love.

"-- I don't sell jokes for a living, thank goodness."


You can win one of Jocelyn's gorgeous "Majestic" rings!



The Majestic



To enter:

1. Visit Jocelyn's shop and leave a comment below letting us know which piece is your favorite.
2. Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway
3. Purchase something from Jocelyn's shop.
You can enter in as many different ways as you want!
Leave a separate comment below for each entry.
I will select a winner at random on April 26 using random.org

And the winner is....

Ilena!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered