One of the first blogs that I was interviewed for was for Style List. Check out the link: http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2008/09/19/indie-designer-interviews-bad-cat-jewelry/

I was also the Spotlight seller on 1000Markets.com:
http://www.1000markets.com/blog_posts/2414

GreenMeAlison wrote: I mentioned your etsy shop in my holiday gift guide (and put a few of your pieces on my wish list with Hubby) http://tinyurl.com/5ppzoa

1000Markets

Seriously folks, these people have their act together. Whether it is from helping a seller solve a problem while setting up a store, to photography tips, and plain general information, their admin folks are on top of it. Posts are thoughtful, well written, and easy to understand. They have no problem popping back into thread and clarifying a point further if there is any confusion. I'm impressed.

I am starting to focus a bit more on this venue right now, as I feel the limits of Etsy. I can't deny that the foot traffic is incredible, but whether someone actually finds you or even *sees* one of your items is another story. But enough of that.

Tonight I listed several pieces on 1000Markets. Some Jade (Canadian and Soocho) bracelets, a vintage glass bead bracelet, and several earrings. The Canadian Jade is pretty cool...a pretty green with darker flecks. Soocho Jade is a new stone to me...Apparently there are a range of colors from yellow oranges to a warm pink. My newest love are mini lampwork rounds. They are so tiny and delicate, and the possibility for color combinations are endless.

They take payments through Amazon.com, but unfortunately at this point in time International sales are not available. But the site is so pretty and my sales are mostly in the US, I can forgive that.

I've been fielding many questions about the photograph of the cat that is my avatar. He is also the inspiration behind the title of my shop. Before I sat down to interview him, I gathered information about his past lives, and where he plans to go from here.

He has vague memories of his mother, but remembers that she was warm and furry and smelled like milk. He does not know his father. At a young age, he decided to set out on his own and prowl the streets fending for himself. Being a friendly sort of cat, he allowed himself to be taken into a local animal shelter after a year of living on the streets. At that point in time, he remembers his life vividly: the very sad woman who had recently lost her best catfriend to cancer and the deceptively cute child who came with her. Being the vocal sort of fellow, he decided to chat them up a bit and got them alone in a room with a worker from the shelter. After playing he coy, he came up to the woman, gave her a sniff, then decided to head butt her and give her a kiss (naughty boy). The seemingly charming child had latched onto his tail, but that wasn't a concern. He could take care of him later when the woman wasn't looking. He gave the kid a sniff (he had been changed so he smelled okay), headbutted him, and gave him a kiss. Apparently, the woman had a husband who needed to meet him as well. The same routine followed: sniff, headbutt, lick. Done deal. So his life began in the new home and the people he adopted.

Q: Is that you in the photos?
A: Yes. (He became a bit churlish due to lack of sleep, so the rest of the interview was completed with his people, with some clarification from him at times).

Name: Finn MacCool
Birthday: Undetermined, although age is likely to be around 5.
Weight: f^#k you
Favorite person: the big guy
Least favorite person: the little guy who looks like the big guy
Favorite sports: Midnight counter top golf, sprinting, and long jump
Favorite food: Royal Kanin
Biggest dislike: feline toothpaste, laxatone, tail pulling, and being kissed by women wearing lipstick...and answering questions.
Hobbies: voyeurism, finding clean clothes to sleep on, and battling invisible things
Vice: Catnip, sleeping on pillows
Bad Habits: staring without blinking, personal grooming in public
Fears: none
Embarrassing moments: author's note...had to explain phrase to cat. Apparently that phrase is not known in the feline language. Answer is "none".
Best feature: besides his startling good looks, green eyes, and long whiskers, he has a great friendly personality, and is affectionate to just about everyone (gigolo). In addition, his patience is incredible.
Biggest loss in life: his testes
Bad Judgement Calls to Date: the time he fell behind the sofa and the exceedingly fast growth rate and movement of the little guy.
Favorite Accessories: His microchip and studly leather collar with vaccinations, registrations, and HomeAgain charms. He is also proud of his long sharp claws.
Favorite Toys: Anything with catnip
Wants: his own tartan
Laughs in the face of: heights, very fast children, vacuums, and ambushes
Favorite place to date: Inside the house
Quoted as saying: "Better inside and fat, than outside and flat" and "Go to your local shelter and adopt a pet today".
Favorite Celebrity: Bob Barker aka. Mr. "Don't Forget to Spay and Neuter your Pets".

The interview concluded with a request for more food and to have his litterbox cleaned (he prefers the pine stuff ).

Its only handmade...why is it so expensive?

I will be the first to admit that once upon a time, several years ago, this thought crossed my mind. Perhaps when most people think of handmade, it immediately recalls memories of grade school art class: construction paper, glue, crayons, pipecleaners, tissue paper, and multicolored somethings on a string. ***

My musings: What about those tools? Kilns are expensive, precious metal clay is dear, and some semiprecious gemstones can be costly. I can't even comment on what is needed for wood working, metal smithing, stained glass artists, weavers, and the other multitude of artisans out there. Where did they get their education? Do they have school loans to pay off? Did they learn their skill from family members or a neighbor? Are they self taught?

What are the expenses for the people who raise alpacas, sheep, and llamas for their wool? They will need to call a vet if one of their animals get sick. That can't be cheap. And once they have gotten the wool from the animal, how does it get so nice and clean? Who spins the wool? Do they have a spinning wheel or is there something new that I don't know about that is used? People still weave their own textiles on a loom, I think...where do you find one of those and how much does it cost?

How long did it take take to complete that piece ? These people must really love what they do. From start to finish. I know I love each and every piece I make. Sometimes I don't want to part with it. But I need the money. So I look at my time, the materials, the tools, the packaging, but I don't calculate in the love, because I can't put a price on it. I think that if artisan started calculating in love, no one would be able to afford handmade.


***this is not stated to degrade art done in school. My favorite piece of jewelry is a "friendship bracelet" made from plastic beads strung on a pipe cleaner created by my little 4 year old boy. He put it on my wrist with pride. When it breaks I will put it in a baggie and save it.