Featured Artist - Mellaril

Melissa from Mellaril is a fantastically talented artisan.  She can weave beads and colors like magic.  Just take a peek and the select offerings.  I have been blessed to become friends with Miss Melissa.  We both moved to the same amazing little town around the same time, though we did not know each other.  We actually met through Etsy's shop local feature.  I wanted to see what kind of arts were being sold in my area and sent her a note to tell her how much I loved her work and to wish her much success.  

She wrote back and we've been great friends ever since.  It's been so fun to trade work with her and talk shop while our kids play together.  Her little boy, currently about 15 months, is one of the cutest sweetest little boys ever!  We met for the first time at one of Stillwater's best locally owned coffee shops.  Daily Grind has an amazing view of the St. Croix River and 2 of the nicest owners ever.  The perfect setting for 2 creative minds to mix.

Check out her shop, you'll enjoy reading her bio and wish there was more!  She a fantastic writer and should be the one blogging instead of me.  I want to help her get her business going.  It's no secret that it's not the easiest thing to do, it takes time, more time and money.  With the current economy and as a stay at home mom, resources and funds can be, well, limited.  So all you handmade junkies out there, take a nice long look at her amazing work!  Or even better, score one of her pieces for yourself or some one special.  

Featured Artist - Risky Beads

I recently made a purchase from Lori at Risky Beads.  With the Artfire buzz growing, I set up shop and wanted to go through the buying process myself.  I looked around a little while and quickly found Risky Beads.   I was surprise that I hadn't run across her shop on Etsy, but we all know how crowded Etsy is!!  Lori sells on etsy at RiskyBeads.etsy.com and has a destash bead shop there as well RiskyStash.etsy.com  , also on artfire RiskyBeads.artfire.com  and at 1000 Markets 1000markets.com/users/riskybeads

She has been selling on etsy for nearly 18 months and has a fantastic shop with stellar photos. She has even written about her experience in a little book you can find in her shop.  I look forward to reading it soon.  It's full of helpful tips and her great personality.   She's a true artist all the way around.  From intreaging write ups for her work to creative photo set up.  She is what I hoped to be when I started putting my etsy shop together, slowly, last spring.  

I purchased a couple pair of earrings ( here and here ) from her and was extremely pleased with my experience.  We had good communication and my package arrived quickly.  The contents were cutely wrapped, it was fun to open each little item.  The package was full of goodies, business cards, suggested sellers, a calendar magnet, and some other surprises!  I think Lori at Risky Beads has got it going on!  If you are a seller of handmade goods on line, you can learn something from her.  And if you are a buyer of handmade goods, you are going to love your experience.  If you are both, like me, you really can't go wrong!   I am really enjoying my new earrings, there are exactly what I was looking for.  Thank you Lori!

Lori has a very cool blog (included on my bloglist on the side) which you can find at riskybeads.blogspot.com  in addition to her other artistic abilities she's a fantastic writer.  I highly suggest popping over there for a while!  She is currently running a huge Artfire giveaway.  You won't want to miss it.