BRATs of Etsy - Featured Seller - Artist! - Handsoncrafts

The Military Brats of Etsy Global Street Team ~ August 2008 Brat Feature ~Every few weeks we feature one of our members….
We are proud to Feature: Handsoncrafts
See her etsy shop here.
See her web site here.

1-Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, and personal stuff).

My name is Mabel. I’m 29 years old. I live in Chesapeake, Va. I’ve lived here for 5 years.I was born at Andalucia, Spain. I'm a Navy wife and mother of 4 wonderful children.

2-What is the first thing you can remember making by hand?

How and why did you make it?Oh it was a Sarah Kay frame made of a few posters and some glue; I made the posters shine with many covers of glue that made it look shiny and hard. Then I put cotton on the back and glued on a frame!! I remember it was beautiful!!!

3-What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

Love inspires me, the love of my children, my husband and even my puppies, Nature inspires me too and also God. Sometimes an idea just comes to me and I run to get a paper and a pencil and draw it before is gone, and then I make themcome true!

4-What are your favorite materials?

Oh, Cold Porcelain, I have been working with Cold Porcelain since I was 13 or 14 just watching THE MASTER, My MOM!

5-What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?

Do not underestimate, if anything overestimate it makes you look good and keeps the customer happy.

6-Why should people buy handmade?

For me handmade means made with love and care. It is something that one person puts hours of work, total attention andLove.

7-What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
I would like to see them advertise more.
8-Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I am a stay at home mom with 4 kids. I have 1 boy 13 years old, my big helper. Also I have a 1 yr. old little girl that keeps me really busy. and 3 year old girl, who loves to eat all the time and go outside. ha! Ha! hA! And my sweet 9 year old girl she is my strength.

9-Read any good books lately?

Oh yeah "the 5 languages of love" I think everyone needs to read this book, it is awesome.

10-In ten years I'd like to be…
Hmmm having my own boutique gift shop!!!

11-How did you pick your business name and your etsy avatar?

Well Hands on Arts and Crafts, which is my business name. My mom's store is "Art In Your hands" So that's the reason for “Hands" then I do Arts and Crafts so they came together very well. Don’t you think? And my Etsy Avatar I just picked one of my pictures and I made it my self. Here is my mom’s web address; I want to share her site http://www.artinyourhands.com/ .

12-What is a Brat and how does that help you craft?

Well My Dad was from the Air force of Spain so I grew up traveling. When I was a kid it was really hard to adapt too manydifferent places, but then turned fun when I start doing crafts and learning new Crafts and techniques from different countries. I learned Jewelry in Peru, I learn to cross stitch in Korea and many other crafts in different countries, so CRAFTS helped me a lot and are very important in my life!!! When my husband goes on Deployment I just sit in my studio at night and submerge my self there, it makes the time fly!!