Aloha!...
... from “Something Aloha,” this month’s Bratty Featured Artist. Her shop is located in Hawaii where she creates flowers made from air dry clay. Her items range from leis for your pets to Swarovski Jewelry…please visit her shop for......Something Aloha
*Tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a busy working mother of two active boys...one of them is very hairy with 4 legs! My free time is spent either exercising or working on crafts. I love to craft and enjoy putting my creative side to use...it's also a stress reliever for me!
Hawaiian Plumeria Glass Ornament
*What inspires you and where do your ideas come from?
My ideas are inspired by the beauty of Hawaii.
*What are your favorite materials?
I love working with sea shells…I think they are so beautiful
*What has been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists on Etsy?
To constantly be creative and come up with new ideas…it keeps your store fresh and encourages frequent visits.
*What features/services would you most like to see on Etsy?
I can't think of anything specific…but anything to help drive up sales would be nice! :)
*Why should people buy handmade?
Handmade makes a statement. Handmade is very personal.
Swarovski Pear Key Chain with Cross
*Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I work full-time as an analyst at a health insurance company.
*Read any good books lately?
The latest book that I read (Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet) has made a huge impact on my life. Prior to reading her book, I was treating my body terribly by eating a lot of rich and high in fat foods…I was gaining weight and having a lot of migraine attacks. The book encouraged me to try eating vegan of which I did for 8 weeks and in that time I lost 7 pounds, two sizes, had my good cholesterol jump up to 74, and reduced my migraine attacks to about once a month. Eating vegan has definitely had its challenges and is extremely hard to do...especially when a child is involved. I recently made the decision to eat more vegetarian by adding egg and fish to my diet...I still do not eat dairy products or meat (except once a month when I let myself have a free pass to eat anything). I have never read a book where it has had an impact on my life as this one did.
*In ten years I'd like to be?
Married with more children and working for myself full time. I will be getting married next year and we plan on starting a family as soon as possible!
*How did you come up with your Etsy Shop Name?
In growing up in Hawaii, the Aloha Spirit is everywhere and you can't help but embrace it. So when thinking of a name it was only natural to call my shop Something Aloha.
*What is the connection between being a Crafter and being a Brat?
I would not have experienced Hawaii as I did if it were not for the military. My dad was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base when I was a young child…he retired and we stayed in Hawaii. While living on Hickam, I was introduced to the Hawaiian culture and danced hula. Hula introduced me to the different Hawaiian flowers because we would wear them at performances. Hickam is also where I began a fondness to seashells. Our backyard was the beach and I would walk along it every day collecting shells. All the beautiful things I was exposed to are now seen in my crafting.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with one of our Favorite Brats and stop by and visit her FB Fan Page and her Twitter.
Aloha!
