TAG!.. I'm it...

The fabulously stylish Rebecca of thevintageblog has tagged me so here we go! 6 random things about myself...

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the rules:
link to the person who tagged you > post the rules on your blog > write six random things about yourself > tag six people at the end of your post and link to them > let each person know they've been tagged

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1 :: I was almost switched at birth when I was born in Vietnam. When the nurses took me away to give me my first bath, they brought back another baby to my mom. She immediately said.."no, that is NOT my baby!" (except it was in Vietnamese). So thanks to my super observant mother, I am where I am today.. otherwise, I might still be in Vietnam somewhere and etsy would have been a strange word I had never heard of. :)

2 :: I met my husband at the infamous Live 8 concert in the summer of 2005 (in Philadelphia) and we hit it off so well that we spent every single day for the next month together! It was the most amazing summer of my life.

3 :: For some reason, I love wearing business attire. Not full on suits or anything, but business casual.. like sleek slacks with a cute top and to-die-for shoes. and ever since I can remember in high school, I would wear slacks, button down blouses, and heels every chance I got (like to church on Sundays).

4 :: I think Arrested Development is seriously one of the best shows ever created.

5 :: I still love watching cartoons.

6 :: I absolutely love costume parties.. especially when it's not Halloween. It's so much fun coming up with costumes and putting them together. Maybe I'll dig up some pictures and post them sometime...

And now I'm tagging:
jealousydesign
nanouke
uncorked
f2images
westernartglass
teamzvonik

eNVe GIVEAWAY on Boston Mamas

Enchanting

Honeymoon

Hey everyone! Didn't want any of my wonderful readers to miss out on this. One of my Signature eNVe Designs necklaces is up for grabs on www.bostonmamas.com. All you have to do is post a comment and you could win either my Enchanting necklace ($231 value) or Honeymoon necklace ($95 value)! Don't miss it! See their "Necklace Envy" post.

Oh, and you only have 2 days! The giveaway closes on 1/08!!!

FEATURED ARTIST :: terrygraziano

When I joined etsy several months ago, one of my most favorite discoveries of all time was Terry Graziano's shop. She designs the most amazing hats I have ever seen and I often visit her shop just to drool and window shop, picturing which outfits would go best with her many different styles. Not only are her creations sleek and ultra stylish from every angle... I love that they are so incredibly versatile--a characteristic you normally don't attribute to hats! I've never been a hat person (basebal caps during my sporty days in college doesn't count), but one of my new ambitions in life is to become one, just so I can wear Terry's hats. So as soon as I go back to my day job where I'm not in "mom gear" 100% of the time, I will have the best dressed cranium that my clients have ever seen!

......................... the interview .........................

A random fun fact about yourself:
My childhood idol was Carol Burnett and on Saturday nights, my dad would let me stay up late to watch her show. My best friend Jill, and my sixth grade teacher Mrs. K, were big fans too. Every Monday at recess, Jill and I would perform the entire show from memory for Mrs. K. She would laugh in all the right places, and it made me want to be an actress and comedienne for real someday.

What's your favorite read of all time?
Fiction: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Non-fiction: Mary Cantwell’s trilogy “Manhattan Memoir”

Any guilty pleasures?
The Lawrence Welk show. Seriously – those costumes! those hairstyles! those ridiculous song set-ups! Love it!!

If you could be any place in the world right now, where would it be?
Paris, always Paris

(Ok, now onto business)
How would you describe your work?
Audrey Hepburn meets Judy Jetson.

How long have you been at it?
On and off since about 1991, but obviously not yet long enough!

So for you, is it an innate talent or practice makes perfect?
Oh, definitely practice! I take an average amount of talent, add lots of hard work, and keep trying until I get lucky.

From where/how do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere, in nature, art, architecture, industrial design, etc. I’m especially inspired by silhouettes, whether it’s a tree against the sky, or the shape of someone walking toward me on the street. Often it’s a trick of the eye, where I think I’m seeing one thing when I’m far away, and it’s very intriguing. Up close it may not be anything interesting at all, but I hold on to the far away.

What was your most memorable creative experience?
My first costume design job. It was for a small theatre company in Philadelphia, and it was not only the first time someone paid me to design something, but also the first time I felt like I may actually have a thimbleful of talent. I stretched myself far beyond what I thought I was capable of, and I learned so much! Our production ended up winning Philly’s first regional theatre award for costume design and we were up against much bigger companies with much bigger budgets, so it was incredible validation for me.

What do you do when your inspiration and creativity is tapped?
Take a break, go for a walk, go to a museum, read a book, cook something. I try to allow myself the space to not create for a while, and to give myself a chance to refill the well.

Any memorable low points that you've learned from?
Oh yeah. Probably the lowest were when I’ve had to set aside my design work and toil away in dead-end office jobs to make a living. It’s happened more times than I care to remember, but it makes me really cherish the life I have now.

What is your formula for success?
I’m still tinkering with the recipe, but for me the most important ingredient is to simply show up every day and remember that talent is a gift that’s meant to be shared.

Was there a moment when you realized that you'd achieved success?
Every time a customer writes to tell me how much they love their new hat! If the hat inspires them, helps them feel beautiful, and brings them joy, then I feel like I’ve done my job.

Any advice for those having a bad case of artist woes?
1. Be nicer to yourself: talk to yourself the way you would to your best friend if she/he was struggling.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others: your path is uniquely yours.
3. Seek out and surround yourself with positive, supportive people: listen to them and let them love you.
4. Most importantly: breathe and surrender.

When not hard at work on your designs, what would we most likely find you doing?
Thinking about them.

In a parallel universe where you are not an amazing artist, what would you be?
I’d love to work in a museum doing costume conservation. It would satisfy my artsy, geeky and introverted sides all at once!

What are some of your favorite etsy shops?
So many, it’s difficult to narrow down! A few of my current obsessions, in no particular order are:
Clothing: 13threads, sohomode
Knits: tickledpinkknits, olivebrown
Jewelry: envejewelry (I didn't pay her to say this, I promise), tinctory, jennifermorrisbeads, wearnoevil
Art: roadside, kikiandpolly
Vintage: myfavoritevintage
Hats: retroreprohandmade

What's at the top of your etsy wish list?
A high-waisted pure patchwork pencil skirt from sohomode.

Any suggestions for my next featured artist?
kikiandpolly

And last but not least, as a fun tribute to my inner psychologist, I had to throw in this final question....

What might this be?
A Parisian in a snow drift.









.......................... end interview .........................

Thank you for your time, Terry!

Helloooo 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by. I'm so grateful for every blessing this year, particularly for my 1-yr-old son and a new baby girl on the way.. and for a loving and caring husband who has so naturally become an amazing father. This year has been an adventure in so many different ways. And how could I forget.. etsy came into my life this year! hahah. It's been so much fun getting to know so many wonderful people in that community and I just can't get enough of seeing so much creativity and artistic talent all in one place! It's no wonder why there are so many etsy addicts out there (and I'm a front-runner for sure). I'm grateful that I get to do something I love (create jewelry) and that I get to share it with some of you. Thank you to those who have so kindly supported my little passion. And thank you to those who have shared their incredible work with me. I hope that the new year brings you much happiness and prosperity! Enjoy every second, because before you know it, it'll be 2010! :D

I guess I need to think of some new years resolutions now, huh? What are your resolutions for this year??


ADDENDUM:
Yahoo! My new years treasury list was just on etsy's front page! What a sweet surprise! It was inspired by my urge to get all dressed up for the new year, but alas, I am 5 months pregnant plus it's snowing like the North Pole outside. No partying it up for me this year. But if I were to, this is what I would (try to) look like. hahah

Etsy Front Page

It has been eons since I've been featured on the front page of Etsy. But this past weekend, I caught a glimpse of my earrings on Etsy's front page, thanks to the lovely Carita of JealousyDesign. It's always such a thrill and pleasant surprise to see one of your items or one of your lists on FP. So thank you for making my weekend, Carita!