Like opening a jewelry box to reveal hidden treasures, you are greeted upon arrival at this shop with treasures of color and quality. If earrings are your weakness, you will find an abundant selection of styles; rounded out by charming necklaces and dazzling bracelets. And, even a few handknit surprises.
We sat down with Candice, the shop owner of PracticallyFrivolous to find out more about her and her creations and share her story with you.
How would you describe what you create and sell? What makes it unique or special?
I sell snake scarves, colorful handmade jewelry and knitwear. I would describe my items as colorful, unique and quirky.
How did you find your way to Etsy and how long have you been selling here?
I've been an Etsy shopper for many years. I have always enjoyed beading and jewelry making and had dabbled in knitting and crocheting. I had made some snake scarves for my nieces and nephews, and a local yarn shop owner asked me to create 12 of them for a window display during the towns "pet parade". In February of 2011, with a small inventory of those snake scarves and some handmade jewelry pieces I decided to open up my own etsy shop. I am in awe of the vast array of talent on Etsy and am so honored to be a part of it.
Tell us a bit about how you create – do you work with music, in silence, in a special room?
I have my own workspace with a wonderful workstation that my husband had built for me. It's so nice to have everything organized and easy to find. I absolutely love music, so to me music is essential to the creative process. It both soothes and energizes me and it really lets me get lost in what I'm working on.
What inspires you to create? Where do your ideas come from?
Ideas come from everywhere. I carry a sketch book with me at all times and I keep one by the bed. I never know when that next idea is going to pop into my head and I want to make sure that I remember it when I have time to create. I find inspiration in the shops and suppliers on Etsy. Sometimes I'll fall in love with a particular bead or charm and know immediately what I want to make with it.
Other times I'll hang onto the item for awhile until I have that "aha" moment and decide what I want to make. I love antique stores and even hardware stores for inspiration. Sometimes a photograph, a toy or an antique piece of jewelry will fuel that creative fire for me. I also take inspiration from nature. My favorite of my snake scarves are the ones modeled after real snakes. I try to get the colors and patterns as close as possible to the real snakes and I always include little bits of information about that particular snake’s habits and habitats within the product description. Of course the fictitious snakes are great too. I can make them as colorful as I'd like and can take a lot of liberty with the description of their habits and habitats which is fun!
Anything else we should know about you?
I'm married to a great guy. We live in a small artsy town in the Mid-Willamette Valley in Oregon with our four-legged "children".
Take a moment to wander thru Candice’s shop, you are in for a lovely visit.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/practicallyfrivolous
