Show and Tell and Established Artist

First of all a final push for the photography competition which will end at midnight (GMT) tomorrow. Please, please, please take a few moments to pick out a photograph from your snaps that you could title 'Hidden' and email it to me or post a link to it on the competition post.

Next I have a few photographs of recent bits I've been working on.

First off a load of dragons in all shapes, sizes and colours.

Next some random bits and peices, unfortunately my oven lied to me and the moth that took my AGES got a bit burnt but I'm hopeful that I can rescue it with some acrylic paint. The little dragon at the top is attached to a glass pendant bead so I thought he deserved a little extra attention than just being left in with the other dragons. The luna hare is particularly special - a 100% unique design inspired by 'Masquerade' by Kit Williams - if you don't know about the quest for the golden hare that was a big thing in the late 70's - early 80's in England make sure you google it!

Here a few owls that I'm making for charity:

And lastly a phoenix I felt inspired to make having finally finished the Harry Potter series this morning. It took about three hours, which is slow going for me but I quite like how it turned out although I've got a few ideas out what to improve when I feel brave enough to make another one.

All these items are for sale, I will probably list them on Etsy eventually but it takes me a while so by all means get in touch if you would like to buy something or would like to see more detailed photographs etc.

Onto an Established Artist Feature - today we have Dawn Montgomery of First Light Glass, who I have a strange feeling I've featured before but I can't find the feature and I really love the work in this shop so if we have had it, we'll have it again and if we haven't so much the better.

1. How long have you been an Etsy seller?

I have been selling on Etsy a little over a year now.

2. Where do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from my daily life. Sometimes it's a bird landing outside my window like in my blue heron pendant

Or sometimes it's a walk on the beach which inspired several pendants:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17879068

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20240895

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20850315

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17714548

My children also love to give me ideas. One daughter was studying Earth Day at school so I created a "recycle" pendant and an earth pendant. Another daughter came up to me after her piano lesson and suggested a music notes pendant

I finally started keeping a notepad with me to write down my ideas (and my children's) as I think of them.

3. How much time do you put into your shop on average weekly?

I probably work 25 hours a week on my business. In addition to creating I spend time updating my listings, posting in the forums, adding pictures to flickr and posting in my blog. I think I spend just as much time trying to help people find my shop as I do creating.

4. What's your favorite item you're selling at the moment?

My favorite item is my organic twigs bowl. I love the way the shadows have an amber color and change shapes with the light.

5. Tell us about three other Etsy shops you love and why.

I love Lady Bumble Bee. She makes amigurumi stuffed animals that are so sweet and have such personality. My two daughters love her stuffed animals and love getting them for special occasions.

The second shop I love is Enfin La Voila. This shop is from Belgium and makes personalized notecards with vintage inspired designs. I love these notecards because they are very unique and I know that no one else in town will have the same notecards.

The third shop I love is Athena Creates. She makes these wonderful unpaper towels. I keep them in my kitchen and my kids use them instead of paper towels. Throw them in the wash and they're ready to use again. It cuts down on waste and germs.

6. Pets? Family?

I have been happily married for 17 years and have three elementary age children - a boy and two girls. I also have a black Labradoodle puppy, Bear, that has made life around our house very exciting. Bear never runs out of energy and is constantly dropping a ball in my lap to play catch with.

7. Tell us about a typical day in your life.

During the school year I work during the morning then spend all afternoon driving my kids around to dance, tae kwon do, golf and piano. Now that it's summertime, I seem to be spending a lot more time taking the kids to the beach and pool and less time in my studio working.

8. What other interests do you have?

I love reading, painting and walking the puppy. I find I mostly read children's books now since I screen them before I let my kids read them. There's a lot more choices in books than when I was their age. I also love painting acrylic landscapes. I spend every July in the North Carolina mountains and paint while I am there.

9. Anything else?

I love meeting other creative people and have met many great sellers on Etsy.

Thank you so much for featuring me!

http://firstlightglass.blogspot.com

http://firstlightglass.etsy.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34735816@N06/