Etsy Interview with Sea Glass Designs

Etsy Interview with Sea Glass Designs<br /><br />First off, tell me a little about yourself. Bruce and I have been married for 44 years and have lived in Connecticut for most of our life. We both retired about 8 years ago from our 9 to 5 job, sold most of our belongings, moved aboard our 37 foot sailboat Orient Express and headed south. We spent two years traveling on our boat exploring many new places along the way.<br /><br />We fell in love with an island in the northern Bahamas called Elbow Cay. This is where we now spend the winter months. We are still living on our boat during the winter, but in the summer we return to our home in Connecticut. At home we have luxuries that we dont have on the boat like a dishwasher, washing machine, flush toilets ice maker, and most important a fully equipped art studio. However, we still manage to make a lot of our jewelry while cruising on our boat in tight quarters.<br /><br />Bruce and I both love to walk the beach and have collected tons of beautiful sea glass. The Bahamas have abundance of old and rare shards. Much of the sea glass comes from shipwrecks off the reefs around the island during the 1800s and is still washing ashore today.<br /><br />Bruce started to complain that we were going to sink the boat with all of our sea glass. My daughter decided that I needed to do something with all the sea glass. She gave me a beginner jewelry kit for Christmas as a way to solve the problem. We began making some simple wire wrapped jewelry and got totally hooked. When we returned to the States that year, we enrolled in metalsmithing classes. Both the classes and the community of jewelry artist we have met have been instrumental in helping us grow in our designs.<br /><br />When did you originally find Etsy?<br /><br />Our daughter was the first to recommend it to us. When we got back from the Bahamas last year, we also saw a segment on Good Morning America praising the site as a place for artist to sell their goods. We set up our shop shortly after that. We have been members of the Etsy community for a little over a year now.<br /><br />What is unique about Etsy and what about the website do you like the most in regards to your shop?<br /><br />We have always sold locally whether in the Bahamas or Connecticut. Etsy has opened the door to not only new customers in the United States but customers around the world. The site is so unique. There is nothing else out there that brings so many sellers and buyers together.<br /><br />What is unique about Etsy and what about the website do you like the most in regards to your shop?<br /><br />What I like most about the website, is the ease in using it both for the seller and customer. It is like they have thought of everything to make it user friendly. In addition, I have gotten so much support from both Etsy staff and from the community of sellers. The website not only provides a place to sell, it provides virtual labs and networking opportunities. The Newbie Chat and Shop Critiques are invaluable to the new sellers.<br /><br />What inspires you the most in regards to your creations?<br /><br />The sea glass is the inspiration. Each piece of sea glass is unique in itself. We study each shard and decide what can we create that will best show off this treasure.<br /><br />What is your favorite piece youve created and why?<br /><br />My favorite piece is one of my husbands new designs. Sea Glass is often referred to as Mermaids tears. Bruce has created a bezel in the shape of a teardrop. He has place three pieces of sea glass and a sterling silver design in the bezel. He calls the piece Mermaids Teardrop.<br /><br />What do you want to accomplish with your online shop?<br /><br />When we joined Etsy our goal was to increase sales. Now that I have been a member for a year, I have learned there is so much more to Etsy. We have found we have been able to share our sea glassing stories with other members of the sea glass community on Etsy. I hope that we will continue to connect and network with other sellers. I learn so much from the community and have enjoyed watching it grow. There seems to be something new going on everyday on the website.<br /><br />Do you have any new creations in the works? If so, what can shoppers expect to see from you soon?<br /><br />We are always working on new creations. Right now we are adding on a new line of anklets. We are experimenting with a number of designs. Hopefully, they will be up on Etsy by the end of the month.<br /><br />Where can readers find out about more information regarding your jewelry and other creations and possible special offers?