Welcome to the first edition of The Limelight!  Here at the Creative Bliss Channel we’ll be featuring some of the hottest designers and crafters on the web!  We hope you’ll enjoy their products as much as we do!

Our first designer is Tiffany A. Hamilton, creator of String Beans, Inc., a hot new company that creates eco-friendly jewelry out of dried beans.  I had the lovely pleasure of growing up with Tiffany and she comes from a family of incredibly talented women. So it came as no surprise to see these fabulous designs come becoming the latest trend.

We interviewed Tiffany and here’s what she had to say:

Q:  Tell us a little about yourself and your designs.

A:  I am a down-home girl from Youngstown, Ohio-where all of my creativity began.  I can remember being a young girl and watching my mother create these beautiful garments from just a flat piece of fabric. I was so amazed! So when I had the idea to create jewelry out of beans, I knew it was possible.  I love to create all types of jewelry but my favorite type is all natural dry bean jewelry.  Some of the beans I use are kidney, pinto, lima, turtle, green split, great northern, and blackeye peas.  I combine them with nylon, glass, wooden or any other medium that I think makes each piece unique and attractive.

I love the fact that the beans look like beads until you take a closer look; and that’s the best part, taking a closer look.

Q:  Where did the idea for your designs originate?

A:  The idea for my bean jewelry is truly a gift from God.  I was watching television and the group Blackeye Peas were on and I thought hmmm…blackeye pea jewelry would be cool.  Then with a little time and patience String Beans Inc. began.  It started out with a  small blackeye pea bracelet that had a lot of room for improvement but after a lot of work, time, and endurance String Beans, Inc. is now a full-service jewelry company specializing in all natural dry bean jewelry.

Q:  What makes your jewelry different from others?

A:  The fact that my jewelry is made from all-natural dry beans definitely sets it apart from any other jewelry line.  I mean have you ever seen or heard of anything like this?

Q:  Do you offer custom orders?

A:  I definitely do custom orders. I really enjoy doing custom orders and creating someone’s dream piece.  I can work with any type of beans and materials.  One of my most popular lines began with a request from a friend for a mustard seed bracelet for her mom who was battling cancer.  It’s based on the scripture verse Matt 17:20.

Q:  What are your most popular items?

A:  I’d have to say my Mustard Seed Bracelets and Bean Charm Bracelets are among the most popular.  I recently designed a set Tiffany & Co set (shown in the first photo) using Great Northern beans and turquoise accents; it’s been doing extremely well so far.

Q:  What is your vision for String Beans, Inc?

A:  My ultimate goal for this line is for String Beans, Inc to become a household name.  I want bean jewelry to take over the world! Not just because it’s beautiful but because it’s good for our planet. Now we have a way to “go green” and look good doing it!

Q:  Do you have a website or Etsy shop?

A:  Yes, String Beans are sold at stringbeansinc.etsy.com.  They are also available in the By His Word Bookstore and also in the Ohio State House gift shop both located in Columbus, Ohio.

Congratulations Tiffany!  All of us here at Blissfully Domestic wish you the best of luck in your endeavor!

Sylvia is a freelance & childrens writer who enjoys wearing her super-cool new set of String Bean jewelry!  She’s also been known to be a tad bit prudish…

Are you ready? Are you ready to take your craft to the next level? Are you ready to be excited and discouraged all in the same day? Do you love what you do? Does it give you a thrill when someone wants to purchase your handcrafted item?

If you answered YES to any or all of these questions, you are ready to plunge into the wonderful world of Etsy! Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. Their mission and vision statement says, “to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Our vision is build a new economy and present a better choice: buy, sell, and live handmade.”

There are a several very easy steps to begin selling your items on Etsy.

1. You need to sign up! This is the easiest part. Go to Etsy.com and click on register. You will need to choose a username and password. This user name will become your shop’s web address so CHOOSE WISELY!

2. Once you have filled out the initial sign-up page you will need to wait for a confirmation email from Etsy. When it arrives, click through the link in the email and you will be confirmed on Etsy. They will ask you to log in with your username and password. You didn’t forget it already did you? ☺

3. Once you are logged in, click on the word SELL at the top of the home page. This is where Etsy will guide you through the steps to get your shop started. Their directions are so clear, I’m going to leave you to read through and follow the steps. This will include entering address information, billing information as well as a credit card number. Don’t worry, no charges, just important to validate you are indeed a real human being. Read on when you are all set to sell!

4. There are several items you should have ready before you even list your first item.

• PUBLIC PROFILE
Click on the words Public Profile in the left margin. You will be directed to a place to upload a photo of yourself, your AVATAR. Then add your location, and other important information. The next thing you will need to add is your BIO.

• BIO
This is exactly what it says…a mini biography about you. Keep it short, keep it simple, but do it. People want to buy from a person, not a store. That is why they are shopping on Etsy in the first place, so make them want to buy from you! Shop around read other artists bios. What do you like about them? What appeals to you? Use that info to get you started…but DO IT!

• SHOP SETUP - this is a biggie with quite a few steps so we will tackle this part in Setting up Your Etsy Shop (for DUMMIES) - part 2

Lisa (that’s me) is a wife, homeschool mom of 4 fabulous children, and jewelry designer / metal smith. She has extremely curly hair from the stress in her life, lives for coffee and creating. You can meet Lisa at her blog www.StudioJewel.blogspot.com, or shop for her wonderful creations at www.thebeadgirl.etsy.com.

We’re all royalty at some time or another, right!?  Well I think so.  And, I also think that we all need a crown in our collection.  I am super in love with the pillow {1} and the shells {3}.

1. CROWN PILLOW - Pink Crown Tea Dyed Ruffle Pillow by teresasheeley.

2. Wool Felt Crown - Sweet Rosy by Mycakies.

3. Ariel by whichgoose.

4. Its Great To Be Queen - 4 notecard set by digitalpaperie.

5. Queen For A Day Small Soldered Edge Drop Necklace by ArtUnderGlass.

6. Ceramic Princess or Prince Crown Plate and Bowl set, custom made order by Sunshineceramics.

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When shes not writing for Blissfully Domestic you can find Carrie blogging about her life over at koehmstedt or about digital creations over sweet faerie designs.

Etsy Rust

1. Rusty Blue Bracelet from MarieFlyFly. {I love these colors!}

2. Rusty Garden Gnome and Mushrooms Garden Art Stake Set by MountainIron. {A must have for any gardener.}

3. Rusty Treasure Beads Cross by TotallyCrosses. {Very intricate.}

4. Pearl Skeleton Key Necklace by AirportRoad. {I love the pearls.}

5. Lolly Dolly Rusty by Buttuglee. {Seriously cute in a frantic kind of way.}

6. A walk in the woods scarf by Knittles.  {Wool & alpaca yarn should keep you warm and toasty.}

Carrie can be found posting at her family blog koehmstedt.com writing about her family, friends & life; also at sweetfaeriedesigns.com.

If you have never been to Etsy, you are in for a treat. Whether you create handmade goods, need a little inspiration to get your own creative mojo going, or just love the idea of owning handcrafted items, you’ll find a lot at Etsy to love.

From bags to clothing, jewelry and fine art, finding things to love is half the fun. You can search by the item you are looking for, by things that have just been posted, or showcases with items chosen by other Etsy members.

For the crafter, Etsy offers an inexpensive way to get your items seen by a larger and more focused audience than other sites. Listings are only .20, and there is a 3.5% fee after an item sells. You can involve yourself in the Etsy community by participating in the forums, chats, and blogs devoted to all things Etsy. Even Martha Stewart loves Etsy-she will have a segment on her show February 29th all about it!

We will be featuring Etsy Crafters here once a week. If you would like to see your shop mentioned here, or share your favorite etsy shops, comment here or email me at mycreativebliss@gmail.com .