Etsy Featured Artist - Karen of Wool Crazy

Hello, friends!  The past 2 weeks have been enjoyable as my boys were off from school and we managed to escape to the Pocono Mountains for a few days.  It was cold and rainy but a fun time.  There was even snow!  The NJ weather has been wild and we hit 92 degrees earlier in the week.  Guess where I was...the beach!!  What a treat to hit the beach in April.  My oldest celebrated a milestone birthday recently and if you stop back Tuesday you'll see which birthday as his card is my Die Cuts R Us challenge card for the week.  And I'm picking the winners that week so come join us so I can stop by your blog and say "hi!"

This week's Etsy featured artist is Karen of Wool Crazy.  I found Karen and her shop via Twitter and am thrilled to share this feature.  Isn't Karen's fiber art precious?!

Baby Raspberry

1. Tell us about you ~ your name, location, hobbies and interests. Where do you sell your handmade items?  My name is Karen Clarke I live in the Pacific Northwest on the Willamette River. I enjoy anything having to do with Fiber and Nature. Love hikes with my Dog Denali and sitting by the River and chillin. I have an Etsy shop, Wool Crazy, that has been open one year now. I sell my work and teach here in Eugene. I teach Handwork at the Eugene Waldorf School, which is knitting, crocheting, felting and other crafts to 1st through 8th grade and adult fiber art classes at a shop called Creative Hands Mercantile.


2. Tell us about your art and how you got your start selling your handmade items on Etsy?  I have always loved making things, little friends out of things I found on a path through the woods. When my son started school at Waldorf I enjoyed the way art was such an important part of every day life. As I learned many of the fiber art techniques, I realized I was in love and stayed on well after my son has graduated and I am still teaching.

I began selling items at little shops and fairs and then found Etsy and gave it a try and I loved it.  I met and found so many wonderful people and opportunities there.

3. What inspires your art?  I am inspired by Nature, the colors, textures, movements and sounds bring my imagination into action. I am always experimenting with new mediums and trying out new characters, for every one item I complete there are two in the that's kind of weird basket, but I have learned something from everything I try.

4. What is your own favorite creation and why?  I think my favorite item in my shop is the first one I sold. Hootie the Owl, he has changed many times since the beginning but he represents the cute sweet love that I like to share with others.  This is him now:

Hootie the Owl

This is the Original Hootie.

5. Do you have any advice for those who are new to selling on Etsy? My advice is to have fun follow the energy and seek out mentors! Etsy is a great place to work for it offers so much direction and makes it easy for me to concentrate on my work and they take care of the details.

6. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists? One of my Favorite Etsy Artists is GinnyHuber.  She is so welcoming, a friend to many. She still visits every single Treasury I make and has a sweet comment. There is so much talent on Etsy.  I love having it all here in one place and the customers are so fabulous.  They keep coming back and have such wonderful things to say and little requests that stretch my creativity.

7. Do you have anything else you'd like to share? Are there any other websites or stores where we can find you?  I am always thankful to the wonderful bloggers who showcase artists and spread the word to the larger community. Twitter and Facebook are great ways to be in the know and stay connected to friends who can mutually help each other.
 

Penquin with a Warm Heart

Go have a peek at Wool Crazy!  You will love what you see!!  I love featuring Etsy handmade artists!  If you'd like to featured, convo me through Cara's Scrap 'N Stamp Art or leave me a comment here with a link to your Etsy shop.