Sunday Seller Feature - Wildemoon

Tell us a little bit about your craft; what you do, how you got into it and how long you’ve been doing it.
I've been crafting since I was a little girl. My mom was always amazing about getting me art supplies, and my grandma was always letting me play with beads and teaching me little bits of sewing and knitting. I grew up an environment where creativity was encouraged, and that made a world of difference.

Where can we find your products?
I have things all over, but most things can be found on Etsy (http://wildemoon.etsy.com) or my "Buy Stuff" page of my personal site (http://www.biteyourtongue.net/daydream/buystuff.html). You can also get updates via my blog (http://wildedesigns.blogspot.com) or Twitter (http://twitter.com/wildemoon).

Where do you derive your inspiration from?
Everywhere. It can be anything from a song I heard on the radio to a quote a friend sends me. Obviously seeing all the amazing art and design and jewelry from other crafters can be wonderfully inspiring too. It's all about that magic moment where a color or a word or a thought sparks something in your head that says, "Must. Make. Stuff."

Do you buy handmade? What products do you like purchasing?
I absolutely do. I've found some beautiful jewelry on Etsy (I have a particular weakness for dangly earrings), and I'm a big fan of finding handmade jewelry and other items at conventions, craft fairs, and online.

What mediums do you use to promote your products both online and offline?
Offline I sometimes post business cards on the bulletin boards at work (I work at a university) just to get people to stop and look. Online I use the Promotions forum at Etsy, my Twitter account, my blog and just communicating directly to friends and family if I put something up I know they'll enjoy. I think I've had more sales from people randomly stumbling across my shop from something I put out there months ago than immediate sales from promotion, however.


You are in your favorite craft store. What is your guilty pleasure?
Beads. Even if I have nothing I need to make, I have an impossible time walking past a pretty, shiny bag or string of beads on sale. I just see all these things I *could* make with them. In my craft room, I have a ridiculous amount of beads just waiting for the right project - and someday I'll find one for all of them.

What do you do on your spare time aside from your business?
My online art and craft sales are a sideline for me at this point (though if I ever ended up selling enough regularly, I'd certainly consider changing that). I actually work as a graphic designer at a university, so my time is split between work, online pursuits like roleplaying and selling, and my boyfriend and our pets. It's a nice balance for me since I feel like I have an opportunity to accomplish things in a lot of different areas without any of them really suffering for lack of attention.

Is your workspace neat and tidy? An organized mess? Tell us a bit about it.
It's a mess while I'm working but tidy otherwise. I get a bit OCD about making sure things are organized and easy to find because chaos in my workspace frustrates and distracts me. I end up cleaning instead of crafting or creating art if I don't keep things orderly. Besides, it's a lot easier to find a red bead if all the beads are sorted by color and things like that.