Member Feature: Kym of Heavenly Creations

Introducing Kym of Heavenly Creations, a new & active STE member! Kym's lovely jewelry creations are skillfully crafted & are a compliment every wardrobe!!! Please check out the interview below to learn more about this talented STE artist...

Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Kym Laret, and I live in Penn Hills. In addition to designing jewelry, I am also a stay-at-home mom of two preschoolers, hair dresser, and opera singer. My husband and I met while performing and both sing with the Pittsburgh Opera. I've also done shows with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Savoyards and sing weekly at Third Presbyterian Church.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
All of my jobs are creative! It's awesome that I get to surround myself with art all day, every day. My main job, of course, is to be a mom. That requires extreme creative thinking, since my kids keep me on my toes all the time! As I mentioned, I sing professionally, and I also read, quilt, and crochet when I have time, and am not working on a jewelry project.

What first made you want to become an artist?
I don't know that I really had a choice. Everyone in my family (except my dad) is artistic. My brother is a painter, and my sister is a quilter -- she actually has an Etsy shop as well, The Quilted House. My mom has always sewn and she sings as well, so music and art were always a part of my life. I started out with music, thinking that visual art was better left to my brother & sister, but I wanted a fabulous tiara for my wedding, and my sister introduced me to the art of French beaded flowers. A couple of years later, I made myself some beaded headbands and fell in love with the process of playing with color and beads and figuring out what works.

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
I basically take my little containers of beads out and just let them speak to me. Sometimes I put things together to see what'll happen, and sometimes it just flows. I also get a lot of inspiration from jewelry shows on TV. It helps me to see what's popular and sometimes that sparks something. I do a lot of my work at night, after I get my kids to bed. Since I've always been a night-owl, it works out well for me. Plus, I can't really have all of my supplies out when the kids are around. Whatever I've created the night before, I photograph in the afternoon while the kids are napping. It's amazing how many photos I take to get 5 good shots for my Etsy listings! I've also been doing a lot of work in the afternoon on my sunporch instead of in my basement craft area, because working in the beauty of the day really inspires me.

I love working with sterling silver, pearls, brightly colored gemstones, and lampwork beads. In fact, I'm planning to take a lampwork class to create my own pieces. My favorite bead store is Your Beading Heart in Irwin, mostly because she has a great selection and great prices, but also because she has a classroom that you can see from the main part of the store with a TV for the kids. I pack some snacks and can actually spend several hours shopping for beads without having to worry about the kids touching things they shouldn't.

My creative process is actually pretty organic: sometimes I'll have a jewelry design in my head, and on those days it just flows. When I really have to force it, it stops being fun, so I’ll pack it away and come back later. My goal is to find a good balance between following what the market demands, trends, and all that and following my heart and making what speaks to me. Finding that balance will allow me to have fun AND be successful!

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
Probably the quilt that I made for our new bed last year. It's a king sized quilt, and I had to move all of the furniture in our living room to lay out all of the blocks. It was such a labor of love, and its beautiful! It wasn't as heavy as I wanted it to be, so I made it into a duvet cover of sorts. It's red (my favorite color), green (my husband's favorite), and yellow (the color of the room). It was also a challenge to make a red and green quilt that didn't scream Christmas.

Name your top five places to be in the Pittsburgh area, books/authors, movies/TV shows, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

Pittsburgh:
Out in our boat on any of the rivers
Our campsite in the Allegheny forest
Any of the Carnegie Libraries
On stage at the Benedum
Three Rivers Arts Festival

books/authors
Stephanie Laurence
Julia Quinn
Christopher Moore
Elizabeth Lowell
Christina Dodd

movies/tv shows
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice
Sunday's Best
Mystery Diagnosis
Masterpiece Classic

songs/musical groups
Yolanda Adams
Cece Winans
Take 6
Jessye Norman
Leontyne Price

websites
Lima Beads
Fire Mountain
Shipwreck Beads
Blogger
The Ring Lord

What advice would you give to artists who are new to the Pittsburgh craft scene?
Find a group of like-minded artists and network!

How do you promote your work?
I sell my jewelry at 2 shops in the Pittsburgh area: Crafted Treasures, in Monroeville, and Blossoms of Verona, in Verona; and I have their addresses on my business cards. I've started "accidentally" leaving them in all of the books I return to the library and I make a point of having them with me all the time so that if I have an opportunity, I can give them to someone. I also constantly wear jewelry I’ve made, especially to church. My church choir knows I make jewelry, so I make myself something new every Saturday to match my outfit. Also, I have a small display in the salon where I work -- and I make a point of at least wearing earrings when I'm in the salon so that people make the connection. Other than that, I tweet like a fiend and post everything on Facebook. I want to make a Facebook page just for Heavenly Creations, but there's just not enough hours in the day!

In five years I'd like to be...
in the black. My husband is very fiscally frugal, so he doesn't understand my obsession with beads when I'm not breaking even yet. But I've been doing this for less than a year. It takes time to build a successful business, but I'm getting there!

Please enjoy a few minutes getting to know Diane Wright of Diane Wright Designs, Our Steel Town Etsy Featured Crafter of the Week!

Diane's pieces of delicate beadweaving beg to be picked up and draped on your body so you can appreciate how they move and delight in watching all those tiny beads reflect the light. Find out what inspires Diane in her art and in her city below:

Tell us a bit about yourself –
Hi, I’m Diane Wright and my company is Diane Wright Designs – Handcrafted Jewelry. I grew up here in Pittsburgh in the North Hills and after living in New York and Los Angeles, I decided to come back home. I currently live in Aspinwall with my husband James. We have one son, Jamie, who is a documentary filmmaker and lives in Brooklyn. Prior to creating Diane Wright Designs, I taught English and Theatre at Rogers Creative and Performing Arts Middle School in Garfield – A Pittsburgh Public School magnet. In addition to being affiliated with Steel Town Etsy, I am also a member of the Pittsburgh Craft Collective and Mount Lebanon BNI (Business Network International).

Apart from creating what do you do?
Well, in one way or another I think that I am always creating. I love gardening and have both a vegetable garden and a perennial garden. Since I live in a townhouse most of my vegetables are grown in containers. I also like to travel and last year was fortunate enough to take a trip to China and hold a teenage panda in Chengdu, China.

What made you first become an artist?
My grandmother was a ceramicist so my earliest remembrances were in her studio. It was so much fun. My brother was also a visual artist. I started out in theatre as an actress in New York and Los Angeles and continued working in theatre after I returned to Pittsburgh working with middle school students. Teaching is an art also. After retirement I began creating jewelry in earnest with Diane Wright Designs. I was looking for something to keep my creativity going and I keep learning new and interesting techniques all the time. My grandmother kept creating until she died at the age of 92.

Describe your creative process
I would have to say that my process is organic. I do start with a drawing of concept of what I would like to create but it changes as I work with the piece. I am very flexible in terms of design and know it will change from inception to finished piece. I just keep looking at the work to know what I need to do next. I work mainly with peyote and herringbone stitches for my beadweaving and with copper and sterling silver for my hammered cuffs. I like trying new mediums and techniques and never know how they may all come together.

What handmade possession do you cherish?
I would have to say that the pieces I cherish most are two clay pieces my son made when he was in elementary school – one is a mug with a fox head and the other is an alligator. I also have a tile top wrought iron table made by my grandmother which is a cherished piece of mine.

Name 5 places in Pittsburgh to be
I don’t stray far from home so I spend a lot of time right here in Aspinwall, which is a neat little town. I also like what is happening with Lawrenceville. It is really reinventing itself as a creative and artsy destination. I still like going to Shadyside although it has changed greatly from when I was a young person. I also like going to the theatre – especially the City Theatre in the South Side and The O’Reilly theatre downtown. I think theatre gets into your inner being. I do watch TV and like the dramas like The Good Wife and Grey’s Anatomy. Although I do have to say Two and ½ Men and The Big Bang Theory make me laugh.

What advice would you give to artists new to the Pittsburgh Craft scene?
Get involved. Get out of the studio and get involved with some of our arts and networking groups that we have here in town. Do local craft shows. Don’t be afraid of not being ready – just do it and enjoy what you are doing. Have fun with your art!!

How do you promote your work?
In addition to having an Etsy site, I exhibit in about 20 craft shows each year in the tri-state area. I also have pieces at Wildcard in Lawrenceville and So Me in Glenshaw. I am also working on a few other shops in which to showcase my work. I also work a lot by referral and do in home/in office shopping and custom work.

In five years, I would like to be…
Still creating jewelry and doing shows. Still having fun!!

To see more of her work please visit Diane's etsy shop at http://www.dianewrightdesigns.etsy.com/. Thanks for the interview Diane!

Get to know Mandy of M. Giehll Creations

Steel Town Etsy is pleased to present Mandy Giehll of M. Giehll Creations. Lover of mixing and matching different colors and textures and of all things handmade, Mandy's shop is brimming with eye candy. "Etsy allows me to combine all of these things I love," she states in her profile and her offerings show off her diverse interests. Get to know a little more about Mandy and her incredible work below...

Tell us a bit about yourself: name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

Hello, my name is Mandy. I am married to my college sweetheart Matt and we have a two year old son named Jackson. I've lived in Western, Pa all my life. I grew up in a small town called Oil City. I graduated from Mercyhurst College in Erie in 2003 and moved to Pittsburgh a few years later. We live in the South Hills which is where my husband grew up. I love all things handmade. I have to credit my mom for my love of crafts and vintage things. I have such great memories growing up and going to local craft shows and antique shops with her all the time.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Besides being a mom to an awesome little boy :)... I am a part time bartender at the Sharp Edge Brasserie and have really come to appreciate good beer. I love to spend time outside with my family and friends. I love the summer and fall. It also seems like someone is always having a picnic or BBQ. There is always a festival or fair to go to. And I love sitting by a camp fire and enjoying good company.

What first made you want to become an artist?

I really have never thought of my self as an artist, just creative. Throughout my life I have always had a creative outlet of some sort. I was a dancer from the age of three right through college. I started making hemp jewelry one summer to make some extra cash. Then when we were planning our wedding, I decided to make the centerpieces for the reception, which turned into topiaries. My latest creative outlet is my wrapped bangle bracelets. I love making them!

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

My creative process is pretty random. When it comes to the bracelets, I never know what they are going to turn out like. I usually pick up a few strands of yarn and start wrapping. Sometimes I like how they turn out... sometimes not so much, so I start over again. I make a lot of my things while my son is napping or late at night. It is my way of unwinding for a bit. I love working with silk flowers, hemp, yarns, beads. I also love photography and plan to dedicate some more time to it this summer.

Name your top five places to be in the Pittsburgh area, books/authors, movies/TV shows, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.

1. The North Shore for a Steelers Game...there is nothing like the atmosphere there during a tailgate party before the big game. So much fun and half the time its with people you don't even know.

2. View through the Fort Pitt Tunnels....every time I drive through the tunnels coming from the South Hills I feel like I should take a picture!

3. Primantis...nuff said.

4. Kennywood Park....an awesome park with such an old time feel. A great place to spend a hot summer night.

5. First Niagra Pavillion...or as I call it "Star Lake". I love going there for a great concert. Lawn seats are reasonable and it's always a fun time with friends.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to the Pittsburgh craft scene?

Just go for! I am as new as you get :) I am hoping to participate in my first craft event in the coming months. I really try to spread the word about Etsy to anyone I know who is an artist. It is such a user friendly way to share and sell your art. It's also very inspiring.

What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?

I love the alchemy feature. I love making custom orders and also putting out bids for things I cannot find anywhere else. The treasury is fun too, I just wish I could make more of them....always seems like its full.

How do you promote your work?

I do a lot of promoting through my Facebook Fan Page. I have great family and friends who keep the word of mouth going too! I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at self-promotion. Come to think of it....I need to make those business cards.

In five years I'd like to be...

Still happily married with a little brother or sister for Jackson. And, of course, still fueling my creative outlets. I also would like to devote more time to my photography.

Thanks for your time, Mandy! Check out M. Giehll Creations at http://mandygiehll.etsy.com

M. Giehll Creations was also recently featured at the Daily Diva Dish. Take a peek: http://dailydivadish.com/2010/02/17/etsy-find/

We're thrilled to have you as a part of the STE team!