Name: Donna Marsh
Etsy shop name: Purrfectlydevine’s Jewelry Designs
Website: http://purrfectlydevine.etsy.com
Blog: Life As I Experience It
Location: http://purrfectlydevine.blogspot.com/
- What kind of materials do you use in your creations?
My favorite materials are Swarovski crystals, pearls, and silver. I use some semi-precious stones.
- How did you get into this form of art?
I bought a pretty bracelet that was strung on stretchy cord and it broke. I wanted to learn how to fix it and add a clasp. So, I took a basic beading class, bought a tool kit. Then I bought so many beads and crystals, I had to make pieces to sell because there was no way I could wear all of the pieces I’ve made. Sales help finance my “habit” of wanting to buy all of the pretty offerings at my local bead store.
- What inspires you? Do you have a plan before you make a piece, or do the materials “speak” to you?
My inspiration comes from many sources. Sometimes I’ll see a piece in a bead magazine and one aspect of the design will fascinate me and I’ll start there and go off on my own to create something entirely different. Sometimes I’ll have a blouse or dress that needs a necklace, so I’ll design one. Sometimes I have a plan, which changes, since I am fairly new to beading. There are times where my ideas require more skills than I currently possess. Sometimes I’ll buy a component with no idea what I will do with it; I buy it simply because I like I and try to design a piece around that component. I’m working on a piece now using a silver component that I bought because I thought it was interesting.
- Do you have any particular influences?
Every beading teacher I’ve had has influenced me. My sister is a good sounding board for design ideas.
- Do you have a certain design style?
Yes. A great majority of my designs are all about symmetry, patterns, and balance. While I admire others’ freeform or asymmetrical pieces, I have extreme difficulty creating such a piece. I don’t make many big, “chunky” pieces, since I personally rarely wear such jewelry. When my sister had an Open House for me, I had to leave my comfort zone to design larger pieces, and pieces in colors I normally don’t use, because other people do prefer larger jewelry and other colors. Many of my designs use the cool colors that are jewel tones and variations of those colors.
- What is your favorite technique?
Stringing, since at my skill level I am not always happy with my wire skills. I’ve done some right angle weave and would like to learn other techniques to expand my design possibilities.
- Other than Etsy, where could someone find your creations?
Right now, only on etsy, although I have looked and am still looking into other venues. I did two Open Houses last December and did quite well. I would love to find a place to sell my pieces on consignment. Because of a full-time job, a part-time job, and preparing for my daughter’s wedding (I’m making her veil, embellishing her tiara, and making the jewelry for the bridal party) I don’t have as much time as I would like to build a bigger inventory, which I think I would need to support additional venues.
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