3.06.2009

tgif FEATURE AND GIVEAWAY :: artlife


happy friday! our featured artist and giveaway is ellen from artlife. it's great fun to learn more about our fellow sellers over at etsy and help get their name out. i first 'met' artlife via a giveaway she had on the etsians blog. i've since then received her note cards set and i absolutely love them! pop on over to her shop as there are many great items to take a look at.

Q. Who are you?
A. I'm Ellen Honich and I run Artlife over at our favorite place to buy and sell all things handmade -- Etsy!

Q. When did you open up shop and how did you come up with your shop name?
A. Artlife opened in August of 2006. I've always been involved in some form of the creative process be it painting, drawing, photography, jewelry making, dance, poetry or graphic design. The mediums have changed over the years, but the art has always been at the center of my life. I'm very interested in conceptual art and actually making my LIFE be my art. Everything I do involves seeing and being and I truly see my life through "art colored glasses". Art and Life are interchangeable for me. Thus the name Artlife!

Q. What do you create and sell?
A. Right now I'm primarily making and selling Note Card Sets, which I design and print myself. I also make pin-back buttons and my Mom has some hand-sewn napkins in my shop. My Mom and I are also about to open another Etsy shop called Booklife where we will sell our fabric-covered magnetic bookmarks.

Q. What is your favorite item in your shop?
A. My favorite item in my shop right now (it changes all the time depending on my mood) are the "Fig 8" Note Cards. Figs are just a nice image and a great fruit. I had fun playing with the word "fig" and the abbreviation for "figure (fig.)" like it is used in a botanical drawing. Plus the number 8 stands for infinity, so there is a lot going on in this simple image if you go a little deeper.

Q. Do you have any advice for newbie Etsy sellers?
A. Well, when you have just opened your shop on Etsy and don't have any sales yet, I highly recommend trading to start building up feedback and your seller reputation. Also, the forums on Etsy are a great source of information. If you are looking for a supplier or advice on a certain technique, chances are someone has started a thread on that very subject in the forums.

Q. What is the passion on your heart or your burden for this world?
A. I think the passion in my heart and the burden on this world both have to do with love. It seems that all the world's problems stem from a lack of love and all the magic in the world stems from an abundance of love (a giving heart, a helping hand, a kind word, spreading your joy out to others). The cool thing is: in every single situation we get to decide our next action. Will it be an action coming out of love or an action coming out of resistance and pain or hate? So in the end, we do get to change our world. Too much of the time we give this power away or think that we don't have it when we always do. We DO have the power to change the world through simple daily actions that radiate love!

Q. Lastly, what is your giveaway this fine TGIF!
(one giveaway winner will be selected at random the following Wednesday at 11.59pm EST. to enter, please comment below with your favorite item from 1. artlife and 2. MustardSeed by.carollai. 'follow' my blog and you'll receive an automatic second entry. :) remember to leave an email address because if you are the winner, you will want to be contacted!)
A. Fig 8 Note Card Set of 3

35 comments:

MandMStudio said...

My favorite from Artlife:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032023

My favorite from Mustardseed:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21523553

demmi said...

my favorite from artlife is the old car note cards and from mustardseed I like the pink giselle necklace
con5459(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah and Jon said...

Great interview!

My favourite from Artlife -
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032044

My favourite from Mustardseed -
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21551734

SmuTopia said...

Great Post! Here is my favorite from artlife: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032023

and from mustardseed: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21548901 (great gatsby--awesome name!)

I can be reached at SmuTopia.Jewelry@gmail.com :)

Jennifer @ Mom Spotted said...

I love these cards: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21641574

I couldn't find your follow link?

I have a great giveaway starting today on my blog!

Unknown said...

My fave from Artlife:
Love Birds Note Cards -- Set of 4

My fave from MustardSeed:
fly me to the moon earrings

Unknown said...

following...

Erin said...

My favorite item from artlife is the lovebirds notecards, and my favorite from MustardSeed is the pink giselle necklace. Beautiful! Thank you for doing this giveaway, your work is lovely :) hellobengaltiger @ hotmail.com

Winklepots said...

Hmmm, hard decision. I really like the Love Bird cards in Artlife's shop, though. I also really like the pink giselle necklace in your shop carollai.
Beautiful work ladies!

Audrey said...

I love these from Artlife:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21106100

And these are my favorite in your shop:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20971101

Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.

jaquelyn {mama thoughts} said...

I just have to say it; I am loving those fig cards. They're really cute! =) I checked out MustardSeed, too, and I was just drooling over the musing moon earrings...I just got my ears pierced, so earrings are on the brain! =)

thesweetestpetunia@gmail.com

carolyn said...

My fave from Artlife is:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032044

And my fave from your store:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=21523553


I blogged about your giveaway on my blog, too!

Jamie said...

This is so nice to see how people are real who create and their heart goes into each item.

Raevyn said...

my favorite from artlife:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032023

my favorite from MustardSeed by.carollai:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21159623

my email is raevyn77@gmail.com

BOWquet said...

Great feature!

thelittlereddoor said...

I love artlife's fig.8 cards and carollai's Pink Giselle necklace is so very lovely. thank you for hosting a wonderful giveaway :)

beep said...

I love the word play on the fig. cards.
also the musing moon earrings are beautiful.
longo436@yahoo

beep said...

i linked you on my blog

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry said...

too many lovely creations to choose from but I've got down to 2 favourites.

From Artlife - I heart sewing notecards (I'm from a family of sewers)

From Carollai, the Royal highness Earrings - I love sodalite!

You can convo me via jacarandadesigns.etsy.com

The Stewart Stuff said...

Both shops are adorable, but I did pick favorites!
1. The Band aid get well cards
2. The Greek Isle Earrings

Wonderful shops! Thanks for the chance!
-10oneworld on Etsy

Linda B said...

My favorite is the variety notecard set from Etsy

Linda B said...

From mustardseed, I like the
dancing earrings, love aventurine.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21570737

http://lindab142.etsy.com

I'm following you.

Anonymous said...

love the Get Better Soon bandaide note cards from artlife. and the mustard seed greek isle earrings!
nate.dani at gmail dot com

Jenn Milt Art said...

i'd love to win!

I love the eraser notecards and the greek isle earrings! :)

jrerwin6 at gmail dot com

nfmgirl said...

My favorite from Artlife (thanks to all of the sickness going around) are the Get Better cards:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21641574

From MustardSeed I like the Midnight Blossom earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21831718

paleseptember said...

artlife: Love Birds Note Cards -- Set of 4 is my favorite!

MustardSeed: greek isle earrings are lovely! they make me want to go to greece right away.

thanks for the giveaway!
caitlinhyla at gmail dot com

Alyssa said...

My favorite at artlife are the fig cards - so cute!!

My favorite at carollai are the musing moon earrings.

alyssa_hammond7@yahoo.com

Amanda Fetters said...

My favorites are the Fig. 8 cards (fresh figs are among my favorite foods!) and the musing moon earrings. So pretty!
amandafetters at gmail dot com

Katherine said...

1. love birds notecards.
2. moment in time necklace. PRETTY!

3. waleckak atttt gmail dotttt commm

Abby said...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21031957

I adore the vintage look of this one!

ajcmeyer AT go DOT com

kiddomerriweather said...

1. Eraser Erasing Note Cards -- Set of 3

2. Sweet Serenity Necklace

sgregg78@yahoo.com

Jessica said...

These are great.
Artlife -
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21032044

Mustardseed -
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21551734

jschmale(at)gmail(dot)com

Mary Mitchell said...

Artlife - love birds!

mustardseed - New York Cosmopolitan!

sarah es mitchell at g.mail.com

w said...

from artlife: my fav listing has to be the variety pack. mainly because everything in her shop is amazing and it's hard to pick just one.

from you: um. you don't have a variety pack. and everything in your shop is gorgeous. so. i'll pick the "a moment in time" necklace.

thanks for the giveaway!

wendiwinn on etsy.

mommycao said...

I enjoyed looking at both sets of items. My favorite from Artlife was the Eraser notecards and from MustardSeed was the Sweet Serentiy necklace.

Thank you! mommycao@gmail.com