Today's Etsy seller feature is on Margie McNutt who makes wonderful unique household items by working with glass. Here are a few questions I asked her:
1. Shop name and your name:
I am Margie McNutt, My shop is MargieMcNutt (clever huh? Not so much, I know!)
2. Where are you located?
I live in a very small town, Lorane, Oregon. We have a general store, church, elementary school and grange. Oh but there are lots of wineries, King Estate being the best known.
3. How did you first get started working with glass?
I have always been an artist, when my children were little I tried doing stain glass but the sharp glass and children were not a good mix. When the last child was grown my husband gave me classes at Eugene Glass School for Christmas. I was quickly hooked! I have taken glasses from many of the top fused glass artists in the country, each of them have so much information to give!
4. Do you have a favorite item?
Of mine? Probably our bathroom sink, most likely because I use it several times a day! I love how functional fused glass can be!
5. Do you do your craft full-time?Yes, I am a full time glass artist. I teach classes out of my studio and have done work in the local schools teaching art. Not to preach, but if the schools in your area are eliminating art due to budget shortfalls volunteer to teach it! Children need to be creative; I always tell them there is no wrong way to do art. Art is in the expression of yourself not someone else's desired result.
7.Where do you find inspiration for your products?
Everywhere, I swear I dream glass! It is on my mind all the time! I see a tree and I wonder how I can interpret the tree into glass!
8.What do you love about your business?
I love making the glass, the business end is a struggle for me. I am learning on Etsy how to promote myself but it feels like tooting my own horn but I am trying!
9.What makes you unique at Etsy?
Several years ago I worked on and finally perfected a glass technique that is unique to just me. I call it boiled glass. It was one of those errors that turned into something I loved. I went through a lot of glass, frustration and profanity, but I almost have it down to a science. My boiled glass gets lots of questions from other glass artists on how do you do that, but I feel like I am giving away my grandmother's sacred
cookie recipe if I tell them. I know that sounds selfish but it is MY SACRED RECIPE! lol
Margie has a great tip to share with anyone new to crafting:
"Don't judge yourself too harshly. If you enjoy the process of making something, the final result isn't important, the journey is! Enjoy what you are doing, if you are doing crafts just to make money and don't like doing them, move on! Create something that makes you passionate!"
Margie can be found on the following sites:
Designstyle, Flickr, Facebook, Artfire, Etsy, 1000 Markets, Myspace and MargieMcNuttGlass.com
Here etsy shop is: www.MargieMcNutt.etsy.com
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