Feature Friday

Please extend a warm welcome to our
Feature Friday artist Angela from Gizecraft


Blog: http://gizecraft.blogspot.com
Etsy : http://gizecraft.etsy.com

1) Tell us about yourself, your shop and what brought you to the Etsy community.

My name is Angela and I live in Portugal between Lisbon, Braga (north of Portugal) and Macau (China). I speak English, Cantonese and Portuguese. I have always loved creating things. My mom was a professional tailor from a traditional sewing business family in Goa (Portuguese colony in India). Then my parents moved to Macau, where I was born. I used to help my mom and she would give me the leftovers pieces of beautiful fabrics to make dresses for my dolls. That was my first contact with fabrics.

Besides fabric, I love working with colourful papers, batik and Japanese papers. I love travelling and I try to collect different types of papers everywhere I go.

But it was only when I moved with my husband to Lisbon 5 years ago that I started to concentrate in my creativity such as natural perfume making, ceramic, sewing and bookbinding. I found myself in need of connecting with people related to arts and crafts. During that time, “Google” became my best friend! hahaha! I discovered Etsy and it opened the door to the world of talented artist of unique handmade products. I started to join the virtual labs and met nice people who would take their time to give me a help with my shop, offer opinions and exchange ideas. Finally, I felt at home, even though I was far away from home.

2) Walk us through a typical day in your life.

I love to start my day quiet and peaceful with the music on. I go out for coffee with my husband. We have some quality time together, reading the newspaper, talking and laughing. I love mornings because I feel fresh and it’s a new day to start something fresh and new.

Then, I start my day working, creating things with ideas that I have already constructed and visualized in my mind. I do my research online, update my blog, facebook and twitter. I am a good observer and love to go to shops and look for ideas and inspiration. I work best in the afternoon when I have all my materials and ideas well organized.

The whole process of bookbinding takes time and it gives me a Zen feeling because it is so beautiful to be able to sew up the books, create a unique style with lovely materials like Portuguese cork oak, silk fabrics or leather. After the completion of the whole process, I take a good look at the book and get this feeling of great satisfaction! And I smile with great joy!

3) Name your top 3:

Books

1. Sophie’s world by Jostein Gaarder

2. The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Immortality by Milan Kundera

3. Perfume by Patrick Suskind



Music

1. Classical Jazz

2. Antonio Pinho Vargas (Portuguese composer and pianist)

3. Ennio Morricone (Italian composer and conductor)

Movies or TV shows

1. Amélie

2. Cinema paradiso

3. Life is Beautiful

Websites

1. http://www.tortagialla.com/

2. http://elsita.typepad.com/allaboutpapercutting/

3. http://www.scoutiegirl.com/

4) Who are your top 3 shops on Etsy?

1. http://woodlandbelle.etsy.com

2. http://astellamelu.etsy.com

3. http://vanittas.etsy.com

5) Where do you hope your shop will be in 1 year?

I have been creating lots of different things. Finally, now I am confident in what I really love to create and it comes from my innermost feeling. I want to focus in my bookbinding books and journals. Therefore, in one year’s time, I hope to be able to create unique designs using the best materials that I can obtain from all parts of the world. I want to create personal books, intimate writings journals. I believe we all have something to write about our lives so that one day we can re-read and treasure memories!

6) What projects are you currently working on?

At the moment, I am working with Portuguese cork oak material which is one of the highest products produced in Portugal. I have become obsessed with this beautiful material and have lots of amazing ideas that I want to share with the world. I have already created my first collection and soon there will be more designs coming up.

7) What suggestions/tips would you offer to someone new to Etsy?

It is not easy in the beginning because you want sales and when it doesn’t come, you become disappointed and want to give up. That is not the right thinking because it means that you need to work harder, take new photos and get more active in virtual labs, read all the information available and get to know the lovely people in Etsy. Everyone is going through the same directions and once you have everything worked out, people will notice you and your items. But the most important is to be kind, respect and enjoy!

Crafting is being able to bring out the talent we have, in the form of art. With lots of love and patience, almost everything can be achieved.