ThePurpleTable

The SpotLight member of August is ThePurpleTable!

This month I'd like to introduce you to Debi.  She's an incredibly talented artist that is not afraid to try new things.  

Etsy Paper: Tell us a little about yourself.
Debi: Hi. My name is Debi and I’m the artist behind The Purple Table. I live and work in Northern Virginia, right outside of Washington, D.C. My pug dog, Theo keeps me company in the evenings when I work on artistic projects for my Etsy shop. My interests are varied and include interior design, photography, painting, and papercrafts.

Domino Magnets

Etsy Paper: When did you open your shop on Etsy?
Debi: I opened my Etsy shop, The Purple Table in February of 2012. I had just spent several months planning my son’s wedding and making the decorations for the event. During that process I discovered rubber stamping and the amazing array of creativity it allows. 

Etsy Paper: Tell us about your shop.
Debi: What began as a large old wooden door was transformed into an artist desk by decoupaging various purple papers onto its surface. The Purple Table is literally the place where my creativity and imagination run wild to create handmade paper goods and small gifts. My shop, The Purple Table, specializes in unique greeting cards for all occasions, gift tags, altered journals for your notes and thoughts, and recycled domino art.

Gift Tags

Etsy Paper: What inspires you?
Debi: I think I have an eclectic style. But I’m a pretty down to earth girl and a romantic at heart. I love vintage, the whimsical, nature, and romance. Most of my creations have bits of those in them. An obsessive collection of rubber stamps contributes to ever changing designs.


Etsy Paper: Do you sell mostly online or at craft shows?
Debi: My Etsy shop is the main outlet for my products. I have participated in 3-4 craft shows in the last year and would like to expand on that. I’ve had a lot of fun at them and met some very talented and interesting people. 

Etsy Paper: How did you learn your craft?
Debi: I’ve always been interested in Art and anything that would allow creative expression. I did take art classes when I was younger, but I’ve always been artistic and crafty. I’m that girl who is most likely to say “I think I can make that for you”. It helps that I’m a big DIY person and don’t hesitate to give most things a try.

Notebook

www.thepurpletable.comEtsy Paper: How do you get the word out about your products?
Debi: Within the Etsy environment, I participate in teams and treasuries to promote my products. I also use Pinterest to some extent, and my website: www.thepurpletable.com links to my Etsy shop. I’ve been featured in several blogs as well as two wedding magazines which have given my shop exposure and brought in custom orders for gift tags. 

I also collaborated with Strathmore Artist Papers who stumbled upon my Etsy shop. They revamped the packaging of their products and two of my cards were used on the new product packaging for their stamping cards in 2013. You can see my pear note card and goldfish collage on their packages in retail stores and online here: 
www.strathmoreartist.com/product-reader/items/stamping-cards.html
www.strathmoreartist.com/debi-jones.html


Etsy Paper: How much planning do you do before you create?
Debi: I don’t know that I follow any set of rules or process. My best work often comes from total randomness. I work on it till it “looks right” to me. :) I do create for me — meaning what I create is something I would like to receive.

Etsy Paper: What is your favorite item to create and why? Tell us about it.
Debi: I love experimenting with different techniques and mixing materials. Greeting cards are perfect for this because it can be done on a small scale. If it doesn't work out – I just move on, it’s not a huge investment in time or materials.

Birthday Card

Etsy Paper: What has been your favorite comment from purchasers about your product?
Debi: I’ve been very fortunate that customers have taken the time to leave such wonderful reviews and comments regarding their purchases and experiences with my shop. One of my favorite comments left is a small one, but had me smiling for days:
“Artistry in a card~ beautiful :) ”

You can read all of Debi's Reviews here.
www.etsy.com/shop/ThePurpleTable/reviews

What an amazing talent she has.  Browsing through her shop it was fun to see all the details included in her items, especially the greeting cards.
www.etsy.com/shop/ThePurpleTable

Until next time,
Jenni
Etsy Paper Team
Captain

TACE Handmade

The SpotLight member of July is TACEHandmade!

I'd like to introduce you to, Tasos, the owner of TACEHandmade.  I interviewed him and quickly found out just how creative he is.  This shop has a little bit of everything.

Etsy Paper: Tell us a little about yourself
Tasos: I am from Greece. I live in a detached house to a small neighborhood about ten minutes from the center of Athens, with my beloved and fluffy cat, Kurt. I'm in a relationship with a cute girl for three years and we love traveling and cooking.

Cat Earrings

Etsy Paper: When did you open your shop on Etsy?
Tasos: Μy shop has been open for almost a year.  Οn 15 September we will have his first birthday!


Etsy Paper: Tell us about your shop.
Tasos: In my shop I sell jewelry and decorative wall art. I work mainly with wood and paper using the technique of decoupage. I like experimenting with different papers like napkins, rice paper and scrapbooking papers. In the same way, I work my decorative ornaments so creating wall hangers.

Vintage Girl Art

Etsy Paper: Do you have a special space for your crafting, or does the kitchen table do double duty?
Tasos: I started to design in my room, at my desk. But as time passed, materials and tools proliferate so I made a room of the house a small workshop. I managed to organize all things on shelves and boxes and working is more enjoyable because I want to be neat and tidy.


Etsy Paper: Why did you decide to become on Etsy seller?
Tasos: I decided to become a seller on Etsy because I loved the idea that something of mine can be loved by someone and travel anywhere on the planet. 

Etsy Paper: What is your favorite technique/ your "specialty"?
Tasos: My favorite technique is decoupage! I love working with wood and paper. I started using this technique in objects, but because I loved it so much I started making jewelry with this technique. I give the design that I want to have the jewelry on paper and then pass it onto the wood and cut. I like looking at hundreds of napkins to discover the plan that will get stuck in the wood, I feel like I'm looking for treasure. There are such beautiful designs imprinted on papers that give beautiful results on jewelry.

Bracelet

Etsy Paper: Is there someone in your life that may have inspired your creativity?
Tasos: One day my girlfriend Madalena wanted a necklace, but wherever she looked she could not find the design she had in her mind. So I decided to make it myself . I bought all the materials and gave it to her οn her birthday! Since I am inspired by her, anything I design are things that I feel she will wear.  She is my muse and my biggest fan!

Necklace

Etsy Paper: How did your shop get its name?
Tasos: The idea for the name of my shop came from my name Tasos. "Asos" in Greek means "ace", known to all of us as the best card of the deck and together with the first letter of my name came Tace! 


Etsy Paper: Do you have a favorite quote to share?
Tasos: My favorite quote is "I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not" 
which was said by Kurt Cobain. Τhis quote makes me be true and makes me be myself. I wish all people to love themselves and not try to be something else to be loved.


Etsy Paper: Why do you do what you do?
Tasos: I do what I do because above all it gives me joy. The need for me to express my creativity and the pleasure that I felt since childhood making things with my hands, led me to do what I do now. For me it is very important to feel that I am doing something creative, it gives me strength for life. 
The more I create the more I feel alive and happy!

What an amazing artist he is.  Such great talent and a kind heart.  Browse through his shop, you might see something you can't resist.  
www.etsy.com/shop/TACEHandmade

Until next time,
Jenni
Etsy Paper Team
Captain