Featured Artist: Mich from Pixie's Treasure Chest

Etsy shop: Pixe's Treasure Chest
Blog: Pixe's Treasure Chest

The Pixie's Treasure Chest is filled with necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Our featured artist, Mich, says, "Earrings are my passion! I make a few necklaces using strung beads, however, I really enjoy making necklaces with wire wrapped links. I also love making bracelets using links. I've created with sterling silver or copper wire. Quite of bit of my jewelry is dainty, and I prefer to use uncomplicated designs for the most part."

"I have had a love affair with Southwestern jewelry since I was a child. These are one of my favorite earrings. I have a pair that I wear almost all the time, These were designed using copper and sterling silver beads, and sleeping beauty turquoise. I think they are just absolutely beautiful!"

Mich works with semi precious gemstones, sterling silver, copper, and Swarovski crystal accents. As she says, "Sometimes a piece calls for a little bit of shimmer!" She began making jewelry because she couldn't find any jewelry that she really liked at department. stores, nor did she see much that she liked at local craft shows. She concedes that the jewelry she saw was gorgeous; but admits that it was just not her style. So she thought she would take things into her own hands and try making her own jewelry.

She told us that there is even more to the story; that she feels a very strong strong need to do something creative. Mich says, "I found jewelry making the perfect food for my soul, and a fabulous way to relieve stress from my job. I have been hooked ever since!"

Mich is a self-taught Jewelry artist, and she emphasizes that she is still learning. Her goal for 2009 is to learn to work with silver clay. The only formal art background she has is a course in art appreciation that she had taken while in nursing school. As she says, "Other than, it's all me! I have all these ideas running around in my head with no place to go, except my sketch pad."

Mich enjoys sharing her creations with others, and she hopes to make people happy when they see her work. She likes to think that she's bringing a little bit of nature closer to others; her goal is to remind us what a beautiful world we live in. She enthusiastically adds, "I think it's awesome to know the stones used for the beads I use, were millions of years in the making!"

About this necklace, Mich says, "This is my Chrysanthemum Necklace, and is one of my favorites. I designed this necklace using chrysanthemum tubes and round beads. I think these beads are just gorgeous! I wire wrapped each link with copper wire, then added red aventurine leaves. This necklace reminds me of falling leaves."

She works as a critical care nurse to pay the bills, and sells her jewelry to feed her soul. She says, "Being a nurse, I don't have a traditional work schedule; I work work two to three long days a week. Therefore, I pretty much can sit and create as the mood strikes, or the stress level demands." Mich is a mother to a grown son and a totally crazy standard poodle. She told us, "In my biased opinion, I have the greatest family in the world. My parents, brother, and son always offer me much support in my business venture, and life ventures! I can't ask for any better!"

Mich says, "Most of my inspiration comes from the natural world around me. Sometimes, my mind just wanders and leads my hands. This is one of my favorite bracelets; I was inspired by s stormy winter sky. I designed this using labradorite beads, tahitian swaroski pearls, thai silver beads and sterling silver. Again, the links are wirewrapped and joined together."

About her jewelry, Mich says, "I would like people to feel that they are happily wearing a piece of jewelry that was created just for them, that it expresses their individuality, and makes them feel special!"

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.