>Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).
My name is Katie and I'm from NW PA, near Lake Erie. My hubby and I are recently married and celebrating 2 years of marriage in October! We live in the woods where we have the pleasure of seeing deer, turkeys, rabbits, and bears every once in awhile. Our house is less than a half mile from the State Park and we enjoy all the benefits of country living.
> What is your favorite color combination?
I wouldn't say that I have a favorite color combination, but I have 3 colors that I am very partial to: blue, green, and yellow (in that order). I love those colors because they are symbolic to me of God's beautiful creation, the Earth and all that is contained in it.
> What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?
I can't actually remember what the very first thing was that I made. But I do remember my brother and I making a lot of Pet Rocks. We'd glue yarn on their head and squiggly eyes. And name them. We had lots of them!
> What inspires you?
Color inspires me. I love looking at landscapes and crayons. Colors seem to come to life through them. On Pinterest I even have a board I've titled, "Inspiration" because it's for those times when I'm just blank and have run out of ideas.
> Where do your ideas come from?
They come from my imagination! Most of my creations have a distinct whimsical and friendly look to them. I've tried doing real life things before, but they turn out bad, every time. So I stick to made up things, or what I think something would look like if it was cute.
> What are your favorite materials?
Polymer Clay, polymer clay, and more polymer clay. I can't get enough of the stuff! It's fun to work with. You can bang it, smash it, cut it, squish it, ball it up, roll it out, and so much more. It's like instantaneous stress relief. If you've had a bad day...go and bang on some clay. Had a rough week, chop up clay into tiny bits and make something unusual...I just love it. Ninety-five percent of my store is all polymer clay.
S’mores Parker
> Why should people buy handmade? Buying handmade is just like anything else; it's a choice. Sure, you can go to a boutique and buy similar things to what I have, but you don't know who made it, or get the story behind it. There's a personal touch when something is handmade that you just can't match anywhere! And when something has been custom designed just for you...that's even more special!
Tips on selling your items Here's my rule of thumb: you must have elephant skin. You see elephants have the thickest skin on Earth! Not only does it protect them, but it makes them able to endure much more than other animals. The lesson: there will be people who love your work, there will be people who hate your work, and there will be people in between. The only thing that you have to prove to someone is that you are passionate about what you do with your talent and your craft! And above all else, be professional, be kind, and don't let one bad sale or bad person destroy the image you've built for yourself.
> What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists?
The most valuable lesson I learned was early on in my Etsy career. I listed my first Etsy item on Aug. 28th, 2010...so we've only been open on Etsy for a year. But I asked a friend one day what she though of a particular piece. I told her I didn't know if it would sell. She told me, "You never know if it will sell until you list it." Wouldn't you know, that piece never sold...BUT...the lesson that I learned was a valuable one. Since then, I list everything, even my error pieces. 80% of them end up selling at some point, even the ones I think are horrible!
3 piece Terrarium set
> Apart from creating things, what do you do?
My husband and I are both ordained ministers in the American Baptists Churches. We work together at the same church. He is the Pastor and I'm fortunate enough to be his lovely wife, helpmate, and a Pastor alongside him. God has blessed both of us so much and we count those blessings every day.
> What’s your favorite movie or book or both? Why?
My favorite movie is Toy Story, as you can probably guess by my screen name (toystorynutty). When I was in high school, Toy Story hit the theaters....I was in love! I had animals piled up on my bed every night, but in the morning they would mysteriously be on the floor. That movie brought to life what I had always dreamed: that my animals were alive and had parties without me when I wasn't around or when I was sleeping.
My favorite book is Jurassic Park. I love this book...it's fast, it's scientific, and it's riveting! I read it once a year and no matter how many times I read it...I can't put it down. I love the way it's fictional and yet so real. The movies pale in comparison to this awesome book. But when it comes to imagination, I have never read better than the Harry Potter series.
> What are the Web addresses for your work?
Store: toystorynutty.etsy.com
Facebook: katersacres.facebook.com
Our Blog: katersacres.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/katersacres
Pinterest: pinterest.com/katersacres/
Stumbleupon: stumbleupon.com/stumbler/toystorynutty/all
Website: web.me.com/pastorkatieoskin/katersacres/Welcome.html
> Are you offering my readers any specials?
Spend $7.00 or more in my shop and get a FREE mini-Pet Rock. Please put "Free Pet Rock - LindaB" in notes to seller.
Thank you for the opportunity Linda! I'm excited to be featured!
