Once again in March we had a treasury challenge, and although we picked two winners the hands-down favorite among judges was
Above Us Is Blue Sky Only by Ingrida from
feltinga. We'll be featuring her items in the April treasury challenge, but her shop is so lovely I wanted to ask some questions about her inspirations ahead of all that, on April 1st in fact because today she's been on Etsy for one year! Happy anniversary!
You can find her on twitter
@ingaleske or on pinterest at
pinterest.com/ingaleske.
50 felt wool balls (1/2 in. size) red green brown black yellow grey blue pink purple white
by feltinga
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I live in Lithuania, small country in East Europe. My full time job is not related with crafts – I am civil servant. So when I am at home I need to do very different things: to give a rest for my brain, to give a job for my hands and to release my fantasy. Of course, so far as my masculine family – husband and two sons (7 and 15) - lets (they are always hungry)? But... they are my best helpers in IT, photo making and even products making – few of listings in Feltinga are made by my elder son!
3 felted Ayurvedic soaps, set. Soap, scrub and sponge in 1. Gift under 10 for him her men women.
by feltinga
What got started making handmade items?
I've became acquainted with felting some 10 years ago when
birth of small felt ball caught my eye during the public event of our regional museum. But it took about 5 years to summon up my courage, to find free time, to set free the fancy in order to take a flock of wool into my hands. And now I can't imagine my leisure without felting. Wool is amazing material, very plastic and very friendly with the fuller, wearer and other materials composing solid work. I do not limit myself doing one kind works. Brooches, necklaces, earings, wristlets, bracelets, slippers, wool decorated glass vases, belts, shawls, and gloves do not make up the finite list of the range of my creative works.
Nuno Felted Flower Scarf Shawl Wrap: Crimson Brick Red Green Mint, Orange, Wool, Lace. OOAK. Splendid, Light. Gift under 50
by feltinga
What got you to open your shop on etsy?
My colleague knew my passion for felting and once she showed me cute felted product on internet. The product was listed on Etsy. I started to browse and suddenly it become clear that Etsy was what I needed - the place for my creations and a mean for my little extra?
Felt wool balls garland Easter multicolor purple pink lavender satin ribbon jingle bells
by feltinga
What's your home like?
Felting is my hobby, not my full time job, so I have no special studio for it. That‘s why I get use of every premise in our house: I keep my supplies in cloakroom, felt in bathroom or sitting room, use to dry my felts near fireplace or in the warmest house place near the big window, make pictures under the skylight....So our house looks like a house of people with lots of hobbies: my children love LEGO, husband loves DIY, model making, gardening... And... my felts? We have no pets, so my felts are safe here.
What inspires you?
Colors... I love all colors: bright, neutral, pastel, pale, dark...Now I miss spring, it is so cold here, so I compensate this shortage with the colors of my felts. Constantly changing nature, flowers, sky...
Felted Scarf Shawl Wrap: Hand Painted Rainbow Green Orange Red Burgundy Yellow Blue Silk, Wool nuno felt. OOAK.
by feltinga
Tips for other etsy artists?
Do what you like to do... Do with love and patience. Make good pictures. Improve your good pictures into better and the better - into best ones... Improve your shop every day. Share the love by making treasuries and communicating with your clients and colleagues. Participate in teams' activity.
Felt balls bracelet personalized blue red pink purple orange yellow pink brown black white beads charms pets zodiac dog cat initials
by feltinga
Most important thing you've changed about your shop or products since starting on etsy?
I've placed my first listings on the 1st of April 2012, so Feltinga will celebrate its first birthday very soon. It was very interesting, very intensive, very challenging and very impressive year. I met a lot of fantastic people who helped me a lot, and I participated in very active, friendly and supportive teams. Etsy friends explained me how important pictures are, how should I improve them, what felt products should sell themselves, where I can find fantastic supplies for my craft. So my shop is constantly changing beginning with banner (thank you, my son Marius), pictures, tags, descriptions and ending with renewing and growing stock. One of my etsy colleagues, Vaida, even made fantastic photos of my felted balls and now they are very popular in treasures! I‘d recommend to visit her beautiful shops
vart and
vaidaphoto on etsy too!
Have you bought anything cool off etsy lately?
Yes, superb LEGO hand made soaps at
OhSoSmelly and a charity pot holder, made by 10 year old Lucy at
FishCreek.
1st place April 1st, 2013 
23rd place April 3rd, 2013 
4th place April 6th, 2013 
1st place April 15th, 2013 
12nd place April 13th, 2013 
55th place April 11th, 2013 
35th place April 4th, 2013 