What A Girl Wants

Alright Boils and Ghouls, here is another installment of featured shops by moi! The shop I am featuring belongs to a lady from Baltimore named Vicky. Her shop isn't filled with creepy or blood drenched items, but she has some mad skill when it comes to beading and making jewelry and being from Baltimore gives her extra points in my book! I interviewed her and the following is what I learned about this talented lady.

The Artist, Vicky

My name is Vicky Mizurak, I’m 27 years old and I am happily married to my husband who I’ve been with since we were 18. I graduated from UMBC as a Psychology major and I work for Social Security Administration (I’ve been at my job for four years). I have a 4 year old Labrador named Daisy who I fully treat like my child. We don’t have any children yet but I have a bunch of nephews and nieces that I adore. Aside from my obvious love of jewelry and accessories, I pretty much spend the rest of my spare time with my family and friends. I love the beach, summer, boating and anything water related pretty much and I love going on day trips to new places!

Vicky, Daisy, and The Husband

1. How do you find time to juggle a social life and find time to keep up with your Etsy shop? 

Juggling a full time job, social life and Etsy is always the ongoing battle in my life. I try to mix them together, so at work on my breaks I take time to check in on my Etsy shop and respond to messages and emails. In the evenings on week nights I try to work on jewelry, listings and other items for my shop, but I also try to host a dinner night with friends once a week or every other week to just take a break and unwind. On the weekends I normally take my jewelry with me when we go places, so if we go to hang out with the family on a Sunday, I will take my laptop or my traveling jewelry case with me and make items as I enjoy spending time with the family. My family and friends are super supportive of my jewelry business and are always understanding when I break out my kit and start to work!

Pendant Latch Earrings

2. How did you get your start in making jewelry and accessories?

As a child my girlfriends and I always made bracelets and jewelry with the cheapy elastic and cheap plastic beads. So I’ve always had that love of jewelry making. As I got older, I was always into crafts, scrapbooking and stuff like that in general. After graduating college I had hosted a jewelry show (from another vendor) at my home and after the show my mom and friends were talking about all the different bracelets we liked. As we talked, my mom said she really felt like I could make them myself, so taking her up on the challenge I decided to give it a shot! Well a trip to Michaels craft store and a few hours later, I had made my first bracelet! After that it just took off and as I started to wear my work people were asking where I got things at. After countless suggestions from people that I should start selling my work I finally decided to take the plunge. I found Etsy through a web search and started my shop. Shortly after opening I started to branch out into the accessories territory after making my first pair of flip flops and that has opened so many other fun doors!

Live For Soccer

3. Where do you get your inspiration from? 

My inspiration comes from so many different places. Colors, locations, seasons, holidays, sometimes even one bead itself can give me inspiration into an item. I sometimes even wake up with ideas out of nowhere!

Wine Bottle Hug

4. Do you have a favorite item in your shop that you are particularly proud of either because it was a challenge or because of how it turned out? What is it and why? 

I am proud of most my items, but one that was the biggest challenge for me so far has to be Big Plans, a larger than life cluster beaded necklace I made. It took countless hours and some much time but when I got done I was so in love with it! My friends and I named it because we all agreed with such a large focal piece you’d need “big plans” to wear it! It’s a total statement piece no doubt.

Cluster Necklace

5. How would you describe your creative process?

My creative process can be described as trial and error I’d say. I don’t do a lot of preplanning when I start something new, I just tend to string it together, and if I don’t like it, take it apart and do it again! Some nights everything that I string flows perfectly and I don’t have to try again, other nights I will spend all night restringing over and over until I like what I see! I think that when you look at a piece of jewelry it should flow, both colors and shapes, so I try to make sure that mine do just that!

Not So Cold Hearted

6.Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Hopefully with a happy healthy family and great friends and to have a thriving Etsy shop! I am so excited about the future and where my shop will go and I look forward to putting in the time and work to make it great for all the shoppers! My ultimate dream is that one day I can retire early and just work on jewelry and accessories, maybe even have an actual physical shop of my own!

Ravens Lover

7. What advice would you give a new seller on Etsy? 

As cliché as it sounds, Don’t Give Up!!! Etsy is something that takes time and devotion but if you give it that you will learn and grow. My first year was slow, I almost gave up, but thanks to my family and friends support I didn’t. The second year was even better and this year has been beyond what I had imagined. My goal this year was to make it to 100 sales by December… I just passed that goal in March so you can do it too! Just be confident in what you make, love what you make and making it and that will show through your items!

Sterling Silver Cluster Ring

8. Since you are a local, what is your favorite place in Baltimore to visit and why? 

I absolutely adore Baltimore. I love so many places, but if I had to pick on spot I would say the Inner Harbor, and more specifically Rashfield, which used to host the outdoor ice rink in the winter. I worked there through high school and it’s where I met my husband so it holds a really special place in my heart! (My second favorite place is the football stadium Go Ravens!)

Baltimore

9. What is your favorite John Waters film?

I absolutely love Hairspray Hon! 

Von Tussle Versus Turnblad

If you would like to check out her shop this is her shops link. She also has a Facebook Page and a Twitter Page.

What is Civilized?

What do you get when you combine a film crew, a cannibal tribe, real life animal slaughter and then label it as a documentary? The answer is one hell of a scandal and a court date for the director! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Cannibal Holocaust!

Cannibal Holocaust is an Italian film that was made in February of 1980 and caused a shock wave of anger, confusion, and legal issues that wasn't again repeated until The Blair Witch Project was released into theaters. Cannibal Holocaust is about a crew of three young documentary film makers that venture into the Amazon to study indigenous tribes. The crew goes missing for two months before people go to search for the film makers and come across the same cannibal tribe the film makers ran into, only to find their footage and what appears to be their remains. The footage is taken back to the US is viewed. What is found is unbelievable. There are many scenes that involve killing animals for food, rituals of the tribe they find, and the disrespectful things the crew does to this tribe. I don't want to give away too much, but in a way, the films makers got what was coming to them, cannibal tribe or not.

When the film was released into theaters it was removed and seized by the courts ten days later and the director, Ruggero Deodato was arrested and charged with obscenity and later the murder of the three film makers. The courts looked at this film as if it were real and called it a snuff film. Deodato soon contacted one of the Italian actors in the film and had him gather the rest of the cast to prove that they were, in fact, alive and well. The murder charges were dropped, but the film remained banned in Italy for another three years.

Even though the controversy appeared to be over when the chargers were dropped, there was still the matter of the actual animal slaughters that occurred on the film. During the film several animals were killed live on camera. The killed animals were a coatimundi (erroneously referred to as a muskrat in the film), a turtle, a snake, a tarantula, a spider monkey, and a pig. Since its original release, Cannibal Holocaust has been the target of censorship by moral and animal activists.

On top of the animal slaughters, there is also a large amount of sexual violence towards women in this film that causes a bit of controversy too. One of the most infamous scenes shows a woman being tortured and later impaled with a large stick that goes through her bottom and out her mouth. It's become the films most iconic symbol.

As a result of all of these things, this film is banned in more countries than any other film ever made! Countries that banned the movie at one time or another include Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Burma, Norway, South Africa, Finland, Turkey, Singapore, Germany, Iran and Morocco. Believe it or not, Cannibal Holocaust remains banned in several countries to this day.

Now, what do I think of this film? I was really grossed out by the animal deaths, but as for the effects and make up... amazing! This is not my favorite film ever made, but I do get an urge to watch it every now and again. I think that once you get past the gross factors, of which there are many, it is a film that really makes you think. It makes you wonder about anytime man has invaded someone else's territory and won the fight. What if they hadn't? What kind of world would we live in if this was the norm? What is it to be civilized and is it a good thing? i think my favorite response was by author Mark Goodall. He believes that the film is about, "...the rape of the natural world by the unnatural; the exploitation of 'primitive' cultures for western entertainment."

Friday the 13th

Well, here it is, Friday the 13th! Some people see this as a day of bad luck, others use it an excuse to have a Jason Vorhees marathon, and then you have those that could simply careless what day it is. I got a bit curious as to where these superstitions about Friday the 13th came from and here is some of the info that I found.

Apparently the number thirteen isn't the only part of Friday the thirteenth that is viewed as being unlucky, but Friday itself is said to be unlucky as well. A lot of what I have read seems to go back to the bible. Twelve is a number that is believed to be complete. There are twelve months in a year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve Apostles of Jesus. Thirteen is seen as irregular and disrupting to the completeness. This theory mainly derives from The Last Supper that having thirteen people at a table will result in the death of one of the diners. It is also believed that Friday is bad luck because it is the day that Jesus was crucified. It is also considered unlucky with the stock market crashing on what is now called "Black Friday". Now, when you combine the two you have one of the most unluckiest days of the year! There are so many people that have a phobia of Friday the 13th that there is a name for it, friggatriskaidekaphobia. 

While there have been some instances where "bad luck" has struck on this date, there have been a lot of studies done that show this day may not be as unlucky as  you think. Some people look back on events that occurred on Friday the thirteenth that were quite dreadful. There was the Hurricane Charley in Florida, the death of rapper Tupac, a snow storm in Buffalo, NY that produced up to twenty-four inches of snow, and there is even a prediction of a asteroid called "99942 Apophis" that is predicted to hit in 2039 on Friday the thirteenth. While these events have happened or, in the case of the asteroid, are predicted to happen, there is some positive that has come from this. There have been several studies that show on any given Friday versus one on the thirteenth of the month there are less traffic accidents, less fires, and less injuries at work. I suppose people are a bit more cautious on this day versus any "normal Friday".

Either way, no matter how you cope with this day, be it watching horror movies or being overly precautions, be safe and enjoy yourself! It is still Friday, after all.

Ex-Con Turned Icon

In my life I have had many celebrity crushes. Some are weird, some are strange, and one is even a cartoon... If you have ever watched Daria and had an unusual attraction to Trent you know where I am coming from. One of my current celebrity crushes is Danny Trejo. Yes! I said Danny Trejo. If you don't know who that is, let me tell you now, you know who he is. All you have to do it watch a movie with bad ass prisoners, something by Rob Zombie, or a film by Robert Rodriguez and you will see this man in it. He usually plays a rough, bad ass criminal that is tough as nails and then some. He has a scarred face, a long thin mustache, a muscular body, and a large tattoo on his chest making him one of the most distinctive character actors of our time.

Danny Trejo

Danny as Machete

Danny Trejo is in more movies than I can recall and how he got his start in film is quite amazing. He is one of those guys that had a rough childhood that involved drugs and prison. From the time he was a small child he was in and out of jail for 11 years. At one point he ended up in San Quentin. While in prison he took to boxing an won several lightweight titles. When he got out he successfully a 12 step rehab program and changed his life forever. He continued to help others by speaking to people that were going through the same things he was going through with drugs.

Rob Zombie, Diamond Dallas Page, and Danny Trejo

One day while he was speaking at a Cocaine Anon meeting he met a young man that was an actor. He asked Danny to be his sponsor and Danny agreed. Shortly after Danny received a call from the actor saying that he was on the set of a film and that there were drugs and alcohol everywhere tempting him and he asked if Danny would come down to the set as moral support. Danny agreed and soon found himself on the set of Runaway Train. The director saw Danny and asked him to be an extra in the film as a convict because of his tough appearance and tattoos. Also on this same set was a screenwriter that Danny had did time with. The screenwriter remembered Danny's boxing skills and paid him $350 a day to teach the actors how to box. Danny jokingly replied to offer by saying, "For $350 a day, give him a bat. I used to get beat up for free!"

Danny Trejo and Quentin Tarantino

This was the start of Danny's still amazing career in movies. Since then he has been cast in over 200 films. Watch out Kevin Bacon, your name game is about to get demolished! Six degrees of who what now? Since the 1990's Danny has been in at least four films a year and 2002 he was in a total of nine films!

Danny Trejo on the set of From Dusk Til Dawn

In 2005 Danny stepped out of his element and did a documentary called Champion. This film is completely about him. It looks at him before he got into acting and talks about his childhood and issues he faced growing up. This documentary is a very intimate look at his life and I highly recommend it to anyone that adores this man as much as I do.

Champion

I got the chance to meet Danny at a horror convention in Maryland called Horrorfind Weekend in 2009. I was absolutely tickled to meet him. I gladly paid my $30 for a signed picture of himself and as he was signing his name we chatted a bit. I told him that my mother was going to be very jealous that I was getting to meet him. He asked why she didn't come and I told him that she was babysitting my sister's two year old twins while my sister worked as a single mom. He then asked what my mother's name was and signed a photo for her and personalized it free of charge. This made me love him even more.

Danny Trejo, Me, and Kristina Klebe

Danny Trejo and Maggie Gyllenhaal on the set of Sherrybaby

On top of filming an insane amount of movies, attending conventions, keeping up appearances, and spending time with his family, he still speaks and twelve step programs. How can you not love this man? No offense to my fiance or Danny's wife, but I got dibs next time he's in town!

Danny and wife Debbie.

Living Dead Girls Never Looked So Good

It's late at night and there are no lights on. Just a faint and eerie glow ahead. All is quite except for a faint clicking that isn't rhythmic, but is consistent. I keep my eyes peeled for what monsters I may come across. Then I see it, it's a zombie! I am bothered, yet I can't stop staring. It's skin is green and decaying with an eye missing and a mouth dripping in blood. I can't tell if it's a male or female, all I know is I want to see more zombies, so I click on the next item in Living Dead Girl Nicole's shop! That's right. I was up late at night clicking that mouse like it's my job while scoping out LDG Nicole's shop!

LDG Nicole is a fellow Etsy seller as well as the Captain of our team, Etsy Massacre. Nicole makes amazing macabre accessories as drawings of horror icons in cinema. She really has amazing talent and taste and has combined the two thus making her Etsy shop! I had a few questions for Nicole and the following is what I learned about this talented lady.

I asked Nicole about her personal life to learn some more about what her life is like and this is what she told me.

I am a parent of 2 kick ass cats ha ha. Ichabod (after Ichabod Crane) and Sabbath (after Black Sabbath). I am married to my high school sweetheart Frank. We have been together since 1998 and got married on Halloween in 2009. Besides my art I also love to scrapbook. I also love attending horror cons, renaissance faires, tattoo cons and rock concerts. I do work full time as a Senior Billing Administrator.. but my art is what keeps me sane!






1. You have a lot of items that stand out. When most people think handmade they think sewing, soap, and knitted goods. What inspires you to make such edgy items?

I think its my love for all things edgy that inspires me really. I have never been a go with the norm type of girl ..not only in my art but in my life in general.

2. How long have you been drawing? Did you go to school for art?

I have been drawing since I was able to pick up a pencil as a little living dead girl ;) I use to enter coloring contests as a kid to try to win tickets to the circus (cause I was obsessed with the circus ha ha). I also use to color my Barbie's hair with markers until they came out with Jem and the Holograms dolls. I went to art school for a short bit of time right after I finished high school but sadly I did not finish.. it was so expensive and I was at a point in my life where I was out on my own and had to get a full time job to support myself. I have since taken a few specialty classed from time to time since then, I get most of my training from my father who is also an amazing artist. If I ever am in doubt about something with my art my Dad always has the answer. He taught me "if your an artist you can fix any "mistake" and make it happen" and to "never give up on my talent".

3. Is there a particular item in your shop that you are most proud of? Which one and why?

I would have to go with my Robert Englund/Freddy Krueger Portrait "Sweet Dreams".. it's a newer portrait I just recently did this year that I hope to give to Robert when I meet him for the 2nd time this summer. I like it cause it's not your typical portrait and it was also hard for me to find photos that were similiar pose wise to get the vision I was going for.. but I did it. *pats self on back* ha ha

4.Are you currently working on any new drawings or have plans for new pieces that you would like to share?

I have a long lists of portraits I would love to do. Alice Cooper and Miss Argentina from Beetlejuice are on the top of the list ;) I am also considering making a female zombie head of some sorts! Eyelashes and all!

5. Since you have many horror inspired items, what is your all time favorite horror movie?

Ahh this one is so terrible to answer because I could list you so many favorites and I have my reasons for each as to why I love them so much. But if I had to pick just one I would say Bram Stoker's Dracula, I can read the book and watch that movie over and over again. I even wore Mina's red dress as my wedding dress, Love Never Dies was our theme of the wedding and we had a quote from the movie in our wedding invitations. If I were to go with a stabbing slasher type film I would say House of 1000 Corpses.. I love all things Rob Zombie.. and I am in love with this movie, its characters and it's fun creepy cookiness. I also have many awesome memories meeting many of the characters from the movie so it makes the film watching experience that much more special to me. I also have a Lucy Westenra tattoo on my arm ha ha. and a Baby Firefly tattoo on my leg.

6. I noticed in your blog that you have been to some horror conventions. Is there any person that you've met that particularly stands out for you? Who is it and why?

Another hard one......... but I will have to say Elvira. I have wanted to be that woman since I was a little living dead girl.. hence my quote "when other little girls wanted to be ballerinas I wanted to be Elvira".... I will admit I still do ha ha. When I met her she was exactly how I hoped she would be.. I even told her about when I dressed up like her for Halloween when I was in 3rd grade and my Mom wouldn't let me put the "cut in my dress" like she had ha ha. I gave her the portrait I drew of her and she really liked it.. she looked at it and said "I have gotten a lot of artwork.. but this one.. this one is reeeeally good"....... a dream come true.

7. If you could give any advice to a new seller on Etsy, what would it be?

Sent your shop policies right off the bat! And if you do custom items always ask for 1/2 up front to cover your costs!! And most importantly always be true to yourself and your art! Make what you love and the buyers will come! Don't change your art to make more sales! Art is about expressing yourself to the fullest!

If you would like to check out more of Nicole's work you can visit her Etsy Shop, her LinkedIn, her blogspot, or check out the Etsy Massacre! You can also click on the links I have on the right side of this post.

bored?

Are you ever bored? Do you like to shop? Do you like on-line stores? Are you an Etsy fan? Well if you are like me and answered yes to all four of those questions you should check out my page of treasuries that I have made.  I have treasuries that ranged from The Addams Family and Twin Peaks to Rainy Days and Spending a Night out on the Town! So check them out and leave me some comment love too!

Jewelry on the Brain!

In the short time that I have been on Etsy I have had the pleasure of getting to know many sellers and buyers. They sellers have always amazed me with their endless talents, the time they put into their shops, and still having the time to live their lives and raise their families. It's amazing what people can accomplish with so little spare time with their busy lives. Today's featured shop is Katiebug Creations. 

The owner of this shop is Marianne and she is one of these people! She is from Illinois, the mother of three children, a loving wife, and a skilled jewelry maker. I asked her a few questions and this is what I learned about Marianne today.

Green Glass Seed Bead Shamrock Pendant Necklace

1. How did you get started making jewelry and get started on Etsy?

I have been making projects for as long as I can remember. Music and art in school when I was younger.

I started making jewelry in 2007. I started to sell it about 2008. Before that I did candle making, soaps, and stamping as gifts. While doing the jewelry I also got into cake decorating. I just love to make things. And I try new things all the time.

I am a full time mom and love it!. I would also love it if my etsy shop took off, It would be an ideal job since my youngest will be starting school this year.

Wire Wrapped Dragonfly Necklace

2. How do you juggle your home life, making jewelry,  and a social life?

Honestly I have no idea how I juggle it all? :) I guess I just do the next thing. I was diagnosed in 2007 with SLE Lupus as well. It means I have to keep my stress to a minimum so I think making jewelry helps me. Plus my faith in Jesus is a big factor. I endlessly make lists and schedules. Being organized helps a lot. Plus I'm a clean freak so I am always on the go. Making Jewelry is a down time kind of a thing. I think I have a good social life... I have 3 kids...;) My husband still loves me despite being surrounded by my crafting stuff. And I enjoy making jewelry for my friends and family. It's like sharing a piece of me with them.

Beach Inspired Blue Tone Bead and Chain Bracelet

3. Where do you think you draw most of your inspiration from and do you think it shows in your pieces?

I constantly have some idea running through my brain of different projects or ideas, some times I sketch them out to get a rough picture. It depends on the day. I check out pictures in magazines and when I go to the store or on Etsy I find ideas as well. When I see something I always take it and then turn it into my own. I love making simple pieces nothing to complicated or involved. Stuff I can look at and say "I can make that".

Gold Circle Chandelier Brown Glass Bead Earrings

4. Is there any item in your shop that you are particularly proud of making either because you did it or because it was a challenge? Which piece and why?

I have a couple. I have a stash that I make for myself and then there are ones I make to sell or give as gifts. The Dragonfly necklace is the most recent... I saw someone made one out of copper wire a bit smaller and thicker. I have a friend who loves dragonflies so I figured why not try to make one. At first I tried it free hand but it didn't work out so well, and I remembered I have a wire wrapping tool so why not use that. Well it worked! I added beads to mine and my friend loves it. Same with the Bee necklace. Sometimes I like my pieces just because the colors come together in the right way. Then there are times I make one that goes into the remake pile and no one sees it EVER. :)

Wire Wrapped Bee Necklace

5. Are you currently working on any new items that you would like to share?

I love to work on new projects all the time. When I find new beads, see a cool picture or piece I start planning how I can make it my own way. Right now my family is busy with end of the school year stuff and birthdays so mostly I am in gift mode. I have not had a ton of time to make new things. Summer will be here soon and I will have more time for projects.

Purple and Clear Glass Bead Necklace with Resin Pendant

6. Are there any mediums or techniques you haven't used that you are thinking of trying out? 

There are SOOOO many different mediums. I have used polymer clay before I don't think I have gotten the nack of it yet. My pieces didn't come out as nice as my perfection complex would have liked. But I won't stop trying. I have used stamping and shrinky dink paper to make beads. That is fun. I would LOVE to be able to try metal clay. I have SOOOOO many ideas for it. I just don't have any room for the equipment. Plus I have little kids, open flame is not a good mix. Maybe in the near future. I like to use whatever I can get my hands on.

Wire Wrapped Lupus Awareness Bracelet

7. What advice would you give to someone that wants to start making jewelry?

For any one who wants to start making jewelry I would have to say GO FOR IT! That is how I started. I didn't take classes or go to school, I just did it. Who cares if you don't know how to make it, try making it your own way if it doesn't work out then start over and try it again. Eventually you will make something you like. When I first started there was only a small section for beads and jewelry making. Now there are so many choices and styles. I love it. Get books, find pictures, take apart store bought jewelry you don't wear anymore, make new things with it... just try it you might just love it like I did! 

Purple and Black 8 Strand Seed Bead Necklace

If you would like to check out more of Marianne's work please visit her shop! She also has a facebook page.

Fun Stuff!

Okay Boils and Ghouls there is a lot going on with my shop lately and I just wanted to keep everyone in the loop! 

First off, I applied for the Charm City Craft Mafia's Pile of Craft show that takes place in Baltimore every June. I just heard back that I got wait listed, but I am fine with that. I honestly wasn't sure how my stuff would do at an indie craft show anyway. 

Second, for those of you that follow my facebook page I just announced the winner of April's giveaway, Christen! She is the proud owner of an Etsy shop called ZombieHolocaust. She makes awesome handmade cake toppers that are rather edgy and absolutely amazing! As she likes to say, "Not your grandmother's cake topper shop!" 

For those of you that are not familiar with My Facebook Page, this is where I like to post discount codes, new items, things I am working on, horror trivia, treasuries, and anything else that tickles my fancy! Anyone that "likes" is automatically entered into the giveaway I have at the end of the month. The winner gets to pick their favorite item in my shop for free! It doesn't matter if you've been a fan of my page from day one or for just a week, when the end of the month comes everyone has the same odds of winning. The winner is randomly selected the old school way involving assigned numbers that are randomly picked out of a bowl. 

Thirdly, my shop is featured as the shop of the month with one of the Etsy teams I am in, the Etsy Massacre Team! Check out the teams blog to see the post about my shop!

Fourth, I am working on some new items made out of tulle! If you want to see some new items check out the facebook page! It's a sneak peek at some new brooches and scare for your hair!

Lastly, I am proud to say that two shops in Hampden, Maryland (a town outside of downtown Baltimore City) carry some of my items! One shop is Kiss-N-Make-Up and the other is a new shop called In The Details. Kiss-N-Make-Up specializes in salon services such as hair, make up, waxings, pedicures, and manicures! They also sell novelty items, hilarious greeting cards, make up, nail polish, jewelry, and excellent gifts to get that person that you never know what to get! In the Details is a new store, so new it hasn't even had it's grand opening yet. However, the store will be having a meet and greet for "First Fridays" where shops in Hampden on the Avenue stay open a bit later than usual. There is always good food, drinks, fun people, and awesome shops to go shopping in! If you live in the area and have never gone, I highly recommend that you check it out this Friday!

Enjoy and take advantage of the 30% off discount while it's still good!