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.