Artist Feature: Wired Whimsy

I recently interviewed Christy of Wired Whimsy because not only is she a seller participating in my group giveaway on Monday, but she makes beautiful jewelry! It's not very often I find a jewelry shop on Etsy that I love, but I have quite a few favs from Christy's shop. In interviewing her, I learned that she is not only a talented jewelry designer, but a mom of two with a quarky personality. I'm very happy she is taking part in my blog giveaway!

(Love these!)
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Christy Klein. I'm married to my favorite person in the world, and together we have two children: James age 12, and Avery age 10. I spend most of my time homeschooling these little darlings. My family will tell you that I am OCD about many things, but none of them have to do with cleaning or laundry. In fact, I believe socks and underwear should be disposable. I also believe that a fabulous pair of earrings is the ONLY thing that offsets a bad hair day. A bad eyelash day, however.... there's simply no hope for that.

I'm the kind of girl that's easy to pick on because I'm constantly doing truly dumb things. I'll spend the entire day with my skirt on backwards and never realize it. I'm also known for my valiant efforts to save random creatures. I once called my husband in tears because a grasshopper I tried to rescue had died. True story.

What made you start making jewelry?
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that truly is the case here. I started making jewelry as a means to pay off a really lame debit I allowed myself to accumulate. When I found Etsy and the opportunities it affords people like me, I knew it was my chance to claw my way out of credit card bondage, and so Wired Whimsy was born. What I didn't know is that I would love it so much.

(Gorgeous statement necklace)
What do you do in your free time?
Free time? I've never heard of this before. Oh, I kid! In my free time I like to play games with my family, or snuggle on the couch with my hubby. My hubby and I are on a softball team together which has allowed for more opportunities to make fun of me than I imagined. But I don't cry easily, so it's all good.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration usually comes at night while I'm trying to fall asleep. I guess it's because that is when my mind is free to wander. I also love to sit in the backyard and swing. Creativity flows best when you're relaxed, so swinging works well for me.... also, I'm a perpetual 9 year old.

What has been the biggest challenge in the development of your shop?
The biggest challenge by far has been establishing a brand. Having a recognizable brand is one of the most important aspects to a successful shop, but I jumped in head first and ignored this all together. I'm now in the process of developing a solid brand, but it takes a ton of thought and research. I didn't even put this much thought into naming my kids! It's difficult stuff. :-)

On Monday I will be having a blog giveaway featuring items from Christy, myself, and three other amazing Etsy sellers! I'm very excited about it so be sure to stop by!