19 Moons Jewelry & Accessories

Name: Niffer
Shop Name: 19 Moons Jewelry & Accessories
Shop Link: http://www.19moons.etsy.com
Location: Pittsburgh and SF
Ships To: Everywhere on Earth

What inspires you? The recycling of everything in the Universe. Chaos and organization dancing together and the enchanting patterns that creates. Weird in manifestation and origin. Goats and tea are also nice.

How long have you had your shop on Etsy? I opened my account back in early 2006 but I didn't start selling until Feb. 2008! A big gap, I know :)

Is this a job for you or a hobby? I guess it's in between those two- I'd rather call it a passion than a job or hobby because it's too fun and self fulfilling to be the former and too consuming to be the latter. Altered art is something I've done most of my life- specifically jewelry in the past 10 or so years.

How did you get into your craft? I've had an appreciation for discarded treasures since I was little- always picking up things off the ground or street or wherever when they caught me eye. In the 1990's when I was going to art school I started seriously recycling objects. I made a robot out of a weird portable t.v., parts from a remote control car, some scrapped velvet and a video player- thus the "Hugh Grant Machine" was born. Repurposing came into my jewelry initially with using little gears, bolts and telephone wire along with beads.

What do you love about Steampunk? I like the idea of technology appreciated for its beauty as much as its function. This is aesthetic banner of SteamPunk, influenced by the design of the Victorian through Art Nouveau periods' developing industry. I also like the science fiction aspect, like the future as seen through the lens of the 1800's. As a kid I had a record of the Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The story both scared and fascinated me (and sometimes induced laughter- Morlocks EAT Eloi!). It was my first exposure to Sci-Fi & Steampunk roots, later embodied by Dr. Who with the TARDIS, and others.


Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? I'm pretty new to selling on Etsy but I can give a couple pointers. One important thing is to take really good photos. Try different kinds of lighting and backgrounds, keep the work in focus but feel free to be creative. It is hard for people looking at images to get a feel for what a piece is like, so you have to give them as much information as possible. Also I like to do design shows & craft fairs often so people can see my work in person- I can promote the Etsy store that way too.

Anything else you would like to add? For info on 19 Moons' upcoming shows, galleries and a mailing list please see my other website: http://www.19moons.com/