FEATURED ETSY SHOP - Nancy from goshery

If you are looking for unique, handmade paper goods...tags, greeting cards, etc....be sure to visit goshery on Etsy. Let's hear what goshery's owner, Nancy, has to say about her creations, and how she got started

What led you to start creating your art/craft

I have always loved paper and supplies – like so many other paper crafters, my favorite thing about each new school year as I was growing up was buying school supplies.. I started making cards about 20 years ago; they were so basic compared to some of the cards that you see now! There weren’t nearly as many options for paper crafters at that time, but I enjoyed it then as much as I do now. I was introduced to scrap booking 15 years ago and fell in love with that process as well.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I think it was my love of paper that made crafting paper goods such an easy choice for me. I have also done some sewing, but I find reading patterns to be a real challenge! Basket weaving was another endeavor and hats off to those artists; that is a real skill. I do some cross stitching too, but paper is definitely my favorite medium.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I definitely love color and my ideas often start with a piece of patterned paper that I find and want to use in a project. Coming up with the idea is probably both the most enjoyable and also the most frustrating! Sometimes the ideas really flow and other times I just can’t come up with an idea that works.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

I would probably use an onion to describe my craft because I often use layers of paper on my projects. Like an onion, you can peel back the layers to see the bones of the project.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

I would choose photography as another medium to display my creativity. I’m not an expert photographer by any means, but I love to take pictures and enjoy trying to find interesting subjects and angles. I especially enjoy nature photography and like to have my camera along as I travel because there are so many opportunities to take pictures. One of my favorite photos is a picture of a sunset that was taken one summer evening while I was out for a walk – hurray for cell phone cameras!

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

I enjoy the concept of simple living and simple times, so my items aren’t full of flair but instead tend to have a simple, clean look. My hope is that people connect with the colors and patterns that I use; I often leave the cards blank so that people can use them to send any message that they wish.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

I don’t know that I’m qualified to give anyone advice, but I encourage parents to do craft projects with their children. Kids tend to be very creative and don’t feel the need to be perfect, which lends to their creativity. It’s a great way for families to spend time together and can give kids another option besides watching TV or playing video games. For artists/crafters I would encourage them to share their skills through Community Education classes or by volunteering at local events. I think there’s a real opportunity for all of us to bond with each other through our crafts.

Nancy, thanks for a great interview and taking the time to share your thoughts and creativity with everyone! Be sure to see what paper products Nancy has to offer by visiting goshery on Etsy and her blog linke below.

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