Thursday, October 29, 2009

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - THE HEMP PATCH




Labradorite Shine - Hemp Necklace
by THE HEMP PATCH




This is made with 100% natural organic hemp. The necklace features a large Labradorite doughnut pendant and four Labradorite beads. I used thnk brown hemp and a spiral knot to tie this one up. It closes with a knot through the loop.  Labradorite is a great healing stone. It is very enlightening and is great for your creativity and self esteem.


WELCOME, Whitney, and her Etsy shop, THE HEMP PATCH.  I always loved the natural look of hemp, and when mixed with stones it is truly beautiful.  Whitney has a wide variety of beautifully designed, hemp necklaces, jewelry sets, ankle bracelets and more.....so be sure to pay a visit to THE HEMP PATCH!

Let's learn a little bit about Whitney and how she got started creating her hemp designs.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?


I had a great art teacher in school. She tought me how to tie hemp (macrame) in one of my first classes with her. I remember her telling us that we needed to come back to class the next day with one finished hemp necklace. She was surprised when I came back with an intricately knotted hemp belt.

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

After realizing how much I enjoyed working with hemp, I ran into a lady vending necklaces at a large music festival in our area. Her set up was just a blanket on the grass and there was at least 10 people around her picking out the necklaces they wanted. That was when I realized that I wanted to do that, and I could.

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

When I'm vending, I love watching people look at one certain necklace and know what that is what they want. Seeing people with smiles on their faces after purchasing something that I brought to life has always been one of the best feelings for me.

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

An apple. I find most people looking at my items trying to find the perfect one, just as you would with an apple.





Agates and Bubbles - Hemp Necklace

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

I've been looking into creating a new shop, all with recycled/upcycled materials and items. It's something I've been wanting to do for a while, and I'm finally bringing it to reality.

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

Hemp is such a useful material. There's more to it than just tying it up into a piece of jewelry. Wearing it is a great way to show that you care about the earth and want to help improve it.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

I honestly feel like I'm still to young to give out any meaningful advice, I'm the one that still needs it, haha! If I had to say anything though, it would be to keep your hobby a hobby. I'm not saying not to try and sell it if that's what you want, but when creating what you love starts to frustrate you, take a break! Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable, not a pain.

Whitney, wonderful creations and great interview!  Thanks for sharing both your thoughts and creativity with everyone.
 
To see more of Whitney's jewelry, be sure to visit the links below.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

I'd love to learn to macrame - how cool is that!

Unknown said...

I just love wearing hemp jewelery.But,I would like to learn hemp patterns that are used for making different jewelery.Are there any online user guides ?