Featured Shop - Eleen

This weeks featured shop "Eleen" has some beautiful handmade purses, clutches, & neck warmers. Eleen's color selections are spot on for Fall & simplistic designs will easily chic up your look.
You can catch her in person at Bazaar Bizarre - Sun 11/30/08: SF Holiday Show 2008, SF County Fair Bldg, Golden Gate Park

1. Tell us about your product and where you get your inspiration.
I make handmade bags, pouches and accessories like cozy neck warmers and fabric bracelets. I draw inspiration from lots of things but primarily the lush greenery and curious critters of nature, the fun and energetic fabrics that I work with, and the desire to be surrounded by cute things that serve a purpose!
2. How did you get involved with Etsy?
A coworker told me about Etsy back in 2006 while I was contracting at Wells Fargo as a web project manager. I registered my shop right away but didn't really start listing anything until last year, and things have just been growing from there! With the support of my husband, I took the leap from web project management to full-time crafter in October 2007 and it's been a dream! Etsy is such an amazing community of very cool buyers and sellers, and I love that it gives sellers like me an opportunity to pursue their passions and sell their handmade items to the public! I'm completely addicted and love every minute of it.
3. Do you sell your work in any bay area stores?
Selling my work in local shops is definitely a goal of mine. I would love to see my products on shelves at Bay Area retailers, but they're not carried in any stores just yet. Talking to retailers is high on my post-holidays list of things to do!
4. When you're not creating what are you doing?
When I'm not making things (or thinking about things to make), I enjoy spending time with my hubs, family and friends: browsing neighborhood shops and restaurants, hiking, cycling, playing tennis or finding some other activity to do outdoors. However, I can just as often be found lounging around indoors with a good book (I'm currently making my way through George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" epic fantasy series), a Netflix DVD, or on my laptop -- where hours will disappear while I'm either blogging at www.eleen.com, Etsy shopping or craft blog reading!