Friday, January 15, 2010

{Featured Artist: Broken Hallelujah}

This giveaway is now closed!


Here at
Gussy has a lot to say we love to look at all things beautiful.
Beautiful scents, beautifully cozy accessories, beautiful stories about family life.

Today marks week #9 of my series on featured Etsy artists. It is my goal to introduce some drool-worthy eye-candy. Over the next few months I'll be showcasing hand-selected Etsy artists that offer products that I think will appeal to you, my readers :)

Please join me in welcoming Brandy at Broken Hallelujah.



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What inspires you? Yarn. I love all the different textures and colors. A trip to the yarn store can be a very dangerous thing for my wallet. I try to only buy what I need for my shop and then wait to see what left over profits can go to new yarn, but sometimes (especially if it's on sale) I can get myself in trouble.



Where do you call home? Are you from there originally? Right now I call Wilmington, NC home, but I am originally from New Mexico and grew up in Lubbock, Texas.


Name something unique to where you live. Wilmington is home of the annual North Carolina Azalea Festival. It's apparently a big thing. This will be my first year to check it out for myself.


Share an interesting fact about yourself. I hope to become a marine biologist who primarily researches large marine mammals.


How did you come up with your shop name? My shop name comes from one of my favorite songs by Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright - "Hallelujah". It's a beautiful song, and people seem to remember me more because they associate me/my shop with the song.


Share a little bit about yourself.
I'm 23 years old, looking to get my masters in Marine Biology at UNCW. I love the ocean and studying the creatures in it. I have a steady boyfriend who (hopefully soon) will become my fiance. We just enjoy being someplace completely new and unknown together and exploring the history and beautiful scenery of the places around us.


If you had to describe yourself in a word, what would that word be? Goofy.


What made you decide to open up shop?
I found out about Etsy through the Craftster forums. I thought it would be an easy and fun way to pull in some extra money to buy new yarns. Boy was I wrong. It's hard work, but I love it. I've learned so much about running a business, marketing yourself, and staying inventive. It's been a great experience and I'll definitely be sad if I ever have to close down the shop for good.


Name your favorite thing about selling handmade. Interacting with customers and explaining to new people I meet that I make all these things myself and sell them online. People really seemed surprised to hear about Etsy and my shop. I love introducing people to the idea that buying handmade is really worth it.


Do you have a day job or sell on Etsy full-time?
Etsy is my full-time job right now. Since August I have dedicated my full attention to Etsy. Before I had a day job and was going to college, so Etsy definitely wasn't my top priority. Since I've started doing this full-time, it has grown leaps and bounds. It'll be bittersweet to have it be secondary to school/work again.


Give us a little glimpse into what a typical day in your life looks like. I wake up around 8:30 - make coffee and get a quick bite to eat. Then print postage and drop off orders for that day. While I'm out I'll run any errands I need to (yarn, buttons, shipping supplies, grocery, etc.) I'm usually home by 11 - check email, update Etsy. Grab some lunch and then it's down to crocheting. If I have orders that need to be made I'll get those ready. If I have new items to be added to the shop I will photograph and edit. Then dinner, package up orders to be shipped tomorrow, check emails, etc. It's a long day, but I enjoy it.


Share with us a favorite Etsy purchase or shop.
There are far too many. Recently I bought a tea sampler from teaman for my sister's Christmas present. They all smelled so delicious. After tasting a few, I think I'm definitely going to need to order one for myself. I love handmade teas & soaps. I really wish I had more time and money to do shopping on Etsy.


List a few of your most favorite pastimes.
Gardening, baking, going to the beach, traveling, and geocaching {a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices}.


Read any good books lately? Plenty! I finished The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold which was great. I read Edith Warton's The Age of Innocence for the first time this past year and loved it. I love reading (when I get a chance).


What is your most prized possession?
I'm going to say my antique brass bed. I fought so hard to make sure it came to North Carolina with us.


What are three of your favorite foods? Pretty much anything Mexican, Italian, or Thai.


What would you like to learn to do? Knit! You can't make those pretty knit cables with crochet and I would love to be able to do that. I have cable-envy.


What are you listening to right now? Nothing, actually. But my soundtrack of the moment is Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment CD.


Name one place you must visit in your lifetime and why. Paris. It's better than everyone says. It's better than the movies and tv shows. It's just amazing. Beautiful, alive, romantic. It's like nothing I've seen before and I can't wait to go back.




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Now for something fabulous!

Brandy has offered to give away a pair of charcoal Mary Jane slippers!




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To enter:

Leave a comment sharing how you would relax in a pair of crocheted Mary Jane slippers, should you win!



For additional entries:
{leave an additional comment for each}

-Comment that you follow my blog

-Comment that you follow me on Twitter

-Comment that you follow Brandy on Twitter

-Tweet about this {leave a comment with your Tweet}

-Blog about this {leave a comment with your post URL}




RULES:
  • The giveaway will close Sunday, January 17 at 10 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day
  • An email address must be listed on your blog profile, blog, or the comment you leave. Don't make me hunt you down {'cuz I'll pick someone else!}


Please check back Friday, January 22
for another featured artist post!

xo.

73 comments:

Meg said...

I love these features that you do Maggie, it introduces so many new and talented people that we wouldn't have known about before! Okay, down to business, since my hubby hates my "old man" slippers that I wear all of the time, I would replace those with these lovely slippers!

Meg said...

Of course I follow Gussy, and I just signed up for your newsletter!! Can't wait to get my pouches(and bag)!
xoxo~Meg

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

http://bit.ly/6QauxD a fabulous giveaway for crocheted slippers! just tweeted it -@wellofcreations

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

And I follow you Gussy! @wellofcreations

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

and I am now following Broken Hallelujah! @wellocreations

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

OK so I will be wearing your beautiful slippers ALL THE TIME! we are moving to Germany at the end of the month -from AZ! So my days of walking 'round barefoot ARE NUMBERED!

wishful nals said...

i would wear these fabulous maryjanes while relaxing with my fat cat, fete.

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

ok I am NOW a follower of your blog Miss Gussy-am I acting a bit obsessed about winning? Did I say how much I covet these slippers? XOXO

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

for bonus points I just posted the giveaway on my fan page:

www.facebook.com/wellofcreations.myetsyshop

Jingle said...

Oh, my goodness! I love these! I would curl up on the couch and pull my cute little crochet-slippter-adorned feet up under me next to The Hubbums and eat ice cream! *sigh* That sounds wonderful!

Jingle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jingle said...

I follow Brandy on Twitter!

Teri said...

Her slippers are gorgeous and look so comfortable! I would wear them around the house, and would love to have warm feet while cozying up with a good book and a cup of coffee!




teri12481@hotmail.com

Teri said...

I also follow your blog!

Candice @ Made With Love said...

I love the slippers and would totally wear them while sewing up some goodies (nothing like a little creative inspiration!).

cmyersdoyle@aol.com

Candice @ Made With Love said...

I'm a Gussy follower!

cmyersdoyle@aol.com

griffingirl said...

Hi Mag! I love all these creative things that you are a part of. The sewing you do is absolutely beautiful. I am a crocheter also and I've never seen little mary-janes like that before, I'm in LOVE with them! I'd be so excited to have a pair and replace my fuzzy penguin slippers that I've had since I was a junior in High School (can't believe that was seven years ago already!) This inspires me to work on my crocheting more!

jaquelyn {mama thoughts} said...

I love those!! I would slip them on my tootsies, make some hot chocolate, put on some soft Celtic music and curl up with a good book--sounds perfect to me! ;)

jaquelyn {mama thoughts} said...

I'm a bloggy follower! {of course}

jaquelyn {mama thoughts} said...

And a Twitter follower, too. @thesweetpetunia

Annie said...

What a great feature! I would love to crochet b/c I know how to knit (a wee bit)!

I would relax with a big bowl of popocorn, a super iced diet coke & a movie with my hubs in these slippers.

I follow the blog & twitter :)

Unknown said...

Those are SO cute and look like just the right weight for what I need to keep my tootsies warm in the cool new mexico weather!

Serenity Jen said...

I would love to wear these cozy mary jane slippers in about 5 wks when I am on maternity leave with my first baby. It's also winter in MN so extra cozy is always a good thing. :-)

Val said...

How would I relax with these Mary-Janes? Well, my feet would definitely have to be up, I would probably enjoy a cup of tea of some sort, and practice my chain stitch - I have just started crochet! :-)

Val said...

I follow Gussy @PurpleClem

Val said...

I also follow Broken Hallelujah @PurpleClem

Val said...

And I tweeted about it:
Enter @maggiewhitley 's giveaway to win crocheted Mary Jane slippers by @bhallelujah : www.maggiewhitley.com

Unknown said...

those are so darling!!! i would cuddle up with a good book and a cup of tea :)

Unknown said...

i follow you on Twitter of course!

Unknown said...

and I now follow Broken Hallelujah as well!

Jenn Milt Art said...

I'd relax in them on my couch with a nice hot cup of tea!

jrerwin6 at gmail dot com

Jenn Milt Art said...

I follow your blog!

jrerwin6 at gmail dot com

Jenn Milt Art said...

I follow you on twitter (jennrach)

Jenn Milt Art said...

I follow Brandy on twitter (jennrach)

Jaimie said...

I would wear these so, so much. They look so freaking cute and comfy. I would wear them when the bf wasn't around because he wouldn't like them, but I DO!

ambermarie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Biteofpunkinpie said...

well, seeing as how I'm 6 weeks away from having baby girl #3, a pair of slippers like that would get some serious attention from me!

ambermarie said...

I love the Mary Janes....SO cute and comfy looking!! I would put my son to bed, make some hot cocoa, snuggle up on my couch and watch a movie. That sounds so relaxing right now! :)

ambermarie6183@msn.com

Whitney Walker Alexander said...

LOVING these sweet Mary Janes!

Whitney Walker Alexander said...

I follow your blog.

Whitney Walker Alexander said...

I follow you on Twitter...but of course, you already knew that!

Whitney Walker Alexander said...

I tweeted about it here...
http://twitter.com/WhitAlexander/status/7804127984

KP said...

I need some slippers for around the house. Our floors are so cold and these cuteslippers look way nicer than icky socks.

Anonymous said...

I ADORE these!! What a great find! I would probably wear them while blogging and checking email...thanks!!

Anonymous said...

blog follower

Anonymous said...

I am your twitter follower!
lgsmith09

Anonymous said...

Brandy's twitter follower!
lgsmith09

Mindy said...

I would relax and read a book! :)

Mindy said...

I follow your blog of course

Mindy said...

I also follow you on Twitter

paige said...

I love those! Wish I had a pair for our trip to the cabin this weekend:)

paige said...

Follow your blog....

paige said...

And Twitter....

paige said...

And just posted a blog post (www.paigehill.blogspot.com).....

paige said...

I follow Brandy on Twitter.....

paige said...

Just Tweeted!

Just entered another fabulous contest over at @maggiewhitley http://ow.ly/X37f Head on over and enter:)

Unknown said...

I would love to wear these while watching TV. emilyfette@gmail.com

Unknown said...

i follow you on twitter. i'm@fettbot!

Unknown said...

I now follow bhallelujah on twitter! I'm @Fettbot.

Unknown said...

I retwitted-I'm @Fettbot RT@ bhallelujah RT @maggiewhitley: Enter to win an adorable pair of Mary Janes from @bhallelujah on blog! www.maggiewhitley.com #Etsy

Unknown said...

I also retwitted-I'm @Fettbot RT@maggiewhitley

yeow!! new #Gussy feature + a giveaway: http://www.wishfulnals.com/2010/01/feature-giveaway-gussy.html Enter to win $25 #Gussy shop credit

Anonymous said...

These are FABULOUS! I'd wear them while watching Real Housewives of OC...YEP...I'm a watcher!

Anonymous said...

I'm a blog follower!

Anonymous said...

I'm following you on Twitter!

Anonymous said...

I'm Following Brandy on Twiter

Anonymous said...

Hi! I'm a follower, and I would relax with these slippers on my feetsies on the couch, eating Reese's chip cookies, with a cup of coffee (and tea on the side, because I can't eat sweets without something cold to drink), while watching The Office with my hubby.

jgann75@aol.com

J-me said...

I think that those slippers are to die for! they are so cute, and very creative!! If i won i would wear them proudly in my room and around my dorm at school. It is my last semester there and i bet everyone would be jelous and id tell them where to find some!

J-me said...

I'm also a religious folower of your fantastic blog!

Lisa B. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa B. said...

Her slippers are so pretty and look so comfortable and fun to wear!! I'd wear them ALL the time around our house!! I'd put them on first thing in the morning, and relax (for a few min.) with a hot cup of coffee! Fun giveaway!!

Lisa
lisabradford101@gmail.com

Lisa B. said...

I follow your blog!

Lisa
lisabradford101@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Saw your shop on Etsy and hopped on over here. Will be a follower now. As for those sweet slippers, I would wear them while laying on the couch watching an old movie with my awesome husband and dog!

Kelsey @ Seattle Smith's said...

Those slippers are absolutely beautiful.!!