{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.