Giveaway and Interview! Jewels from the Heart Talks About Her Art

Today, I'm doing something different. This is a book blog, but it's also a woman's blog. We talk women, women's rights, all things women! And women love jewelry! I want to introduce to you today, an artist of jewelry. I met her through a friend and received two beautiful necklaces from her shop Jewels From the Heart.

Please join me as I interview Crystal Sleeper founder and creator of Jewels from the Heart.

Tara: Jewelry making is another form of artistic expression. What made you choose this as your artistic outlet?

Crystal: I wanted to make a few Mother's Day gifts and decided to make some simple wire and bead flowers in vases. They turned out great. So my friend saw these pea pod necklaces online and asked me if I could make her one since I had made the flower vases and they were so pretty. I figured, why not? I made one and couldn't stop. I was addicted to beading from then on out!

Crystal's favorite piece.

Tara: What's the most rewarding thing about making jewelry?

Crystal: There are a few things I like about making jewelry. First and foremost is knowing how happy the recipient is with their new piece of jewelry. I've always been that way with gifts. It makes me unbelievably happy to make others happy. The other is the peace and serenity it brings me when I work. It's like reading, I can escape into my own little world. Sometimes I just concentrate and veg out and other times I listen to a good ebook.

Tara: I see a lot of trees of life pendants on your page. It seems to be a popular item. Is that your specialty?

Crystal: That's what I get the most requests for. I enjoy making them the most I think. A lot of personality and originality can go into one of those pieces. A lot of the customers personality too since I work with them throughout the whole process to make sure they get exactly what they want.

Tara: What's the most memorable piece of jewelry or item you've made and the story behind it?

Crystal: There is one item that I will never forget. It wasn't even something some one ordered, per say. I had a friend contact me about buying a bookmark to put into a care basket for a lady. What I later found out was that that lady was a mother to a 5 year old little girl diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type1 which has caused tumors to grow on her optical nerve endings. Her only treatment is chemo because of the area of the tumors, and there is a fifty percent chance she will go blind. So, being a mother myself, especially with a daughter around the same age I know I had to do something for the little girl. I had found out that she was scared she was going to be ugly when her hair fell out due to the chemo, so I wanted something bright and colorful to make her feel good. Something she could look at even on her worst days and maybe feel just a tad bit better. I thought about it and made her a little piece of nature for her side table that she could take anywhere with her. A beaded tree in a colorful glass base that I glued jeweled flowers all over. I didn't even charge my friend for the bookmark for the mother. I just wanted to hopefully brighten these peoples lives what little I could. I hear the little girl is doing fine right now.

Tara: Thank you for being with us today, Crystal. And on that note, I'm pleased to announce, I am giving away ten dollars for one lucky reader to use toward anything in Crystal's shop. Enter using the rafflecopter below. U.S. entrants only. The winner will be allowed to choose something from Crystal's shop and get ten dollars off. Please note: If the item you purchase is 15 dollars, you will owe her 5 PLUS shipping. This is to be treated just like a gift card. You will be responsible for the difference. Crystal shall be prepaid ten dollars for your purchase. Contest runs all weekend. 

Thank you for joining us today!

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