Meet Celticcrossing! EAST member Interview #3!

Celticcrossing is the winner of our most recent Midwinter challenge! Her entry, 'Once in a Blue Moon' is a beautiful example of the wonderful work offered in her Etsy Shop. Be sure to visit and see all she has to offer!

This entry is the third in the series of get to know the members of EAST, the Earthpath Artisans Street Team of Etsy interviews. Enjoy!

1] Name:
Celticcrossing or in RL [real life] it’s Arien.

2] Shop name and link:
Celticcrossing.etsy.com

3] Inspiration for shop name:
My first name [Arien] is Celtic & I’ve always been fanatic about anything Celtic so I knew that had to be part of the name but it was a wonderful friend of mine who came up with the final name of Celticcrossing.

4] Location and any impact on your work:
I’m just a small town girl, living in Nova Scotia, Canada. I always see this wonderful jewelry that seems to cost so much and all I could think was “gee I could do that!” and so I did.

5] Preferred medium(s): gemstones, sterling silver, & copper wire.

6] Brief personal history:
I have always had a fascination with gems; in junior high I was lucky enough to have a teacher who was a gemologist and had the equipment to teach gem cutting. I took to it like a fish to water! I would have continued with it had the teacher not left leaving me without an avenue to continue with.
I am a full time Youth Counselor by trade. I enjoy bringing crafts to the kids that I work with. I find it to be a social learning experience & the kids are always smiling with their finished work. Not to forget that crafting keeps me awake on night shifts!
I’ve always done crafts of some sort whether it be making jewelry, water colors, cross stitch, crochet. I’ve always had some type of crafty hobby – & I’ve got a lot of supplies to prove it!
Recently I’ve been drawn back to making jewelry & more intriguing to me the art of wire work. Figuring out how to wind, swirl, & twist wire to get the desired effect you want, I love it!

7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
I have almost always crafted in one way or another. But it was an amazing friend of mine who told me about Etsy & I haven’t looked back. I have met many wonderful people!!

8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
Inspiration is every where! Look around you, the world is an amazing place full of spectacular things. Family, friends are always inspiring me to create & imagine grand things. Learning Reiki, reading oracle cards, connecting with so many other fantastic artisans is always inspirational & a growing experience for which I am forever grateful.

9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
What’s in the wings? I’ve got ideas for some rings, looking at a “Moon” series possibly. Mediums that I may try will be actual metal smithing I think. Considering the work that I’m doing right now it seems only right to add it, & possibly chainmaille (my brother keeps asking if I’m ever going to do it!) There will always be new ideas; new techniques to try & I love to learn. So I am sure that there will be new things in Celticcrossing.

10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Just that I love to learn & create & I have been blessed here with the EAST team to learn & grow from such wonderful people!♥

Be sure to visit Arien's shop Celticcrossing on Etsy to see more of her fantastic work!