Welcome to Enchanticals – our Etsy Seller Of The Month March 2010.

We love the miniature items that Marsha Enchanticals makes so much and the little “eat me, drink me” bottles that we sent some questions her way which she very kindly answered in great detail! Show her some love and visit her store!

1.Who are you?
A. Marsha J. West – I am a miniaturist, artist in many different mediums, poet, and writer. I am writing a series of children’s books and a field guide on mushrooms. My poetry includes haikus. Shortly, I will be starting lessons in the art of Chinese brush painting. In addition, I am an avid gardener; do Tai Chi; design and make human and doll jewelry; treasure animals and work for their rights (completely non violent); and I create fashion doll dioramas and accessories for them.

B.I am the creator of Enchanticals. (www.Enchanticals.etsy.com) Enchanticals is where enchantment resides…along with fantasy, imagination, creativity, magic, mystery, and lore. Enchantment is always afoot at Enchanticals because enchantment cannot be harnessed, has no rules, and is everywhere. To enter this place of enchantment, simply suspend your realities, drift through the myste and fog, and allow your mind to open the door to your imagination. At Enchanticals you will find…All kinds of enchanted handmade one-of-a kind creations such as miniature wizard/witch/faerie hutches and other furniture; wizard, witch, and faerie miniature bottles of potients and elixirs; miniature crystal balls; enchanted magic orb wands; elementals’ bottles; enchanted wands; miniatures; fashion doll vanities and jewelry; and much more… My handmade creations are made one at a time. The majority of items on or in my creations are made with found objects. Plus, I keep no written recipes for paint colors or directions on how I made a certain item. That is why they are truly unique and one-of-a-kind. All of my enchanted creations are designed and handmade by me with a dollop of enchantment, a pound or two of imagination, and a touch of magic.

C. I love enchantment; found objects; fantasy; magic; runes; imagination; creativity; elementals; ancient texts and languages; Sacred Geometry; relics; books; pens; paper; ink; seals and wax; silver; Art Deco; relativity of time; crystals; philosophy; symbols and their meanings; comparative religion; jewelry; Paris and all things French; mushrooms (not to eat); make believe; wizards; fairies; fairytales; lore; legends; mysteries; secrets; hidden places and things; glitter; fog, rain and myste; birds; butterflies (my Sacred Animal); art; ballet; literature; music; the sea; worms; tea; blueberries; and all things vintage… just to name a few…

2.Where are you located?
A. Currently, I live in San Antonio, Texas (USA), but am a native of Connecticut (New England).

B. Enchanticals, my shop, is located at Etsy. (www.Enchanticals.etsy.com)

You can also find Enchanticals at:
*Flickr: Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/enchanticals/
*Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Marsha-West/100000100121487 *
Enchanticals also has a FAN page at Facebook
*PBworks/minitreasures.pbworks.com: http://minitreasures.pbworks.com/Enchanticals
I was the featured miniaturist on December 16, 2009 in the popular Advent Calendar. Here is the URL so you can go take a look. Please do. URL: www.minitreasures.pbworks.com/ac091216
*My Small Obessions.com: http://www.mysmallobsession.com/unusualoriginalminis.html
Under Construction:
*Mixed Media Art ~ www.Enchantica574@mixedmediaart.ning.com
*Indiepublic ~ http://www.indiepublic.com/profile¬/MarshaJWest
*Twitter ~ http://twitter.com/Enchanticals
*Slide.com * and
*My blog and several other sites.

3. Is Etsy your full-time business?
Yes. I also sell from every so often on eBay. I sold on eBay for over 5 years before opening my shop on Etsy. As I mentioned, I am also a writer and a poet (unpublished). I am working on a series of children’s books, a field guide on mushrooms, and continue to write short stories and poetry. In the listings for my miniatures and other enchanted creations, in almost all cases, I begin with a little story. These original stories are from my enchanted imagination.

4. How did you get into your current line of work?
My family has always been highly creative and artistic. (Sadly, they are all deceased with the exception of my beloved sister, my best friend.) They are/were writers, artists, painters, musicians, whittlers, singers, dancers, interior decorators, and the like. So, I must carry the gene for creativity within me. In addition, I have a full and rich imagination…always have. However, both my parents, especially my late Mother, and my sister are/were highly talented in all areas of creativity and possess/possessed many many talents. Since both are my idols, I always thought I fell short or didn’t measure up to their abilities even though we were always encouraged to be ourselves and to share our ideas, thoughts, and creations. Consequently, even though I wrote stories and poetry and drew as a child, I kept all of those things secret. It wasn’t until years later that I gained confidence in myself and my creations. So, instead of pursuing my desire to be a fashion designer or writer, I went into the corporate world of business…Corporate America. I was highly successful, but felt unhappy; as if I was pretending. I was playing the role of someone else. I am a very imaginative, creative, and, as I call it, an unconventional person who thinks out of the box, thinks intuitively, and needs to use her imagination and creativity. That does not fit well in the corporate world of business. I despised being told what to wear and the overall rigidity and conformity; everyone thought the same, acted the same, believed the same things, and never thought out of the box. I did not fit in at all nor did I want to. As time went on, I became more miserable and decided I had to make a change. I had to be me. I always wanted a brick and mortar store, but with the Internet and online shopping taking off, that was not feasible. So, I started selling on eBay and then decided to open a store, my Enchanticals, at Etsy. You can imagine how very hard that was for me to do. I had to “come out of secret” with “my” creations and, not only show the world, but actually sell them and expect people to buy them. I have expanded Enchanticals to other places including Flickr, Facebook (Fan Page), and other online places. Flickr really helped me build my confidence up to a higher level because, not only are photos of my creations on Flickr for other to see, but other Flickr members can comment on them.

5. What and who are your inspirations and influences?
My creations are infused and shaped by everything in life, my experiences and memories both past and present, and all which surrounds me: nature, music, art, what I love and my areas of study, books, quotes, fashion, symbols, religions, fairytales, my own imagination, colors, ancient text and languages, my late Mother, my sister, my five kitty babies, and the babies (Cairns, Silky Terrier, and Kitty) who are deceased, my beliefs, and inner dreams. Also, when I was a little girl, at bedtime, my Mother would tell me such imaginative stories which she created as she was telling them to me. They were wonderful, unique, creative, and filled with so many details, enchantment, magic, wonderment, and her imagination. Plus, she had painted lavish fantasy murals on our bedroom walls to encourage us to dream and imagine.

6. Favorite sites on the Internet and sources for your work either offline or online?
Online I love to visit art and photography sites, cruise Etsy, Flickr, and Mixed Media Art, fashion designer sites, fashion doll and miniature artists and sites, as well as sites that sell craft items and “stash”. Offline, my sources for inspiration come from everywhere… nature; music; lyrics; quotes; my sister; vintage photos and ephemera; my five kitties; found objects from everywhere; hardware stores; jewelry and fashion designers; fashion and art shows and galleries; art; ballet; concerts; colors; smells; the sea/ocean; gardening; just observing animals, butterflies, birds, and nature; photography galleries; plus, as I mentioned above, everything in life; my experiences and memories both past and present; and all which surrounds me; what I love and my areas of study; books; and my beliefs and inner dreams; just to name a few. I am like a sponge. I cannot get enough inside of me. (Please note these are not in any order of importance or priority.)

7. Goals and aspirations for the future of your business/hobby?
I am going to expand Enchanticals to 3-4 other online selling venues, plus join several miniature organizations, and create my blog. As an artist, I will be taking Chinese brush painting classes and will continue to expand my abilities and knowledge of my craft/art. I also want to learn how to do woodworking and etching on glass and plan to rekindle my love of photography. I also want to incorporate more mixed media techniques into my miniatures and fashion doll items. I am finally going to replace the miniature dollhouse I lost three years ago, plus I want to create a permanent diorama stage that will allow me to more easily change the dioramas for my fashion dolls. And, I will continue marketing my Enchanticals into many other online venues, finish up my newsletter, and do my blog.

8. Advice for others?
Don’t wait to share your creations with everyone whether they are miniatures, art, and photography or in any other medium. Don’t let the feeling of “not measuring up” to others stop you or the thought that your creations differ from those of others. Do not compare yourself or your creations to others. Have confidence in your gift, your creativity, your creations, and yourself. We are all given certain gifts and talents…each of us have our own unique and special gifts/talents. Those gifts/talents are infused with our experiences, knowledge, and our own personalities. Creativity takes many forms and our creations should not be hidden. If we hide them, then, they are wasted. By sharing them with others and bringing them to the light, we inspire and encourage others to share their gifts/talents and ideas and to, hopefully, positively influence them to use their imagination to create and try new things, if they have not done so in the past. Also, by sharing, we have a chance to learn new ideas and concepts from others, as well as seek their advice.
What you create is an extension of yourself. It, like you, is special, unique, and beautiful. Let others see and enjoy the fruits of your imagination and creativity and through them… See you.

* If you would like to be featured as our Etsy Seller Of  The Month  please send us a url to your shop – info@alicemagazine.co.uk. We also have an Etsy page: Alice Magazine On Etsy *