Monday Featured Artisan - Breath of the Dragon

Today's featured artisan is Breath of the Dragon - unique and custom wood burning by Sunfire
http://www.breathofthedragon.etsy.com
Sunfire is one of my Pagans of Etsy teammates. She is also having a 50% off moving sale in both of her shops

What do you make?
- Pyrography means "writing with fire", but what I do is more like "drawing with heat", creating art on wood rather than canvas. I love the fact that there are so many things that can be made with wood. In my shop, I have a variety of things, from key chains and cell charms with small wooden disks that I've burned on, to boxes and altar tiles that serve a purpose, to magnets and larger wall art that are simply decorative. Every day, it seems, I have another idea of something that I could burn, create and sell.

What drew you to your craft and why did you start selling your items?
- Being around my mom and other crafters that were selling their art really got me started. I wanted to find something that I enjoyed making that could be profitable as well. After trying other crafts, from painting and sewing to candle-making, I finally came across wood burning. Back in 2006, a friend bought me a pen and a piece of wood from the craft store, and I was hooked. By late 2007, I was having a great time with it, and had lots of positive feedback on the things I had made. It was that energy that told me I was ready to give it a go as a money-making adventure, so I set up shop on Etsy.

What is your favorite part of creating your items?
- The smell of the burning wood, for sure! It gets in my hair, and for days I feel like I was at a campfire... :) Cheesy, I know, but so true. Besides that, I love creating custom pieces, because I know that someone is willing to pay me for my work. I love creating something, knowing that it is exactly what they want. The variety of projects is probably my absolute favorite part, though. It's great to know I can spend 1/2 hr on one piece, and 4 hours on another, and both are wonderful.

Is your craft a full time endeavor or a hobby?
- I'm hoping to make it full time ASAP, but until then, I work overnight throwing freight at a local grocery store. It's tough balancing both, as well as school and trying to have family time, but I know if I can make it through this, I will have what I want in the end - making enough money doing what I love that I can quit working for someone else and still have the lifestyle I want. It's this image of the end goal that keeps me moving forward, that makes the sacrifices worth it.

When you aren't working on your craft what do you enjoy doing?
- Watching movies or playing games with my boyfriend on the chilly winter evenings. Since I'm going to school for Web Development, it would be silly if I didn't enjoy working on websites... I love the idea of making simple sites for small-biz folks like myself (I created and currently maintain 2 others besides my own). I also love to get out in nature when its warmer, so we do a lot of biking, hiking and exploring the rest of the year.

Is there anything else about your craft or yourself you would like to share?
- While pyrography is my number one crafting adventure, I've also taken on a mission to spread the message of a Pro-Peace symbol. My mom and I started an Etsy shop to sell hand-crafted Turn Peace Around items (http://turnpeacearound.etsy.com). This second shop gives me a chance to explore other crafting methods between wood burning projects. Or, as in recent weeks, to combine the two.


This is a small selection of the items that Sunfire makes, you can see more in both shops:
Breath of the Dragon & Turn Peace Around
Both stores are running a 50% off moving sale! Now is the time to get some great deals on Sunfires handmade works!

Items in this post:
1. Dream Cherish Live plaque
2. original yin yang
3. Smiley Clean/Dirty Magnet
4. Hemp Choker w/ Pyrographed Charm

Monday Featured Artisan - Rainadelmagick

Today's Featured Artisan is Raina Woolfolk of rainadelmagick - curiosities of the fae in art and apothecary.

I make one-of-a-kind pieces of precious metal, gemstone and vintage glass jewelry that are influenced by my attraction to the feminine fluidity of the art nouveau period and the whimsical inquisitive nature of the Steampunk movement.
I also design crystal wands, with minerals and crystals that I have field collected in my travels around the globe. Each wand is made with intentionality for use in meditation and ritual work.
I grow organic herbs and mix apothecary concoctions of herbal teas, incense and bath soaks
I make creatures out of recycled components and then write children’s stories that mix geology, science, natural history and fantasy to go along with them in order to provide the folks who adopt them with tales to share with each other.
I have also written two screenplays and a book of twisted, humorous poetry.

I was inspired to design jewelry by my “slight obsession” with crystals and minerals. I have been stuffing them in my pockets since I was a wee lass running away from home to find them in the hills around my house.
I started making crystal wands when the Fae suggested it.

Friends who saw me wearing my own handmade jewelry as a teen would ask for pieces as gifts. They encouraged me to sell my artwork. I started “testing the waters” by selling necklaces and earrings in my mother’s café. As my skills improved I branched out to doing arts and crafts fairs.

There are times when I will come across a phenomenal stone and I just immediately know how it will develop into a piece of jewelry. I experience a sense of wonder when something I’m making just manifests itself into being. At times like that it seems the Muses are guiding my hands and I can feel the energy raising my joy vibration.
I am most excited when pieces I have made inspire my students to create their own treasures and expand upon my ideas while developing their own style.

I divide my time between my work as an animal behaviorist working with animals who are reactive to elements in their environment, an artist and a teacher at UC Berkeley Art Studio. I have been self-employed for nearly 14 years. I don't make much, but enough for what I need. I am a fortunate woman indeed to have the ability to make my living through pleasurable pursuits.

When I’m not working or playing at crafting I can be found tooling around on my penny farthing hi-wheel or my vintage 70lb tricycle. I also spend every free moment hiking with my dogs searching for Faeries and mushrooms. I save every penny in order to have travel adventures and make new friends around the world.
This past year and a half I have enjoyed participating in a supportive community of fellow artisans and crafters, the etsy paganteam. We host chats on etsy about all things magickal. The team is very active and involved, we support each other in our growth as artists. I have developed some very dear friendships and am continually learning through the mentorship of fellow team members.



This is a very small selection of the items Raina has to offer. I encourage you to discover the full range of what she has to offer by visiting her shop. Many of her items are one of a kind (OOAK) so check them out before they are gone!

Shop: rainadelmagick
Items in this post:
1. Color Change Andesine Labradorite Feldspar 1.20 Carat in 14K Gold Pendant OOAK
2. Ancient Alchemy double point Quartz Crystal laser wand OOAK
3. Eye of Sauron Mexican Fire Opal OOAK
4. Fall Into Me wildcrafted organic herbal Incense in wood box

Tuesday Treasury

I just created this treasury for the Pagans of Etsy Team. Please click on the picture and have a look at the great magical items this team creates :)

Thank you for stopping by!

Abstract Play

I decided to play around with abstract designs the other day. Instead of melting down the odds and ends pieces of metal that have been collecting on my work bench for casting I chose some of the interesting shapes and set to playing. After a little bit of refining to their shapes I set to hammering and forming bails. The results were some beautiful new copper pendants. They are already listed in my etsy.com shop.

Latest Finished Pieces

I finished up 2 custom orders this week.

Buan (permanent)

This piece was created for a woman who wanted a special gift for the love of her life. We considered several different words and found the perfect word to describe their relationship was "Buan" which is Gaelic for permanent, (effort) sustained, unfailing, lasting, durable, long. She was looking for a word that would express that they could last through whatever was thrown their way.

The second custom piece was a 2 word necklace.

Cridhe Treubh

Cridhe Treubn means Heart Kin in Scottish Gaelic. These were the first Ogham pendants that I cut with 2 words. Thankfully I was able to make them without the piece getting too long. If it had been any longer I would have had to adjust the layout of the piece putting the words next to each other rather than both on the center line which is traditional for Ogham writing.

I also took a break from piercing and polished up a few rings that were just begging me to finish them. A few hammered copper bands and a sterling braided band.

Styles I have been working with

Though I enjoy working with different techniques of jewelry making, lately I have been mostly working with piercing. The process of piercing starts with a sheet of metal and a design. A hole is drilled in the sheet metal and then the design is cut out using a small hand held coping saw creating a design that is pierced through the metal.

These are just a few examples of my pierced work:

Celtic Knotwork Necklace	Sinser (Elder) Ogham Necklace
Sea Turtle Totem Necklace	Howling Wolf Totem Earrings