Shop Spotlight, The Purple Whale

The Purple Whale has a wide variety of crafts to offer, including children and baby items, home decor and jewelry.

Let's get to know the crafter behind the shop.

Describe yourself:

I am a wife to my awesome husband Keith, we have been married 5 years, & a SAHM of my 2 year old Emma. She is my world & I am so thankful that I can stay home with her. My bracelet making business began as a creative hobby many years ago. I always dreamed of having my own business and that dream became a reality when I became a stay at home mom in the summer of 2005. I came up with the name, The Purple Whale, designed my website & all logo's business cards, etc. Thank gods I did the website when my daughter was 3 months old because I do not think I could do it with a 2 year old running around! I have a background in advertising and graphic design. There is nothing in this world more important to me than being able to stay home and take care of my family. Having my own business provides the outlet to let my creative side bloom.Thank you for taking the time to meet me!
What are your favorite materials?

It is difficult for me to have 'favorites', but I do lean towards, beads & paper.

What do you do when you are not creating things?

I am always creating. If I am not physically involved in a project, then my brain is turning with new ideas. I always keep a notebook with me to jot down my inspirations & ideas. I have also been known to call my own home when I am out & leave myself a message on the answering machine of a new idea so it is there waiting when I get home.


How long have you been crafting?

I have always been a creative person. My real crafting, or as I like to call it, designing, did not begin until my last year of college. I learned alot about the art & concept of design through my Advertising major.

Why should people buy handmade?

I believe the biggest benefit of buying handmade is that you are supporting an artist. I always feel great after a purchase on ETSY, knowing that I am supporting someone like myself.

What makes your items unique?

What makes my items unique is that they all are inspired by my own personal life experiences. Most of the onesies come from life as a new mommy, the bracelets are my original inspiration for entrepreneuership & everything else is just this or that of what I like to dabble in. I have opened a new ETSY store for my newest design venture & I am so excited about it. My new shop name is dlkdesigns. The inspiration for this new shop is simple. I raided my 83 year old grandmother's bookshelf in her garage & found a few true treasures. The first things I am working on are simple pendants made with a vintage (1950's) dictionary & a vintage (1950's) world atlas. Once I started going through just these two books & brainstorming I was in love. You know you are in to deep when you can not put down a dictionary & an atlas. I swear I could not stop!! I have a whole bag full of books, so there will be more to come. The funnest part about the raid is that I found little notes in the margins from when my 50 year old aunt was a kid with, I love ...(her now husband), This is of course the first pendant I am working on. I can not wait to see her expression a Christmas!

http://www.thepurplewhale.com

http://www.thepurplewhale.etsy.com

http://www.dlkdesigns.etsy.com

http://the-purple-whale.blogspot.com