Artisan Interview - Diana Ledesma - Designs by Catalina

Hi, Diana Ledesma, thank you so much for agreeing to let me interview you. We’d like to get to know you a little. You have an Etsy Shop, Designs by Catalina, where you handcraft one of a kind gifts, jewelry, keepsakes, and more! Very nice shop!

1. You have a background in Fine Arts and a degree in Graphic Design. Wonderful! How did you get started crafting?
   
   Ever since I was three years old, I would watch my older brother color in his coloring book. I was so impressed on how well he did I wanted to out do him! Art has been one thing in my life that I have always done well and it always seem to come easy. I call myself a "Jill-of-all-Trades" because I enjoy so many different types of art. Such as, photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, polymer clay, weaving (beads and fiber), jewelry design, graphic design, batik, woodworking, just to name a few! I always enjoyed making gifts for family and friends and was encouraged to sell my work. I'm not involved in ETSY to make a lot of money. I just want to share my passions with others.
2. What inspires you in crafting?
   
   Everything! I see a beautiful sunset and I want to paint it. I see my Maltese sleeping peacefully and I have to photograph her. I see a loved one sick I make a rosary for them. I have a drawing diary which I draw most of my ideas in to keep a record of what I want to explore. If I have a "crafting block" I go to my drawing diary to get re-inspired. I just wish there were 48 hours in a day!
3. What is something you have learned in your business that you would like to share with us?
   
   Many people have told me I don't ask enough for my work. My prices are too low. That maybe true, but I want people to be able to afford my work not make a killing. With our troubled economy, to find good quality gifts, one-of-a-kind pieces, and custom designs shouldn't be hard on the budget. Most people just don't have the expendable income like they used to have. But, we all need a little "pick-me-up" that won't break the budget. A gift that really shows how much we care and not have to go into debt to achieve it.
4. Diana, you are currently involved with polymer clay picture frames for Primo’s Pawtourage doggie gift bags. You are doing a Maltese dog design right now. What dog breed would you like to do in the future?
   
   I have just started sculpting dogs out of polymer clay and the Maltese and Beagle are my first breeds. I have been working on a German Shepherd and I would like to try an English Bull dog. A lot of time and research goes into my sculptures so to add a new breeds may take some time. I don't use any molds. Although, I have thought of making my own molds that I design. That way I can still say they are an original piece made by me.
5. Do you share your home with dogs or other pets, if so, what kind and tell us about them.
   
   I have a special rescued Maltese that spent her first six years of her life locked in an awful puppy-mill. I have had her for almost fours year now and she has been wonderful! The lady I adopted her from once told me that, Princess Daisy, would most likely never be a "normal" pet. She was so traumatized that she didn't think I would be able to turn her around. But, as luck would have it, she learned to trust me and in turn loved me for it. I would say she is about 95% close to being a "normal" pet! And she has the "Diva" attitude down pat!
6. Where would you like to be in 5 years with your crafting business?
   
   I would love to still be making my unique items and learning new things. In the two years I have been working with polymer clay, I have learned so much that I can only imagine what I would be creating in five years! I wouldn't wish to be "rich" in money but to be "rich" in friends. I have made so many friends that have shared my interests in rescued animals and jewelry making and polymer clay that I feel even more inspired to keep designing!
7. Tell us a little about you…are you married and does your husband/family help in your craft, what are some favorite things to do when you are not working?
   
   I am married to the best husband in the whole world! He had encouraged me to create to my heart's content! He has a good eye for jewelry design and all my designs must pass his approval - my rule! He has been known to mix clay for me and make his own beads and then tells me how he wants me to finish "his" design! He will shop with me and research ideas to help save me time. Now, how can anyone say he is not the Best Husband in the world? I have three sons, all at home, in college and working! They will give me their opinions and suggestions which I most appreciate.
   
   My favorite thing to do when I'm not working is to find myself in my basement office which can be seen at the Polymer Clay Tutor Blog: I have learned so much from Cindy Lietz that I have to give her some credit. Thanks, Cindy! She was kind enough to "Spot Light" my studio on her blog last July. This is where all my creativity happens and put into motion. Of course, my Princess Daisy, is always at my side!
   
   I, also, enjoy Detroit Tiger Baseball, gardening, walking Daisy, teaching her new things - she is ten years old so you can teach an old dog new tricks! I, also, enjoy keeping in touch with friends and family on FaceBook.
8. One of Primo’s Pawtourage projects is a donated bag to the American Maltese Association Rescue Raffle at their National specialty in May in Atlanta . Have you done other charity work? Would you like Primo’s Pawtourage to contribute to other dog breed rescue efforts?
   
   I feel since I can't rescue all the animals that need help by myself, I could help those who are trying to save all the ones they find. Those who spend all their waking hours saving abused animals need our help and admiration. By contributing to, Primos Pawtourage's American Maltese Association Rescue Raffle, we can help to save even more abused animals.
   
   I have helped the Michigan Humane Society by having Daisy's photo entered into their annual calendar contest. Her photo is shown on "Black Friday" November 26, 2010. I, also, had ran a sale, last December, in my ETSY shop, designbyCATALINA, where 25% of all my "Princess Daisy Collection," doggie jewelry, sales were donated to the MHS or to an animal rescue of their choice.
   
   Since many people in my family have either died or been diagnosed with some form of cancer, I will in the near future, set up a special section in my shop where the proceeds will benefit Cancer Research. My husband was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and is cancer free, so far! Thank God! Now, if only we can help to save everyone, who has been touched by cancer, what a wonderful world this would be!
   
   Thanks to Primos Pawtourage for letting me be a part of a great Team!
   
   Thank you so much for sharing a little bit about you. It is fun getting to know other crafters and thank you for being a part of Primo’s Pawtourage Team!

Holstein Heaven Hand Milled Soap with Emu Oil

Just cut my batch made 7/17/2009 of all natural Holstein Heaven Chocolate Vanilla Hand Milled Soap with Emu oil. This heavenly scented olive oil soap named tongue in cheek for our lovely black and white Holstein cows is full of natural goodness and so good for the skin. Fragranced and colored naturally with pure cocoa powder and vanilla oleoresin, it is chock full of exotic butters and oils, like avocado oil, shea butter and emu oil. This soap will be ready August 7; it is curing now to get a nice gentle, long lasting hard bar of soap made to spoil your skin. You can get this soap now here!

Sweet Swap!

This April I participated in a sweet swap with Audrey'sCountryCrafts on Etsy. I swapped my handcrafted soaps to get her teal raggedy bag, handmade by her out of cotton homespun material. This good sized bag is lovingly stitched using an "X" pattern and lined with cotton batting with 2 pockets on the inside. It is large enough to hold my medical files when I go to my doctor appointments and this is great! Gorgeous and functional! Beautiful work, Audrey, I am most proud of my bag and would jump at the chance to do another trade with you. Anyone wanting something unique and handmade should rush to Audrey's Etsy store and check her out, you won't be disappointed.

Taking Charge

A year and half ago I discovered soaping. I had long been trying to find a handcrafted niche that would suit me. I am an artist but my hands are being destroyed by nerve damage so i don’t do pen and ink or charcoals any more. I also have serious health problems, am disabled by it, and i am not one to sit back, worry, and await the bad. I knew I needed a creative, positive outlet to get personally involved with. I can’t knit, crochet, or draw and I stumbled upon soaping. I wish I had found it years ago. It is right up my alley: math, science, creativity, artistry, marketing, socially involving, lots of alone time, improve my own health, something I could be in charge of; everything I could ask for and more! I can’t use lye so I use premium bases to make my products. I am quite proud of them and am making the move on my glycerin melt and pour soap bases to a more natural glycerin base as my goal is to avoid synthetic chemicals in my products. I also LOVE animals, Maltese dogs in particular, and have been able to combine my love for soaping with my love for dogs in my 3 D dog breed collectibles made from soap. They’re pretty unique and I love doing them. I also handmill cold process soap and I am quite proud of it. Since using my own products my skin has cleared from the terrible itchies and rashes I have suffered from for years. Even my dog soap is all natural and my dog does not have the itchies either and I know what I am using on her is safe for I made it and i know exactly what is in it. I firmly believe the widespread infliction of skin allergies we and our dogs are now suffering from comes directly from the chemical stews stores sell us as bath and beauty products. I also believe in aromatherapy and I find lovely scents from essential oils do indeed make me and my dog feel more relaxed and happier. In some of my products I do use pthalate free fragrance oils, if it is a scent that is not found in nature or the cost of the essential oil is prohibitive. I use as little as possible and all my fragrances are used in absolutely skin safe ratios, mathematically correct, so my products will not reek, (they shouldn’t anyway) you can be assured they will be safe to use. My goal is to provide safer, more natural bath and beauty products made with luxury ingredients at an affordable price. If you have sensitive skin, or skin allergies, I urge you to get off storebought bath and beauty products and find poeple who handcraft these things, but make sure they are truly knowedgable, for natural is NOT always safer and better, expecially if one does not do the research and know what they are doing. Many crafters drench their products in scent, using NON skin-safe ratios, this is not healthy for you. Read the ingredients, read up on the ingredients so you will know what is bad for you, and switch to high quality (not necessarily high priced) handcrafted bath and beauty products. Your skin and hair will love you for it! And you will be putting more money into our community instead of fat cats’ pockets.

MaMere's Punkin' Pie Soap with Emu Oil and Shea

Granny's wonderful handmilled cold process vegetable soap with shea butter, cocoa butter, real pumpkin with its skin nurturing caroten, vitamins A & C, and fantastic Emu Oil. Gentle at least @4.5 ounce bar with good suds. Great for your sensitive skin, contains NO artificial colors or synthetic chemicals except for a bit of skin safe pthalate-free Pumpkin Brulee fragrance oil. A delectable indulgence and perfect for any season!

Ingredients: Water, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Goatmilk, Emu Oil, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin), Vanilla planifolia oloeresin, Fragrance, Turmeric Powder

http://2VirgosDesigns.etsy.com

Midwest Crafts & Recipes soap Review

Shannon at Midwest Crafts and Recipes kindly sent me an absolutely delightful bar of cold process Angels in the Garden Soap she handcrafted. It is the bar in the middle in the above photo. This is a wonderfully creamy bar of soap scented with a fruity floral combination consisting of magnolia blossoms, apple, peach, strawberry, jasmine, rose, raspberry and lavender. Simply divine with a wonderful scent "throw." The bar is silky smooth with a nice slip with the addition of jojoba and is nicely hard, creamy white with sweeping amber swirls. A pretty bar of soap crack that left my skin soft and smooth. Thank you Shannon so much, let's swap again sometime! You can find her blog here:

Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Palm, Castor, Canola, Olive Oil and jojoba...a touch of beeswax to keep that white ash from forming, Fragrance.

I received a wonderful bar of cold process soap from Kelly Bloom at Bloomworks Natural Soap Company a few weeks ago and have tested it out. I tried Moon Lake Musk, one of her Elemental Soaps, and it is a delight, with good scent throw, a pretty dusky blue color, great suds, and is a nice hard smooth bar of soap. I loved using this moisturizing soap, it left my skin so soft!

Moon Lake Musk Soap: Golden Olive, Coconut, Palm Kernel, Palm, Sunflower, Soy, Babassu, Grapeseed, Rice Bran, & Castor oils; Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, & Mango Butters. Natural Herbs, Fragrance, & natural clays, oxides, ultramarines, or FD&C's for color. Net Weight: 4.5 - 5 oz

Moon Lake Musk is a moody Musk Unisex fragrance with notes of fern, lily, hyacinth, jasmine and a hint of orris and a powdery and sweet amber note. I love it! And so will you! Thank you Kelly!

Invited to Join Bargain Belles Retail Shop on eCrater!

I am delighted to report I have been invited to join the Bargain Belles retail family on eCrater
They feature the highest quality handcrafted goods and I am honored to be part of the family! My products will be added this evening, please come check us out!

My First Show!

I'm in full swing getting ready for my first ever arts & craft show, the Shop Til You Drop Arts & Craft Show being held July 19 - 20 at the Bossier Civic Center here in Bossier City, LA. I am offering 3 lines of handcrafted soap, Lavender Dreams Goatmilk soap, Black Knight and Witches Brew glycerin soap, with matching handcrafted lotions, milk baths, shower gel, dry colognes, and handdipped incense. I'm also offering gift baskets and dream pillows with a lavender chamomile rosemary flowers blend in them. The booths are real expensive at the Shop Til You Drop show, but Volunteers of America and Shreveport Mental Health helped me pay for it. Isn't that real nice of them? I live in a HUD/Disabled community ran by Volunteers of America and in conjunction with my mental health counselor was able to offer me financial aid for my project as part of my mental health treatment. I have Major Depressive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder so I have a tendency to remain home isolated all the time and that's not healthy for me. This show is a BIG thing for me. I avoid new places especially big places full of strangers, so this will stretch my limitations in many ways. I have a good friend who is going with me so I will have support. This is a very good healthy thing for me. And I get to be creative! Love it!