Interview with Adornments by Karla

A few months ago I did my first and only craft show. It was just a small neighborhood/elementary school thing and I thought it would be good to try out for my first time. It turned out to be pretty slow at my table and I have not decided if I'll do it ever again. But, with all the free time I had I got to meet and talk with the woman behind my next interview. She was full of encouragement and had a great positive energy throughout the day. Everyone, meet Karla from Adornments by Karla!
Tell Us About Yourself: I'm Karla Ross of Adornments by Karla, jewelry designer, crafter extraordinaire and proud member of Etsy Team Columbus. I make fun-spirited and affordable baubles with the intention of putting a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. I am also a stay at home mother of two, happily married for 16 years. Ohio is the fifth state I've called home...Florida, Alabama, Texas, and New Mexico were the others. So many of the people and places I've been make up parts of who I am. Travel is therefore one of my main interests, as are reading, exploring my creativity and helping those less fortunate.

What Kind Of Items Do You Sell In Your Etsy Shop: My Etsy shop contains bright and joyful necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Occasionally I'll have other little miscellany thrown in such as magnets or pendants.

What Brought You To Etsy: Etsy came into my life at the perfect time...as I was looking for a venue to sell my jewelry creations on a regular basis and in a way which would allow me to do so to customers all around the country.

How Do You Promote Your Shop: I promote my shop via word of mouth, ceaseless distribution of business cards and blogging/facebook/twitter. My family, friends, and customers are all very loyal and help out with this quite a bit.

What Is Your Favorite Item In Your Shop Right Now: Well, it changes often, but at the moment its this chunky turquoise necklace called "Colorado Springs" just because I enjoy the subtle texture and shades mixed together...it isn't what you normally expect from turquoise.

What Is Your Biggest Shop Goal In The Next Six Months: I'd like to do several things over the next six months...add new merchandise every week, find more marketing opportunities, improve all my photo images, and establish a more regular flow of sales. Right now, my sales can be very slow one minute and then intense the next.

Favorites: I have many faves:

Food...Cuban foods since that is half of my heritage, anything from the Japanese Steakhouse hibachi grill too! Also, I love down-home Southern style cooking, Cajun and Creole and fresh seafood.

Music...my tastes are varied. Right now I've just picked up a CD by Corinne Bailey Rae. Before that it was Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. So, I like popular dance stuff, also classic rock and a splash of R&B, as well as alternative.

Books...I am an almost obsessive reader. I recommend to everyone: The World Without Us by Alan Weissman and The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (both nonfiction). For fiction, I enjoy Christopher Moore, Nick Hornby, Dennis Lehane, Cormac McCarthy, and Ann Patchett.

Movies...All over the place here, but usually anything with Viggo Mortensen in it is good in my book! While I enjoy lighter stuff such as Bridget Jones Diary, I also like sci-fi and action adventure. Sometimes it's the soundtrack (She's Having A Baby) or the sweet small picture of the film that makes it for me (Life as a House). The Color Purple is wonderful for the incredible performances by the ensemble cast too.

Karla, thank you for an amazing interview and a wonderful giveaway as well.

Details: Leave a comment to win the Champagne Wishes Bracelet shown in the picture above. Comment must be left by Friday, August 21st, at noon eastern time. Winner will be announced on Friday.