Internet Artisan Interview - lauren abrams

I fell in love with Lauren's polymer clay bracelets and started wondering how on earth she created them. Somehow she molds the clay around a bangle - they're just beautiful! But what floored me even more was finding her purseware shop and website, with purse handles and buckles made out of dyed resins. Her creations just make my head spin! Find out more about the artist behind the pieces here:

• What's the name of your business/shop?

I have two etsy businesses... my purse handles and buckles (labeana.etsy.com)and my polymer clay jewelry(laurenabrams.etsy.com)

• Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?

http://www.labeanabags.com for my purseware, and http://www.laurenabramspolymerclay.blogspot.com for my jewelry

• What type of handmade products do you sell?

I create cast resin purse handles and buckles for bag makers.. I've also begun to design bags for knitters using my products. My passion is making polymer clay jewelry...the purse handles are fun to do, and I use white polymer clay to create the originals, then I make rtv silicone molds from them and cast resin into them, then finish the pieces. My polymer clay jewelry work, though, is where I let my creatively really soar. This medium is relatively new, and it's amazing what you can do with it.

• Show us a piece you recently finished

• What are you working on right now? Any sketches?

I've been mostly concentrating on the bangles but I'm also developing a pendant that I really like...someone remarked that she thought they looked like kimonos and dragonflies, so I'm calling them "kimonflies"...

• If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?

I have a website for my purse handles that I'll be updating soon....advertising had been largely word of mouth for that. My blog is for my jewelry, and I "pimp" that on facebook as much as possible.

• If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.

I am pretty much widget impaired lol

• Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?

I love Etsy...I've sold well there and enjoy being part of the community. It's easy to use and has a great, friendly group of buyers and sellers. I've also used Ebay...although it's changed so much in the last few years, it was always a wonderful place to sell artwork years ago. Ebsq is another place I belong to, although they are not so much about selling as a great place to host your work, and put it out there for people to find.....and it has a wonderful forum.

• Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!

Love Facebook....it's a great place to keep up with family and friends....it's also a wonderful way to meet other artists and share ideas. I've also sold work there... The Etsy forums are great too....but my favorite is Ebsq...I've made real friends there over the years and I can't say enough good about it

• All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?

Do work you love and you will find a market for it. Try to avoid creating work just based on what you feel will "sell"...

• Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?

Over the years I've developed a sense for pricing my work...usually based on the amount of time spent on each piece. I pick an hourly rate I'd like to receive, figure out the price based on this and then test market it....if people buy it, great...if they don't I might drop the price to an amount that's more attractive. I've done a lot of wholesale work in the past (trompe l'oeil painted furniture) so I know how important it is to establish good price points.

• We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.

lol...I'm in between studios....I have a wonderful new studio that will be ready about a week from now...

• Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?

I'd like to expand my wholesale base for both my lines, purseware and jewelry....the economy is bound to get better and when it does I want my work in lots of galleries and craft stores.

• OK, it's the storybeader turn to pick a favorite!

I love the bangles that Lauren is currently making. The colors are just great - her work is truly inspirational!