Feature Friday {Change of hART}

This weeks feature comes from a beautiful little shop called Change of hART.

Giant Gardenia Flower Bridesmaid Boquet

Gemstone Sterling Silver Gold Fill Citrus

Wire Wrapped Gemstone Hoop Earrings

Sterling Silver and Coral Cuff Bracelet

Luxurious Peacock Feather Fascinator with Brooch

What do you make? I design (mostly) one-of-a-kind jewelry and custom wedding flowers and accessories. Jewelry in my main Etsy shop and soon on my own e-commerce site is higher end, composed of different semi-precious gemstones, pearls, sterling silver, gold vermeil, gold-fill, and copper, while my clearance and destash shop carries my older, closeout styles in gold plate, silver plate, and some sterling silver from the lines that will no longer be produced. My wedding flowers (bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, fascinators) are entirely handmade from fabric and feathers with rhinestone and Swarovski pearl accents, vintage brooches, and natural skeleton leaves.
Why did you start? As my bussines name implies - Change of hART - I did have a change of heart and a change of art at one point in my artistic life. I have formal education in textile design, and was originally involved with fine art (painting) and wearable art (painting on silk). There was a point in my life, almost 9 years ago, when I moved to an area where there were no facilities needed for setting colors on silk and art supplies were hard to obtain. That is when I decided to try my hand at a "more portable" art of jewelry making. I apprenticed for 2 years with a local jeweler, and launched into making beaded and wire wrapped jewelry.

What inspires you? My inspiration comes from all around me: from an intricate painting or a fabric weave I see, but most of my designs draw inspiration from nature. That is why you will see a lot of flowers, leaf-like and shell-like forms in my designs. I can't say that I have a favorite piece or a favorite type of items I make. Since most of my designs are one-of-a-kind, each one is special in its own way.

What is your favorite thing to make? A couple of years ago, I came up with an idea to combine my love of textiles with my love of jewelry, and I started making fabric flower arrangements and accessories for weddings. The idea actually started brewing a bit earlier, at my own wedding. I was truly sad to see all my beautiful fresh flower arrangements and my bouquet die promptly after the wedding, and I started thinking about what could be done to help brides preseve their memories without having to go through the costly and unpredictable process of flower drying. That is how the fabric flower idea was born. These days, most of my custom orders are wedding flower orders, and I have sold my arrangments to the brides throughout the US as well as to Australia, Canada, and the UK.

What do you do when you aren't being crafty? When I am not busy crafting, I am trying to be a good wife to my very supportive husband, and I also work part-time for an edicational testing service. In whatever spare time is left at the end of the week, I volunteer on transports for an English Setter rescue organization and take care of my own rescued (and spoiled rotten) Irish Setter and English Setter. Protecting wild bunnies in my backyard is optional. :-)

Okay, ready for a good deal?
Change of hART is offering some discounts to my wondeful blog readers this week as well!

Use coupon code SAM20 to get 20% off at Change of hART
AND use coupon code SAM50 to get 50% off at her clearance and destash store!