OFG Monday Marketplace!

 HAPPY VALLEY PRIMITIVES!

1. What is the name of your Etsy shop and why did you choose that name?

Hello!

 My Etsy shop is Happy Valley Primitives

 I live out in the country in a very rural community known as Happy Valley to the locals.

We enjoy several lakes around us and a vast array of agricultural and dairy farms.

 It truly is a beautiful and tranquil area.

 It just seemed fitting to call my shop by such a cheerful name!

2. How long have you been on Etsy?

I started my Etsy shop in September, 2009

after much persuasion from a dear friend that has sold on Etsy for years now.

3. What type of items do you offer?

Most of my items include collector dolls and décor that range from cute to grungy primitive.

 I have a love for making fall and winter items, and am especially into display pieces like my candy corn mouse and Americana sheep door doll.

My dolls tend to have cute expressive faces and make great accents to a primitive home.

 I am planning to include more hand stitched items like penny rugs soon.

4. How long have you been crafting?

I have had my hands busy ‘creating’ something since early childhood, which is quite a while ago!

My paternal grandmother originally peaked my interest in beautiful hand embroidery.

 My mom taught me to sew, knit, crochet, paint, and on and on…we tried everything!

While my first attempts at clothing have been rather comical

 (my hubby spared my feelings so graciously by wearing that knitted sweater with one looong arm),

I eventually grew to appreciate quilting.

Over time, all those perfect points and matching seams began to lose my interest,

and my tastes began to gravitate to projects that could be done quickly.

 I started making penny rugs and discovered a lot of talent in the area of primitive dolls

and decorations that intrigued me.

All these years of not really having a ‘style’ of décor in my home, and it finally clicked…now

I just love anything primitive.

5. Who or What inspires you?

I’m very visual, so pictures really peak my interest.

I can spend hours going through my ‘library’ of creativity to find just the right project.

I am deeply inspired by talented designers and really enjoy

taking their ideas and making them my own.

6. What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

It changes with every product I make.

My latest needle felted pear really came together so beautifully, so it’s my favorite now.

7. Other places where you can be found (Ebay, webstore, blog)

I have a fan page

 Happy Valley Primitives on Facebook,

and have been posting daily pictures of completed projects

 that may soon find their way to my Etsy shop.

Come check it out!