Etsy Euroweek 2011 - A shop from France with a lot of Austrian influences

Yes , here we are , another European shop to promote as part of Euroweek 2011.

Today is the turn of Suzanne who runs an Etsy shop called enchantedhue - http://www.etsy.com/shop/enchantedhue

My name is Susanne. I was born in Vienna, Austria, moved to Boston, MA, almost 20 years ago, and spent the past 4 years in Lyon, France. My husband was born in Teheran, Iran. Quite a collection of places and cultures and languages and influences, c'est pas?

It always leaves me a bit flummoxed when asked where my home is. At heart, I will always be Viennese. I love the local dialect, the somewhat morbid humor, the charming 'Heurige' (which are small garden restaurants serving simple, authentic food and wine that has been grown in their own vineyards. Everybody has their favorite, depending on the kind of wine one likes), the history, music, and art. Every time I visit Vienna, I stroll through my favorite little hidden streets, go to the fleamarket and 'Naschmarkt' (a big open air food market), check out my favorite museums.

Boston is my second home. Our children were born there, so I have a different set of strong roots because of that. What I like about Boston is the diversity, the ease with which people interact, the creative way of driving, Victorian houses, the closeness of the ocean, the beauty of the fall foliage (which draws tourists from all over the world), the interesting history, the juxtaposition of the old and the new, the charming dialect that seems to be missing the letter 'R' in its alphabet.

Lyon fascinates me because of its wonderful architecture, the two rivers Rhone and Saone that give the city its character, the turbulent history, and the close presence of art in its many forms. Silk, fabric, wood, painting, glass, pottery, sculpture, music, light shows - you will confront at least one of them every single day just walking down the street running your errands. Then there are of course the wonderful farmers' markets and the finesse of French food and food presentation. And did I mention the wine and pastries?

All of these influence my creative process. A few of my pieces are strongly influenced by Cape Cod. I love the ocean: the ever-changing colors of the sky and the water, the sounds and smells, the sand dunes, the animals, the treasures that are swept on the beach by the waves. This necklace is an example how I translate that feeling into jewelry:

France with its sunny skies and scents of lavender and honeysuckle and soft color scheme found in nature and its elegance put me in a different mood, which can look like this

or this

I am somewhat addicted to vide greniers and brocantes (flea markets). They are wonderful places to find unusual items. My taste in decorating is eclectic, so I always come home with a piece that is slightly odd and that I might use in a way it has not been designed for. Sometimes I am lucky and stumble upon an interesting stone or pendant that inspires me to design a necklace around it, like www.etsy.com/listing/69698248/genuine-sodalite-necklace-with-african and www.etsy.com/listing/67336347/prehnite-dzi-and-howlite-necklace

Besides jewelry, I also design silk scarves. Watching the paint flow into the silk has something almost meditative about it. I mostly use the Japanese technique of Shibori, which consists of binding, stitching, clamping or a combination thereof to achieve an organic pattern. The dyes I use are mostly natural: berries, spices, tea, coffee, vegetables. They are fascinating to use, because sometimes the color turns out completely different than I thought it would, and it always amazes me how a simple thing like coffee grounds that would usually get thrown out can turn into a little piece of art! www.etsy.com/listing/37895601/twisted-tea-shibori-silk-scarf-naturally

These are my inspirations, as well as some of the talented artists here on etsy. I think it is important to share one's thoughts and creative process and techniques with others, it helps us see our own craft with different eyes and makes us discover new ways to use it!

Servus
Bonne journée
Have a great day!