Featured Interview of Artisan of Handmade Items: Erin of Peony Wire Works

Lovely wire works, huh? Well, let me introduce you to Erin of Peony Wire Works!

Please tell my readers about your blog and your store.
I started Peony Wire Works as a place for me to explore my creative side. (I had a previous blog, but I wanted to devote a place to my creativity only). I tend to be a bit of a left brain person, and the support and encouragement from other like minded people, my fellow bloggers, really helps me to step outside of my comfort zone, to try new things and to see things from a different point of view. I like to think of new ways to use old things, and I want to share that love with others and to be inspired by the things that they do too.

I started an Etsy store because I made a friend an ornament and people actually loved it. That friend, along with other friends, kept encouraging me to start a store; they really gave me the support and prodding that I needed to just do it. I never in a million years thought that I would have a store with things that I personally make. My store carries mostly chicken wire themed objects, as I have found that I love working with the medium. I also like to repurpose things so as to not have so much waste. Growing up on a farm, you have a tendency to recylce and re-use as much as possible, and you never know how an object may come in handy until you need it. That is how The Soap Dispenser came to be. I had a glass jar sitting on my counter top and chicken wire that didn't fit another project, so I just fused the two and the rest, as they say, is history.

Besides chicken wire, are there any other mediums you like working with?
I love spray paint. They make the most fabulous spray paints these days, and the products cover most any substance. There are such a variety of colors that you can totally change the look of just about anything with only a can. I also like to take fabrics and repurpose those. I have covered lampshades with discarded children's shirts and most recently I covered a large R from my mantle with strips of an old shirt of my husband's.

Do you have other artistic pursuits?
I love gardening, that's kind of artisitic I suppose...you are trying to find balance and scale and you use a color palette that is pleasing to you individually, so I am going to say gardening is my other artistic pursuit:)

What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time I LOVE to read. That is a big reason I came to read blogs. It's like the best of both worlds, I get my reading fix and I learn something in the process, not to mention I get to see pretty things too.

What are ten fun facts about you:

1. I would rather read than watch TV
2. I like to do accents
3. Pizza is my kryptonite(why is pizza so good??)
4. I love to make people laugh
5. I carry on conversations with my dogs
6. I forgot to put the ham in the oven at Easter(and realized it 2 hours later)
7. I love to make cookies
8. I love to dance to just about any music
9. I have a split uvula(dangly in the back of your throat-Doctors think it's cool)
10. I love to make fun of myself...if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

What's a question you wish I would've asked? (And please answer that question.)
Hmm, What inspires me? I am inspired by lots that I see. It could be something random that I see and it makes me come up with an idea for a project or it may be the missing link of a great project. I love seeing what other people do..you never know when an idea will come to life, but exposing yourself to new things can only broaden your horizon for your own work...I guess I'd call it an enrichment to see others' creations.

For more information about Erin, please see:
Peony Wire Works Etsy Shop
Peony Wire Works Blog