Magic and Wonder Giveaway 2 (Open Internationally)

Hey guys! I'm back today with this month's second Magic and Wonder giveaway. Today I have another Etsy guest to introduce to you. Her name is Melody and she's from the Etsy store The Craft by Melody. Melody makes adorable crochet amigurumi dolls, often inspired by literary and pop culture characters such as these adorable Hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord Of The Ring. 

Find these adorable Hobbits here.

Throughout this post you'll find pictures of her other dolls, all the which have links to where you can find them down in the captions. Below you'll find the giveaway, followed by my interview with the very talented Melody. 

The Giveaway

Today, Melody is giving away one of her dolls as part of my September's Magic and Wonder Giveaways and the one she chose for the lucky winner is this cute mermaid doll she called Betta.

Find this mermaid doll here.

This giveaway is open internationally and will end on the 30th of September. The winner will be announced in the first week of October. 

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Also, I'd like to remind you that I'm currently hosting two Magic & Wonder giveaways. If you haven't already entered the other one, you can click here to participate.

Interview with Melody

Here's an interview I had with Melody, in which she tells us more about the magic behind her beautiful crochet dolls.

How did you start? Were you taught or inspired by someone?

I learned to do the basic crochet chain for friendship bracelets by my mother. I got back into crocheting 3-4 years ago to continue the tradition from my father’s side. My paternal grandmother, aunts, and the past generations of women in my family are/were crocheters. I am completely self taught via visual aids from YouTube and books.

 

How cute is this Jane Austen doll?! Find it here.

What was the first thing you ever crafted? How was the experience like?

The first doll I ever crafted was via a free pattern I found online. The experience was overwhelming; I was hooked on amigurumi from that day on. I look back, having created my own pattern now, and I see her (mom’s kept her) – and seeing this small voodoo like doll; it’s very humbling and inspiring.

What is your next art/craft project?

My next step is creating a whole new different doll pattern; she’ll look more humanoid and will be bigger, 12”. The first doll to be made with this pattern will be a mermaid of a different look, not the beloved Hans Christian Andersen image we all know.

Enid Blyton's Noddy. Find this doll here.

Do you have other interests/passions/hobbies apart from crafting?

I love reading, from classics like Pride & Prejudice and Mysterious Island to more modern books such as Dune, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Jurassic Park.

I like history, from the dawn of time to about the 1940s. Everything else is modern.

I LOVE SPACE! Total nerd right here haha. The universe is so inspiring and awe striking to me. I also love and am SUPER geeky about sci-fi shows – off the top of my head, Doctor Who and Star Trek are my 2 biggest fandoms. Needless to say if it’s sci-fi I probably saw it and liked it haha.

I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie; skydiving, hang gliding, white water raft, rock climbing, scuba diving, and roller coasters are just the few feathers in the cap.

Who are your favorite artists?
A few artists I like are James R. Eads, FinFolks, Jenevieve Broomall, Ciruelo, Ruth Thompson, Tommy Eliassen, John W. Waterhouse, Rembrandt, Filippo Brunelleschi, Norman Rockwell and Edmund Blair Leighton.

Find this Egyptian Goddess doll here.

What would you say to an aspiring artist or crafter who wishes to commercialize his or her creations?

Go for it, jump right in. The best part of crocheting, knitting, or any fiber art is that it's forgiving. 

Start small with basic materials you would get from a local craft store (support small businesses). Create a small inventory, 15-25 items, and sell to friends and family. I would say go online and see what others are selling - how it is similar, how it is different. With that, you can judge pricing, materials, networking via keywords, hashtags and social media branches. 

You can find free websites to create your online space where you can display and hone in on your craft. Blogs and social media like Facebook and Instagram are great things to get into. Create an Etsy account as a cyber-shop. 

Don't lose faith in yourself and in your art. Be realistic when you need to modify and revamp. If you're happy with the way your art looks, don't compromise pricing. 

Never tell others, especially buyers, your doubts, the flaws in your work, or if you feel down and out - always be happy and pepping because people want to see a confident handworking artist - even if you don't feel like it at times. 

Discover more about Melody and her crafted dolls at on her website by clicking here.

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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo