Here's presenting Nella!

I have been thinking of writing about Nella’s ETSY shops for quite some time now. I did not do it earlier, because I did not want it to look like a favour to a client. I did not want anything to take away the attention this girl deserves.
Nella is truly special. She is a crafter, yes. And she does so many crafts. Her wedding was a DIY (‘Do-it-yourself’ for the uninitiated) wedding. She did almost everything by herself! I was amazed at her creativity and energy. I say energy because Nella, is a student-doctor and she spent almost the whole day diagnosing illnesses, suggesting treatments, learning more about new faculties and then she came home and did her wedding stuff! Amazing!
Nella found me through ETSY. She saw the Martha Stewart Show and learnt about DECO Clay, which got her interested in the option of using for her wedding. When she searched for DECO Clay flowers, my flowers turned up too, including my fall colored wedding bouquet. In her own words, "I thought it was absolutely beautiful and that is how it all started. I was going to use the florist that Prestonfield had suggested but after seeing your bouquet, I was hooked. I’m glad I choose you. It was the best decision I ever made and the posies and table arrangements made great keepsakes for our guests!" Thank you Nella for those wonderful words!
As for me, I was pleasantly surprised to note how much she trusted me. After looking at just 3 samples (one of each flower), she went ahead with her order. It was the start of an amazing process and a friendship too. I didn’t even realize when we started sharing little things and deep thoughts with each other. There, there! I am getting carried away again by Nella – the person. I want to talk here about Nella - the crafter, Nella – the Etsian.
Nella has two shops on ETSY – The Quirky Bride and Ukiyoe Designs. Which is my favourite? I love both. I have been the lucky recipient of several pieces of Nella’s Jewelry, which she sells in Ukiyoedesigns(Ukiyo-e : Pictures of the Floating World). I have two bracelets and two sets of earrings made by her. I just adore them! I am not a jewelry person, but I do know that she works the wires between the beads (and she uses the real stuff!), kind of like crocheting with wire. Her jewelry is so beautiful and unique that several people have suggested to her that she should sell her designs at high-end stores and let other people make them for her. But like most artists, creating is what she HAS to do. So, she opted against having others make jewelry for her. It also makes her jewelry unique and personal.
Nella’s other shop – “The Quirky Bride” is really unique. Here she sells Guestbooks, hair flowers, throw bouquet etc. But my favourite and Nella’s too, are the Bride and Groom Love Birds that she creates using fabric and lace. For her own wedding she made burgandy coated grooms and lace and feather fascinator brides for her wedding and they were too cute for words. She tries to give them personalities similar to the bride and groom she’s making the lovebirds for. Isn’t that sweet? About the lovebirds on her cake, she tells me, “The groom had a silver ‘pocket watch’ which I think fit my husband very well (he has a bit of that old Hollywood look to him with all the class and sophistication) and I had a sterling silver and pearl fascinator and a long tulle train - very glam which fits my style”. As for her hair flowers, I truly love them. I had Nella make me one too. Though I make hair flowers myself, my raw material is different and in any case, it is always an honor to own another artist’s creations.
Nella’s dad was an artist in Nicaragua and her great aunt had her own line of clothing. Its no wonder then that Nella too has an artistic bent of mind! She tells me that even when she was a child, she used to love to create. “When I was 4 I used to get into a great deal of trouble with my grandmother because I would cut up our appliquéd and lace pillowcases to make dresses for my dolls. When I was six I used to mix her perfumes together and add water because I was “creating” new scents. It kills me to think about it now – mixing Chanel no 5 with Opium. LOL!” Nella’s grandma still has all of her fragrant masterpieces.
Nella’s journey on ETSY has been very interesting so far. In fact she told me that she intends to write an article on “How to have an ETSY wedding”, since she ordered most of her wedding stuff from ETSY. A little serendipitous, considering the fact that she just ‘bumped’ into ETSY. Here’s wishing Nella all the best with her lovely creations ! I hope she becomes a wonderful and famous doctor…. But I also wish that she never gives up crafting, because she is so creative and so great at it. Most of all, I wish Nella all the happiness in her married life with her wonderful husband (also a doc), Jonathan.