Since I joined Etsy’s All Handmade by Me Team, things have been moving at a much faster pace than any of us ever imagined. I run the treasury threads, and among them I run a Shop of the Week Treasury, in which every treasury will feature the chosen shop of the week. I chose the first ever one, and after all the work she did to set up the team, who better to be our very first shop of the week but SMARTdesignsbyStacey.

So as well as my occasional random ramblings, I will be featuring the shop of the week each week. There will be a few to catch up on right now, but in time it will come back down to a weekly feature.

Stacey Sobelman was born and raised in St Louis, Missouri, and was always known as ‘the creative one’ in the family, and has been writing and illustrating her own books since she was six years old. Stacey was first introduced to graphic design at High School, and was on her school newspaper staff for four years.

Early this year, Stacey was asked by a friend to produce some fliers. Once they were done, her friend wanted to have her facebook page address to thank her publicly for such a great job. Of course Stacey didn’t have a facebook page then, in fact she had never even considered a career in graphic design; she just loved doing it. So SMART designs was born.

In August this year, SMARTdesignsbyStacey was opened on Etsy, just as new guidelines came into the spotlight. Stacey read the forums, understood the need for a voice for handmade artists around the world, and set up the team All Handmade by Me Team. The rest is history.

So let’s hear a little about the dynamic and energetic Stacey Sobelman.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work.

Snowy Winter Tree 4x6 Blank "Season's Greetings!" Note Cards (Digital Print)

As a graphic artist, I design and create digital artwork. My favourite subject to work with is nature, specifically trees. I create a lot of holiday artwork including cards and invitations. I also do a lot of custom work with other artists where I creative logos and banners for their businesses. I really love these custom jobs because they give me a real sense of accomplishment. Seeing my artwork being used to help someone’s business is really rewarding.

What inspires your work?

I’m not entirely sure where my inspiration comes from to be honest. I try not to draw too much from other artists because I work on a subconscious level and always worry that someone else’s artwork will appear in my own. Most of my ideas just seem to come to me, as weird as that sounds.

What are your favourite colours?

My absolute favourite colour is purple and I work with it a lot. I would say though that the colour that

Sunset Digital Print 10x15

appears most in my artwork is actually black. I really love the stark contrast I can achieve by using black with any other colour. Almost all of my pieces employ black for this effect.

What is your favourite medium/material?

I am a graphic artist which means that I use a computer as the medium through which I creat my handmade artwork. Graphic design is a relatively new artistic medium, so there isn’t a lot known about how it works. There is a lot of speculation about whether or not graphic art is truly handmade. I assure you that it is. I mix my colours from scratch by using bits of blue and red and yellow much like a painter. I draw my art with my fingers on a trackpad, much like finger painting. It’s just not as messy.

BOOM! Comic Book Wall Art 12x12 Digital Print

What is your favourite holiday destination?

I spent a month studying abroad on an island in Greece and I just loved it! I am dying to go back to the Mediterranean as soon as I can afford it.

What other artists work do you admire and aspire to?

I’m probably weird in the fact that I don’t really aspire to be anyone other than myself. I don’t mean that to sound self-centred, but I really believe that my artistic style is my own and I don’t’ really want it to mirror anyone else’s.

What are you most proud of?

All Handmade By Me Team Banner Assistance

The All Handmade by Me team. Hands down. This team is truly my biggest accomplishment and it is really only just beginning! I have never been listened to before, so the fact that there are over 1,300 people who believe in my mission to keep handmade alive is just remarkable to me. I am so humbled by everything that has happened! I keep expecting to wake up and realise that these past months have been a wonderful dream, but every morning I wake up and it’s real. People message me all the time to thank me for everything I have done and I am shocked every single time. I always respond with ‘’no… thank YOU!’’ I just cannot believe that I have created something that has become so important to myself and to so many other people. It’s incredibly rewarding.

Stacey also offers a service to place her own designed team logo on your banner as a team member, or to make specially designed logos that match your branding in your shop. Thank you Stacey.