Thursday Feature: Nanjo Dogz

Today's featured artisan is Nancy from Nanjo Dogz. Nancy has always had a love for dogs, so it comes as no surprised that she would discover that polymer clay is her favorite medium for sculpting the little dears!

Chinese Crested and Butterfly

While Nancy is an accomplished polymer clay artist, she would like to get into detail bead work with seed beads as well as wire wrapping. Given her wonderful animal beads, Nancy could come up with some fabulous jewelry using these techniques! As far as her craft goes, Nancy has noticed a marked evolution to her sculptures. She states that they have come a long way since she first began which she attests to practice, time and experience to perfect her work. Etsy is her favorite selling venue as she values the community and how appreciated the handmade artisan is there. One look at her sales numbers will show how the community values her, too!

Siberian Husky Pendant

Nancy tells me that while she lacks organization in her ideas, they tend to keep re-appearing for her. She will jot an idea down on a scrap of paper, but the lose the paper only to re-jot it on a scrap of paper to lose again, and so on. The bottom line is that Nancy really doesn't need the ideas on paper as she seems to retain them so well in her head. Some people just have that gift for mental filing. As for me, I always forget where the file went in my head! As for creative blocks, Nancy just waits them out. She has a hard time focusing on anything when that roadblock appears and feels working through the roadblock is more productive than trying to end it. In my opinion, I think Nancy may be right. How many times have you tried hard to end a roadblock when all along if you had just waited it out, it may have ended sooner? How many long-term roadblocks are we responsible for feeding? Hmmm....thanks for the food for thought, Nancy!

Puggle Bead

To keep the creative Jeanie going, Nancy listens to loud, classic rock and roll music while creating, finding that it motivates her in more than just her craft. She feels that she cannot create without it. Kinda makes you wonder what she was listening to when she creates the 'punk dogs' and 'punk kids' line! I don't know what it is, but keep it up, Nancy! Her punk lines are my favorites! There is nothing cooler than a punk Great Dane! Or better yet, a KISS Pug! (Wanna see it? Visit her shop! It's worth the visit!). Nancy is not bound to dogs, however. She sculpts 'punk kids' and various other animals. Nancy truly has some unique items that are definitely worth a look.

Sally the Seal Bead

Nancy greatest accomplishment is finding much reward in the fact that people love her creations. Nothing thrills her more than making someone happy with one of her little gems. As far as her biggest obstacle to her business, she decided on craft shows and consignments. She shy's away from both venues for various reasons. Nancy feels that craft shows are too expensive to do (which they are...on a bad weekend, you don't usually bring home an income...feeling that one with you, Nancy!) and has tried selling consignments, but that also left a bad taste in her mouth. Since Nancy prefers selling online, her first priority is online marketing, but she really isn't sure which method works the most. She tends to believe that it is a combination of all the techniques she uses.

I asked Nancy if she had any advise to give to new artisan business owners. Her response?
"I would tell them to first love what you do, keep at it even when things seem dismal, don't take 'no sales' as something personal. It's incredibly hard to be seen on the Internet and it just takes time and a lot of commitment; be able to do the homework and be patient. If you love it enough, things will eventually happen"

So, swing by Nancy's shop...you have got to see her Punk Dogs!