Unique, one of a kind picture frames and home decor

Today's lovely featured artist is Susan Brodie! She is the owner of the Etsy shop "Art Once Again." Here, she creates and sells unique, one of a kind picture frames and home decor treasures.

I have lived in Texas almost all of my life. I spent my childhood in El Paso and settled in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area after college. I love animals, music, flowers and dancing. I have a BS in clothing & textiles with a minor in art. Most of my working career has been in the accounting/finance fields, but after 57 years, I think I finally know what I want to be when I grow up!

My mother was very crafty and thrifty. We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, so she pretty much made everything for us from our clothes to the drapes that hung in our house. She was always trying something new and I have her to thank for learning how to sew, paint, and up-cycle. It only seemed logical that I grew to love art, design and home decor. My parents were also music and garden lovers, so I've learned to appreciate those also.

My shop, ArtOnceAgain, reflects my passions of art, nature, memories and music. And also my desire to be unique.

I started my shop with picture frames. Memories are important to me and I've always loved to take pictures. So many times, I couldn't find a frame that I liked for a certain picture so I decided to try and make them by re-creating old ones and giving them new soul. Realizing that frames weren't going to be flying off the shelves as other products do, I decided to add photography. I take my own pictures and have them professionally printed. And, of course, I expanded my line to include any home decor items. I am a 1-woman show - owner, designer, crafter, packager and shipper.

I try to use unexpected materials to create my unique treasures. I'll work with just about anything - paint, twigs, wood, glass, sea shells, fabric, yarn, rock, whatever I can get my hands on.

My inspirations come mostly from nature and my desire to help the environment by re-cycling. I love to watch television programs for interior design ideas and browse online for new techniques that I can use to create my "treasures".

I opened my Etsy shop in the summer of 2012. I had made a picture frame for some friends when they moved into their new house and they loved it. She was the one that suggested the idea the I might be able to sell them and told me about Etsy. Thus, the shop and business, was born! Right now, my online shop and facebook page are my only venues to sell.

The most important advise I can offer anyone who's thanking about selling their work online is, be patient and never stop looking for sites to promote your work, and opportunities to network.

In my free time, I love to garden. My husband and I built a greenhouse the size of a two-car garage that I try to fill every winter with new cuttings to plant each spring. But, this year, that's taken a second to my business. I don't mind though, because I really enjoy what I'm doing and sometimes would rather be doing my crafts than anything else!

Not many people know that, after I graduated from college, I drove an 18-wheeler for a living. I know! All 100 pounds of me worked for a moving company and moved people all over the country. After three years and seeing some beautiful sites and meeting some great people, I decided it was time to settle down and start making a little money.

My shop address is www.etsy.com/shop/ArtOnceAgain

Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ArtOnceAgain

ArtOnceAgain is on Pinterest

Twitter me @brodieque