Finding: Masha

Howdy!

There was a little spoiler on Monday, because Etsy doesn't exactly swarm with Bulgarian artists, however, there are some worth looking out for! Although my intention to feature one of them was realized in a halfway manner (reasons attached below), I think it is a success even if it's just because I feel almost tragically inspired to do what I want to. Tragedy or not, find out why one should and how one could feel free to create from the following interview!

• Share a bit of your story, please.

My name is Mariya, but everyone calls me Masha because I am half Bulgarian and half Russian. From very little I felt drawn to creating things and I was very encouraged by my family – my mother is very creative, she worked as a Crafts teacher so she was always sewing, knitting, etc. So making things with your own hands or expressing your ideas in a creative way was something very natural to me.

I think I have always dreamt of doing something creative for a living, but I felt some pressure for choosing “more serious” things, so my education has absolutely nothing to do with arts or design. I felt so unhappy at the jobs I used to work – like the days where passing by with no meaning and that life was slowly taking me further away from my dreams, but finally I have come to turns with myself and just realized that making my dreams come true is nobody’s business but my own – so here I am. I have my Ornamelle shop at Etsy, my blog, I help my husband with his wedding photography business and I am full of ideas and plans for the future. Financially things are not so pink yet, but I have finally found happiness and peace and I have never felt more complete.

I have always said that if do something that makes you unhappy you’re not only harming yourself, but other people as well, since that negative energy transfers to those around…

• What place does art have in your everyday life? How do you manage to balance creativity and chores?

Art is my everyday life – I don’t have working hours, or days  - this is what I find so liberating, sometimes I feel like doing things in the mornings and having the afternoon off and sometimes I find myself sewing through the night… As a matter of fact I hated having working hours.

And honestly I enjoy doing the chores – mostly I enjoy going to the market for groceries, I think of this walk as a treasure hunt – I always find really nice, useful/useless and inspiring things…

• What is it that inspires you?

I find inspiration in many places – from other people on the internet, in magazines, in nature, but mostly in myself – what I mean is that now I have a pretty good idea of what I like, I have seen so many things (not enough, but a lot) and there are things that have stayed with me and continue to inspire me through the years, so I have created something like an “Inspiration Folder” in my mind and I always go back to it. When I create something I always ask myself “Do you really like it? Would you use it?”.

• What do you expect to happen to your Etsy store in the future?

I’d love to add more products and right now I’m working on that.  I hope someday I will end up with a place where people will recognize my style immediately and would love what I do…but that’s a work in progress, fortunately.

• Any strategy to help you achieve your artistic goals? Would you share one tip with all new-born artists?

My experience so far has shown that the best strategy in life is to do what you love, give your best, always stay positive and never forget what are the most important things in life. And I guess my tip is never to give up believing in yourself – not everyone will love your style or product, don’t get frustrated.  The most important person that you have to win over is yourself – this energy will transfer to other people.

• Anything else you'd like to say?

Thank you for this interview. And I wish the blog all the success !

'Ollyvia Fabric Basket' 

'Ornamelle Home/Fashion Accessory Kit'

'Ornamelle Home/Fashion Accessory Kit' 

'Olly Fabric Basket'

I too am grateful to Masha for the wonderful start of 'Finding:'! If you ever need more of her spirit and vision, do visit her blog at http://www.ornamelle.com/ and her Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ornamelle.

That's it for this week, hope everybody has a productive weekend. Keep hunting for treasures and remember I'll try bring some to you next week!

A calm and satisfied

Bilyana