I recently discovered the simple and modern geometric designs of metal artist Nina Dinoff and I find them really captivating. You can find Nina’s work in her etsy shop and at uselessmachines.com. Nina’s designs seem more like metal sculpture than jewelry pieces you wear, but rest assured this is jewelry that is meant to be worn. The combination of earthy elegance and sensual structure make her designs utterly appealing and there is a texture to her metal worked creations that is wonderfully lovely. They seem like they would be perfectly sumptuous to wear.

Do you ever have one of those days that you feel like making the face this guy is making? Well, I am having one of the days today and it’s not a pretty sight. I’m sure if you saw me, you would say, “Hmm, why is Jen sulking and pouting over in the corner making that sulky pouty face?” I would answer, “Funkety pouty pout-pout. Sulky sulk-sulk, bad mood today. Give me some chocolate, for gawd’s sake.”

Anyway, this Little Blue Meanie is now my new mascot and also my Mintd Friday pick for this week. By CLBcreations and available at Mintd.

OMG, these Pink coral and pearl earrings made by Chick Rocks are so pretty. I am a big fan of the pink coral and oxidized silver combo. It’s a little bit girly and and little bit rock-n-roll.

This week’s Reader Fixx ten top indie pixx were sent in by Claire of Absolutely Small. Claire offers a little bit of everything in her Esty shop including paintings, cards, plushies and buttons among other stuff.

If you want to submit your picks, read how here.

Her top ten pixx are all from members of Etsy’s Plush Team.

Cornflake Girl designs some adorable clothes for Blythe dolls.

Magpie DC hand addresses envelopes in beautiful script!

The Sweetest Pea has this amazing gadget cozy. I’d love to have this chick keep my electronics warm.

Lissa makes some amazing quilts- like this one.

Hobocamp Crafts designs awesome bags:

Christina Ward does amazingly subversive things with quilts.

Kivett Studio does a little bit of everything- including making some nifty paintings.

Vagrant Aesthetic takes time out from creating zombies to occasionally make gorgeous hair clips like these.

Sparkle-rama hand embroiders all kinds of fun things onto bags.

Lauren Smash in addition to making the super cute plushies we all know and love, makes some amazing little drawings as well.

This week’s Indie Artist Fixx is with Liz Wong of ArtGhost.com and LizWongIllustration.com. I first discovered Liz when I went looking for an illustrator for my logo on Tickle Fancy. I instantly fell in love with Liz’s illustration work and knew that she would be able to create the logo I envisioned…I was right. I am so pleased with her work that I decided to use her on yet another project that I am working on. I love her dreamy and playful style of illustration and I am just a huge fan of all her work.

In addition to her illustration work, Liz runs ArtGhost with her husband, Eric Adler, who is also a pretty cool artist. The pair offer paintings & drawings, handbags and greeting cards in their pop art and retro fifties style of art & design. Stuff like Liz’s Hey DJ bag and Eric’s witty & snarky paintings, which may even make you laugh out loud.

Here’s my interview with Liz.

1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?

My husband and I run ArtGhost.com, where we sell handbags, cards, and our art. In addition, LizWongIllustration.com, houses my freelance illustration portfolio.

2. How and why did you get your start?

We started ArtGhost in 2002; it just sort of grew organically from our very basic web skills and our desire to focus more on our art, and less on our sucky day jobs. It started out as a very primitive website that just had pictures of our paintings. We gradually developed our product line as we began doing craft fairs, and the website went through a few redesigns. About a year ago I decided it was time to have a separate website dedicated solely to marketing my illustration.

3. Is there anything you can share with other indie business owners who are just taking the plunge with their own business?

Make sure you spend time (and money) on marketing. You won’t sell anything if no one knows you exist.

4. What’s the best thing about what you do? And the worst?

I love the moment when you are in the middle of a creative project, and you are so focused that you just forget about everything else. The worst is accounting and paperwork, although I am trying to get better.

5. Tell us one funny/goofy/silly thing about yourself.

Currently I am obsessed with Wizard Rock, which are bands that play songs about Harry Potter.

6. Do you have any future plans for your business that you would like to share?

One day the Girls’ Revolutionary Army will rise up and take over the world, and then we shall enter a glorious new age. But seriously, right now I am working on promoting my illustration so that one day I will be a mega-famous illustrator and people will give me lots of money to sit around and draw all day

7. What blogs and mags do you read and what shops do you shop at? List as many as you want.

Magazines: Audrey, Giant Robot, Juxtapoz, Lucky, ReadyMade, Bitch

Shops: I love Bluebottle, Velouria, Schmancy, Nancy, and Fancy Pants here in Seattle. Also, the Giant Robot stores in LA. Online: boygirlparty, My Paper Crane, Thea Starr’s amazing hair accessories; I also have some wonderful earrings from Tilting Swiftly!

Blogs: Mostly I read illustration blogs. I am particularly obsessed with Drawn. I also like Rare Bird Finds, Tickle Fancy and Indie Fixx of course, and the Sampler Journal.

8. Were you an artsy craftsy kid? If so, what kinds of things did you do?

Yes, I was fortunate to have a mom who always encouraged me to make art, and enrolled me in summer art programs. In first grade I decided that I was going to be an artist when I grew up. I drew and painted a lot - I have some pretty sweet unicorn drawings from my childhood. My sister and I also made a lot of tiny accessories for our Barbie dolls, then would pose them in scenes and take photos.

9. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookie Dough. Or maybe chocolate-vanilla-strawberry, because you get three in one!

10. What does indie mean to you? You can give a literal definition, choose to be a little esoteric or a combination of both.

Indie to me means the opposite of big business, usually hand crafted, made with care and in fairly limited runs. Indie is generally more unique, is well designed, and there’s also the satisfaction of knowing that a real person is behind it.

11. What are your inspirations?

I love going to the fabric store and just looking at everything. And art supplies - I love pens, ink, and paper. Oh, and super cute Japanese products!

12. What you are doing new that you want everyone to know about?

Gosh, well, I’m working right now on some illustrations for Indie Fixx! We’re also working on a new series of paintings for a show in February at Redux in Portland.

A little birdie told me that there is End of Summer sale going on at Modishoppe and i just had to share, because we know what cute indie stuff Jena stocks over at Modishoppe.

Starting today and for the next 3-days, take 15% off with code “goodbyesum07″ at checkout. I’ve had my eye on one or two or twelve things over there, so you know I will be doing my own end of season shopping. Pictured are just some of the goodies that I’ve been coveting including the Leaf Wristlett Wallets by Blissful, Wooden Brooches by Allira, and the Secret Message Card by paperedtogether.