For Fresh Etsy Pixx I choose a new Etsy seller to feature. I either pick a shop that is well on its way to being a rising star or choose a shop that I think has great stuff, but just needs an extra little bit of exposure. Today, I’ve chosen a shop that fits that latter category and it’s called Finch Metal.  Jill Antonishak is the jewelry artist behind Finch Metal and she creates lovely &  whimsical jewelry designs including pinwheel, paper airplane and kite sterling silver necklaces among others.  She also offers customized sterling silver monogram necklaces, which seem like a really good gift idea.

Read more about Jill and Finch Metal in my interview with her below, including how Jill came up with her shop name! There’s also some studio pics and some pics of Jill in action creating some of her designs.

1. What’s the name of your shop and what do you create?

The name of my shop is Finch Metal. I love working with metal and creating playful jewelry. A lot of my pieces are based on children’s playthings, but I also love experimenting with basic shapes for delicate, classic pieces.

2. How long have you been in business and how long have you been selling on Etsy?

I actually started my business on Etsy.  I listed my first item on June 22nd and guilt-tripped a family member into buying the first item. I expected that might be the end of it, so it was such a wonderful surprise when I started getting other sales.

3. What made you take the plunge?

I switched from a job where I was working all the time, and finally had some time to be creative. I might’ve had too much time, because I had so many sketches and pieces of silver all over my apartment–little paper airplanes and pinwheels were everywhere.  I had bought a few things on Etsy and loved so much of the work on the site, so I thought I would give it a try.

4. What inspires you?

I love experimenting with the properties of metal and learning new things it can do when heated or folded. Just playing around with the metal is inspiring.

5. Any goals you’d like to share?

For some reason, I’m fixated on necklaces now, but I have so many ideas for other jewelry pieces—I just have to find some more time for design and production. I’m also trying to improve my pictures. I’m a horrible photographer, and my early shots were so blurry and dark. They are better, but I still have some work to do on my pictures.

6. What are you reading, listening to & watching?

Reading: To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite (and the origin of my shop name). I’m currently reading Tulia and need to catch up with a stack of cooking magazines.

Listening:  Lately, I’ve been listening to Regina Spektor, Hem, and Madeleine Peyroux, and stuff from the 60’s.

Watching: My favorite movies are The Shawshank Redemption, Amelie, and anything by Wes Anderson