Spotlight: “Finally listed my creations at Etsy and have sold my first piece!” ~Kim-M
Kim Misenheimer (aka Kimisen) has a dream. In her words, it’s “always been to help support my family doing something I love.” With an Etsy shop now set up and running, as well as a loving husband providing support, Kim is well on her way to accomplishing her goal.
Related links for this spotlight feature include: (1) Lentil Beads; (2) Jupiter Beads; (3) Disk Beads; (4) Rose Beads; (5) Pillow Beads
Here is What Kim Wrote…
Cindy,
I LOVE LOVE LOVE polymer clay! I have always had my hands in art of some kind for as long as I can remember. I have spent countless nights awake working on project after project only to find that I would grow tired of it once I “mastered” the skill.
Once I discovered Polymer clay I realized that not only are there endless projects, beads and more but I could further create by using the beads in my jewelry. So, back to sleepless nights of project after project, only now I am satisfied!!!
I discovered Cindy Lietz’s www.beadsandbeading.com website by searching for new ideas. (Since I am self-taught I have learned by spending WAY too much time online) I am so excited to have found her website! I have learned more from Cindy than I have from all of the other sites I have checked out! Her videos have been a lifesaver as you can see from my first attempts of making a pendant on my own [Photo 6].
I love anything round so naturally the lentil beads [Photo 1] and the disk beads [Photo 3] are my favorites! (once again learned from the videos) I love the way they look and feel in my hands after being sanded, polished and glossed. I also adore the pillow beads [Photo 5]. They look so cool and I love holding them. I think beads are an addiction for me do you? I some times sift through my finished ones looking just to look. There is one problem to that though, you can’t sell anything if you don’t let them go!
Finally, a few days ago I got a creative spurt and made jewelry and listed my creations in my etsy shop. AND, I have sold my first piece, a pendant made from a squashed Jupiter Bead [Photo 2], once again, learned from Cindy!
I have loved being able to share my knowledge with my kids. It is neat watching my 7-year-old daughter make beads because I see myself in the way she learns by watching and doing. It is also a great bonding experience with my 9 1/2-year-old son. Anything to pull him away from video games!
I am going to continue learning and making beads and I am going to continue to grow my business through my etsy shop. My dream has always been to help support my family doing something I love. With my husband’s emotional support (he is good at design too) I know I will be successful in this industry.
If I can leave you with two big pieces of advice they are, don’t limit yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes because sometimes those mistakes can turn into your finest bead ever! Oh, and cornstarch is a miracle for getting fingerprints out of beads and for keeping pieces from sticking to the work surface.
~Kim Misenheimer (aka Kimisen)
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Wow Kim I can see you becoming a huge success! The improvement you have made to your work is obvious, and a quick sale is a sure sign of more to come. I am very impressed with how you have taken what you have learned in such a short period of time, and put it into practice. With your obvious determination, I’m sure your dream of helping to support your family will come to fruition for you. Probably sooner than you think!
So does anyone else here, have a dream to make money with your polymer clay beads? Has Kimisen inspired you in any way? Let her know in the comments below!
** If you have been inspired by my teachings and would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Article, then please do write up something creative and email it to me along with a selection of your project pics. Make sure to send me high resolution photos that I’ll be able to zoom in on to show the details of your work. If you don’t already have my email address, simply leave a comment below and I will get it to you right away.
You items are stunning. How long have you been “claying”?
What camera do you use (digital or film, brand, etc.) I need to get a new camera so I can get myself on Etsy, and also get pics and info to Cindy.
My goodness, Kim! You are extremely talented. Love that spiral lentil bead at the top, excellent colors, stripping and finishing. Wow! Is there some metallic clay in that one?
Congrats on selling your first pieces of art. Hope you have a long successful and fun career at this. Love all the products you’ve shown above, especially the funkier stuff like the bottle shape tag and the sun.
Your finishing work, polishing and shine is excellent, these a great pics.
Best of luck and thanks so much for sharing!
I am one of Kim’s customers, and I just love her work! Everytime I wear the pendant that I bought, I get compliments and questions about where to get one. Keep creating, Kim!!
Kim these are amazing! I love the swirly lentil and photo no. 2. The pillow beads look great and the rose is very realistic. Well done for taking the plunge and selling. Its such a buzz when you get a sale isnt it.
Fabulous!
I love love love that lentil bead!!!! Lentils are my favorite!!! And your rose cane is great. Very pretty and classic. OH and those Jupiter beads…. how fabulous with the stamped texture. You are a genius!
I was also self taught and scanned the internet ALOT for new ideas and new techniques. I still do but I LOVE Cindy’s site because it’s so much more than instruction (which is excellent) but a community which I was sorely lacking. My coffee and I are here every morning to see the next dose of polyclay fabulousness and I’m SO glad it was your work today because it’s more than beautiful… it’s inspirational!
Kim:
Awesome pieces!! It does feel really good to sell your jewelry because we all love to share our work. Plus a little jingle in the pocket aint bad either. Well, until the next clay sale anyway. :) I too love your lentil bead. I am getting better at them but they are still difficult for me. Glad to see you have them down. Keep up the good work.
Wow, how cool! Love your work Kim. The squashed Jupiter bead pendant is my favourite.
It’s so great to see we have so many talented people on here. :)
I don’t think I have a favourite – they are all great.
I was stunned at your son! That is something else! You have incredible patience!
Well done and congrats on making sale. How very exciting!
Of course that should be SUN! (checking to see just how much clay I have on my fingers and in my brain)
Bravo Kim! Your letter to Cindy describes me exactly, from trying many craft areas and getting bored, to finding Cindy, and even right down to the first Etsy sale! I got my first this morning after only 2 days of my items being listed! So, I can share in your excitement and wish you the best! And I will be sure to check out your store! And if anyone wishes to check out mine, my username is carrien0511.
Great work! Congrats on your selling your work! Your ETSY site looks good too! I see that your from Concord. Is that in North Carolina?
congrats on your sale. i love your rose, is that a ring?it does like so realistic. i have trouble doing the lentil beads, i can’t get it to swirl. oh well keep up the great work. Lynn
Thanks to all of your WONDERFUL complements! Just when I was getting discouraged you all have brightened my day!
Ken H.- I started working with polymer clay this spring, and i am using a Nikon D60 for my pictures (I love it!)
Polyanya-Yes I love that I have now sold pieces! I sold another one today.
aims- the sun is really funny bec. it was very large to begin with and when I reduced it I “lost” one of his eyes in the clay. He winks now:)
Melinda-You are too kind! thank you!
Silverleaf -THANKS!!! (for the heart on etsy too)
Carrie-I am glad for you too! I LOVE etsy!
Catalina- yes I live in Concord, NC, do you? Are you the same Catalina with the AWESOME workspace? (thanks for the etsy heart!)
lynn watts-yes it is a ring. I need to find a Sterling base though. I loved Cindy’s Tutorial on that one!
I have seen many of you on this site and have looked at your work here (if you show pics) and on etsy so any compliment from any of you is amazing for me to read!
Kim
Selling a peice is a really great feeling.
I too love the lentil – but they’re all stunning! And congrats on selling some of your work!
~Lisa
Kim, your beads and pendants are beautiful! I love them all but the lentil and jupiter pendants made me wish I had one! I know how you feel about your first sale – I was estactic after mine!
My husband is the photographer for my jewlery and he uses a Canon EOS Rebel 350D. He also uses the EZcube photographic light tent which really helps get great photos of the pieces. It’s an investment, to be sure, but it works well with both our hobbies! :) ezcube.com
Thank you for sharing your work with us!
Marsha
Kim, I thought you might be from NC! I’m from Ohio but now living in Michigan. But, I have a brother who lives in Concord. And, yes, I’m “THE” Catalina with the studio that Cindy has so kindly spotlighted. (You all should see it now! It’s a mess!!) I have been busy with going to Ohio to see my 95 year old grandmother! (She broke her hip – but doing fine) You’er “Welcome!” for the ETSY Heart!
Ken, since you are in the market for a new camera try the one I just bought. The Nikon L100. The photos are great in close-up and so is the video, especially in low light.
Kim,
I just visited your store and want to add my compliments on your beautiful pieces. I don’t think I can pick a favorite-all are so lovely.
As I read through everyone’s comments I was struck by Melinda’s reference to this site as “community”. I think that in addition to the wonderful teaching Cindy provides for us, the opportunity to put our stuff “out there” in this supportive environnment can’t help but make us better artists as we learn from and appreciate each other. Congratulations on getting your store up and running, Kim. It’s obvious from your quick sales that the world loves your work, and rightfully so.
Oh, such beautiful work! They’re lovely. Congratulations!
Thank you everyone for all your great comments! Kim must be beaming inside!
Each day I become more and more amazed by the growing supportive community that is building here. I love the LACK of exclusivity and pretentiousness that is happening in the comments between one another. (Bet you didn’t think I knew words that big!) Everyone feels included and welcome, no matter their level expertise.
Feeling like you belong here is very important to me. There’s some places I’ve not felt very welcome and I would never want a single one of you to feel that way here. We are all here to learn how to get better at polymer clay. Not to show off how we are better than others.
So keep up the great interaction everyone! You are all very dear to my heart!
BTW a group of clayers from this blog who live in the UK are planning a get together in the Manchester area. If can get there and want to hang out with them (or know someone who does), click the link by my name for more info.
Hi Kim,
I love your squashed Jupiter lentil bead…..the colors are exciting and very vibrant. Congratulations on your first sale and great work!
I’m on ETSY too… michelesartjewelry.etsy.com. I signed on, set up shop and then struggled and struggled with the pics for months until I got them where I felt they could be seen. I was directed to a great website that had an inexpensive lightbox setup and it saved the day. I don’t have a lot of money to put into the whole light set-up and for $2.60, this is well worth it. Check it out: wikihow.com/Create-an-Inexpensive-Photography-Lightbox. It really works!! Maybe it can help someone else out there struggling with photos.
I also love the warm community of “poly clayers” out there. Several years ago I started making beads for jewelry and ordered some little spacer beads from Karen Lewis in CA, AKA “Klew” and was blown away when she gave me some great advise over the phone….and she didn’t even know me!! Then I found Cindy’s website….
wow, I love all the wonderful information and experience she shares with us out here.
Thanks so much,
~Michele
Michele I’ve just looked on your site – wow are they lovely beads or what! My kind of colours – I love the natasha bead and the amber colours. Fantastic. Did you make the handmade PMC3 tube beads? I keep meaning to have a go with 99% silver stuff, just not enough hours in the day. Good luck with your shop.
Hi Polyanya, Thanks for the great compliments. I love the Natasha Beads too…I can’t wait to “reveal” what is inside….like a present!! :) I did make the PMC3 tube beads myself…..I was just getting started with it on those beads. It’s not quite like polymer clay to work, you have to make a few adjustments on your techniques…but the stuff is awesome once you get used to doing things a little differently and the possibilities are endless and you don’t need all the metal working supplies. Thanks again for visiting my shop and the feedback. You’ve brightened my day!
Michele
I agree with Polyanya, Michele your beads and jewelry are fantastic! Especially the Segment Series. Just beautiful!
Love the homemade light box idea. Wrote about another one I saw online awhile back. If anyone’s interested the link by my name will take you to that post.
Hey Cindy, thanks a whole big bunch! I really appreciate you visiting my shop and the wonderful compliments.
I love your website and want to thank you personally for all the encouragement and information you share and make available to us “polymer clayers” over the internet. It is invaluable.
All the best,
Michele