Hello, dear visitor, and I hope in due time, friend, fan, follower, and collector of my many and varied handmade treasures, I offer to you via my eBay Store!
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I thought that instead of hiding behind a screen or hand you a polished and edited to pieces image/clip, I’ll share with you one of my Youtube Videos so you can see what I really look like when I am not all dolled up, fixed up, dressed up, or any other kind of “up”.
The facts are these. I am a woman born in 1970. I had some really tough times in my life (doesn’t make me special by the way, most people can say that), and I look my age (sometimes older depending on how stressed or tired I am).
In other words, I am an average, middle-aged creative powerhouse who is dead set and determined to make a lifelong dream a reality now in my mid/late 50s (depending on when you watch this).
Go ahead and watch the clip. If you want to be particularly supportive, please give it a like, leave a comment on YouTube, and hit the subscribe button. It helps me get my name, my brand, and my creative business out there. Thank you in advance.
I’ll tell you a bit more about me, what led up to this starting over in my 50s, what I create and who I create for, etc. See you on the flip side…
I am originally from the old country, but have been in the USA far longer than I was ever in the country of my birth. Yet even after all of those years, my accent still comes out when I speak. It has been no small amount of amusement to my friends, a few strangers, and myself as well, when I catch myself writing or speaking with an “accent”.
I am a proud mother of adult children and two amazing grandchildren. Yes, I am biased, but I am allowed to be.
For all of my adult life, and quite a few of my teenage years, I have been working my behind off trying to support those I love. I did whatever was necessary to put a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, and clothes on our backs. In other words, I did exactly what was expected of me. All while making other people richer, barely being able to pay the bills, and don’t even think there was any extra for such luxuries as vacations, medical or dental healthcare, or savings. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?)
Gifts from me to those I care(d) about were 90% handmade, which means I amassed a wide variety of crafting and artistic skills over the years. 95% of it was self-taught, and often very experimental. All that impressive technical lingo for what I was designing and then lovingly creating was not in my vocabulary. I knew what I was doing, but if I had sat with someone who went to school or classes for it, I would have sounded like a real dunce.
Still, it was those creative moments that frequently were my sanity and even lifesavers. I found joy, alignment, and even worth in my skills, which I am constantly working on growing and elevating.
I grew up a foster child to a couple that was 60 years older than I. My first 7 years (close to 8) I was encouraged and emotionally supported by my foster father whom I called my Opa because of the age difference. It was from him, that I learned the importance of hard work, tenaciousness, and always giving it your best.
He encouraged me to write my little stories, draw my pictures, think up new creative ways of creating something unique with whatever I could find. I learned to crochet, knit, sew, cook, run a household etc. (Typical old world upbringing during those days.)
After he passed away when I was right before my eighth year, my life turned a lot darker. I experienced a lot of abuse(verbally, physically, and emotionally). I escaped into my imagination. I found relief in my creative world, and it began the burning desire in me to become a full-time Artisan and Maker of beautiful things.
This is getting heavy, so let’s take a little break, and I’ll share a little short from my Youtube channel with you:
This adorable turtle is still looking for a good home, by the way, and is available in my eBay Store. The giggling you hear is my Granddaughter. I am very protective of her and make sure she never shows her face on any of my clips or pics if I post them online.
I got married (twice) got divorced (twice), and let’s just say I should not be permitted to pick my own partners! I carry some of the blame, too; it’s never just one-sided, but the abuse continued on in my adult years until about six years ago. I had a tumor (benign cancer) in my uturus that had grown to about the size of a premie, and my second husbands behavior when I was told in the ER that I needed an emergency hysterectomy was the final straw. With the help of one of my daughters, I walked away for good. She helped me get my surgery as well, and now I had a massive bill I had to pay off.
A lot of things took place between then and now. Not the least of it was healing in all different aspects. I watched myself change into someone I couldn’t recognize physically. I started aging at a rapid rate. I used to look a lot younger than my age before that.
Through all of that, I continued working a “career” I had built up for over 28 years and had come to loathe. It was killing my spirit and my soul.
I wanted, no, needed to start over, and even though I had four failed attempts over the span of 10 years before, I decided that it was time to step out of this gray or beige world of my existence and start over! With literally no savings, no way of getting credit, and the materials I had collected over the years, I set my course, going from a very experienced hobbyist in a variety of talents and skills, to starting to sell my handmade treasures as my sole income.
You may call me foolish, brave, tenacious, and more, but in November of 2025 the universe slammed the door shut on me for my old jobs. I was planning on building while phasing it out (common sense really), but several personal things took place that made it very clear. I had to let go of the safety net and go 100% in.
So that is what I have been doing and am doing now.
My handmade treasures do not follow trends. They are often time one-of-a-kind or very limited edition pieces.
I design and create for the person who is tired of being invisible. Who wants to “live-out-loud”. Who is ready to be authentic and uncompromising in their style, truth, and being when it comes to my handmade Jewelry. I create for the Cosplayers, Fae/Fairy/Elven aesthetic lovers. Wearable beaded High Fantasy Art Jewelry that have a story and soul. Those who love the bohemian luxe styles. The contemporary Talisman. The magic and witchy vibes, and so much more.
My handmade Jewelry collections are constantly expanding to encompass different materials and techniques. Often, a combination of different media as well.
When it comes to my fiber art (crochet) I go from whimsical to cottage core, to usable items with a flair! From crochet stuffed companions, support stuffies, art dolls, to oversized shawls for us bigger women, to pouches, purses, and now even crochet jewelry and accessories.
I offer my mixed media art on Greeting Cards, Bookmarks, Magnets, or small non-framed collectors’ panels.
I could sit here for days telling you what I create, think up, and offer for sale. So it would be much easier if you visit my eBay Store and browse around. Make sure you follow me there.
The rest? Well, you just have to read my posts. I share what I am learning about building my handmade business in a very straightforward way. You get a glimpse into my creative mind. I introduce you to some of the creative treasures and products I sell, and their story behind them.
Reading my posts is like visiting a friend for a cup of coffee or tea, while I share with you what is going on in my world.
Now that I “talked your ears off, and you are probably cross-eyed from reading, I’ll say:
“Thank you for stopping by. Please come back soon! I hope that in due time I can count you among my friends, my supporters, my valued customers, and tribe!”
Artisan Regina L.