Get to know... NKPbeads

What is your Etsy shop name? How did you come up with that name?

NKPbeads is my Etsy Shop Name ... I initially started at Etsy with my
pottery and beads combined in one storefront (nkpdesigns), but I
quickly found that my beads were overtaking the pottery. They clearly
needed their own venue.

I kept the "nkp" which are my three initials for "Natalie Kay Pappas".
I have worked in so many mediums over the years that I wanted a
generic business name that would work with any type of product I ended
creating, so I used "Designs", then "beads". If I had to do it over, I
think I would use something with the word Pottery Bead" or "Ceramic
Bead" in it. However, this name (NKPbeads) does make it possible to
destash some of my gemstone beads and I do hope to find the time to do
some of that eventually.

What sort of crafting supplies do you sell?

I sell homemade pottery (ceramic) beads, in earthenware, stoneware,
and porcelain. These have unique textures, others are stamped, some
are made from vintage buttons that I have molded, some I sculpt into
animals like elephants or dogs. I also make small clay 'bead'
whistles and pendants.

I enjoy taking commercial (and homemade) glazes and combining them to
get an entirely new look. I also love to layer glazes on a bead to see
what will shimmer from underneath. I like to apply a certain glaze
combination on a bead and then take idea and use it on a bigger piece
of pottery, like a mug, bowl, or a vase. It's a way to experiment
small and yet have something unique, fun, and hopefully beautiful in
the end.

Favorite website(s) aside from Etsy?

My favorite website is Ceramic Arts Daily
(http://ceramicartsdaily.org/) ... so many great (and free) pottery
video tutorials on there!


Do you craft yourself? If so, what do you like to make?

I enjoy making jewelry from my beads. I paint (watercolors), as well
as sew. Oh, and I love to crochet, too.

Please tell us one thing that nobody would know about you.

I got interested in learning Koine (common) Greek when my kids were
little. I homeschooled them and needed something quiet to do. If I
crafted, then I would get so involved in that I would forget about
schooling them. I didn't want to do that, so I took non-accredited "at
home" classses from a local seminary and ended up taking 36 hours in
that particular language alone. It was so interesting and I enjoyed
learning to read the Bible in the original Greek. Does reading the
orginal Greek Bible make it theologically different than reading an
English Bible? No. However, it has been interesting to see how the
sentence structure differs and how certain things are emphasized ...
but theologically everything is the same (that's the question I'm most
asked about that, anyway).

What is your favorite thing to make for dinner?

Grilled chicken and stir fried vegetables.

What goals do you have for your shop over the next year?

My goal is to be consistently active in my shop and to offer new bead
designs weekly.

If you sell on other venues, where else can we find your items?

I currently am only selling on Etsy.

Visit NKPbeads wonderful shop here