There are 3 of us creating for Jansjems but Jan will be answering the questions. And the answers may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other two :)Jansjems is Jan Bajgier, Bethany Bajgier & Krista Bajgier
Located in So. Deerfield, MA and a member of the Western Massachusetts Street Team and a frequent contributer to the blog!
NEST: How did you end up in New England?
I’ve lived in Mass. my whole life. I grew up in Southbridge where my parents still live. I married a nice boy from Chicopee (met him in college in PA, of all places) and settled in W. Mass where we both had jobs.
NEST: How did you hear about Etsy?
Selling online was always my daughter, Bethany’s, idea. We were going to set up our own website when one of her crafty friends told her to check out Etsy. We’d never heard of it. It appealed to us as a good place to start, where we could refine our online selling skills.
NEST: What do you make? Why do you make them? (what's your inspiration) How did you learn to do it?
We make high quality, beaded jewelry using genuine stones and precious metals. Why? Because we love to wear jewelry and love seeing other people enjoying our creations. We Bajgiers are a crafty, do-it-yourself bunch. We remodeled the house ourselves (gutted bathrooms and a kitchen, layed tile, etc), my husband has built cabinets, my mother and I both sew, my mother-in-law won ribbons for knitted and crocheted items. So when I took the girls to their first gem show, they immediately gravitated toward the beads, decided they could make their own jewelry, and it would be better than what they were buying. We learned by doing and doing it again. We looked at other peoples’ work to see how things were finished off. We read magazines with instructions and talked to other people doing the same things. And although we make a lot of traditional looking pieces for our more conservative customers, eventually we developed some things in our own unique style. Bethany makes light, femi
nine necklaces and chandelier earrings and Krista makes the multi-gem, long, dangling earrings and charm bracelets.
Inspiration—that comes from anywhere at anytime. Color is usually the first thing for me. I see color combinations in the sunset, landscaping, someone’s clothing. Sometimes a bunch of beads fall on the floor and I see how colors I’d never thought to put together look. This is how my cluster necklaces developed.
NEST: Are you a vendor at any upcoming shows/events?We’re signed up to show at the Publick House Marketplace tent during the Sturbridge Harvest Festival on October 21. We’ve applied and hope to get into the Northampton Winter Craft Fair at the high school on Dec. 1-2.
(Krista is now living in Charlottesville, VA, and we’re hoping she can find a craft fair or 2 down there in the future.)
NEST: What's the difference between Art & Craft? Which are you?
Wow, that’s pretty philosophical. Art is the production of something beautiful so crafting can be art. Artists often refer to what they do as their craft. I don’t know that there is a difference. There is, however, a level of expertise that both artists and crafters aspire to. I see us at Jansjems as crafters of wearable art. And while we’re no longer beginners, we are still perfecting our skills and trying new techniques.
NEST: Favorite midnight snack? Comfort food?
Food! My favorite topic. I don’t stay up 'til midnight much anymore, but when I did it was a grilled cheese or a BLT. Comfort food is always something chocolate—brownies, ice cream, Snickers bars….whatever.
NEST: Recommend a good book or two.
As a librarian in my other life….I like all kinds of books. For fiction I mostly read mysteries. Two great reads are Dean Kontz’s “The Husband” and “The Rule of Four” by Ian Caldwell.
NEST: What is the best thing about Etsy?
That it’s a supportive community. I love the forums (I try t ignore the cranky people). I have learned so much from other people and their experiences. I can ask a question about craft fairs and get 2 whole days of answers and advice, from all over the world. And I’ve met people I never would have otherwise—other crafters that I can brainstorm with, both online and in person.
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