Monday Must-Have

Today marks another installment of my Monday blog series titled Monday Must-Have. Each Monday I will feature a fellow talented Etsian and their phenomenal work. Each featured artist will have their own online Etsy shop where you can peruse and admire their one-of-a-kind body of work. Hopefully you will find new favorite artists and artisans whose work you MUST HAVE. :)

Today's featured artist is Shazi of TOPHU Jewelry.

Who are you (actual name/and or shop name)?

Shazi Herring , owner , designer and creator of all jewelry at TOPHU Jewelry at http://www.TOPHU.etsy.com

What do you create?

I create jewelry of all styles; vintage, modern, elegant, simple etc. I offer an array of different styles and I am always adding new items to my shop. It’s hard to stick to one style of jewelry because I love it all. Sticking to one style of jewelry puts limits on my creativity. I love to create outside of the box and that’s what makes my jewelry unique.

Where are you located?

I’m located in Atlanta, GA.

When did you start creating?

I’ve always been into fashion and designing since I owned my first hand held sewing machine at age 7. I knew I was destined to be a part of the industry in some way, I just didn’t know when or how I would start. I discovered the beautiful art of jewelry making about a year ago but I started creating my own pieces 5 months ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. This was the perfect opportunity to get my foot in the door, and so far it’s been working for me.

Why did you choose your shop name?

‘Shazi’s Jewelry” was the first name I gave my company. But I soon remembered I had a history of meeting new people who couldn’t pronounce it or spell it. I figured it would be a little difficult to remember. When it came time for me to think of a new name, and out of nowhere, “Tofu” (the food) came to mind. I loved it, but I played around with the spelling of the name to make it stick and that’s where “TOPHU Jewelry” came from. It has no meaning; it’s just a funky name.

What inspires you?

Color, shapes and textures inspire me. I pull all of these elements from my environment.

What is the most time consuming part of your art/craft?

The most time consuming part of my craft is actually naming and writing accurate descriptions about my jewelry. The name should be a reflection of the jewelry and you must give an accurate description about the jewelry so that your buyers will know exactly what they are getting. The look of the jewelry in real life should always match the description written on paper.

How do you acquire new clients?

I’m part of two Etsy groups, and I’ve been trying to be as active as I can. It gives me the opportunity to promote and network with other Etsians. I also try to acquire clients through word of mouth advertising, my blog http://www.tophujewelry.blogspot.com, myspace and facebook. My goal for this 2009 summer is to participate in maybe 1 or 2 local craft shows, as well as visit a few boutiques to sell my jewelry to.

What do you do when you are not creating?

Being a mom to my 5 year old son.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I want to thank you so much Ruth for featuring me on your blog, as this is my very first feature and you and this wonderful opportunity will always be appreciated.


You're certainly welcome! Be sure to check out more of Shazi's work in her Etsy shop. If you're interested in being featured in future Monday Must-Have segments, please feel free to convo me in my Etsy shop or email me. Have a wonderful day!