Feature Friday - Purple Cloud Studio

Photo courtesy www.purplecloudstudio.com

Michelle Palenik of Purple Cloud Studio shares my fascination with Etsy's Alchemy feature.   Those of you newer to Etsy missed out on this unique service connecting artisans to buyers looking for unique or custom work. Some of my earlier negative experiences may have given you the impression that I hated it, but there were good things about it, too.

In January, Etsy removed the Alchemy feature to do some renovating. Michele was disappointed in this change since she does a lot of custom work. "My experience with Alchemy has been really positive," she says. "I have gotten to make some real oddball/cool stuff."

Even if you weren't interested in participating in Alchemy, it was usually entertaining to look through the listings. Michele admitted that, like most of us, she put in a lot more bids for jobs than she won, but she had a lot of fun.

Some of Michele's favorite Alchemy projects include

• Monkey head paperclips
• Crazy doll eyes
• Mad Hatter/Cheshire Cat wedding cake topper

That wedding cake topper was Michele's overall favorite because it was made for such a special occasion. She even made it so it could hold a candle and be used for future occasions as well.  This is a testament to Michele's focus on function and good design.

One look at the Purple Cloud Studio Etsy shop will show you just how unique Michele's work can be.

With Alchemy gone, Michele has revamped her website for Purple Cloud Studio to welcome more custom request orders.  She offers custom made jewelry as well as cremation keepsakes. Always up for new challenges, Michele ends her blog posts by asking, "...now, what may I create for YOU?"

If and when Etsy decides to reinvent Alchemy and launch it again, you'll definitely hear from me (and Michele) so you can check it out.  Custom work is still alive and well on Etsy, but buyers have to work harder to connect with those who can do the work they seek to have done.