We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.

Today we'd like you to meet Andrea Hockett, a Seattle-based jewelry designer, abstract artist, sculptor, photographer, and writer. Her work can be found at Faeriedtreasures.etsy.com.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. Well, My name is Andrea, and amongst many other things, I'm currently designing and creating jewelry for my Etsy shop "Faeried Treasures". I've been making my own jewelry and jewelry for gifts and whatnot for family and friends for years, but just recently decided to start selling it after I stumbled across and consequently became addicted to the wonderful world of Etsy.

I like to keep my pieces fresh and fun, and although I make some jewelry that even a man could wear (and look damn good in) MOST of my work has a certain femininity to it. My personal philosophy is that like dewdrops and daydreams, the things I fill my shop with are also things that a delicate little creature would covet, hence the name "Faeried Treasures".

When I'm not hovering over a bowl of beads and wire, I like to spend my time all over the beautiful Pacific Northwest, embarking on all sorts of adventures.

How did you get started as a designer? I initially became obsessed with beads when I was a kid. My aunt took me with her to a local bead shop and told me she'd buy me a scoop of beads from this giant barrel of them and pointed me in the direction of the barrel. I think she figured I'd just grab a scoop, but instead I hand picked the entire scoopful, and when I went home, I made a bracelet for her, my mom and my older sister using dental floss, a sewing needle. I made a clasp out of a larger bead and tied a loop in the other end of the floss. I was hooked.

I renewed my interest in more complex endeavors after working at a craft store for 5 years, and doing product demonstrations, feeling unchallenged because the patterns were all so boring. I started my bead collection back then, and am just recently REALLY starting to use all of my stash.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers? Try new things. Don't be afraid to mess up, Don't follow the leader. Trends are trends, and only last so long. Style, class, elegance and grace come from within, and everyone is different. If you try to do what everyone else is doing and its not "you" you will never succeed.

Also, don't expect the best. Make the best.

What inspires your work? Fairytales, Myths, Legends, Stories, tall tales, Nature, Current events, Dreams and childhood memories. Sometimes even the beads themselves have a story to tell, I just make it visible.

Who are your favorite designers? Anyone who stays true to themselves. I'm really not a big fan of big companies, not because they're "Corporate America" but because they sell copies of the same exact thing to anyone with the money. I prefer one of a kind items and other handmade jewelry designers. The list is long, but a few notables on Etsy would definitely have to be Arctida, AthenasDisciple, Eclettica, and TreAnelli. There are so many more though. Everyone interested in handmade, homemade and beautiful one of a kind jewelry should definitely check out Etsy.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? fashion? Beauty? I'm really pretty simple.. A relaxing shower with some pretty scented shampoo and soap, A little powder on my face. Ok, so I never leave the house without mascara on. I don't think I'm the only woman that does that though! haha! Fashion wise, I wear scarves even in summer and skirts in the winter. For the most part I'm a tennis shoe and teeshirt kinda girl. I even wore tennis shoes at my wedding. I just like my colours and patterns to look good together, not necessarily match. I do think that 8 glasses of water a day keep your skin clear and supple. Forget about heavy creams and powders, most of that stuff just makes whatever blemishes you have stand out even more!

Where can people find your work? Currently only through my Etsy shop- FaeriedTreasures. I'm currently talking to some local (Seattle) shop owners about selling my work there, and I'll be doing quite a few bazaars and craft shows this winter. I'm up and coming! *smile*

Anything else? Really, thats about it. I have a background in visual arts, and a college degree behind that. I'm a naturalist and I love stories and storytelling. I have two blogs, a personal one and an Etsy related one- A_Rockett.Livejournal.com and faeriedtreasures.blogspot.com . I've been a blogger for a long time, and before I got into Etsy, I ran a food blog/ photo website neverbashfulwithbutter.com , but due to an illness and hospital related injury (Congestive heart failure and losing partial use of my right hand) I had to change my lifestyle, and baking cupcakes just wasn't something I could do any more.

So I started making jewelry. Go figure. *smile*

So there you go! Again, thanks so much for this opportunity!