Etsy is full of creative, inspiring people. Poor & Pretty’s new Etsy Spotlight category will feature an interview with a seller once a month. This month, I interviewed Rachael Caballero of Bela Koi Designs.

Poor & Pretty: Your profile says that you started making jewelry at 12 years old. What inspired you?

Rachael Caballero: I always tried to stand out and as a youngster and I really enjoyed expressing myself artistically. I wrote poetry mostly, but I started making my own earrings out of random things I would find around the house. It just made me happy to create exactly what I wanted to wear — there is something so fullfilling about creating, especially things you can wear or share with others.

P&P: What is your favorite thing to make and why?

RC: I wouldn’t say I have a favorite thing to make as much as I just love designing. The funnest part for me is putting different elements together to make a unique piece. That applies to all types of jewelry. Sometimes the more time consuming stuff is not my fav but it’s all fun. If I had to pick, though, it would be earrings.

P&P: Do you end up wearing a lot of the things you make?

RC: That’s the funny part, I don’t wear jewelry much anymore. I used to be fanatic about it, but once I started having kids I started simplifying my life and that was one of the ways I did it. However, I do sometimes make things I immediately decide to keep. I will usually list it and just make more if someone orders it.

P&P: When did you decide to start selling on Etsy? And was that before or after you started selling to local businesses?

RC: The Etsy thing was actually a fluke. I hadn’t done anything creative for years and during my last pregnancy I read a friend’s post that she had written about Etsy. At that point, I had never been on the site. I checked it out specifically for the homemade baby blankets, and I thought…hmmm, I could make those! So I went out and bought a sewing machine. When I was at the fabric store, I saw the jewelry aisle and decided to buy a few things to mess around with. The rest was history. I decided quickly after to start my own store and slowly began adding to my supplies. I was really shocked when I made my first sale only a day or two after opening my store! That was last September. I started selling to local stores a few months later.

P&P: You’ve created jewelry for wedding parties too, correct? Tell me about that.

RC: Yes, quite a few times. In fact, I am working on one right now. It’s a great money maker and lots of fun. I love working with my clients to make something unique and personal for their special day.

P&P: How did you come up with your slogan, “where Sense and Sensibility meets Cruella de Vil” ?

RC: Ahhh, I guess that’s the poet in me :) One of my strong points is writing, and that particular line was thought up after I created my second piece. I love the Victorian era, hence the “sense and sensibility”. I also used to be quite an eccentric with my dress and compared myself a bit to Cruella’s style sense. I like creating both classic and funky pieces. A little something for everyone ;)

P&P: What are your favorite sellers on Etsy?

RC: Plastique, JolieBerry, Sweet Grass Mill, MiaBeads, Candy’s Art Designs, and Tamar.

Rachael was such a sweetheart and I loved chatting with her. Please check out the Bela Koi Designs Etsy shop {free US shipping for the month of June!} and be sure to fan Bela Koi Designs on Facebook and follow her for special deals on Twitter. <3