Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Beth from sweetnaturedesigns

Are you sitting down? I've got some REALLY great news!

Beth from sweetnaturedesigns was kind enough to offer to send

one lucky winner a towel of their choice 

from sweetnaturedesigns!

Buy it here

Beth sent me the towel pictured here. I think I looked twice at every item in her shop before deciding which one I wanted. I love them all! And it is even more gorgeous in real life than in the picture :) These items come wrapped adorably making them perfect for gifting....if you can bear to give them away! You'll see a few as we get to know Beth, but you are going to want to be sure and go check out sweetnaturedesigns to see the full collection!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: My name is Beth Tobey and I LOVE whimsical and quirky fabrics and house wares! I started out painting colorful and eclectic paintings, which I still try to find time for, but once I figured out how to make my fun tea towels and pillow covers, I decided to go for it. I work at home (yeah!) while my kids are at school but Mom-mode turns on at 3:00pm. My husband is awesome and has always been supportive of my artistic adventures.

Buy it here

Q: Your designs are smile-inducing, just my style! How would you describe YOUR style?
A: Do I have a style?? I love swirls, color, whimsical, and eclectic furnishings. I think a fun pillow cover or colorful kitchen towel can really brighten up a room and I don’t think you need expensive items to have a unique look in your home. Sometimes all it takes is a small pop of color. I like the little reminders on some of my items. Everyone should remember to SMILE at some point in their day!



Q: How did you get started on Etsy?
A: Once my youngest child started first grade, I decided to see if I could find a way to use my artistic skills while still being available at home. Etsy has been the greatest avenue for this adventure! I started out slowly, with paintings and cards, but I soon found my way into screen printing and textile design and now I can’t imagine doing anything else.


Q: Tell us a little about your process? How do the lovely items in your shop come to life?
A: All of my designs start from a drawing…no digital work from me! I prefer the hand-drawn look and I think it’s part of my signature style. Once I have the design the way I have imagined it, I turn it into a screen in which I can use over and over on all sorts of fabric. Luckily my Mom taught me to sew when I was little, so I am able to cut and sew all of the items in my shop. I started out buying pre-made towels and bags, but I decided to make it a point to create all of my products from scratch. I cut, sew, and hand screen print every single one of my items and I haven’t gotten bored yet. The sewing and ironing part of my job is actually pretty therapeutic. I will tell you, though, I have a huge pile of my family’s clothes that need to be ironed and mended laying in my work-room!

Buy it here

Q: I understand you take custom and wholesale orders. Busy lady! How do you balance this with home/family life?

Buy it here

A: My family is awesome! I am blessed to be able to work from home in order to keep an eye on everything that goes on throughout the days, especially during the summer time. Since I have so many
different colors of ink and fabric choices I am happy to customize for those customers who have special requests. The wholesale business has really taken off, and it can be busy while I have to make 30 towels in just a few days. I have learned to plan my time wisely in order to stay on task. As a matter of fact, today I just decided I need to make a weekly schedule that includes housework as well as business work. The house and laundry won’t get clean by themselves and accounting isn’t my favorite part of the job, but all have to be a part of my daily plan.



Q: I am super jealous of your fabulous color matching skills. Your color combinations are so modern and refreshing. What is your secret?
A: I don’t really put much thought into it…for some reason I am just drawn to unusual combinations of color. I think having a background in painting helps, because you learn to see objects as various blocks of many different colors. A sky, for example, isn’t just blue…look closely…it’s filled with gray, yellow, purple, sometimes pink. I look to nature for ideas on how colors work with each other. Then other times I just use the closest tube of ink on hand!

Buy it here

Q: What are your future plans for your shop?
A: Well I have big plans to work on my website, my facebook page, and other networking sites, but I never seem to make the time! Maybe this is where my kids can help me? I have also joined other online stores, and now I just have to add my products. I found some fabulous blue and white striped fabric so I’m planning on making more pillow covers and aprons, too. I have too many ideas and not enough time! But I think that’s probably the case with everyone…

Buy it here

Q: Any advice for new Etsians?
A: Find YOUR style and be confident! It can be daunting and scary to put yourself out there, but having the confidence in your product makes a huge difference. Try to learn from others, but don’t compare yourself to them. BE YOURSELF!


Inspiring! Okay readers, are you ready to get your giveaway on? Here you go!

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog

and leave a comment here saying you did.


2. "Heart" sweetnaturedesigns or an item from their Etsy shop
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Don't forget to visit the Giveaway Page for other great giveaways :)

Fine Print:

Only 2 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen September 30th at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 
after which a new winner will be chosen
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter