Studio what you say?! How in the world do you pronounce Yte? What do those letters stand for and what does it mean?

Sit down, have a little coffee or tea, and I'll tell you all about it....

My name is Audra, and Yte, pronounced eeetay, is from the Lithuanian Audryte, diminutive for Audra. It is my childhood nickname, and all my family and friends call me Yte even today. It is a comforting name to hear and as you know, family and friends are life's greatest treasures.

For many years, I worked as a medical technologist, but my real love has always been music and art! When I opened my shop, I wanted to sell my art, but being too critical of it, decided to knit and sew instead. I was confident that these items would reflect the quality I always looked for when buying for myself.

My Mother and Grandmother taught me how to knit, crochet and sew. In fact, I used to knit all my doll clothes. In the 70's I met a wonderful Italian designer, who designed and knit samples for yarn companies as well as designers Bill Blass and Adolfo. I was fortunate to be in her group of knitters and was thrilled when our work appeared in magazines and pamphlets!

Crafting was my other sweet pastime. My friend and I ran a successful Christmas Boutique every year for about 14 years. That's when I got into painted wood and fabric and wood Christmas ornaments. Over time it has expanded to a host of other handmade items. I have always been intrigued with unique and unusual finds and attempt to offer these as well as customized items to customers when requested.

So, how did I get from there to Etsy? Well, I was driving in my car one day listening to the Kim Komando show and heard a couple inquiring as to where they could sell their wooden toys. Kim recommended a website named Etsy. Strange name, I thought, but as it sparked my interest, I pulled over to the side of the road to hear more about it. As I sat there listening to her explain I decided Etsy might be a great place for me to sell my items as well. Shortly after this, I did a little research, gathered my items, decided upon a name and here I am. While the shop bears my name, I must acknowledge my daughter who is the lovely model as well as my administrative assistant.

It has been 12 years and I now have not only one, but two more shops on Etsy:

http://www.TheSilkGardenia.etsy.com : featuring All Things Pretty for Weddings, Showers and Special Occasions, and...

http://www.QuackyFinds.etsy.com : featuring Unique, Unusual, Vintage, Ephemera, and Quacky Finds... You never know what you'll find there....

It’s been a wonderful journey! I love Etsy and I am proud to be a member of this creative community!

Thanks so very much for visiting my shops!
Yte