1. Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, and personal stuff). My full name is Michelle Judee McCall. Even though I'm a "yon-sei" or fourth-generation Japanese-American, I didn't get a Japanese middle name like many of my relatives do, I was named after my mother's best friends. My "maiden name" was Mizuno. I graduated from Pearl City High School in 1993, and yes, I was a member of that gigantic marching band... One pretty cool fact about my family is that 3 generations of us have all attended the same elementary school: my grandfather, my father and his siblings, myself, my brother, and our cousins. I've been married for almost 6 years to my husband, James, who is from Highlands, North Carolina. We don't have any kids yet, only one spoiled brat of a dog, named Scooter.
2. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it? Probably the first thing I made was a lei, or maybe a paper airplane. I'm not entirely sure. I made a lot of things as a child. Since I was a bit of a tomboy, I spent a lot of time making model fighter jets with my father, but I also learned some unique things, like how to make paper, from my neighbor's grandmother. I also taught myself to draw in the fifth grade. There were not a lot of kids my age in my neighborhood, so I think I had to make things in order to keep myself busy.
3. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from? My inspiration varies from day to day. Not long after I married, I took a deeper interest in Japanese culture, with plans to one day to pass what I learned to any children I might have one day. I regretted not asking questions about the culture and the arts when the elder generations were around to answer from their experiences.
As far as where my ideas come from, I'm not really sure. I've always had an active imagination, so sometimes the oddest images will just pop into my head.
4. What are your favorite materials? The material I work with the most is paper, but I'd have to say that my favorite right now is wood. I began making picture frames for my work last year, and I've become fascinated with the woodworking process.
5. What is your favorite color? If I had to choose a favorite color, I'd have to pick blue.
6. What are your most and least 2 favorite films? My least favorite film of all time would have to be "Good Will Hunting." It's the only film I've ever walked out of in a theater. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about the movie, and I've regretted it ever since.
My favorite? That's a little harder to narrow down. I have some old favorites like "Somewhere in Time" and "An Affair to Remember", as well as the original "Star Wars" movies, but I loved "A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." I also have a soft spot in my heart for "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" because my wedding song came from that movie. I also recently discovered "Come See the Paradise" starring Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita -- it's set during World War II and is pretty much the only one I've seen that features a mixed-race couple of similar ethnicity to myself and my husband.
7. What are you reading right now? Right now I'm bouncing between rereading two books: "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason, and "The Phantom of the Opera," by Gaston Leroux.
8. Any tips on selling handmade stuff? Tips? Don't give up, and be careful about where you get your advice about your business. A lot of people like to give "suggestions" but you have to learn that though many of them are well meant, it doesn't mean that the ideas will be either helpful or practical.
9. Apart from creating things what do you do? When I'm not creating things for my business, I'm often reading. I'm also a wannabe-writer. I've written five novels, all of which are well-hidden in a drawer and will never again see the light of day -- if I can help it!
10. List your webpages, blogs and other marketing websites here.
Etsy shop: 3DCranes.etsy.com Other website: 3d-cranes.com Blog: 3dcranes.blogspot.com I'm also on Flickr, Indiepublic, and MySpace.
To see these items, click on the picture to be taken to Michelles shop!
Cascading Origami Roses - Bridal Bouquet
First Swim - Origami Crane Art ACEO
Believe - Origami Crane Art Kanji (Framed)
