.png)
About the Artist...
Thank you for visiting my page, and welcome! I'm Brenda Esler, the artist behind Crafty Nature Designs. My specialty is working with natural elements, like walnuts, acorns, walnut shells and pinecones as well as some repurposed and up-cycled materials given a second life. It's become a bit of an obsession gathering craft materials that fall from trees! Crafting is my therapy, and craft shows are my happy place! My prime season is October through Thanksgiving, and one of my favorite events is Ocean Grove Fall Harvest Arts and Crafts Show. 2023 would have been my 7th consecutive year there, but instead I am going on a new adventure as a crafter at the ColorFest, which transforms the town of Thurmont Maryland into a weekend long craft festival... can't wait!
What brings me joy is talking with people about their crafts, hearing stories about what they make (or what their great Aunt Gladys made that they still hang on the Christmas tree every year), seeing the reactions and exchanging tips and ideas. I love the way crafts are handed down from generation to generation, and the love and memories contained in each creation.
​
I live in New Jersey with my two teenage kids, my greatest creations of all!
​
Partners in Crafting...
Ben is my partner in crafting and my partner in life! He is the Crafty Nature Designs President of Pinecone Procurement, among other things! He installs garage doors for a living and I have several garage door opener cardboard boxes full of hundreds of pinecones that he has collected for me when he's out on the road. New Jersey is known for the Pine Barrons, and the Pitch Pine variety common to that region produces one of the most perfect types of pinecones for the floral arrangements. Ben is also very clever with repurposing items - like the white cord pull rope that is not needed on doors that have an electric opener. He has saved quite a collection that we wash and dye in different colors. Then Ben glues them around plastic talenti gelato containers (which I like to refer to as craft supplies that are sold with a snack) to create unique "baskets" - brilliant! Ben is always with me on many crafting adventures, schlepping containers, setting up and taking down craft booths. I couldn't ask for a better partner in crafting and life!
