This altered tin from spark your imagination is so whimsical. Make sure to visit "spark your imagination" on flickr for lots of charming altered items.
This is my house in Littlestown, PA where I have
Here is a section of my kitchen where you can see I have been baking but I also use all available space to make my handmade cards, as well as my painted pots, decoupage and collages.
The cabinets below and above this countertop house paint brushes, pieces of wallpaper, brayers, scissors and lots more.
I have an island in the middle of my kitchen where I do most of my creating. Luckily, the island has electrical outlets so that I can easily plug in my heat gun for embossing or my quilting iron when I am working with beeswax.
Here is a picture of my island where I do most of my creating. It is a great space since the top is granite so I can easily clean up anything that lands on it (and believe me that is alot!!!)
See all our new products and keep up to date with what is happening at Serendipity Collections - your online boutique, When you need a little something - DIFFERENT!
I have joined a great new network called the 29-day giving challenge. It was started by Cami Walker and is in the spirit of Pay-It-Forward. See what everyone is buzzing about and be part of the Giving Movement.
Why? Because to see the world change, we have to do something to change the world. Plus, the best way to attract abundance into your life is to be in a perpetual state of giving and gratitude. Be an important part of the global giving movement that inspires more generosity on our planet.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m an earthy sort of gal - I have a reel mower and a compost pile, and I eat lots of vegetables. I go to the library every Friday, I don’t watch any television, and I have fun giggling with my teenage son. My favorite food is potato chips.
2. Tell us about your current work and anything else you have in the works.
Right now, my main focus is on one-of-a-kind fabric accessories for men, women and the home. I have a super huge wall hanging in progress that I’m having a lot of fun with. I’d like to continue along that path - experimenting with fabric art.
3. What prompted you to open an Etsy shop?
A couple of years ago, “Ready Made” magazine published an article about Etsy.com. Around that time, friends were starting to encourage me to sell my work. The idea of starting my own web site from scratch gave me the heebie-jeebies. Etsy was the perfect solution.
4. How long have you had your Etsy Shop?
I’m right at my two-year anniversary on Etsy. I opened http://nancygamon.etsy.com/ in June 2006. It turned out that one Etsy shop just wasn’t enough, so in September 2007, I opened up http://supergirlstickers.etsy.com/ and moved my paper creations (stickers, greeting cards) there.
5. Tell us about your Etsy shop. What do you offer there?
I offer whatever happens to fall out of my brain. I get into kicks – a necktie kick, a pillow kick, a hat kick - so new items get created in spurts that follow my whims. Almost everything I make falls into the Accessories category… curling iron travel cases, purses, market totes, hairbands, things like that.
6. Do you have any suggested uses for your products?
I suggest you put them on and dance around with wild abandon. If dancing’s not your thing, then, well, women may enjoy wearing the men’s hats and neckties as alternative fashion statements. Also, I make a line of market totes that are roomy as all get out – they’re the same size as paper grocery bags, so they’re great for eco-friendly shopping.
7. Was there a major influence in your life?
I think the major influence was actually in my parents’ and grandparents’ lives (the Great Depression) and it trickled down to me. I hoard old clothes and can’t resist free fabric. Knowing my fondness for reinvention, wonderful people often surprise me with gifts of old neckties, curtains, granny’s dresses, and whatever other fabric items they would normally take to the thrift shop. I love finding new uses for vintage fabrics, and many of my creations have unique personal histories that can’t be exactly duplicated.
8. What inspires you?
I take time to very purposefully get out of the house and go live. We are absolutely immersed in shapes, colors, designs, sounds and smells - information we tend to tune out. About once a week, I just practice paying attention to what’s around me. For example, I might go for a walk and not come back until I have 3 new ideas. It forces me to see that little architectural detail I’ve passed 100 times, or to notice the shape of a flower, or the way a tree branch curves. I think everything we need for inspiration is right in front of us, if we can quiet our minds enough to see it.
9. Where do you create?
I’m lucky to work out of my house. I have one room devoted to sewing, but I have noticed that often while I am asleep, little gnomes sneak in and move piles of fabric pretty much all over everywhere.
Most of my early sewing instruction came from 4-H (a youth group devoted to farm life skills like cooking and raising livestock). For years, I sewed projects exactly as instructed, using commercial patterns. Then I started altering the construction methods and modifying the designs. Now I create my own designs from scratch, but I also keep learning. I check out a lot of books from the library, I read sewing magazines, and I still work through commercial patterns occasionally to learn new techniques.
11. What are your favorite materials?
Lots and lots of vintage fabric.
12. Are there any materials you consider a MUST-HAVE?
If you sew and you do not have a rotary cutter, go treat yourself to one this instant. Other must-haves are the biggest cutting mat you can afford, a metal ruler with a cork backing, and a sketchbook.
13. How do you promote your goods?
I do rely heavily on my flickr page and enjoy the artists I’ve bumped into through that site. I also assume that every item in my shop is being purchased as a gift. That means that I make sure my site name is on (or attached to) every product, so recipients will know where to find me.
14. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
I enjoy more success (and happiness) making Things I Want To, than I do making Things I Think Might Sell.
15. What advice would you give to others who are thinking about or have just opened an Etsy shop?
There’s really no reason not to open a shop on Etsy – it’s so affordable and user friendly. You have the option to do it just for fun, with very low financial investment. However, I think it’s important to understand that Etsy is not a get rich quick scheme. It’s more like the online equivalent of an artsy-fartsy shopping mall. If you are hoping to make a living off your creativity, keep in mind that being a small business owner is a fat lot of work.
16. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists?
Like most people who frequent Etsy, I have oodles of favorites! I’ve also had the good fortune of getting to know several of those wonderful artists in person.
I’m a big fan of http://procyonidae.etsy.com/ (Nathan Cannon), who I met through the local Etsy Street Team. My favorite thing about him is that you can be messing about with construction paper and crayons, and he’ll have an idea for how to turn your project into a voice-activated adjustable lamp fueled entirely by dandelion goo. His ability to see 14 levels beyond what you’re currently doing absolutely astounds me. I’ve received amazing pep talks from procyonidae and appreciate his insight and fresh point of view.
I’ll put in a quick plug for http://gemmafactrix.etsy.com/ (Brooke Medlin), who I also met through the Etsy Street Team. I literally wouldn’t have my SupergirlStickers shop without her. She was the one who introduced me both to the gocco press and to the sticker machine. My favorite thing about her is that it never seems to occur to her that she might not succeed. She wants to do something, she does it. Simple as that.
For lovely designs in artistic apparel and home decor, visit nancygamon's Etsy shop. Nancy's handmade items are gorgeous!
Many thanks to Nancy aka nancygamon for granting this interview and for sharing her designs and inspiration!
This is the third in my interview series with talented Etsy and other independent artists. Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Nora (Design By Nora ) Her polymer clay and paper creations are stunning. If you are looking for a special gift or a treat for yourself, take a look at Nora's shop!
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello Everyone! How are you guys? My name is Nora and I live in a suburb of Los Angeles, CA. I just graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Art, with a concentration in Graphic Design.
2. Tell us about your current work and anything else you have in the works.
I just graduated college so I don’t have a job right now so I’m taking this as an opportunity to work on my Etsy shop until I on my trip in late June. After that I am going to start looking for Graphic Design jobs while doing the Etsy thing.
3. What prompted you to open an Etsy shop?
I actually heard of Etsy about a year ago from Craft magazine and I set up shop. But I guess I wasn’t feeling inspired or I wanted to concentrate on school so that I can get out of there as soon as possible, as a result I closed the shop. Now a year later I came back and started again from scratch. I had been making greeting cards before that and had a bunch or jewelry supply so I thought to myself, “Why not?”
4. How long have you had your Etsy Shop?
I opened up at the end of January of this year.
5. Tell us about your Etsy shop. What is its name and what do you offer there?
The name of my shop is Design by Nora and it can be found at http://www.designbynora.etsy.com/. I named it that because I didn’t want to restrict myself to only one type of item. I mainly offer greeting cards, polymer clay jewelry, some destash, and in the future non polymer clay jewelry i.e. jewelry made with beads.
12. Are there any materials you consider a MUST-HAVE?
Paper and Polymer Clay! They are both so versatile! :D
13. How do you promote your goods?
I try not to be to pushy with my goods and just have fun because that will keep more interested than making promoting feel like work. I just go with the flow. I peruse the Etsy forums, the EtsyBloggers forums and other peoples blogs. That’s it! And it’s so much fun!
14. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
Patience. I’m a regularly patient person but I taught myself to be even more patient! Also I learned to make this a fun experience because if it’s not than I won’t be doing it for long and I want to do it for a long long time!
15. What advice would you give to others who are thinking about or have just opened an Etsy shop?
Same thing that I’ve learned. Be patient, be very very patient and have fun! Don’t worry, your time will come. Don’t copy other people exactly have a niche that’s uniquely your own. Show you care about your items through the pictures, people can tell!
16. Is there another website or blog you would like to promote? (if so, just give us the name, url and a short description)
I love visitng Blaze Danielle’s blog http://blazedanielle.wordpress.com). She is such an inspiration and a super nice person! She sells her beautiful illustrations on Etsy.
17. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists?
My favorite Etsy Artists are Blazedanielle (Blazedanielle.etsy.com), valentinesattic (valentinesattic.etsy.com), modestambition (modestambition.etsy.com), and FancifulFlair (FancifulFlair.etsy.com) to name just a few!
For stunning jewelry and lovely handmade cards, visit DesignByNora Etsy shop. Nora's handmade items are so special!
Many thanks to Nora aka DesignByNora for granting this interview and for sharing her designs and inspiration!
Your Slogan Should Be |
 Jana. It's What's for Dinner. |
My dad at 19 in WWII
8. What inspires you?
There is so much talent and creativity at Etsy.
Many thanks to Joan aka sixsisters for granting this interview and for sharing her designs and inspiration!
From Paulette's shop:
The Castle In the Mists ~ My interpretation of a dream like French Castle done to look like an old antiquarian book cover.
This is a Giclee, stretched and mounted canvas, 18 x 24. Attention has been paid to the finest and most magical details. Second image is a close up of the crown in the Castle Crest.
Gorgeous giclee (pronounced "zee-clay") canvas print, stretched and mounted and ready to hang. This is a digital (large format) print that is produced by the application of millions of tiny ink droplets sprayed onto canvas. The archival based inks used are specially formulated so that the fine print can last from 100 to 200 years. The visual quality of the print is extremely high and the color saturation and definition are stunning. A museum quality mount has been done and the staples are hidden.
No watermark will appear on your finished piece. The 3-D effect on the image is just to give you an idea of dimension on the finished canvas piece.
Click on the pic to go to Paulette's shop. Her business is expanding so quickly, that she is in the process of re-vamping. She will be adding more products soon but be sure to Mark her as a Favorite!
The interior of the National Mother's Day Shrine
The beautiful stained glass window Bee's parents gave to the church in the late 1800's
Four of the original Sunday School chairs from Ann Jarvis's class.
It is a beautiful church and if you ever get to Grafton, WV, I hope you will stop by to see it.
Anna Jarvis loved her mother and wanted to honor her but more than that she wanted all mothers to be honored. Without Anna's persistence, we would not have a national Mother's Day and that is why we should care. As a side note, Anna lived to see Mother's Day become a commercial success and was dismayed with all the commercialism. Anna's original idea was that this day should be a day where we spend time with our mothers, do some public service or just participate in something that would honor our mothers.
I also wanted to honor my own mother with this post. Mother's Day is a bittersweet day for me. Mother was the best mother a person could have and she passed away on Mother's Day in 2006. Mother was my first home, my first friend, my first enemy. She became my best friend. I miss her with all my being.
I know it sounds kind of complicated but it really isn't. Once you get into it you will see that all is pretty much self-explanatory. Getting your shop setup is really enough for one sitting and you can always add your items another day.
If you are creative and want an outlet to sell your handmade goods, Etsy is the place to be! Join some Street Groups, socialize, learn your way around and have fun! Remember to try to do something creative each day!
Turtle treasure necklace
Black Turtle found the
Treasure chest, and made fast friends
With the fetish drops.
- Deborah Baroff, the Storybeader
I tried selling on eBay, but couldn't afford the fees, etc. People didn't appreciate my work and the time involved in my pieces (and that store wasn't going anywhere). I also liked the community atmosphere on Etsy.
4. How long have you had your Etsy Shop?
just a few months. I started in Feb of this year.
5. Tell us about your Etsy shop. What do you offer there?
most of my pieces fall under the jewelry heading - or what I like to call "wearable art" - necklaces, bracelets, earrings. I have a few misc. things, I call "other fun stuff." And of course, the storybeader writes haiku, and I put that in the descriptions.
I think my mother was my major influence in my life, and being very sick for a short period as a child.
7. What inspires you?
Colors and words.
8. Where do you create?
I am usually in my house - a homebody, for sure.
9. How did you learn your craft?
Most of what I've learned has been trial and error. Also, a class or two, and some on-line tutorials.
10. What inspires your stories that accompany your creations?
A story will come to mind, spotlighting the focal piece of the necklace, and I fit the words into a haiku.
11. What are your favorite materials?
fetishes and turquoise
12. Are there any materials you consider a MUST-HAVE?
No, not really. There's a fairy tale quality about my jewelry; things are always changing and staying constant at the same time. My favorite colors are a constant - I don't always use the latest fashion color.
13. How do you promote your goods?
I don't spend a lot of time at promotion. Since I work 40+ hours/week at my day job, the internet is a convenient outlet. I sell my pieces on consignment at my museum, and participate in a few art shows/craft fairs during the year. I like to give my jewelry to my favorite charities, which I consider promotion. Etsy is perfect for me, and I love the etsybloggers. I am a member of the oketsies, but don't have the time or $$ to travel and participate in all the things they want to do.
14. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
People don't always like the pieces I like best. I might have my favorite pieces out at a craft show, and put something down I don't really like, and BAM, it gets picked up first thing. Just to show, everyone is different!
15. What advice would you give to others who are thinking about or have just opened an Etsy shop?
Don't feel bad if your pieces don't fly out of your shop. We are going through bad times right now, and people are cutting back. Also, like a said above, it takes all kinds.
16. Do you have any favorite Etsy artists?
There is a lot of beautiful artwork on Etsy. With jewelry: I just ran across yellowplum beads and walrustusk, who both make great pieces with seed beads. And Wildeyeddesign just has a few things, but they're outrageously fun. Gracegraphics is a fellow Okie, who makes cards with seeds embedded in them. Anyone who can mixed their art and the environment like she does is a favorite of mine.
“Doves Rising”
The young woman looked
Out the tipi towards the white
Doves and rising sun.
- Deborah Baroff, the Storybeader
Native Americans face their tipi to the east. This way, when a person first goes out in the morning, they will be greeted by the sun.
For a real treat, visit storybeader's Etsy shop. You are sure to find something you cannot live without!
Many thanks to Deb aka storybeader for granting this interview.
