Meet the Members! Michele of Lolasjewels

You Are My Sunshine handstamped copper necklace from Lolasjewels

Sarah, of WellCriated, recently interviewed Michele of Lolasjewels to learn more about her handmade jewelry business. Keep reading to learn more about the inspiration behind Michele's beautiful jewelry!

1. Describe yourself in 5 words.
Shy, caring, optimistic, loving and modest.

2. How did you pick your Etsy shop name?
Lola is the nickname that I have for my daughter, Megan. I have called her Lola since she was born. I wanted to name her that but my husband got to pick her name and I got to pick her twin brother's name (Keagan). I like the different names.

3. What made you want to become a crafter/artist?
My grandfather was always good with his hands and he made things all the time. My mother is the same way. She has always made crafts for as long as I can remember. She used to make clothes for my sister and I, and I hated it then because she would dress us alike and we were 7 years apart.......

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
Anything that I see, really. I find myself looking at things and thinking, “what could I do with this?” I love things from nature. I am just learning to work with metals and torches so I play around with that a lot trying to see what I can make. My husband keeps telling everyone that I am going to burn the house down. I do have an extinguisher by, just in case. lol

5. What makes your products unique from other jewelry shops out there?
When I first started on Etsy, it seemed like my products were not much different then the ones out there. I just started getting in my niche with inspirational words and catch phrases and it seems to work well so far. Anything that makes people happy or touches a soft spot in their heart is what I am looking to do. I love thinking of sayings or phrases and I am always looking for more so feel free to convo me with any ideas or sayings!

6. What is your favorite item in your shop right now? Why?
Honestly, my favorite is my wrap bracelets with the recycled scrabble tiles. My Island Sunset wrap bracelet is my absolute favorite! I love sunsets! It is very important to take time to stop and really look at the beauty of the world.

Island Sunset Bracelet

7. What do you do when you're not making jewelry?
I love to read books. Mostly romance and thrillers. What a mixture! I am also running constantly with little league sports for my three kids. I love to watch them play, though. I also work full time as a manager for three Internal Medicine offices.

8. What handmade possession do you cherish the most?
I love anything handmade. I would have to say any metalwork jewelry. I have a necklace that I bought from another Etsian that I absolutely love and wear every day. It is completely one of a kind and I think that is what makes it so special.

9. If you HAD to choose, which one would it be… Eco-friendly and manufactured in a foreign country? Or handmade locally but not eco-friendly?
That is a tough one… Eco-friendly is extremely important in this day and age but so is handmade. I love eco-friendly handmade products!

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I am hoping to be doing this full time instead of working in healthcare. That would be my dream and I’m pushing for it! BELIEVE in your dreams!! I also see myself winning the lottery.

This interview was perfect timing because Michele is running a Heartsy deal, available tomorrow! Thank you to both Lolasjewels and WellCriated for putting this interview together.

Meet the Members! Sarah of WellCriated

Fawn Alpaca Felt Kit (with a real alpaca!) by WellCriated

Michele, of Lolasjewels, recently interviewed Sarah of WellCriated to discover more about her Etsy business and found that the shop is truly a family affair.  Keep reading to learn more about their unique alpaca products.

1. Tell us about yourself.
My name is Sarah! My parents (Robert and Debra) and I, have a small ranch in Olympia, WA. We have over 50 Alpacas, that are all like family.

My Mom (Debra) and I run the Well Criated Etsy shop together. I do most of the Social Media, Design, and Advertising/Marketing for our shop. My mom and I do all of the felting, photography, and artwork together. My Dad (Robert) does all of our logistical work with herd sales, purchasing, breeding, and genetics research.

We also live with my boyfriend, Andrew, who takes care of all the hard farm work for us, and is currently working on developing an Alpaca game for our (currently under construction, but hopefully up soon) website!

2. Where do you get your inspiration for your designs?
There must be thousands - maybe even millions - of things that inspire me! I'd have to say, that both my mom and I are particularly inspired by our Alpacas, the beautiful Washington (and Oregon) scenery, and the ranch lifestyle. With so much beauty around us, we find it difficult to NOT be inspired.... which sometimes works to our disadvantage, believe it or not!

We're on constant inspiration overload! Always dropping this and starting that! It can get pretty crazy around here. :)


3. Which item in your shop is your favorite and why?
I'd say (for both of us) our favorite would have to be our Owl Felt Kit. He's VERY special, because we took turns working on him, so he's a combination of both of our creative processes.

He was made for the NonTeam Treasury Challenge (we won a few weeks ago and wanted to provide an inspiration item that no one had seen before). But... it meant we had to whip him up in a day! So we took shifts at felting. :) And the result was incredible! He's our favorite feltie yet!

Great Horned Owl Felt Kit by WellCriated

4. What are some other hobbies that you like to do?
My favorite hobby is my work! But other than that... Painting, photography, crocheting, sewing, any kind of arts or crafts really! Also love... going on walks in the rain, reading great novels, and Etsy shopping therapy!

And my mom (when she's not needle felting like crazy!) likes to do stippling, watercolor, and is now getting into weaving and wet felting too!!

5. What are your Summer goals for yourself and your shop?
One of our BIGGEST goals is to help promote the Alpaca fiber industry and the Alpaca community on a larger scale - so getting our 1000 Things Alpaca team and blog more active is VERY important to us.

We've started our blog and actually have several activities going on now, including member interviews and a weekly treasury challenge! Plus we're teaming up with the Handmade Movement team to do Sneak Attacks featuring Alpaca team members, once a month! So we really want to continue progress with the team and the blog - we have SO many more fun things planned! And I think they're going to have an amazing impact on the Alpaca and fiber communities on Etsy!

6. Where are you vacationing this year?
Does going to craft shows count? Haha. :)

I don't know if I can remember the last vacation we took! Luckily, living on a ranch with 50 gentle wonderful Alpacas, I can take a mini-vacation whenever I want! I just go for a stroll in the back pasture, or hang out and listen to them hum and laugh at the babies playing king of the hill.

"Don't Go" Large Greeting Card from WellCriated

When we DO get time to go on a vacation - anywhere along the Washington coast, along the Puget Sound, or up in the San Juans, is ideal! We're a road-trip kind of family. Taking a drive up north, and seeing what little fun town we end up in, is the best!

7. Name one word that best describes you.
Clever!

8. What is your favorite late night snack?
Me - something with caffeine! I usually stay up late working. :) My mom - popcorn! She rarely stays up late, but when she does, it's usually watching movies (especially musicals)!

9. Name one thing on your bucket list.
Take a trip to Peru! My mom and I both want to go there sooo bad and visit the Alpacas!!

10. How did you choose the name for your shop?
It was easy!! The name of our Alpaca ranch is "Alpacas at the Well." My mom has always wanted to have her own Ranch-Resort and artist community, called the Well. That's what we're really working towards. When we decided on Alpacas, "Alpacas at the Well" seemed like a perfect fit!

And "Well Criated" is the name we chose for our product line! Created is spelled with an "i" because a baby Alpaca is called a "cria". So that's just our way of being cute and criative :)


Thank you to both WellCriated and Lolasjewels for putting this interview together!

Meet the Members! Sheryl of ImpossiblyAlice

Portions of this post originally appeared on The SaltCitySpice Blog and have been republished with permission.

Today I want you to meet Team Discovery member Impossibly Alice - she's a Canadian seller who designs and creates beautiful hand-knit items on Etsy, using eco-friendly, sustainable, and fair trade fibers wherever possible. Her awesome neck cowls, scarves, fingerless gloves, and other knit goodies kept people cozy throughout the winter, and she has just recently introduced a new line of lighter scarves, perfect for Spring. Without further ado... 

Fingerless Gloves in Chartreuse Green by Impossibly Alice

Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Sheryl. I am a wife to an awesome and supportive husband and a mom to a very busy 15 month old girl. Her motto is play first, sleep later! I love to knit and I am enjoying trying to find my way and my niche on Etsy. I've met some really great people along the way, like Katrina [of Salt City Spice]! I've recently went back to my day job work after our wonderful Canadian maternity leave. I don't regret much in my life except for the fact that I am not a very coordinated and graceful dancer.

I'm sure you make up for the lack of dancing abilities with your nimble knitting skills! How did you first learn?
I learned how to knit for a badge in Brownies. I made a little sleeping bag for my Pound Puppy Yuppies. It was blue with white X's cross stitched on it.

Aww, I bet they were snug as a bug in there - I can just picture it. How do you come up with your original designs?
My designs are usually more organic. I usually don't have a pattern or anything mapped out when I start and I just start knitting. I've had to work at writing down patterns for items in my shop so I can remake them. I have problems sticking to patterns for personal knitting... my fingerless gloves [above] came about via a request. I will usually try anything once and I was lucky that they were a reasonable and relatively easy request!

Fingerless gloves are pretty great, especially if you have cold hands all the time but do a lot of typing like me. You sell a variety of items, but which are your favorites?
That is SUCH a hard question! I can't sell something unless I truly believe in it. Personally my favourite colour is purple and I am drawn to my purple cowl [below]. I really love knitting with the banana fibre though and while I am not the hugest summer scarf person, I really like the teal scarf that I just listed.

Purple Mobius Cowl made with Fair Trade Handspun Wool

I love that you’re using ecologically and socially conscious banana fiber, err fibre, for your new Spring scarves. What are some other eco-friendly products you can’t live without?
I love those micofibre dusting rags. I love how they trap the dust. They're so much better than the feather dusters I grew up with that would just push the dust all around! I also can't live without my Prius! When I got pregnant, my husband and I had to trade in our 2 door car. We didn't think we could afford a Prius and were delighted to find out that we could. My husband is lucky enough to take the bus to work but it is not an option for me due to the location of my work and how early I start in the morning (6:30 am!). I seriously love not spending money on gas. I also swear by cloth diapers. We use cloth on our little girl for everything but nighttime and I truly do not think it is much extra work over disposable. I like knowing that we are not filling up landfills with hard to decompose disposables and I love the fact that we are saving money!

Your products are truly a reflection of your personal life - that's really awesome. Ok, I’m dying to know where your shop name came from! My best guess is that it’s somehow related to Alice in Wonderland – am I close?
You are kind of close. I will give you a 50%. The Alice part is not what comes from Alice in Wonderland - it's actually the name of my daughter. When I brought up the Etsy idea to my husband, we brainstormed a name for my shop and we couldn't come up with anything. I didn't want it to be knitting related, so I thought I would name it after my daughter. We tossed a few names around but I didn't really like anything. Then I thought of the quote from Alice in Wonderland about believing six impossible things before breakfast and, despite the fact that I am not a morning person, I love that quote. I believe in believing the impossible and I love to think outside the box.

Recycled Silk Wine Bottle Sleeve

That's a great quote and I'm glad I wasn't totally off base. In between being a wife, mother, career woman, etc, what are some of your hobbies?
Obviously knitting is a hobby of mine! My other crafty hobby is cross stitching. I would love to learn how to be a better sewer - I know enough to get by making easy Halloween costumes - but I find I don't have enough time to do all the activities I know how to do already. I am also an avid reader. Reading is one of my favourite way to spend some quiet moments. I also need to read every night before I go to bed. I can't settle down without it. I also like to cross country ski but I haven't been able to get out much in the past few years which makes me sad.

Any favorite Etsy purchases or sellers to share with us?

My husband recently bought me this necklace [below] for my birthday and I am looking forward to getting it because I have been lusting after it for a long time! I have way too many favourite shops. Here is just a sampling of them: Umbu, MarKhed, IreneBau

Sheryl's new necklace from fellow Team Discovery member Cherry & Violet

I want to thank Sheryl for taking the time to answer all of my questions - definitely stop by her Etsy shop and get in touch with her through Twitter, Facebook, and her blog.  Thanks!

View the full original article here

Mother & Daughter On Etsy Interview by CindyColumbia

Thank you to Cindy of CindyColumbia for contributing this wonderful mother/daughter interview.

I am thrilled to be able to bring you an interview with Tara from Waterwaif and her mom Ivy from Bohemienneivy . I became intrigued when I learned they were mother and daughter and wanted to learn more about them. I hope you enjoy learning more about these very talented ladies as well.

Cindy to Ivy... I was immediately attracted to your shop because it had that Bohemian charm that so often draws my eye. Learning you were Tara’s mom actually made me smile because I love seeing ladies “over 29” (which I assume you are since you are Tara’s mom) who are pursuing this Etsy venue. Can you give us a little background on yourself and when you began “creating”.  What did you do before Etsy came along?

Ivy… I am a French teacher who has always done macramé and sewing.  I always make all my plants and plant hangers, bedspreads and drapes, as well as wall art.  I wanted to learn to make jewelry, and Tara showed me basic wire wrapping techniques, and then it just took off! I LOVE making jewelry, and I have recently gotten into making "Renaissance Denim Couture", where I take vintage jeans, gorgeous velvet or lace, my own personal French bohemian flair,  and voilà!  a "bohémienne" creation is made!

CC to Ivy…You have a very talented daughter which I am sure you are very proud of. When was it that you discovered that Tara had artistic abilities. What did she do that made you take notice?

Ivy… She has always been imaginative and creative, but when she started painting, that's when we all really noticed her talent.  She then branched into jewelry making, and she is now making bookmarks and thinking of designing purses, too.

CC to Tara…Your jewelry is gorgeous. There are a bazillion jewelry sellers on Etsy making the same things. Anyone browsing your shop will note that not all “wire wrapped” necklaces and earrings equal. Your precise hand is evident in every one of your pieces. On top of this the perfect pictures of the about 300 items for sale in your shop is no simple feat. You opened your shop a year ago in October is everything in your shop made since that time?

Tara …I set up my account to sell in October of last year when I thought I'd list some of my paintings but did not actually list anything until January. And what I listed wasn't jewelry, either! So yes, all of the items in my store has been made since then, most of it even more recently than that when I decided to put painting on the back burner and concentrate on selling jewelry.

CC to both… I see Ivy as having a definitive style. Bohemian is the perfect moniker for your shop. Tara has that Bohemian feel to many of her pieces but there is also a touch of whimsy in her work as well as youthful trend. Is this a purposeful marketing approach or is it just a matter of age and personal taste?

Ivy… I think it's a matter of personal taste.  I prefer vibrant colors, like purple and green, or magenta and turquoise, and a lot of my designs pair up unusual color blends.  I also LOVE teal verdigris, genuine gemstones, romantic bohemian touches like big roses, velvet and lace, as well as medieval legends, French Celtic folklore, and jean skirts, so my personal taste is reflected in my art.

Tara …  It's definitely not on purpose. We've always had very, very similar styles and tastes but at the same time, they're very different, too. Send us to the bead store and we'd pick the exact same beads almost every time but the stuff we'd create with those beads would be so different.

CC to Tara…  Since I was raised by an artist mom I am very curious to know how this has effected you both in your creations and your desire to create because it certainly would have an impact on you. Please share with us your thoughts on how your mom’s talent has both helped and hindered your own artistic growth.

Tara… I didn't grow up as an artist and honestly didn't discover any personal talent until I was in my 30s. Shit, who am I kidding? I didn't discover any talent until last year! My mom was always artistic in ways that you take for granted: decorating the house with handmade macrame plant holders, finding the perfect fabric to upholster an antique chair, sewing the most gorgeous clothes. But I've also seen the artistic talent in unique ways: she's been a teacher for 20 years and I always saw her putting together the most amazing costumes for french plays with her students!

I was raised to believe that I could do anything I wanted to do. (Thanks, Mom!) I've never felt hindered in any way by my mom's style or artistic abilities and it's wonderful to be able to get opinions or advice from someone so close to me!

CC to both… It’s wonderful that you both have established shops on Etsy. Do you two brainstorm together about new designs or plans for your shops? Do you give each other advice about your individual businesses and more importantly, do you both take that advice?

Ivy… We talk all the time about our ideas and encourage each other.  But, we don't give each other advice unless the other asks for it.  For example, when I asked Tara for ideas on how to improve sales, she invited me to join her Etsy Team, Discovery, and suggested blogs and giveaways, both of which I have done.  It really has helped a lot!  Especially once I discovered Twitter!

Tara…  I tend to give advice to people all the time whether they ask for it or not so yes, I'm sure I've overloaded my poor mom with advice. Oops.

CC to Tara… When I was 7 I did a water color painting of a lady walking down a beach. My mom looked at it and laughed because instead of making the footprints smaller in the distance, I made them bigger. HUGE impact on me not because I did it wrong but because she laughed. It was innocent enough but I was very sensitive to the criticism because of it. Do you have any of these childhood stories?

Tara…One of the things my mom gave me was a huge sense of confidence. Since I started painting and creating jewelry, I've never stopped and wondered if anyone would want my creations. I MAKE them want my creations! One of the first things I painted, and the first painting I showed my mom, was a seahorse I'd painted specifically for her. She loved it and asked me to make another so she'd have a set!

CC to Both…Do either of you sell outside of Etsy? Do you do craft fairs and if so do you do them together?

Ivy…  I have never done one, but I REALLY want to, and I would LOVE to do one with Tara. I even wish we could have a shop together!

Tara…I've sold outside etsy a few times but just to local friends or other online friends. I have not done a craft fair yet (buying the tent, tables, and displays is daunting) but I'm hoping I'll be able to do it in the new year. We'd love to do a fair together. Can you imagine how much fun that would be?

CC to Both…they say our art defines us. Which piece in mom’s/Tara’s shop do you feel “is” your mom/daughter and why.  Which items is your favorite if they are not the same.

Ivy…  I feel the Mermaid/Sea Turtle bookmark is the "real" Tara.  She loves the ocean, mermaids, and sea turtles, and she LOVES to read!  My favorite item of hers is her pink tourmaline anklet.

CC to Ivy…Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  

Ivy… In 5 years, I would love to be a jewelry designer, couturière and writer!
 

CC to both… I noted that both of you make other things besides jewelry. Are you making what you love or are you making what sells? Are there any other mediums you like working with and if so do you think you will ever expand your shops to include these other items?

Ivy…  I always make what I love.  Maybe that is why I don't have many sales!  I would like to create beachy wall art, and huge, funky leather hobos with big, fat, "bohémienne" roses on them!

Tara… I do both. In fact, I find myself wearing things I've made, styles I never thought I'd wear simply because I started making it (because it sells) and found it grew on me to the point that I love some of those pieces now. 

CC to both…Big controversy as to whether artistic talent is genetic or taught. I have my own personal opinion but would love to hear what you ladies think of this.

Ivy… Definitely inherited.  Tara is so much like me:  articulate, intelligent, imaginative, creative...yet talent is also influenced by taste, which is acquired through teaching.  For example, Tara learned to love many of the things I love:  we both LOVE jewelry, bohemian skirts, purses, shoes, the beach, mermaids, reading...

Tara… I think it's a little of both. I think *some* of the talent is just know-how and that can be taught. You can technically learn how to do just about anything. But the doing is one thing, the creating is something entirely different. The ability to create something out of thin air is special, that innate sense that knows what will look amazing together and 10 more ideas on top of that of other things to do with it. I'm not sure if that can be taught but it must come from somewhere! Interesting question and I'm sure I'll be mulling on that one for a long time.

CC to Both… I would like to end asking both of you what you find the most admirable
quality of the other. It can be personal or art related.

Ivy… Tara's most admirable quality is her intelligence.  There are very few people I have ever met who even come close to her keen intellect, imagination and perception.  She is truly gifted!

Tara… My mom's most admirable quality...Hmm. There are quite simply, a ton. And I have to pick one? Can I say her legs? (They're fantastic!) But seriously, I'd have to say her gentle soul (she taught me so much about co-existing with nature, and taking care of it), her analytical mind (she always showed me 10 other ways to approach and solve a problem outside the single "accepted" path), and her warm heart. That counts as 1, right?

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Thank all for taking the time for sharing all this wonderful information!

You can visit Cindy's shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/cindycolumbia1958

Ivy's shop can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bohemienneivy

Tara's jewelry shop on Etsy is: http://www.etsy.com/shop/waterwaif

Meet our teammate Ironside!

Creative Minds [taking you behind the scenes]
IRONSIDE with the talented Errin Ironside
Interview by Belle

Hey Errin..thanks for letting us step behind the scenes of IRONSIDE. This interview forms part of the collection of Team Discovery member interviews, where we delve deeper into the creative minds of our members and showcase the handmade goodness that is available.

The photo above is of Errin standing proudly (who wouldn’t be proud with beautiful creations like these!) in front of her pieces which each had their own up-cycled vintage frame, at the Midtown Gallery in Michigan. It’s always lovely to put a face to the creations!

I was first drawn to your scrumptious mixed media items, as they are striking, bold and emotive. And did I also mention..fun! It’s vintage feel brought to a whole new level.
Please write a few lines that capture your journey thus far…

I have worked in galleries, art supply and craft stores, as a graphic designer for a paper crafting company, and as a production artist for a pharmaceutical ad agency. This was all during and after getting my BFA in graphic design. I opened my Etsy shop this May in hopes to fill more of my time with things I love to do. Having my mixed media Etsy shop is a perfect way to combine all my experience from creativity to technical skills.
Mixed media art encompasses a world of possibilities when it comes to visual art media. What goes into your mixed media art? And have you seen your style transform over the years into something different?

It all starts with an idea or a feeling and I keep that in a certain part of my mind as I'm going through my boxes of clippings, drawers and jars of random items, or books and magazines. I feel like my style has transformed over the years from really textured and layered to more minimal and simple.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your mixed media items?

I'm mostly inspired by life and emotions in response to life. I'm drawn to images from the 50s of woman's faces because they are so often outrageously emotional. It really all comes from deep inside and in response to my life. My work is very personal whether I like it or not. I've tried to sit down and just make a collage as pieces of paper brought together, but they always turn out to mean something deep to me.

Please choose one item from your store and allow us to explore behind the scenes…

Constant Reminder:

This image is from an original handmade collage the size of an artist trading card (2 ½ X 3 ½ inches) There is a lot going on here for me personally. I went through a span of about a year where I did/could not make any art. Finally I decided I needed to work some things out and start small with ATC size pieces. I made this collage about 5 months after my mom died from cancer and in broad terms it refers to time and memories. Most of the images in my shop were created in response to my mom's death. Constant Reminder is probably the most pensive image, while the others add humor or whimsy to the mix. Even when life throws an absolutely dreadful situation at you, I think it's still important to laugh.


I love the tagline of your store “recycled images playing nice together”. You clearly have a love for vintage, with your beautiful pieces that are recycled brought to new. I see you have also opened another funky Etsy store, full of vintage items, named ‘Space is Hip’. If you had to sell the idea of vintage to a non-believer, what would you say?
Vintage has character with age and history, a story to tell from a time different than now.

Any sneak peaks into what items will appear in the future for IRONSIDE?

Right now I'm in the process of making holiday cards, gift tags and calendars! I am also making some ornaments for a local gallery's December window display, so I may list those in my shop after the show if they do not all sell.

Any online publications, websites, blogs that you have stumbled across recently that you would recommend?

Most definitely! here are a few sites/blogs I like to frequent:

a community for gathering and sharing images that inspire: http://www.imgspark.com/ blog

for a terrific design marketplace: http://supermarkethq.com/blog/
design and style blog: http://www.betterlivingthroughdesign.com/

where I purchase my recycled paper: http://www.redrivercatalog.com/

super fun blog of vintage advertising: http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/ (check out the links on this blog too for other great vintage ephemera blogs)

What item from the 80s or 90s, would you like to revive and why?

Wow, I really can't think of anything that hasn't been brought back already, and most of it painfully so. When I think of the 80s I think of care bears, garbage pail kids, he-man, popples, rainbow brite, glow worms, thundercats, the smurfs, jelly shoes and banana clips. ~So mostly toys and cartoons since I was just a wee one in the 80s. Maybe the smurfs could have their own reality show!? ~that would be an awesome comeback!
The 90s are just a blur of grungy trends, Ricki Lake, 90210, high school, and the beginnings of the world wide web. One thing I have always wanted though is a cell phone in the form of a rotary phone, not the base just the hand held part. Seriously! Like the size of an 80s car phone! Speaking of phones, let’s bring back the phone booth!

A place that you have visited, anywhere in the world, that has blown you away and why?

Mesa Verde National Park!
The Puebloan Cliff Dwellings, specifically the Cliff Palace. It has stuck with me as one of the most spectacular sights I have yet to see since I was 12. The amazing construction, design and use of space is phenomenal. The dwellings are built into the rock using all natural materials. Such an amazing example of living with, in, and from nature.
How do you decorate your home? Vintage inspired?

It is! with a mix of modern and some up-cycled pieces. Plus art of course, and in our living room we have a giant period table of elements from 1979.

It’s all about Errin:
Ironside: www.ironside.etsy.com

Space is Hip: www.SpaceisHip.etsy.com.

Facebook page for my mixed media: www.facebook.com/IRONSIDE.artwork


Thank you Errin for allowing us to peep through the keyhole into your creative mind.

Hoop It Up w/ Danielle!

by, Jennifer

The MerriWeather Council

Me: Can you tell us a little about your life outside of Etsy? 

MWC: I wonder why this is always such a hard question to answer! I do spend a lot of time Etsy-ing, or making or scheming about Etsy. When I am not doing that though, I am with my friends or my boyfriend, or traveling home to NY to see my parents. I don’t have any kids or pets but I would love to have a little pupster! I like to go on little adventures around Boston, eat crepes, cruise amazon, and see Hanson in concert! Haha, yes – MMMbop Hanson! My friend Meagan and I have seen them 20ish times! Later this month, I’ll be walking 39 miles in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in NYC!

Me: What is your favorite piece in your store?

MWC: My favorite pieces are my wishbone stitch embroideries, I think they are really fun and different. I love making them too because I have so much freedom with colors, and that’s my favorite!




Me: What inspired you to start making such beautiful art out of fabric & hoops?

MWC: In my senior year of college, second semester, I was feeling an extreme lack of motivation to do my studio art work for class. I was ready to graduate! I was procrastinating and feeling uninspired so I forced myself to sit down and make something, anything, just to get my hands moving and brain thinking creatively. This was when I did my first wishbone stitch embroidery! It worked! I felt inspired again and became sort of obsessed with embroidering. When I got around to doing the school work, I was working on a project called “happy party” which was an experiment in memory making and giving material items sentimental meaning (concept was a big part of the program I was in) and that project involved making a lot of party decorations, that’s when I started making bunting. The patchwork hoops were just a happy accident!

Me: What are some of the goals you have for your shop?

MWC: Lots of people want to quit their day job and do Etsy full time. I only just recently graduated from college and so I haven’t really ever had a typical day job. My goal is to avoid a day job! I want to be making enough money to support myself but that might be a long way off. Short term, I just want to keep making and selling enough to support making more! Someday I would love to open a brick and mortar shop but I am still developing what that might consist of! I think a sale a day would make me unbelievably happy!


Me: What things are on your bucket list?

MWC: Oh wow… hmm, well, I would love to do some more traveling, I’ve been very lucky to have traveled a lot with my parents when I was younger and that has really left me wanting to see more places! Here is a short list:
See a movie at a drive in
See the Dromore Woods in Ireland
Visit Narbonne, France, and the Toulouse-Letrec museum in Albi, France
See the Swiss Alps
Go to San Antonio and Austin, Texas
See the houseboat neighborhood in Sausalito, California
Go hot air ballooning
Live in Manhattan
Own a dachshund!!

Me: Do you have a favorite saying that you use for inspiration to keep pushing forward?

MWC: Hmm… I don’t really have a motivational mantra but if I need inspiration I crack open my favorite book “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathan Safran Foer. It’s full or imagination and is beautifully written. I always feel inspired after reading over some of my highlighted sections! Then of course there is always the little “mom and dad” voice that tells me not to give up and to trust myself.


Me: What other crafts have you created that are not in your shop? Have you considered putting them in your shop?

MWC: I like to knit and crochet but mostly that is just for my own enjoyment. I also like to do linoleum cut prints, which I have considered putting online but I haven’t done any in a while. Another thing that I have experimented with is Spoonflower and textile design. I looooove Spoonflower and I do hope to sell some yardage or fat quarter cuts of some of my designs someday, maybe soon!


Me: What color are your favorite undies? I would ask boxers or briefs but that just does not seem fitting. ;)
MWC: I wish I had a better answer for this. Black… most of the items in my wardrobe are black. Is that surprising? Everyone always comments on the stark divide between the way I dress and the way I make things!


Me: Would you ever knowingly go to a nude beach?
MWC: Ahaha, no.


Me: What is the first memory that pops up about the 6th grade?
MWC: Ugh pure misery!


You can visit Danielle around the web!
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/merriweathercouncil
Tumblr: http://merriweathercouncil.tumblr.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MerriweatherC
Blogspot: http://www.themerriweathercouncil.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MerriweatherCouncil
Website: http://www.daniellespurge.com

Meet Debra of MeeMonkey!

by jenni4k







Tell us a little about who you are?

Well, Hi! My name is Debra-Anne Barnes, I was born on February 6th, which I figure is a rather great day for a birthday. I currently reside in the 'Main-Gerr' neighbourhood in the east end of Toronto, Ontario. It is close to the lake and out of the central noise of downtown. I've been making monkeys since 2007 and prior to that my primary focus was drawing, painting and screen-printing. I make toys as an outlet for my overly active imagination and horrendous case of 'drawers block'. I'm completely obsessed with surfing, which despite being landlocked, I have always thought was my ultimate destiny. Admittedly I can barely swim and have never actually surfed yet, but one day I will! My blood is salty and my heart is full of sand. No big d.

I noticed from your profile that you are self-taught. How did you get into sewing objects?

I'm very lucky to have grown up with access to my mothers sewing machine and notions, but the turning point really was my seventh grade year. I had come down with mono and was pulled out of school. I had hours and hours and no cable TV to watch, my Mother in a stroke of genius sent me to a sewing club to keep me busy. Soon it was very apparent that I had some strange natural ability and she bought me a serger to encourage me further. I cut and re-pieced everything in my closet that fall! Nothing was safe from my creative fervour!


Each of your monkeys have such unique character! Where do you find your inspirations?

I'm one of those visually observant types. I may not remember your name, but I will never forget your face. Honestly the inspiration comes from the time I spend with the socks. I make these 'blanks' and go from there. It's a very organic process unless it is a custom order, where I will spend the time drawing out sketches prior to sewing. The faces just emerge. I grab a little embroidery floss, pick out some buttons and the next thing you know they have a spirit of their own. I will admit that sometimes after making some of my monkeys, I take a good look at them and can really see the facial expressions of the people I love dearly. Not that I would ever usually tell them, as being compared to a monkey is typically a little unwanted!

Do you have a favourite monkey? Is there a story behind it?

I usually end up with a favourite monkey every batch I do. Right now I am totally in love with my "All Ears Monkey". He just turned out so right! I wouldn't change a thing about him and really had a hard time listing this guy! Another one of my favourites was a custom order I received prior to opening my Etsy shop. They asked for a Joker monkey from the new Batman movie. I loved translating that character into a sock monkey and the costuming was a blast to sew.

What is a typical day like for you?

I really am blessed in regard to my current lifestyle. I quit most jobs in order to allow myself the maximum amount of time for my artistic pursuits. It is often tough to make even the simplest ends meet but I have the freedom at any point to work feverishly into the night and sleep in the next day if need be. It also allows me the quality time with the people I love and the all important time alone.

My average day starts by awaking when I am rested, a simple breakfast then sewing, tiding, puttering and plenty of thinking, maybe in the evening I will catch a movie at The Fox theatre down the street or meet up with my fella for a good snuggle. I live a very quiet simple life and I wouldn't have it any other way except maybe by the sea with some surfing in the mix.


Any other hobbies other than creating for your shop?

I have many other creative projects on the go at any given time. My life really is just one big hobby! I do love cooking and adapting recipes, picnicking, strolls and going to the movies. If I had the land or space, I would be gardening as a hobby, one of my past studies was Horticulture. Right now I tend to two small window boxes, one full of Swiss chard, the other with ready to harvest beets.

Favourite books you recommend?

My book choices usually come from friends with the old "Oh my gosh, I know the perfect book for you" Which has led me to have a collection of books as eccentric as my collection of friends!

Five Greats:

Land Of Little Rain By Mary Austin
Magical Thinking By Augusten Burroughs
Surfing the Great Lakes By P.L Strazz
R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz and Country
Atlantis and The Kingdom of the Neanderthals By Colin Wilson

Other then that any How-To books or natural history book will whet my need to read.


If I looked in your refrigerator right now, what would I find?

Wow! Well, you would find the left overs from the anniversary meal I made for my fella. No matter how hard I try to only cook for two I always end up cooking enough for ten. You will find roasted cauliflower soup, black-eyed peas, collard greens, jalapeno corn bread and the remnants of a pecan pie. Feel free to message me for the recipes. I love to 'veggi-fy' classic soul food recipes. Other then that you'll always find more condiments then any person should have, almond milk and a sprouted bean crunch mix I grow weekly (peas, lentils, garbanzo beans, kamut). I am lucky to live by two great fruit and veg markets, and since I have allowed the time in my life, usually buy as I need the day of.

Thanks so much for wanting a little sneak peak into my life. See you at my shop! Bananas Over and Out!

Creative Minds: [taking you behind the scenes]

Mixed Media Art with the talented Cindy Columbia









Hey Cindy..thanks for letting us step behind the scenes of Mixed Media Art. This interview forms part of the collection of Team Discovery member interviews, where we delve deeper into the creative minds of our members and showcase the handmade goodness that is available.

I was first drawn to your paintings by your bold colour palette. Your unique paintings entice with the splashes of colour dancing on the canvas.


What did you want to be when you were growing up and have you always had a passion for art?

Would you believe me if I told you there was no other thing I wanted to be but an artist? I started drawing at a very young age. My mom was an artist and to keep me entertained and out of her hair she would give me a piece of paper and charcoal pencil and let me have at it.


Could you please write a few lines that capture your journey thus far…

Mom nixed my plans for art school, as she wanted me to be a trial lawyer, which I had no desire to be. So I got married instead at only 19, which really should be illegal! After my divorce I was a single mom for 14 years and life was pretty much about supporting my son and myself. I did manage to get an interior decorating job after hounding the store for a year and that is what got me back into using my creativity for fun. I remarried and had my youngest and was a SAHM for 12 years. Last year I decided to dabble in paints again but this time I was not going to do what I used to do which was realism and portraits. I wanted fun so did abstracts. Then in May I opened my Etsy shop.


You describe your paintings as whimsical folk art. Folk art is commonly described as drawing inspiration from life experiences and cultural backgrounds. Would this be an accurate description for your paintings and do you relate to any of the characters that you paint?

I guess the answer would be yes and no. Yes there is a side of me that is totally down to earth, loves nature and the simple life. There is also a side of me that likes bling! So how do I mesh these two things? That is what I am trying to find out. As far as the characters I create, you noticed I do a lot of people. I LOVE people. I love knowing what makes a person tick. I love abstract and folk art because you can totally exaggerate something about a person to make it stand out and be noticed. Many times I start off drawing someone and have no particular person in mind, but all of a sudden someone I know shows up on my canvas and I am like WOW hey there :)


Where do you draw inspiration from for your artwork?

Tough question. It is never the same thing. Sometimes there is a color palette I want to try and so I figure out what I can create using those colors. Other times I will meet a person who is just so animated or such a character that I decide I need to recreate them. Often though history is my inspiration.


Please choose two pieces of your own artwork and allow us to explore behind the scenes…

There are two pieces of work that I consider "serious art". They are both abstract in nature but the sentiment behind both of them is very important to me. "The Twin" was one of the first paintings I did when I started a year and a half ago. My reading of Hitler's Europe during the Holocaust is the inspiration behind the piece. I was so moved by reading books by survivors that I felt I had to make something permanent to express my feelings about the tragedy. One book in particular "Children of The Flames" tore deep into my soul and I felt I had to do something so I painted The Twin. It depicts the surviving twin who was part of Dr Mengele's experiments. When one twin died they called for the other to come forward, they killed him immediately so they could autopsy them both at the same time of death. This painting has my soul in it. It has evolved from an almost cartoon character to what it is today. It is impossible to describe for you what that process was for me as there is just not enough space or time to do so. I have a before pic and an after pic of him (painting thumbnails are in order below).



This painting will never be sold. If anything it will be donated to an appropriate venue. It is currently being proposed to be shown at Yad Vashem the Holocaust authority in Israel. I do not know if it will be accepted because they have never shown any artwork by anyone other then a survivor or one of their children. Just the thought of it being considered is a very humbling thing to me. Of all the work I do, none will ever be as important to me as that piece. It has been shown to survivors living in Israel and it has brought them to tears not because of the sadness of what happened but because someone decades later, myself, was so touched by their story that I felt the need to remember them. I completed that painting and dedicated it on Holocaust Remembrance Day 2010.


Aside from your Etsy store, Mixed Media Art , do you sell your artwork through other means?

I have sold artwork at another online store as well as on EBay. I am only now focusing on creating a local following. I know some wonderful folks who are willing to allow me to set up displays in their brick and mortar shops. I am also planning on doing some local shows this fall and see how that goes.


Any sneak peaks into what items will appear in the future in your Etsy store?

I have been making a transition from regular acrylic painting to mixed media painting. I am currently stocking up on supplies to bring my work into yet another dimension, which is, altered art. One of my favorite things to do when I was a kid was make collages. My walls were plastered with little vignettes I had put together. The rise in popularity in altered art thrills me because it will allow me to go back in time and pick up where I left off 30 years ago. This time I will be approaching it from an adult perspective so I am very excited about it!


What item in your wardrobe have you held onto that has come back around in fashion?

Funny you mention this. I have a pair of black wing tip patent leather shoes that I used to LOVE to wear that I got in the 80's. I am a pants person and love oversized sweaters and wool jackets. I wore them long after I guess I was not supposed to simply because I liked them. Recently I was out and about and came across a pair of women's patent leather men's looking loafers! I almost bought them but thought wow I have those other ones at home and they are worn in perfectly!


A place that you have visited, anywhere in the world, that has blown you away and why?

Cancun. The water blew me away totally. I have been down to several beaches in southern states and of course many northern shorelines but they don't hold a candle to Cancun. Perfect color, perfect temperature, and total visibility. I am a water sign (Scorpio) so water and my close proximity to it is important. I could live the rest of my life on a beach there, own nothing but what I need to survive, and be blissfully happy.


How do you decorate your home? Is there an abundance of artwork? Bursts of colour?

LOL not at all. As I mentioned before there are two sides to me. One is down to earth the other is bling. I love the juxtaposition of old and new and things that really should not be put together, put together. My house is totally monochromatic. A palette of black, gray and brown. Cream leather, metal, French hand carved wood casegoods, IKEA dark wood modern mixed in there. I like unusual things displayed uniquely. I love high contrast and drama. If I were to have to describe my decorative style it would be Art Deco slamming into Traditional while yanking some Modern in for the ride. Very eclectic yet classic.



Thank you Cindy for allowing us to peep through the keyhole into your creative mind.

Interview by Belle of down the alley