Featured Artist

This artist is a needlework artist. Here is Eggmoney -

Here is our interview with the artist, Lynn -


Describe what you make?

I make a wide variety of needlework items. I like to try different techniques and methods. Working in different mediums inspires creativity in the others and keeps it lively. I make quilts, children's clothing, smocks, aprons, bead knit purses, beaded leather Indian corn pendants, jewelry pouches, totes, and greeting cards, and more. I also do custom work.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I most enjoy handwork projects such as hand embroidery, appliqué, quilting, and knitting. I like to work at a peaceful pace and ponder things while creating. Handwork is also portable and I can take it along when I go to my teenagers' music events, and appointments.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been doing needlework as long as I can remember. I come from a long line of needle workers. Along with many valuable life lessons, my mother and grandmother taught me to sew, knit, crochet, tat, embroider, and more. My sisters and I used to make clothes for our dolls. I also did a lot of projects for 4-H competitions. I finished my first quilt in 1976 for the bicentennial celebration. I was in 6th grade. It won ribbons at the local fairs.

How did you get started?

I started my etsy shop when my youngest child turned one. I was making so many children's clothes that there was no way one little girl could wear them all.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My grandmothers and great grandmothers lived on farms and had small chicken flocks from which they earned household money or "egg money" from selling eggs. They also supplemented their household income by selling baked goods and needlework. I believe they are smiling now as they see me revive that tradition in a twenty first century setting.

We have a flock of chickens that free range around our yard and we sell their colorful and healthy eggs to neighbors and friends.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I pride myself on quality workmanship- I sew as if my mother is watching over my shoulder, as she did when I was doing my first sewing projects in the 4-H club. "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right!" she would say.

I get inspiration from my three children, family memories from my childhood, and my present surroundings (including the chickens).

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Create things that you enjoy making. Have fun. Don't compromise your values for a sale. Be patient.

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C0me to her shop and meet Lynn at Eggmoney.

While you are at Etsy come by and visit with us - we are getting our shop ready for your Valentine's Day gifts for your "Sweeties"!

Featured Artist

Our featured artist makes something that is very timely with Christmas in two days and a coming need to express your thanks for all of the wonderful handmade gifts and art that you will receive. Our artist is a card maker and has a great on line shop with many thank you cards right now!


Here is our interview with the artist, Pegg -

Briefly describe what you make?

I make handmade note cards and ribbon headbands, hair clips, and flower pins. The notecards usually have some kind of rubber stamping on them. I'm mad for rubber stamps!

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I enjoy working with paper most. I just can't seem to get enough paper. I've always been in love with fabric, but you can only sew so many things and collect so much fabric. When I got turned onto rubber stamping a few years ago--I became a paper addict!

How long have you been creating craft?

I went to a stamping demonstration about 10 years ago and started very slowly making cards to send to friends and give to family members. I was instantly hooked on the rubber stamping idea.

How did you get started?

I got started selling when I moved into the neighborhood where I now live. Some of the neighborhood girls were having babies and there were baby showers for which I needed gifts. I started making baby notecards (like Thank You's, etc.) for them as gifts. With a lot of support and encouragement from my friends, I started making the cards to sell. I did a couple of craft shows to begin with about four years ago and now I pretty much sell all year long and not just baby notes. The ribbon accessories that I make and sell come from having a teenage daughter and a love of all ribbon. I dabble in making different things depending on what ribbon is in my stash. If I sell lots of ribbon things, I can buy more ribbon!!!!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My shop name is Pegg*Macko*Designs. I was trying to think up something really catchy, but when you make more than one type of article it's kind of hard. So using my name means that pretty much no one will have the same shop name as mine. So far it works for me!

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I would like people to know that all my designs come from me. I have lots of inspiration around me (I'm holding on to this soap wrapper that came from a hotel bar of soap because I love the design on it) and I use it any way I can to make something that I like. I love bright colors.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

My only advice--start out slowly. Don't get in over your head too soon. Think things through. Rome wasn't built in a day. A successful business usually isn't either.

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Come and visit Pegg at her shop.
You know that you are going to need some thank you cards and she has some wonderful ones!

While you are at Etsy come visit with us!

Featured Artist

This week's artist does some very different work - collage turned into many different forms including jewelry! Our featured artist is -


Here is our interview with the artist, Tammy!

Briefly describe what you make?

I create digital and mixed media collages, focusing on those used for decoration or jewelry. I have a line of digitally and/or paper collaged pendants.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love the versatility of using both paper and digital elements in my designs. I collect vintage books and ephemera, and enjoy using those in the digital medium (I can’t stand cutting up vintage ephemera – it’s a disease, I know!) I guess I’m a pack rat at heart. With Photoshop I can cut up whatever I want, repeatedly, without guilt. 

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been creating collages for a year now, although I’ve been a scrapbooker (in the loose interpretation of the word) since High School. I used to create layouts with construction paper and markers, but I have evolved. LOL. Now I create layouts, digital scrapbooking elements, and projects for several sites/publications, combining all my loves.

How did you get started?

I started collage after discovering Claudine Hellmuth’s book “Collage Discovery”. Since then I have been hording collage ideas and information like a junkie!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

CollageObjects came about because I wanted to create a shop that could include all my various collage products – paper and digital. I hope to expand my shop to include other collage jewelry items and paper collage items soon.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I want people to “FEEL” when they look at my work – either to laugh with me, cry with me, or smirk! I hope to illicit a reaction to my work – whatever that reaction might be.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Go with your gut. It took me a long time to realize that “collage” didn’t have to mean “dirty-looking”. My collage is very “clean” looking – and that’s “OK” with me. Don’t worry so much if people will like your work – do what YOU want to do, and people will respond to your honesty.

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Wonderful! Tammy has a shop
and a blog site!

Go right over and visit her shop! And while you are at Etsy come see the great new things that we have added to our shop!

Featured Artist

We are featuring a great quilter! Her name is Heather and her shop is

Here is our interview with Heather!

Briefly describe what you make?

I make baby and doll quilts and the occasional ACEO.
ACEO = Art Card Editions and Originals

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love great fabrics! Fabrics are one of my inspirations...I see a design that strikes me and a whole quilt starts forming in my head! Some of my favorite fabric designers include Heather Ross and Amy Butler.

How long have you been creating craft?

I started quilting in 2005.

How did you get started?

My job at the time was was creating a lot of stress and taking up a lot of my time. My husband begged me to find a hobby to relieve some of the stress.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

A good friend of mine is a talented musician, among other things. She wrote a song when we were in high school in which each verse was about one of her friends. In the verse about me she called me Baby Anne. Anne is my middle name and I had started using it a lot at the time. I've always like the name Baby Anne.

What would you most want people to know about your work?

I machine-piece my quilts because it's quick. But I hand-quilt my quilts because it takes time! I love curling up on the sofa with a chick-flick on the TV and quilting! I also love the hand-touched quality hand-quilting gives my quilts. I also love the historical-quality of quilts. As an art historian, the history of quilts as a craft first attracted me. But as a quilter, the idea that what I make will become part of the personal history of a family is what keeps me quilting!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Be passionate! People are attracted to passion and when you create what you love and love what you create, people will notice!

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Come take a look at Heather's shop and find some great gifts for babies and children.

And, of course, while you are at Etsy come stop by and visit with us. Lot's of great things for the Holiday gift season!

Craft Show Wisdom

It is a disgrace. Craft shows are becoming flea markets. There are more commercial "buy and sell" items at craft shows than there are crafts - it does not seem to matter to the promoters who are running the craft shows or the shoppers. So - what does it matter. The promoters are happy and the the shoppers don't mind. Who is it hurting?

IT IS HURTING THE CRAFT ARTISTS! We spend a lot of time creating the things that we make and sell. We express our feelings, our emotions, and our talent in what we create. It is art. It is art that we wish to share through sale to those who appreciate art. The traditional venues to sell art - and craft - is through a gallery or a craft show. The craft show has been the opportunity for the beginning crafts person to introduce his/her work to the world and seek buyers. As craft shows are being run now, that opportunity will soon be gone. There will be no more crafts at craft shows. The artists and the craftspeople will give up because we cannot compete with a guy selling imported merchandise that wholesales for two dollars and he is selling for $5.

At one time - and this is many years ago, it was hidden. The items would be placed out on display disguised as craft - if asked, they would even say "Oh, yes, I make these." One guy even told us that the same ones that you see in Macy's were made by him. (Right!) Now, it is blatent with no attempt at disguise. The import labels are clearly visible. The commercial packaging is right there with the item. The cartons are stacked under the table - all clearly and commercially marked.

We went to a show recently where only four out of the thirty so-called "crafts people" actually made the items that they were selling. There was a table with AVON. There was a table with Webkinz. There was a table with commercially made and packaged candles. There was a table with imported and still in the package scarves. There was a table with a commercial catalog out for you to pick jewelry from. There was a table with books. These, and many more tables of commercial jewelry. The sign outside said "CRAFT SHOW". The advertisement in the paper - which must have cost the promoter $1,000 - said "CRAFT SHOW". But where were the crafts.

What can be done? Not much. Here is why. This happened to me and I know others that it has happened to as well. Here is our story - we were at a craft show that had a good reputation for a community show. We saw many booths selling commercial items and we went to the people who were running the show to point this out to them. They told us that they did not know - what is not to know - the items are tagged "Made in China". They told us that they would go around and look. If they did or not, it does not matter. All of those booths continued to sell their imports for the rest of the day. Now, the kicker. The next year we sent an application to the show. We were not accepted. We went to see the show and what did we find - even more booths selling imports. If you complain, you are not wanted back. So it is better to keep your mouth shut if there is any chance that you might want to come back again next year. This has not just happened to us, but to others at other shows also!

The promoters get their money on the participation fees. Anyone's money is good to them. And calling it a craft show will bring in different and more people than calling it a flea market.

Why do people buy from these booths? They see something that they like and it does not matter who made it or where it came from - and besides it is a bargain.

If you are a shopping at a craft show and you see commercial items go up to the booth and tell the seller how talented she is and then ask how she make these lovely things. See what answer you get. If she (he) tries to bluff then point out the import tags. If it is admitted that they did not make any of it - ask why they are at a crafts show when they should be at a flea market. I am sure that they will say because no one stopped them.