FEATURED ARTIST

This artist has some wonderful things for the tots! Come and meet


Here is our interview with the artist, Gwen -

Briefly describe what you make?

I design and sew blanket dolls for babies and small children. They can also be called loveys. Blanket dolls have been widely used in Europe as a comforting toy for babies. The idea is that mom sleeps with the doll for a few days and the fabric will absorb her scent. Then when baby is snuggling with the doll it can smell the comforting and familiar scent of the mother and it will soothe the baby by letting it know that mom is near.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Ever since I saw minky fabrics for the first time I have been hooked. The softness and texture of the fabric is just perfect for baby items. I have made so many minky blankets for my two babies and for friends. I just can’t get enough of that fabric. I’ve always been tempted to make a large blanket for myself, but somehow I just have not gotten around to it yet.

How long have you been creating craft?

I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. My mother always did little craft projects with my sister and I growing up. We mostly made little clothes for our dolls and as we got older we stared to make furniture for our dollhouse. I also had a wonderful grandmother how was patient and taught me how to knit and crochet when I was really young. Most of my crafting has always revolved around sewing or knitting. I have somewhat turned my love for creating and designing into my full time job. I have been working as an architect for the last 10 years and love what I do. It is another creative outlet for me, granted the materials used are not as soft, but I get the same satisfaction from my day job as I do from crafting.

How did you get started?

I got started with my Etsy shop just a couple of months ago, back in May. I’ve been browsing Etsy for the last 3 years and always thought that one day I would love to open my own shop. But being a brand new working mother I just couldn’t believe I’d somehow be able to manage my time well enough to pull of
such a big endeavor.

When my second daughter was about 9 months old I just had this urge to design her a doll that she could cuddle with at night. She was having a terrible time sleeping through the night and I thought that if she had a truly snuggly companion to hold on to it might help her. My husband and I also noticed that she was never able to find her pacifier in her crib in the dark, so I wanted this doll to help with that problem as well. I worked on several different prototypes and after a couple of months and a lot of input from family and friends I arrived at the Blossom Baby doll which is currently featured in my Etsy shop. I made a few of these dolls for my friends’ babies as well and everyone seemed to really like them. Especially the babies! Mabel immediately took to her Blossom Baby and by tying her pacifier to the feelers of her doll we have been able to enjoy long sleep-filled nights.

After having some success with my daughter and with friends, my sister encouraged me to look into starting my own Etsy store and I decided to just go for it. It has been a huge learning experience. Designing and sewing the dolls is the easy part for me. Setting up and promoting the store has been a wonderful challenge. I am constantly trying to improve the doll as well as my shop and am now working on a new product that I am hoping to start selling in August. I will also be adding new blanket dolls to my shop where the flower hat will be replaced with a star hat, the new Star Snuggles.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

The name of my shop “Mabelise” was inspired by my two beautiful little girls, Mabel who is just about to turn 2 and Elise who will be 5 years old soon. Initially I thought about naming the shop “Elise and Mabel” but after kicking around some other ideas with my sister, we came up with Mabelise. My husband was very opposed to this name in the beginning because it is just so similar to Maybelline but I simply loved that with one name I could dedicate my work to both of my children. Especially since the doll was originally designed for them. Elise has her own doll as well that she is really fond of.

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

Making these dolls has truly been a labor of love for me. I have invested so much heart and soul into these little creatures and love the idea that somewhere out there another baby or child may be comforted by one of my dolls. Every doll is completely handmade. The production of these dolls is partly done on my Singer sewing machine and partly by hand stitching. The faces are all individually embroidered by hand and I feel that in turn each doll has it’s own personality and each one is unique.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

My advice for other artists is to simply follow your passion. There are so many amazing shops in the Etsy community and so many talented artists who are just inspiring. Even if their medium is completely different from mine, seeing their artwork just encourages me to keep going. Opening and running a successful store on Etsy takes a lot of time and energy and patience. I am a very new shop owner myself and still have very far to go, but there is so much help out there in the community. Etsy is a great place to showcase your artwork and your craft, but it does take a lot of hard work. As I mentioned earlier, for me the hard part is not making my dolls, but it is running my Etsy shop itself. I think as long as you are able to take the time to learn all the different aspects of running and promoting a shop you can have a successful shop. The one thing that I never really considered when I started was how difficult it can be to achieve great photos of my items. It is the number one thing that I am trying to improve. Since no one is ever able to actually touch and feel my dolls, I need the pictures to really show off my items. So I guess besides following your passion, if you are considering opening up your own Etsy shop, learn to become a great photographer.

How do you comply with the CPSIA requirements for children’s products?

All my products are made from materials that are on the exempt list for lead testing. I am required, however, to have sewn on labels on my items for tracking purposes. These labels contain my brand name and website, the materials used, care instructions, and date and place of manufacture. Currently I make those labels myself with approved fabric and inks.

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Great interview! Please come and look at what Gwen has in her shop! They make great gifts!

GAMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Everyone enjoys a good game and I make three great ones. These are perfect gifts for the family, for friends, for anyone on your gift list. OR just for you! Treat yourself once in a while!

My games are historic reproductions - but history does not have to be boring! Just because a game has been played for hundreds of years - in one case thousands of years - does not mean that the game will not be enjoyed just as much today!

Here are the games! And you can purchase them at Q Branch Ltd.

FEATURED ARTIST

We are featuring a fiber artist. Come and meet


Here is our interview with the artist, Diane:

Briefly describe what you make?

Figuratively? I make people laugh (I hope). Literally, I crochet all sorts of items- hats, scarves, mug cozies, ipod cases, etc, etc. I love yarn, bright colors, and have a short attention span. So crochet ticked all the boxes.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

As stated, I love yarn. So in addition to crochet I also knit. However I like calling myself a hooker which is why crochet took the top spot. Aside from crochet I very lightly dabble in photography and painting.

How long have you been creating craft?

I'm not what you would consider a crafty person. For example, I buy all the stuff to make an awesome scrapbook of a summer vacation and then it just sits there gathering dust. That being said, I enjoy making things. The universe says you can't make stuff. It all exists and we just manipulate the atoms. But when I take a ball of yarn and make it into something you can wear or use, well, it's as close to being a god as I'm ever going to get.

How did you get started?

A neighbor taught me to knit when I was about 10. I thought it was cool that I could carry around sharp, pointy sticks. I learned to crochet a little over a year ago. From the moment I learned I was hooked (pun intended).

Where does the name of your shop come from?

When I was learning to crochet I had a day job I dreaded. By dread I mean every fiber of my being turned to stone the moment I pulled into the parking lot of my office. I could barely get down the side walk. It was like walking through peanut butter to force myself to show up. Crochet was/is a stress relief and it was not work. It was pure pleasure. So my shop is KnotWork, meaning no matter how busy I get or how frustrating it can be, it is still not work to me in the literal sense.

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

For those who crochet or knit you understand the time it takes. The items may seem costly to many because our society simply doesn't value yarn. And while our materials may cost less than say the silver wire to wrap around a lovely bead- it is our time and expertise you are paying for. So many people think they can knit or crochet. And yes, many people can with lots of practice. But we've already practiced and perfected and we sat there for three hours making that hat. Please remember that when you're distracted by those shiny beads at the table next to ours at a craft show. :)

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Decide whether this is simply an art/hobby or a business. If it's a business then you should keep trying new things and see what sells. If it's a hobby, or your art, keep trying new things if you want to be challenged. But don't stubbornly stick to what you like and wonder why no one else wants to buy it. However, always make sure that your personality comes through in your work as that is what makes you truly unique.

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Great interview! And some great items just in time for holiday shopping! Go and check out Diane's shop. Then come on back and leave a comment!

New Addition

I have just added a new version of my popular and historic Pirate's Box Game to my shop. This is a portable, pocket version of the game. And just as historically correct!

The pocket version is played the same way and is just as much fun - perhaps even more so when you can stash it in your pocket and take it anywhere that you go!

This was a gambling game that was played by pirates and adventurers in seaports and aboard ships around the world for 250+ years.

Now, it is fun for all. It is a challenging game of strategy. Wager on the outcome and it is back to the days of the pirates when treasure's were won and lost at this game.

The game is played with dice and number tokens. The game can be learned in a minute or two and will be played for hours at a time. The best part of this game is that it can be played alone when no one else is around to play and still be fun. It may be played by any number of players.

EACH GAME TOKEN HAS BEEN KISSED BY FIRE AS IS BEFITTING A PIRATE!

You get 9 rustic number game tokens that measure over 1.25" in diameter of solid wood, two "faux bone" dice, and a cloth bag to keep it in and carry it in. The game instructions are laminated and fit in the bag with the playing pieces. The pocket version of the game sells for $12 plus shipping.

This makes a great gift for holidays, birthday, or just for you!