Featured Artist of the Week

Our artist this week is Tia and she makes small sculptures and assemblages.

Here is our interview with Tia:

Describe what you make?

I love to create and I have many varied creative interests. I design jewelry and hair accessories but my absolute favorite love is polymer clay! Each of my Sculptures are One of a Kind, original pieces of art. I don't use molds or casts in my creations - each piece starts out as a lump of clay and then imagination takes over!

For jewelry, I love to recycle and repurpose old items. Most of my Pendants are hand-made from old game pieces, like RummiKub pieces, old poker chips, etc. I bring them back to life with hand-cut printed paper, painted embellishments, and treasured findings.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I use a lot of paper, glitter, clay and all sorts of found items!

How long have you been creating craft?

All my life. I've gone through all kinds of phases with crafting - from sewing, to creating earrings, pendants and bracelets out of old vinyl records (we're talking 18 years ago!). I have 1/2 my garage made up into a studio and storage - just for craft!

My kids were always the kids at school who brought hand-made Valentine's Day cards and Gifts for their friends and teachers. I've kept one of each and have them in my "Treasure" trunk. (see below)

My family and friends all know that I will make them something for their birthday or Christmas. A crocheted quilt, jewelry of some sort or home made breads. I love one of a kind, handmade items and I've made my family love them too.

How did you get started?

I have been a crafter all my life. The earliest memories I have are of my mother and I creating things. One of the first things I remember creating was "stained glass" art - out of wax paper and leaves or crayon shavings. You sandwich them and then iron - beautiful!

It's been in the last 6 months that I've ventured online to sell. Its an adventure that I'm totally ready for!

Where does the name of your shop come from?

When I was little my mother had decorated an old trunk by painting it with flowers and rainbows (very 1970's.) Inside I keep all of my old school artwork, my old valentines and "treasured" items (plus artwork from my kids). Thus - Tia's Treasures.

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

That I create every piece with care and love. I really care about what I create - its a little piece of me - and I hope that you will enjoy it too!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Believe in yourself, create what makes you happy and gives you pleasure and pride. If you're proud of your work, if you're happy making it - it will show through in the finished piece. Love what you do!

_________________________

Come see Tia's shop! Great gifts!
While you are at Etsy come by and visit with us!

Featured Artist of the Week

This week's featured artist is a leatherworker, and as a leatherworker, myself, I can assure you that this artist does quality leather work.
RAVENSHOLD


Here is our interview with the artist -

Describe what you make?

I mainly make items out of leather and do leather tooling, although I also make beaded lanyards and string beads to make jewelry.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

Leather, particularly tooling leather. I love the effects I can create with a swivel knife and a few stamps and I'm carrying on a very old craft.

How long have you been creating craft?

I can remember making things when I was 5, but I'm sure Mom had me doing crafts before then though. She loved making things herself so she always had craft projects for my sister and I to make. I think she still has some of the salt dough Christmas ornaments we made back then.

How did you get started?

I started doing leatherwork when I started working at the local Tandy Leather store around 10 years ago. After I moved on to other jobs I did leatherwork off and on for friends and occasionally for myself but didn't too much with it. On the recommendation of a friend I had checked out Etsy and put a few little things out there and do much else. Then early this year it hit me that my store here was a good reason to make myself get back into doing leatherwork on a regular basis and I haven't looked back.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

Well, to be honest, Ravenshold was the name I used for my county on an online game. I had chosen it for the game because I like ravens and adding hold made it sound vaguely medieval. When I signed up on Etsy couldn't use my first choice because it was already taken so this was the first thing I thought of. Over time it has become Ravenshold Creations.

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

Everything I do is by hand, including the sewing, so I work slow but I think it is definitely worth it because a well made leather item can last for years. (Even centuries if it is taken care of.) Also, leather tooling doesn't have to equal western style carving, there's a lot of other options out there, it can be hip or retro or trendy or whatever.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Stick with it, have fun with what you make, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, but remember you don't have to follow all of it.

_________________________

This is a shop not to be missed. Take a look at Ravenshold.
And while you are at Etsy come visit with us

Featured Artist of the Week

This week's featured artist works in Sterling Silver. Her work is beautiful!

Here is our interview with the artist:

Describe what you make?

I call myself a "maker of small things," for 2 (at least) reasons. One is, I put m.o.s.t. on my business cards. I figured one way to get letters after your name was to make it up. Another is, I like metal, I like stones, I like color and a variety of materials. This, for some odd reason has made me into a jeweler. Life is kinda weird that way, I guess. But most of the work is derived from sketches and doodles. Very object oriented.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I carve wax and cast into silver or gold. I prefer gold but find the cost more stunning than the product. I would like to start carving other materials. I used to sculpt with plasticine and water based clay. This week I'm working on a piece with plasticine. I just like sculpting. Welding is the only thing I've found I don't care for much. Whether platinum or bronze... but it may be I haven't done enough.

How long have you been creating craft?

Forever. (I'm that old.) I have the jigsaw I used in grade school... my mother saved it for me. Didn't buy another until this past year.

How did you get started?

I haven't a clue. I know my mother allowed us kids to mess around with stuff, and gave us clay to shut us up. So she gets most of the blame. (Don't parents always do?)

Where does the name of your shop come from?

My name.

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

My work is good quality handcrafted silver. Its a blast to make and fun to wear. (IMHO)

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Life is way too short. Have fun. Do what you want. Make what interests you. Try everything. Enjoy. Oh. And marry rich.

______________

Come take a look at this shop
and while you are at Etsy stop by and take a look at us!

Craft Show Tip of the Week

Make a checklist! Before you go to a craft show to sell, make a checklist of everything that you will need to bring with you to the show. When you are packing for the show, use that list to check off each item as you pack it. This way you will have everything that you need and will not leave anything behind. You will be surprised how hectic packing your car or van for a craft show can be. It is easy to forget even the most important things.

Featured Artist of the Week

This week's artist makes very unusual and cute greeting cards. This week we are featuring

Here is our interview with the artist, Haley:

Describe what you make?

I mostly make poodle-themed greeting cards. I take famous and well-known paintings and recreate them with poodles as the stars.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I like working with anything 2 dimensional. Especially paper and various drawing and printing medias.

How long have you been creating craft?

I've been doing crafts since at least high school though just as gifts and not for purchase. I recently started my own business focusing on greeting cards.

How did you get started?

After a lot of thought and planning to make sure that this would be a fruitful adventure, I draw up a few designs and opened shop on my own website. www.haleyshandmades.com I found Etsy a couple of months ago and I thought it would boost my sales.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

I wanted to make my name broad enough to add other items besides just greeting cards at some point but I wanted people to realize that everything I make is handmade and unique!

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

I love making it and I love that its theme is poodles. They are wonderful and aren't as prim and proper as everyone seems to think!

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

Keep making art daily and promoting yourself to become known in your local area, however you decide what that is. Make art about what you love. There's some people out there who will love your work just as much as your love creating it. You just have to find them!

________________

Go over to her shop
or her website! You will find some very different cards!

And while you are at Etsy, come visit us at

Featured Artist of the Week

This week's artist of the week is a jewelry artist with a shop with an interesting and unusual name.

Here is our interview with the artist:

Describe what you make?

I make a variety of jewelry that I sell on etsy. I have a love affair with bright color and earrings in particular. I also sell supplies in a second shop.

What mediums do you enjoy working in most?

I love to work with just about anything. I'm always looking for something that gives me inspiration- Colors, shapes, textures. I spend my weekends quilting, and often translate inspiration from one medium to another.

How long have you been creating craft?

Since I can remember? Both my parents are crafty in their own ways and have their own workshops/studios. I always loved playing with bits and pieces of things when I was a child and reassembling them into something else.

How did you get started?

My parents and family in general were very inspirational in beginning to make things and be proud of the things I made. My grandmother was an artist and art teacher and was always willing to look at things for me. I started looking at my craft as more than a hobby when I moved to Providence a few years ago and working at a science museum wasn't paying the bills. I started working at a fabric store, and really enjoyed working with helping other people get started and making things.

Where does the name of your shop come from?

antelucandaisy means night blooming daisy and I chose it because I am a night owl at heart. I tried to choose whoops-a-daisy as a second shop name (the name of my blog) but couldn't so I chose shooting star because I'm fascinated with stars.

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

That I love it all.

What words of advice do you have for other artists?

The most important things is to believe in what you do and enjoy it. I firmly believe that it shows in your work, and makes other people believe too.

_______________________

Her work is great. You must see it. Go to her shop right now! She also has a blog site that you may be interested in - http://antelucandaisy.blogspot.com

And while you are at Etsy, come by and visit with us too!