5 questions: Colourful and Perfect

I started following Eyelah's (otherwise known as Ayla)  blog way back when it was mainly in support of her jewelry shop on Etsy, AAlexandra. I came across her one morning in the etsy forums and added her blog to my reading list because something about her writing style just seemed to resonate with me; her taste in music has sealed the deal for me; I have been known keep Imogen Heap on auto repeat myself. That and I thought her creations were simply beautiful. Now Ayla puts most of her energy into her jewel bright hand bags and clutches which you can fine at Eyelah

Over the course of the last two or so years I've found following all the blogs on my reading list a bit of a challenge but I manage to drop in here and there when the Bean allows for a little me time. When I decided that it might be a good idea to return to doing features again Eyelah's own blog post about doing features seemed to be too serendipitous to ignore.

Before I went into my feature hiatus I decided that in order to be excited and get everyone else excited about the features I do I would have to choose the artists and artisans I featured from my own list of favourites. They would have to be shops that I would shop at, have shopped at or just visit on a very regular basis to satisfy my hunger for awesome stuff.

Of course Eyelah fits right in there. Her handbags are bright and colourful and I could picture grabbing one of her butterfly clutch handbag's and heading out for an evening on the town with my Mommy friends or for a date night with the husband. Personally I think her yellow Butterfly Cotton Clutch would look stunning at Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra's Theatre is Evil performance at the end of the month... I covet; it's true.

As always a five question feature is a Q&A format of five questions about being an artist, designer and/or artisan, getting inspired and possibly a little insight into the nuts and bolts getting creative. Please please visit her shop you'll be happy that you did. Just looking at her gorgeous and fun handbags puts a smile on my face, let me tell you...

so here's what I asked and how she answered:

What got you started?
I originally starting making jewelry a few years ago because I have a nickel allergy and I found that it was better to make my own earrings than buy them. So when I started making earrings it became necklaces and then someone suggested Etsy. After going Etsy I pretty much became obsessed with crafting.



 


















Do you listen to music when you create? What's on your play list right now and why?
I definitely listen to music now. I used to have Netflix playing in the background but I realize that I am more creative/productive when I have music playing than a movie or TV show. I currently use Pandora for my music source and right now my station is for Imogen Heap.

What life or art lesson have you learned that has shaped your work?
I guess the art lesson I have learned is handbag making and sewing. I started making handbags shortly after I started jewelry and I've just developed the craft even further. It took me a while and a lot of troubleshooting to finally get the look I wanted even now I'm constantly developing the handbags, clutches or wallets I make.

If you were granted 3 wishes to furnish your dream studio space, what would you choose and why?
an awesome sewing machine, endless amounts of materials, a new camera. I think these three things are the key to handmade items especially for handbags. Having a great sewing machine is  very helpful. Having an awesome camera makes all the difference.







Which Children's book character would you be and why?
One of my favorite children's book growing up was "Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day". I liked Alexander because he was just trying push through the day and everything just wasn't going his way. Sometimes I felt that was my life back then and even now but at the end of the day or month, year, or decade everything ends up being awesome for me. Plus, I also liked he was named Alexander because my middle name is Alexandra.

So besides Eyelah on Etsy you can also find Ayla on her beautifully designed Eyelah blog where she posts some pretty awesome tutorials as well as lots of other everyday stuff as well as on facebook where you can get a glimpse of her work in progress, the treasuries she's made on Etsy and a little bit of what is going on behind the scenes.


As always all the images should link up to the matching item in Eyelah on Etsy. Go! Visit! and then I really must insist that you check out her latest blog posting... Really it's a great post. I promise!

5 Questions: LavenderAve; Thoughtfully Handmade

The first Baby Shower Gift that I received from the Etsy Baby Shower was from this fantastic shop. Jenn, the proprietor and creative mastermind behind LavenderAve has been on vacation, I wanted to make sure that you were able to view all the adorable and super comfy looking 'jamma's in her shop so I've waited until she returned before sharing her answers to my 5 questions.

Jenn was kind enough to send me and the Bean a set of adorable giraffe jammies that I think we'll be dressing her up in at the hospital. LavenderAve features both nightdresses (which I've found are so difficult to come by these days without being plastered with the likes of Hanna Montana or Dora the Explorer) and cozy looking pajammas as well as lounge pants and vintage look pantalettes for a little added sweetness underneath skirts and dresses. LavenderAve is a must visit if you've got kids to clothe for bedtime.

You can follow Jenn on her blog where she's recently been posting about getting organized as well as some of her projects. To keep updated on what's happening in her shop you can also find LavenderAve on Facebook.


Do you have any influences that guide your work?
My kids have been a huge influence on my work. I have made them PJ's for a long time, and it was natural to start selling them on Etsy. The nightgown that I currently sell was inspired by a friend who was looking for a simple white nightgown for her daughters and couldn't find one anywhere.


Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?
I usually listen to audio books. I have recently listened to Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan and am listening to American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson right now.
Sometimes I listen to music, my playlist is determined by my mood. Hooray for the ipod. I could be listening to ColdPlay, The Cars, White Stripes, Louis Armstrong or AC/DC depending on my stress level :). I like something in nearly every genre.


You have won a lottery, the prize is 3 items to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?
A brand new Bernina sewing machine so my old steady baby can rest sometimes, a serger because I really need one and a murphy bed to get the darn guest bed out of my way.


What was the last shop/ item you hearted on Etsy?
Yours, actually and CountryChicCottage and whimsyandspice. All of you on the same day.


Rock, Paper or Scissors?
Usually rock, sometimes scissors.

5 Questions: Colour and Crafting

My schedule for who is being featured when is a little off right now what with the busy holiday season and shop vacations. Add in my heaping schedule of Doctors appointments, daily life and getting ready for both the holidays and I've decided that I'm going to be flexible about who goes where which is why this feature is running a little earlier than I had originally planned.

Tracy of Runnerbean was the recipient of my Etsy Baby Shower Gift of a customized tree ornament and a baby buggy hand painted and sewn card. Once I saw her shop I knew I wanted to ask her 5 questions.

Tracy is a craft artist and graphic designer who loves color and creating with paper and her creations are full of whimsy and are delightful to behold. Tracy's love of colour jumps out at you as soon as you visit her shop. Her photographs pop with vibrant hues and adorable and elegant creations. With an inventory that ranges from flower fairy, Gurumi and mouse dolls to graphically striking pendants Runnerbean is a treat to visit. To see more of Tracy's intricate and amazing work you can visit her website. You can also check out Tracy's fabulous work in Graphic design on her other blog for Joia Design and of course I have to insist that you visit her Etsy shop too! You'll be glad you did.

Can you describe the palette you use to create with, what colours do you always "reach" for?

When presented with a full range of colors to choose from, and especially when I'm just experimenting with paper and seeing how far I can push it, I'm almost always reaching for the blues. I love to use colors that are right next to each other on the color wheel (e.g. blue, blue-green, and green), so you'll often see this in my pieces. I also love to choose one color and then find lighter and/or darker shades of that color and combine them into a piece.


Do you listen to music when you create? What's on your play list right now and why?
These days my background music is most often a baby monitor ( I have a 26 month old daughter and a 5 week old son!), but when I can I'm listening to VPR (Vermont Public Radio) or currently, here in December, I'm listening to Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas. This is a set of 5 CDs and is full of his interpretation of traditional holiday songs as well as originals and is absolutely the best collection - beautiful music that I can sing along with or tune out as my mind floats and my hands work.


What got you started?

I originally started working with paper after seeing some paper filigree work on a cake topper in a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. I fell in love with the incredibly intricate art and purchased a starter kit shortly thereafter. It was a few years before I began to really experiment and play with the paper. Most of my experiments and pieces come from sketches -doodles- and from things I encounter in life that I want to try in paper form. I've created a paper pendant inspired by the path I took through my house while pushing my daughter in a stroller to get her to take a nap; my Gurumi paper dolls were inspired by Amigurumi crocheted dolls when I couldn't crochet, and often I'm just challenging myself to see what is possible - how small can I make something, or is it possible to recreate that doodle shape in paper, or how many strips of paper does it take to make a 2" diameter solid roll?



If you were granted 3 wishes to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?

1. Light! I'd want big windows for lots of natural light and also to open to let in air and a breeze, and good lighting for working after dark. My current space has one window, but it doesn't open easily or let in enough light. And the lights are not quite right - too harsh or too dim - I need a professional to help me light the space right.
2. Lots and lots of storage (with space leftover to fill). Open shelves for the neat and pretty stuff, cabinets with doors and drawers to hide the messier stuff, and a good space to store works in progress (I always seem to have 4-5 projects ongoing). I have the opposite of this now and am always wishing for a better system.
3. Big, flat, open work surfaces. Although I work really small, I always have a lot of tools and supplies in use. It'd be downright luxurious to be able spread them all out.



Which Children's book character would you be and why?
I'd be the mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - racing from project to project, easily distracted and moved to action and inspired by things I encounter along the way. I also love to wear overalls. And to eat cookies.

5 Questions Mezzo: Feather Hairpins

So on Monday I went to check the mail and received my second Etsy Baby Shower Gift from Juliette Mourez of Mezzo on Etsy. So what did I get you ask?

Three beautiful and elegant feather hair pins which I will be putting to good use in my own hair sometime during this coming holiday season. I love that these hair pins are for me; I sometimes think that a gift just for a new Momma and not just a little something for the new baby is a gift well given; A new Momma tends to put all her thoughts and energies into that new baby and can soon forget about herself. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had decided to make sure that I felt good about myself and would be putting an effort into making sure that I do so during this pregnancy. Receiving something that is so simple but with an extravagance to it; something that I may not have thought to get for myself to make me feel pretty is a wonderful gift.

Right now Mezzo's shop carries only her signature feather hair pins but in the past it has carried an assortment of jewelery for both people and for cats; which if you look at her sold items are fantastic. Her signature hair pins are; as she explains in her shop announcement like her cat for whom the shop is named; a tall black cat, mixed between a snob puppy and a mischievous monkey playful and elegant. Having received my gift I have to say that the quality of her workmanship is amazing. her pins are high quality and stunningly beautiful.

To find out more about what Juliette is up to with Mezzo you can visit her blog of the same name. If you have a holiday party, are getting married soon and you need something stunning to adorn your hair or you just need a little something to make you feel good about yourself visit her shop and pick out the perfect feather hair accesory to help you stand out in the holiday crowd.

So without further ado: here are Juliette's answers to my always probing and thought provoking questions.

Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

I usually don't, simply because I work on my feathers late after the kids are asleep, so usually in silence or while watching a movie. I am into the Mad Men series right now (finishing season 3 !), and I have been crazy in love with this 50's and 60's style for a long time.


Have your customers ever surprised you with how they plan on using your creations?
Yes ! I wish I got to see more of my pins in 'action' though ! I just love it when people send me photos. I once admired how a bride used 3 of the White Clouds feather hair pins to hold in a very light and small birdcage veil. I would not have thought of that !

What item in your shop is your favourite and your best? i.e. do you have an item in your shop you love above all others?
I have a soft spot for the Pink Puff feather hair pin. It is so light, girly and retro at the same time! It has a different volume from the other feathers and the color is very chic.

What was the last thing you purchased on Etsy?
A pair of handmade cotton and fleece slippers for my 2 year old - they're the 4th pair from this seller ! My girl has been wearing this 'brand' since before she could walk :)

If you were an animal what animal would you be?
Oh, I dread this question... I seriously don't know. Aren't we humans animals after all ? All right, I am going to say... a kangaroo !

Nursing Bling: Always Remember Which Side You Nursed

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I'd signed myself up for the Etsy Baby Shower. I've participated in the shower before and loved being able to give to new Etsy Moms and my gifts were very much appreciated. Being able to participate as a new Etsy Mom is also very exciting to me mainly because I look at it as a way to build community.

In order to give back to the generous Etsians who are thoughtfully sending gifts my way for the Bean, I wanted to feature each of them in a five question feature post over the next few weeks. Unfortunately the beginning of the holiday rush has delayed these plans but that doesn't mean that I can't share a little bit about each of the creative and talented artists and artisans that have been so generous to me.

Since I also wanted to give as well as receive to I'm also planning a feature on the other new Etsy Mom's Etsy shop who will receive something from me. Now did that read as totally confusing? To simplify watch over the next few weeks as I feature shops from the Etsians who are either giving me an Etsy Baby Shower Gift or receiving one from me. Once things slow down enough for these talented folks to send me the answers to my thought provoking questions I'll be posting 5 question features on each of them.

In the meantime I wanted to share a little about Yvette from NursingBling. Yvette is a jewelry and accessory designer whose shops roots are fairly similar to why I started PeanutButterPie; creating a personal gift for a friend which led to requests for gifts for still other nursing Mammas.

NursingBling is a fantastic stop for a baby shower gift that goes beyond baby clothes and receiving blankets (not that those gifts aren't welcome either but a gift from NursingBling really stands out). In Yvette's shop you'll find Nursing Covers, Nursing Wraps Breastfeeding Covers, Nursing Shawls, Nursing Bling and Nursing Jewels all beautifully made and in the case of the Bling and the Jewels simply beautiful to look at too.

With the Peanut I breastfed up until a month before her second birthday. The first days of breastfeeding were days of sleep deprivation full of a frustration as I slowly got the hang of the proper latch and making sure that the newborn Peanut wasn't falling asleep mid feed. I suffered from not one, but two cases of mastitis in the first year and figuring out which side I last nursed on was done by juggling each breast to feel which one felt lighter and which was heavier; classy right? Had I been gifted with some nursing bling back then I think at the very least I'd have felt a little more stylish and at the very most I'd have had a beautiful charm to pass onto the Peanut if she decides to be a Mamma herself one day.

To find out more you can of course click on the NursingBling links above or any one of the photographs here. You can also keep up to day with Yvette on her breastfeeding blog, as well as on Twitter and her Facebook Fanpage.

There are Features in my Future

My first year on Etsy I stumbled across the Etsy Baby Shower and decided to participate. At the time I was carrying hand sewn and painted baby themed cards and I thought one of them would be a great gift for one of the new Moms. I participated a few more times after that and then there were life things that got in the way like the fire and moving and life in general and I missed out on a few.

When I found out that we were expecting the Bean I went looking for the shower, I wanted to be on the receiving end and I wanted to give a little something too. Instead of just packing up a card and shipping it off and getting a package in the mail and then leaving it at that I'm also going to give the lovely folks who are sending me gifts a bit more exposure.

It's been a while since I had a Five Question Feature. To be honest I wasn't sure that I'd be reintroducing them until after the Bean makes her appearance. In between launching our ornaments and getting ready for a new addition I wasn't sure that adding a few more deadlines to my schedule would be prudent. Prudence, however is not my name nor is it on the short list for the Bean. I'll be contacting my gift giving shops to see if they're up for answering 5 brain teasing questions and if not I'll just share some of their amazing items with you; with links of course.

Have a great weekend!

You should really

So it's pretty awesome right? When we played it for the Peanut she crawled into my lap and started to try to sing along to Hooray It's My Birthday By Rabbit! Something she only does for her favourite songs and she'd never heard the songs before! Of course me being the big ol' pile of coursing hormones was turned into a massive mushmallow. I'm wiping the tears out of my eyes as I type this.

Want to help out a little more? click on the Share this Widget link in the right hand corner of the image and cut and paste the HTML code into your blog! I know Ryan is hoping to make some big waves with this album, and I hope he does too; it's such an amazing compilation and I know I'll be able to listen to it over and over without wanting to stick inappropriate things into my ears.

5 Questions: science + crafting = awesome

There's just something about science that I love, I guess it's because being creative is all about experimentation; and so; obviously, is science. There is a whole sub-genre of Geekery on Etsy; nerd with cool factor thrown in for good measure. and one of my favourite Geekery shops on Etsy is Scientific Culture. With a range of items from famous scientist finger puppets, Microbe button and magnet sets and stuffed e-coli bacteria that not only have cool factor, but also some serious cuteness quotient to boot! I've had my eye on the Dinosaur buttons for the Peanut's birthday grab bags and they're in the mail as I type this. They are going to be a huge hit with the Peanut's friends.

Every last bit of it is part of Kate McCurrach's quest to meld science and art. With a degree in cellular, molecular, microbial biology Kate is mad about everything science and she loves to spread her excitement through her cute science crafts. Kate expands her love of combining creativity with science in her blog of the same name. You can also follow her on Twitter, and go ahead and "like" scientific culture on Facebook too. When you're finished there; head over to flickr to take a sneak peak into all things scientific culture.

For answers to my most pressing questions, keep reading. As always if you see something you like, click on the picture to get more information; all images are linked to the corresponding Etsy listing.

So, without further ado:

Can you describe the palette you use to create with, what colours do you always “reach” for?

I’m a huge fan of all muted and jewel tones. They let me keep my projects bright and punchy without being too overwhelming.

Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

Music is a wonderful influence on my creating; it helps me keep to a strong positive work ethic and makes long nights of embroidery or photoshop run smoothly. Right now I’ve been listening to a lot of CBC Radio 3 inspired folk-y musicians (Aidan Knight, Dan Mangan, Matthew Barber) as well as some melodic females (Laura Marling, Regina Spektor). I sometimes throw in some more upbeat Canadians (Mother Mother, Tegan and Sara, Said the Whale) depending on my mood – plus it feels great to support Canadian musical culture!

What got you started?

I’ve been crafting for as long as I can remember and am always exploring ways to meld science (influenced from my degree in cellular, molecular, microbial biology) and art! I decided to take the plunge into Etsy selling after three long months of medical leave and some helpful branding from a graphic designer friend.



If you were granted 3 wishes to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?

Wish 1 – Unlimited funds! I’d love to be able to focus my life on creating but the realities of life (and budget) really don’t allow for it.

Wish 2 – New tools! What I wouldn’t give for a serger, sharper pair of pinking sheers, and a cat free cutting table!

Wish 3 – Martha Stewart’s design team. Mmm…



Which Children's book character would you be and why?

Hermione Granger - overachieving, book smart, and drawn to red heads.

Making that first sale

At least I know that I'm not all alone out there. I've been on Etsy for a little over 4 months now and not a sale in sight for me. Not that I'm complaining. I'm not, really. I know it will happen soon. I'm confident in my products and in my marketing plan, low key as it is so far.

At the moment I’m just pleased to gain another heart for my shops or individual items and ecstatic for the increase in traffic to my shops. It helps that there are others out there in Etsyland (like the creator of the Etsy Item That caught my Eye, Amethyst Bonsai Pendant) waiting for their first sale. Reading entries in the Forums from these talented artists and participating in Newbie Labs, gives me the feeling that I’m not alone out there.

Plus each new view of the Lady Bug ATC or the Electric 3rd in series Photograph in my two shops; brings me one view closer to that fateful first sale.

Am I aiming too low? Should I be more worried about being sale-less? With the holiday season in the crosshairs should I be more active in my marketing strategies more of a barracuda with flogging my stuff? I guess I’ll be more capable of answering that question next year. I have grand plans for the next holiday season and expansions in my creative output all mapped out…

OK there aren’t any maps, just a light pencil sketch on the back of a take out menu. Ok I wrote them on the palm of my hand in ballpoint (stupid sweaty hands!) but I have plans. Holiday ornaments, 3D decorative items, stacks and stacks of holiday greeting cards all hand stitched or embellished with seed beads for that unique touch. Yup, big, big plans, and I’ll even follow through on some of them too.

This year my inventory is a little on the small side. My plans for holiday ornaments were derailed by lack of funds (who knew that having a baby would be so expensive? And do they really need to grow like that? I mean all of her pants just keep shrinking up past the ankles and she’s too young to be made fun of for wearing floods….) again I digress. Where was I? Oh yeah, lack of funds. And finding a reasonable supplier for some of the brainstorms I’ve had, turned out to be more difficult than expected. And the health scare at the end of August kind pf put a damper on things too.

Health scare you ask? Nothing to get worked up about. It turned out to be nothing serious but that’s a topic for another day.

So with one thing and another I’m moving slow, working on climbing up the learning curve and putting myself out there a little at a time. As I get more comfortable and confident I’ll increase the effort, but this year is all about the seeing what’s what and tucking that knowledge away for next year. For now I’m just moving one view at a time until I make that first sale.

Oh look someone new just hearted my shop!

Why I love creating Etsy Treauries

Ultimately I want to drive traffic to my Etsy Shops TMCPhoto.etsy.com and PeanutButterPie.Etsy.com but with the Esty Treasury's the idea is not to showcase your own items, so why do I like posting treasuries on Etsy when my own work isn't on the menu?




Well it's one ways I get to be all arty and creative. Each treasury is like a tiny little art show which I've been the curator of. It's ind of a rush. I also like to see items I really love get looked at and possible sold . When I post an Etsy treasury I keep track of the number of clicks each of my chosen artworks receives and if one of those items gets sold I feel pretty excited about that.



I have a treasury up right now. Its called gray skies a comin' and it's full of stormy imagery in honour of the electric series I've posted in TMCPhoto.etsy.com (did you see how I've tied my own work into the mix there?)

Go visit this link and check it out.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=18068