Pretty in Paper-Blog Feature Artist of the Week

Bad blogger..I know I know... hangs head...But I have something pretty and eco COOL I want to show you;-)

Brown paper Bag - Barrette byAnBlathPaipeir

An Bláth Páipéir (The Paper Flower) creates beautiful and unique flowers, wall art & hair accessories all made from 100% recycled paper. Her work is so intricate and interesting I just had to feature her work.

These sweet little Star Flower Earrings are my personal fav. How does she do it?

1 1/2 inch Magazine flower Barrette

Check her cool Facebook Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Paper-Flower/212251385897

Touch the Earth ..Breathe The Sky - A Treasury Beyond Words

This curated Etsy Treasury was created by Loveartworks.etsy.com in honor of the First Americans for Native American Heritage Month

The artwork speaks for itself- Enjoy and be blessed.

Ny

Holiday & Heritage Month P.1- Etsy Interview With NorthernLodge

I had the honour of catching a great interview with Etsy Artist Patti Allen from NorthernLodge for Native American Heritage Month

Aaniin niiji (hello friend) and Welcome Patti!

Bozhoo-(Hello )My name is Patti Allen-

Nation: Annishinaabee-not tribally registered, I'm located in Black Forest Colorado-but originally from Canada. My Etsy shops are : http://www.northernlodge.etsy.com/ and http://www.cabinwindows.etsy.com/

So what inspired you to start crafting, what are your favorite materials to work with?

What got me started creating?-Initially my ADHD-and Canadian winters, but later in life it also gives me a way to supplement our income. From my father,I got my love of nature, science and my spiritual reference point. From my mom-her artistic talent, sewing and knitting lessons. As a child I LOVED to draw.

 

I probably am most amazed by just the process of creating...lately I've tried to become more creatively responsible by upcycling wool fabrics, and using eco-friendly yarns.

 
 
Tell us a little bit about the Annishinaabee nation. Are there any special events/festivals with the nation that are coming up this Fall? Do you have a special family tradition(s) celebrated during this time?

I was taught from an early age to respect the earth, and all of the animals with whom we share our planet. I grew up in the North woods, where my heart will always live.

I am helping with a Native American heritage luncheon this month. My daughter belongs to a Native American dance group, and powwow dances, so we participate in that way as well. My daughter and I also help provide food, clothing and propane to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation throughout the year-partially funded with money we make here on etsy!

How did you come to find about Etsy? What made you decide to sell your wares

My neighbour has an etsy shop, and we've done craft shows together for years-so she introduced me to etsy.

I decided to sell on etsy, because I think I have a unique product, and I like interacting with people. I've met some wonderful people here.

What are your favorite piece(s) from your shop?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33756640

because it uses upcycled wool and it reflects Native history


or

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25853824


because each is unique and I learn about the child they will be for while I am making them, plus they will help keep the children connected to their mother the earth. The beadwork holds a LOT of my energy too-more so than the other things I create.

What have you found to be the most difficult or challenging about selling your wares online?

Most difficult-well I've learned so much--learning the necessary computer skills, the amount of time required to promote your shop, and the thrill of being organized enough to try to keep up with demand-while working full time as a Biologist too.

Why do you think people should learn more about Native American history and culture?

Native spiritual ways teach respect and humility. They also help keep us connected to our planet, and our ancestors. I think it is shameful that we ignore the history of indigenous peoples in the education of our students.

Finally, Why do you think poeple should buy/support handmade?

Buying handmade brings the energy of one person to another and in that way we are all connected.

Miigwech (thanks)- Oh yes, one more thing-please read the story of the Twice Loved Bears-ALL money from the sale of these special upcycled bears supports families on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation-I will list some more soon.


All my relations

Patti

Miigwech (thanks for sharing your craft your experiences and educating us. I'll get those pictures up I promise;-)

Be Well,

Ny

Indie Archives- Interview With Infivision March 2009

I had the pleasure of catching a great interview with Infivision an amazing indie photo artist:)

1. Introduce yourself

Howdy. Yep, that's what we say here in the mountains of Virgina. I'm M. Adam Kendall, and I run http://infivision.etsy.com and the famous Etsy favorites organizer,
http://www.etsyfeeder.com

2. What led you to start creating your art/craft?

My wife really inspires me every day. She is an amazing woman who has battled with Agoraphobia, (an anxiety disorder often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack) yet continues to try to create and deal with the public at large. I had been taking photographs for myself for years, and have always had an artistic background. I finally completed a bachelors degree in Fine Art, and after my wife prompting me, I decided to start selling on Etsy.

3. How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I love photographs. There is just something about being able to capture an image for eternity, and relive that moment over and over again. That's the magical thing about creating things. They will outlive you and last lifetimes.

4. What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I think the most enjoyable part to me is knowing that I am creating something from nothing. I do that on a daily basis in my "day job" as a software developer, and while it may not be "art" the final product is always worth it. I love to be able to provide things that people will use and enjoy.

5. How did you come to find a home on Etsy? do you sell anywhere else?

Etsy has been a long time venue for my wife, and I have followed their rise to success since their very beginnings. Once my wife finally convinced me to share my photographs with the world, Etsy felt like the natural place to do so.

6. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

I would have to say that my favorites have to be my "Car Porn" series of prints.

I've always been into classic vehicles, having owned my first one at the age of 17. Classic vehicles are the ultimate subject of recycling for me. You can find the whole series here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6657760&section_id=5820679

7. What is the best piece of advice you would like to give other give other indie crafters?

I think the best piece of advice I could give is don't sacrifice your art. Sure, you may not be the most popular seller here, or there, or anywhere, but if you don't enjoy the final product yourself, then the passion won't be in the piece. This definitely shows in the final product.

8. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

I think the real value in the handmade movement is getting back to the roots that drove the greatest generation, the WWII generation. We are creating a society of folks to that are relying on technology, not themselves. We are creating young men that have never seen a tool like a wrench or a welder and are baffled when their 3 year old stops the toilet up with too much tissue. The more interest there is in handmade items, the more we can reach out and show folks that if you have the desire, anything is possible. Do things for yourself. Learn. Enjoy creating new things.

9. Tell us about EtsyFeeder.com

Etsyfeeder was originally created to provide RSS feeds, otherwise known as news feeds, for shops that included pictures of their items. Etsy does provide feeds, but it is only text. Folks can't get an idea of what you are selling with just text, so I decided to provide this feature for the community. From there other things somewhat escalated into providing other things that Etsy wasn't providing and that I had the know how to do, like organizing favorites, and a prettified iPhone interface to Etsy. I'm sure that once Etsy releases their official API (programming interface) that more and more cool tools like etsyfeeder will come on the scene.

10. What are your goals for 2009

My goals are pretty simple really, and have nothing to do with selling. I plan to be the best husband I can to my wife, the best father I can to my stepson, and the best person I can to anyone else.

Come follow along on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/infivision for both shop updates and updates on EtsyFeeder

Thanks so much M.Adam@ Infivision ..we look forward to seeing more of your work! Happy
2009

Feature Friday- Indie Interview Archive with a Cozy life

Here are the links to where you can find Cozy:

hop: http://cozy.etsy.com
blog: http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com

I had the pleasure of receiving an Interview from Cozy ....here it is:)

Hi Cozy, Tell us about yourself:
Name, Etsy Store Name and Location.
Kathy Johnston, A Cozy Life, http://cozy.etsy.com

Tell us a little about your Etsy store.
My store is filled with things done by hand that are either knit or crocheted.
I do occasionally sew or quilt but I really enjoy the process of taking a simple
piece of thread or yarn and making something out of it without a machine involved.

Where do you find inspiration?
I am a pack rat and gather books and fibers and like many crafters say wait for them to
tell me what they want to be. I guess I also filter the things around me like color, shape
and textures and use those impressions to make something new.

What made you decide to sell on Etsy??
From the very beginnings of ecommerce on the Internet I looked for ways to sell
crafts online. None of the early craft malls seemed like a good thing for one reason
or another. I had a website for about a year but keeping it up for no sales was so
discouraging. In the fall of 2005 I found a blog mention of a site called Etsy.
I looked around and fell in love. I lurked, learned, and waited until I moved from
Utah to Arizona and then signed up.

Name one weird fact about you or your shop
This one has really stumped me although I will tell you that my family thinks it is
weird that I blog.

How did you come up with your shop name?
I came up with the user name first. I wanted one word that would be
easy to remember. I got the idea for that from an early Etsy seller named Dyno.
Everyone knew who she was. I love the feelings the word cozy implies.
From there the shop became A Cozy Life.

What piece(s)in your store is your favorite or best reflect your style?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11470361
This headband would fit my personal style. I love the softness of the colors and
blue is my favorite color. I don't always work on things that would fit me
personally however. I like to try lots of colors and techniques just to see how
they turn out hoping that they would suit someone else.

What are your goals for this year?
Just more. I would like to get my act together and list more and of course
 sell more. I did craft shows for quite awhile in Utah and of course you always
s make more than you sell. All of that was carefully packed away when
I moved and I need to get more of that out, photographed and listed. I have
a lot of baby items and home decor like table runners in general and holiday fabrics.
I would also like to start quilting again. I have a lot of fabric
and designs sketched out in notebooks calling to me.

What is one piece of advice can you give to other Etsy sellers?
I think most crafters and artists make what feeds their inner self,
soul or what ever name you give it is something they feel driven to do.
I would say follow that, provide great service to customers that
appreciate that drive in you and it will work out.

Thanks Cozy..you ROCK! Take moment to visit her blog too at:http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com

Fabulous Friday Featues- Rehab to the Rescue! A Squeaky Clean Interview with SoapRehab

I had the pleasure of chatting with a green, clean soap making machine -Ok a really cool lady who creates awesome handmade body care products: Soap Rehab!!


1) Tell us about yourself: My name is Sara Addington, I live in southeast Michigan. My shop name is Soap Rehabilitation. http://soaprehab.etsy.com

2)How did you come up with your shop name? During my brainstorming for names, I was focused on coming up with a name that would tell people what I do, and cause people to think about indie bath & body products and the benefits of using them. I also wanted a name that shows a fun side to natural bath and body. Even though I'm focused on green and natural products, and recycle like crazy, I'm more of a funky kinda green girl, so I wanted a name to reflect that aspect my personality as well.

3)When did you make the decision to pursue your art? I was inspired to begin experimenting with all kinds of crafts as a young girl, sitting around my grandmother's table with my mom, sister, and aunts. What a group of crafty women I grew up around. We tried all kinds of arts and crafts together. Once I learned to make soap, and I have been hooked ever since! All we've used in my house for years is my handmade soaps and lotions. I noticed how much our skin improved, and decided to bring it out into the world, so to speak.

3) How do you balance crafting work(if other than Etsy) and everyday life? Right now, Soap Rehab is my work. Our basement is set up as my workspace, giving me a place to remove myself a bit from "home" and concentrate on everything I need to do for this business. My worlds of home and work still are very intertwined, but I try to stick to a schedule I set up for myself in order to make sure I am devoting enough of my time to different areas of my life, and to stay on task. This is a work in progress! I think maintaining balance always requires a bit of adjustment from time to time, evaluating the day and really thinking about how I'm utilizing my time.

4)What are your favorite pieces in your shop. My current favs are my FreshTart Exfoliating Soap, I am really loving the scrubbiness of the tiny apricot seeds in the soap and the juicy fresh scent. and the Chocoholic Body Balm. And the body balm is really helping my super dry skin right now, and I find the chocoholic scent makes me feel positively edible :-)


5) Tell us a bit about being part of the UniqueWomeninBusiness Street Team? This team is an amazing group of supportive women. I have learned from them, laughed with them, shared with them...they are part of my online "family". A great sisterhood is hard to find, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.

6) What do you love most about operating your own creative business? Creating, being able to make things with my own hands, and exploring new things is therapeutic to me. It's a bit magical to watch raw materials turn into something useful, and sometimes also beautiful. The other aspect is the flexibility. Being an indie business owner, when my family is in need, I can adjust my schedule accordingly. This is really important to me, as there are times when my son really needs me and I can be there for him.

7) If you could go back in time to the beginning stages of your venture, what advice would you give yourself? Learn how to take better photos. I realize that selling online means that photos are very important. My early photos were atrocious! I'm getting better, but I know this is an area I could still improve upon.

8) Why do you think consumers should shop handmade? I try to support small businesses whenever I can. I think shopping handmade means putting your money into an area of the economy that stands to have the biggest impact for us all. You're putting that money back into the hands of your neighbors, families, real people just like you and me, with a name, face, and story behind their creations and businesses...not enormous impersonal corporations. And if consumer spending is the biggest marker of a strong economy, I think this could be the best way to pump up consumer spending.

I AGREE!!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk soap, indie business, and in general blab on. :)
Other places to find me: << href="http://soaprehab.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://soaprehab.blogspot.com
-twitter: http://twitter.com/soaprehab
-become a fan on facebook: http://tinyurl.com/csp34c

THANKS SARA!!