My First Treasury!

Yea! I got my first treasury today on Treasury West. Here is the link! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=5703

If you aren't down with etsy-land goings on, a treasury is a page where you can pick some of your favorite items from other people's shops and post them for other people to see. They generally have a theme- color, shape, material, subject matter, etc. My theme is FELT! I had a really great time looking through lots of shops in getting ready for the treasury. Enjoy!

Featured Creator- art2theextreme

Today's featured creator is art2theextreme! Nicole is an elementary art teacher and creator extrodinare from Indianapolis. Check out her etsy shop at http://art2theextreme.etsy.com/.

You have a variety of things in your shop- crayons, woodblocks, screenprints, plushies, purses...which is your favorite? How did you come to all of these creative venues?

I have always been creating art and constantly finding new things to try out and create. Thoughout college, I focused mainly on ceramics and printmaking, which are my favorite types of art to create! I also discovered a love for sewing. I make a large variety of handbags from up-cycled clothing and ties (although none are really in my shop at the moment). My tie purses are a popular item when I have them in stock (which should be in the next two months or so when school calms down). I am constantly finding fun and creative things for my elementary art students to create and they inspire me so much. That is why I have recently turned to creating things for kids. Most popular have been my Rainbow Crayons and Jumbo Rainbow crayons.My boyfriend’s mother creates the plushies and doll cloths that can be found in my shop. At first, her items were selling more than mine!! I do sell a wide variety of things and some say that I should have separate shops, but I do not see an issue and I have a little “Something for Everyone…”

At your "day job" you are an elementary art teacher. How do you find time to run an etsy shop, blog, advertise, and still teach your kiddos?

Wow.. what a question! I do not know where the time even comes from because I am constantly working! I come straight home from school (I am a FIRST YEAR elementary art teacher) and immediately begin working on my Etsy, blog, and the ACEO book I am publishing. It keeps me very busy. I am even working for a company in NY right now as well. What keeps me going and keeps me sane is my very supportive boyfriend (who is not currently friends with my computer or Etsy right now) and wonderful family. My dad owns his own business, which is where I assume I get my drive and want to put myself and my art out there in the first place. Organization is key for me. I have to do lists and try not to think of EVERYTHING that I have to get done or it gets too overwhelming. It took me a while to learn how to stop, breathe, and let everything go when I reach the point where I need a break and time to relax.

I remember getting in trouble when I was little for trying to melt crayons in the microwave. Your crayons put a huge smile on my face! Do you recycle the crayons from your classroom? If not, where do you find the crayons?!

I know a few kids who tried to do that as well (cough cough). Thank you for your kind comments and I am glad they make you happy. They are my most sold item right now and I have even taken a few wholesale orders recently. Those butterfly crayons drive me insane when I wholesaled those. They are so much fun to use though. The idea came from my texture unit I was doing with my kindergarten classes. They were excited to “make their own crayons” (at that point I was melting them in the oven with Dixie cups) We used glue on manila file folder rectangles to make patterns and shapes. When the glue dried, each student got their own rainbow crayon and used them for a texture rubbing. We made a huge mural for the hallway using the crayons and patterns the students made. I do used recycled crayons. Over the past year, many teachers have given me boxes of old crayons that are not as good to use with art projects. I have TONS from over the years and a few local preschools have donated them to me (I even traded for some of my shaped crayons). I have been trying to contact Crayola and Rose-Art to see if they will sell me a bulk supply of crayons without wrappers, but cannot get anyone yet.

Describe your creative environment.

Since I am a first year teacher, I have a smaller apartment (I have purple walls since this is the only time in my life I can really paint something purple), so I create everywhere and anywhere. My kitchen is not very functional as a kitchen at the moment since the crayon factory took over. My dining room table has been turned into a pendant making station, my bedroom has turned into my office, and various projects I am working on can be found all over my apartment. I am normally a very organized person, but you would not know it by the looks of my creative mess. When I move to a house, I am hoping to have a HUGE studio!

Why do you create? (I know that's a broad question, so answer however you like!)

Creating art is a stress reliever for me. I love the idea of being able to make things for people or being able to sell my work at affordable prices. I believe that art should be affordable and I love teaching others how to create the things I love to make. I always have something new I want to try. The only problem is finding the time to make it or having too many projects going at once.

I love community and collaborative projects! I have recently put together an ACEO art book that I am publishing that features Etsy artists and my elementary school student ATC art. All the proceeds from the book go to ACEO education and buying the students books to help them create the Artist Trading Cards. More about this project can be found on my second blog:http://createcollecttrade.blogspot.com/of in the listing for Create. Collect. Trade. In my shop!

My New Motto

I found this card last weekend in a cute little shop near my apartment. It says "Never let the urgent crowd out the important." -Kelly Catiln Walker. I hung it right where I can see it while I am sitting at my desk. Life moves too fast, and I need to remember to prioritize with my heart, not with my dayplanner!

Um, I like buttons.

I was working on a bracelet last night, and realized how funny my desk was. It covered in buttons. Here is the pandemonium on my desk, and the finished product!

Featured Creator- calexandra

My next featured creator is Charlotte Alexandra , and 34 year old Mum to 18 month old Molly. They live together in Newcastle, UK. Check out her shop at: http://calexandra.etsy.com/. I love her wonderful wool creations!

What is your favorite thing about creating? Why do you do it?

I NEED to do what I do, Creating fills my soul and makes me truly happy.When I was 26 I studied photography in London and needed to make some extra money as it's an expensive place to live, I started making greeting cards and it just grew from there. I found that textiles are where my passion lies. I honestly wouldn't know what else to do for the rest of my life if I didn't sew. I took alot of classes over the years and just experimented in the evening with different crafts.

Do you wet felt roving wool for most of your creations? I can see some items include knitting as well. Do you also needlefelt? Which is your favorite technique? Why?

I wet felt, I did a years course and just fell in love with it. It's hard work but the results are worth it, I also love knitting but because wool is quite expensive here in the UK, and because I like to sell my items at a reasonable price, I don't knit as much as i'd like. I have not tried needlefelting yet but it's on my list of things to do! Felt is incredibly strong and very easy to sew.

What is your creative environment like? Sights, sounds, colors, time of day, etc.

I always create at night, even before I had Molly. Ive always been a night owl and stay up most nights until 2am. The feeling of being up when all is sleeping is magical to me and the ideas just flow. I have a huge bookcase in my very pretty sitting room and it holds all of my materials, everything is within arms reach. I am trying to teach myself to sew on the machine but time is an issue, handsewing is a little limiting with some material so i'll keep learning. I have candles all around, soft lights and put movies on, I can work and watch my favorite films at the same time. And a big must is lots of cups of tea.........typically english!

Do you have a "day job"?

Im a full/time single Mum at the moment, In my 20's I worked all over, studied lots of craft courses and travelled around the world. Its great to have these few years in my first home, its tough juggling life when you raise a child alone but for me it just works. My one must have is my car, we go out and about and have a wonderful time exploring the countryside. Im incredibly happy and my work feeds us so im not struggling. When Molly goes to nursery next year I plan to go to University to do a part-time textiles degree. This is why I set up my shop on Etsy as I need to raise the funds! I want Molly to have a great future and ill work hard for it.

How do you advertise for your shop? Do you sell locally?

I have a craft stall here in the UK and I have a website that I built www.sewlovely.co.uk Im working on selling my work in stores but at the moment time is an issue as I handsew everything! Also all of my items are one offs so im trying to build up a good body of work to show. The thing about selling in stores too is that they mark up the price alot for my work and that's not what I want. I want to sell affordable items that people love and want more of.

Where do you get most of the ideas for your creations?

It sounds corny but honestly they just happen! I dont sketch or make notes. I just decide what I want to make, a hat or a brooch, I look in my material box and off I go! Its very natural to me now, sometimes things don't work and then I just change direction and make it into something else!

The local yarn store!

This week I took a trip to the local yarn store, Village Wools. If you are in the Albuquerque area check it out- the ladies there are super helpful! (I think I was there for about an hour and a half). When I first began learning crochet, I thought it was completely silly to pay so much for yarn when I could get it at Hobby Lobby! (or any other large chain craft store.) But I have realized how much the quality and creativity that goes into making those quality yarns makes your projects that much better. (I jokingly told ma family last week that I needed to have a sheep farm so that I could just make my own yarn! haha). So, here is a picture of the new addition to my yarn stash this week! It is feltable wool, and was actually less expensive than the kind sold at Hobby Lobby and Michael's! Thanks Cascade Yarns for your pretty heather colors!

Where do you get your yarn? What are your favorite brands?

Featured Creator- jhartphotography

My second featured creator is jhartphotography, a photographer and fellow etsian. I was struck by the beauty and originality of her work when I visited her shop at http://jhartphotography.etsy.com/. I asked her a few questions about her work so that you can have more insight into her fabulous artwork. Please give her a look!

When and how did photography become your chosen medium?
That's a good question! I have been interested in the arts all my life. I started playing piano at the age of 5 and also took ballet for a number of years. Both of which I regret to say I quit (I believe in having regrets and I have many. I learn from them). I also loved to draw though never really dabbled in painting. Honestly, I don't remember when I first became interested in photography but I know I was young. My mothers hobby was photography and I remember getting up early in the morning on weekends and pulling out the slide projector and going through her slides for hours. Some were just shots for memories but some were so beautiful. She gave me her camera when i was a freshman in highschool and it's probably been since then that i really connected with it. I put it (photography) down and left it on many, many occasions but, for the past 5 or so years it's really been "the one".


Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
I find inspiration from numerous places/things. I'm mostly driven by a feeling I have. Either it's a feeling I have or a feeling uncovered. It could be when I see something or when I hear something. Or it could be a feeling I have within myself that I need to find a way to express. Self expression is very important to me. Sometimes just saying something isn't enough... though most of my images may not be so explanatory in regard to what they mean to me. That's okay. I find that most people who admire my work find their own emotional connection. We all desire connection in some form or another. I'm happy to have my images be a conduit whether the connection is with me or completely within the person viewing.


Do you have a "day job?"
I do not have a "day job" other than photography, though, some days it seems like that would be a very nice distraction. I have two young children and I have taken time to give them as much attention as I can. As they grow older I'm able to focus more and more on my photography.


Many of your photos are described as "artist's self portrait." Is that because you are personally in the photos, or you think the photos describe you?
Part of this question I think I may have answered within my answers above but, to be more specific.... anything I have described as "self portrait" is an image that has some part of me in it and also describes me in some sense. Many of my photos could be described as self-portraits even if I'm not in them since they can be symbolic of something I feel or felt at the time.

Crafting Karma

I've got a big smile on my face this morning because etsy designer dottyral featured me on her blog! Go check it out! Thanks dottyral!

http://indiefindsonetsy.blogspot.com

Needle felting

So, I guess my three favorite creative activities right now are centering around felting, needle felting, and embroidery. Man if you haven't checked out needle felting, you are missing some serious opportunities to express all that pent up stress in your life!

Basically, needle felting is where you have two layers of animal fibers (wool, alpaca, mohair, angora, etc) and you stab them with a felting needle until they mush together. (A silly description, but the truth!) The fibers themselves are covered with small spikes (think about those shampoo commercials where you see "dry hair" up close in a microscope). The special needle you are stabbing with also has small prongs on it that agitate the fibers and make the little hair prongs grab onto each other! It is good for stress relief because you have to stab quickly, and a bunch of times for everything to felt together.

You can use this process to create 3-D figures or decorations, or like me, you can embellish a piece of felted crochet! All you have to do is make sure that the materials are 100% non-super wash wool. I save my yarn scraps for felting (as seen above), but lots of folks use "roving wool."

Here are a few of my needle felted projects!

A new medium for felting

I did a little experimenting this week, and came up with some cool designs for a new crochet accessory- a ring! I was feeling sad for the end of of winter with it's scarves, hats, and other warm goods. I think this will be a good outlet for my yarn cravings! I'm excited about the versatility of the little square of felt- it's a perfect canvas for embroidery and needle felting.

So, here's a few pictures of my first felted rings, and a glimpse of them on the stove getting felted!