Skiingweaver

Oy. What a day. It has been SOOOOO busy. I don't really have energy for, like, ANYTHING. All I can say is... make sure you check out my Lucky 7s sale which is going on in my shop tomorrow (7/7/07)! If you need more info, please check out the entry before this.

Since I have no entry and no will to even try to segue into this, here's an interview with a great Etsy seller. Without further ado, here is the wonderful and talented Skiingweaver!

Pink and Brown Ms and Os Handwoven Merino/Silk/Bamboo Scarf

1) Your shop name:
Skiingweaver

2) Your real name:
Kristin Kelley

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I've been eating a lot of Multigrain Cheerios lately, but I really like Special K, too. And granola when I get around to actually making some (and not burning it). Crunch crunch. LOL.

4) When did you begin creating?
Well, I started weaving about six years ago, but I've been into fiber arts since college-ish (twenty years ago! EEKS! How the heck did *that* happen??). My roommate was into cross stitch so I did that for a while as stress-relief, though I got fed up with all the hokey cutie-pie designs pretty quickly. Another housemate taught me how to knit, which I still really enjoy but have a terrible time actually finishing anything. And I stumbled upon weaving more or less on my own, while I was working as a lawyer at a huge Boston law firm with way too little time for a new hobby but a real need for a creative outlet. I bought and built my little four-shaft loom, wove some really hideous dishtowels as my first project, and have been hooked ever since!

5) Got a day job?
I used to be a (very unhappy) lawyer (a litigator, no less). Now I'm a stay-at-home-mom, a day/night/weekend/forever job, I suppose, and I'm a lot happier, though probably more sleep-deprived.

6) Your inspirations:
Fellow weavers. I belong to the Boston Weavers' Guild (the oldest in the country!) and attend monthly meetings, always a huge inspiration. Otherwise, I like to keep my eyes open and really observe the colors in the world around me - I've starting dying yarn (had to stop for a while when I was pregnant with my son) and it's really amazing the color combinations you can come up with when you open your eyes... My mom's garden is a HUGE inspiration!

Stone/Fiber Mixed Media Magnets

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Weirdest? Apart from those hideous dishtowels? Hmmm. Well, I did knit a pair of giant mittens once, intending to felt them into normal sized mittens... They stayed pretty giant and wound up potholders.

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
Daughter Bella (3 years old) and son Conall (four months old). :) Hope they count.

9) Explain your shop name:
It's skiingweaver because they're two of my favorite things to do! Hubby and I are absolutely fanatic skiers/snowboarders/telemarkers (I can wax lyrical about Alta for hours on end) and we've got our daughter on little cross-country skis already too. A perfect day for me would be some fresh tracks in the morning, preferably at Stowe (Vermont) followed by a productive day in my weaving studio... Hopefully someday we'll be able to move further North!

10) Final thoughts?
I'm so happy I found Etsy! The folks here are wonderfully supportive, kind and friendly. It's just a great community, I think. And it's great that it seems to be helping people get their handmade merchandise out there - I love owning something that someone has put time/thought/hard work/love into instead of just another mass-produced widget from Target.

Handwoven Wool/Silk/Bamboo Scarf

Please go visit , and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Lucky 7s Sale!

And now the moment you've all been waiting for (or, the moment you all SHOULD have been waiting for-- geez, pay attention!)!

THE LUCKY SEVENS SALE!

I have chosen seven items from my shop. These are the items I like the very, very best. On Saturday, July 7, 2007 (that's this Saturday - 7/7/07), I am going to be discounting these seven items by 50%!

Which items?

Here we go!

Teeth Love Cards

Tell someone you love them with this set of two adorable wisdom teeth cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

The picture was drawn by my amazing cousin who should open an Etsy shop of her own. Enjoy!

(And if you put the card under your pillow, you'll receive a shiny new tooth!)

Etsy Pinback

Etsy is addictive. Show your addiction with this 1" Etsy pin.

This pin can be custom ordered in any quantity and can be used to promote your Etsy shop.

Music Hearts Card

Be a songbird with this set of two cards made out of card stock and sheet music. They are blank on the inside. They are 5.5" x 4.25". These cards come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Toasty Cards

Drop someone a line in the most adorable way with this set of two toasty cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Rock On Records Cards

Rock out in style with these two awesome cards. These cards are made with card stock and measure 5.5" x 4.25". The inside of the cards are blank, and they come with their own envelopes.

Enjoy!

Music Geekery Cards

What's the seventh item? Why... It's none other than the secret project I've been working on! But you're not getting any more information on that until Saturday!

Hope to see you all stop by my shop! Thanks! :)

Haley's Handmades

Ah. Day one of my two day break from work. Time for some serious Etsy-ing!

What am I up to? Funny you should ask! I'm smoothing out all of the details for my Lucky 7s sale. When's that going down? 7/7/07! (AKA, this Saturday!) In just a few moments, I'm going to be releasing the information as to which products are going to be on sale. It's going to be AWESOME! By the way, the secret project that I've been working on will also be unveiled during the Lucky 7s sale. Hope you check it out!

And speaking of things you should check out... Look at this shop by Haley's Handmades!

Poodles at the Piano handcolored greeting card

1. Your shop name:
Haley's Handmades

2. Your real name:
Haley P.

3. Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Trix :-)

4. When did you begin creating?
I started my business in December of 2006 but have always enjoyed art. I did art throughout high school and college and ended up with a major in Printmaking and Drawing.

5. Got a day job?
Not working for someone else, just me!

6. Your inspirations:
My favorite artist of all time is Winslow Homer and I look at his technique and compositions often. I also love Tasha Tudor and all of the crafts she does so well. And of course poodles!

Bluegrass Poodles greeting cards - set of 4

7. Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Well, I like to think of my poodle cards as unusual and not too weird, but some say differently.

8. Creation you're most proud of:
My large 3 foot by 5 foot print of Poodles Crossing the Delaware.

9. Explain your shop name:
My name is Haley and I personally hand-color all my cards, thus the handmades. I wanted a name that would grow with what I offer too and not limit what I produce.

10. Final thoughts?
Visit my etsy page or my website.

The Birth of Poodles handcolored greeting card

Please go visit Haley's Handmades, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Kiley's Handmade Books

I'm officially on break! Two days off from work! Woooo! I have the Fourth of July off, along with the day after. And you know what my plans are? Sleep! Yesssss!

Things have been really great, though. Well, aside from those awful, demanding, mean customers we had in today. I'm still developing my "secret item", and plans are still in the works for the Lucky 7s sale (which will happen on the same day as the wedding of Kiley's Handmade Books, incidentally).

And speaking of Kiley's Handmade Books...

Stars and Silk Upcycled Kimono Remnats

1) Your shop name:
Kiley's Handmade Books

2) Your real name:
Kiley Watson, Will be Kiley Gwynn on July 7th of this year! Which I know is like *the* wedding day of the year 7/7/07 and really lame- but we didn't pick it for the lucky 7's. We picked it because it happens to be our five-year anniversary- and it happened to be on a Saturday!

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
I'm really not a cereal person. If I have to pick one it would probably be malt-o-meal. Crazy I know, I mean hot cereal is still cereal right? My big problem with cereal is I don't like the taste of milk.

My favorite breakfast is fresh fruit and a breakfast bar of some sort. For months I've been eating two apples, crisp ones like pink ladies or brae burns, but they are way out of season right now, and I had to give them up a few weeks ago. It's not quiet Oregon berry season yet so I've been struggling to find good fruit. I also have a breakfast bar with it, I usually pick those up at Trader Joe's. On the weekends I treat my fiancé and myself to marionberry streusel muffins at a little shop down the street.

4) When did you begin creating?
When I was very young. I don't even remember the first time a paint brush was stuck in my hands. My dad was an art student working towards a BFA when I started grade school. I have always been surrounded by creative people and have learned a lot from them. My favorite item I created when I was young is a glass paperweight I blew one afternoon after school. I went to a "lab school" on campus that was just across the lawn from the art school. I spent many afternoons in the art labs "taking" college art classes.

5) Got a day job?
As far as day jobs go I have a pretty good one. I am a "wholesale operations manager" for African Imports company that imports African Handicrafts. Like my fancy title I made it up myself? We are a small company and I do everything. I'm #2 and in charge while the owner is in Africa and often when she is in charge. Each of our items is hand crafted and designed by us. We have a working relationship with all of our artisans. We use recycled or "upcycled" materials whenever they are available to use; for example, our bone products are made with bone that is procured from local butchers. I have been there for two years but will leave my fancy titled job in the fall to go back to school to take a year of chemistry in hopes to be admitted to a book conservation program.

6) Your inspirations:
My inspirations for my books come from wanting to make the perfect book. Okay, thats a strange answer- the reason I got into bookbinding was to build a 3-D portfolio for admission to graduate school. I think my books show my artistic side more than the more traditional binders I know. I would like to think mine have quite a bit of flair to them.

Stamped and Stabbed

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
I made a Jayne hat for my fiancé last Halloween- it was great. My crochet skills are mediocre but it came out great! Very much so out of my realm of paper!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
At this point it is the wedding books I made for my aunt's wedding presents. They were stunning, and I really didn’t want to part with them! As they were a gift for a family member they aren’t on Etsy but you can see them on my blog. I hope that as I start the books for my approaching wedding they will become what I am the most proud of.

9) Explain your shop name:
Pretty simple really- Kiley’s Handmade Books- My name is Kiley and I made handmade books- lol. I guess I wasn’t feeling very creative. The KupoKiley part comes from the video game series Final Fantasy- The Moogles (adorable little fuzzy creatures) say it- I’m a big gamer and Final Fantasy III for the SNES is one of my favorite games ever.

10) Final thoughts?
I didn’t mean for this to be so long-winded :P
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little bit about me and please stop by lessthanthreedesigns store! She’s a got some great stuff and is a great addition to etsy! Thanks!

Dream Journal Swirls and Stars Hand Decorated Coptic Hardbound Book

Please go visit Kiley's Handmade Books, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!

Mosaico

Wow. It has been EXTREMELY busy around here lately. In the last 4 days alone, I worked 37 hours. That's almost full time. Except for the fact that I did it in 4 days. Wow. That's PROBABLY why I missed making an entry on Friday...

Today is my "slow" day. I only have to go to work from 2-6. Not that I REALLY feel like going at all... but... at least I only have to be there for four hours... It's practically a day off!

So, in honor of this needed "day off", I present to you Mosaico!

Blue Explosion Light Switch Plate

1) Your shop name:
Mosaico

2) Your real name:
Gina

3) Your favorite breakfast cereal:
Old Fashioned Oatmeal.

4) When did you begin creating?
I began creating when I was a teenager. I started by making woven belts on a loom. What can I say? It was the 70s.

5) Got a day job?
Creating is my day job.

6) Your inspirations:
I’m inspired by the belief that everyone’s world would be better without beige switch plates.

Tropical Punch Decorative Switch Plate

7) Weirdest thing you've ever made:
Barbie doll clothes out of Kleenex. Ken was never so happy!

8) Creation that you are most proud of:
My home life.

9) Explain your shop name:
As it evolves, my shop will become more of a reflection of the name mosaico. Mosaic inspired switch plates, boxes, and jewellery will become a big part of the picture.

10) Final thoughts?
I've never been so happy working so many hours. Thanks for interviewing me.

Ivory Coloured Light Switch Plate

Please go visit Mosaico, and keep checking back for more interviews with amazing Etsy sellers!