• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Lynn Lawson of lawsonfolkart, funky folk art with a flair. I live in North Georgia and belong to the Harris Art Center in North Georgia. Am also affiliated with Blue Ridge Mtn Arts Association. I’m a widow with two grown children. I live with my oldest and 4 beautiful furbabies and 5 fish.

• What is the name of your Shop?

My shop name is: lawsonfolkart

• Please describe your creative process

I paint with acrylics and water color and try to do so every day. I paint on canvas, paper, wood and really anything I can find anywhere.

• Where do your ideas come from?

My ideas come from nature mostly. I love farms and farm animals and the serenity of the country. Having been a city-girl, I miss the culture, but not the hustle bustle of crowds. When I first moved to the mountains from south Florida, we went to a mall and I begged my husband to drive me home right away. I couldn’t stand the crowds talking over each other or the kids screaming. Now I’m fine with it, but at first, no way.

• How did you get into your craft?

I was inspired by my artistic family and won a matchbook cover “draw me” contest at age 9. I continued with art as my major and went to Parsons School of Design (the old one, not the new one) at the urging of my high school art teacher. It was his alma mater.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Play with my dogs, watch art shows, craft shows, hgtv, food network, etc. I read a lot. I sew, crochet and repurpose clothes. I also do gardening and I love to shop. I edit my daughter’s novels.

• How do you promote your work?

I go to shows, use Google base and some other blogs. I also promote by putting my link as my signature in email.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Danelle and I reside still living with my parents in California, and i´m 22! haha. I was not the person, and still am not the person, in a rush to leave my house.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Tagsandbuttons and DAMdesigns

• Please describe your creative process

I think it starts when I lay down. Everytime I’m in bed I can’t sleep very good because i´m just thinking about all the things I could do, should do, or have ideas for. I end up getting up after only having slept long enough to be considered a nap, and start working. I work on all computer related things first, do some promoting, and then move on to any orders I may of hand. I do a lot of custom stuff, so I spend more time working on things as they come. I also have a ton of things I need to make and list that isn;t custom, I do those on the days when I have no other big tasks to complete. I never go a day without doing something.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I kind of inspire myself. If i´m in a slump, or feeling lazy I just think in mind “imagine the people who think you can’t do this, or laugh because they dont understand and think it is pointless.” Every time I think about these types of things I usually get a boost of energy, turn on some music, maybe a show, and start working (multi tasker haha).

• How did you get into your craft?

Well I started with my art shop DAMdesigns. I found Etsy randomly a while back when I was in a random craft mood after finding old hemp jewelry supplies. So I was searching for “how tos” and found Etsy. I came in and for like 2 weeks floated around, finally made an account just to check things out more in depth, and then decided I wanted to sale my art. After a huge amount of time doing that, I was to the point where I almost wanted to give up. But, I didn’t want to quit at something I was working so hard at. So I decided to expand and make a second shop, instead of leaving.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Excuse me, do you mean everyone else has a life? lol! Honestly right now, not much else. I literally spend some 12-15 hour days working on things related to business. Everything I do from the second I get up to thinking while I sleep is about something shop, Etsy, promotiong, or blog realted (I run a big blog that takes a lot of time loveetsyfeedback and co run another big blog that also takes just as much time etsygiveaways). For instance, today is a Thursday. It is the only pre planned day of the week that I for sure go out. I leave at 8am and hang out with my close friend until 3 pm. During this time I will make a few trips to a couple stores to get some supplies, and I have a container of promo items i’m working on for thelittleblackboxes that I will bring over his house, because I know at some point we will be hanging out watching TV and I want to be able to kill 2 birds with one stone and do some work. See? Even when i´m having a life, I’m still doing tons of Etsy related stuff.

• How do you promote your work?

I think the best form of promotion is word of mouth. I have a lot of awesome repeat customers already and they are all so great. Many of them I chat with and keep in contact with. Through the people that love my work, I have had others come to me from being told about me. Besides this? The blogs I mentioned earlier (but those take just as much effort as my shops), being on an awesome Etsy team (EtsyFriends), going in the forums at least once a day and putting my writing into several discussions, using a Myspace (.com/damdesigns), and flickr. Outside of internet promoting, I started with the promotion boxes (thelittleblackboxes and mylittlepurpleboxes), and I have an idea I might do locally but it will cost a lot so i´m not sure yet

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It always amazes me how difficult it is to make that first snip into an old shirt…

I went to a clothing swap on Friday, not knowing what to expect, except that my bag of clothing brought from my own closet would not be coming home with me.  That was difficult for me as well.

I suppose I become attached to clothes – more than I may realize.  I do not have a vast closet full of a lifetime of collected garments.  Nor do I shop for clothes more than a couple times a year.  Yet somehow I treat clothing as precious, even when I no longer feel that a piece of it belongs in my life.  I said goodbye to old clothes that I once wore on a daily basis.  They used to be so “me”.  I am a different me now.

In their stead, I brought home from the clothing swap a bag of things more suited to the me I am now.  And already they make me feel like my inside and outside match a little bit more than before.  New shapes, new fabrics, and new things to cut up and remold into forms that were never intended by their manufacturer.  All new things that are made out of old stuff.  These are objects that are given a second chance.  They all deserve one.

Today was a day of scarves and cuffs fashioned from sweaters I found in my friend’s kitchen during the clothing swap, shirts I have had for years, and pieces of fabric someone was giving away in my boyfriend’s old apartment building.  Funny that every piece would come from such a different trajectory in time and merge on my kitchen floor where I cut them up.  That first cut is so hard to make because the piece of clothing I am trying to resurrect has come such a very long way.  I would hate to make an irreversible mistake.

But it’s hard to make a mistake if you swap old patterns for new ones.

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My name is Jenny Bisch. I currently live in Winnipeg (and plan on staying here after years of moving across Canada) and spend every free moment I have making stuff. I sew, knit, cook, draw, paint, take photos, make films, and have even given ceramics a go. I have a Master’s degree in Anthropology, which is a discipline that values the multiplicity of people’s histories and cultures, so perhaps this explains my scattered and varied interests in the world of arts and crafts. However, all of my creative behaviour falls under one simple rule: I must make things.

I was overjoyed when I came across Etsy as an inexpensive venue for my creations and set myself up on jennymadethis. I hope to put more work into the shop over the next year because my sales are very low. But thanks to the internet, more posting within the site and promotion outside should pay off eventually! I’m also planning on doing more craft shows this holiday season. They are a great way to make you and your work relevant to the community in which you live.

Currently I can’t stop knitting. I haven’t yet sold any knitted items — everything so far has been for me to keep or to give away at Christmas. My sewing, however, has largely replaced painting as a creative outlet. I approach my bags like collages by mixing materials and assembling them geometrically. I work with the restrictions of the material (not the requirements of a pattern) to reduce waste. I use only recycled and second-hand material, which is a bit of a political and ecological statement on my part. We throw so much away in our culture. I think this tendency will be our biggest regret some day in the near future. My biggest inspiration for my work is my compulsion to turn the ugliness of our wasteful behaviour into things that are beautiful and worth keeping.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Paola and I write from Italy, I live near Venice.
I’m a geologist but I couldn’t find my real job jet, so I’m working in a office.

• What is the name of your Shop?

The name of My shop is “PaolaB’s handmade creations” and there is a reserved area in it that is dedicated to “MYacbook Sleeves”.. this is the name of my laptop sleeves, they are first for Mac users, but I’m happy to customize sleeves for every laptop size and model.

• Please describe your creative process

Most of my items are made with felt and cotton fabrics, and in a while I will start to sell round printed labels. I sell also funny sleepers and prints of my macro pictures printed on canvas.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I don’t know where I find my ideas… they comes…

• How do you promote your work?

I try to promote my creations on my blog, etsy forum and showcase… I’m thinking about new ways.

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is DeAnne and I am located in Texas. I am a member of Etsy Dallas.
I have been interested in fashion design since I was a teenager. I have been designing and sewing for many years.

• What is the name of your Shop?

My shop is named DeAnne DeSigns. I sell totes, handbags, baby blankets, aprons and will be adding more as time allows.

• Please describe your creative process

When I shop for fabrics, I get ideas of what I can make from the fabrics that I see in the shops. That is usually the way my creativity starts. Sometimes an idea will just come to me before I see fabrics. My creative process can happen at various times. I like to work with all types of fabrics. Currently I am working on some handbags made from black canvas and lined with fun prints. They will be in my shop soon.

• Where do your ideas come from?

I can be inspired by fabrics, nature and cities.

• How did you get into your craft?

Since I was interested in fashion design, I decided to study fashion design at the University of North Texas. I also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. I was designing clothing back then and I recently started making handbags.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

At this time, I am promoting by business so that DeAnne DeSigns will be what I do. I think with hard work over the years this business will be successful.

• How do you promote your work?

I promote my work through friends, family, MySpace, Facebook and Etsy.
Please take a look in my Etsy Shop!

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

I am an independent designer who is passionate about creating!I am located in Boone, NC and graduation from ASU with a degree in Interior Design.

• What is the name of your Shop?

La Mia Designs, Handbags, accessories, and Home Accents.

• Please describe your creative process

I work at all hours, mostly late at night and on the weekends…whenever I can find time between work and life.I use many different materials, fabric, leather, vintage found items, beads, trims and fringe occasionally.I do a lot of sewing on my industrial machine, I have a serger and home machine too.

• Where do your ideas come from?

Inspiration is found in all aspects of my life, especially my environment, I live in the mtns..so the beauty really inspires me

• How did you get into your craft?

I have sewn many years and it evolved over time especially when I was in college…I have been crafty and artistic since I was little.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I work a full time job at an art supply company, I love to hike, spend time with my husband, cook and enjoy life!

• How do you promote your work?

Internet, blogs, website, chamber of commerce, word of mouth

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• Tell me a bit about yourself

We’re a husband and wife team (Gavin & Erin Thompson) located in eastern North Carolina (United States). We work on our eco-friendly garden creations in our limited free time.

• What is the name of your Shop?

Dinner Time Chimes

• Please describe your creative process

We sort the silverware into fork/spoon/knife bins as we obtain it. When the bins are full and we have some spare time, we flatten them and then it’s time for LOTS of polishing. Finally they are drilled, shaped, and strung into wind chimes.

• Where do your ideas come from?

We are inspired by the “trash” and items cast aside by local people. The items that are given to us or purchased at local markets are transformed into very unique creations. We love the challenge of finding something and brainstorming ideas of how to use it!

• How did you get into your craft?

Erin started making the wind chimes over 10 years ago with the help of her father who’d seen then while travelling. It quickly became a way to earn extra spending money.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

We have recently started remodelling our “new” house and are looking forward to the cooler Fall weather so that we can do more things outdoors in our yard and garden. Erin enjoys making lots of other crafts to stay busy, Gavin enjoys hunting and working with his family on their farm.

• How do you promote your work?

We rely heavily on word of mouth promotion by previous customers and free online advertising. Being an active member of our local NCTriangle Etsy street team is also helpful with networking and learning more about local opportunities such as craft shows. We always have our wind chimes in two local stores which have proven to be a great opportunity for people needing a last minute gift.

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