Search results (tags) for: "art"

Facts and Fancies: Quilts

2010-03-19T11:15:00-04:00

A favorite quilt can bring its owner comfort, warmth and security. It can be an heirloom that is passed down to future generations, reminding a family of their history. I am a self-taught quilter who has been quilting for the last 15 years. As a member of the Quiltsy Team here on Etsy, I participated in quilting the giant quilts for Etsy's new office.

In this quilting installment for the Facts and Fancies series, I'll give you some insight into the different materials used in quilts and the varying styles and techniques of quilts.

Photo of KimsCraftyApple, more in her Flickr set

Before we start, Webster Mirriam’s dictionary defines a quilt as "a bed coverlet of two layers of cloth filled with padding (batting) held in place by ties or stitched designs." While this holds true for most, not all techniques considered quilting fit this definition, and I will introduce you to those, too.

A baby quilt by theloveliestbloom

Size: Measure It Out
It is important to know your sizes when buying a quilt for a bed. Before purchasing a quilt, you should take the mattress size of your bed and measure all around the bed for the amount of overhang you would prefer and add those measurements to the mattress size to get the quilt size you need. You can find the standard dimensions for mattresses here.

Photo by Leslie from curlycrafter

Fabric: Color, Pattern, and Combination

"I am inspired by fabric; a new line of fabrics is like a flower garden in full bloom, choosing the right combination to make the perfect bouquet." — Carlene Westburg of quiltville

Most quilters like to use 100% cotton quilting fabrics. There are different grades of fabric in the manufacturing process. Normally, a mill will run tests on new designs to test for colors. This fabric is often sold to discount stores at a lesser price. Keep in mind that this test fabric often has a lower thread count and will shrink more and the colors may bleed and/or fade due to this. Most quilt shops sell the better grade with higher thread count. This fabric is more expensive, averaging about $9/yard in the U.S., but if taken care of properly, it can last for centuries and is well worth the investment.

Recycled materials are increasing in popularity with the push towards more environmentally friendly products, though upcycled quilts have been, for quite some time, a traditionally thrifty way to make do with fabric scraps.

MamakaMills' quilt made from repurposed men's shirts

Photo by Ashlawnfarms, who sells batting supplies

Batting: Know Your Quilt Inside Out
There are many types of batting available for the middle of a quilt. These varieties help define the form and the feel of a quilt. I'll lay out some of the pros and cons to consider for your particular needs.

Cotton is the most popular. It is soft, washable, breathable, cool, comfortable and relatively affordable. It does shrink and will give you a puckered, vintage look when washed and dried in a machine.

Cotton/Polyester is loftier than cotton and shrinks less. It is also more stable than and has the breathability of cotton.

Polyester is lightweight and puffy. This is the batting to use if you like a sleek and modern look. It is the least expensive, non-allergenic and non-shrinking. The down-side is that it doesn’t breathe and has the most impact on our environment due to chemicals.

Wool is more expensive, and it is light and fluffy and naturally flame-retardant. Some of the negatives are allergies and moths. If it is not hand washed and laid flat to dry, it will felt.

Bamboo is the most recent addition to the batting industry. It is more expensive, but it has the breathability of cotton and is machine washable. It also has less impact on our environment because bamboo does not need chemicals to grow.

Photo by sarahsquiltsncrafts

An Investment of Time and Materials
Have you ever wondered why quilts are priced as they are and why their prices can vary widely? An obvious pricing variable would be the grade of materials used in a quilt, but let us consider the amount of materials needed and the hours of labor performed. A baby/toddler quilt uses approximately 4-5 yards of fabric for a 45”x60” quilt. A king-size quilt uses approximately 14-16 yards of fabric. Multiply that by the price per yard and add the cost of other supplies needed, such as batting and thread and you have a figure for supplies only. There is no standard for hours of labor in a quilt, as it varies greatly depending on the quilter. Some smaller quilts with very basic patterns may take 5 -10 hours to make, while more detailed and larger quilts can take hundreds of hours!

Photo by domoshar, more about this process on her Flickr

Styles and Techniques

"The versatility of fabric as a base medium creates vibrant possibilities for home decor, bedding and bath, and wall hanging art. The vast variety of fabric types and styles allows for infinite combinations of a visual and tactile variety, and fabric's natural warmth brings energy and soothing warmth to any space." — Lisa Penney of pennyfabricart

There are so many types of quilts you can find on Etsy. Here are some of the techniques you'll see referred to as you browse Etsy's Quilt Category — don't hesitate to explore the experiments going on in today's quilting world as well as the time-honored traditions!

Handstitching photo by Lucy, more on her lovely blog Quilting with the Past

A hand quilted quilt is just as the name implies. No machine is used and the quilter stitches the three layers together, by hand, using a running stitch. A machine quilted quilt is quilted on a standard sewing machine or a commercial grade quilting machine, which can accommodate larger quilts with easier maneuverability and can be finished in less time. The other option is to tie the quilt. The quilter uses embroidery floss, yarn or another type of string to tack the three layers together in a grid using a knot.

Photo by Sue from andrusgardensart

A hand pieced quilt is a quilt top whose many pieces has been sewn together by hand, using a needle and thread. A hand pieced quilt may be hand or machine quilted.

An appliquéd quilt, such as this Tree quilt by allthenumbers, uses the process of sewing one or more smaller pieces of fabric onto a larger background. This appliqué can be accomplished by hand or machine using various decorative stitches.

A crazy quilt is made of irregular scrap pieces or blocks of irregular scrap pieces, and these are often embellished with embroidery stitches and do not usually have a layer of batting. They may consist of different types of fabric, such as cotton, velvet, satin, etc. Check out this Cat crazy quilt by clubaloha.

A quilted fabric postcard can be mailed using one self-adhesive first class stamp. They have a top layer, a filling and a back, just like a quilt. The minimum card and letter size for US Postal Service mailings is 3 ½” x 5”. Most quilted fabric postcards measure 4” x 6”.

Sailboat Quilted Fabric Postcard by SewUpscale

A miniature quilt is a reduced or scaled down version of a full sized quilt. Generally, it is 1/12th the scale of the larger quilt. Here's an example in purple and pink by Pamelaquilts.

In an art quilt, the artist applies art principles — and sometimes art experience from other areas, like drawing, painting and photography. These often include different textures of fabric and stitching, as in bbusbyarts's Urchin II quilt, made with iridescent silk dupioni. The quilter often intends for you to hang the piece on your wall, as you would a painting or other decorative art.

A rag quilt is usually comprised of flannel or homespun material with raw edges of seam allowances that are exposed and then cut to form a soft fringe. roryunraveled, who made the twin rag quilts below, told me that "Rag quilts (the way I make them) are reversible — no official 'front' or 'back' like traditional quilts. Choose to display the clean, finished side folded at the end of your bed or snuggle with the comfy, raggy side while reading a book — whatever you're in the mood for at that moment. And babies just can't get enough of those frayed, fringy edges."

A patchwork quilt is made by sewing patches of different fabrics together, usually in a pattern or formation.

Patchwork quilt by Quiltville

A cathedral windows quilt has this distinctive look you see in my pillow cover at right. This technique has no batting and rarely a backing, but has been considered a favorite type of quilt by many quilters. I love making cathedral window projects because of the origami-like technique, the stained glass window effect (especially when done with batiks), and the portablilty of the project — due to the large amount of hand sewing required.

There are other experiments to explore in the Quilts Category. thePATchworksshop quilted this piece from vintage fabrics, embellished it with the rusty star, and framed it for a rustic look.

Covering It All
Whether you are searching on Etsy for a quilt that reminds you of nights spent at Grandma’s house, as a child, or something a bit more modern and artistic, I hope that you have gained the knowledge you need to find the perfect quilt for you.

Here's one happy customer:

This photo shows Daniel "relaxing in his nice tidy room, with our lovely new Sky Parlour Quilt from skyparlourquilts! We chose fabrics that matched all our bedding, and they've tied together beautifully. Even the stitching is all hand-guided, in a matching heraldic pattern, PLUS it's in the prettiest graduated thread that is pink, orange and purple. Love!"

Tell us your quilt stories in the comments below!

Nursery Decor With Joanna Goddard From Cup of Jo

2010-03-17T15:07:00-04:00

Joanna Goddard runs Cup of Jo, a blog all about design, fashion, photography, weddings and bicycles. She's also a magazine writer and writes a daily blog for Glamour Magazine. Joanna lives in the West Village in New York City with her husband and lots of Etsy finds.

My husband and I are expecting our first baby — a little boy — this June. We're so excited and really want to create a space that will be warm, welcoming and baby-friendly. As we decorate the nursery and put together our baby shower registry, we've been scouting through all the amazing handmade and vintage wares on Etsy. Here are a few of our favorite things. We hope the baby will like them, too...

Artwork

As the baby wakes up from a nap, he can gaze at some gorgeous artwork. We were drawn to the daydreamy prints from kikiandpolly, like this girl in the yellow suit...

...and SharonMontrose's animal photos (especially that droopy-eyed basset hound!)...

...along with this cheery print from Spanish artist blancucha...

...and Banquet's arctic animal poster, with fox and reindeer.

Mama

For walking around the city, moop's canvas market bag could double as a (chic) diaper bag...

...and this reversible sling carrier from polkadotpapoose has such pretty fabric.

Feeding

For feeding time, this bunny bib from tadpolecreations would do the trick...

...and littlealouette's fawn wooden teether is lovely and natural.

Decor

To brighten up the nursery, this wall chart from SimpleShapes could track his growth spurts...

...and lilsprinkles' fabric flag garland would make every day feel like a party.

Toys

Finally, of course, every baby should have some toys, so how about this organic cotton sailboat from willowbaus?

...Or plush veggies from GoBuggy (the pat of butter on this corn on the cob makes me laugh)...

...and Imaginationkids' sun stacker blocks? So cute!

Thanks so much for having me, and please come say hello at Cup of Jo anytime!

More Guest Curator Posts | Handmade Kids Series | Children Category

I Heart Art: Portland — Fab Event & Upcoming Workshops

2010-03-16T17:00:00-04:00

The I Heart Art: Portland kick-off party was a thrill! I Heart Art: Portland is a pilot project representing the new relationship between Etsy, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Museum of Contemporary Craft, and the Portland Etsy Team. We had so much fun mixing and mingling and meeting friends face to face.

Photo by Heather Zinger PNCA '10

It was an all-ages group of about 500 people in PNCA's open gallery space — and the beer didn't run out until right at the last second. Perfect! I don't think I've ever seen so many business cards exchanged, and our Etsy bags, cards and calendars were given away in an instant. Matt, who had reached out to PNCA, the museum and the team back in August, was there in spirit. Morgan and I answered questions about Etsy and gave hugs. Good times!

The best part of the party was that the Portland Etsy Team had an exciting announcement to make: they are organizing a series of professional development workshops, all free and graciously hosted at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. Freshly printed gocco flyers about the workshops were being fanned all around the party.

There was a ton of interest, so if you're in the Portland area and want to attend the workshops, visit the IHeartArtPDX.com website and RSVP there. The first workshop with Ryan of littleputbooks was this past Saturday. Ryan has graciously agreed to share some tips with everyone here on the blog — we'll post those on Wednesday. We also encourage you to sign up for their email newsletter to stay abreast of what is happening. Here are all the important ways to be in touch:

Website/blog: www.iheartartpdx.com
Twitter Feed: twitter.com/iHeartArtPDX
Facebook: facebook.com/iHeartArtPDX
Flickr Group: flickr.com/groups/iheartartpdx
(for photos of the event by other people, and photos of people making things, no promos)
Portland Etsy Team Blog: pdxetsy.wordpress.com

Photo by Heather Zinger PNCA '10

The event — and the whole I Heart Art initiative — centered on connectivity through arts and business education and community outreach. We're impressed by the Portland Etsy Team's get-up-n-go and PNCA and the MOCC's support of independent arts in their community.

Isaac MCing, Vanessa, Morgan & Ann Hudner of PNCA (left to right). Photo by Heather Zinger PNCA '10

We couldn't have done it without the help and leadership of Ann Hudner and Leslie Miller from PNCA, as well as their awesome student volunteers, coordinated by Holdentees. Members of the Portland Team really shone that night. ibwatson was the whirlwind organizer, along with slumptown who made a killer slideshow and decorations, while piperewan manned the social networking and button-making table, and bossanovababy was a force on the gocco printer. Leahpellegrini and curlygirlglass put together a delicious spread of food, donated by Food Front Coop — though the cupcakes by curlygirlglass and Holdentees stole the show.

rubygirl, who along with Leahpellegrini is coordinating the workshops, made a ring from the event's handmade buttons! Check out the Related Items below for more members who played a crucial role putting together the event, and see the Flickr Group Pool and PNCA's photos too.

We also want to share our Flickr photos from our trip. We paid a visit to the inspiring Trillium Artisans shop where Christine of EyePopArt gave us a tour.

Then BreadandBadger went with us to lunch at the distinctively Portland food carts! We were staying at the Ace Hotel, which definitely has that Etsy vintage vibe, and had drinks with Susan Beal of Westcoast Crafty, Kate Bingaman-Burt from Obsessive Consumption, Jena from Modish and Amanda Blake of Thisisalliknow. We visited swordandfern's boutique and the Grass Hut's comic shop/gallery, where tripperdungan presides over some beautiful pieces by apak amongst others. This poem, by KinokoGallery, one of the Etsy sellers and PNCA students we met, better captures the spirit of our trip than I ever could!

Photo by Heather Zinger PNCA '10

The trip was as fabulous as these vintage ladies' outfits!

Shop Local Portland | IHeartArtPDX.com

Quit Your Day Job: dolangeiman

2010-03-15T16:20:00-04:00

Dolan of dolangeiman claims to be a no B.S. kind of guy. Today he outlines his creative journey toward selling his artwork as a full-time job, through which he can support himself and his fiancé, save money for retirement, and have adequate business and health insurance. Dolan worked in various positions after college, including an entertainment host job at a nightspot in Chicago, before meeting his fiancé and working together to formulate a business plan for his art career. Keep reading to find out why Dolan's task lists make him feel sorry for his future children, why an email newsletter is the cornerstone to his marketing, and how a daily dose of chocolate fits into this recipe for success.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
To answer this question, I’m going to drop you in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia 25 years ago. You will see a large, brick colonial farmhouse built in 1796. If you look closely at the bricks, as I did on that day, you would notice that they contain small bits of quartz, gravel, rock and shell. My mother told me that 200 years ago, women and men dug deep into the creek, pulled up large chunks of thick muddy clay, packed the clay into rectangles and then put them into a large oven to create bricks. I couldn’t comprehend this type of creating entirely, but something ignited inside me and I became intensely interested in making something, anything. That summer, and many summers thereafter, my mother and I smashed poke berries in big horse troughs, dipped T-shirts and skirts in the purple brine to create our own dyed fabrics and constructed wooden mouse-trap-style games out of old wood scraps. My mother was never at a loss for new activities.

When I was a little older, she started her own art career as a watercolor artist. She participated in art fairs around the state, and through her sales she was able to put me through college — and suggested I study art. During school, when I needed money, the first thing that came to my mind was “What can I make to sell?” I relied on my creativity because it was the one thing I possessed that set me apart from others. After college, I switched gears a lot but always found avenues to sell artwork, whether on the street or in a gallery or at a friend’s office over a lunch break. I learned that if I treated my artwork as a business, I could figure out formulas for selling and creating that would last longer than a few months. And here I am!

Tell us about your previous working situation.
I have had a sundry of work experiences, but my most recent job was working at a club in downtown Chicago. I needed cash and I needed it badly. I was selling art at a few art fairs, but I was still not connected with the right people — this was before Etsy and the blogosphere. So I thought, “Where can I work where I can meet people and tell them about my art in a way that doesn’t seem underhanded?” The natural answer, of course, was in the realm of nightlife. After I was hired as an entertainment host, my manager said, “Okay, here’s what the boss wants you to do: show up on time, dress like a crazy artist, be creative, and make the guests happy.” Done. The first day of my job I dressed in drag. The next night I created an outfit that was part pirate, part geisha, and the theme changed every night — people loved it. After a while, though, the long nights started to wear me down, and I wasn’t spending enough time with my fiancé and art business partner, Ali. Our relationship was slipping and just about the time we were beginning to struggle, a friend of mine showed up looking for a couch to crash on. He happened to be a web designer, so we “hired” him to design and code a website for us in exchange for room and board. With the website creation and launch we were able start down a more direct path with my artwork, leaving the entertainment job behind.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Well, when I first started selling on Etsy I had just shifted my focus from selling my clothing line (Rescued Clothing) and was trying to feel out the market for my print work. I was still heavily participating in art fairs and wanted to see if I could travel less and spend more time creating. I had dabbled in e-commerce before, but I thought Etsy would provide a more structured and trusted marketplace for my customers. I also wanted to connect with a larger audience — so when I sold my first print to Australia, I was ecstatic! A few months later, I was contacted by Elle Girl Korea and then Glamour Netherlands, both interested in promoting my work. These things never would have happened if I hadn’t made a shop on Etsy.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time? Feel free to give us the nitty gritty business details.
Ali and I did develop a business plan for everything we are doing today. It wasn’t a formal plan that you’d take to the bank to request a loan, but we did define a vision and the different ways we could use my creativity to make money. I did a lot of odd jobs like functional shelving using my Rescued Wood Construction aesthetic and creating small collages for party favors, as well as the clothing line I mentioned before. Over time, we started selling enough artwork that we could focus our operations on the artwork business. Ali also worked full time, then part time and finally one day a week with an art non-profit to help supplement our income. During this period of defining and growing our business, Ali also did a tremendous amount of reading and research, digging into all sorts of business models. When you’re first starting out, it’s helpful to join the newsletters, read the blogs, and follow the tweets of all the artists and businesses that you find inspirational.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
We try to drive most of the traffic to our Etsy shop via our various websites (dolangeiman.com, Facebook, Twitter, etc). Each site is a piece in an interconnected marketing plan, circulating traffic around to each of our different online spokes. We also drive a lot of traffic to the shop by way of including our Etsy shop URL in addition to our main website on the majority of our print collateral. We distribute thousands of postcards at art fairs each year and each card includes instructions for shopping online.

As far as sales go, our best marketing tip is to distribute an email newsletter. This has been the cornerstone of our marketing plan for a long time. Unfortunately, sporadic text-based email newsletters just don’t cut it these days. Thankfully, there are a lot of software providers that cater to creative types and small business owners. We work with Patron Technology — their niche is arts, non-profits and creative businesses and they offer many e-marketing resources for newcomers.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
Any time anyone comes to me with a proposal that reads like this I am dubious: “We’d love to have your art. The pay isn’t great, but you’ll get great exposure and we’ll heavily promote your work.” Be wary of these kinds of promotional deals. Unless it’s for your mom’s church group or a really large company with the clout to back it, don’t give your creativity away for free.

Walk us through your typical workday.

7 a.m. My alarm sounds (or pre-alarm at 6:00 - 6:30 by our cat, Racine).
Make some hot tea (I stopped drinking caffeine a year ago per the doctor’s orders. (“You say you get these panic attacks after ten cups of coffee, huh?”)
Get dressed and eat some cereal or bacon and eggs. I love bacon.
Head to the studio, which is five minutes away. We saved our pennies so we could eventually separate church and state, and I’ve been living in an apartment away from my studio for a few years now. I love it.
8:30 a.m. If any orders came in the previous day, I take this time to package those and take them to FedEx for shipping. I find I am a little more alert in the a.m. and less likely to send a package to New Zealand that is marked for New Jersey. (It has happened. Somewhere in the great mail room in the sky there is a piece of art waiting for a home.)
9:30 a.m. I am already started on a project or my task list for the day. Ali creates wonderful task lists — I already feel sorry for our children, should we ever have them. A list of chores is one thing, but a typed, single-spaced document with a list of jobs and their corresponding time limits is a totally different force to contend with.
12:00 p.m. By noon, I am knee-deep in a pile of paintings or collages. I usually have several projects going at once. Right now, for example, I am working on three commissions, five small paintings and putting the finishing touches on six other pieces. Working this way helps me to stay focused on the larger picture and also keeps me from getting burnt-out. If I start to lose focus on a piece or if it’s just frustrating me, instead of painting over it I will move on to another piece and then come back to the other later.
12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch happens at some point during this time. Sometimes Ali and I will have time during lunch to start discussing recent phone calls or emails, but usually I am just hungry and eat like a wild animal. It’s kind of like high school in that I try to scarf down everything in fifteen minutes and then rush to the next class, or in my case, the next painting.
2:15 p.m. After lunch Ali and I go over any pertinent emails, like interviews or client questions, or larger items on the task line. This is also where I contemplate making a run for chocolate.
3:15 p.m. I get back from the corner store where I have just overdosed on chocolate bars. Then I dive into some emails.
4:00 - 9:00 p.m. By this time I am ready for my second wind. This is when I try to work on larger artwork and get started on pieces for the next day or two, allowing them to dry for the next day. This is also when I try to find some seriously upbeat music to play. If I can get in a groove and be left alone for these few hours of the day, I can usually knock out a lot of work.
8:00 - 11:00 p.m. Dinner happens sometime in this time range, it fluctuates. I don’t like to stop for anything when I am on a roll, but sometimes a juicy BBQ sandwich just calls to me.
12:00 a.m. I try to be in bed by midnight these days. Once the art fair season rolls around, less sleep happens, so I try to stock up when I can. Being in bed by midnight allows me an hour or two of reading before Racine eventually crawls up and bites me on the nose to tell me it’s time to go to sleep.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Most of my fans and peers know me as a straight shooter, so I’m not going to B.S. the readers here. Working for myself is no joke. For me to succeed in the way I want to — that is, selling enough of my artwork to support myself and my fiancé, save money for retirement each month, and have adequate business and health insurance — I have to work each and every day. This is not a fantasy world of little butterflies and crocheted kittens (well, not always). It’s a brutal business and can be a little harrowing at times. I love it, but it’s definitely not a cake walk.

When Etsy came along, Ali and I did back flips because we knew that a ton of the hard work was being done for us. How else can you get your art in front of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world and have this work be for sale in a trusted marketplace for any consumer to browse through? It’s brilliant. And it works while you sleep, which I love, because I have already tried to work while I sleep with no great success. I guess to revisit the question, the part I enjoy most about not having to work for someone else is knowing that all the hard work I am doing is actually for a purpose and that everything I work on has a clear result.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
The most difficult part of running my own business is learning how to take a break. It’s crucial for the creative mind to step away from the art realm every now and then and get refueled. For me, down time means convening with nature, being outside. In Chicago, it’s a little hard to be outside all of the time so I have to find other methods of relaxing. I’m doing yoga now and going to more events around town, but it’s really hard to beat a mountain stream for some deep meditation.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
I think if I went back in time I would probably tell myself to invent Etsy. Also I would probably tell myself to eat more bacon and go fishing more — which, honestly, is still sound advice for me today. As far as real business advice, I would say find something you really enjoy doing because that will outlast all of the hurdles and obstacles in your life and, at the end of the day, will be meaningful. It’s a proven fact that if you enjoy what you do you will be more efficient and more productive. Etsy has a gazillion Forum posts and newsletters to help you along the way. And you can always email me, as well. Yes, I do have a consulting fee, but I am willing to reduce the rate for gifts of chocolate.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I’d like to find a way to bring larger clients to my Etsy shop and convince them that it’s okay to spend $3,000 buying artwork via Etsy, like they do at art fairs. If I can convince my clients to purchase my larger works from my online shop then I will travel less and be able to focus more on new projects and new creative avenues.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I haven’t really introduced Ali yet, formally, and I’d like to take this opportunity to do that. Ali and I met in December 2002. I had been in Chicago for a few weeks and she somehow tracked me down and threw her woman snare on me. Actually, she walked into my space and asked me about my business plan and that woke me up from my day-to-day artist life. She taught me how to plan for the future, which was a novel concept to me, but one that has allowed me to grow consistently each year. I am aware that many of your readers can’t necessarily go out and grab a business partner like that, so I would encourage them to do a few things:

First, develop a schedule that allows time for both business and creative development. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s invaluable to your success.
Second, network with the active online community of creators. I think most members of the Etsy community are very open and approachable when it comes to talking shop, often trading insights into different areas of expertise.
Third, be a voracious reader. Ali taught herself everything about arts administration and business development just by reading and then trying things out. Bookmark or print articles and carry them with you everywhere; you’ll find a few minutes in each day to squeeze it in.
Lastly, work your tail off, but also remember to take a step back from everything once in a while. Go for a hike, do some yoga, spend the day cooking, whatever. It’s amazing how many times we’ve found ourselves going 100 miles an hour on something only to step back, reflect, and realize we need to change our direction. This perspective is not always easy to obtain so make sure you occasionally let your mind go to a place where new ideas and direction can float to the forefront.

Thanks to Dolan for sharing his story. You can see some of Dolan's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

UK Style: Artificial Ink

2010-03-15T08:00:00-04:00

If you've always quite fancied a tattoo but been too chicken to visit your local ink pusher, this season's micro trend — temporary tattoos — will be right up your alley.

The make-do tattoo made a fleeting appearance on the catwalks recently and appealed to both my grown-up self and my inner child — who remembers free Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tat transfers in sweetie rappers?

Non-toxic, temporary tattoo sheets for your home printer are readily available online, just begging to be embellished by you talented lot. I for one would like to see more of these on Etsy in time for summer, please!

If skin decoration isn't your thing, or you're just looking to spruce up your style, housewares, fashion and accessories also offer a surprising array of ink-inspired yumminess...

Images via Elle

Chanel's spring 2010 ready to wear collection won the hearts of fashionistas worldwide with dreamy details. Designed to be worn as jewellery, these delicate beauties have been spotted on the likes of Daisy Lowe, amongst other celebs.

Music Temporary Tattoo

By TheNotedNeckTattoos, $5.

Butterfly Tattoo original drawing

By stasiab, $180.

Cherry Blossom Tattoo Necklace

By GutterGlory, $30.

GOLD CHERRY BRANCH EARRINGS

By saylorrose, $21.

Hummingbird Temporary Tattoo

By franticmeerkat, $2.

DIAMOND AND BAROQUE tattoo

By elliecryer, $4.50.

Decal Sticker - 'Cherry Blossom'

By DesignersUnited, $55.

LOVE, HATE, INDIFFERENCE

By littleclouds, $5.

Images via the enhabiten blog

Etsy seller Lianne of enhabiten pulls inspiration for her real tattoos from early American wall stencils, vintage textiles, and ceramic designs. Quite the conversation piece. [Via scoutiegirl]

lover tattoo bowl - large

By laurawallstaylor, $50.

Vintage blue hard case

From katyandzucchini, $70.

Texas Longhorn Pillow

By forgottenstitches, $130.

Tattoo Art Mouse Pad

By HomeDeconomics, $9.50.

Faith Tattoo Needlepoint Kit

By emilypeacocktapestry, $87.

winged cupcake vinyl wall decal

By beepart, $65.

Turquoise Tattoo

From BehindThePicketFence, $22.

Swallow Tattoo Wall Apparel

By Doomfox, $40.

Images via Elle

Rodarte's spring 2010 collection was an impressive mix of tribal-inspired and geometric body art, skillfully combined with tartan and glistening black.

the batman

By spinthread, $55.

Tawleed Bubble Dress

By adhesif, $248.

Wood and Leather Necklace

By iheartnorwegianwood, $75.

GEM - Multi Faceted Ring

By arosha, $180.

Shipibo Avatar Vest

By Onanya, $185.

Original INK Drawing TATTOO Face

By gogokittenart, $150.

Breathless Earrings

By sanfranblissco, $39.

High Waist Victorian Plaid Skirt

By PinarEris, $150.

Image via domesticat on Flickr

These two ladies have no qualms about wearing their book-loving hearts on their sleeves. What a fun way to get a message across! Lots of room for arty and geeky statement tats here.

Vinyl record necklace - hardcover

By arohasilhouettes, $40.

Craft or Die Iron On Patch

By MindysEmbroidery, $8.

CUSTOM Heart Temporary Tattoo

By Buttonhead, $5.

Flash Sheet - Sewing Tattoos

By sunnybuick, $20.

Zombie Love Pendant

By dancingfairydesigns, $5.50.

Vegan Necklace

By GutterGlory, $30.

Skin Deep - poems on tattoos

By TheObviousChild, $6.

NERDCORE Tattoo Your Knuckles

By theringleader, $15.95.

Images via Les Queues de Sardines

I've had my eye on Les Queues de Sardines' quirky tights for some time and love these nautical-inspired designs. Just one way to tat up your wardrobe without facing any needles (sewing and knitting ones aside). [Via Daily Candy London]

FLORA TATTOO thigh-high socks

By post, $18.

laura kapp

By laurakapp, $360.

Mini Anchor Ring

By lostatseashop, $12.

Slim Messenger Bag 3 Pockets Set

By empireofcolor, $67.

Secret Yakuza 3 blank card

By stasiab, $4.

DRAGON TATTOO STOCKINGS

By latobatele, $24.

Fly by Night Tattoo Shirt

By MiR1, $20.

Old school Tatt Flats

By kezbirdie, $60.

Do you have a tattoo? Tell us about it in the comments!

Browse Items Tagged "tattoo" On Etsy | Trend Posts | The UK Edition

Keep It Weird: St. Snakes

2010-03-12T15:19:00-04:00

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us, and while for many that may mean green food coloring in soda bread or family outings to the local parade, I'd like to celebrate this patron saint of engineers and paralegals by paying homage to his snake-banishing lore. Saint Patrick may have won round one, but the serpents that slither through this Keep It Weird are back with a vengeance.

Writhe in pleasure over Bat Doll With Snake in the Mushroom Patch by thedollfarm and Owl Walk by Showchicken. Check out the Related Items below for more twisted creations.

More Keep It Weird Posts | Etsy Snakes

Fresh Shops: anthonyroberto

2010-03-09T13:20:00-04:00

Every day, our community grows in unexpected and delightful ways. For our Fresh Shops series, sellers who have been on Etsy for a mere handful of months or are awaiting their first sale introduce themselves. I stumbled upon anthonyroberto's shop using Pounce Undiscovered; here's a warm welcome to all our newbies!

My name is Anthony Roberto. Currently I am a student attending the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. I'll be graduating with my BFA in printmaking in May of this year. Come summertime, I can be found off the coast of Kodiak Alaska aboard a 48 ft. salmon boat, the mighty Shawnee, fishing to support life as a city-dwelling artist. Lately I've been doing a lot of copper plate printmaking, focusing on the techniques of engraving and aquatint. I'm also interested in bookmaking, letterpress, and sculpture of various sorts (plexiglass fascinates me). Whatever the medium, my art making practice is very much based on drawing and tactility. My more conceptual work deals with time, history and the paradoxes/surreality inherent to the human condition and how these abstractions distort/change lives.

Yeah, it's all a bit heavy and convoluted, but what are you gonna do, it's what interests me. Other times I'm just focused on mark making and materiality, along with more formal considerations like beauty in composition and clean technique.

I've been told that I am a very "traditional" artist, which I assume means that I like crafting an image that represents something. It's true that I need to feel my hand in the work. This physicality gives me great satisfaction. For me there is nothing more gratifying than engraving, putting hand and tool to metal and gouging out an image from a polished plane of copper. The process has the ability to convey a fantastic amount of energy and vigor while simultaneously being stately and controlled. It’s such an old technique now but still so vital and compelling. I've been told I am archaic. People also tell me the images I like to craft are bizarre.

My girlfriend, provax, told me about Etsy some time ago. Then RADROBOT and others began to talk of this mysterious website somewhere on the information super-highway. Eventually I just wanted to be part of it. It's fairly amazing for us unknown artists, that there is this forum for all of us to interact with each other and get our work out to people who might want to see it. It’s a pretty sweet deal.

Looking for more newbies? Try these links:

Fresh Shops on Etsy's Blog | Pounce Shopping Tool

If you're a fellow Oregonian, check out our I Heart Art: Portland post!

UK Edition: Mothering Sunday Gift Inspiration

2010-03-08T07:00:00-04:00

Hey UK! You've no excuse not to treat mum with my timely Mothering Sunday reminder, neatly divided into inspiration for every kind of mother there is.

All items are from UK sellers, in most cases giving you enough time to get your goodies for this Sunday, March 14 (be sure to check with each seller before you place your orders). You can also make use of Etsy's Shop Local feature for more gifts if you're in a hurry.

What's your lovely mum's style? Pampered, foodie, house-proud, arty, bejewelled, green-fingered, stylish, new, crafty or geeky, Etsy has something for everyone...

Cards For Mum

Personalised Mother's Day Card

By Storeyshop, $12.50.

MUM card

By Bombus, $10.

Butterfly Cut Out Card

By RUBYrecycled, $3.50.

The Queen Mother

By lindabutterfly, $3.50.

Super Mum Hand Cut Card, Pink

By QuiteContrary2, $8.

Walk In The Rain - Greeting card

By heidiburton, $3.75.

Pampered Mum

Mom... -- Pocket Mirror --

By HidenSeek, $7.

JASMINE Body Butter

By PamperandPreen, $10.90.

Pastel Shades Soaps

By FuturePrimitive, $20.

Dottie cosmetic brush roll

By bagladee, $11.

Vintage 1950's Perfume Bottle

From vintagekitty, $15.

Rose Geranium Soap

By saffronbarr, $5.25.

Foodie Mum

Chocolate Marzipan Apricots

By sweetmcbirdie, $19.75.

Coffee and Cake tea towel

By MrPS, $14.

70's buildings Tea Set for two.

By EstherCoombs, $180.

PLUM JAM

By Marmalady, $5.25.

Birds of flight apron

By madeatgreenview, $35.

Four Ingredients Jars - Print (A5)

By bridbird, $15.

House-Proud Mum

Lavender Matryoshka

By Beaky, $10.

Red poppy bowl

By PrinceDesignUK, $27.

Love message pillow/cushion

By chocolatecreative, $116.

Bowl basket

By SewDanish, $27.

Butterfly Mosaic Tiles

By joheckett, $20.

Reclaimed Wood Drinks Coasters

By SymetriColour, $8.

Arty Mum

Mother and baby ACEO print

By tinyminds, $5.

Rabbit Boy 6 x 8 print

By daniellebarlowart, $9.

Decorative wall art

By elinart, $110.

Handcast decorative spoons

By hodgepodgearts, $32.

Annie Hall poster

By claudiavarosio, $18.

BIG SISTER Portrait

By ursastudio, $200.

Bejewelled Mum

Parma Violet Earrings

By lazygiraffe, $19.

Teal Delight Flower Fabric Necklace

By gossimarwings, $36.

Medium Frond Earrings

By lilarubyking, $29.

Medieval Princess Rings

By Gama, $48.

Silver Butterfly Pendant

By AliBaliJewellery, $62.

Quote brooch

By bookity, $7.50.

Green-Fingered Mum

Japanese Moss Ball Bonsai

By arkwoodUK, $10.

Limited Edition Print 'Colchicum'.

By TheBotanicalConcept, $65.

astrantia pot - felted bowl

By cityroad, $10.

Friendly Olive Trees - Print

By eyeshoot, $35.

Pet tree necklace

By treeforyou, $35.

Giant Snow Slug

By lullabylily, $9.

Stylish Mum

The Petite Croissant

By minus, $82.

Silver Grey Cardigan

By ileaiye, $110.

Pure wool apron dress

By whollycowclothing, $79.

Edouard Manet Black Platforms

By hippyofdoom, $335.

clutch purse, chartreuse telegram

By redrubyrose, $70.

Vintage Shopper - Clarissa

By showpony, $18.

New Mum

LAVENDER PEACOCK BOOTIES

By funkyshapes, $25.95.

Baby Burp Cloths

By cazhoffy, $14.

Iron on Screenprint Fabric Patches

By HelenRawlinson, $8.

grey fleece maternity belly belt

By pinkflapjacks, $25.

Slice of Pizza Baby/Toddler Bib

By CreamBunBakery, $15.50.

Organic Cotton Baby Hat and Boots

By bettyandtodd2, $38.

Crafty Mum

Porcelain Button with Glass

By seaurchin, $18.

Camper Van Needlepoint Craft Kit

By grannyknit, $98.

Marie Antoinette Collar Kit

By nemeton, $65.

Yarn ball earrings

By maxsworld, $14.

Make your own Sock Monster

By katedowding, $25.

scandi - screenprinted fabric

By summersville, $6.99.

Geeky Mum

Electronic Musical Instrument

By SymetriColour, $52.

Trio of Nuns Large Fridge Magnets

By TJSpanky, $5.

BIG Harry Hill Meerkat

By niftyknits, $99.

Film Camera Dark Red High Heels

By hippyofdoom, $80.

Mr Darcy - Pride and Prejudice

By hoolala, $44.

Status Update Necklace

By DoughLadyDesigns, $28.

What are you planning for Mothering Sunday? Tell us in the comments section below!

Shop Local UK | Mother's Day Posts | The UK Edition

Keep It Weird: Outlaws

2010-03-05T16:09:00-04:00

Growing up with a criminal defense lawyer for a father tended to make me think twice before swiping a candy bar from the corner bodega. I've had to settle for living out my adrenaline-fueled bandit adventures vicariously, swooning over the greaser gangs of young adult fiction and spending full weekends glued to prison documentary marathons. The law simply cannot contain these Keep It Weird renegades.

Don't get caught red-handed with Winged Birdcage by snegoratchka, Nature Bandit by Demofia, and Candy Sculpture by madebymoxie. Check out the Related Items below for more irresistible entrapment.

More Keep It Weird Posts | Bandits on Etsy | Items Tagged "Trap"

Artistic Endeavors: Trice Collective

2010-03-05T14:20:00-04:00

Sawyer Trice lives in Washington, DC where he studies art history and American studies. His interest in and understanding of art and its history was first shaped by his passionate professors within the Art History Department at George Mason University. He spends his time traveling, hoping to find a place to call home.

Alberto Giacometti’s 1961 cast sculpture L’Homme qui marche I, depicting a frail man mid-stride, sold at Sotheby’s in London just last month. Less than a dozen bidders were competing to purchase the work and, after just eight minutes, L’Homme qui marche I was sold for $104.3 million, the highest price ever paid for a piece of art at auction.

While this sale marks an historic event, which might breathe fresh life into a tired art market, it serves as a reminder that collectible pieces from established artists are exclusive, and this exclusivity creates a market that prices most people out. I am one of these people.

I discovered this unfortunate news when, in January of this year, I set out to purchase a piece of art for my apartment. The event that would mark my first art acquisition had been long anticipated, and it would just be the beginning of my collection. I was aware, however, that it would not be easy to find a piece of aesthetic value, and despite having studied art extensively, I had not the slightest idea how one actually comes to purchase a piece of art. There were auctions and galleries, of course, but in most cases, the asking price was more than I could afford. At that point, I turned to the internet, but quickly became disheartened when I discovered a plethora of not only bad art, but overpriced bad art.

Many online art websites that I found specialized in original art, but overpriced endearing impressionist landscapes were not what I sought. Other trendy websites contained many impressive pieces from young artists, but the pieces were affordable only because they were reproduction prints.

I began to browse Etsy after I recalled a pair of handmade cuff links I’d purchased through the site last summer. Here I found a large, dedicated art category, with each genre clearly divided into subcategories. The collection of artist-featured works was extensive, with over half a million pieces listed and almost 150,000 in the painting section alone. Although the search process was tedious, the Etsy collection remained the most promising, and on February 4, I purchased my first two pieces from Kris Haas, a.k.a. minimasterpieces, for a total of $43.

I began bookmarking sellers' shops so I could revisit and see new pieces. I began to accumulate a mass of these bookmarks, so it was only natural for me to transfer these finds to a different medium. I also wanted to exhibit this collection to others because I believed it represented the best of Etsy. Finally, early last month, I began Trice Collective, a curated website that functions as an aggregator of quality art available for online purchase. Since many of the pieces that I feature are from emerging artists, they’re almost all very affordable.

Photo by minimasterpieces

Painting by LivaRutmane on Trice Collective

Selling art online has natural advantages — it minimizes selling costs and maximizes the chance of connecting producer and consumer in a sometimes eclectic market. Etsy is succeeding in cultivating a strong artistic community — it works because the art is affordable and, if you’re willing to do some searching, you can find a piece that works for you.

Who's your favorite artist on Etsy? What's your favorite medium? Let us know in the comments!

Artistic Endeavors Series | Art Category | Visit Trice Collective

Tangents: Shoplifter and Hair Sculpture

2010-03-02T15:06:00-04:00

My childhood appearance was an endless series of bowl cuts (administered by my mother's blue rinsed and bouffanted hairdresser, LaVerne), square bobs and curiously absent teeth. My mother's edict as law: "If you can't comb it, you can't keep it." The hapless bramble atop my head broke many well-intentioned combs and provoked a flurry of salty tears. Every night I'd wish upon the North Star for a long, luscious mane to braid.

Now that I'm a full-grown lady I relish growing my hair as long as I want. This might explain my fascination with all things relating to hair, be it Victorian mourning lockets, braids as crowns or a collar made of weave. Icelandic hair sculptor Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, a.k.a. Shoplifter, is my inspiration crush du jour. Her sculptures, often worn as full body costumes, are a dense mass of looping braids and wiry cowlicks (and also served as the iconic cover art for fellow Icelander Björk's album, Medulla.) These follicles, dead though they may be, pulse with connections to complex weaving, webs, elaborate up-dos pulled tight and the harsh texture of a hair shirt. My pupils are dilated with visual greed and my hair growing at a snail's pace. Where do your associations take you?

Braid along with Medulla hair by Shoplifter, Princess by brettisagirl, Beautiful Armless Mystery Girl from jessicavintage, Gunmetal Draped Necklace by MothHouse, Vintage Telephone from sarahjaneandbentley, To Wed a Beetle by swanbones, Early Friendship from christmasangel, Antique Tatting from derbyhouse, Fancy Hairdo from paintallday, Porcelain Lace by forestclearing, and You Chained Me Up Wig by madtimecouture.

Art Category | Search for Items Tagged "Hair Art"

Keep It Weird: Interbody

2010-02-26T14:00:00-04:00

When I dare to venture into the mobs of midtown Manhattan, my misanthropic tendencies intuitively thrust my elbows out, head down, fury ablaze. In this cold harsh world of modernity, I like to think of my bodily boundaries as impenetrable and absolute. However, my croupy cough seems to prove otherwise. From within my vessel to yours, here's Keep It Weird.

Transplant yourself with Art Print by jeak, Leg Ring by Ricksonjewellery, and Conjoined Twins Art Doll by MercuryRising. Check out the penetrating Related Items.

More Keep It Weird Posts | Bodies in Art

I Heart Art: Portland

2010-02-26T13:18:00-04:00

Indie hearts beat strong in Portland, Oregon, one of the craftiest cities in the United States. Working from Brooklyn here at Etsy headquarters, I think of Portland as our sister city.

Today, we are announcing that we are joining forces with the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) and the Portland Etsy Team. We're calling our collaboration "I Heart Art: Portland." We are forging this ongoing relationship to foster opportunities and offer support for the local DIY/craft/vintage community. As a group, we'll be partnering to host a series of indie business talks at PNCA's Museum of Contemporary Craft and a series of Etsy Craft Labs this spring. (In addition to our regular Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn, we've started collaborating with other museums such as the Museum of Arts and Design in New York and the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco for similar hands-on sessions.)

Supporting local economies — especially through independent businesses — is important for Etsy, as a company and as a website built up on a vast network of local communities. Art schools and museums can help Etsy by serving as a home base for the local art and craft movement's events, and Etsy can help by connecting curators, professors, students and members through our mutual passion for art, design, collecting and learning. We are thinking of this project in Portland as a pilot for Etsy's outreach to local communities. Hopefully, Etsy will bring "I Heart Art" to other cities after this first run gets off the ground.

To kick-off this new relationship, Etsy, PNCA and the Portland Etsy Team will host an “I Heart Art" meet and greet at PNCA on Friday, February 26. This public event brings together the PNCA student body, the Portland Etsy Team, members of the Guild Council Program from the Museum of Contemporary Craft, and the thriving local arts and crafts community of Portland. Morgan, a.k.a. neonmorgan Etsy's new Teams Admin, and I will be there in person to make new friends and meet old friends face-to-face. We can't wait!

I Heart Art: Portland Meet and Greet — Friday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. PT
Hosted by Etsy.com, Portland Etsy Team, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) & Museum of Contemporary Craft
Connecting Portland’s Vibrant Community of Makers
Swigert Commons
Pacific Northwest College of Art
1241 Northwest Johnson Street
Free and open to the public
www.iheartartpdx.com

If you're in Portland, let us know if you're coming on this Facebook event. (And become a fan of the Facebook page, while you're at it and follow IHeartArtPDX on Twitter!).

If you're not in Portland but are interested in this type of program, comment below with links to your local museum or art school.

Artwork for Every Room Showcase: On Sale Friday, February 26, 2010 12 p.m. ET

2010-02-24T10:26:00-04:00

Freshen up your walls and tabletops with more than just a duster. Your home is not simply a vessel for your life, but a fluid extension of your aesthetic. Those surfaces beckon for decor, and the Artwork for Every Room Showcase will heed that call with aplomb.

Info for Sellers

In order to keep the Showcase on point thematically, items featured must fall under the following Categories: Art (top-level tag being "art"), Ceramics and Pottery, Glass, Supplies, Vintage, or Woodworking.

Spots for the Artwork for Every Room Showcase goes on sale Friday, February 26, 2010 at 12 p.m. ET.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run from Monday, March 1, 2010 12 a.m. ET until Sunday, March 7, 2010, 11:59 p.m. ET.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's home page.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting:

Spring Showcase: On sale Thursday, March 4, 2010; the Showcase will be live from Monday, March 8, 2010 to Sunday, March 21, 2010.
- Think bunnies, lambs, Easter eggs and all things "spring-like."

Weddings Showcase: On sale Thursday, March 18, 2010; the Showcase will be live from Monday, March 22, 2010 to Sunday, April 4, 2010.
- Prepare for the start of wedding season with matrimonial fashion, decor, and paper goods that will woo any bride.

What is this Showcase thing? For a general introduction to Showcase, read Matt's Storque article 13.5 Questions about the Showcase, and for deeper thoughts on figuring out if Showcase is right for you, see Beth's Showcase Deconstructed article.

How-Tuesday: Upcycled Apron

2010-02-23T10:46:00-04:00

Loosen your apron strings and buckle down for the latest edition of How-Tuesday! This week's project comes to us by way of Amelia Strader, assistant buyer, museum store associate, and the queen of all things crafty at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco, CA. Amelia is a crocheting superstar and a driving force behind hands-on crafting events, including Craft Bar, at the museum. Read on for tips for making your own apron out of 100% recycled household cast-offs.

This apron design was inspired by a cute apron that my grandmother handmade in the 1950s. As my spin on her apron, I've incorporated recycled and upcycled materials. This pattern involves three main stages: fusing plastic bags, creating a plastic ball of yarn, and crocheting borders on the apron with the plastic yarn.

On Thursday, March 4, 2010 at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, we will be hosting another Craft Bar with Etsy Labs @ MOCFA, a free event cosponsored by Etsy. This month's hands-on project at Craft Bar will feature a crochet project using yarn created from recycled plastic bags, similar to this week's How-Tuesday project. More details can be found here.

Now let's get started!

Size:
One size fits all

Finished Measurements:
Length: 17" approximately
Width: 24" approximately
Ties: 21" approximately

Materials
15 – 20 large plastic bags in white for main color (MC)
10 – 15 large plastic bags in blue for contrasting color (CC)
US K – 10.5 (6.50 mm) crochet hook
3/16” hole punch
Roll of parchment paper
Brown paper grocery bag
Iron and ironing board
Ruler
Stitch markers
Yarn needle

Instructions:

Fusing Plastic Bags

1. To create the apron skirt, fuse together three layers of plastic bags in MC. To protect your ironing board, cover with a large sheet of parchment paper. Smooth out plastic bags and place on top of each other. Place them on the ironing board and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Arrange plastic bags so that you create a 13”L x 18”W rectangle.

Set the iron on cotton/linen setting with steam. Slowly move iron over all the layers using steam. Be sure to keep the iron constantly moving and never touch iron directly to the plastic bags. Let the plastic cool and check to see if the layers are fused together. If the layers are not completely fused, reposition parchment paper and go over it with the iron again. Flip plastic over and iron on the opposite side. It takes at least a couple of rounds of ironing on each side for the plastic bags to be completely fused. The plastic bags will shrink a little as you iron them. This is not an exact science, so it is a good idea to test your iron settings on some extra plastic bags. An odor is emitted when ironing the plastic bags, so be sure to work in a well ventilated area.

(More tips on fusing plastic bags can be found here, in Etsy's video tutorial.)

2. Draw out the apron skirt pattern onto stiff paper or brown paper grocery bag (see technical sketch above for pattern measurements). Don’t worry about sketching out the pattern perfectly.

3. Fold the plastic sheet in half width-wise. Place the pattern on the plastic sheet, making sure to line up the front of the pattern with the folded edge of the plastic. Trace the apron skirt pattern onto the fused plastic sheet with a pen. Cut the apron out with scissors.

4. Punch holes around all sides of the apron skirt. Leave ¼” space between holes and ¼” from center of hole to edge of plastic. Don’t worry about having the same number of punch holes on both sides of the apron.

Creating Plastic Yarn (or "Plarn")

Use the remaining plastic bags in MC to create a ball of plastic yarn. Fold the plastic bag lengthwise to form a narrow tube. Cut off the top handles and bottom edge of plastic bag. Cut up the rest of the plastic bag into 1” wide segments.

These segments will be loops when unfolded. Loop the loops together to form a continuous chain, and wind into ball. Create a second ball of plastic yarn in CC.

Crocheting

Note: Keep your stitches loose. Using the plastic yarn, crochet the borders on both sides of the apron first, then crochet waistband, and lastly, the crochet bottom hem.

Apron Sides (Repeat for each side)

Row 1: In MC slip stitch into first punch hole at side waist, chain 1, single crochet in remaining punch holes across side to bottom edge of apron, chain 2, turn.

Row 2: Double crochet in each single crochet across to end, chain 1, turn.

Row 3: Single crochet in each double crochet across to end. Fasten off.

Waistband

Row 1: In MC, make a 21” chain of stitches (creating apron tie). Join to waist at top left crochet border with a slip stitch, chain 1, place stitch marker, single crochet across top of waist to edge of right crochet border, place a stitch marker, chain 21” of stitches, turn, chain 2.

Row 2: Double crochet in each stitch across waistband to end. Fasten off.

Row 3: In CC, single crochet in every double crochet across waistband to end. Fasten off.

Row 4: In CC, join to top of waist, at stitch marker, with a slip stitch, chain 1, (3 double crochet) in the next single crochet, chain 1, *single crochet in the next 3 single crochet, chain 1, (3 double crochet) in the next single crochet, chain 1* repeat from * until stitch marker, end with a single crochet. Fasten off.

Bottom Hem
Row 1: In MC, slip stitch to right bottom crochet border, chain 1, single crochet across border and punch holes to edge of left bottom border, chain 2, turn.

Row 2: Double crochet in each single crochet across to end, chain 2, turn.

Row 3: Double crochet in each double crochet across to end. Fasten off.

Row 4: In CC slip stitch into first double crochet, chain 1, single crochet in each double crochet across, chain 1, turn.

Row 5: Single crochet in first single crochet, (3 double crochet) in the next single crochet, chain 1, *single
crochet in the next 3 single crochet, chain 1, (3 double crochet) in the next single crochet, chain 1* repeat from *until 2nd to last stitch, end row with a single crochet. Fasten off.

Row A: This row is crocheted into Row 1. With right side facing and waist edge at bottom, join CC with slip stitch to the first stitch of row 1 of bottom hem. Continue to work in row 1, single crochet across bottom hem in spaces of row 1. chain 1, turn.

Row B: Single crochet in the first stitch, (2 double crochet) in the next single crochet, *single crochet in the next 2 single crochet, (2 double crochet) in the next single crochet* repeat from * until 2nd to last stitch, end with a single crochet. Fasten off.

Pocket (Optional)

1. Draw out pocket pattern onto stiff paper or brown paper grocery bag (see technical sketch on the right for pattern measurements). Don’t worry about sketching out the pattern perfectly.

2. Place the pattern onto fused plastic sheet and trace with a pen. Cut the pocket out with scissors.

3. Punch holes around all sides of the pocket. Leave ¼” space between holes and ¼” from center of hole to edge of plastic. Don’t worry about having the same number of punch holes on both side of pocket.

4. After crocheting a border on pocket, decide where you want to place it on apron. Trace pocket sides and bottom on onto the skirt. Punch holes about ½” in from trace line.

Pocket Border
Rnd 1: In CC, slip stitch to punch hole in top right corner, chain 1, single crochet through every punch hole starting down the right side, join with slip stitch to first single crochet.

Rnd 2: Chain 1, single crochet in every single crochet, join with slip stitch to first single crochet.

Rnd 3: Chain 1, single crochet in every single crochet, join with slip stitch to first single crochet. Fasten off.

Finishing

Using a yarn needle and CC, stitch pocket to skirt through punch holes. Using a yarn needle, weave in all
loose ends.

Thank you to Amelia Strader from the Museum of Craft & Folk Art for sharing this project with us.

Fusing Plastic Bags | More How-Tuesday Posts | Aprons on Etsy

Etsy Finds: Burn After Reading

2010-02-20T10:20:00-04:00

Today's Etsy Finds is a group of handmade wonders from the world of self-publishing, home-recorded music and bookbinding. Comics and zines (short for fanzine or magazine) have found a solid niche in Etsy's Books and Zines category, and we couldn't be more pleased! These little books are fun and easy to collect, and they make perfect gifts for your favorite reader. You'll also find beautiful handcrafted journals, book-inspired art, book organization and vintage novelties for any artist, collector or avid bibliophile in today's reading-inspired Etsy Finds.

Vintage smith corona typewriter

From moxiethrift, $17.

Thumb War by John Hersey

By imprintsfcb, $45.

Splat - Kitty Bookmark

By BenMcfuzzylugs, $52.

Personalized Copper Bookmark

By PearlieGirl, $21.

Original Artist Book / Journal

By MadRiverStudio, $45.

Blood Light, An Imagined History.

By lapomme, $45.

librarian recycled c60 cassette

By headlockmanufactory, $10.

Invincible Summer Subscription

By spinstersummer, $20.

357 Revolver Blank Book

By strikebooks, $125.

I Don't Like Chocolate comic

By jezzeprints, $14.

Momigami Paper Doll

By marcadeartspress, $12.

Wart Graphic Storybook

By bryankring, $10.

2008 Zine Pack

By kateconsumption, $48.

HIVE THREE Comic

By grimalkinpress, $10.

Art and Music Subscription

By projectdispatch, $60.

Cezanne, His Life and Art altered

By BooksETC, $35.

Steampunk Book Mark/Thong

By HappenchanceAndOdd, $26.

Rainbow diary cover

By scotatto, $60.

De Rekening by Nora Pauwels

By imprintsfcb, $365.

Man Book - book of drawings

By linocutboy, $15.

Chocolate Tear Drop Bookmark

By lsndesigns, $3.

Furry Moth - Original Artwork

By RuthBleakley, $97.50.

Wooden Journal, Mahogany

By fourChamberForge, $58.

Vintage Bingo Book

By anotherworkinprogres, $36.

Prayer book

By JPLliturgics, $40.

Personalized Copper Bookmark

By Jenifersfamilyjewels, $30.

Gut Reactions 7" Record

By chopperchioda, $4.

Vintage Metal Magazine Rack

From FishboneDeco, $45.

Epitaph For My Heart No. 4 zine

By amandapandajapanese, $2.

Girls have many girls zine

By yaelfran, $7.

PUSH PULL-self published book

By anthonyzollo, $10.

issue nine WORN Fashion Journal

By theHouseOfWorn, $6.

Vintage The Instant Decorator

From funretro, $42.

D.I.Y. French Knitting Zine

By TangleCrafts, $3.

Interrobang Magazine (Issue Four)

By interrobangmagazine, $3.50.

Vintage horseshoe bookends

From jollytimeone, $24.99.

Words of Wisdom journal

By AwakenJournaling, $20.

the PERFECT BOOK MARK

By gurlygirl, $38.

Train of Thought Zine

By TheMonsterDucky, $3.

10 Years of diskant - zine

By askingfortrouble, $2.

Read with me Pink.Blond Hair

By sarahjanestudios, $24.

Love to Read Necklace

By LilliputStudios, $16.

Russian Doll Coloring/Activity Book

By AmyPerrotti, $8.

Vintage Peking Opera Book

By ProsperosBookshelf, $35.

Rhinestone Velvet Bookmark

By velvetotterhound, $25.

personalized book note notebook

By spacedogstudios, $4.50.

Typewriter - Printable Stationery

By paperandcake, $5.

Well-Read and Wordy Kilt Pin

By rhymeswithmagic, $16.

All 3 Package deal

By LittleDominoes, $3.50.

Apartment 307 mini-comic

By CandyorMedicine, $2.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Keep It Weird: Wanderlust

2010-02-19T15:00:00-04:00

As I ride in the subway car that smells of defrosting carcass, I am all-consumed by my escapist daydreams. The numbness leaves my toes, the heavy woolens float from my shoulders, and my bronchial tubes sigh in relief. I wish transporting myself to vibrant realms of sunshine and flora were as simple as flinging out my limbs and ascending in weightless flight. Alas, my routes of getaway must instead meander through the Keep It Weird fantasies of Etsy.

Choose your own adventure with Red Hat by curster, Escape Velocity by LauraTravisCarving, and The Glutton Goes on Vacation by duanehosein. Check out the Related Items below for more fleeing inspiration.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Items Tagged "Escape"

UK Edition: Interview With bonbiforest

2010-02-19T08:00:00-04:00

As your enthusiastic ambassador here in the UK, it's my pleasure to introduce you to some members of our local Etsy community. Lee May Foster, a.k.a. bonbiforest, answered some questions from her outpost in Cornwall.

Without further ado, welcome to the wild world of bonbiforest.

Tell us a wee bit about yourself; your name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Lee May Foster and I am an artist and maker of things living and working by the sea in deepest darkest Cornwall. I make lots of different things, from screenprinted tees, accessories and paper goods, to paintings and drawings that I turn into art prints. I love to make jewellery, too.

All of my screenprinted designs and jewellery have their roots in my drawings and paintings, which feature many a critter, creature and scape of trees, sea and sky. I like to explore patterns, rhythms and stories, and the connection of people to nature. The wild world shapes us and we shape it. You will see that I like shapes and I like colours.

In the past I have worked with Bat For Lashes, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, and Urban Outfitters, and my jewellery and clothing has been seen in Grazia, Look, Marie Claire, The Guardian and The Independent amongst others.

How did you begin your foray into the world of designing/making?

Completely by accident! I studied fine art painting at the University of Brighton, which was great for making me very self-motivated, but not so good for the job opportunities!

I was really skint one Christmas and decided to get some cheap H&M tees and stencil little birds and phrases on them as gifts. They were well received and I had a light bulb moment, taught myself how to screenprint and went from there.

My boyfriend was learning how to make websites at the time, so he used my fledgling business as a guinea pig and made me an online shop. I also had a break when my friend Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes asked me to make her first-ever tour tees. We were all kind of doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.

How are you inspired by where you live?

I live in a rural part of Cornwall, in a little fishing village on the south coast, and I work from a barn at my parents' farm a short distance away. I own a horse and, because of this, I spend a lot of time outside in all weathers and find myself surrounded by nature.

I see all kinds of birds and critters on a regular basis — buzzards and garden birds, pheasants, owls and foxes, and so many rabbits and toads. I recently found deer tracks in the field, which was almost too much excitement! On a clear night you can see so many stars that you can make out the Milky Way! All of this feeds into my work. I'm a lucky lady indeed.

What else inspires you?
Other artists inspire me a lot. I like reading about what inspires them to create, and I have inspiring friends and family who are passionate about all sorts of different things: music, film, books, horses, sport... I think I find passion in people really inspiring.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My engagement ring! My beau and I got it custom made for me by Etsy seller OneStoneNewYork last summer and I love it so much. It has a Herkimer diamond stone and white topaz and is a perfect mix of vintage and contemporary styling.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

My horse, Lauder, keeps me pretty occupied! I ride him nearly every day and compete in British dressage competitions. I like the discipline of dressage and the fact that, even if I am feeling lazy or unmotivated, there is a being that needs looking after and exercising. It's a great excuse to get outside too!

Apart from that I like to spend time with friends in the pub, going out dancing and walks with my beau when the weather is nice.

How do you promote your work?
I love Twitter! It's such a fast and easy way to connect with so many people. I also advertise on a few blogs to keep the word out there and the odd bit of magazine press really helps, too. Design fairs and craft shows are great for spreading the word locally. I give my business cards to everyone who comes within a sniff of my stall, whether they buy or not!

Do you have any advice for artists who are new to Etsy?

Well, I'm not sure I am qualified to give out much in the way of advice, other than be brave and tell everyone you know about your handmade adventure: word of mouth advertising is free and it works! Tweeting about your newly listed or sold and re-listed items also reminds people about your shop and your work.

If you want to make being an artist your day job, you have to put it before everything. For years I worked in an awful job, but when people asked me what I did I told them I made stuff. This allows people to think of you as an artist, not a telephone survey monkey! Just keep at it. It's not always easy and there are plenty of very steep learning curves along the way, but really, it's so worth it in the end.

Name your top 5 Etsy sellers...

Rose cut diamond bezel ring, $1200.

OneStoneNewYork: Beautiful jewellery made from reclaimed metals. He made my engagement ring and I love to browse his shop.

View Item | View Shop

Gold Quartz Necklace, $185.

LauraLombardiJewelry: Stunning work, I've had my eye on one of her necklaces for months and one day, one day it will be mine!

View Item | View Shop

Miss Libellule - digital art Print, $20.

Matilou: I love the girly style of her drawings and the video she made for Etsy's blog is so inspiring.

View Item | View Shop

Earth Angel Dress, $164.

TheGarbologistsWife: Her Earth Angel Dress is one of the prettiest dresses I ever did see!

View Item | View Shop

Stuffed Cat Portrait, $95.

Sian: Her stuffed animals are amazing (and custom). Awesome.

View Item | View Shop

Thanks to Lee May for taking part! You can see some of her beautiful work below.

More Interview Posts | More Posts in the UK Edition

Random Acts of Kindness Week With Heidi Burton

2010-02-17T09:00:00-04:00

Having always had an affinity for typographic affirmations, fellow UKer and artist, Heidi Burton, contributed to Underground Art School magazine in 2008. Ever since she's been illustrating similar subject matter with a trademark wit and playful innocence that I've come to know with great fondness since Heidi opened her Etsy shop in July 2009.

When she was recently invited by Gretchin Anderson of the Undercover Kindness Blog to take part in Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 15-21), she jumped at the chance to be involved and was so enthused that she also wanted to help spread the word about this grassroots movement throughout Etsyland.

Today, as part of her ongoing journey with kindness and thoughtfulness as inspiration, Heidi shares tips and encouragement for all of us on ways to jump on board the feel-good bandwagon.

Heidi's printable PDF sheet of ten business-sized cards, especially designed for this week, is available for free download from the Undercover Kindness blog. She says, "These can be handed out to friends, strangers, left in public places, and hidden in secret places — in an attempt to spread happiness. Sharing is caring!"

Photos from Heidi on Flickr

"So shines a good deed in a weary world." - William Shakespeare

What are random acts of kindness?

The phrase "practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty" was first coined by peace activist Anne Herbert. Acts of kindness involve being proactively nice. They can be organised or spontaneous, large or small, anonymous or face-to-face. The point is to give selflessly and evoke happiness in others without wishing for anything in return.

The Kindness Offensive are a fantastic example of human beings who believe in giving and sharing. The collective from London has taken acts of kindness a step further, bringing together communities and encouraging others to join in with fun and inspiring activities. Their aim is to "demonstrate that kindness is more than just a nice ideal, it’s actually a viable way of existing in the real world." This video shows more about their ethos and random acts of kindness on an industrial scale:

The Free Hugs Campaign is another great example of giving and sharing. Founder Juan Mann started a Free Hugs movement and seeks volunteers across the globe to offer free hugs to strangers. Quoting from his website, "In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal."

Free Hugs Campaign International France [via Juan Mann on Flickr]

Free Hugs Campaign International Australia [via Juan Mann on Flickr]

Other kindly people include Melissa Morris Ivone from the blog Operation Nice where you can discover lots of fantastic ideas about spreading kindness, and Amanda Oaks and Jenn Gibson at Kind Over Matter whose blog is dedicated to "kind acts, inspirational art and kind projects," with a focus on the handmade community.

So, what can we do?

Random acts of kindness can be anything from smiling at a stranger, listening to someone, or giving a sincere compliment, to being a volunteer, making donations, or organising events. Operation Nice has a great list of reader suggestions for kind acts we can perform on a daily basis. Being lovely doesn't cost anything other than a little spare time, and if it's doing something you enjoy then it's time well spent.

The handmade community is a fantastic place to encourage and share with others. I recommend reading this blog post about The Sneak Attack, the story of how Etsian Michael Phipps, a.k.a. phippsart, nurtured his idea for people to sneakily buy en masse from new Etsy shops via the Handmade Movement website. It's even more enjoyable when kindness comes as a surprise!

Through Etsy we can encourage and support each other in the fora, we can promote each other through our blogs and social networks. We can endeavour to treat our customers kindly with the best service they are ever going to receive, and beautiful packages. We can go that step further and make someone's day! We can also encourage kindness through our work, as many already do. It would be lovely to hear of the random acts of kindness the Etsy community have been on the receiving end of!

I will leave you with this quote from the Dalai Lama: "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

Further resources:
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
Help Others
Dreamweavers
The Hunger Site
Do-it (UK volunteering)
Postsecret

Many thanks to Heidi for telling us about this wonderful movement.

Check out her picks in the Related Items.

Browse items tagged "Kindness" on Etsy | Read More Posts In The UK Edition

We look forward to hearing about your big or small plans for Random Acts of Kindness Week!

Let us know in the comments section below.

Get The Look: Florence Welch

2010-02-17T07:00:00-04:00

The wonderfully talented and striking Florence Welch, of Florence + The Machine, is inspiring to me on so many levels. Her powerful sound and iconic presence sweep me into the realms of her expertly concocted fairytale.

To celebrate Florence + The Machine's Best Album win for Lungs and sublime performance with Dizzee Rascal last night at the Brit Award s, I've lovingly handpicked two collections of Etsy items, each inspired by a different strain of this flame-haired siren's distinctive vibe.

Photos via Florence + The Machine

Space Invader: Combine metallic finishes with decayed colour schemes and traditional décor. I'm really digging how it all melts together in one grand romance-fest. Despite its opulence, being a little tatty around the edges give this look an effortless feel.

vintage gilt-trimmed COCO settee

From bohemiennes, $2100.

vintage metallic heels

From irmaandcoquette, $98.

Gold Bow Leggings

By PandaLovesKitsch, $49.99.

Decayed glamour chandellier pillow

By chocolatecreative, $65.

Schismata - Fine Art Photo Print

By Photosynthetic, $15.

1AEON Wolf deep v tee

By 1AEON, $32.

Sequin Leggings Pants

By newyorkcouture, $120.

Have a Seat 4.

By eyeshoot, $35.

Vintage tuxedo ScreenPrinted T-Shirt

By PettiBear, $30.

High Waisted Shorts Tuxedo Trim

By repurposefulpunk, $27.

Vintage Glam: I hope you didn't chuck out all of your chintz because vintage florals are thundering their way back into style again this spring. I plan to accessorise with a few contrasting details à la Florence to avoid straying into tired territory. This is a great look for inspiration as we head into festival season. Pimms, anyone?

Floral Fantasy Cotton Mini Dress

By makemeadress, $140.

Nail Polish with Wings

By surly, $18.

Handmade Bead Necklace

By MavisandFrank, $21.

Brown Sugar - Leather Bracelet

By Kiss2Keep, $87.

Forget me not jumper w/ pockets

By Ananya, $45.

Strawberry

By zoewoods, $14.

FLEUR SUMMER BUNTING

By kittykent, $18.

Pink Rhinestone Stud Earrings

By discerningchichi, $7.

Floral Skulls Earrings

By TillyBloom, $15.

Primitive Folk Art Box

By azuredandelion, $58.

Congrats, Florence!

Check out my Lungs-inspired picks below.

The UK Edition | Get the Look Posts | Music Posts

Quit Your Day Job: timssally

2010-02-15T08:40:00-04:00

After earning her MBA, Mindy of timssally worked as a marketing specialist in the steel industry for four years, followed by six years as a makeup artist, before fully committing to her Etsy shop. She now enjoys the freedom of maintaining her own schedule and only wishes she had followed her artistic passion sooner in life. Keep reading to find out what time of day she claims produces the best natural light for item photos and why Facebook and Flickr have been some of her best shop marketing tools.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
Makeup. I was a makeup artist for MAC and Bobbi Brown for six years and one day after traveling to California, and being inspired by the landscape, I picked up my first paint brush and began to paint. I don’t think I would’ve ever had the courage to pick up a paint brush if it wasn’t for my time in makeup, working with color and a variety of brushes.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
Before working in the makeup industry I worked in the steel industry. I was a marketing specialist for a very specific type of metal and loathed every minute of the fours years I was there. Yep, you would even see me in a hard hat when the time came to walk through the warehouse. It seems like a totally different life now even talking about it. Since I had a degree in marketing, I did the practical thing and found a marketing job, but it wasn’t what I was passionate about. I craved being able to be creative. That’s when I decided to play in makeup. I really feel makeup was that necessary stepping stone, and a piece of the journey to becoming an artist.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Oh sure, the dream was there, but I never thought those dreams would actually be reality one day. In June of 2008, I said goodbye to painting faces and hello to painting canvas.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time? Feel free to give us the nitty gritty business details.
Looking back, I really wish I would’ve quit my day job much sooner. While at work, I was daydreaming of being in my studio creating. My Etsy shop was already up and running and it started to become very hectic trying to do both job and Etsy, so the decision became very clear. As far as equipment, such as photo printer, heat press, scanner, and painting supplies, I had saved up and bought everything with the money I was making in makeup. I thought of those purchases as investments.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

Facebook has been a huge help in spreading the word about my art and I’ve found a lovely community of other artists there as well.
I also joined Flickr soon after starting my Etsy shop in 2007 and have met some lovely folks whose artwork inspires me to pieces: boopsiedaisy, ChristinaRomeo, holli, and linotte, just to name a few.
The best marketing tip I have is to enter challenges or write an article for a magazine you adore. You will be surprised at the response you get if you only try. This will give you a wider audience who sees your work. What better way to drive business to your Etsy shop than to tell someone your story?

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion? Have you made any business mistakes you regret?
I guess there are some promotions that haven’t worked that well as of yet, but I’m still charging ahead with them anyways. I feel that successful promotion takes time and persistence. I wouldn’t say I’ve had any big regrets as of yet, maybe only small lessons learned.

Walk us through your typical workday.

The day normally begins when I wake up around 8. I first check my email for Etsy sales and I have a cup of hot tea or Diet Coke. I take my poodle and Yorkie outside for a fun romp in the backyard.
Then it's back inside do my usual yoga workout and anything around the house that needs cleaning/picked up.
If I’ve had any sales from the previous day or night, I work on packing those and shipping them off.
Around 11:30 my hubby comes home for lunch and I take a break and visit with him for a while and we normally catch up on Jimmy Fallon from the previous night.
I head to the studio and paint and prepare backgrounds for other paintings that I’m working on. I normally have 4-6 canvases going at any one time.
Around 2, I take a break and go to the post office and drop off my goodies.
I go back to the studio and paint some more and I turn on some tunes — Elton John is my fave.
I try to list new things every day. I take my photos no later than 4 in the afternoon (to get that good natural light) and I begin listing in the afternoon.
My hubby gets home at 4:30 and I’m normally still in the studio with my trusty assistant, Dudley at my feet (my Yorkie).
I try to get out of the studio around 5:30 and start preparing for dinner. I’ve started physically closing the doors to both my studio and office so that I’m not tempted to go back in.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Not having a day job means I don’t have to be anywhere at any specific time. That freedom is something I cherish. The stress is gone to get somewhere on time and to not have to feel I have to get dressed in my best to go to work. Now, I put on my paint jeans and an old sweatshirt and walk around the corner to my studio.

I miss conversation. I feel a need to talk and sometimes I do talk to myself and many times to my pooches. I truly miss the great conversations with my coworkers. They could truly make me laugh harder than I’ve ever laughed.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
I think one of the hardest things is having to wear many hats throughout the day. You have to be able to multi-task with painting, blogging, marketing, accounting, and postal worker all in one. Luckily, however, my husband is an accountant and handles my accounting for me. Another thing I struggle with is being in the house all day. Since I’m here, I sometimes feel the need to clean all the time. I guess its just part of my little OCD thing. I can’t concentrate or work well in a messy environment.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?
If I could go back in time to right after high school graduation and right before going to college, I would tell myself to major in something that interests me, like art. I remember walking through the art gallery on campus and being almost envious of those students. I thought I was majoring in something practical and where I could "get a job.” I figured out very quickly that my marketing degree was not going to land me that cool ad or writing job right after graduation. I eventually went back to school in 2002 and earned my MBA. After struggling once again to find that perfect job, that’s when I decided that I wouldn’t spend any more of my time in a job I hate. Enter makeup. Then in 2006, I went to art school and emphasized in painting. I was chipping away at it until last fall and decided I didn’t want to do anything else with an art degree that I wasn’t already doing. So, I’m taking an indefinite break and concentrating on my business.

What advice would you give someone else?
As I believe Donald Trump said, “Do something you love and are passionate about and you will be successful.”

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
The only goal really is to keep on keeping on. Five years ago I had no idea that I would be doing what I’m doing now. As a business student, they taught me about setting goals for yourself, but life has not played out as structured as those goals. I guess my only goal is to keep an open mind about what happens and an open mind for any opportunities that may arise. I’ll let my artistic journey take its own wings and I’ll be right there to help it land.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I do all my own postage through stamps.com. This was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my business. I was spending way too much time in line at our tiny post office.
Let mistakes happen. Some of the best things happen when you make a mistake.
Persistence is key. It took me over 3 months before I sold one item on Etsy. Keep doing what you love and do what makes you happy.
I thank Etsy and everyone who supports Tim’s Sally for allowing me to live my dream.

Thanks to Mindy for sharing her story. You can see some of Mindy's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Keep It Weird: Dr. Strangelove

2010-02-12T16:00:00-04:00

True romance is in the details. Forgo the generalities of commercial Valentine's Day in favor of the peculiarities that you love about yourself or your honey: different strokes for different folks! I always find a Keep It Weird serenade to be irresistibly seductive.

Set the mood with Zombie Leg Love by burntfeather, Kinky PVC Pencil Skirt by KatherinaAndreeva, and Black Heart Doll by kerrykate. Check out the Related Items below for more freaky intimacy.

More Keep It Weird Posts | Weird Love

UK Etsy Finds: Self Appreciation on Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T08:00:00-04:00

Samantha Jones: "Yes, I love you! It's just...I'm just gonna say the thing you're not supposed to say: I love you but I love me more and I've been in a relationship with myself for forty nine years and that's the one I need to work on."

— Sex and The City: The Movie

When a friend posted the above quote from the first SATC movie on her Facebook page one Saturday morning (you know what's coming, right?), I found myself sitting at my laptop, staring pensively out the window, asking: Does authentic self love make us selfish?

Self appreciation can take so many forms: a candlelit bubble bath when you're feeling down, a marathon of your favourite TV programme, treating yourself to a couple of your Etsy Favorites, reading for hours on end or allowing yourself the time to delve into that creative project your crafty fingers have been itching for. Whatever your heart desires, whether you're single or not, let's take the time to show #1 a little love this Valentine's Day.

Gift Boxed Heart Soap - Antique Blossom

By soapychica, $8.

Shabby Chic Cottage Style Rosebud Candle

By purplesparkle, $13.

Dreams - blank notebook

By nuvonova, $25.

Book hearts - 2 gocco printed bookmarks

By askingfortrouble, $3.25.

vintage. leather FAWN runched pumps

From LittleBeeVintage, $24.

Vintage 1980s earrings

From hedgerowfancies, $6.

Funky street, set of 5 handmade buttons

By hodgepodgearts, $15.

Oak Leaf Metal Cookie Cutter

By GreenRiverSupplies, $5.50.

Ego much, Original ACEO

By tinyminds, $12.

my secret self...original drawing...

By restlessthings, $95.

How are you going to appreciate you this Valentine's Day? Get creative and let us know in the comments section below!

Items Tagged "Self" | More Posts in The UK Edition

Etsy Love Stories: WieberArt

2010-02-09T14:01:00-04:00

I have been lucky enough to meet many wonderful artists while selling on Etsy, but one person who I instantly connected with is Grace Wieber. Her personality is infectious, her humor is adorable and above all, her willingness to support and promote other artists' work on Twitter and her blog is truly inspiring. Grace and her husband Will, the duo behind WieberArt, answered some questions for the continuing swoon-worthy series, Etsy Love Stories.

Tell us about yourselves!
Will is a generous, patient man and in my honest opinion, an inspiring artist. I believe our sons, Gregory and Vincent, attest to this fact. They too have pursued careers in the arts. Will studied painting at the School of Visual Arts, and I taught Italian for five years while dancing with Andre Evglesky Ballet. Unfortunately, I had a terrible ski accident (a no-no for a dancer) and left teaching to regroup and raise our family. I continued to choreograph instead of perform and it was during this time that I decided to study fashion design. In the 1930s and 40s, my father and his brother owned Bellanca Embroidery, where they made embellished evening gowns and handbags for the high-end fashion houses and department stores. These influences weighed heavily upon me. We moved to the West Village in the 1980s, and I took the plunge, designing men's parachute nylon-ripstop jumpsuits and pants for boutiques on Fire Island. Will has exhibited at the Annual Art Festivals at the Pines, Huntington, Montauk and in showrooms and galleries from Chelsea to Soho.

How did you hear about Etsy?
Our son Gregory knew about Etsy; several of his girlfriends were participating. He had told me a few years ago to join but our heads were not in the right place. We were still raising our children and getting them through college and out the door.

How long have you been in business as a team?
It was a dream of mine from the very beginning of our relationship to be in business together. It took maturing on both of our parts to finally realize this vision. In 1996 while still living in New York we decided to open a decorative finish business. When our familial obligations were winding down, Billy took me to Florida where we continued the business and on April 19, 2009 we went live on Etsy.

What's the best part about working together?
Work is play and play is work. We're still like kids, we just like being together. Even if we are separated by a studio wall, it's just great. I have also opened a shop called CrazieGracie. It's a form of therapy for me until I dig deep again for those new ideas.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
Difficulties have been ironed out over our 30-year relationship. As it is for most people, everyone wants to be the boss. Well, we all know that to work as a team, there can only be one captain. Sometimes, I get to be the leader. Most times, I am fine with him heading up the team. I have his respect. He knows that he can trust my instincts and when I get out there, I let him reel me in.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
When you are self-employed, it all runs together. We try to be flexible and structure time for our personal
lives. We make sure to get out and take walks, play tennis, and stay fit and healthy. It's during these outings that we reminisce, vent and revitalize.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
This may sound cliché, however, every day is Valentine's Day around here.

What are your future Etsy goals?
We are enjoying our experience with Etsy and look forward to building relationships and having continued success. We wish we had heeded our boys' advice to get online sooner. Leaping from the stone age into the cyber age, Etsy has proven to be a viable avenue for all sorts of opportunities.

Thanks to Will and Gracie for sharing their story.
You can see some of their creations below.

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories | Art Category

Etsy Finds: Knot a Typical Affair

2010-02-09T11:28:00-04:00

These days tying the knot doesn't mean being stuck with your mother's tastes and beholden to your father's pocketbook. Weddings have become a deeply personal expression of a couple's identity and there's no place like Etsy to find inspiration. Today's Etsy Finds collection shows off some of our most unique nuptial themes. With DIY, handmade and retro vintage treasures it's easy to make your fantasy wedding a reality. Take your sweetheart on a shopping spree through past wedding Etsy Finds, and of course, don't miss our outstanding Weddings category!

Once Upon a Time

Flights of Fancy

By HeadCaseByG, $18.

Once Upon A Time Ornament

By aspoonfulofcharm, $4.

Burgundy Hood

By BarbwireandRoses, $250.

Thumbelina Shadow Puppet

By IsabellasArt, $20.

A fairy tale dress...

By Carolinasoma, $128.

Fairy Wings in Black and Mauve

By UpfromtheAshes, $160.

Homespun Love

Rosy Lily Top Denim and Silk

By attiladesign, $305.

Wooden Doll Cake Toppers

By theenchantedcupboard, $65.

Bubble Bead Headband

By littlehoneypies, $10.

Twenty Kisses Brooch

By pipandemily, $35.

Waste Not Want Not Clutch

By rejenerate, $69.

hand embroidered elephants card

By bybelinda, $4.50.

A Dark Romance

Gothic Silk Marie Antoinette Gown

By RomanticThreads, $795.

Mia - Feather Hair Clip Fascinator

By VieModerne, $36.

Milk and Honey Cameo Soap Bar

By Essenceofgaia, $4.20.

BLACK ROSE Gothic Perfume Oil

By MeenasMagickals, $4.

Candle Holder/Vase Block

By blackbrocade, $24.99.

Fifteen Tiny Keys

By missemilygene, $30.

Green Dream

Floating Away...

By Stilllily, $40.

Apron Dress

By KTGinc, $766.

beanstalk eco-friendly invitation (25)

By kissandtellcards, $116.25.

Watercolor Dreams Crown

By gardensofwhimsy, $28.

Textured Leaf Earrings

By SigaliotJewelry, $32.

Dipping dish - leaves in chartreuse

By hopejohnson, $18.

Champagne Toast

Creme D'or Champagne Gown

By colorada, $800.

ANGELA BRIDAL CAPELET

By DCCFORMALSTYLE, $250.

The Harrelson Suit

By MicheleNassaney, $995.

Vintage 1930's Wedding Hat

By yellowfield7, $350.

Fluer de Choker

By vintagecityclassics, $110.

Champagne Toast Fondant

By TwoSugarBabies, $13.

Woodland Fantasy

Orange and Red Mushroom House

By thepinkkoala, $9.

bird with eggs in nest headband

By hootvintage, $25.

Shrubbery Pom Pom Plush Plant

By glamasaurus, $20.

POMPOM POLLINIS size 6.5 /7

By KirstyMcKenzie, $177.

12 Griffith milk glass spice jars

From ModishVintage, $139.

Rainbow Light crochet dress

By rubypearl, $268.

Goin' to the Chapel

Pink Heart Birdcage Veil

By HeartFeltByAviva, $40.

Vintage 60s Red Velvet Dress

From studio1950, $75.

Champagne Diamond Solitaire

By wireddesign, $140.

Invitation Set - Recycled/Vintage

By revelry, $12.95.

Vegan Vamp altered vintage gloves

By aprilevening, $18.

Vintage Cake Topper

From ItsyBitsyVeil, $10.

An Art Affair

look 02 theLELALAMBone

By blushless, $2900.

Pop Tab Masquerade Mask

By obsequies, $5.67.

Spiked Necklace Beach Punk

By Starrbeads, $68.

Gourmet Apples

By DessertedPoint, $8.

Font Lessons Zine

By TFRice, $1.

ladder cup

By villarrealceramics, $32.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Etsy Finds Decor: Repurposed Retreat

2010-02-07T11:00:00-04:00

This weekend's Get the Look: Decor is inspired by Sandra Soss's Chicago home and studio. Staying true to her self-proclaimed bricolage lifestyle, Sandra’s home is a compelling amalgamation of collections, artwork, thrift shop treasures, found objects and donated furnishings that are constantly rearranged and repurposed.

Sandra also runs two successful Etsy shops, bricolagelife and daisychainvintage. When her hands aren’t full of “glue, threads, camera or onions” she blogs about her various art projects, home life, cooking and decorating at Bricolagelife.

View more photos of Sandra’s home on Flickr. Check out the Etsy Finds below for creative decorating ideas to transform your home into a cozy retreat filled with meaningful collections and objects.

Treasures - signed reproduction print

By KatHannah, $21.

Vintage Rand McNally World Globe

From impulseART, $26.

Vintage 1940s Folding Oak Wood Chairs

From sevenbc, $120.

The Emperor Seat, gorgeous stool

By StilNovoDesign, $185.

pair of green metal boxes

From ImSoVintage, $19.

cards for Grandma

By tushtush, $50.

instant collection - ceramic bowl set

From thewildplum, $12.

Vintage Nesting Hen Covered Dish

From DowntownGirlVintage, $15.

Snowdrops

By reyaveltman, $55.

Pine Tree Key Rack

By yellowcanoe, $38.

Oscar Wilde Prayer Candles Set

By DeadMenTellingTales, $30.

Porcelain Pods

By DTerryDesigns, $22.

Orange Chair House

By CornflowerPress, $48.

Vintage Equestrian Horse Pilliow

By amye123, $16.

Saint Tammy Prayer Candle in White

By sweetheartville, $20.

Teensy Vintage Banner Trio

By monkeypuzzle, $20.

Mosaic Table

From DecktoutHome, $219.

Vintage Kitschy Souvenir Pillow

From thebackwardglance, $14.

Chernushka

By Mystectvo, $2400.

Conifer Plate

By mernim, $40.

Cottage style Paper Mache Boxes

By thebrokenhouse, $21.98.

Vintage map handmade Lamp shade

By theoldlampshed, $56.

Cork Bulletin Board - Wood Frame

By LaffyDaffy, $23.

Western Meadowlark.. a pretty print

By candacejean, $12.

Fern and Gloria Original Watercolor

By vivstrauss, $170.

General Electric Oscillating Table Fan

From vintageonthemake, $50.

I Heart HOPE - Obama Poster Print

By WilliamDohman, $14.

Custom Map Tray - Large

By CarolinaCottage, $40.

Green Cheese Tray/ Desk Accessory

From thevintageholicfrog, $18.

Sea Green Gooseneck Desk Lamp

From funretro, $7

Inside Out Collection - Happily Ever After

By RomanekDesign, $20.

An Irish Toast to Your Coffin Poster

By VictorianLowbrow, $13.95.

Marimekko Mini Unikko Pillow Cover

By ModDiva, $27.95.

Set of Books Proust Locke & Maugham

From tigerluxe, $43.

Floating Fern Farm - Original painting

By unitedthread, $25.

Plant an Idea

By elsita, $25.

Mini Goals Chalkboard - Today I Will

By MaryKateMcDevitt, $33.

Recycled Map Treasure-Cigar Box

By HocusFocus, $18.

Painted Turquoise Plate Shelf

From pattispolkadots, $28.

Strawberry Pitcher

From autumnalways, $16.

Looking for more styles and interiors? Check out our video series, There's No Place Like Here, where creative types show us their unique spaces — infused with their aesthetic and filled with the treasures they collect. Get involved and show us your amazing space in this Flickr pool.

Check out other Get the Look: Home Decor Editions.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links: Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox!

Keep It Weird: Think Inside the Box

2010-02-05T16:00:00-04:00

In elementary school, I was a fiend for book reports. Before the narrative arc had climaxed, I would already be filling shoeboxes with Fimo characters, papier-mache motifs, and metaphorical embellishments. The diorama is the ultimate immersion. I just want to climb inside these realms, wipe my feet on the construction-paper welcome mat and illuminate the clip-on-earring sconces. The dioramas in this week's Keep It Weird engross me in all dimensions and POVs.

Delve right in with The Attack by FriendlyMisanthrope, Give Bees a Chance Shrine by valleyofthedoll, and Sweet Goodbyes Pendant by charmedbyjessica. Check out the Related Items below for more trippy tableaux.

More Keep It Weird Posts | Etsy Dioramas

Guest Curator: Paper Magazine's Alexis Swerdloff

2010-02-03T15:20:00-04:00

Alexis Swerdloff is the executive editor of PAPER magazine and PAPERMAG.com. She lives in Brooklyn.

For my job at PAPER I spend a lot of time “curating” people — finding up-and-coming actors, musicians, designers, artists, and writers to feature in the magazine (like the Etsy crew, who I wrote about back in 2007!). It is rare that I get to curate THINGS, which is why I had so much fun putting together this little Etsy guide.

Ritz Cracker Necklace

There is something intrinsically hilarious about wearing a brass Ritz cracker around your neck (and I love that the folks at GarnettJewelry included little flecks of salt!). $24.

Pears by Christopher Bettig

I was just over at my friends’ house and noticed that they had a vintage print of various pears hanging over their bed. I was struck by how elegant pears are and realized that I would like something pear-related hanging in my home. This print by LA-based artist Christopher Bettig is a really nice shade of green and kind of mid-century modern in its aesthetic. By themountainlabel, $40.

Felt Food Hot Dog

I find BeckyM’s felt hot dog very adorable and I'm now officially obsessed with tiny felt food. By BeckyM, $8.75.

Anais School Girl Dress - Navy

By zorya, $37.

Vintage 80s Short PUFF Sleeve Secretary Dress

I have rarely met a striped, polka-dotted or navy blue dress I didn’t like. Just ask anyone who knows me — the number of dresses I own in those various iterations verges on ridiculous. Here are two that I found and liked. From VonlenskaVintage, $45.

vtg. COACH large bucket bag brown leather like new

From storyofthings, $110.

Vintage Woven Navajo Purse

From sarabeat, $22.

Bow Clutch/Purse Silver Vintage

I am also a crazy vintage bag lady. Here are three that I found (and now covet). Etsy is a really good place to find reasonably priced vintage Coach bucket bags! By WillowCreekSparrow, $26.

Rebecca

Recently I have been very drawn to black and white art. Etsy has loads of simple, graphic black and white drawings as well as vintage black and white photographs. Barcelona-based artist nosideup makes lovely drawings of the backs of women’s heads. According to the description, “Jo liked being rained on when she was bathing in the sea, and she liked apples in autumn, with cinnamon.” By nosideup, $20.

Miniature Portrait of Jonathan Richman--Framed

I love this miniature portrait of Modern Lovers frontman Jonathan Richman. By gelgud, $65.

Sailing Caps

This drawing is quite sweet. Kierston Essenpries actually did a year-long series of drawings in PAPER back in 2008. By KierstenEssenpreis, $40.

1933 Miss Annette Kellerman's Feats Of Diving And Swimming Illustration

From SurrenderDorothy, $24.89.

1940s 1950s modern woman at refrigerator framed photograph / art work

From jennypennyvintage, $30.

Little Brown Barf Bag, limited edition screenprint

While trawling around Etsy I found two very rude items. The "Little Brown Barf Bag," a send-up of Bloomingdales’ iconic “Little Brown Bag,” was made by Brooklyn-based Sarah Nicole Phillips. By snphillips, $25.

bored...

Fellow Brooklyn artist joettamaue sells dainty (and occasionally subversive) embroidered items in her Bird and Bear Etsy store. The word “bored” hand-stitched on a flowery doily — come on, what is better than that? $145.

Vintage Brass Mouse

This vintage brass mouse didn’t fall into any of my categories, but I just had to put this little guy on my list. Amazing! From thesundaytimesmarket, $18.

Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive!

Gettin' A Little LOST

2010-02-02T17:09:00-04:00

It's official: After years of adamantly resisting ABC's hit television show, LOST, I've been sucked in. My obsession started innocently enough; just the pilot episode, to see what all the ruckus was about. Hours later, my roommate found me glued to my seat, chain-watching episode after episode, with every fingernail bitten to a nub.

With tonight's (final!) season premiere on my mind, I can't help but feel like every item on Etsy is enchanted with clues to the show's many mysteries. (This same sentimental nature convinces me that every love song is about my boyfriend and me.)

Regardless, I think you LOST fans out there will understand the inspiration behind my picks. If you haven't tuned in to the show, you may find yourself a little...well, lost. (Sorry, that pun was begging to be unleashed!)

Wanderlust Necklace -- sale

I dare you to try and locate the mysterious island on this globe. It's not happening! By crumpetcake, $15.

The light in her eyes 10x10 Print

Time travel = nose bleeds. Everybody knows that. Especially poor Charlotte... By tikikiki, $22.

Cool Submarines, bathroom / kid's room vinyl decal stickers (set of 8)

The subs in LOST are quite different than those of the Beatles variety. By jolyonyates, $14.95.

Long distance romance - 8x8 Fine Art Print

Speaking of long distance romance, when are Sawyer and Kate going to get back together!? Sorry Juliet, but I'm tired of waiting. By irenesuchocki, $30.

Volkswagon Camper Letterpress Card

When are we? 1977, baby! By OldSchoolStationers, $8.

Mama and Baby Polar Bears- wool animals

I still don't really understand what's going on with the polar bears. Am I alone in this confusion? By littleloveblue, $80.

Smoke - 9 x 9 Original Signed Fine Art Photograph

I have nightmares about that black smoke monster. Eeeesh. By callex, $25.

Una Pistola

There's plenty of weapon-slinging on the island, that's for sure! By MissCrowland, $8.

The Enchanted Gate - Painted Leather Journal with Vintage Door Lock - Gate Collection

I'm dying to take a peek into Daniel Faraday's journal. Who else cried during Episode 14? By artreasury, $98.

AP1029 New Orleans Doorbells

Press this button every 108 minutes or we're all doomed! By josephbarnettphoto, $45.

Are you watching tonight? Let us know in the comments below!

Browse Items Tagged "Island" on Etsy

Etsy Finds: You Art What You Wear

2010-01-30T10:40:00-04:00

Many of us use inspiration boards to encourage our creative impulses. Whether stimulating ephemera is found on a studio wall surrounded by paint bushes or a casual family photo collage on your fridge, images can influence style, decor, and the daily art of living. In the great tradition of muses, the theme of today's Etsy Finds takes a work of art and translates its concepts into wearable fashion.

Take a look at our first article in this series, Masterpiece Wardrobe, and feel free to post an art inspiration and fashion translation of your own in the blog comments.