Search results (tags) for: "fresh shops"

Fresh Shops: RimaDesigns

2008-11-20T17:31:00Z

I was recently searching for capes and things with hoods (hoodlets, perhaps?) on Etsy and came across the sheer genius of rimadesigns. This Fresh Shop just set up in September 2008. Her capes and hoodlets are just too well designed and functional — thus, they garner some investigation!

Here's a little interview we did with this rimadesigns.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind rimadesigns?

Rima was a magical jungle girl who enchanted wild beasts with a gentle bird song. My dad named me after this creature from the book, Green Mansions, and I’ve done my best to carry on the legacy. Thus, I use a leaf motif for my label and Etsy store.

But actually I've mostly been a city-dweller – I’m originally from the Bay Area, and then lived in NYC for many years. Last year I moved to Tucson, AZ to finish up my PhD in neuropsychology, and ended up staying. Throughout my PhD, I sewed and designed as a means of keeping myself sane. The tangible aspect of design work has been the perfect compliment to my heady endeavors. Since finishing my schooling, I’ve had more time for dreaming and sewing. Happily, I discovered Etsy, and now have a place to share my creations.

What inspires you as a creative person?

I’ve been intrigued by magic since I was little, and I think that’s what attracted me to both brain-science anEtsy :: The Storque :: Admind design work. It is hard to say where ideas come from, but I know that for me, fantasy has a big role. I do most of my designing with my eyes closed, often just before I fall asleep at night, or right when I awaken in the morning. After I have a new concept, the scientist in me labors over every detail until I feel it’s perfect. I try to make things that are a bit otherworldly, but still practical and stylish. I also love versatility in a design, so that people can play with a piece and make it their own. It’s also more fun that way.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?

I love Etsy because it’s so easy to connect with buyers and other designers. I’ve already managed to establish both a virtual and real-life community. I think my favorite feature is the Alchemy option, which I guess isn’t too surprising considering my fascination with magic! It’s fun to realize other people’s visions, and I love the creative collaboration. The only problem is that I always want to keep the piece after I make it!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage.
You'll probably also get hooked on Pounce Undiscovered. Support the newbies!

Fresh Shops: DiscreetCharm

2008-11-13T11:15:00Z

I'm a big fan of anything of the natural history vein, so when I saw DiscreetCharm's animal inspired metalwork, I was hooked. Her jewelry features wolf heads and antelope horns, all small enough to carry with you. She's been on Etsy a little less than two months and is still getting her feet wet on the site. Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind DiscreetCharm?
I was born and raised in a small suburb of Chicago, but I've been living in Brooklyn since I graduated high school. I've always had an interest in jewelry and I had made a few pieces here and there, but August '08 is when I started to actively create a line. My boyfriend, Paris, actually came up with the name of my line. It comes from a film by Luis Buñuel, one of my favorite filmmakers. I wouldn't say his work directly inspires mine, but his films have a restless nature which I appreciate and relate to.

What inspires you as a creative person?
My first series was obviously inspired by wild animals. I love the shapes that I find in nature, but I am also really inspired by the experience of being outside. Going outdoors and exploring is a way for me to flush away all the BS that can stave off my creativity. In the summer of 2007 I traveled to South Dakota, and I was lucky enough to see male bighorn sheep. One generally encounters female and baby sheep, which have much smaller horns. The males are much more reclusive, but driving through Badlands National Park, I saw a whole group of them and it was amazing. Their horns have a beautiful shape and texture, and I made a pendant based on them. I also looked at a lot of National Geographic pictures and Ernst Haeckel drawings while creating this series.

I have already started sketching out my next collection. It is inspired by a whole mess of things including childhood, Art Nouveau, Dia de los Muertos and the Victorian era. It should be really interesting to see how the two collections reflect each other because the ideas behind them are so different.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
I love Etsy, it's a brilliant idea. I love the variety of things being sold. One of my favorite features is being able to mark sellers as favorites, so I can keep tabs on their goods. I also love being able to see that people have marked me as a favorite!

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome! (Your blog, etc.)
I'm in the process of creating my website and it should be up soon. Check it out at discreet-charm.com. Thanks!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: The Secret Nest

2008-11-06T12:23:00Z

Sometimes when you find a Fresh Shop, it's like a beam of light coming down to show you something you haven't seen before. I happened to bump into TheSecretNest a few weeks ago and was thrilled at how unique their items were (and how lovely their photos were too!). So I asked a few questions to learn a bit more about the maker behind this shop...

Can you tell us a little about the people behind TheSecretNest?
The person behind the Secret Nest is Karina Kalvaitis. I live and work on Vancouver Island – on the west coast of Canada. I’m an artist-of-all-sorts and a (sometimes) theatrical props builder. I’ve made and shown my art in galleries across Canada for about 12 years now. Just recently I threw out my extremely lucrative and high-powered career as an art-store clerk to try my hand at making things full time. I like making all sorts of arts and crafts, but I imagine that Etsy itself may guide me to a specific niche (or two, or three?).

What inspires you as a creative person?
Plants, animals, life underwater, and all things teeny-tiny. I love mysterious natural places where I can imagine some creature or other living — hidey-holes or green leafy places. Gardening is a good inspiration — flowers and plants are quite otherworldly the closer you get to them. I like things that aren’t spelled out, which is perhaps why I like animals so much. I like imagining what they are thinking – and I suppose imagining I have some special connection to them. I use animals as stand-in for humans I think — especially for those awkward or uncertain moments when we are faced with our own vulnerability.

I think the things that inspire me all have something mysterious that resonates in them. And the things I make are all glimpses into something that is enigmatic. I can always tell when a piece works because I feel like it is a mystery, even to me — it has a life of its own that is unknowable. That gives me a real thrill, and it keeps me making artwork. I think this idea of secrets is also why I like making blank books — because people will fill them with their own secret plans and ideas.

How do you like Etsy so far?
I’m really impressed by the size of the audience on Etsy; it seems like a fantastic place to reach people.

I’m still finding my way around in Etsy — I feel like the new kid at school and I don’t yet know where all of the hallways lead. However, unlike high school, all the kids here are really nice! I really thrive on feedback, and people have been kind enough to convo me with compliments — I feel like I’ve been noticed, instead of lost in the crowd. I have high hopes for Etsy!

What are your favorite features of the site?
Well, as a fledgling shop owner, I’ve been especially drawn to the features that give me reassurance and hope. I love the Quit Your Day Job and Success Stories. I’m grateful for Hearts Me — I was overjoyed by how many people said they “hearted me” after only a few days. I’ve been included in a couple of Treasuries too, and I think that is what got me the most traffic so far.

And as a newbie, I’ve consulted the Etsy Seller’s Handbook many many times. I guess I absorbed a good deal of it — since I got kudos in an Etsy Success email as Exemplary Listing of the Week for following all the tagging suggestions!

Oh, and I like the Shop Local feature too — I’ve checked out all of the other shops from Victoria. Is that too many favorite features? Apparently I’ve found a lot to like!

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome! (Your blog, etc.)
I had some drawings in a gallery in Toronto and they are now on their way to The Secret Nest. If you heart manatees (and how could you not!) you’ll want to check them out.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: commondecency

2008-10-30T11:48:00Z

I recently spotted a new quirky shop on the scene. The seller in question? None other than pillow, tote bag and t-shirt maker commondecency. Their unique combination of antique imagery and contemporary forms is pretty captivating! Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind commondecency?
Common Decency is a collaboration between my husband Daniel and myself. I have been making things to sell at consignment and retail shops off and on over the past 12 years. I started out sewing clothing, a skill I picked up from watching mom. I also took a couple classes in screen printing at art school, which taught a very D.I.Y. approach to the process. This experience helped me figure out how to build all our own screen making and printing equipment, so we were eventually able to create a low cost printing studio in our garage.

We both share design duties, although I have to give Daniel the credit for the sort of "psychedelic Victorian" imagery we used on our John and Mary pillows (my two personal favorites from the shop). He has been experimenting with hand-manipulating old engravings for a few years now (there is a huge old suitcase full of these experiments in our living room!). I went through his ideas and picked out the John and Mary images, figuring they were simple yet unique enough to look great on a set of pillows, and those ended up becoming the inspiration for our shop.

What inspires you as a creative person?
In general, it is the desire to make everyday objects more interesting. With this particular venture, the inspiration comes from wanting to highlight beautiful objects and everyday imagery of the past, but put our own spin on it where we can. We both love the graphic style of the Victorian period, a combination of very skilled and reserved engravings with kind of crazy, no rules fonts and layouts. Because our culture recycles through imagery so quickly, a lot of beauty in these old drawings, faces, objects get buried under that pile. We hope to elaborate on this aesthetic as we add new designs to the shop.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
We both love Etsy!! I can't say I will ever miss the days of having to wander around looking for shops to sell my designs. Etsy allows us to experiment more, be more creative, and more easily change ideas that don't work well.

As far as features, Pounce is pretty addictive. I also like Shop Local to check out what other artists in our area are up to.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: jillrosenwald

2008-10-23T11:22:00Z

Ceramicist JillRosenwald's beautiful works have been all the rage on the blogosphere as of late. Her gorgeous lamps, bowls and vases are the picture of muted palettes and graphic beauty.

This Fresh Shop may be brand new to Etsy, but she's an accomplished artist who has already sold her art around the world. Etsy gives her a new venue to sell her handmade prototypes — very fresh items indeed!

Can you tell us a little about the people behind jillrosenwald?
We started our business too many years ago to imagine... I was right out of college and started by selling handmade clay earrings in Soho. (Ha ha!) After that it was door-to-door, to stores, making cold sales calls, and then to the American Craft Council shows, gift shows in New York and selling for over ten years to the top American retailers. By then it was the pottery work — go to www.jillrosenwald.com to see more. We had our work in hundreds of great shops — Barneys in New York and JAPAN! ABC Carpet and Home, Saks, Neimans — lots of groovy shops!

We downsized a few years ago to focus on our lamps — and my licensing biz —another long story! Today we are located in a smaller location around the corner from our old place. We have just renovated to provide our locals and the Etsy watchers with beautiful custom made pottery.

What inspires you as a creative person?
When we moved into the new space I was instantly provided with the impetus to create this very cool new work that so definitely veers off from the very busy work that made our reputation. I also started to design forms that were less influenced by functionality and more directed by sculptural notions. The forms inspired the cleaner lines of the new patterns that have far more white space and show off the lines of the form...The whole thing seems to beg for itself. I think that that tells you a lot about who we are and what we do

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
When we first set up shop on the site, we started to look around and were instantly smitten with the Storque videos, particularly the one of Julia Pott, which told me about her amazing work and drew me to her wonderful animation. "My First Crush" — j'adore her! Then I explored further and really got sucked in — the muralist Maya Hayuk, Built by Wendy, the frenchwoman who makes the petit fours jewelry (lepinkchocolat) — love love!

Then once the shop went up, I was instantly taken with "Who Hearts Me" — I mean, how great is that feature? My numbers grow every day, and I think people are watching my work here and I have this huge reach. People can see what we make right after it comes out of the kiln! Exciting! Incredible! And for someone who has been making work seriously for a long time, this is a great thing, this internet world, right? AND! It is great to get attention, period! I was uncertain of Etsy in the beginning, as I have my own site, but the exposure from Etsy is amazing. I am a huge admirer and I cannot stop talking about it to everyone. I think they might be tired of it, but occasionally you find someone who says, "Oh Etsy...I love Etsy!" So thank you for the venue!

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
Check out more of my work at www.jillrosenwald.com.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: transitantenna

2008-10-16T13:11:00Z

I was recently given the heads up on a very interesting new shop. Though TransitAntenna has only been on Etsy for a few months thus far (one sale and counting!), this Fresh Shop has a pretty interesting story.

You see, this shop has decided to take the "road less traveled." After leaving their homes in South Carolina less than a year ago, this group has been living life as a continual road trip in an eco-friendly converted bus. As they roam the highways and small towns of the United States, they've somehow found the time to start an Etsy shop with really awesome bags and purses inspired by their journeys.

Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind TransitAntenna?
TransitAntenna is a collective of artists, writers, craftsmen, and film makers, traveling and living on the roadways of North America in an old city transit bus converted to run on waste vegetable oil. We (Seth, Jamie, my husband Bob, my son Taylor, and myself) left Charleston, South Carolina eight months ago on a two year journey to see the country.

I am a trained baker and cake decorator, but taught myself how to use a sewing machine about a year ago and began making handbags for myself and friends. My husband Bob went to school for painting and print-making, and we decided to team up to make functional works of art. All the items that we create are hand screen-printed by Bob and sewn by myself on our bus while on the road.

What inspires you as a creative person?
We are inspired by the towns that we travel through and the local culture and flare that is unique to each. We enjoy working with shapes and patterns and lately have been consumed with neon and glow in the dark. Most of the items that we have made recently were inspired by an exhibit on Amish Quilts showing in Denver, Colorado when we were passing through. Living on the road provides challenges such as finding locations to park a 40 ft. bus, finding restaurants to get vegetable oil from and home schooling my son. These challenges can make it difficult to work on our projects on a daily basis, but you can expect to see some fun and exciting items from us throughout the next couple of years.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
I love all the cool stuff on Etsy that are just my style! Being a part of Etsy offers me the opportunity to be part of a community of people with common creative interests without having to physically be in one location.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
While traveling we document our journey through photos, writings, and videos on our website, www.transitantenna.com. We also welcome suggestions and ideas of places for us to visit and check out.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

You might also be interested in articles about homeschooling or eco-friendliness or traveling around the world.

Fresh Shops: badhairmountain

2008-10-09T15:00:00Z

Sometimes I find art on Etsy that really speaks to me, in some language or another. It's possible Sean from badhairmountain, a Fresh Shop started in August 2008, found all my metalhead friends and drew their portraits. There's also the possibility that he just lives in the coolest town ever where all the townspeople have beautiful flowing locks....and of course, listen to Priest.

Sean finds inspiration in the odd-looking animals and people in the universe and discovered his love for drawing as a kid, sketching the Ninja Turtles. This self taught artist, with a bit of design training, is welcoming the summer in Australia by rocking out to The Hold Steady, a rock and roll band from Brooklyn, NY, and plans to experiment more in his drawings and paintings, to see what he's really capable of. When he finds the time, Sean also enjoys film, animation, stenciling and writing, and of course, consuming "various beverages" (don't we all).

I plan to keep an eye on badhairmountain, because I'm sure the best has yet to come. I'm very intrigued by the voluptuous couple rockin' the Lady Godiva style. I'd invite them over for coffee, if they promised to at least wear loincloths.

If this cast of characters is an accurate cross section of the folks in Sean's town of Perth, Australia, then maybe it's time for me to change hemispheres. But until I can afford a ticket around the world, I guess I'll just have to day dream about being neighbors with everyone at badhairmountain.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: LuckyJackson

2008-10-02T13:09:00Z

"I like the idea of working really hard at being happy and I think that you should surround yourself with things that reflect this, including art. I like making art that is fun, that you get a chuckle out of when you see it, a bit of nostalgia that everyone gets. I hope that my fellow Estians find that in my work!" — LuckyJackson

During a recent jaunt through Pounce Undiscovered I discovered the work of LuckyJackson. Aside from LuckyJackson's refreshing outlook, I was immediately drawn to the bold lines and collage of elements used in her art. Vintage fabric, embroidered stitching, pastels, guache and wood grain are all employed to create graphic and strong, but still intimate and personal portraits. Even though I don't know who the people in her work are, the quirky moments Lucky captures makes them instantly relateable and yes, a lot of fun!

I was curious what made her decide to fill her shop only recently after opening over a year ago:

"The delay between when I opened my account and when I started listing coincides with the birth of my daughter. I had all these ideas for my 'lucky' work when she was first born (last August) and in the last few months have taken the time to execute them. All the originals featured in the shop right now will be available [soon]. I also have another 14 new works to add. (It's all a time thing with two kids!)"

I also had to find out about that name:

"Funny you should ask... I lost my Dad just a little over a year ago. I had just found out that I was pregnant with my second child just a few weeks prior to his death.

My Dad and I were best friends. He was a huge 'culture vulture,' loving music, art, literature and movies. I owe him for all the things he
exposed me to over the years. I was just in awe of all the artists that he introduced me to.

When he died I knew I had to focus on good things. My father often said 'You can't control what happens to you, only how you react to it.' So I realized how lucky I was to have the new baby inside me, to have known such a great and passionate and creative father, for having such a supportive husband, my beautiful kids and for having a gift for the arts. I decided that I was only going to create art that was optimistic, happy, witty and fun.

To make a long story short, it's a reminder when I am feeling down, to remember just how lucky I am.

My name is Jennifer Jackson, but I prefer Lucky!"

Wow, thank you Lucky for this beautiful reminder and art work to match!

...Why not be the lucky one yourself and snap up Lucky Jackson's first sale? Worth noting, she will be accepting custom orders, which makes me think: hello costumed Halloween portrait!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: BoonesHooks

2008-09-25T13:00:00Z

BoonesHooks' amazing hooks caught my eye a few weeks ago as I was browsing for items to spruce up my space. With a perfect combination of function and style, with an extra eco factor, all of Smyth Boone's elegant designs are forged from recycled steel.

Taking a look around the shop, I found an interesting tidbit about this recent addition to the Etsy community: Not only is he an 18th generation blacksmith, he is also a descendant of the American pioneer Daniel Boone. Smyth was kind enough to tell us a bit about his craft and life; we're glad to have him here!

Finding inspiration in his process, Smyth creates visually pleasing artworks that double as functional design pieces. Blacksmithing is in his blood, though his education was only a two week visit with his father, who also learned the craft from his father, who learned from his father, who....well, you get the picture. After that, it was time to open a shop and get to work. Smyth learned more tricks and techniques from books and would practice by creating challenging pieces inspired by designs from texts. He also says fellow blacksmiths enjoy sharing their knowledge of the trade and there are national organizations that host classes and conferences. This self-taught craftsman is now teaching students and lecturing at conferences, but still seeks to add to his own skill set.

Smyth learned about Etsy from a friend and he is loving the exposure and networking:

"After almost 16 years of forging large architectural commissions, I decided to try a different tack and produce a product line of hand-forged home accessories with the intent that the product line would take off and I would be able to have it be my steady income, giving me the potential to pursue more complicated forgings and sculptures. I have had reasonable success with selling in very fine home decorator and gift stores and also on the internet, but not as much as I was intending."

Joining the Etsy interior design team, the Design Style Guide, has inspired Smyth to create a blog to promote his work, and he says networking is definitely a great way to get your name out in the world. This Etsy Team has the mission to connect professional interior decorators and designers with Etsy crafters and artists for their design needs. Smyth shares some wisdom he has gained:

"It appears to me that there is a certain threshold in visitor volume that one must achieve to have a successful web presence, generating enough revenue to keep your business alive and thriving. The more networking we do helps everyone as a whole. It is a great concept and I am glad to participate."

When not creating stunning steel works, Smyth spends time with his music collection. He's a radio dj and producer and even interviews musicians in his show "Talkin' Music" on KVNF in Paonia, Colorado. There's also time in there for mountain biking, which he claims is like meditation: hard work to get up the hills and a lot of fun riding down. He's the proud dad of two talented daughters: one is a double major in opera and Spanish and one is a brilliant artist who excels at everything she tries.

Thank you, Smyth, for bringing your talents to Etsy!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: Fine Craftsmanship from wookwoodworking

2008-09-18T13:13:00Z

Have you ever looked at the Showcase and been totally captivated by an item? I recently found a Fresh Shop called wookwoodworking, a relatively new shop that opened in May, by clicking on this table. Gorgeous!

The craftsmanship caught my eye and took my breath away, so I contacted the shop, and it turns out Alexandra Snook and Ed Way are the duo behind wookwoodworking. Recently married, the couple had met 9 years prior at SUNY Purchase while studying furniture design, and as Alexandra puts it, "Since we met I can honestly say that no piece has been solely mine or Ed's." One of them will come up with an idea, which then gets passed back and forth four or five times before the piece is completed. This obviously works for them — their furniture is refined but inventive.

Interestingly, wookwoodworking not only offers amazing, high end furniture, but also very affordable buttons and magnets, all made from sustainably harvested local wood — Cherry, Maple, Oak, Birch, and Apple. They also offer trivets, salad tongs, cutting boards, and jewelry at a variety of price points.

"Our background is based in one-of-a kind studio furniture pieces and architectural work, but we recently started doing craft fairs and markets, and realized how inaccessible custom woodworking generally is. The inordinate amount of time and materials that go into our furniture pieces make selling anything for a reasonable price (meaning anything we could afford) near impossible.

Taking all of this into consideration, and wishing to offer people pieces that express our vision and craftsmanship, we began to come up with price points and corresponding pieces."

Although the craftsmanship they put into their pieces is rooted in "old world" honest hard work and some classic designs, they "wouldn't describe [their] work as overly modern or overly traditional, but believe it lies somewhere between the two." Asian architecture gives them inspiration, as well as "natural and organic forms and textures. Our work often employs split turning which is the process of turning a piece of wood on a lathe and then splitting it afterward resulting in identical pieces."

They kiln-dry all of their tree buttons, which means they won't shrink, crack or warp as the wood ages. The attention to detail, even in their smaller pieces, inspires me to learn more about woodworking!

Read more Storque posts about wood | Browse the Woodworking Category | Find more Fresh Shops

Fresh Shops: Ruth Marks

2008-09-11T13:20:00Z

My pal Michael Troutman from the band Awesome Color has heard a lot about Etsy (mostly because I've been touting its praises to everyone I know). Michael in turn mentioned all the wonderful things he heard to his friend — artist and sculptor Ruth Marks — and encouraged her to open a shop. Ruth knew about Etsy, but wasn't aware that it was a marketplace for fine art as well as crafts. Voila! A little over a month ago, Ruth opened her shop and I was mesmerized by what I saw. Her paper clay sculptures of women and children are beautifully rendered and have an eerie dreamlike quality. As a filmmaker interested in the work of Jan Svankmajer, The Brothers Quay and Bread & Puppet, this work resonates with me not only as visually pleasing objects, but as physical manifestations of some netherworld that I long to explore and dream about...

Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the person behind ruthmarks?
I live in Michigan with my husband and two children. My husband James is an entrepreneur as well. (He runs a screen printing shop called VGKids.) It's perfect, because we work as a team to make our family life work and to make our businesses thrive. My studio is an converted kitchen in our old Victorian house. I like integrating home life and art making, it works well for me. Currently I sell most of my work through galleries and the occasional art fair. Making this Etsy shop has been a fun way to make my work even more widely available. The feedback has been wonderful.

What inspires you as a creative person?
Most of my imagery comes from childhood dreams and memories. I love to read and see films, and I think those narratives leak in to my work as well.

The doll artists of NIADA have an incredibly high quality craftsmanship and skill. I love going to their conferences to see the work in person and meet the artists. They are very generous group that I learn a lot from.

Of course the Pop-surreal or New Brow genre of work that is happening on the West Coast is so exciting. I love to keep track of the artists you can see in Juxtapoz magazine or in galleries like White Walls in San Francisco, Thinkspace in Los Angeles, Roq La Rue in Seattle.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
I love the accessibility of Etsy. I love that is always changing and that the staff seem to have a good eye and pick out fun things to highlight. I love just searching around and finding new artists all over the world. Sometimes being an artist can be isolating; it is good to remember that there are so many of us out there making beautiful things.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
I have a website at www.ruthmarks.com with links to some of my favorite artists and examples of my past work.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: LullabyLily

2008-09-04T16:23:00Z

Knit creatures make me happy. Lullabylily is a new little shop full of happiness: white winged horses, pink pigs and slugs — oh my! What do we have here? A brand new Etsy fiber artist after my own 12-year-old girl heart! (Yes, my heart stopped evolving at 12. I still really love ponies and sparkles.) I asked Lullabylily a few questions and I think I may have stumbled upon a someone who kinda likes Etsy: What do you think?

Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind LullabyLily?
My name is Flora Kennedy. I’ve been an Advertising Copywriter for donkey’s years. Now I’m thrilling to the knitting of donkey’s ears — how’d that happen?!

I guess like many other people, the leap came from having a child. Suddenly you have a whole other way of looking at the world — including a new appreciation of the detail of life and what you love to do.

I’ve always loved to knit, never valued it — well, it was kinda out-of-fashion for a while. But I still made clothes for family and friends' babies. A dear friend of mine told me the other day that the clothes I knitted for her three children ten years ago were used as clothes for teddies and dolls after they grew out of them. I can’t tell you how that makes my heart soar!

It's such a simple thing and it is the same, if not more so, with knitted (or any handmade) toys. I can’t get over how much my daughter loves the donkeys, pigs and even slugs I've knitted for her. She is, of course, the other person behind Lullaby Lily! My glorious assistant!

I believe children can sense the energy of things and people in a purer way than grown-ups, so perhaps their enjoyment of handmade clothes and toys comes from their sense that this toy was made by a real live person, not a machine, and they have an innate appreciation of that — maybe even a deep need. Who knows?

What inspires you as a creative person?
I think inspiration is an attitude that if you allow yourself to be ‘open’ you will find in everything — and often end up a bit deluged! As a writer I was trained in various techniques that help unblock creativity, such as connecting two utterly disparate things, and after a while these techniques become natural in a subconscious way.

While, yes, I am absolutely inspired by a yarn (particularly in my vestments shop), or a leaf or someone’s laugh, I have been shocked by the massive and powerful injection of inspiration I have received as part of the universe that is Etsy. The people I have connected with are just extraordinary.

I see fearlessness and bravery in the people who sell on Etsy and I am hugely inspired by those who make something that is very much a part of themselves, and then put it out there: artists like freedomRainbow, who is just incredible (and has inspired me so much that I opened ‘vestments’ directly because of her). It is no small thing to share something you have made yourself with the whole world, and I for one get a great deal of inspiration from the feeling of liberation I get from Etsy.

I am also inspired by sales! I love that my toys have made their way to Italy, Australia and the U.S., especially since I have lived in several countries myself.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
OK — if Etsy was a person they would have my undying devotion and love forever. No, really! I am not the only person I know who would like to live on Etsy Street. I LOVE Etsy — I could write a book about all the wonderment that this (Is it really just a website?! It feels like a whole world!) place offers.

And I say this having not even explored Etsy fully! I am stuck on Convoing, getting lost in a labyrinth of favorites, then last week I began an addiction to the thrill that is securing a Treasury page! My darling friend at beautiful Covetables tells me the Forums are brilliant with the warning that if I go there it could take over my life — but hey, Etsy has already done that, and I haven’t even been to the Forums!

Anything else?
I’d like to say thank you to the genius man who created Etsy. What a visionary! To me he’s like an online Oprah; the way he has helped people ‘use their lives’ and at the same time make the planet a better place in so many intricate and amazing ways. What a legend he is already.

WOW! Flora may love Etsy more than I do! "Online Oprah"?! I love it!

As a nod to the Best Of The Storque week, check out this sweet animation by Etsy's very own JimChesters that features a cute crocheted creature. We originally shared this video with you on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2008.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage or Pounce on some new shops here!

Fresh Shops: Aula46

2008-08-28T15:41:00Z

What can I say, I'm a sucker for electronic geekery. I'm also a sucker for Pounce, which is how I discovered today's Fresh Shop. First of all, the moment I see resistors in a listing image, the seller becomes a contender. Perhaps it's a weakness of mine, but I like to think of the ability to spot dorktacular oddities as a good thing. Aula46 joins Etsy this month from Alba, Italy and by doing so, brings a collection of jewelry made from active components.

Jewelry made from electronics is gaining momentum as of late and is beginning to bear a variety of styles. My guess is this trend stems from the fact that the cost of the components is relatively low, the potential for upcycling all the electronic waste that accrues in the world is high, the components come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and that most components have axial leads or some other metal part which can easily be bent into useful shapes for jewelry.

My personal favorite of Aula46's available work is this rib cage necklace. While the ribcage necklace seems to be a popular trend in meta-wares, this piece deviates into a more pattern oriented little wonder.

Or this pendant—love that blue capacitor.

Or how about these off-square earrings? I love the light blue 5-Band Axial leads in the center.

The Ladder necklace. Is this a pun? I love puns. (Check out the definition of a resistor ladder.)

Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind Aula46?
My name is Eva, I'm 21 years old, and I'm a full-time student in my third year at the Academy of Fine Arts of Milan, where I study sculpture. Aula46 is the name of the place where I create—my second home—and is one of the rooms in the Academy. I'm the person behind this page; I create the pieces and follow the shop's progressions.

What inspires you as a creative person?
My intent here, and in my life, is to share with other people the fruits of my ideas, finding more and different ways of expression as I proceed. These jewelry pieces are the elaboration of other art works I have done over these years at the Academy. The idea is to create a series of small sculptures, each unique and individual, to keep near one's self every day.

The electronic parts I use in my jewelry are called resistenze in Italian, and they are pieces used for electronic circuits in many, many objects of our everyday lives. Electric circuits create paths, and by thier nature they permit the passage of energy and contribute to the function of something bigger, different. This is one of the concepts I try to develop in my work.

Nature, with its uncontrolled beauty, is of great inspiration to me, and I always try to enhance the materials I use. What I try to do is explore the material as it is, to learn its peculiarities and characteristics and play with them.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
What I love most is the possibility it gives people to explore and share with others, freely and independently.
I find Etsy to be a place in which to learn new ways to live everyday life, and I love the variety of people, ideas and creations it offers.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
I must mention my good friend larimeloom. She is also a native of Alba who helps me with English and the set-up of my Etsy shop, as she has been here much longer.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Etsy Finds: Best "Undiscovered" Finds

2008-08-25T09:02:00Z

Happy Monday! For today's Etsy Finds (and to start your week off right), I've collected some of the most interesting and exciting things I found while browsing Etsy's Pounce Undiscovered. As always, I was shocked that these wonderful shops were still waiting on their first sale! Now you, dear reader, can be the first to own items from these hidden Etsy gems.

wide brim sunhat

I love the bold print on this fun, floppy hat. By Chiahats, $48.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Mouse Cheese/Serving Board

Despite being a faithful reader of Etsy Finds, we are positive you still don't have quite enough animal-shaped housewares. (And this mouse is made from gorgeous black walnut!) By oberlydesigns, $65.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Morels an original watercolor

Mycologist original art fans, rejoice. Painting by Niceharpy, $350.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

The Dandy Collar

Get on this fall's secretary trend with a ladylike tie. By LOEY, $190.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Boat

Print from original collage. My favorite part is the shapes making up the water; they have a dynamic economy of line that is really nice. By picsforyourdecor, $8.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

PURPLE BROWN AND PINK BEADED CHANDELIER EARRINGS

Chandelier earrings are verrrrrry trendy right now. Don't miss out. By fantasybeader, $8.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Kindergartenbag -laundry-

How cute are these little embroidered backpacks? Perfect for a friend just starting their first year at school. By mimipea, $50.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Short Shorts with Tie Belt

Wonderful built-from-scratch shorts with vintage material accents. By courtneyscastle, $75.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Tickled Pink Earrings

This is one of those shops you just know won't be in Pounce Undiscovered for very long! We're obsessed with these delicate, petal-like fabric earrings by ApplauseDesign, $25.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Still feel like being surprised? Try these Etsy links:

Pounce | Treasury | Time Machine

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

Fresh Shops: greyandstory

2008-08-21T12:00:00Z

I'm always looking for new and interesting jewelry on Etsy. I recently Pounced upon greyandstory, a metalsmithing duo that produces really cute necklaces and earrings. (Silver Tattoo, seen above, is my favorite. Well, that or the Brooklyn Bridge. It's so hard to decide!)

Here's a little interview we did with this Fresh Shop.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind greyandstory?
Grey & Story is the metal collection of below14th studio. In both shops, we try to create bold pieces that are unique and that tell a story. Three artists work in our studio, but the third one is our cat Olivia, so I don't know if you want to count her. We (Olivia, my partner and I) work out of our home studio in New Haven, CT.

What inspires you as a creative person?
I am attracted to messages and concepts more than textures or colors. I don't know how these synapses happen, but I might notice something someone said, or read something, and then I think about how I could translate it into a wearable object. Then I try to picture it on my imaginary customer — usually a more attractive and popular version of me — and I make final adjustments based on that.

I love the idea of making something for a stranger, and I like the idea of storytelling. I am much less interested in aesthetics than I am in the hermeneutics of these little glass and silver signs between me and my customers, or between my customers and a work of art (in the case of my Art Details.) The biggest thrill about selling my jewelry is knowing that something I made in my little studio in CT is now around a person's finger in Australia or in a souvenir box in Lithuania. For me, thoughts like that are as overwhelming and humbling as they are self-indulgent.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
My experience with Etsy has been both extraordinary and frustrating. I love the opportunity that Etsy gives people like me to present our work in front of a large audience. I do believe that Etsy has extremely loyal and invested sellers, who will continue to be enthusiastic promoters and I am hopeful that Etsy will grow with us. I think in any diverse community, but especially in an artist community, freedom of expression should be valued and fostered. Etsy is a fantastic idea and has amazing support in our community and it should not be afraid of free speech and of provoking or even outrageous ideas. In fact, I think we, the sellers, want it to be THE leader of fresh, cool, bright new directions.

Advertising is very tricky, I think, and I'm no expert. I can only speak about my own experience that I rarely, if ever, meet people who have heard of Etsy. Most of my close friends are creative, live in big cities, are supportive of the handmade movement and have some disposable income—yet they don't shop on Etsy because they've never heard of it. TV advertising would be fantastic, in my opinion.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
You can read our blog at http://below14th.typepad.com.

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Etsy Finds: New "Undiscovered" Favorites

2008-08-18T10:14:00Z

I was looking for some fresh blood for my Favorites, so I decided to browse Pounce Undiscovered, and I found a whole slew of talented newbies. Pounce Undiscovered is the best way to find a sweet shop before someone else does. Plus, I love speed-Pouncing until something catches my eye; it's so much more efficient than window shopping!

Yellow strapless seersucker dress

Since I will be heading to California come September, I could prolong summer by wearing this pretty yellow seersucker dress. katemdot, $50.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Sunset Mug

As a dedicated tea drinker, this Sunset Mug caught my eye: its shape is somewhere between a mug and a tea cup. Lovely! rebeccalowery, $20.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Lillian the Monster Brooch

Lately I've been thinking about starting a brooch collection, and while I assumed I would fill my jewelry box with vintage gems and filigree, this Monster Brooch would definitely lighten the mood. MonsterFarm, $9.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Lanter Wing Pewter Pendant

I love how the lacquer on this pendant makes the little lantern look like an artifact preserved in formaldehyde. By Kakalak, $28.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

fully alive (original acrylic painting)

This expressionist painting goes on my graduation wishlist. I love that the artist chose to tag the piece with "courage" and "no limit." By faithfulartist, $180.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Kaew...Teddy Mouse Pad with Wrist Rest

This 2-in-1 mouse pad and wrist rest is just really freaking adorable. By qOOp, $15.99.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Because My Mother Told Me I Could

I would use this blank booklet for to-do lists and deadlines; my mother would be so proud. By MarlenaWagner, $9.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

blue bag for your notebook or other items which need a cosy environment

This cheerful laptop bag would lift my spirits as I trudge to the library to work on research papers. fuchsundbaer, $130.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Sparks

I had a hard time picking just one light drawing from vickyloufox's shop to feature. With this one, I can almost hear the popping electricity. $30.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Still feel like being surprised? Try these Etsy links:

Pounce | Treasury | Time Machine

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

Fresh Shops: ilovegreyskies

2008-08-14T12:40:00Z

While using Pounce Undiscovered for Fresh Shops to feature, I found the unusual work of ilovegreyskies. Kimberly of ilovegreyskies has been an Etsian since last year, but only became an official shop within the past month. At first glance I thought the figurines were smallish yeti sculptures. Upon further review, I found that these little creatures were called "mooks." I wasn't sure what the term implied, but I knew that the little amorphous blobs looked pretty cute to me—especially when wearing a little bear hood!

Here's a little interview we did with ilovegreyskies.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind ilovegreyskies?
Just me. I've always been a creative person and had leanings towards making little things, so the sculptures in my shop are pretty representative of what I like to make. I was really thoughtful about what I wanted in my Etsy shop—I wanted it to be something I enjoyed making, and hopefully something that people would like to display. I am also a painter. I live in Florida with the love of my life (husband, Tony) and my son, Enzo. I have a little studio in my house, and as soon as I get my son down for a nap, I'm in there working on any number of projects. I really like my life.

What inspires you as a creative person?
What seems like such an easy question is always so hard to me. I am lucky enough to constantly have a vastness of ideas swimming around my head at all times, so I guess I am constantly inspired. I think casual daydreaming is when I think of the ideas, but then it gets more focused and serious while I try to fine tune them to develop a project.

As far as inspiration goes, here are some things that do inspire me specifically: Childrens books (I love Sendak, Scarry and Gorey best), illustrations, other artists, old-fashoned ghost stories, counter-culture, David Lynch, Francis Bacon, fall, my husband, people who follow their own path, anatomy, mid-century design, nature & life, comic books (cCowes, Kochalka, more), domesticity, blogs, READING books, love.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
Since I am so new as a seller, I sincerely love how user friendly it is and how easily I am able to find answers to my questions. I have yet to even scratch the surface of all the resourses, but from what I've seen it's just amazing. So far, I've just been looking around in a lot in amazement at how many talented people there are out there.

The existence of Etsy is just such a wonderful tool for reaching audiences—I'd never be able to without it. My aesthetic is a strange one, and the fact that I may be able to find others that like it is pretty exciting.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
I do have a blog at ilovegreyskies.blogspot.com. Thank you so much for featuring me!!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Fresh Shops: UnConventional

2008-08-07T12:28:00Z

One of the most fun things about going back to school (besides the higher learning, of course) is the chance to reinvent yourself. It's a fresh start, a time to take stock, and let's be honest—a chance to update your look. Who do you want to be this season?

My pick to elevate your threads to a whole new grade are the bold, eclectic necklaces of UnConventional. Made from recycled materials and natural elements, it seems you could pull just about any old thing from the back of the closet and completely transform it with a funky piece like Stories of the Past or The Music of the World. Love the item names too— scrolling through this shop brings to mind a fresh course catalog, when your schedule is wide open and you can dream about how your world will be expanded for the best with each descriptive offering. New to school? Hello instant conversation piece.

As a noteworthy elective, UnConventional plans to donate 20% of sales to Save the Turtles and The World Land Trust charities. And you thought freespirited idealism was only alive and well on campus!

For extracuricular activity, check out UnConventional's vintage sister shop, LoveItShop. Find your own Fresh Shop through Pounce Undiscovered.

Fresh Shops: merlinsbarkproducts

2008-07-31T11:45:00Z

Recently, I was clicking through Pounce Undiscovered with my right hand while rubbing my dog’s head with my left. I saw this great (well-crafted and simply designed) elevated dog feeder (in red-stained chestnut) by merlinsbarkproducts, and I ah-ha’ed aloud.

I love finding good woodwork on Etsy. This shop couples creative carpentry with a design sensibility that’s driven by deep compassion for animals.

So far, merlinsbarkproducts features an assortment of feeders and little wooden homes for an array of animals, such as bluebirds, bats, butterflies, flying squirrels…and of course, dogs.

I put a few questions to the creators behind merlinsbarkproducts, Sherry and Jerry:

There is a great beauty and variety of wood in your items. What are some of the benefits to using sustainably harvested or recycled wood?

It is very important to me that we use wood that comes from trees that are managed and farmed in ways that ensure the protection of the environment and other natural resources. Also, I would hate to think that I was contributing to the removal of old growth trees. I know that a lot of different animals depend on those trees for housing. Also, you can find a lot of beauty in old recycled wood. We get a lot of our recycled wood from a local building material recycling center. I am hoping to use some of their old barn wood for owl house I have in mind.

The designs of your animal homes seem strangely inviting...

I love to lay outside in my yard and watch all the different animals run around. When I’m watching them, I start to think about what type of houses and feeding station they would need.

One of my favorite products is our condominium for flying squirrels. It is just amazing! It is over 3-feet tall and has four floors. I came up with the design after watching our own flying squirrels and wondering what type of house they would need if our old pine tree didn’t exist anymore. I did a little research and came up with a house that any flying squirrel would be proud to call home.

I also realized the need for Purple Martin houses when a whole colony of them decided to move into our gutters this spring. I did a little research trying to figure out why they moved in and found out that Purple Martins are the only birds that totally depend on humans for housing. So now we will be adding Purple Martin houses to our product line.

Your blog details a very interesting story about how you turned an idea into a real company. Can you talk about some of the challenges you faced and how you resolved them?

One of the biggest challenges was figuring out what type of products I wanted to concentrate on. At first I was thinking about making products for animals and humans, but I have found myself concentrating more on products geared toward animals.

Though, humans benefit from our products too. Whether it is from installing a bat house and having Mother Nature’s little pest control experts take the place of using poisonous insecticide, or being entertained by song birds eating out of a feeder, the enjoyment our of products can be shared by animals and humans.

Our product line continues to evolve. I love receiving feedback and suggestions from customers. Recently we had people ask us about elevated cat bowl feeders. I had never thought making those before, but now we will be adding elevated cat bowl feeders to our product line. I also continue to do research on animal husbandry to see what other types of products we should be offering.

You are a member of the Abandoned Wild Babies Animal Resuce (AWBAR), who also keeps an Etsy shop. How does being a member of such a compassionate organization affect your role as a shop owner?

Since I’ve joined, I’ve been helping to spread the word about AWBAR through my blog and also on forums. I recently donated one of our dual feeders (a feeder that can be used by both birds and squirrels) to the AWBAR Etsy store. I can’t wait for it to sell. All of the proceeds from the sale will go directly to support the care of the baby animals at AWBAR.

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!

Fresh Shops: raymondbiesinger

2008-07-17T12:12:00Z

I first came upon raymondbiesinger while perusing Pounce Undiscovered. When I saw his screenprinted felt pennants — complete with contemporary symbols, as opposed to the baseball teams you'd expect — I fell in love with his aesthetic and had to know more about his work. (He's got some rad prints, too. ) I recently interviewed Raymond to learn about his history and first impressions of Etsy. Read on!

Can you tell us a little about the person behind raymondbiesinger?

raymondbiesinger is Raymond E. Biesinger, and that’s me. I run my own little illustration studio out of Edmonton, Canada, with a few assistants now and then, and my drawings mostly appear in an editorial context. So, that means you may have seen my drawings in NYLON magazine, or Dwell, or the New York Times OpEd pages in the USA, or in Monocle or Seed or whatever else. It’s strange, but only about 10% of my work is published in my own country. This has been my full time racket for five years now.

Other than that, I make non-commercial art, I put on a biannual craft and art fair in Edmonton (the Royal Bison), am starting to get into book binding, am working on a chart documenting the music scene in Edmonton from 1956 to 2008, and kiss my wife. I’m also in a band (who isn’t?) that’s putting out twin 7” records this week and then touring Western Canada. Fun!

What inspires you as a creative person?

I’ve always felt it important to be diverse — I’ve never studied visual art seriously — and I like to draw inspiration from things that are not art-related. Like, social history and politics. Or engineering. Or economics. When you look at temendous feats individuals or groups have accomplished in the past, in whatever pursuit, it really makes making a nice-looking and purposeful print or piece of art seem like a very very small task, and easy in a way. If you look in the right places, there’s much in the world to reflect upon and comment upon.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?

I have to confess, I’ve been out of town for half the time my shop has been up, but so far Etsy has been quite nice. I wish I had enough time to really explore it. It’s been fantastic to list every last little print or art piece I’ve sitting around here, left over from past art shows or old print runs. Etsy is, at least, a great excuse to clean out my closets and be reminded of what I’ve made before and why.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome! (Your blog, etc.)

For certain. If anyone would like to see my Etsy listings in context, you can find 90 or so of my editorial, music-related and odds and sods illustrations at Fifteen.ca. You’ll also find links to my band (the Famines) there, and that Edmonton scene history chart. Lastly, you can find infos on the Royal Bison Craft & Art Fair at RoyalBison.ca.

Enjoy! And thanks for the chance to talk.

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!

Fresh Shops: tinyminds

2008-07-10T11:43:00Z

Preface:
There I was, just minding my own business, writing an exciting Storque Fresh Shops article, when the technology mainstream media scooped up the story out from under my nose! It took only a matter of hours for tinyminds magical little Etsy shop to trickle up from Technabob's blog all the way to Corey Doctorow's recent post on Boing Boing. When something like that happens, it usually spells an Etsian's favorite four letter word beginning with S. As much as I would love to proclaim "great minds think alike," I find it more appropriate to give credit where credit is due: may I be the first to congratulate Jenny on all her success, and say keep up the good BOTS! Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

Introduction:
In the grand tradition of Etsy's Pet Series, I discovered this fresh little shop (opened on Mar 18, 2008) when searching for related items for another article. Being a complete nerd, I revel in the wonderful geekery found on the Etsy, but when I found tinyminds' shop, I thought to myself: "OMG somebody is selling the cutest BEAM Robots I have ever seen right here on Etsy." I come from a short tradition of making robots, some of the first of which were the solar-powered bot circuits found on solarbotics, but frankly I think the care that has gone into making tinyminds' bugbots makes me hopeful for fleets of robot/pets in the future. This is just the kind of adorkable pet store I want to visit; one with pets who need only sun to reveal their true colors.

Cthulhu:

I can't decide, but I think that Cthulhu the solar powered emo bot (who thanks to recent fame has sold out) might [have been] my favorite. In the spirit of writer H.P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu appear[ed] to be some sort of pitch black hopping cephalopod with slightly evil tendencies. I have to say however, it is really a tough call to decide which pet I would want to call my own when there's also Ernie the solar-powered light seeking bot (seen up top) or Bert the light seeking, solar-powered bugbot who are tiny, brightly colored light seeking bots.

Bert:

Can you tell us a little about the people behind tinyminds?

Tinyminds is me, Jenny, Mum to 15 month Bab, computer programmer, all round nerd and non-stop crafter. I stumbled across a link to Etsy and was immediately hooked. Somewhere I could put all of the various stuff I make under one roof, as it were.

Where did the idea for solar-powered robots come from?

I've always loved solar-powered stuff. There's something just magical about being powered by the sun, plus it gives your creations more life. No batteries which die, no on/off switches, just light. Perfect. The shape of the robots is biologically designed too, which is just a fancy way of saying they look like bugs! I searched out the simplest circuits with the fewest components, and these components with an eye towards the bugness shaped the little critters. They kind of evolve to the shape they need to be. So you could say they kind of build themselves.

What inspires you as a creative person?

Everything inspires me, but I have a bit of a thing about paper. I started with origami and then origamic architecture, then paper models, then paper automata (moving models). This then lead to wooden automata and then electronic robots. I also find a lot of inspiration in nature. I'm not a flowery type girl but I do love flower shapes and colors. I also love the tiny and intricate. I make ridiculously detailed 144 scale models (the size of a doll house in a 12th scale doll house) with things like 3 mm books with turning pages. I love to be able to stare and stare at an object and always find more to see.

How do you like Etsy so far?

Etsy is just fabulous. It is such a friendly place with beautiful creations wherever you look. I especially love the Treasuries where you get not just the wonderful things people have made but also the skill of the curators putting a pile of treasures together. Forums are also really really helpful and full of great people.

I am really loving being part of such a vibrant and creative community, and with such beauty to choose from, I shall never have to buy a commercially made gift again. :)

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!

Fresh Shops: Roadside

2008-07-03T16:12:00Z

I found a new shop, Roadside which opened in Apr 17, 2008, while browsing the Art category on Etsy to see what would catch my eye. I thought these paper creations were so whimsical and lovely; they really jumped out at me. I had to look for a long time at the print to figure out whether it was three dimensional or two dimensional. After carefully reading the description, I realized that Roadside's Jayme McGowan makes such excellent quality prints of her shadow-box paper cutouts, that the prints include shadows! You can buy both the originals and the prints in her Etsy Shop. To read more about her process, please see the interview below.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind Roadside?
My name is Jayme McGowan and I’m an artist living and working in Sacramento, California. I’m a recent college graduate, and I opened Roadside last April as an experiment, with the hope of exploring project ideas I couldn’t really pursue in school. I studied painting in college but have been making 3-D works with paper for several years in my free time. I thought that would be a good place to begin Project 001.

My boyfriend, John, contributes elbow grease in various ways. On the current project, he helped out with the construction of the wood frames that house my paper sculptures. We’re currently working together on some more utilitarian art for the shop.

What inspires you as a creative person?
Paper, music, and people. I’m moved by polka dots. I hoard patterned paper and shuffle through it randomly, hoping for something to pop out. I listen to music when I’m working and I watch people out my studio window. I work out of a second story apartment overlooking a busy street. There’s a post office right across the way (that’s really coming in handy lately!) and a bus stop below my windows. So I watch people go by, imagine their stories to music, and look at paper. That’s usually enough. I have an overactive imagination.

And of course having access to the work of so many amazing artists through Etsy is a huge inspiration, just seeing what kind of creative things other folks dream up.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
I absolutely love it. There’s such a strong sense of community here. People have been very helpful and encouraging; I feel like I’ve found a very receptive audience for my work as well. Etsy makes it so easy to reach people from all over the world that I would have never been able to meet otherwise. I’m a big fan of the “Favorites” feature. I think it’s a fantastic way to navigate the site — hopping from one shop to another by browsing a person’s favorite items and sellers.

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome! (Your blog, etc.)
You can check out images of past and present projects at: Flickr.com/photos/roadside, or peek behind the scenes at projects currently in the works at my blog: Roadsideprojects.blogspot.com.

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!

Fresh Shops: johnmurphy

2008-06-19T13:34:00Z

I had the pleasure of meeting John Murphy at the Brooklyn Flea, a flea market that takes place every Sunday in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn, where he was selling his photography in the most colorful of frames. I immediately recognized his work, as I had been eyeing it on Etsy for weeks before our run in.

There was quite a buzz around his booth at the flea market, and when I checked out his Etsy shop later that week I was astounded to find that he had not yet had one sale.

I have set a goal for myself that once I get my apartment shaped up into a clean, organized living space rather than the messy, cluttered work studio it has become, I am going to treat myself to a colorful work of art by the very talented JohnMurphy.

I don't quite know what has gotten into me lately, but it feels strange to admit that I'm in love with his work, and it doesn't even have a moustache! Shocking!

See more Fresh Shops and say hey to a new seller!