Search results (tags) for: "interview"

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!

Etsy World Tour: Canada with the Trans-Canada Team (Part One)

2008-06-23T11:17:00Z

The Trans-Canada Etsy Team was created out of a need for Canadian artisans to stay in contact, share resources, and develop group marketing opportunities. Team members benefit from having a solid sense of identity, as well as from having their different regional perspectives. On July 1, Canadians celebrate the day their country came together to become a nation. The Trans-Canada Etsy Team is excited to celebrate and introduce you to some of its Team members and regions. Dust off your atlas and follow along from East to West on a virtual road trip across Canada.

Beginning in the eastern most region of Canada, we find Enthral Designs, in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. This area is famous for its pastoral agricultural land and its proximity to the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. The province of Nova Scotia is one of juxtapositions; civilized and kind towns clash with the soaring and wild cliffs of the ocean side; the calm of the valley contradicts the fickle nature of the coast. Annapolis Valley is home to a number of apple producers, and has become a local food attraction. Sea food is also locally available and a short drive to Digby will reward you with the best scallops you have ever tasted.

It seems that there are more artists and crafters crammed into this province than anywhere else in Canada. There are a number of local artist communities, and they will always point you in the right direction for supplies or advice. Craft shows are numerous and held throughout the year. A friend introduced Enthral Designs to Etsy a little less than two years ago, and she has been a member ever since. Once a member of Etsy, the Canadian crowd reached out to her and she joined The Trans-Canada Etsy Team.

[Photo by Ocbaby]

Travelling down to central Canada and Ontario, we find seller Ocbaby in Huntsville, which is part of a beautiful area called Muskoka. Muskoka is famous for its beauty, and filled with gorgeous lakes and forests. The perfect area for campers and nature enthusiasts, Muskoka is know as "cottage country" and is the summer home to a wide variety of people from all over the world. Huntsville has a strong artistic community. The main street features a bronze statue dedicated to artist and Canadian Icon Tom Thompson. Ontario is populated with many beautiful forests and maple syrup is a fabulous product from the area.

Ocbaby began her internet commerce adventure with her own website, and found Etsy by accident while browsing Modish. She found the Trans-Canada Team through the Etsy forums and was thrilled with the idea of a supportive group of Canadians working together to promote Etsy and each other. As she lives in a more rural area, there are very few fabric stores and none that carry fun fabric that she loves to use in her work. She enjoys hunting down sources on the internet and finding new bold prints and colours for her next creations.

[Photo by Minouette]

Just a little farther southwest, we find Toronto, home to Etsy sellers Minouette and Designed by RJ. Toronto is incredibly multicultural, with many little corners of the city that make you feel like you're stepping into a different country. This diversity has been depicted in the many community murals painted in the area, like the one above. Roncesvalles has long been home to a Polish community, as reflected in the restaurants, churches, bakeries and delis. More recently, it has become home to an influx of new Canadians from Somalia, who were attracted to the north area of the city. The southeast has a Portuguese neighborhood and to the east is a Korean neighborhood.

[Photo by Designed by RJ]

Being an artist or crafter in Toronto has many advantages. Inspiration can be found at museums, like the Royal Ontario Museum, art galleries and many cultural influences. There are great opportunities for art and crafting courses and a large community of artists in general, which encourages many shows throughout the year.

Keep your eyes on the Storque for Part 2 of this cultural, edible and handmade tour through Canada here in the Storque! Check the Teams pages for more information on Etsy Teams, like the Trans-Canada Team.

Gotta Travel On | Travel Showcase | Etsy World Tour

Featured Buyer: Tall Firs

2008-06-18T13:02:00Z

This week's Featured Buyer is Dave Mies of the band Tall Firs. Tall Firs are a Brooklyn-spun band of three. Their roots, though joyous, often feel like punk ghosts in a dusty room at magic hour. Layers of folk and country ease you into the darkness with remarkable tenderness, but there is always hope in their songs. Like any band, they've taken their show on the road and know the pain and glory of being on tour. We thought they'd give a fresh perspective to our Gotta Travel On series.

You can find out more about the band at their website at TallFirs.org or check out their record label for tour info and CDs.

Dave, who does guitar/vocals in Tall Firs, answers a few interview questions and highlights his Etsy picks below.

Do you make anything crafty?
I've made our last two album covers. The first was a logo arranged out of the fallen needles from my wife's and my first Christmas tree, and the second was carved from a piece of cherry wood which was a gift from our friend Peter.

In addition, Ryan collects found photographs from all over the place ranging from graduations, to graduations from sanity. Technically, he didn't make them, but the art is in the tenacity and the hoarding.

How did you meet?
New York City, man! Just like any city, it works like a vacuum; sucks up detritus from all over and forms tightly knit clumps.

What was your weirdest place on tour or craziest story?
We stayed in an abandoned Ramada in Detroit once. Long story short, we spent most of the night chasing a runaway flying squirrel owned by our squatter hosts. I'm serious.

Where would you like to live (if not where you live now?)
Speaking only for myself, somewhere totally antithetical to New York. Nothin' but trees and breeze, I guess; only I like it here just fine for now.

What's your most cherished family item?
I have my great grandfather's railroad watch. I inherited it when my granddad died. If only it was as reliable as he was, damn thing hasn't told time for years.

What do men want?
That's easy, the same things women want: love, sex, protection, freedom, restraint, decadence, bigger dreams, better memories.

Figuring out what we really need is the tough one.

Aaron (the other guitar/vox) is on a street hockey league called The Unicorns. This print of a unicorn retching up a rainbow by nutandbee describes them effortlessly.

Pink skeleton lady's tank top by moresassvintage: it's so hot. Just imagine hot girl bullies in the Karate kid.

Crazy hippie guitar strap? Totally, man. Aaron and I pride ourselves on expressive guitar belts: it's the power tie of rock guitar. This one is by FatPatch.

Rad wooden pinball machine by DamonMcIntyre. It's a little pricey, but really neat. I thought Pinocchio was cool, but this thing works without magic.

This handmade wooden guitar stand by Ltnwoodworks would improve the look of my living room dramatically. Instruments look cool, the stands usually don't.

Purple Pie Man, man! This is the only French beatnik the old shortcake ever knew. I don't collect vintage toys myself, but if I did this dude would be "shortlisted." Found in trunkofprettys' shop.

Not sure if this dress is my girl's style, but holy smokes, these vintage rags will surely draw stares. Found in BlackandBrown's shop.

Looking for past Featured Buyers? Check out our archive! We've interviewed other musicians like Leslie Hall of Leslie and the LY's, John F. from They Might Be Giants, Lavender Diamond...The list goes on! Also, check out our other music related content here.

Gotta Travel On | Travel Showcase | Featured Buyer

Fresh Shops: layerbylayer

2008-03-27T11:35:00Z

This week's Fresh Shops is layerbylayer of New Haven, Connecticut. Patrick's work is unbelievable textural, natural (the moss!) and beautiful. I have one on my desk as we speak! I recently talked to Patrick to get a little more insight into his work.

Can you tell us a little about the people behind layerbylayer? Who are you and what makes you tick?
Layer_x_Layer is primarily the work of myself, Patrick. On occasion you will see Objects done in collaboration with Leal from lealandmabe.etsy.com, who is an incredible knitter and seamstress. A never-ending amount of ideas is what keeps us busy.

What inspires you as a creative person?
Inspiration comes from many sources, but the thing that keeps me going is the feeling I get when an idea is transposed into something tangible. I still find it to be an amazing process.

Did you sell your goods before joining Etsy? If so, how has Etsy changed your business?
I’ve sold things in the past; however, everything that I am currently selling on Etsy is new work. The thing about the site that excites me most is the fact that someone whom I’ve never met can be interested enough to buy one of my pieces; I look at this as a litmus test of sorts that proves the worth of the work. It’s different from say a face-to-face sale, whereas you must sell yourself as an artist or designer in addition to selling your work.

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site? What might you like to see done differently/new features?
So far my experience with Etsy has been quite positive. I’ve had a lot of interest and great feedback, met a bunch of interesting people.

I’m really into the interface and how the site functions — quite intuitive. Also, the fact that you can browse for items in a bunch of different ways such as by color, materials used, keyword search, etc., really differentiates Etsy: different is good.

As far as new features, I would be excited to see some sort of collaboration system implemented: just an easy way for people to “meet up” and create new pieces. (Alchemy, perhaps?)

What's your latest Fresh Shops discovery? Who's on your radar? Leave it in the comments!

Q & A with the Lovely (and Crafty!) Vanna White

2008-03-25T13:10:00Z

You may think you know Vanna White from her role as America's favorite letter turner on Wheel of Fortune, but did you know she's also an avid crocheter with her own line of yarn? That's right, her "Vanna’s Choice" collection from Lion Brand Yarn was launched just last June and has already become a top seller, helping to raise money and awareness for St. Jude's Hospital in the process. We took a spin with this crochet connoisseur to learn more:

Listen to the Lion Brand's Yarncraft podcast to hear their interview with admin from their visit to Etsy Labs!

Q: When and how did you learn to crochet?
A: I learned from my grandmother when I was 5 but I came back to it 25 years ago when my hair dresser encouraged me to crochet on the set of Wheel of Fortune. Whenever I have downtime on the set, I crochet. I find it very relaxing and I have something to show for the time I’ve spent doing it. I connected with Lion Brand Yarn when I spoke about my love of crochet on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 14 years ago. They contacted me and it’s been a great friendship ever since.

Q: What is your favorite thing to make with yarn?
A: I love to crochet afghans. I have made countless afghans over the years as gifts for friends and family. I put a tag in each one that says "Handmade for you by Vanna White."

[Fashion images courtesy of Lion Brand Yarns]

Q: Do you have any other crafty hobbies, or any that you'd like to learn?
A: Recently I've taken up cooking. I get recipes from the internet and my favorites are desserts.

Q: Have any handmade heirlooms been passed down in your family?
A: I treasure the doilies by grandmother made for the tables and I still have them.

Q: Have any of your Wheel of Fortune fans ever sent you crocheted or crafty items?
A: Yes, when I was pregnant, I received all kinds of baby items!

Q: What three things inspire you most?
A: I have two children and they are my greatest inspiration. I’m also very involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The amazingly talented doctors who work at this hospital inspire me by their dedication to such a worthy cause. Half of my proceeds from Vanna’s Choice are going to support St. Jude.

Q: I first learned of your crochet skills when you were emceeing a Lion Brand fashion show and now you have a line of yarn with Lion Brand named after you! Can you tell us a little bit about what the process of developing the line was like?
A: I worked closely with Lion Brand to develop a yarn that has an incredibly soft feel, yet would be practical in that it can be machine washed and dried. Once we found the right fiber and texture, we developed a color palette that has beautiful colors that are in the same range tonally so whatever colors you put together will match. Since I love crocheting afghans, we made certain that this yarn would be ideal for knitting and crocheting afghans. We’re adding colors since the line has been so successful and a new yarn called Vanna’s Baby Yarn with contemporary colors for babies and kids.

[Fashion images courtesy of Lion Brand Yarns]

Q: Any crochet trends you can forecast for spring?
A: People have been experimenting with crocheted stuffed animals of all different types and I just see them getting more and more creative. You can make almost anything with yarn!

Q: Any trends you wish would go away?
A: Not really. When it comes to something that has been lovingly made by hand, it's all good.

Q: What's one thing people don't know about you that you wish they did?
A: That I am a normal person and lead a normal life. I cook for my kids, take them to school, do homework with them, tuck them in at night. Exercise is important for me, too (so I can fit into those Wheel of Fortune gowns!). I'm not an extravagant or glamorous person at all.

Q: Any other thoughts you'd like to share?
A: I think that handmade gifts are so meaningful and more valuable to people than the most expensive store bought product. I love the look on people's faces when I give them a blanket for a new baby or an afghan for their home. I have this one friend who has a 13 year old and I made a blanket for him when he was a baby. After 13 years she tells me that he still loves loves it. That means everything to me.

Dear Etsians: for this week only (3/25-4/1/08), Etsy users can get 20% off catalog orders at Lion Brand Yarn. Just enter "etsy0308" at check out. Special treat!

Check out Vanna's top Etsy finds below:

Podcasting, Anyone? Craftypod interviews LittleputBooks

2008-03-04T11:36:00Z

This past installment of Craftypod with Sister Diane features Ryan LittleputBooks. Click here to listen.

Craftypod is a series of audio interviews, tutorials, and other crafty content with crafty person Sister Diane, who lives in Portland, Oregon and also runs a chapter of the Church of Craft. It comes out biweekly and she's been consistently posting since 2005. She focuses this interview on marketing, using Ryan's advice and real life experiences. She asks the question, "Why are we afraid of marketing?" And Ryan feels that this is a fear of failure, which cuts doubly deep when you've made the product yourself and put yourself into it.

Sister Diane also asks useful questions about photography and listing descriptions, to which Ryan gives insightful answers. The two also discuss Etsy's drawbacks (the site hasn't reached a mainstream market yet and it can be difficult to get noticed amongst all the sellers).

See LittleputBooks' articles on the Storque, including some tips about keeping up with the holiday rush and a Success Story. Check out more posts in our Podcasting Series.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: circularaccesories

2008-02-04T11:08:00Z

For Valentine's Day, we at The Storque thought we'd seek out the Etsy members who are the most beloved (or rather, be-hearted). We tracked five of out of the top twenty most-hearted users and sought them out for interviews. They were totally surprised and pleased to find out! The fifth, and last, in this series is circularaccessories.

Alison Albright has resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana all her life, except for a few years of college where she enjoyed living in New Orleans. She loves to work with her hands and enjoys working with new materials and learning new processes. Alison makes hand-screenprinted wares for her Etsy store, mostly clothing, with designs that are very much inspired by her surroundings. As a formal student of biochemistry and landscape architecture, elements of science and nature can be found in most of her work. When she is not printing, you can find Alison in her garden playing with her son or strolling around town people watching.

Without further ado, here is circularaccessories!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
I was actually "recruited" by an Etsy user while selling on another online venue. I am so grateful that she guided me here. Once I managed to get my first listing up, I never looked back!

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
My favorite Etsy feature is probably the treasury. I enjoy searching through the funny titles and browsing the beautiful collections made by other members. I have found so many new favorites this way and given out many of my hearts.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
What I really love about Etsy is the community. I try to participate in the forums when I have free time and have met some wonderful people there. When anyone asks for mentoring help, I will give the best advice I can and always treat everyone with respect. I really believe that what goes around comes around. I have a lot of love to share, so maybe that is why there is some returned.

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
I must say my heart is about to burst from all the love I feel right now from the Etsy community so I would say I have an Etsy crush on Etsy, but if I had to single one user out it would be SalmonStreetStudio; I have even professed my love for her in the forums! She can always make me smile even when things are rough, and is one of the most encouraging and helpful sellers I know.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
What am I doing for Valentine's Day? Oh, just spreadn' some more love I suppose ;)

Now that you've heard circularaccessories's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of circularaccessories's faves.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: joom

2008-01-31T12:05:00Z

Joom Klangsin is an artist and designer who lives in Oakland, California with her husband and dog, Seven. Currently Joom is working on her art work and pillow project, finding inspiration in the environment and the world around her. Her style is simple, clean, and full of color and unique shapes. She loves to make all different products that people use in everyday life. In her free time, she enjoys decorating her apartment, working on her garden, taking care of Seven, cooking and painting.

Without further ado, here's joom!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
I'd been trying to get my work out with little success. I discovered Etsy by accident while I was looking for a gift for a friend. I saw some really nice works here and decided to give Etsy a try. It's been almost two years now and things are going well for me.

[Tweetie Card Set]

What's your favorite item in your shop?
I like the mini pillow. It's cute and a lot of people like it. It was picked to feature on The Rachael Ray Show about Etsy last December.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I'm glad and feel honored that people love my work. I'm also a shopper so I try to come up with the products that I would like to see on the market. I like clean and simple design and that what I came up with.

[Framed Hummingbird Print]

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, whom?
I love a lot of artists on Etsy. Some of my favorites are belleandboo, kendrabinney and ashleyg.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
I will be on vacation on the warm sandy beach some where with my husband.

Now that you've heard joom's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of joom's faves.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: AliciaBock

2008-01-28T11:03:00Z

Alicia Bock grew up in Michigan and Florida, surrounded by water and color. Her photography is the search of light and shadows, pretty things in pink, the feeling of the ocean, and a blue moon. She strives to create photographs that evoke memories of our favorite days. Now living in Lansing, Michigan, she daydreams of a life on the Oregon coast.

Without further ado, here is AliciaBock!

First thing: I can't tell you how thrilled and happy I am to be included in this group! Thanks so much!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
Late one night (over two years ago) I was reading in some "work from home mom" forum, and saw Etsy mentioned as a new site to open up a shop. I hoped right over to check things out, and opened up my store a few minutes later. I have been there everyday since.

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
Though there are definitely some extra cool ways to search on Etsy, I am simple, and just love the front page. I find most of my new favorite items through it. I am happy to discover something new each time I look.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I think I have the best job, and love what I do, and hopefully that comes across in my photographs. But, I also try to put just as much effort into promoting my shop...because what good is a great store, if no one knows it exists.
I am really thankful to have been supported by some great publications and blogs in the last few years who have helped me spread the word.

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
I must have a thing for girls named Betsy, because I could buy up the entire stores of Betsy Walton
and Betsy from Foundling. I am always excited to see their new products, and they have been the sweetest sellers to buy from.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
Probably baking treats with my kids during the day, and snuggling up with the cutest boy ever (my husband of six years) in the evening. We don't really care too much about Valentine's day. But, I love any day that I can use as an excuse to order carry-out for dinner.

Now that you've heard AliciaBock's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of Alicia's faves.

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: esdesigns

2008-01-24T10:17:00Z

Working in sterling silver and gold, Elizabeth Scott makes jewelry with simple forms and detailed textures. She uses some of her favorite plant images (hydrangea petals, ginkgo leaves, birch bark and aspen leaves) to design botanical jewelry with contemporary simplicity. After graduating with degrees in drawing and printmaking, Elizabeth began making jewelry while teaching, and it grew into a full-time business. She lives in rural upstate New York.

Without further ado, here is esdesigns!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
In 2006 I was making my jewelry part time while teaching, and was looking for a way to sell it online, and I found Etsy on Google. I'd always wanted to do something art-related full time, and Etsy has made that possible.

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
Treasury. No, Pounce. I can't decide.

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I design my jewelry to be simple to wear every day, and I think it helps to sell something that people need. I haven't done any advertising apart from a group ad with EtsyMetal this winter and a few times on the showcase, but I've been on blogs like design*sponge. Most of my buyers are new Etsy users. I'm not sure exactly where they're coming from, but I can tell that Etsy is growing every day.

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
Since there are so many more women than men on Etsy it makes that sort of difficult, but I've been a member of the EtsyMetal street team for a long time, and have met some amazing metalsmiths. We're all so supportive of each other and I don't know what I'd do without them. A few of them are guys, like downtothewiredesigns and one of our new members, blindspotjewellery. I really like their work - does that count? (Ed. note: It does!)

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
I've never done much for Valentine;s Day. I really enjoy making gifts for special occasions, but I'm happy with something simple and inexpensive myself. I'm hoping for an ice cream cake.

Now that you've heard esdesigns's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of esdesigns's faves.

Featured Buyer: Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation

2008-01-23T10:41:00Z

Our Featured Buyers series is where the Storque reaches out to the Etsy community and the larger handmade world of arts and crafts. Faythe Levine is someone who is working on drawing all of these elements together. Below you'll find some of her favorite picks from the Etsy marketplace, as well as an interview with her about the DIY craft resurgence and making her documentary film Handmade Nation.

Growing up in Seattle during the 1990’s gave me firsthand exposure to many punk bands and the riot grrrl scene. This underground community quickly exposed me to DIY ethics, and I learned early on that you could release, self-publish and distribute your music and zines through a vast nationwide network of like-minded people.

Since then, community has been a key element in my life, especially creative community. It is something that many find in college, but I explored elsewhere. I traveled the world, lived with large groups communally, worked in collectives, organized events and always made art.

In 2003, I found myself looking at an emerging movement that embraced both art and community, which can now loosely be defined as “the new wave of craft.” This movement is exploring the uncertainty of where fine art meets craft, redefining and reclaiming creativity. The new wave of craft is influenced by the history and techniques of traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art.

During this time, my role has become diverse; from business owner, events organizer and curator, to artist, maker, director and, most recently, author. I am thankful to have come to a place in my artistic career where ethics can overlap with creativity and art with community.

The goal from the beginning of this project has been to expose people outside the indie craft community to what’s going on and give exposure to the community itself by showing the remarkable people who have created it.

We asked Faythe some questions about what she's working on and asked her to share some of the experiences she's gleaned from traveling and shooting her movie.

What's is happening with your documentary? Tell us a bit about it, for people who don't know...
In June 2006 I began shooting footage of the indie craft community for a documentary under the working title Indie Craft Documentary. Over the course of about 9 months we traveled to 15 cities visiting indie craft fairs, studios, galleries and boutique doing interviews with community members. My goal was to capture what was unfolding around the country within our movement. This was something big, something powerful and I wanted to document it.
Now working under the title Handmade Nation: the Rise of DIY Art, Craft and Design, there will not only be a feature length documentary of our community but also a companion book (co-authored by Cortney Heirmerl) under the same title published by Princeton Architectural Press (www.papress.com) scheduled for released in November 2008. The documentary is slated to be released in 2009. It will premier at a festival (which festival we do not know) and then hopefully be available for DVD purchase. I am also planning on touring with the film so keep an eye out for that in a year!

What were some highlights from your travels in shooting the movie?
It was so rad to get to go to all the different craft fairs across the country and see the similarities and differences of each one. The locations that people work with are amazing. Seeing all the shoppers turn out in every city is so cool, plus I got to buy a ton of incredible work directly from makers around the states.

Plus, it was unbelievably awesome getting to meet almost every single person I’ve ever wanted to meet within the craft community! Being able to sit with Debbie Stoller (editor of BUST Magazine and author of Stitch n’ Bitch Nation) and hear her take on the revival of craft, listening to the ladies who run Atlanta’s Indie Craft Experience talk about their show. Sitting down with Jill Bliss and hearing her discuss her work. It was all so fantastic.

Did you notice any unexpected craft trends while making the movie?
There were stylistic trends that have been apparent for a while now, including plush, Amigurumi, and anything with owls, deer and octopi (it’s so hard to resist those lil’ guys!). But more importantly I noticed that crafters were pushing themselves creatively to create more original and well made items more that ever.

Any unexpectedly crafty scenes/cities?
I get asked this question a lot, but honestly, the Internet makes most of what goes on around the country homogenized. The larger cities have more crafty saturation due to larger populations, but otherwise there weren’t many surprises. However, I will point out that smaller cities with cheaper rent can allow creative people to spend more time with their work and have larger studios. (Which is why I live in Milwaukee.) I’m sure there are some super bumpin' craft scenes in unexpected places. Unfortunately, since the film was all independently funded, we just couldn’t go everywhere…Plus my business partner at my store would have killed me if I were gone any more than I already was!

What do you think the world needs to be clued in on the most right now?
Something I would like to start working on is finding affordable health care for independent artists. I’ve been uninsured for seven years, and now that I’m in my 30’s, I’d love to be able to go to the doctor if I need to.

I would love to see creatively driven lifestyles supported within the American system, where we as artists would be respected with our fluctuating incomes and freelance lifestyle; we should be able to afford doctor visits, dental care, pre-natal care and any sort of special medical treatments that we need.

What strides have the DIY crafters made in 2007?
2007 was a big year for DIY Craft; it brought us the first Craft Congress (held in Pittsburgh, PA). The indie craft community made it into the New York Times at least three times. Lots of community members signed book deals, tons of new “How-to” books were released. A lot of craft fairs have reported record-breaking numbers of shoppers up into the 6000’s! Etsy and the Handmade Consortium launched the BuyHandmade.org campaign and as of January almost 12,000 people have signed it. I’m sure there is more, but that’s pretty amazing, right?

What are you looking forward to in 2008?
Well, of course I can’t wait until my book is done! I am looking forward to the second Craft Congress being held in San Francisco, CA. I am always excited about traveling to craft fairs in other cities. My friend Alicia in Barcelona who owns this rad shop called Dudua is talking about organizing a fair there, if it happens I think I would have to fly over to check it out!!

Can you highlight some of the Etsy sellers you've met along the way?
A ton of amazing Etsy sellers have donated to our shop to help raise funds for the documentary. A few awesome random peeps are: Kirinco who designed our most recent T’s and totes. Bhstudio who donated some of her awesome Craft Posters to our Etsy shop in 2007. Callieco we met in New York at the relaunch of American Craft Magazine, her bags are incredible. And the ladies of Indie Craft Expierence are some of our new best friends who do amazing things in Atlanta with their show, and put together the Starlets of Craft Calendar!

Can you speak a bit about your experiences selling items through your Etsy shop to raise money for your project?
Etsy launched right around the time of our production; ever since it has provided the ideal user-friendly storefront for our fundraising process. We solicited crafters to donate items to our shop with the proceeds of sales going towards production cost. This is also where we are selling our promotional items such as T-shirts and totes. Our Etsy shop has raised over $1,500.00 so far, which is fantastic! I run the shop myself which gets overwhelming at times, but I couldn’t be more thankful since I would never be able to maintain any other type of web shop.

Further Resources:

If you're a seller who would like to help the project, you can donate items to be sold through the indiecraftmovie Etsy shop. (Just send me a convo!)

Also, check out the Indie Craft Documentary blog

Check out Faythe's faves in the related items below. Aren't you curious about the documentary?!

One of Etsy's Most Hearted: Sudlow

2008-01-21T12:49:00Z

Rachael Sudlow's style emerges from her rural Kansas home, bringing together the natural animals and elements of the farm and a love for brightly colored beads and stones. Oftentimes designed a little tongue-in-cheek, her work is entirely hand-fabricated with the details and love that give handmade work that extra bit of special. She graduated in 2005 with a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, but returned to Kansas shortly thereafter to make art and teach at the local Arts Center.

Without further ado, here is sudlow!

Tell us how you first got involved with Etsy.
I was working a desk job doing web design and scrolling around online (thus not working), and I read a mention of Etsy as a place to sell handmade work, so I started playing around and listing a few pieces I'd done earlier in the year. I'd just graduated from art school, so it was a good push to keep making work.

What's your favorite Etsy feature?
I think the combination of Treasuries and the gorgeous front pages they produce would be one of my favorites. (Too bad I can never snag a Treasury though!)

How do you think you became so beloved in the Etsy community? (You've got a lot of hearts!)
I think having products that appeal to a wide range of people has worked well for me. I like to make pieces that are both quirky and iconic. 'Whimsical' is often used to describe my work. There's nothing better than creating a piece that makes people smile. I also love custom orders where I work with a customer to create something new. It's inspiring and I know the recipient is excited to get something specially made for them. Good photos never hurt either!

Do you have an Etsy crush? If so, who?
I love my fellow EtsyMetal folks like crazy. They've been a great support group through the year! They've really pushed me to try new techniques and develop my products and business more.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?
Well, that's a Thursday, so I'll be filling orders in the morning, working at my Arts Center shop in the afternoon and then taking a silkscreen class at night. Busy day for business, so maybe I'll make Friday a date night.

Now that you've heard sudlow's story, share the love! Get out there and give some hearts, hug a friend or think about a loved one. Aw! Below you'll see some of sudlow's faves.

Recommended Blog and Interview: SusyJack*

2007-12-20T14:03:00Z

I found SusyJack* (aka Susan Connor) while using Etsy's new Pounce Feature. Her bold, graphic style graces the covers of journals, cards, necklaces, and calendars that many Etsyians cannot resist. After pouncing on one of her calendars I noticed she writes two blogs: SusyJack.blogspot.com, dedicated to the progress of her business, and spiralbound, a collection of what piques her interest in the design and fashion worlds. I asked Susy what inspires her to blog and how it has helped her business.

How do you have time for writing not one, but TWO blogs while operating your business SusyJack*?

That's a good question...actually, I never thought about it! But, I'm thinking about it now!

I have considered it absolutely vital to what I am doing as a creative person, and therefore, it is a part of my business, and creativity in general. It's integral. But, each blog serves a distinct purpose. I write the SusyJack* blog to chronicle my own work: my products, my process, my victories and challenges as a person starting her own line, and also to keep in touch with my customers and fellow artist/business-owners. My other blog, spiralbound_ has a different use; I use it to catalog and organize my ideas and inspirations like a sketchbook, or, as I see it, like a bunch of buckets I pour what I find interesting into. I don't want everything I see to immediately feed into my products. I think spiralbound_ helps me, in that it's neutral territory.

What motivated you to start each blog?

This thought occurred to me one day: Blogs are not diaries. They are a powerful system/structure for organizing information. This idea took the fear of 'what am I going to do if no one cares what I have to say' out of starting my first blog, spiralbound_. For a long time, the blog was unpublished, meaning it existed, but no one else could see it. Then, I decided to make it public so that people I worked with and for as a graphic designer could read it and learn more about my ideas and inspirations.

Spiralbound_ was started at the time I was working a horribly boring and unchallenging design job in Boston. I felt like I was dying inside. So, I thought I would begin to assemble ideas into a blog. It was easy to access through my work computer, and I could look at it to remind myself there were things I found inspiring out there. But, if you go back in my posts in spiralbound_, you can definitely see that the identity of the blog was still forming, even as I was writing it. It really started as an experiment and as a way to better get to know myself...What I was interested in. Spiralbound_ revealed things to me, as I began to fill it with content.

SusyJack* started when I joined Etsy and launched my first collection. I wanted to introduce myself to the community, and being that I had been writing spiralbound_ for 3 years or so, I knew that a blog was the way to do that. I loved the idea that I could fill people in on how the collection was created and what was coming up.

How has blogging helped your business?

As a designer, spiralbound_ helps me to reach out to other designers, and to clients. I still do work in branding, and it's great for a potential client to be able to easily see beyond my resumé into what makes me tick, my sense of humor, my style. Personally, it helps me to remember who I am, who I was, who I might end up being...as a creative in general.

SJ* helps define who is behind the collection...Who the heck is Susy??? Who made this notebook, and what's she all about? It's also an easy way to find out which products are going to get a good response, and which I maybe need to work a little more on. For example, I put the calendar out confidently, because people were kind enough to encourage me on my blog. Additionally, this was definitely reflected in the sales of the item. I blogged about the calendar progress, and when I listed it, they sold very well.

It gives legitimacy to my business in that people see I'm always working, and working hard: always thinking about the products, my customers, and the community. It also creates a place where people can comment: many people choose to comment on blogs, instead of sending emails. It's an easy way to engage with someone that's also fairly casual.

Also, if you are continually posting, there is more to find about you, online. So, a blog is a way to stay alive in the ever-growing online world. When you post, you're more likely to be found by search engines. (This is a boring, technical reason, but it's true.) Other bloggers can link you, and you can link them. This helps more people find you.

SusyJack* also helps if I am going to be featured in a blog or periodical, and whoever is writing the feature needs a little more info. They can easily harvest it from my blog.

Does posting to your blogs ever start to feel like homework? How do you keep it fresh and interesting?

I feel that a blog, like a person, should be fed a healthy, worthy diet. This helps me to feel that my posts are still for me, about things I believe in, and not something I'm writing for other people or to sell myself.

With SusyJack* I usually post anything new I'm working on. I post a lot about products I'm trying to develop, so that people can see how the ideas evolve...That they don't just come out of thin air.

I find that posting only what I truly want to share, and trying hard not to take a 'homework' attitude to it, helps my blogs, and me, and my products, keep their integrity, spontaneity and simplicity.

Do you have any upcoming features for your blogs?

Spiralbound_ hasn't got much in the works for new features, but I did just start a new sidebar a while ago, called the Trend Ether. I basically make a little list of what I think is coming up. This is pretty much just for me, although I know readers have enjoyed it, too. I can't help it, I get a really good feeling when something I posted about ages ago becomes a big hit. This new list helps me to note it before it happens.

I'm also starting to label images with a 'my pick' design so that people can see which item I like the best.

Also, I am thinking of starting a series of posts in the SusyJack* blog that are more about my discoveries as a new business owner. Things that have worked for me, so far. Since my background is in design, branding especially, I feel that this could be really valuable info to share. Info on art-directing, defining your brand, style or collection, creating a tagline, photography, etc. It's definitely an edge that it helps to have. I'd like to be able to help people better define what *their thing* is, that way, you don't have to worry about competition because you're confident in your uniqueness.

Any tips for someone starting a blog?

Yes. Pay careful attention to the name. Make sure that you pick a name that you like and will reflect your purpose in writing. This helps because people need to be able to find you.

Also, and this is REALLY important: don't worry about who reads it. Don't worry if you have comments. (It can make blogging into a chore and can lead to disappointment if you're not a blog celebrity overnight. Just keep at it, and be yourself.) Getting famous is not what writing a good blog is about. A good blog is about content. Make sure you are writing about things you truly care about or are interested in as an individual. Readership follows.

What are some trends you see for this spring and summer?

Hmm...Hard to say. I am frequently wrong, but I still keep trying.

I think integrity will make a comeback. I think a return to imperfection. Instead of pop star and celebrity beauty, I think we're going to see a deeper, more interesting, lived-in beauty emerging: imperfect teeth, hair, real ideas inside a real mind: John and Yoko, Chrissie Hynde, Tim Buckley. A good book to look at for this is Linda McCartney's Sixties. Hard to find but amazing. Beautiful portraits...They feel real, but beautiful at the same time.

Earthy color with hot, acidic, spicy, mossy accents.

Mismatched blacks.

I think the next trend in food is dumplings and meat pies...Although I don't think these will be big in the summer... : )

Is there something in the design world that currently tickles your fancy?

I like things that feel honest, not decorated. I don't mean things that are minimal, necessarily...but things that feel like the artist or designer has gone beyond what they are *certain* will sell. This is how things move forward.

I like to know there's a risk being taken... even if it's just a small one.

Special Interview: Amy Sedaris

2007-12-07T07:26:00Z

To those of you who are familiar with Amy Sedaris, please join us in excited squealing. To those of you that haven't yet had the pleasure, The Storque is ecstatic to introduce the hilarious crafty lady known as Amy Sedaris, aka Jerri Blank. Amy is best known for her cult television series Strangers with Candy, her affinity for rabbits and fake food, her hit crafty hostessing book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, and her wickedly unique sense of humor (and voice!) that gets inside your head and just never leaves.

The Storque is SO EXCITED to give you this special interview with Amy. But first, here's a little video introduction, where Amy appeared on Todd Oldham's (her bff) television show, Handmade Modern. (They decoupage tables!)

Without further ado, here's Amy!

How do you, Amy Sedaris, set the mood for entertaining at a party?
Lighting helps me in this situation, as well as music, and the pill I just swallowed.

What is your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorites was getting my best friend to load up my lunch box with candy. Her father was a candy distributor, so there was a huge closet full of candy in the house.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I enjoy all the holidays. I like having something around to keep me in the spirit. Halloween I get a pumpkin, Christmas I put up a tree and I will dye eggs at Easter. You know, the usual.

Do you go back to North Carolina for the holidays? Do you consider yourself a Southern Belle?
I consider myself a New Yorker when I'm in N.C. and I consider myself a Southerner when I'm in N.Y. I go home and visit 3 times a year.

What do you like to give as gifts for loved ones?
I just like a gift that shows you put some thought into it.

Do you incorporate any of your costumes and personalities into your parties?
Sometimes. The last time I dressed up in full costume was for Sangria Night.

If you were to take one of those magazine quizzes about your fashion sense, what would the results be?
"Costume. Too young. Too homemade looking. Rickrack?"

Your fake cakes are really popular. What's the secret?
Having someone else frost them for me.

You'll be at the Bust Craftacular. (Etsy is a sponsor. We'll see you there.) Have you enjoyed this event in the past? What sort of reactions do you get from people who meet you? From your fans?
I've never been a part of this craft fair so I'm excited. I love meeting crafty people.

Would you like to share a recipe with us?
Hillbilly Milk Shake:

Take an empty, unwashed jelly jar.

Add milk.

Shake.

Can you tell us about your collections and what drives these passions?
I like to hang on to things in case I need them to use for something else. I love a good prop. I would love to have my own prop and costume shop. I have stuff from first grade. Some things I keep for fear of running out, like cupcake pokes. I have too many.

We love seeing you on Letterman. Can you tell us a bit more about your relationship?
I don't kiss and tell.

To buy Amy's book, go here! If you're in the NYC area, you should come to the Bust Craftacular on December 8th, where Amy will be signing books and selling her wares. (And Etsy will be there too, handing out Etsy promos!) She's a crafty lady's funny dreamboat, and we love her to bits.

Below, you'll find some of our Amy-inspired picks!

Channukah Special: an Interview with Heeb Rebecca Wiener

2007-11-22T20:36:00Z

Channukah begins at sundown on December 4th, and to honor this holiday celebration, the Storque editors interviewed Rebecca Wiener, who works for the humorous and smart Jewish culture magazine Heeb.

A native of Houston, Texas, Rebecca studied history and visual art at Brown University. After graduation, she moved to New York to work at downtown publication index Magazine, where she soon became Managing Editor. Rebecca now serves as Heeb's Editorial Director and spends her days wrangling writers and finding synonyms for kosher.

Chanukah has been known as a children's holiday. Are folks of other ages opting in?
Are you kidding? Presents are thrilling no matter how old you are or what your religious orientation may be. Plus, now that I’m a penny-pinching New Yorker working at an independent magazine, I can finally appreciate those socks and books that my parents are always trying to gift me.

Can you pick out 8 of your fave gifts for this occasion?

If your friend has bad circulation like me, gloves are the perfect gift. And with these adorable things you can look like a well-groomed street urchin.

It’s terribly hard to find holiday cards that aren’t overtly Christmas-y or just plain ugly. These cards are simple, beautifully printed and thankfully devoid of cartoony dreidels and Technicolor menorahs.

It’s the Hebrew word for life and it looks lovely in pink on this shirt.

This shirt is from my friend Anna’s store. I love this tunic and it looks so cozy. Wait, don’t buy it. I want it.

Um, this knit portrait is awesome. I really don’t know what else to say. (Also, Jake Gyllenhaal was in the 2005 Heeb 100.)

I always thought we needed more diversity in our hand soap.

The perfect card for someone who isn’t going home for the holidays. Now you can get a little dose of family by mail.

I heart Bklyn. Maybe your Secret Savior does too. This poster shows all our neighborhoods.

Why do you think it's important for Jews to buy handmade (if so!)?
It’s important for everyone to buy handmade, to support creativity and to opt out of the military-industrial-generic-gift complex. And people always appreciate one-of-a-kind presents; it makes them feel like you think they are unique little flowers, even if you actually think they’re dried-up duds.

How does DIY and crafting relate to the Jewish traditions and culture of gift-giving?
Well, it doesn’t really relate to the Jewish traditions I grew up with—my mother would head for a tailor to re-sew a button, and my father and his bad back weren’t exactly churning out home improvement projects. But the Etsy ethos certainly speaks to Heeb’s culture. With a small staff and grassroots support, we’re always learning as we go along. There’s no better way to figure out how to do something, than to just DIY. And you could say that the entrepreneurial spirit is certainly in line with Jewish traditions. What some are calling the “New Jewish Community” is really a collection of young Jews who are blogging, making magazines, comics, music that emerge from their own experiences with Judaism and everything else in their lives. Little businesses are sprouting up—clothing companies like Rabbi’s Daughters, record labels like JDub.

Is there such a thing as kosher crafting?
I suppose that as long as you don’t mix wool and linen fibers in your potholder, fire up the welding torch on the Sabbath or sculpt your ashtray out of spam, you’re pretty good to go. [Takes break to eat bacon cheeseburger.]

Why did you pick Rob Kalin as one of the Heeb 100? How did you hear about Etsy?
I’ve been a fan of the site for a while, and one of my friends is a seller (annamatrona). The Heeb 100 is all about young people who are making their own way, seeing a gap in the world and filling it with skill and style. Rob fits the bill perfectly. Etsy is such an elegant solution to a simple problem: people are making cool stuff and other people want to buy cool stuff. Oh yeah, and Rob’s Jewish. That made the decision a little easier.

What are some of the Heeb staffers’ favorite Channukah traditions?
Personally, I’m all about the latkes, with applesauce please. And in our most recent issue—on newsstands in December, cough, cough—we reinvent the game of dreidel for adults with “Heeb’s Guide to Strip Dreidel.” And of course, our favorite Christmas tradition is Heebonism, Heeb’s massive blowout party on Christmas eve in NYC.

Does it bother you that there's so much commercialized Christmas crap? Are you happy that you don't have to deal with it?
Oh, I have to deal with it. Anyone with ears and eyes has to deal with the jingles and fake frost and doggie reindeer outfits. I am glad I’m not forced to drink eggnog, though... I’m a lactard.

But seriously, what do you love, love, love about this season?
Let me bring this full circle to the presents. I love the presents. Also, picking the wax off the menorah on the last night is just so satisfying.

Who are some great Jewish artists or designers whose work you really admire?
There are tons, and we try to feature as many as we can in the magazine. Rachel Antonoff and Sari Gueron are two fashion designers we included in the The Heeb 100 who are awesome. Also, we love the photographers Noah Kalina and Dina Kantor (also The Heeb 100ers). Check out the pages of Heeb and you’ll run across quite a few more great photographers and illustrators.

Sexy Turkey: AngelaCatirina Speaks

2007-11-22T07:06:00Z

Many of have seen and been enchanted by the Sexy Turkey hat while browsing Etsy. We figured Thanksgiving was the perfect time to get the story behind these knit and crochet wonders. We'd like to introduce Angela Catirina and her mom Bonnie aka Bonet.

Introduce yourself!
Hello, my name is Angela Catirina. I am in partnership with my mother Bonnie "Bonet" in one of our businesses, Catirina Bonet Designs. We share a loft in very urban, downtown Los Angeles that also serves as our factory and office. We are both full charge book-keepers and also run www.BonnieTheBookkeeper.com as well as "Catirina Bonet Originals," our wholesale gift line which we also market through Etsy as www.Boodlebub.Etsy.com. We're busy girls — to say the least. In our spare time we both paint, sew, sculpt, and a varitey of other creative things.

We began our business formally when I was just out of high school (1990) as clay sculptors, marketing our work through art galleries and museums and museum stores throughout the United States. Catirina Bonet Designs has had several incarnations over the years as we have worked to develop our place in market. Our current incarnation, as designers of hand knitting and now crochet patterns too began about 2-1/2 years ago with our web site.

How would you characterize the buyers you work with? What kind of person buys a "sexy turkey hat" or a Christmas tree hat?
To be honest, I never thought anyone would buy the Sexy Turkey Hat. It's been one of our two top sellers. In fact, it might be our top seller. I really just designed it becuase I was inspired by that bag of leftover yarn that arrived in the mail. I thought it would be something for people to look at while they bought the "Basic Knit Cap." I knew I would wear it but little did I know that anyone else would. Our buyers astound me the most. They range in age from 20 to about 70 and we've sold the Sexy Turkey Hat to as many 60 somethings as we have 20 somethings. They also live all over the world. Before joining Etsy most of our customers came from Europe and the UK. Etsy has broadened our US customer base considerably although our Etsy orders are also world wide. I'm not surprised to get knitting orders from other parts of the world but I'm always amused when the Thanksgiving items sell in Belgium, Germany, Brazil...The Christmas Tree hat and Garland Boa are the same. Our buyers run the age gamut with that one as well.

Do you wear any of your items out on the town? If so, what's the reaction? (Also, what's up with all the wigs?)
Oh ABSOLUTELY!! I've been chased down the street by total strangers offering me outrageous sums of money for things like: "Angela's Coat of Many Colors." I wore it with the "Oh la la Dress" to dinner and a play one night in Beverly Hills and I almost couldn't get out of the restaurant and into the theatre for the mob that surrounded my outfit. One woman nearly embarrassed her poor husband to tears walking circles around our table. Clearly she was a fan though. It's very flattering.

I tell this story in my listing for the coat about walking through a chic San Francisico department store and the store's fashion buyer following me onto the street wanting to know who designed my outfit. I said, "Caitirna Bonet" and he replied, "oh yes! Catirina Bonet! I have loads of their stuff coming in next season." Ha ha. I had to laugh — but to myself of course.

You seem to have a pretty fun sense of humor. What are you inspired by?
I love color — we both do. We love the unpredictability and creativity of live theatre. We've spent much of the past 20 years or so travelling specifically to scope out art galleries and museums. We read constantly and when we're too busy working to read we rent a variety of things from Netflix - everything from documentaries to feature films. I enjoy the quirkiness of life. I think sometimes we take it all too seriously.

With the Turkey items specifically, I think I was inspired by my childhood phobias. Born into a family of meat eaters, I declared myself vegetarian at the age of 5. Thanksgiving was always traumatic for me. I would beg my mother: "Do I H-A-A-V-E to sit at that table with the dead turkey on it?" Every year I got the same answer - "yes". The one thing I always looked forward to on Thanksgiving was watching the parade. For years I called it Macy's Day — I didn't know the difference.

Do you make the patterns that you produce yourself? How did they come about?
Bonnie and I both design the patterns in the collection now, although it's fair to say that the bulk of the designs we currently have are mine. I had a bit of a head start. We had taken a break from Catirina Bonet Designs after moving to Los Angeles eight years ago to reassess where we were really headed with the business. At that time we had developed a very large wholesale business of gift items that we were selling in nearly all 50 states. It had outgrown our capabilities and our move to Los Angeles brought about unexpected challenges for continuing.

I had taken a job across town and was commuting on the metro about 2 hours a day. I found reading on the bus sickening so to pass the time I started knitting. Juggling a pattern, yarn, needles, and everything else I had with me was too dramatic. My yarn would go sailing toward the driver at every stop and my pattern pages would fly every direction. I eventually started just knitting without patterns because it was less to juggle. In a year of commuting I had the original 20 or so designs.

I had also never used a computer before 2003. So I spent a couple of years glued to online classes learning to build web sites from scratch, design page layouts for patterns, create pdf files, etc.... We do absolutely every bit of the business ourselves so the past few years have been an incredible learning experience for us.

What's your relationship with your mother? You guys seem pretty tight.
We are very tight. We are best friends. Few people understand it and yet our relationship is so natural to us we can't really explain it. We have always lived and worked together. I think alot of our success in both family and business partnership has to do with the fact that we are both equal and separate partners. We both have our own things in our home and in our business that we are responsible for. Our worlds parallel but they don't collide and I think that helps us maintain such a great harmony.

We're also incredibly competetive with each other. I think this has everything to do with our success in business. We're always checking to see if our designs are outselling each other. It's ridiculous - everything with us is 50/50. We do exhaust outselves with the race though. It's been going on since I was born and it applies to everything we do. We try to outread each other, outsell each other, out design each other. Many years ago we waited tables together for a while. It was the same then. I think we must have exhuasted our customers racing each other to fill empty glasses and clean dirty tables. I remember the restaurant manager standing back and shaking his head watching us work saying, "I've never seen anything like this......never."

We almost never argue at all and when we do it's about the truly absurd and ridiculous - her snoring like a freight train and my phobias about putting cooking oil in food. We've had some comical, knock down drag outs over those two things. It's not that we always agree either — we just respect each others ideas, philosophies, territory, etc... It works!

Anything else?
I would love to say how greatful I have been to the Etsy community. We give a lot of props to the artists and sellers but I would like to really give kudos to the people who shop Etsy. We get the most amazing convos from people who really help guide us in our journey here. I would also love to say how much we appreciate the people that run Etsy and make it such a friendly, workable environment. We're so proud to be a part of such a talented community.

Etsy in the Press: Rob "Straight Outa Norman Rockwell" Kalin on Wallstrip

2007-11-16T07:34:00Z

Witness the Wallstrip interview with Rob, in which he keeps it real while discussing politics, money, greed and a better way. Power to the ladies!

Wallstrip is a popular, fun video blog focusing on finance and business. BusinessWeek calls it “A sassy new investment show for generation YouTube.”

Please read the comments.

Etsy in the Press: Behind the Money with Rokali

2007-11-09T18:34:00Z

"I have mixed feeling about pretty much everything in life." — Robert Kalin.

Rob was interviewed by Behind the Money about cash flow matters and Etsy. Get the inside scoop on investors, not-selling-out, and the passion that drives Etsy founders.

Plus, Rob's wardrobe is courtesy of RuffeoheartslilSnoty, who were at the Etsy Labs for the Majestica artist-in-residency, the artist collective with MixenDixon and EmpireEmpire.

Jenny Hart Says: Dare to Enter Your Local Needlework Shop

2007-10-18T15:02:00Z

Jenny Hart (aka sublimestitcher) is an embroidery artist and founder of the amazingly innovative Sublime Stitching, a pioneering design company launched in 2001 to revitalize the craft of hand embroidery. She is the author of two titles for Chronicle Books, Stitch-It Kit and Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To. Jenny's work has appeared in publications such as Nylon, Venus, Bust and Juxtapoz. She has collaborated with The Flaming Lips and The Decemberists, and her work is in the collections of Carrie Fisher, Tracey Ullman and Elizabeth Taylor. Jenny is a founding member of the Austin Craft Mafia.

You know that local needlework shop you never go in? (I mean, hooray if you do, but a lot of us just plain don’t.) I’m not talking about that recently opened, hip craft boutique offering great new stuff we all like making, I’m talking about the needleworkers who run independent stores for goin’ on 20 years or longer.

Been in one of these shops lately? There are a lot of reasons we don’t go in these seemingly lost-in-time local stores: the aesthetic is too country-cutesy, we don’t know anything about needleworking anyway, and hey - aren’t they kind of a clique-ish girls’ club who don’t like newcomers? And where did we get this idea anyhow?

I recently sat down with my good friend and local needlework shop owner, Ginger of Ginger’s Needlearts and Framing in Austin, Texas to ask her.

JENNY: What is the hardest part for you in getting younger customers into your shop?
GINGER: You know, there’s that whole idea of ‘middle-aged women who are fuddy duddys’ notion. I’m aware people think that and I want them to look past it and learn what we have to offer!

Well, it can be pretty intimidating to step into one of these shops…
I know that some needlework shops tend to suffer from a chilly, girls-club atmosphere. If a man wanders in they assume he’s looking for his wife (and not interested in needlework), or if they have tattoos and pink hair, they might not approach them. I learned long ago to stop making assumptions like that.

And clearly not all shops are like that. But when a shop is unwelcoming or ignores new customers that wander in, it doesn’t just hurt their business, it hurts yours. I mean, I was hesitant to come into your shop the first time because of experiences I’d had elsewhere. I’ve gone into several small needlework shops where I wasn’t spoken to, or offered helped, and this was often while there was a group of ladies present. I felt like I was interrupting something!
That’s right. I have been appalled to hear customers say with great hesitation..."I'm sorry to bother you, but could I ask a question?" Somewhere someone has been dismissive or thoughtless or even rude about being ‘interrupted’ by a customer, who’s needs are our business!

What changes in interest and attitudes about needleworking have you perceived over the years?
In the 70's there was definitely the "hippie, Earth Mother, back to nature" movement that fueled the drive toward old fashioned home making activities. The Bicentennial inspired quilters…

And now it’s all tattoos and subverting the methods and materials.
Which I think is great! We have to have new things to keep younger generations interested in needleworking. But what’s important to me is that people are aware of the traditions and appreciate fine craftsmanship. I want them to know how far they can advance with needleworking and understand the difference between a beginner’s work and the truly difficult, fine work that take a lot of skill to achieve.

I think it’s that idea of striving for perfection in needleworking, and the expectation of perfection from the get-go that turns many people off to trying it. So many people have written me over the years to say they gave up after their first attempts at embroidery when they were younger because grandma nit-n-pick told them their stitches were too sloppy. So they gave up. How do you feel about that?
I would never, ever want to discourage someone from starting! That’s just not how you get anyone interested in learning more. I make no distinction between stitchers who follow directions in a kit or design completely out of their head....I just want everyone to be stitching. World peace through needlework!

Your shop feels very community-oriented. I find that interesting because our community is very tied in and mutually supportive…but we connect primarily via the internet, while your community is based around your shop. But our communities, mine and yours, don’t really connect in an obvious way.
That’s right. We reach out with fliers, newsletters and emails. Understanding how to communicate to a younger generation via the internet, on blogs and with a website is my biggest challenge.

Do you offer classes at your shop?
Definitely...Both structured/scheduled and constantly answering questions and demonstrating "over the counter."

I know I’ve asked you many questions over the years and have learned a lot from you, both about needleworking and the market. One thing I’ve learned is the importance of independent designers for your store.
Most of the cross stitch designers I stock are independents. Many of the quilting books are from large printing companies as opposed to "self-published" designers so I carry both. It's so important to support the independent designers. And it ensures that our shops offer something unique. When a designer "goes big" and is carried by the large chains, that’s great for them, but I can’t compete with that.

What do you most want new needleworkers to know about your shop?
That I’m here! And that’s most important to me, that they think of me as accessible and here to help them.

Ginger’s Needlearts and Framing is located at 5322 Cameron Road in Austin, Texas. Check it out!

Find out where there’s a local needlework shop near you!

Etsy Teams Spotlight: The Etsy Green and Clean Guild

2007-10-12T12:12:00Z

If you haven't had the chance to chat with the incredibly dynamic Xiane, you're missing out. I recently had the chance to ask her a bit about the Etsy Green and Clean Guild, the Etsy team of handmade bath and body makers. You can find more information about the team at their website, http://egcg.xiane.org, and you can browse images of their fantastic products in their flickr pool.

What inspired the EGCG team to form?
Like so many great ideas, there was interest in starting a promotional team from several different bath and body sellers at the same time. I posted a thread in the Etsy Teams forum in late November 2006, and another thread from seller PrairieLuxe ran concurrently. We all met and joined forces together, and Etsy Green and Clean Guild was born! One might think that a team made up of people selling the same sorts of items would be poorly received, but our members realize that all our products are vastly different — and that together, we are a much stronger promotional and educational force than we ever could be separately.

What do you find most interesting about being on/running a global Etsy team?
I think that it's amazing how well EGCG has come together as a strong force, even though we are spread all over the globe. It is a testament to the uniting forces of intent + internet! In this day and age, people don't have to meet face-to-face to be able to unite in a mission.

How would you compare it to being on a location based team — what are some of the differences between being on a team where you can frequently meet in person vs. being on a team where you have more in common (interest based-ness)?
It can be a challenge to our creativity to come up with ways to inspire and promote from afar — it keeps us on our toes, looking for new ideas on how to get the word out. Also, I find that we need to actively take time to keep our interpersonal connections strong, because we cannot easily meet in person. That requires commitments to online meetings, chat, and participation in our mailing list. Also, the time difference can come into play — it isn't always easy to schedule a chat, for example, because we are spread over different time zones.

What's most rewarding about Etsy teams for you?
A united sense of purpose and camaraderie is the best payoff ever. Being a part of a team on Etsy has inspired me to NO END!

What are the EGCG team's general goals?
We have banded together to promote and support each other, and get the word out about the superior qualities of handmade bath and body products available on Etsy. We are also taking on the mantle of offering to inform and educate the public on how to identify ethical and high-quality B&B products, both through instructional literature, and through example.

What do you consider success for the team?
Success could be identified through increased sales for individual members, or a more fine-tuned awareness of the handmade bath and body community on Etsy. I would consider it a personal success to have the name EGCG linked in the public's mind as the place to find quality products and information about B&B.

In what ways does your team communicate? Do you communicate daily, weekly, etc?
We predominately use a Yahoo group currently and constantly, and are eagerly awaiting the upcoming changes to the Team pages for increased communication! We also use a weekly thread in the Teams forum, and we have occasional chat room nights.

How you balance running a successful etsy shop and leading up a large team? What sorts of rewards or incentives are there for members of EGCG?
I ask myself that first question all the time. Seriously, the two run hand-in-hand. Being a part of EGCG brings me success, and I use that success to keep me inspired with EGCG. I find that everything's becoming intertwined. I think that for active members of the team, that success follows for them as well. Other rewards for being involved include being a part of group promotions and media attention, and sharing in the motivation and inspiration that our team brings to the table.

Any other thoughts on teams and Etsy?
To me, Etsy Teams are the embodiment of the spirit of Etsy! Pooling energy, resources, and ideas for the benefit of all is an amazing thing, and something I'm very proud to be a part of. Hurrah for Etsy and Etsy Team!

EGCG had a trunk show at the Etsy Labs in Aug 2007!

Quit Your Day Job: sunnyrising

2007-10-01T13:36:00Z

Quitting your day job to follow your artistic endeavors can be a mirage – blurry but still recognizable – but to Allison Sattinger of Sunny Rising Leather (sunnyrising.etsy.com), it’s now crystal clear. Allison, an LA-based singer/songwriter and leatherworker, knew this change was inevitable for her, since her heart’s desire is to create as much beauty as she possibly can in her lifetime.

Since appearing on Etsy only eight months ago, Sunny Rising Leather has attracted a steady stream of satisfied customers, all affirming Allison’s unique take on shaping, tooling and painting leather. Graciously embracing custom orders has helped boost her sales, as well as grassroots word of mouth advertising.

Allison, a musical theater major in college, was working as a receptionist up until six months ago. In preparation for leaving her unsatisfying post, she paid off all her debt and squirreled away two and a half months of living expenses. Realizing that she had to jump before she could feel secure, Allison declares this transition both simple and desperately hard to do. She did it, and she hasn’t looked back.

Allison freely shares her experiences with others who are considering the leap from day job to self-supporting artist. Regarding the drudgery of a day job, she offers the following advice: learn to love what you wish to let go of and have an amicable parting. Have as much fun as you can. And most importantly when looking to your future, trust in both yourself and your products. In her own words, “There is also the matter of faith and belief in your product: you have to love it to pieces, enough to believe it will go far.”

Allison is now working out the process of balancing goal-setting with giving her spark of creativity adequate breathing room, along with staying focused so the fear of failure will not get a foothold. “It's a matter of focus,” she explains, “and since the details surrounding the art and the day-to-day are constantly changing, it requires dexterity and patience.”

Allison stays motivated by planning her dreams of having a sizeable leather and metalworking studio, plus developing and marketing her unique musical sound. Dreams reaching further into the future include a move from Los Angeles to a smaller city where she can expand her studio to include a brick and mortar storefront, as well as being signed to a music label.

This confident artist proclaims that she lives to create. After holding and touching one of Allison’s leather creations and listening to her powerful singing voice, I can only agree. Perhaps the most important ingredient to a successful transition from day job to committed artist is what Allison embodies: a sincere body-and-soul devotion to creating beauty.

More on Allison:

www.myspace.com/allisonsattinger
www.sunnyrisingleather.blogspot.com