Search results (tags) for: "video"

Handmade Confessional: Eli Loves Ghosts

2008-12-01T11:36:00Z

We met Eli Dlugach and his mom Sam at the LA Felt Club. Viva la next generation handmade! We made a series of videos with folks telling us why handmade is important to them.

Share your Handmade Confessional with us. Click here to add your video response in Youtube.

Find out more about the Handmade Consortium | Sign the Handmade Pledge

Buy Handmade Pledge

2008-11-28T18:25:00Z

Here we are. It's "Black Friday" again and we weren't waiting on line at the mall. There's something in the air and it's not muzak pumped throughout the florescent lit aisles of big box stores. It's been building across the world for some time now: a movement to bring together conscientious consumption and the joy of making things.

Since the Handmade Consortium launched the Buy Handmade Pledge (http://buyhandmade.org) last year, over 30,000 people have signed. Some say "hand-made is the new black" — but it's not a trend. This is about real people making changes in their everyday lives and figuring out how to make those changes lasting and sustainable. It's about being able to quit your day job and shop local. It about personal history and the inspiration behind making something of your own vision.

Etsy admin Tara aka weirdwolf recently met some of you at the Los Angeles Felt Club and filmed why handmade is important to you. This video with Stephanie Donon is just the first of many of your Handmade Confessionals. Click here to add your video response in Youtube.

Find out more about the Handmade Consortium | Sign the Handmade Pledge

Chickenpants: The Quest

2008-11-27T20:02:00Z

Yes, chickens (not turkeys) rejoice today!

Claire Chambers aka absolutelysmall loves plush. Her soft creations are original designs made to make people smile. Clarie started making Chickenpants plush toys because, as she says, "You can't hug a painting!"

Claire started making stop motion videos with her chickenpants creations. From Claire:

"I've wanted to make stop motion animation literally since I was a kid. (Saw it on Muppet Babies, and it stole my heart.) I always figured you'd need special cameras and who knows what to make it happen, though. Then I got a Photojojo email that changed that. I found all I needed was a digital camera and iMovie...and I happened to already have both. Most of the videos are very clearly shot in our kitchen and living room, with plenty of fingers in the way and visible strings...just the way I like them! (Raised on MST3K, anyone?) People should revisit their crazy projects that might seem impossible. Who knows what advancements have been made in that area? The world needs to see more crazy, genuine projects."

She's running a special in her shop, by the way. Today through Sunday, you can get free shipping in the US and Canada, discounted everywhere else. Get your piece of chicken!

Chicken Pants Posts | More Videos at blip.Chickenpants.tv | Shop for Plush Toys

How-Tuesday: Snowflake Gift Wrap with the NewNew Team

2008-11-25T11:00:00Z

YouTube | blip.tv | MP4 | Subscribe in iTunes

This week, Etsy How-Tuesday presents Kari aka ikyoto and Stella aka lookcloselypress of The {NewNew} York Team. Today we're going to learn how to screenprint our own snowflake gift wrap for the holidays. Kari and Stella remind us that recycling paper bags is a great source for materials for this kind of project.

The snowflake screenprint graphic was designed by the NewNew Street Team with each individual snowflake from a different member of the team. To download the unique snowflake graphic for this project, check out their team blog. The following members contributed a design:

redbridge.etsy.com
pulpsushi.etsy.com
cakehouse.etsy.com
Jantar.etsy.com
mshoelace.etsy.com
AdornmentsNYC.etsy.com
ikyoto.etsy.com
lookcloselypress.etsy.com
Kimmchi.etsy.com
karensmonsters.etsy.com
citybitz.etsy.com
allenelaspina.etsy.com
bungaloe.etsy.com
mayluk.etsy.com
luckx4.etsy.com
cajajewelry.etsy.com
bshorr.etsy.com
lapistolera.etsy.com
linguanigra.etsy.com
Fubabee.etsy.com
wabisabibrooklyn.etsy.com
jdavisstudio.etsy.com
bluestitchbooks.etsy.com

For more of their work, simply search "newnewteam".

Materials Needed:

Silk Screen
Squeegee
Paper Bags / Junk Mail / Card Stock
Scissors
Ink Spreader / Spatula / Stirring Stick
Iron
Ironing Board
A flat protected surface (table with construction paper works just fine)

Steps for Making Screenprinted Gift Wrap:

Cut up your bags until they lay flat.
Iron the bags with the iron on a cotton setting with some steam.
Lay one bag on a flat protected surface (you can tape the edges down if you like).
- Place the screen over the bag.
- Have a friend hold the screen firmly in place.
- Use an ink spreader, spatula, or stirring stick to put some ink evenly along one edge of the screen.
- Using a squeegee firmly press down and pull the ink across the design holding the squeegee at a 45º angle.
- Carefully lift the screen, while holding the paper down to separate the two.
- Repeat swiftly until you notice the ink starting to gum in the screen at which point: rinse!

For more about burning your own screen to print with, check out this tutorial with Pete and Matt.

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!

How-Tuesdays: Holiday Table Decor with Kristen Couse aka cakehouse

2008-11-18T14:14:00Z

YouTube | blip.tv | MP4 | Subscribe in iTunes

Kristen Couse aka cakehouse joins us this week to show us how to make a patchwork trivet for your table. You can spice up your home decor, whether you're hosting Thanksgiving or a potluck with friends!

Things you will need to make your patchwork trivet:

A piece of fleece, felt, or old wool blanket (for the inside)
A piece of large fabric (for the back)
Some small square or rectangular fabric scraps (for the patchwork)
Pins
Sewing needles
Fabric shears
Scissors
Sewing Machine
2 Pieces of paper or tracing paper

How to make your holiday patchwork trivet:

Draw your pattern onto a sheet of paper or download this pattern and print it out.
Trace a slightly smaller leaf from the pattern on a separate piece of paper.
Pin the larger pattern onto the backing fabric and the smaller one to the felt/wool interior.
Cut out the patterns from the fabric.
Unpin the paper patterns from the fabric and set them aside.
Sew the interior onto the backing fabric along the edge, allowing about a quarter inch.
Lay out your fabric scraps in the arrangement that you want to have on your trivet and re-use the bigger paper pattern to determine the overall size.
Overlap the fabric and stitch them together into rows.
Iron the rows.
Stitch the rows together.
Iron the whole thing.
Pin the bigger pattern on and cut the pattern out of the patchwork.
Sew the patchwork onto the backing fabric with the outside facing in and leave a space at the bottom.
Flip the fabric inside out through the opening at the bottom and use a paintbrush or a letter opener to push the corners out.
Stitch up the bottom using a blind stitch.
If you want you can add a stem by stitching it onto the outside, or embroider veins into the leaf as a finishing touch.

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!

What Does Handmade Mean to You, Los Angeles?

2008-11-16T16:30:00Z

What does handmade mean to you, Los Angeles artists and crafters, and you who buy from indie sellers?

At LA Felt Club on November 16th, 2008, from 2pm-6pm (Pacific Time), Tara (Etsy admin weirdwolf and video shooter) wants to meet you and tape very short (15 second) individual videos. Please bring something handmade you've bought or made and tell us why you buy/wear/sell/gift handmade. There will be a sign up sheet and each shoot will only take a few minutes. So pop by and help us spread the word about the handmade movement!

[LA screenrpint by miriamdema]

These videos will be used on Etsy's blog and BuyHandmade.org as part of the Handmade Consortium, among other places.

Not in LA or can't make it to Felt Club? Here's the perfect excuse to try making your own quick video! Here are some suggestions and here are our Getting Started in Video How-tos.

Comment below if we'll see you there!

Shop Local Los Angeles | Take the BuyHandmade.org Pledge

Handmade Portraits: Leslie Stein

2008-11-14T11:30:00Z

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Prince Ruperts Drops)

Leslie Stein, aka larrybear, spends most of her time drawing comics, listening to old time radio shows and playing records. Leslie started her first comic series, called simply Leslie, back in high school. It revolved around her wacky adventures with her magical bunny and bird that helped her out in gym class and other misadventures.

After discovering underground comic book artists like Dan Clowes and P eter Bagge when she was an angsty teenager, Leslie decided comic books would be the perfect medium for her to tell her stories. Both of her comics — Eye of the Majestic Creature and her more experimental construction paper comics — are hand drawn and printed at a small printing press. Unlike mainstream super hero comics, her stories are autobiographical and don't have a typical plot. As Leslie says, "If you're looking for thrills and drama, this might not be for you, but if you're interested in seeing the world the way I see it, pick one up."

Leslie decided long ago that rather than work professionally as an illustrator, that she would hold a regular job and save her creative energy for her own work. She dedicates all of her free time to her creative pursuits and she finds inspiration everywhere. From walking down the street in Brooklyn to looking at an empty field, humanity and curiosity light the way to new adventures and new tales to tell.

Leslie won a Xeric Grant to print her work "Yeah, It Is!" and was nominated for Best New Talent in 2004 by the Harvey Awards. Keep you eye on this one!

Watch more Handmade Video Portraits on Etsy's blog!

Books and Zines Category | Book Worms and Writers Gift Guide

Zines Posts | Comics Posts | larrybear's Shop

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: November 13, 2008

2008-11-13T14:17:00Z

Lately my mind has been taken over with "fashion thoughts." I spend my nights poring over the internet in search of the perfect coat (hood + long + wool + certain indescribable quality that makes it impossible to find), the perfect winter hat (not itchy + slouchy, but not too slouchy), the perfect rain boots: basically, the perfect winter wardrobe. It's taken over my mind's eye! Therefore, I must say: If you find something amazing that fits within these parameters, leave it in the comments! I'd be much obliged.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, on with the show! This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere is complete with Swedish blogging, mid-century videos of thoroughly modern machines, gorgeous decor, avant garde fashion courtesy of Facehunter and found photos.

Onward!

I may not understand Swedish (yet!), but I do understand beautiful images. This space is so modern, so clean, so comfortable. I love it. [Via Purple Area]

This vision of the future, simply titled 1958, is a virtual time capsule back to the golden age of design. Enjoy a Mad Men moment with this tour of the modern house and office circa late 1950s. [Via Jezebel]

Found images are the best. This collection manages to be moody and evocative in the way that I adore. [Via Mashroob & Moustaches]

If you're seeking fashion inspiration, look no further than the street style shots of Facehunter. His shots are so spot-on when it comes to forward thinking fashion, and he's constantly traveling the world, so the dynamic is totally global. I love seeing what people in each country are wearing.

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Etsy Holiday How-To #5: Shipping

2008-11-11T15:51:00Z

After giving you pointers on how to package, photograph and wrap items from your shop, we've finally reached our last Holiday How-To. In our last video, the Etsy Labs staff shows you how to get organized for the upcoming shipping frenzy. So sit back, chisel off another piece of Grandma's fruitcake and soak up our last tip for the holidays!

See more helpful how-tos about your indie biz in the Seller Handbook!

Envelopes in the Supplies Category | Packaging in the Supplies Category

Here are the previous articles in this series:

Etsy Holiday How-To #1: Packaging

Etsy Holiday How-To #2: Branding your Shipping Materials

Etsy Holiday How-To #3: Creating Labels and Hang-Tags

Etsy Holiday How-To #4: Photographing Your Items

[This video was originally published October 15, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

Process: New Books with Old Materials by theblackspotbooks

2008-11-07T11:35:00Z

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

Margaux Kent, aka theblackspotbooks, has always had a love for old things. Her handmade leatherbound books have the feel of beautiful antique manuscripts, like something out of a Medieval library that was used by a monk once upon a time. Her books tell stories while waiting for the words of new owners. It's a magical thing.

Margaux made her first book after her well loved vintage Italian journal fell apart at the seams. She could then see how the book was held together and from that experience she learned how to bind books. Then came the next part: what to cover the journals with? Being vegetarian, Margaux didn't want to buy new hides, so she started scouring secondhand shops where she lives in Philadelphia for old discarded leather.

Since then she has repurposed all sorts of well worn leather, from antique chairs, saddlebags, gunbelts to old purses. Her hunt for leather with a past life continues, ever searching for forgotten pieces that she can transform into new treasures.

The books she sells are so gorgeous, they challenge their owners to write really amazing words, do drawings, or paste photos!

Process is a new Etsy video series that features the intimate relationship formed between Etsy sellers and the handmade items that
they create and make available to the world through their online shops. Process is not to be confused with a How-To video, as each video isintended to show each seller's unique artistic voice through the process by which their items come to be.

Did you know you can get videos downloaded automatically by subscribing in iTunes! You can also check us out on Youtube, blip.tv and get the MP4 video too. Embed the video on your blog and you might just get a special treat from us.

In the comments, let us know if there's an artist's process you'd like to see in a video!

How-to Make the Cutest Belt with Cluttershop via Sprig.com

2008-11-06T15:39:00Z

In this video, cluttershop shows us how to make a simple belt by recycling an old apron. Way to go, Cluttershop!

Sprig.com, "Your Daily Green Style Guide," is looking for more Etsy sellers to contribute how-to videos with a green twist. Let Etsy know about it too, so we can post it here on our blog as well. We are always looking for video-making Etsians (see our Getting Started in Video series, if you need a leg-up).

See more how-to videos!

Search for Fabric Belts | Search for Aprons

Julia Pott's New Video: White Corolla by Casiotone For the Painfully Alone

2008-11-05T18:08:00Z

Here's the latest music video directed by Etsian, animator and illustrator JuliaPott for musican Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Julia explains how the video came about as such:

"Basically I saw him playing in Chicago when I was traveling around America and instantly fell in love with his music and thought our styles matched really well. I contacted him and showed him my work and asked if he wanted a music video and it just kind of went from there. We also met up in Brighton when he played, but it was all mainly done via e-mail. It was a labour of love because his music is pretty much my favourite of all time. I had complete artistic freedom on the piece which was really nice and we're getting a lot from it. It should be premiering on MTV2 in the UK in the next month or so, hooray!"

This is yet another brilliant piece from the director who brought you My First Crush. Check out more of Julia's work in her Etsy shop, which has illustrations, stuffed dolls and temporary tattoos of all her fantastical characters.

Check out the Handmade Video Portrait about Julia Pott to learn more about this artist!

Update: Faythe Levine's Handmade Nation

2008-10-29T11:48:00Z

We at Etsy are very excited about Faythe Levine's forthcoming documentary, Handmade Nation; so excited, in fact, that we want to share the clips as they become available! (Such as the amazing stop motion opening sequence shown above.)

Not familiar with Handmade Nation? Here's the gist: director Faythe Levine crossed the country to interview hundreds of artisans and crafters to talk about why and what of making things means to them. The resulting film has produced excitement amongst crafters, as it's a handmade production of its own.

Living in Seattle during the punk DIY music scene in the early nineties, Faythe Levine was fully enthralled by the do-it-yourself ethos. Self-publish, produce, reuse, collaborate, indie labels, zines, communal living, art collectives: she's done it all. In 2003 she looked around and saw a powerful and inspiring movement happening within the craft scene. A "new wave" as she calls it, was emerging with energy and inspiration fueled by a desire to embolden communities of makers and reinvent traditional models of crafting.

Check out the trailer for the documentary below! Very inspiring...

For more posts on Faythe Levine and Handmade Nation, check out our previous coverage.

Steampunk Halloween Ideas, from Etsy & Instructables.com

2008-10-28T17:00:00Z

Etsy is partnering with Instructables.com for the DIY Halloween Costume Contest, and we've both noticed the Steampunk trend. Members of Instructables are offering up some mind-blowing costume ideas — feats of DIY engineering, really — and Etsy sellers are making some creative items that would suit these costumes and theme parties. Here are 5 picks for Halloween-related projects, along with some related items from Etsy. And hey, remember to enter the contest — entries due November 9th, 2008!

Steampunk chicken-walker mech by Bug

For the Star Wars fan/steampunk in all of us.

Some items you might need:

A white blouse by adarie

Vintage black boots from ZucchiniFlourVintage

Raygun — Steampunk Defense by aintMichael

If you like this project, you will definitely love buildersstudio's sweet raeguns. He makes them in both tiny pendant size and full prop size. There's quite an array of choices.

Haunted Ouija Board by askJacob

Spooky! TwinPondsFarm offers an original Spirit board in case you need one.

Low Cost Jacob's Ladder Made From A Salvaged Oil Transformer by bloomautomatic

Another marvelous, ingenious prop for a killer Halloween party. If you're not confident about your playing with electricity skills, you should check out sksullivan667's shop, offering lamps with that raw metal, gear-clad look, perfect for a mad scientist's laboratory.

Realistic Steampunk Airship Goggles by greensteam

There are some very cool Steampunk goggle options on Etsy too, such as these by NEVERWAS.

If you want to learn more about the fashion sense behind Steampunk, check out this slideshow on the New York Magazine site. It features photos from a recent fashion show organized by Etsian Kathy Malone aka fofolle. We blogged about the event here.

Steampunk & Twilight Gift Guide | Posts about Steampunk | Costume Contest Info

How-Tuesdays: Spooky Shadow Puppets by Crankbunny

2008-10-28T11:00:00Z

MP4 | YouTube | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

This week on Etsy How-Tuesday, Norma AKA crankbunny shows us how to make spooky shadow puppets for Hallow's Eve! MAUHAHAH! crankbunny, a talented animator and artist, often works with layers of paper in her projects. Check out this animation she made for Etsy about robots.

Today's project is about dead guys and cemeteries! crankbunny has provided the templates for making her signature Gravestone Shadow Puppet and Dead Guy Shadow Puppet. You can use these templates, or come up with your own designs — either way you will most certainly have your own spooky Halloween shadow show.

Things you will need for the Gravestone Shadow Puppet:

Get the Template and print it out
- Grave Stone Shadow Puppet Template
Scissors or Craft Knife (Exacto Art Knife)
Rod (can be bamboo skewer, chopsticks, thin wooden dowel, a stick - the longer, the better)
Tape or Glue (non-toxic please)
Stiff Paper (card stock, cardboard, chipboard, etc)

How to make Gravestone the Shadow Puppet

Transfer the puppet template onto stiff paper stock.
- Tip - Print out the template on regular paper, use spray adhesive or glue to adhere the print out onto the stiff paper stock.
Cut out the gravestone puppet using scissors & a craft knife. Remember to also cutout the white areas inside the gravestone puppet.
Attach one end of the rod to the dotted area on the gravestone template using glue or tape.
- Tip - Customize the gravestone shadow puppet by cutting away shapes from it.
By making a few of these, each customized and cut differently - you can make an entire cemetery scene.
Project the shadow puppet by shining a flashlight onto it in a dark room.

Things you will need for the Dead Guy Shadow Puppet:

Get the Dead Guy Shadow Puppet Template here and print it out
- Dead Guy Shadow Puppet Template (page 1)
- Dead Guy Shadow Puppet Template (page 2)
Scissors or Craft Knife (Exacto Art Knife)
Rod (can be bamboo skewer, chopsticks, thin wooden dowel, a stick - the longer, the better)
Tape or Glue (non-toxic please)
String (cotton warp, yarn)
2 Brads (paper fasteners)
Hole punch (regular or 1/8th if you wanna get specific)
Drinking Straw
Stiff Paper (card stock, cardboard, chipboard, etc)

How to make the Dead Guy Shadow Puppet

Transfer the puppet template onto stiff paper stock.
- Tip - Print out the template on regular paper, use spray adhesive or glue to adhere the print out onto the paper stock.
Cut out the puppet parts using your cutting tools. Punch holes over the indicated circles with Xs. Use the punch and cutting tools to create your own eye shape on the puppet's head.
Attach one end of the rod to the dotted area on the puppet's body shape using glue or tape.
Cut a one inch (3cm) piece of straw. Align the end of the straw with the line found on the lower part of the puppet's body shape. Have it rest against the rod vertically and tape it down securely to the puppet.
Cut 2 pieces of string. Each should be 12inches (32cm) in length. Tie the end of each string to the outer hole on each puppet arm.
Make a spacer out of some scrap paper. A spacer is basically a small square of cardboard/heavy paper with a wedge cut into its side.
Join the arms to the body of the puppet with a brad using the spacer. Match the arms by each letter, the uppercase letter part always over the lowercase part. Remove the spacer once the brads are fastened. This will make each joint loose.
Run each string through the top of the straw. Make a looped knot to join both strings together. When you pull the end of the strings, the arms should move up. When you release the strings, the arms should move back down.
- Tip - Customize the shadow puppet by cutting away and adding shapes to it. Adding fangs, horns, buck teeth, pirate hats, hooks, top hats, etc to customize your puppet.
Project the shadow puppet by shining a flashlight onto it in a dark room.
Have a spooky Halloween!

See more how-to videos on Etsy!

All Etsy videos are licensed under a Creative Commons: Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike. If you like a video we produced, we encourage you to post it on your website, blog, myspace, etc. You can help us spread the word about the handmade lifestyle through video by:

1. Clicking the link button on the bottom right hand side of the video player at the top of the article:

2. Selecting the embed tab, then copy & paste the embed code into your blog or website:

How-Tuesdays: Bleeding Vampire Cupcakes

2008-10-21T14:35:00Z

MP4 | YouTube | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

Welcome to Etsy How-Tuesday. This week, in preparation for Halloween, we bring you Alicia and Tracy of Sweet Tooth of the Tiger who show us how to make Bleeding Vampire Cupcakes!

Here are the steps for making Bleeding Vampire Cupcakes!

Bake a batch of vanilla cupcakes. We use the no-fail recipe for vanilla cupcakes by Julie Hasson from her book "125 Best Cupcake Recipes," but you can use your own favorite vanilla cupcake recipe or a box mix works fine also.
After cupcakes are cooled, use a pointed sharp knife to carefully cut a cone out of the center of the cupcake. Be sure to tilt your knife outwards so you create a cone shape.
Take the cone out and set it aside.
Open a jar or can of cherry pie filling and puree it in a blender or food processor.
Spoon pureed cherry pie filling into the center of the cone'd cupcakes.
Take the previously cut out cones and carefully cut the top off of them, setting the pointy part aside. Use the flat top part of the cone as a cap for the pie filling hole.
The bleeding cupcakes are now ready to be frosted! Use a white frosting, preferably a seven minute frosting (recipe below), which is made by combining egg whites and sugar over a double boiler. Or you can use a buttercream or a can of prepared white frosting.
Once cupcakes are frosted, dip a toothpick in the cherry pie filling (get a generous amount on the toothpick), and stab the cupcake near the edge. Dip the toothpick in the pie filling again and dribble some filling from out of the hole to make it look like a bleeding vampire bite. Do this twice.
Viola! Bleeding vampire cupcakes. When your guests bite into these yummy cherry-vanilla sweets, they will look like they're bleeding!

SPOOKY!

Easy Seven Minute Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:
In large metal bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup water, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Set bowl over pan of barely simmering water
and mix with handheld electric mixer at low speed. Gradually increase speed to high, beating until mixture holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.

Transfer bowl from pan to folded kitchen towel on counter and continue beating until mixture is cool and billowy, about 2 minutes more. Beat
in vanilla. (Frosting can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.)

(ps For you Twilight folks, we know your fangs will be biting into these cupcakes. Check out this post!)

See more how-to videos on Etsy!

Process: Fused Dichroic Glass Rings by zulasurfing

2008-10-17T14:06:00Z

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

This month, to continue the Storque's jewelry theme, we bring you this video featuring Gil, a former owner of a demolition company who now grinds and fuses glass. zulasurfing is comprised of husband and wife duo, Gil and Irena, based in New York. Gil is originally from Israel and Irena was born in Russia. They fashion a variety of brilliant jewelry pieces in their small, but well equipped studio in the Bronx. We focused in on the difficult and time intensive process of making a dichroic glass ring; zulasurfing's results are absolutely stunning.

Dichroic glass is manufactured by vaporizing various layers of metal oxides in a vacuum using an electron beam. The vapor then crystallizes on the surface in a way that translates different wavelengths of light, producing a colorful sparkle. Gil uses this type of glass to his advantage by fusing it in layers with other pieces of colored glass and clear glass — unique designs appear embedded in the finished product. Gil and Irena work together to determine which colors, which type of dichroic glass, and which shape the overall ring will take.

We are happy to be able to share some of the finished rings themselves in the video because it is difficult to communicate their magnificence with photography alone, but even the videos don't do the rings themselves justice. They are truly majestic when beheld

Irene also does metalsmithing and glass etching and Gil makes some small sculptural glass pieces, so make sure to check out zulasurfing's other designs in their shop.

[etched glass pendants]

[casts of fused glass bricks]

[jewelry made from amethyst geodes]

Process is a new Etsy video series that features the intimate relationship formed between Etsy sellers and the handmade items that they create and make available to the world through their online shops. Process is not to be confused with a How-To video, as each video is intended to show each seller's unique artistic voice through the process by which their items come to be.

Jewelry tagged Dichroic Glass | More Process Videos on the Storque | Jewelry Lover's Gift Guide

Skull Guy Noah Scalin Embraces Death Daily

2008-10-15T17:51:00Z

Author and Skull-A-Day maker Noah Scalin shares his Etsy picks for spooky and sweet skulls. Join him this Friday, October 17 at 11am (EDT) for a Skull-A-Thon in the Treehouse of the Virtual Labs. Get ready to share your skull-themed favorites and Noah will do the same. Together we'll created a Treasury with our favorites! Without further ado...

I guess there are worse things to have shouted at you than, “It’s the Skull Guy!”…which is exactly what happened the first time I set foot in the Etsy Labs!

At that point I had made just over 100 of the 365 skulls in my Skull-A-Day project and had
no idea where it was heading. Since then, the project has lead to a Featured Video on YouTube (made by Etsy no less!), my very own book (called SKULLS of course), and even a visit to The Martha Stewart show, not to mention the thousands of fans across the globe, who shared their own work and enthusiasm for the project with me.

It all started with just a small orange cut paper skull I put online, saying “I’m making a skull a day for a year.” It’s a good thing I loved skulls before I started the project, since I ended up spending anywhere from 2 to 10 hours every day for that year, thinking about, researching, making, and photographing them! And it seems I’m not done with skulls yet, as I'm curating a second year of Skull-A-Day with hundreds of skull submissions by artists young and old who continue to be inspired by the project. At this point, I guess I’ve earned the title of “Skull Guy” and considering all that the skulls have done for me, I won’t even mind if you shout it at me.

Check out Noah's last visit to the Etsy Labs...

Subscribe to our iTunes Podcast!

The related items below represent some of Noah's skull-scouting on Etsy. Find your own new favorites with a few of these searches: "Skull Jewelry", "Skull Art", & "Dia De Los Muertos."

Create your own cross-stitched skull with Noah's original pattern or send a skull greeting for Halloween or anytime with Noah's free skull e-cards.

Etsy Holiday How-To #4: Photographing Your Items

2008-10-14T14:24:00Z

For our fourth how-to in this series, the Etsy Labs crew escapes the glare of the paparrazi just long enough to show you how to make your item photos look sharp and professional. From backdrops to cropping, learn how to make those JPEGS sparkle and shine!

And remember to stay tuned for our how-to next week!

Here are the previous ones in this series:

Etsy Holiday How-To #1: Packaging

Etsy Holiday How-To #2: Branding your Shipping Materials

Etsy Holiday How-To #3: Creating Labels and Hang-Tags

See more in the Seller Handbook!

[This video was originally published October 12, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

Handmade Portraits: Bruce Metcalf with Bonus Audio Podcast

2008-10-10T12:43:00Z

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music credit: Lineland, photos by: John White Wilson)

Bruce Metcalf has dedicated almost forty years of his life to the creation and historiography of American Studio Craft. He makes his exquisite jewelry with the utmost care and precision. On average most of the pieces take two months to create, whereas some take years before he perfects the final nuances.

After stints as sociology and architecture majors, Metcalf found himself transferring to the jewelry department during college in 1970. It was a bold move because the crafts weren't highly regarded within the fine art establishment at that time. However, the move felt right, and studio craft is where Metcalf has stayed ever since.

Because “fine artists” wrote about craft only as functional and not for display, Metcalf decided to set the story straight and represent himself. He began writing about craft history and theory. Currently, Metcalf is in the process of finishing up a text book on the history of American Studio Craft, the first of its kind.

Over the course of the last decade, the number of craft departments across the country has continued to dwindle. Although newer generations of artists embrace studio craft, academia still does not embrace its importance within the fine art establishment. Metcalf spends much of his time — when not producing work — talking to heads of art schools, academics and art critics about the importance of studio craft as part of formal fine art training. Although Metcalf acknowledges that many talented and successful artists are self taught (he himself is self trained in woodworking), he maintains that the best training still lies within a formal setting with a teacher as a mentor.

Metcalf has become an outspoken figure at the intersection of craft and fine art worlds, but recently at the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference, his comments led to another controversial role in the eyes of a new crowd. He sparked a dialogue between generations of crafters — his peers in the older, more established Studio Crafts/Craft as Fine Art generation, and the younger, technology-infused, DIYers of "Alt craft."

After the conference, crafter imogeneANDannie posted "Confessions" on her blog that, in a very personal way, focused in on Metcalf's remarks, and in doing so, unveiled the perceptions of the two disparate sides. Folks chimed in with their opinions, and in some cases the conversations were heated: the generations clashed over technology and the role of formal education, as well as the differences between spontaneous, punk rock craft for the masses vs. the carefully crafted, luxury pieces sold through dealers or galleries.

At the Connect/(Dis)connect talk at the American Craft Council, Metcalf discussed these matters with Chanel Kennebrew (you can get to the podcast through our Storque post). During the talk, Metcalf was in part amused, recalling his rebellious student days — and another part of him was willfully steadfast in his views on the social and economic differences in practices. History seemed to be repeating itself, as a younger generation with new tools and a shifted horizon line bucked "the way things are done."

In addition to this Handmade Video Portrait, we've produced an audio podcast with out-takes from the interview with Bruce Metcalf. His theories on the relevance and importance of craft have helped bring clarity to the discussion of studio craft's place within the art world. And because we just couldn't get enough of discussing the Alt vs. Studio craft debate, we invite you to listen in.

Watch our other Handmade Video Portraits and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

See Bruce's website for more of his work: www.brucemetcalf.com

Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Etsy Holiday How-To #3: Creating Labels and Hang-Tags

2008-10-07T11:21:00Z

So, dear seller, you've just figured out how to wrap that 300 lb, giraffe-shaped menorah it took you 4 days to carve. Why not let your buyer know where it came from? Michelle from Etsy Labs gives you some creative techniques for labeling your loot in our third edition of the Holiday How-To series. Check out everyday materials you can use to make hang-tags and easy ways to put a little bling on your labels.

See more helpful how-tos about your indie biz in the Seller Handbook. Don't feel like making your own tags? Support your fellow crafters and get some from them! We'd also love to hear your crafty ideas for making hang-tags and labels in the comments below.

Handmade Hang Tags | Hang Tags in the Supplies Category

[This video was originally published October 12, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

Process: Ziptie Rings by Metalnat

2008-10-03T12:00:00Z

The studio of Natalia Gomensoro, aka Metalnat, walks the line of serene organization and cluttered potential. Natalia grew up in Uruguay and comes to jewelry with a background in design and architecture. She got started making jewelry in 1994 and studied with Latin American jewelers before moving to Brooklyn. In this edition of Process, we get a chance to see Natalia resize one of her rings cast from a zip tie.

Natalia's work has an industrial feel to it. She uses materials that you wouldn't expect in jewelry like cement, rubber O-rings, and magnets.

Did you know you can get videos downloaded automatically by subscribing in iTunes! You can also check us out on Youtube, blip.tv and get the MP4 video too.

In the comments, let us know if there's an artist's process you'd like to see in a video!

Etsy Holiday How-To #2: Branding your Shipping Materials

2008-09-30T11:36:00Z

You know Dasher and Dancer... but do you know from which Etsy seller that fetching present came? In our second segment, Julie shows you how to brand your items by making clever and attractive shipping mailers and envelopes from recycled materials. Here is a PDF file with an envelope pattern.

Keep that coal out of your stocking and tune in to the rest of the series for more Etsy Labs Holiday How-tos on sprucing up your shop, shipping, photography and more!

See more helpful how-tos about your indie biz in the Seller Handbook.

[This video was originally published October 22, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

History Hacker: On Your TV Tonight!

2008-09-26T16:00:00Z

About a year ago, I started down the road to developing a TV show to explore historic inventions. Tonight my TV pilot, History Hacker, will be on TV! It's is all about exploring technological history by hacking the inventions of the past. If you can, I'd love it if you can watch it with your kids! While making it, I imagined families watching the show and enjoying it together!

The show is fresh. There are a billion jumpcuts in this show and we achieved some special split screen and in-camera effects. It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen on TV. Also, it's an hour long, so I have time to get into some projects that break down some of the principles that Tesla pioneered and fought for in "the war of the currents." I make a neon bulb, an AC generator from a bike, and I muck about with an old telephone magneto. I also go check out the power plant in the basement of The New Yorker and the space systems lab at MIT to see how the principles that Tesla pioneered are being used today.

Tonight, this show is really in your and your family and friend's hands. It's a pilot and so it will only go forward if it gets the ratings and response from viewers like you! If you feel so moved, write an email with your feedback, ideas for future episodes, or just what you think of the show! I've set up an email address that goes to the people at the network who need to hear your feedback.

I'll be posting live back channel commentary on Twitter and I'll be reading all the Twitters with the words "history hacker" and "bre" in them. I'll also be reading all the responses in the History Hacker Facebook group. I am also going to be checking out all the photos that folks post of themselves watching the show in the History Hacker flickr group.

Process: Sustainable Wooden Jewelry by PrasseinDesignStudio

2008-09-26T12:31:00Z

This month, Seattle native Shawn Taylor of prasseindesignstudio is sharing her process of making a wooden wrist cuff with us in conjunction with our themes of woodworking and jewelry making.

As a designer, Shawn works with architects designing spaces, and she applies her knowledge of certified wood and recycled materials in a way that makes her designs both safe for habitation and easy on the environment. Shawn is very passionate about sustainability and has partnered with ecohaus, a sustainable urban building supply company based in the Northwest.

While ecohaus attempts to reuse all of their materials in one way or another, the shipping crates that carry their bulk materials often break in the warehouse and then have to be chipped up to be effectively reused in other building materials. Through her relationship with this building supplier, Shawn has inserted herself into that ecosystem to prevent some of the more exotic woods from being destroyed by upcycling scraps into stunning yet minimal wooden accessories.

Shawn was kind enough to take me to the ecohaus branch in south Seattle, where we met Elliott Kopet, her friend and knowledgeable sales associate who led us through the warehouse, sharing various places for Shawn to scavenge for reusable scraps of wood. Shawn's passion for wood was instantly revealed by her ability to accurately identify a variety of different woods all with varying degrees of weather damage. After gleaning what she could from the scrap pile, we continued to Shawn's home wood shop in north Seattle where she transformed a piece of scrap lumber into a magnificent wrist cuff. The piece, Nature's Barcode no. 1, highlights the sustainably farmed certification stamp that was burned into the wood itself, sharing the story of its origins. As stated in her shop announcements, 25% of Shawn's sales from the Natures Barcode series will be donated to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Subscribe in iTunes | Youtube | Blip.tv | MP4

Robin Tucker of Wood Mosaics on the Beauty of Wood

2008-09-24T17:14:00Z

As a follow up to the Handmade Portraits: Wood Mosaics video, I wanted to post some of the footage I shot of Robin Tucker talking about the woods he uses in his woodwork. Robin mentioned in the interview that although some of the more exotic woods can be high priced, they add to the overall beauty of the pieces. It can be hard to keep up a good supply of wood in order to get your varied colors, but you only need a little to make the design striking.

Handmade Portraits: Wood Mosaics | more Handmade Video Portraits | Woodworking Category

Etsy Holiday How-To #1: Packaging

2008-09-23T12:13:00Z

What? Too soon to start thinking about the holidays, you say?

Not at all. It takes some time to get your Etsy shop ready for the holiday shopping season, so it's best to start now. We know this can be a daunting task.

So we'll be presenting a series of video how-tos to help you get your Etsy shop ready for the holiday season. In our first segment, Mary shows you how to recycle items from around your home to make original, appealing, and eco-friendly packaging. Tune in to the rest of the series for more how-tos on sprucing up your shop, shipping, photography and more!

Click here for a How-To on making your own boxes out of recycled paper.

See the The Etsy Seller Handbook: All Our How-Tos about Selling.

[This video was originally published October 9, 2007. We're bringing it back for the '08 season!]

Handmade Portraits: Wood Mosaics

2008-09-19T15:54:00Z

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music credit: Michael Chapman, Nathan Salsburg, J. Seger )

Robin and Kathy Tucker of woodmosaics stopped working in town back in 1986. After Robin's intricate wood-inlayed work was featured in The Best of Missouri Hands catalog and commissioned by Ralston Purina, they were on their way to full time crafting. Influenced by Amish quilt patterns, Robin's excellent woodworking uses exotic natural woods that range from Satinwood from Sri Lanka to Purpleheart from Central and South America. All of the wood is completely natural, with only a clear finish added to punctuate the beauty of the wood's innate color.

Choosing to live as off the grid as much as possible, Robin built a windmill so the family could hand pump their own water. Kathy made their clothes for years and they slaughter their own meat from the goats and chickens they raise. However, the one amenity they can't live without is the internet. After a dozen years of craft shows across the country, Robin and Kathy prefer to stay at home, tend to the farm and sell their goods via laptop rather than mall shows. While the juxtaposition of an outhouse and high speed internet would seem strange to most folks, the Tuckers have chosen to make certain sacrifices to keep costs down while in pursuit of a self sustained lifestyle. Living in the middle the country in Spickard, Missouri, the Tuckers keep connected through the latest in social networking via their Myspace and flickr sites, with a solar powered back-up generator in case the electricity goes out.

Watch our other Handmade Video Portraits and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

Check out Robin's homemade videos from the farm on Youtube.

Your Handmade Stories: Chocolate and Steel

2008-09-15T15:15:00Z

The Etsy Video team at the Storque is always excited when sellers create their own videos, whether it be a portrait, promo or studio visit. Bre Pettis recently produced a wonderful series called Getting Started in Video to help newbies take the leap. Last week Christine Street of chocolateandsteel sent me this excellent promotional video she and her husband Dave created for their shop. I asked her a few questions about why she decided to make a video, how she did it, what she learned from the experience, and what tips she has for other people considering making a video. Here are her responses:

I decided to make a video because I'm looking for new and inexpensive ways to market my shop. I'm very fortunate that my husband, Dave, is an aspiring filmmaker and was really excited to work on this project with me. I recently took the leap to full-time self-employment so budgets are a real concern for me: Not just in business, but in my personal life as well. This project seemed like a great thing to do for many reasons. First, it couldn't hurt my business. Second, it could help my business. And third, it gave us a fun project to work on instead of spending lots of money going out to dinner or museums (although we did film a lot of it outside the LACMA).

First I told Dave about the feel I was going for. I wanted it to be casual, whimsical and have a fantasy element. He came up with the original concept and we brainstormed from there. It was a lot of back and forth of me saying "I would never say that" and him saying, "That's cheesy." Finally the concept and dialog were complete and now came all the fun stuff. My mom babysat our 2 year old one weekend and we first had a "craft day" to make all the props. Then the next day we filmed it.

I learned that lighting is super important. Either morning around 10 or afternoons around 4 have the best, most flattering light. Natural light is the best, as I'm sure everyone knows. Also, I think the music is really important because it helps set the mood for the video, but it shouldn't be too loud and the center of focus.

I think a great way to do this is to get your friends involved. If you are a creative person, most likely so are your friends. One of my friends helped edit the video with Dave, and another friend who is a musician created the music for us. The great thing about getting other people involved is that they too help spread the word because they are proud of their work.

We really wanted to do something that was unique and had a storytelling feel. Many of my jewelry pieces were created from a story that I came up with first and then drew the illustrations for. I wanted to extend that concept of story to this video as well. We are going to do some more videos about some individual pieces also. So look soon for Lady Bird Incognito to be transformed from Jackie O to a bird lady — this one should be really cool!

Oh, I forgot to mention that our total expenditures on this was $12.50. That covered the tulips ($7.50) and the Styrofoam ($5) for the trees. The cottage was made from a cardboard box, the curtains were catalog pages folded, the window pane was chopsticks and I had the wooden rose bead for the door knob. Just thought it would be of interest for people who are not looking to spend a lot of money!

Don't forget to subscribe to their Youtube channel (and the Etsy Youtube channel too!). Post in the comments if you have a video you'd like to share. You can always convo one of the Storque team too! (Tara aka weirdwolf, BrePettis, and Eric B aka objecked will help you out.)

Making Handmade Musical Instruments

2008-09-12T16:42:00Z

You don't need a lot of cash to make music. The folks in these videos all made their own instruments and are sharing them with the world through video. Check the related items for some fantastic handmade musical instruments on Etsy. If you know of a great handmade music video or item on Etsy, share the links in the comments!

What do you get when cross an oil can with a banjo? The canjo!

Wow, it's an upright bass made of cardboard and it sounds pretty good!

I've always wanted to make a cigar box guitar. This one sounds amazing!

Dennis Havlena makes all sorts of instruments and shares them in this video.

Electric Junk Guitar Workshop from ranjit on Vimeo.

Inspired? On October 14th, you can take the guitar making class at Etsy Labs featured in the above video.

Also if you haven't seen the Etsy Handmade Portrait about Armor Guitars, check it out.