How time flies

Suddenly it's the end of February already and I'm not 100% sure how that happened. Update on the husband would be that he's feeling pretty fine and had a relatively quick recovery. He hated being on the pain meds as they made him feel zombie-like, but at least let him sleep. Once he was off those, everything went nice and smoothly. The cat on the other hand seems to have got rid of his tapeworm, is back to eating normally and...the best part...has finally caught on to the fact that we don't like being woken up 30+ minutes before the alarm! He will now happily snooze at the end of the bed and when the alarm goes off, he's ready for breakfast.

In more crafty news, I have been making a decision on what to do with my online shop. I very much like selling my wares but with the sample knitting taking up so much of my time, I don't feel like I've had much time to dedicate to maintaining my Etsy store. I think I've reached a decision to let all my listings expire for now and to take my time on a complete revamp. I want to add new things from my photographic portfolio and really want to come up with a good game plan for inventory - knit, crochet, woven or otherwise. I'd also like to dedicate more time to knitwear design. I've been finding myself sketching a lot recently (which is fun considering half the time I'm only capable of drawing stick people). Next thing is to figure out how to get those designs onto paper and into your hands.

Once I've decided exactly how to handle everything, I'll put up more info, but don't be surprised if all the destashing that I'm planning this year ends up being a store full of stuff later on!

Fiber Friday

A little yarny goodness to take you into the weekend!

This one was dyed up last weekend and is now listed in my Etsy shop. With all the June gloom that I've been seeing, when I was creating this yarn, I wanted something fun, fruity and ready for summer...the result was Mai Tai! It's a hand dyed yarn, recycled from a beige Gap sweater. The plies were respun on my spindle to bring out the best in this yarn. It's 130 yards of worsted weight delight!I also dyed up something a little more representative of June gloom, recycled from the same sweater, although I'm keeping this one for myself. ;)

At the suggestion of Etsy!

I was contacted today by Etsy admin, Vanessa, who is doing a feature on weddings in the Storque tomorrow. Given that wedding season is about to hit us full force, why not?! Well, she was looking for photographers on Etsy that also shoot weddings to feature in this article and is planning on using one of my photos. She also asked me if I'd be willing to set up a wedding photography package in my Etsy store. A completely unique and different idea, but who am I to argue when given permission by admin! So, here it is...my Etsy listing for a wedding photography package by yours truly. =)

Been slacking!

I will admit that I have been slacking when it comes to my Etsy shops. I've been managing to pop in once and again to renew a listing, but even though I have a variety of vintage items at home waiting to be photographed, and a ton of yarns that just need to be washed and listed, it's been tough to find the time to get around to it. The new fitness regimen that I'm on has definitely been taking up a lot of my time, as well as assisting the husband with his new website. Learning PHP, SQL, CSS, and a variety of other three letter acronyms is quite time consuming!

This weekend, I managed to give a couple of the yarns a bath - one handspun and one recycled yarn that I re-plied - so I will definitely have to photograph them as soon as they're done drying. I renamed my yarn section in my shop Knitnats, which I think will be my yarn moniker.On the vintage side, I photographed some depression glass, this pretty pressed glass vase, and a gorgeous George Buckett lithograph ready for listing. I've actually had a hard time deciding if I want to keep the litho for my own kids...but I don't have any yet so I'm going to see if it sells first! I think it would be a pretty addition to any nursery.

It's good to feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. After all, I wouldn't want my shops and my blog to feel neglected.

Hat Attack!

Back in December, you may remember I participated in a vendor fair that just didn't go all too well for me. I came back from that with a massive inventory of stuff, all neatly tucked away in a Rubbermaid container...all forgotten and neglected until now.

I was inspired last week to really get a grip on my craft supplies, figure out what I have, what I needed to do with it and so on. I finally unpacked the storage bin and took a look back through the things I made, and decided it's time to start listing. I had to borrow a mannequin head for photos because, as my husband pointed out, most hats look like mushroom caps on me. It's true, I think I look like the mushroom dude from Mario Cart (I don't even know what his name is...but that's me).

Anyway, here's a sampling of what I have just listed in my store, and there is more to come! I also have some collars and scarflets to list as soon as I can. I've been finding fun names for them too, which has probably been spurred by all the recent talk of pregnancy by my close friends, who are frantically deciding names for their offspring. I'm not quite there yet myself with the baby thing, but that's not saying I can't find cool names online to name products right?



This green and white one is named Olwen, after the Welsh patroness of springtime, while the purple beanie is named Sverra, which is Nordic for "swirl"!

Etsy mini tutorial!

I am constantly seeing posts in the forums on Etsy from people who are a little confused as to how they can add their Etsy mini to their blogspot. So, here's a little tutorial that I wanted to share.

Step 1: Locate your Etsy mini. by clicking on "Your Etsy" at the top of the page. The link to your Etsy mini is on the lower left column of the page.
Step 2: When the Etsy mini page comes up, you can now choose to show "items from my shop" and decide between thumbnails or gallery. I personally like thumbnails as it isn't too big. Then decide on how many columns and rows you want it to show. I chose 2 columns, 4 rows for this demonstration.
Step 3: At the bottom of the Etsy mini page, you will see two boxes with a bunch of html type blurb. The first box has the javascript version, which is what you would use for blogger. Keep this page open in your browser, we'll be coming back to it in a minute.
Step 4: In another window, open up your blogspot. Click on the "layout" tab to get to the page where you can change how your blogspot looks. Most people probably have a 2 column blogspot. Mine is three columns and for this example I will be adding the Etsy mini to the left column of my blog by clicking on the "Add A Gadget" button. As you can see, that same button exists on the right hand column if I wanted to add it there instead.Step 5: Once you click on the "Add A Gadget" link, a new window will open up that looks like the one below. Scroll down to locate the gadget that says "HTML/Javascript" then click on the + sign for that gadget.Step 6: Now you've clicked on that, you will be taken to the screen where you can edit that gadget. Where it says "title", that will be the title that will appear on your blog above your Etsy mini. You can title it whatever you'd like, or you can even leave it blank if you want. I've called mine "Shop Organic Stills". Now you need to copy and paste the html that Etsy generated for you. Click back over to your Etsy mini page and copy all the text in the javascript version box (click in the box, Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C). Click back over to the gadget box in blogger and paste that right into the "content" box (Ctrl+V). Then remember to hit the save button!

Step 7: You will now be back at your layout page for your blogger. You should now be able to see the gadget that you have added. You can click and drag it to anywhere that you want it to show on your blog. Once that is done, hit the save button on the top right again to lock it into place. You can now view your blog and there it is for all to enjoy!I hope this helps any of you that have been confused! If you have more than one Etsy shop, then just repeat these steps for your other shop and you can have more than one Etsy mini on your blog (check out my left sidebar for an example).

Blast from the past

It's official, my new vintage Etsy store is open. I wasn't really planning on opening a second Etsy store (I know, one is hard enough to keep track of sometimes!) but I had a major find last week with a whole batch of vintage sewing patterns that I was able to purchase. I knew that it wouldn't work to just put them in with the rest of the Organic Stills stuff, so my husband says to me "well, just open a vintage store then". That's how Yores was born! Yes, the name is a delightfully dorky double-entendre, but I should hope you expect nothing less of me.

It has to be said, I am somewhat in love with this dress/camisole pattern. It's definitely got a classic summer style. I'm sad that I missed out on buying the fabulously retro jumpsuit pattern, but I will try to be quicker off the mark next time around.

The whole vintage shop thing has got me really excited in general and I spent the weekend rummaging around for additional things to list in my new shop along with the sewing patterns. So far I've found some pretty housewares that I'll be sharing with the world as soon as I can get the research done to date the pieces I've got. I'm no Jonty from BBC's Cash In The Attic but if any of those adorable Cash In The Attic boys want to come over and help me out, I certainly wouldn't complain!

Won't be quitting my day job

As promised, I am now going to reveal the data from my analysis of the Quit Your Day Job (QYDJ) feature on the Etsy blog. I think there are some really interesting observations in all of this, the most important being that I probably enjoy making spreadsheets in Excel too much. You should note that I was also somewhat of a math geek in high school so I'm going to explain some of my statistical points to you along the way.

My disclaimer...
- I love my day job. I've been working here for coming on 8 years and I've met some of my best friends here. I've watched romance bloom between co-workers, learned to knit, been to a lot of concerts, and eaten way too much in this office. There is no way I'd give it up anytime soon (unless you want to offer me a couple million dollars and a free vacation to Italy).
- The reason I decided to do this study was not out of jealousy or snarkiness to the artists featured by Etsy in the QYDJ series. If they have been able to find themselves a career doing what they love, then I am all for it. This really was spurred by my own curiosity.

The basics...
- The sample size for this was 36 sellers, each of which were featured in the QYDJ series. I'm going to keep this vague when it comes to identifying individual sellers.
- The numbers I crunched are entirely based on what is currently available in their Etsy shops. We can't see the price of sold items or anything like that, so what I did was take a weighted average of all the items currently in their store. (If you're wondering what the hell a weighted average is, see footnote). I then multiplied this by the number of sales they have to come up with a gross income estimate.
- Based on the number of sales and the gross income estimate, I deducted the cost of listing each item ($0.20), the 3.5% Etsy fees from the sale prices, the Paypal transaction fees ($0.30), and the lowest Paypal merchant fee of 1.9% per transaction.
- To obtain an average monthly income, I figured out how many months the seller was on Etsy, and averaged their gross income by that number of months.

My assumptions (because there's absolutely no way I could find this stuff out)...
- I can only assume that each item had a listing price of $0.20. It's just not possible to take the cost of relisting into consideration here. As I said, I can only make observations based on the information readily available to me.
- The averages are based on the items in the shop on the day that I ran the numbers. It's definitely possible that the shop has increased or decreased their prices since opening.
- The income I'm noting is gross income. I can't make estimates of materials, taxes or other overhead the seller might have to account for.
- The monthly average gross income is based on the number of months since the seller joined Etsy. It's possible that they were a buyer only prior to opening shop.
- All income is based on USD. There were some sellers who were not US based.
- I do not take into consideration whether any of these sellers have a shop outside of Etsy. This is based entirely on Etsy sales.

Now for the fun stuff...

The lowest average selling price was $3.45, with the highest being $515.89. I should note that I'm pretty sure the high was an anomaly because their median selling price was $220 and that seemed more likely. (My statistics teacher would be proud of me for remembering that even with statistical outliers, consistency is a good thing!) The average selling price for this sample of shops was $52.45. I have heard a lot about handmade work being devalued and complaints that many prices on Etsy are just too low. This gives me comfort to know that higher priced goods really do sell!

As for how many sales these sellers have had? The range was 209 sales to 10,373, with the average being 2215 sales. To put this in perspective, I went ahead and looked up the top seller on Etsy, who has a whopping 42,600 sales. Now, that definitely sounds like a full time job, but they weren't interviewed for the Storque, so I digress.

The 36 sellers included in my study have an average of 26 months on Etsy and (this leads me to the part you probably wish I'd mentioned 3 paragraphs ago) - an average monthly gross income of $2,238.27 (after Etsy and Paypal fees). That doesn't sound too bad, until you realize that only 13 of the 36 included in this were even making over $2000/month and there were a couple of sellers who seriously skewed the numbers upward (2 in particular making upward of $7K a month and I give them a round of applause for having both an awesome product and a solid business). The most interesting thing for me was that one of the featured sellers had an average monthly income of only $155.38.

My conclusion...
It seems to me that if the mythbusters had something to say about whether it's possible to quit your day job and make a living on Etsy, it would be "plausible". My biggest concern is that from what I can tell, some of the sellers featured in the QYDJ series definitely couldn't quit their day jobs unless there is somebody else at home bringing home a decent sized income. For sure, once the cost of materials, taxes and other business overhead (marketing, business cards, shipping materials, etc) have been taken into consideration, their net income is likely to be less than $15,000 a year. I do realize I live in an incredibly expensive state (CA) but that would be considered low nationally. Without another income at home, the chances are many of these sellers may not be able to afford health insurance based on these numbers.

Perhaps it's not a question of whether someone can quit their day job and sell on Etsy full time, which I believe is definitely possible for some. It's more a question of those that Etsy is featuring and how many of them are legitimately able to support themselves on their Etsy earnings. Looking over the many Etsy sellers who have sales into the tens of thousands, there are obviously those that are "stop working for the man and be your own boss" successful; however, I think the QYDJ feature doesn't necessarily provide the best representation of sellers who are able to do so.

My footnote on "weighted averages"...
If a shop has 20 items for sale at $10, and one item at $50, a standard average would calculate as $30. With a weighted average, it takes into consideration that most of the items are $10, therefore the weighted average is $11.90. This is far more representative of the average price.

Quit your day job?

Etsy has been running a "quit your day job" (QYDJ) feature in their blog for a while now, and I've been truly curious as to whether or not it's possible. Don't get me wrong, I love my day job and enjoy the people I work with, but at the same time I wonder if it would truly be possible to make sufficient income without "working for the man" (so to speak). After what I heard on the news yesterday about the California tax increases that sound like they're going to affect every aspect of my existence, I think my opinion of what you can live on in L.A. might be slightly skewed! However, thinking as a statistician on this one, I'll be keeping it real.

So, being the math and Excel nerd that I am, I've started compiling data from the Storque QYDJ features. This isn't meant to be a form of pointing fingers at those Etsy sellers that have been featured, more a statistical analysis of whether it's possible to live off an Etsy based income. My spreadsheet is a work in progress right now and I'm about half way done with the data input for each seller. I hope to have something good to present to you in a week or so!

The interesting thing is that it may have been 12 years or so since I've had to consider what a weighted average is and how to take an outlier into consideration (yes, I know, speak English right?) but it's amazing how quickly it all came back - kind of like riding a bike. It's true, I actually enjoy doing this stuff!!

More treasury fun!

I found out I'm in another treasury. It's my second one this year and the first time this ACEO has been included, so feeling quite honored. The other work I'm featured with on this one is stunning.

New yarn, new pics

It hasn't taken me long to fall in love with the yarn dyeing thing. I was never any good at painting on canvas, so I'm now going to consider myself a painter of the yarns!

A couple of days ago, I was playing with one of the hanks from a recycled sweater and after looking at how the plies were separating, decided to re-ply it on my drop spindle. It came up with a nice rounded yarn that went into a dye bath a few minutes later! The beauty of this particular recycled yarn is that it has wool, angora and cashmere in it. There's a little rayon as well to give it strength most likely, but it's a wonderfully soft blend that has a slight rabbity (yes, not a word I know) halo. =)

This time I went with a grape and blueberry mix and it has to be said that I adore the end result. I'm calling this Foggy Morning. I'm excited enough that I put it up in my Etsy shop.

I tried something a little different with my photographs for this one, not going with a plain white background but a more subtle grey that I think matches the tone of the yarn really well. Would love to know what you think.

All the pretty colors

I was told today that I've been included in a treasury on Etsy (always a nice thing to find out!) The colors are so pretty and eye-catching that I just had to share.

Entirely too cute!

I'm currently in the process of taking the inventory that I crocheted and knit up during the week before the craft fair and making it ready for sale in my Etsy store. I've been sick all week (not related to the anthrax scare in my office) so it's been hard to move up off the couch and take care of business, so to speak.
I know I previously mentioned the booties that I'd been making and last night I separated some to donate to a local children's charity through my work and started photographing others to go up for sale. First up are this super cute pair that I am tempted to make in adult size for running around the house. I sense that I wouldn't do so well on the hardwood floors in our new home though - this is based entirely on watching my husband slide around in his socks very "Risky Business" style (a/k/a when Tom Cruise wasn't crazy).

I'm definitely going to be listing more of these over the next few weeks, and of course some things for us adults too!

An ocean view...

It's been a while since I have really looked at the treasuries on Etsy. There used to be a couple of hundred to view, but now there's 500+ at any given time. However, I was notified that I was included in one and was very proud to pop on over to the treasury world and take a quick gander. It's also the first time that "The Guide" print (top row, center) has been included in a treasury so I was very happy that it would be getting a little extra exposure.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and that gave me the idea to find some wonderful shops on Etsy that are donating a portion of their proceeds to the Susan G Komen Foundation for breast cancer awareness, support and finding the cure. Here are some beautiful items that you can buy to help with this cause...scroll to the bottom of this post for a little extra incentive!

From Kays Krafts:	Breast Cancer Awareness Memory Board - $24.99 20% of the proceeds to be donated.
From Wags Creations:	Give Hope ....Coaster Set - $15.00 100% of the proceeds from this will be donated!
From Liebling Designs:	Pretty In Pink Necklace - $25.00 10% of the proceeds to be donated.
From Coasters And Cards:	Stamp Out Breast Cancer Card - PIF This is a Pay It Foward (PIF) listing for $0.21. You will pay the $0.21 to get this card, which will be donated. Same goes for any other cards in the Pay It Forward section of this shop.
From Lonesome Road Studio:	pow dominOh effect pin - $8.00 10% of the purchase price to be donated.
From Buster and Boo:	The Pink Ribbon, a scrabble tile pendant - $6.50 50% of the purchase price from this item will be donated.
From Four Dog Day:	Nancy's Rose of Inspiration Fundraising Card - $3.00 $1 from the sale of each card will be donated.
From Fervent Butterfly:	Candy Flower - Red Flower on Water Fine Art Photo Print - $10.00 35% of the proceeds from this photo, and any other photo in the Pink For October section of this shop, will be donated. Also, 10% from any other categories.
From Bead Brat Originals:	Think Pink Cotton Candy Pink and Sivertone Slider Bracelet - $28.00 30% of proceeds from the sale of any item in the Think Pink section of this shop will be donated.
From Whats That Smell:	Pink Sugar Soy Tarts - $5.00 100% of the sale price to be donated

Seeing as this is a giving thing, let's get some sales going to assist with donations! Lanae Photography has graciously donated a 4"x6" copy of the print shown below as part of a contest. All you need to do is find a store on Etsy that is donating part of the proceeds from an i tem to Breast Cancer Awareness, and post a link to either the store or the item in the comments here. The only rule is that it can't be a store already shown here!! On November 1, a winner will be chosen and this print will be yours.

Etsy Featured Shop - Labelstone

While reading through the forums on Etsy, I came across a wonderful shop with such a huge variety of beautiful images that I couldn't help but keep looking through everything they have to offer. Of course, they graciously accepted my request for a blog interview, so today I am happy to share with you the interview with Labelstone!

Why did you start collective vintage ephemera?
Printer's ink is in the blood, having come from a family who owned a printing company from 1879 to 1990. My father's company did not print labels, but I always enjoyed going down to the plant to watch the printing presses in action. I saw my first crate label about 5 years ago and was awed by their sheer color, beauty, intensity, as well as the myriad of themes used. From there I started attending estate sales and auctions. My collection of cigarette cards is from an album I purchased at an auction in Richmond, Virginia.

Where do you find the images that you use?
Most of my images are from my personal collection of crate labels, cigar labels, cigarette labels, trading cards and other paper ephemera. Some of the images are in the public domain.

What inspired you to combine those images with coasters?
Really, I started out with the intention of making complimentary sets as I thought it would be rather neat for people to pass around the coasters and get a different image on each one. Good conversational pieces!

Do you prefer creating a set based on one image, or finding complimentary images?
If I have a set of different yet similar themed images, then I will use all four images to create one set. If I really like an image, yet have no good complimentary images to go along with it, then I prefer to have one image on all four coasters.

What is the process from finding an image to modifying it into a coaster?
I scan my images into an image/photo editing software. I have to decide if all the image is going to be used or just part of it. After cropping the portion I want, I set about improving the color, brightness, contrast, sharpness etc. After that, there are always artifacts that need to be removed - sometimes one pixel at a time. Rarely, I have to move some lettering to the left or right to improve the symmetry of the overall design. If I need to add a background and/or border, I do so. I find this portion of the process very relaxing!

How long does that generally take?
From 30 minutes to hours upon hours. If I really like the image, I will persevere. There have been plenty of times that I have just abandoned an image because I know it will not improve no matter what I do!

What is the story behind this set?
This set is from 4 vegetable can labels that I have, which date back from the late 1890's to the 1920's from the canning factory, Olney & Floyd. They used local produce as their goods, made their own cans and hand applied their own labels. The labels convey a sense of freshness and goodness, which is a good selling point for their product. Can and crate labels were used not only to identify the product, but advertise them as well. These labels are truly a work of art with intricate butterflies, beautiful flowers, ornate frames and interesting lettering.

What other hobbies/crafts do you enjoy?
I love to cook!

Do you have a day job? If so, what is it?
In my previous life I was a nurse and then returned to college to become an accountant. Unfortunately, ill health forced me to retire.

What about your surroundings inspires you?
I live in the country and love the woods, wildlife and peace.


You can find more of these gorgeous coasters at Labelstone's Etsy and Cafepress shops.
http://labelstone.etsy.com
http://www.cafepress.com/labelstone

Something pretty for house-hunting woes

As I mentioned a while back, the husband and I have been house hunting. We found a place we really like that would be perfect for us and we're currently in the phase where an offer was put in, a counter offer received, and we're countering their counter...and on it goes. Of course, having read a previous inspection report for the property, we're looking at a place that needs some repairs done. There's a ton of information being thrown at us right now and reading a 55 page document on plumbing and electrical circuitry is enough to make anybody cross-eyed.So, while my crafting has been put somewhat on the back burner during all of this, I was happy to find the time to create a little ACEO that makes me smile because it's bright and happy (and will look great in our new house...if we get it!) I took an image from a digital coloring book and went to work. After deciding upon the colors for each section and painting them, I then applied various filters to the piece as a whole, giving it the look of a small piece of stained glass. There's two staircases in our potential new home and I would love to line one with ACEO pieces. A miniature, but highly effective way to show off art!

Pheonix is available as a limited edition ACEO in my Etsy store.

Etsy Featured Shop - Designed With Glass

Whenever I am looking for a shop to feature on my blog, I always try to look for something unique. When I happened across the shop Designed With Glass, I was fascinated by the gorgeous things that the artist, Carrie Millen, has to offer and couldn't wait to share this with you all. How and when did you get your start making stained glass?
I got started making stained glass when my husband and I built a wine cellar and decided we wanted a piece for the window after moving to MA in 1995. I've been in the arts my whole life, and when I started inquiring about them, cost, how they're made etc., I decided to take some classes at Whitimore-Durgin in Rockland MA. I fell in love with the craft. I love working with tools, creating my own designs since I have a drawing background from the Toledo Museum of Art and Toledo University. I started creating window hangings, mirrors, sun catchers, lamps, probably in the hundreds and gave lots away to family and friends before I decided my work was good enough to start selling. Having done many local craft fairs and even organized my own with a very close friend, I decided it was time to focus on doing larger windows on commission. I continued to solely work on commission until my move from MA to Ohio in 2005. I'm now online on Etsy, and slowly building up a commissioned business again.

Can you explain how stained glass is made?
The process of making a stained glass piece varies due to the complexity and size of the window. Basically, I start with a design, drawn to the desired dimensions. I chose my glass based on what I feel will look the best and generally lay it out. The glass is cut using a specialized glass cutter, by hand or sometimes with a glass saw. The piece is ground to the right shape and to blunt the edges of any sharpness. It is then copper foiled and burnished. Care is taken as to not allow any uneven edges. The foiled pieces are then either taped together or held in place by hand, flux is applied with a brush and the pieces are soldered together using a soldering iron with temps of 700°. Care is also taken to achieve a smooth solder seam, this is where practice is imperative. After the piece is completely soldered on one side, it is turned over, and the process is repeated on the other side. It is then cleaned with a detergent to remove the flux. Sometimes, depending on the finish desired, a chemical is applied to the solder seams to turn the color to black or copper. The piece is then rinsed again, and polished with 100% carruba wax.

How do you create the shapes and designs to make within the glass?
The designs are created from inspiration by nature. I love the sea having lived on the East Coast for 9 years. I love incorporating sea glass, sea shells, agate, stones, and anything else that can tolerate the high temps of the soldering iron. I also love the Victorian Era and designs, Art Deco is fun too. I love working with clients who see my work and give me free reign to design something for them. Having developed that trust is really something special for me, a gift!

Where do you find the objects that you incorporate within the glass?
Most of my sea glass was found on the beach, some from the coast of France where my son brought back to me a lot of it. I comb the beaches while on vacation in Sanibel Island and various other beaches in FL and bring back a lot of shells. Some I purchase via the Philippines.

How long does it take to make a piece?
The time to make a piece varies by the complexity and size. If I had to guess, anywhere from 1 hour for a hanging star to 35 hrs for my most elaborate window so far.

Tell me a story about this piece? [Inset right]
This window was my most difficult and favorite creation so far. The couple built a magnificent summer home on the coast of MA and had purchased a window I had for sale at one of the local art boutiques. They had commissioned me to create this interior door to their indoor pool and sun room using sea shells the client had saved from her grandmother's collection. The clients also wanted to have me represent the 3 primary fish in the area, stripped bass, bluefish and flounder. They absolutely loved my original design, and I can truly say it's the piece I'm most proud of so far.

What inspires you as you create your designs?
I'm mostly inspired by nature and color. I love free form designs, those that look like what's below the sea. I love whimsical designs, and playful colors. I love creating "functional art" for the home too.

What other arts or crafts do you enjoy?
I still enjoy drawing and painting although I haven't devoted the time to either for quite a long time. I'm interested in getting back to figural drawing sometime soon.

What do you do to relax?
I love to garden, grow herbs and find lots of different ways to use them. I love to cook, read fitness and home magazines to relax. I love working out, walking and weight lifting, yoga and Pilates.

What do you listen to while you are working on your glass designs?
I listen to alternative, today's contemporary and classic rock. Sometimes the Food Network is playing on TV in the background. I mostly love it when my teenage kids come down to my studio while I'm working just to talk to me.

To view more pictures of Carrie's work, feel free to visit her Flickr page, http://flickr.com/photos/designedwithglass.

Etsy Featured Shop - Jules Mae Clothing

Etsy is a wonderful place to find vintage items. I've never been one for getting those magnificent finds at the thrift store, but have always been jealous of those that have the ability to hunt down treasures. Jules Mae Clothing is a store that fascinates me because Julie not only has an obvious talent for finding vintage items, but also giving them a new lease on life. She has unique style and an eye catching way to display her products that's definitely worth checking out.


How long have you been creating garments and how did you get started?
Well, I grew up around it all. My mom was a magnificent seamstress and specialized in formal gowns. So, I suppose you could say that I was doing it as soon as my mom would let me have at her sewing machine (which is as long as I can remember.)

How would you describe your style? It’s an outward expression of what ever whimsy I may be experiencing at the time, usually vintage inspired. Past eras are enchanting.

What do you look for when shopping for vintage items to reclaim?
I try to envision the possibilities with any particular item. I suppose like most other designers I find that the fabrics sort of speak to me. They serve as the platform for inspiration.

Do you buy vintage items with a concept in mind or does the item generate an idea?
It depends, but usually I would have to say that I let the items inspire me. It feels like a more organic/natural process … sculptural, you could say.

What inspired you to use vintage men's ties to create pieces for women?
The ties themselves. It’s an empowering thing to find new uses for old items, especially when taking something that was made with men in mind and transforming it into something more feminine.

Working with vintage items, do you feel like they are telling a story?
Hmmm, I suppose all design is telling a story in one way or another, regardless of the materials used. So, yes. I also find humor in injecting small phrases into my work to evoke some kind of imaginary story the consumer can play out in their own mind. See my “He Walked Me Home and Then I Passed Out” headband. [inset right]

What's the story behind this item?
This little number was my own original design definitely inspired by the fabulous hobble skirts of the early 1900s. I included pin tucks down the front to emphasize a lengthy leg and the kick pleats in the back to capture that enchanting vintage elegance. The fabric was from a collection that my mother had tucked away for maybe a decade or more. When she passed away I got all of her bins of sewing paraphernalia. So, I suppose you could say that this piece (and all of my work, really) is an ode to her.

Do you craft things other than clothing?
I’m an artist at my core, so anything that crosses my path runs the risk of me altering or “enhancing” it in some way. I’m also a freelance illustrator -*cough* shameless plug – www.candyappleillustrations.com

Any tips on how to find a deal when shopping vintage?
Shopping vintage is pretty hit and miss, but mostly great deals are easy to find if you frequent the right places. Many thrift stores have a “fill a bag for $5” sale from time to time, especially the smaller local type stores. When buying vintage, try to imagine what it could become with a few minor alterations or enhancements. Move the hem up, take the sleeves off, add some beading or ribbons or other embellishment. The possibilities are endless.

If you could live in any era, what would it be and why?
I like this era just fine. It’s fantastic to live in a time when women are recognized as equals to men (more or less in our culture) and have access to all of the fabulous and inspirational art pieces (fashion included) of eras gone by. I don’t suppose I could trade “equality” with the glamour of the 40s, or the free love of the 60s, or the (what were we thinking) style of the 80s.

Etsy Featured Shop - Sheknitigans!

I recently realized that despite being such a knitting fiend that I have never featured a yarn, fiber, or knitting store on my blog. Well, the saying goes that it's better late than never, so here we go!

For this feature, I interviewed Coley from Sheknitigans, an Etsy store featuring some truly beautiful hand-spun yarn. I have been sitting here this week waiting patiently for my own drop spindle and wool to get here so that I can start spinning myself. I find the beautiful yarns in Coley's shop to be inspiring as someone who has just decided to learn to spin!
How did you get your start spinning?
A few years ago while visiting my first fiber festival, in Rhinebeck, NY, I purchased my first drop spindle and rovings. I tried to spin this way to no avail, but still really wanted to spin, I was truly fascinated by it. After retiring the spindle for two years, my parents gave me the best gift ever - an Ashford Traveller. Three hours of assembly later, I tied on my first leader yarn and haven't stopped spinning since!

Can you give a brief description of the spinning process for those who may not know?

Spinning involves the drafting and spinning of fibers in precise (or not so precise) amounts to make different varieties of yarn. It is a combination of hand movements and foot treadling to make all the magic happen.

How long does it take for you to create an average skein?

The average skein takes me approximately three hours to spin, and then there is time involved to set the twist with a wash, whack, and dry. My upstairs neighbors really love the whacking part I'm sure.

Who dyes the yarns that you create?

I love to support other Etsians and buy 95% of my rovings and batts from Etsy Sellers such as Freckle Face Fibers, Poppy Flower Fibers, and Loop!

Do you let them create the colorways or do you design the colors with them?

Typically I let the dyers do what they do best, and I purchase the color blends that I can envision as a finished product. On occasion, I have recommended a colorway and they have been kind enough to oblige me. (Ok, I had a dream about roving. I admit it.)

What is your favorite thing about handspun yarn?
In a world of me-too's, everyone is searching for their own creative touch. Hand-spun yarn is always unique and original, no two skeins are ever exactly alike. Using hand-spun in a generic pattern or your favorite pattern can make a regular project really outstanding.

What is your favorite thing about this yarn?
Forest Fantasy is such a fun yarn out of my typical color range. My favorite thing about this yarn is the sparkles, and how soft the yarn is! You would never expect anything that sparkles like this to be next-to-skin soft, but it is really incredible!

How do you decide on the names for your yarns?
I am always inspired by my surroundings, which typically involve food and Starbucks. My favorite drinks and flavors are always making their way into my colorway names. I also try to incorporate literary devices such as alliteration - its the business marketing major in me ;)

What suggestions might you have for someone that is thinking about trying to learn spinning?

Try to find someone who spins - it might be someone in your knitting group, or in an online forum. They can provide encouragement or an opportunity to try spinning, as well as tips and support. The fiber community has been so amazing and helpful, supportive at every turn. It's incredible how much everyone is wanting to help and see you succeed. I am entirely self taught and people are always amazed to the learn that. Find a wheel and give it a whirl!

Do you do any other fiber arts?

Besides spinning, I knit at every spare moment - at red lights, in restaurants, on the plane. Spinning has given me the ability to make a popular pattern really unique by using my own handspun yarn to make it special.

To learn more about Coley and her yarns, also visit her website - www.sheknitigans.com.