currykaydesigns

Tuesday - BESTeam Mosaic
weekly shoutout to the dedicated workers that like to help other handmade artists...


currykaydesigns on Etsy... I just love currykaydesigns on Etsy's shop. A gorgeous collection of printed Aprons, Totes, Towels and other beautiful textiles for your kitchen. The designs themselves are bright, bold and I can imagine that would appeal greatly to homemakers like myself as I love the idea of adorning such stylish pieces in the place I love most ♥

currykaydesigns' Blog... currykaydesigns' blog is a great page with it's own domain, and wonderful personal posts throughout. Come visit and don't forget to Google Follow!

All items are clickable and will take you directly to currykaydesigns' listings...

HIPpadBaby

Friday Finds... HIPpadBaby


Interview # 36

HIPpadBaby on Etsy is a wonderful and innovative store by Phoebe, an enthusiastic mom from California and founder of the HIP Pad baby changing mats you'll see throughout the store.
I am a mom myself and know just how awkward a change can be at home or in public when a giant mess is on the way and you only have a slippery plastic changing mat at hand, or even only a few terry towels to place under your baby. Besides being colorful and stylish HIP Pads sound like the perfect idea to cope with those moment you need to leave your baby diaper free for a moment, to contain any potential explosions that usually ensue when your back is turned! Please check out her interview and visit her store also for all of your needs or if you know any new moms that wish to have that perfect gift for a baby shower!
I must must must give Pheobe a big thankyou for her patience with me as I was supposed to put her interview up yesterday, the true day for my Friday finds interview, yet having earned the title "computer destroyer", after crashing my own PC permanently at the start of the month I some how managed to blow the power supply to my other halfs PC last Tuesday!!! So without any guarantees of my return I had to close my store temporarily and also halt this interview. For that reason I made a promise to re-post this interview so Pheobe may enjoy the exclusivity she missed out on. A First for Friday Finds! It's a wonderful interview so I will be glad to hold it strong on the blog for the next week.


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)

-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) I’m Phoebe, the mom inventor of HIP Pads. I’m a native Californian, now in San Diego, but I grew up in the Bay Area. I’ll be hitting the big “4-0” at the end of the year. Random fact: I’m also a woodworker (furniture-making).

-- What is your business about then? My business is about bringing an innovative and so-useful product to parents. I invented HIP Pads when my daughter was a baby out of sheer need: it seems like every baby just waits for you to pull the old diaper away to let something out, doesn’t it? I had the big changing table cover, but it was such a pain to remove when it got a mess on it, and bulky to wash. I had some small lap-pad kind of things that were leak-proof, but the material was either scratchy or plastic-y. And everything was light- or pastel-colored which became stained in one or two uses; I spent way too much time in the laundry room trying to scrub gross stains off of things. HIP Pads solve all these problems: the soft flannel is double-sided, and has natural absorbency – there’s no need for the bulky layer of terry cloth that most of the things made for babies have – and the most innovative part of HIP Pads is the leak-proof inner layer. It’s the first product of it’s kind that’s both soft & comforting AND stops leaks. HIP Pads are easy to put under and remove without moving the baby. They’re so easy to just toss into the wash, and even if you go through a stack a day, you create a minimal amount of laundry. The fabrics I select for HIP Pads are purposely darker or bright, camouflaging patterns. Not only are they cool and fun, but they conceal the stains, which means you spend less time scrubbing laundry; no chemical stain-removers near the baby! They pack small, travel easy, and come in handy at home or on the go. I started out just making them for myself, and then for friends’ baby showers. Everyone kept telling me how great they are, and I should sell them. So, I gave it a go! And the feedback has been really positive.


-- How did Etsy come into your life? I started selling on Ebay, but it was just the wrong venue for my product, Etsy was a more natural fit. And I love being part of a community of artisans. The fact that Etsians support and buy from each other is so great.


-- Are you working a day job too? Yes, I am a full-time mom and also a long-time graphic designer. I’m so lucky that I get to be with my daughter the majority of most days, now while she’s small. And I’m also very fortunate my schedule is flexible, allowing me to work on developing the HIP Pad Baby line.


-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? My whole life! I can’t think of a time I was not involved in multiple arts and crafts.



-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? The real inspiration is the challenge of creating something that fulfills the function in every-day life, but is also cool and fun looking. There’s no reason things can’t be practical AND good-looking! My other inspiration has been receiving the feedback from friends and now other customers who use HIP Pads – there is just a need for them in the world!


-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Useful, innovative, stylish


-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? Every day is a journey, here! My usual day starts with taking care of my daughter, she is my #1 and favorite job! Once I get her squared away with the morning basics, I usually take new photos if I need to (the morning light is the best), then check email, facebook and etsy pages. Then it’s time to work – ha, ha. Measuring, cutting, sewing and shipping, all with a 3-year-old in tow most of the time. Usually I reserve the night hours for design work, when I have the most quiet and creative juices flowing.


-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? Flannel is the perfect fabric for HIP Pads: it’s all natural, and is so soft against the baby’s skin. It’s not bulky, but it’s very absorbent, and holds up well through endless washes.


-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? My vision for HIP Pads is to expand the line, and to branch out into distribution around the country. I’m currently developing more products to go with the original HIP Pads: a longer, full-body length version, bibs, burp cloths, and some fun baby diversions for those extra-wiggly times! I’ve gotten a lot of interest from boutiques (it’s so exciting that the boutiques are finding me!) and I’m now in talks with vendors about wholesale. Ultimately, I envision a Babies-R-Us mass merchandising, but that’s further down the line.


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I’m a big live-music enthusiast. I love cycling. Coastal hikes with ocean-breezes are pretty nice. I like to squeeze in the occasional movie.


-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Gifts for family/friends, I love to support other artisans. Also, out-of-the-norm crafts, it’s always so cool to see people who are successful doing something totally original! Here are two I just discovered yesterday that are fab: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Crafterall and http://www.etsy.com/shop/kfarrell


-- Any last words? Sure! If you’re a new parent or have a baby shower coming up, keep HIP Pads in mind – they make a great gift, and they’ll be used right up through the potty-training years. You can “like” on facebook for special offers and discounts: http://www.facebook.com/hippadbaby ... And, keep creating!

gardenmis

Tuesday - BESTeam Mosaic
weekly shoutout to the dedicated workers that like to help other handmade artists...

gardenmis on Etsy... gardenmis on Etsy has a quaint little store full of fabric flowers mostly, that look big, bold and girly! A perfect accessory to make a statement I'd say, for the designs are oh so vintage, and the fabrics used are eye catchers. Gardenmis is a proud wife with two daughters and a son that she loves very much, and from what I gather she has a great passion and enthusiasm for sewing! I have picked my favourites in the mosaic below which link directly to the listings if you give them a click!
gardenmis' Blog... is absolutely stunning visually and a joy to read through to find out about other crafters plus a bit about beautiful things outside of the handmade and into the natural world :) . Check it out!

All items are clickable and will take you directly to gardenmis ' listings...

EnlightenedPlatypus

Friday Finds... EnlightenedPlatypus


This is my 32nd interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy!

I am grateful to Etsy seller EnlightenedPlatypus for taking part in todays interview considering I was rather last minute approaching her! I had such a nostalgic trip visiting her store i wanted to go back in time to the days i lived surrounded by my fine art, local music and my circle of friends. The clothing has a kind of vibrant magic that makes me think of folk music and dancing free amongst nature. Where I am now with my photography, or should I say the inspiration behind it is derived from this past I am reminded of :) I was once a right old modern day hippy and if I'd have discovered Lisa Marie's amazing elven-like coats back in the day (if her business was about then), I'd have a huge collection by now already!
Take the time to visit her store!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)

-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Lisa Marie Correia and I am the creator of Enlightened Platypus coats. I just turned 28 a few days ago. I'm formerly from Los Angeles, CA but just recently moved to beautiful, green Denver, Colorado. I'm also a wife and the proud new mommy of an 8 month old baby girl.


-- What is your business about then? Enlightened Platypus is all about creating one of a kind clothing, mostly coats. I use 90% recycled sweaters in the softest materials I can find. I have a passion for making the old new again. It's good for the earth and because I use vintage fabrics, each piece is guaranteed to be completely unique, never to be reproduced. When I'm designing a new coat I take great care to ensure that the finished piece is going to flatter a variety of body types. I adore an hourglass silhouette, so I make sure the waist can be cinched in nice and tight. Then I patch together a giant twirly skirt that is just perfect for dancing. I take my time to ensure that every piece is of the highest quality. I like to imagine that I'm making a gift for one of my best friends.


-- How did Etsy come into your life? I've been a longtime Etsy customer and have always wanted to open my own little shop. One day I was at the fabric shop gathering materials to make my daughter a dress when I met a girl who had her own Etsy store. Talking to her inspired me to take the leap, and see if anyone else would like my unique sense of style. One week later Enlightened Platypus was up and running.



-- Are you working a day job too? Does being a mommy count? LoL! I was an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles for 7 years, and loved every minute of it. Now I am taking some time off to be the best mommy I can be...and to make some wonderful coats while I'm at it. ;)


-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I've always loved to create art. As a teen I made quilts and clothing with my mom. While I was teaching I fell in love with painting, which helped me hone my sense of color. For the past year I've been rediscovering my seamstress skills by creating my own patterns and sewing clothes for my daughter and myself.


-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? So many things! Froud's fairy artwork, steampunk culture, Victorian Goth culture, Wild Burning Man costumes, Renaissance Festivals. And of course the fabrics themselves. Colors placed together in just the right way create a feeling and tell a story. When I see the perfect color palette, the call to create just can't be ignored.


-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Ooooh, that's tough. I'd describe my coats as Gypsy Fairy Couture.


-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? During the day I'm busy taking care of my little cutiepie. When her daddy comes home in the evening he takes over and I go straight to my sewing machine. I might start around 5 PM with choosing sweaters to go into a new creation. By 6 o'clock I've settled on my selections and will begin to cut out my pattern. Then its straight sewing until I drop. I've been known to stay up until 3 AM, though I try to be in bed by 1 o'clock on most nights.


-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? I love to shop the thrift stores for soft sweaters I n bright colors. I've used every type of material you can possibly make a sweater out of, from cashmere to cotton. I'll also throw in the odd bit of velvet or faux fur to spice things up a bit.


-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love to grow my business on Etsy. In the very near future a portion of each sale will go toward helping clean up the oil spill in the Gulf. I'd like to expand that program to include other charities as well, that way my customers can choose where their donation goes. I think I have a unique message to share. I want to help people see how fulfilling it can be to wear a unique handmade piece of clothing that not only looks and feels lovely, but is also helping make our planet a better place.


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? At the moment my favorite thing to do is take my daughter out someplace she's never been before and see her reactions to things. I love to be in nature, so hiking and letterboxing with my husband is always fun. I also love to dress up and show off my unique sense of style, so I'll take just about any opportunity to do so. I love to go to Renaissance Festivals, Burning man regional events, Goth clubs (pre-baby), or just out for a nice dinner.


-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? For me, Etsy is all about the clothes. So I'm nearly always looking at clothing and searching terms like retro, gothic, steampunk, or fairy. I also look for little additions I can add to my coats, such as hand made clasps or vintage buttons.


-- Any last words? Be Daring, Be Unique, Be Enlightened!

TrendieTreasures

Friday Finds... TrendieTreasures


This is my 26th interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy!

Good morning! I'm glad to introduce to you today someone who makes the most beautiful and trendy of clothing for young girls, as well as accessories and fabulous window drapes.
Reema of TrendieTreasures on Etsy is a very busy working mom that manages to work her magic all at the end of her scheduled day, and does it so beautifully it left me really happy to have learnt how much she must put into her business on top of doing her mom duties and her day job too! Totally admirable! I found her store whilst browsing last weekend, not realising initially that it was a very new store as the quality of her product photos is like that of stores you can imagine already doing really well! Stunning photography! And I can definitely see her being someone that will eventually make it like some of the well established Etsy stores as she seems to have all the right ingredients in her application that will make her business a success!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)



-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) I’m a girl in mid 30’s who loves to design and create handcrafted children’s clothing inspired by kids themselves, cheerful nature and all beautiful things that surround me. I once wanted to be a Pilot, yes, I can fly solo. People call me Reema.


-- What is your business about then? My Etsy store offers handcrafted children’s clothing and drapes/curtains designed with simplicity and creativity.


-- How did Etsy come into your life? I’m a computer friendly person and love to browse web, when I saw what Etsy has to offer, I was inspired to unleash my creativity.


-- Are you working a day job too? Yes, hoping that one day I’ll be able to focus solely on what I love to do and not work 9-5 job.


-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I grew up with fabrics all around me in my mom’s boutique. Now, I’m mother of two kids, loved to design for my 5 yr old daughter. This was about six months ago when I started to share my love of creating on Etsy.


-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? My kids, I like designs to capture different moments of life, often inspired by kids themselves and their lively nature, leaving a bit of space for the quality fabric to be admired.


-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Handcrafted, comfortable and sassy!!

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? I wake up early in the morning, get the kids ready for school, drive them to school on my way to work. Come back home early, design and create something for my Etsy shop. My husband picks up the kids.. At night, I’ll catch up with my emails, shop promotion and facebook fans, twitter etc.


-- What's your favorite material and techniques to work with? I love to play with different kinds of fabrics, my favorite fabric is linen, I love the look and texture of linen. Also, flax (the plant which becomes linen) requires fewer pesticides and fertilizers than many other crops.


-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? Ideally, I would like to focus on Etsy shop and be able to quit my day job!!


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? Go out with friends and family, we enjoy day trips of hiking, picnics and beach fun during summer. Love to play tennis, go swimming and spent time with my kids.


-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? Anything and everything


-- Any last words? This is what I always wanted to do.. have my own line of handcrafted clothing, accessories and all beautiful things I can imagine…Thanks to Etsy, I’ve been able to make it happen.

KatrinShine

Friday Finds... KatrinShine


This is my 25th interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy!

Hi everyone! Another Friday Finds for you all to enjoy, and another new artist is ready to tell you more about herself!
For today's feature, I would like to bring to your attention the amazing textile jewelry and fashion workings of KatrinShine on Etsy! I noticed Ekatrina's store initially through noticing her presence in my Etsy forum threads. I am on there daily so I always notice if someone new pops up, and considering she had been posting for a while up to that point I thought it was about time to get in touch and ask if she'd like to do the interview! I had always enjoyed checking out her new stuff when she offered her gorgeous promotions up in the threads, so I'm very excited that she gave the time to take part!
I'm not used to interviewing anyone in Europe other than the UK, so I was really interested that she lives in Italy and intrigued by her working processes, as you will see there is loads of vibrant and unique variety in her work!


(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)



-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Ekaterina Fedotova, I'm 29 y.o.. I'm from Russia but I’m living in Italy because my husband is Italian. From the last 2 years I’m living in Brindisi.


-- What is your business about then? I create textile jewellery, bags and pillow covers in Patchwork spiral stile, boned corsets and bustiers and also medieval and historical dresses. Right now I'm making a lot of new necklaces because I found amazing silky fabrics. I also think that I’ll create bracelets and earrings from this fabric.


-- How did Etsy come into your life? Until 6 months ago I had never heard about Etsy. But after moving in Italy I didn’t find a work and decided to open online shop. After browsing in Internet I found Etsy and fell in love with.


-- Are you working a day job too? No, I have my days full between my husband, friends, house work and my creations.


-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? I have been an artist all my life and I have been loved to do something creative for me, my family or my friends. I finished Art School and this can say all for you. From my childhood I like very much all kind of needle and craft work. I sewn dresses for my dolls or something for me and my family. I always try to put in my job some part of me and make it most qualitatively.


-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I inspired from all world around me, colours and textures. When I see some amazing fabric I at once have many ideas what I can create from it. And than I like to observe how my ideas put into life.


-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? Unique, creative, brightly

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? I wake up at 8:00 with my husband and after he gone to work I go to the computer to look my e-mail, blog, facebook etc. I renew items on Etsy, check in on forums quickly, promote my store. Then use all my morning to create new items, to make and edit photos. At 1:00 when my husband return at home before a lunch we go to run 3-5 km in park. Afternoon I use to do my homework, but also to study because I do postgraduate studies.


-- What's your favorite material and techniques to work with? Of course fabrics!! I like to sew anything, but my favourite technique is Patchwork Spiral stile. This particular technique gives room to imagination as small pieces of fabric assemble an inimitable design, that’s why every piece of work made in this style is very unique and original.


-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I would love to open a real business, trade mark – not just working at home. And to be fabulously successful would be nice.


-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? I go out with my husband or friends in bar or in cinema, read something. Sometimes in summer I partecipate to historical festivals and Role playing games. Also I study Pizzica (Tarantella Salentina) – it’s traditional dance of this region of Italy, called Salento.


-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? I like to search necklaces and bracelets! I flip over it - only fancy how many I have at home? Also I’m searching fabrics, but there are so many things which I want :)


-- Any last words? I love working with custom orders, so if you didn’t find the bag in colour what you want you always can order it. I can create any corset you want. All corsets and dresses in my shop I can sew in other colour and size.
Thanks for the opportunity - been great to discover the broader Etsy community! I hope people enjoy my shop and will find something they love!

Friday Finds... FabricGreetings

Friday Finds... FabricGreetings



This is my fourth interview of the amazing not-so-well-known artists of Etsy.

My new find for this week had actually contacted me before I actively searched for new artists to feature in a convo on Etsy, so when it came to it I was blown away pretty early in the search and couldn't resist in asking for an interview. It took me ages to contact them however!
As I'm constantly documenting at the mo, I am SHATTERED beyond belief... Could do with a good nights sleep, that would do the trick! (prays that son will behave himself lol). Anyway, I love the concept of this sellers work. Innovative, very trendy and SOOOOOOO colorful! I was delighted that she agreed to work with me this week, so I give you Alyce from Fabric Greetings...



(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)









-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My Name is Alyce Templeton and I live in Elkton, Maryland with my hubby of almost 43 years. I was not a child bride, so you do the math!

-- What is your business about then? My business deals with fabric postcards. They are very mailable works of textile art done almost entirely on the sewing machine. They came about because of severe hand problems which prohibit me from making and stuffing the whimsical dolls I did for years. But something good always comes from something bad. I had seen some postcards at the Houston Quilt Market many years ago and decided I could figure out how to build a better mousetrap – namely making the cards mailable without an envelope.

-- How did Etsy come into your life? Etsy came into my life because a customer at a craft show asked me to open so she could see my items without having to travel long distances to get to me. I am not real computer savvy. So it was a very stressful decision.

-- Are you working a day job too? Fortunately, I had the option to be a stay at home Mom many years ago and never went back to a full time real job. I do teach sewing and related classes at several quilt stores in the area.

-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? Sewing and fabric have been important to me forever. I can’t imagine not being able to sew everyday. I love combining colors and textures as well as the unexpected. That is why these postcards are so unique.

-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? I guess what I really would like people to understand is that a friend is a special and unique person. There isn’t another one in the world like him/her. So why buy a card that has been mass produced and is not unique and special. I love what I do and I would like people to be able to enjoy the experience of receiving a unique card.

-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? I think the three words that describe my products are colorful – fun – unique.

-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? My average day is pretty relaxed. Once my knee is fixed, I will be back to walking 3-5 miles early in the morning, doing as little housework as possible and spending hours at the sewing machine, fixing an evening meal and reading. When my hubby retired, I made it clear I did not do lunch unless he was taking me out!

-- What's your favourite material and techniques to work with? Who says you can’t sew paper or plastic to cloth – or paint it. Once I had received one of these cards, I became aware of just how they can brighten a day. They are truly keepsakes. With a string, ribbon or cording, they make wonderful luggage tags. You can find your suitcase immediately. You can sit them on a table easel or frame them for wall art.

-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? This probably sounds funny, but for me, sitting at the sewing machine is winding down. We are off soon on a long vacation to Maine. And in the back of the car will be my sewing machine and the makings of my Christmas cards. I will sew a bit everyday and really feel like I am having the greatest vacation in the world.

-- What are you likely to search for on Etsy? I am not a real shopper. But I have prowled the shops looking for unique gift items. And I have found some great supplies for my cards.

-- Any last words? Thanks again for this opportunity. I will be looking for it on Friday.

Alyce