Freshly Made Archives - Try Handmade

Red Linc Art – Tracy Knits

March 8, 2019 by Chelsey Mona 3 Comments

Tracey is the artist behind Red Linc Art which sells paintings, drawings and photographs and TraceyKnits where you can find knitted goods from belts to golf club covers. Tracey is one of those people who is a creative person by nature, the kind that takes every opportunity to learn and do new art projects. While working in a stationery shop she decided to start making handmade greeting cards. That creative spark soon turned into a flame and she found selling online was the perfect way to find her target audience.

In my knitting shop, I am currently in love with the bride and groom golf club covers. I can just imagine a couple on their destination wedding in Ireland, hitting the links with these in their bags. In my fine art shop, I recently listed a photograph entitled “I heart wool”. It is a sheep smiling; I am sure I heart wool as much as that sheep does!

If you’re in the Mt. Holly, NJ area, you can find some of Tracey’s club covers and prints at Jersey Made and she also sells at craft fairs in her area. Her original paintings are sold exclusively through Art Setter.

Artisticly, I am all about comic book influenced pop art. I love Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, and Cindy Sherman. With knitting, my family and friends are definitely shaping the direction of my work.

Tracey’s art ranges from whimsical paintings of hands creating shadow puppets to photographs that are a study in pattern and repetition.

Her knits feature nostalgic characters and sports themed and are an entirely different form of creative exploration. You can keep up with her on her blog or find her on Twitter or Facebook.

Dave’s Turnings

February 9, 2019 by Chelsey Mona Leave a Comment

Since it’s getting to be close to Fathers Day, I’ve been thinking about my Dad. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in my dad’s wood shop (with my shoes on – the cardinal rule of observing in the shop, you can’t come in barefoot). So appreciating the natural beauty of wood was ingrained (pun intended) in my head at an early age. Even now I have a difficult time painting anything wood. So when I came across the new shop Dave’s Turnings I was drawn to the beautiful wood. Seems Dave agrees with me that the natural essence of the wood contains its beauty.

I’m influenced mostly by nature. I’m always awed by the beauty in natural wood; its grain, color, the natural defects. It’s always different from one piece to the next and I try to bring out that beauty and preserve it.

Based in New Mexico, Dave uses mostly local New Mexico Aspen in his lovely bowls. He started turning on a wood lathe at about the same time his wife opened a small and successful home decor store in St. Charles, MO 7 years ago. The shop has since closed, but you can still find a few of his pieces in a couple of shops in northern Wisconsin.

My pieces are all one of a kind and I take special care in making each one. If someone is looking for something unique and special that will last a lifetime I hope that they buy something from me. Also I think it’s important to promote American small business.

Dave is currently an air-ambulance pilot living with his wife in Gallup, NM. He spends much of his time while on-call and during his time off working at the lathe.

Another Jamie Davis

February 7, 2019 by Chelsey Mona 1 Comment

Do you have travels planned this summer? Then take along one of these adorable pieces of luggage from Another Jamie Davis. These upcycled suitcases, bags and purses are plucked from relative obscurity from flea markets, thrift stores and yard sales and renewed by artist Jamie Davis. Each piece is lovingly repaired, often re-lined and then hand embroidered with a tree theme.

I’ve made things all my life, bunk beds for my dolls when i was 8, dresses for my little sister when I was old enough to use the sewing machine. I dabbled in selling my jewelry and hand made purses at holiday bazaars in college but it wasn’t until after graduate school that I found etsy and fell in love with idea of selling my things online.

Jamie’s shop has been open since October of 2008, but she found her focus on upcycled embroidered handbags in April of 2009.

I’m really enamored with the luggage in my etsy shop right right now (could it be that I’m longing for a vacation?). I absolutely love this little yellow tree suitcase because it’s bright and fun. And I love the Black Wood Grain Hip Bag overnight bag because it’s perfectly practical, and big enough to carry everything you could need for a weekend away.

Jamie was born and raised in the Akron Ohio area — made things — went to art school at the University of Akron, studied Metalsmithing and sculpture — made things, moved to Massachusetts to go to graduate school — made things — got an M.F.A. in sculpture — made things. Are you catching a trend here?

You can find out more about the other stuff Jamie makes on her webiste: www.anotherjamiedavis.com

Usagi Rabbit

December 1, 2018 by Chelsey Mona 1 Comment

When I first came across this shop, I immediately was reminded of the Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro. So it should come as no surprise that Jacqueline, the artist behind UsagiRabbit is infatuated with Japanese culture. A student slowly working her way toward a college degree in linguistics, one of her goals is to learn to read Japanese. These whimsical bunny creatures are part Totoro and part Care Bear and so cute! Some are just for loving and cuddling, while others are put to work protecting your small electronic devices.

Jacqueline got her start in handmade when she couldn’t find the things she wanted in the stores. Though her shop has only been open since May she’s been creating art since she was old enough to pick up a coloring book – from making clothes for her dolls to patching up her jeans.

I used to knit scarves and a friend suggested I try selling some of them at a small local craft fair. I took the plunge and it was a blast! I loved meeting all those other crafters and artisans. Artists are some of the nicest people you can be around. Finding Etsy really got me thinking that I could make a go of this. It’s full of so many inspiring stories and helpful fellow sellers. I really want to try my best!

Her skills have been honed over the years with help from her mother (a lifelong seamstress) and various friends and teachers along the way. Isn’t it wonderful how the creative community came together to help this artist learn the skills to realize her vision?

There’s something about the feeling of the wool in my hands and the slight hum the thread makes that fills me with satisfaction.

Jacqueline first starts planning her creatures with a drawing and some key concepts.When she’s inspired a piece can come together very quickly; sometimes the process can take days or weeks. Once a design is decided on, she chooses colors and felts and cut out the pieces. The most time consuming part of the process is sewing the pieces because it takes a long time and the stitches have to be just right! Lastly, her creation is stuffed with pure cotton and sewn shut. Thus is born the latest addition to the UsagiRabbit family!

Well, I love all my finished creations (even though some of them can be quite beastly during the making) but if I had to choose just one I guess my favorite would be the orange rabbit with a yellow flower on its belly. It makes me smile when I see it.

Born and raised in New Jersey this Texas transplant is inspired by her travel and experiences of other cultures. She has no sales so far, so let’s get her started – shall we?

EllesBeads

October 26, 2018 by Chelsey Mona 5 Comments

When I was a kid, we got in the car and drove my dad out to a nearby town to take a hot air balloon ride. I remember watching the balloons gliding through the sky. These earrings remind me of that day.

Elle got started in handmade when she was struggling with depression and loneliness. Jewelry-making was her way to be totally immersed in something that was not only positive, but kept her mind off of what she was going through. She fell in love with jewelry making and never looked back. Her style incorporates vintage pieces with modern beads.

Encouraged by friends and family she jumped into selling through her shop Elle’s Beads. After taking a blind leap, she learned as she went setting up up a business strategy, goals, and a budget.

I’ve met such great artisans, both in real life and through venues like Etsy, and I feel like I have a sense of community and belonging now.

Elle’s grandmother is a huge influence. She uses her antique sewing machine and vintage buttons to make a lot of her creations. She’s also inspired by items that people cast away as trash. She has a way of viewing things not as what they are, but what they could become with a little bit of fabric, paint, or beads. She’s also started sewing now due to her grandmother’s influence (she was a seamstress) and makes a point to only use eco-friendly materials in the accessories she makes.

My favorite item is my Vintage Sapphire and Silver Glass Pearl Necklace. It’s the first eco-friendly piece I ever made and it’s from an old vintage earring I repurposed as a brooch. I’m really passionate now about reusing old materials and making them into something beautiful and new. This necklace is a constant reminder to me of the beginning of that journey.

Elle supports the views that many of us handmade artisans have, even though handmade goods can cost more than mass-produced goods, especially those imported from overseas, they’re so much more valuable! When you buy something handmade, you’re supporting an artisan – a small business and an entrepreneur. You’re supporting a craft and a subculture that values the importance of keeping craftsmanship alive. Each handmade item is a little bit different and Elle, like all handmade artists puts her love and a part of herself in every piece.

These adorable vintage birdies are my personal favorite!

Elle is a full-time paralegal working for a non-profit in North Carolina. When not working at her day job or on her business, you can find her relaxing in front of the television, catching up on the latest book club book, or talking on the phone with her family. Online you can find her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog.