work Archives - Page 3 of 48

Interview with Rachel Beyer of Camp Smartypants

June 6, 2018 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

Up next in the DIY Interview series is Camp Smartypants. Previously featured by Ciaran, now we get to meet the creativity behind the products.

What is your craft / art / creative endeavor?

From arts and crafts to hiking and horseback riding, Camp Smartypants is a line of women’s clothing and accessories inspired by summer camp adventures.

Started in 2009, the goal of Camp Smartypants is to create handmade products that invoke feelings of freedom, friendship, and innocence. It’s not just style for everyday living — it’s style for everyday discovery.

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

My love of crafts was inspired by my mother and grandmother, who taught me to sew, crochet, and make jewelry at a very young age. As a kid, I attended summer camp and joined Girl Scouts, where I learned more fun crafts like beading, tie-dye, and how to sell delicious cookies.

After graduating college in 2007 with a BFA in Graphic Design, I started my career as a designer in Seattle, WA. But after a year-and-a-half spending my evenings hosting Craft Clubs and working on my own handmade projects, I discovered my true calling: to start a company where I could sell my very own designs.

Now I create and sew every piece for Camp Smartypants, and hope that my one-of-a-kind products will re-kindle those same feelings of childhood adventure in others.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

When I started Camp Smartypants, last June, I quit my full-time job in Seattle and moved back to Portland, OR. I absolutely love Portland because it is so craft-friendly. Camp Smartypants is my solo-endeavor, although I do get the occasional help from my “campers” (ie. family) when I’m in a time-crunch getting ready for a big show.

Since most of my products are one-of-a-kind, a lot of time is spent creating each piece. I always carry a small project with me everywhere I go. That way if I end up waiting somewhere I can pull out my project and get some work done. I also spend most of my evenings working on product while watching a movie with my family. I am definitely one of those people that constantly needs to keep my hands busy, so even though it seems like I work a lot, I enjoy every minute of it.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

I sell my products online at Etsy. I also have my own website where you can view my full gallery of products I have made. My products are also for sale at Tender Loving Empire, a retail store in Portland, OR. I also attend lots of craft shows in the Portland area. You can find out what show’s I’ll be at by looking on my blog, website or etsy shop.

What do you wish I had asked you?

“What/who are your inspirations for Camp Smartypants?”

1960’s and 1970’s hippie era, vintage craft magazines, vintage rock posters, girl scouts, summer camp, nature, childhood crafts/games, thrift store finds.

Some of my favorite artists that influence my work are: Maya Hayuk, Sabrina Ward Harrison, Frida Kahlo, and Peter Max. I also love the work of Dallas Clayton, Lynda Barry, and Ray Fenwick.

Thanks Rachel — I love getting to know the people behind the loveliness! And if you would like to be interviewed, just fill out the application – it’s easy :)

Interview with Mika Mosier of Froggy Girl Designs

June 6, 2018 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

Please let me introduce you to Mika and her line of children’s clothing and accessories.

What is your craft / art / creative endeavor?

I primarily make childrens clothing, but I also tend to have a bit of crafters ADD so I sew anything that catches my eye-key fobs, rice bags, cloth diapers and wipes, unpaper towels, mama cloth and so much more!

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

When I was a child my grandmother sewed, and tried to teach me but I wasn’t really interested. After she passed, I found the passion and taught myself to sew. I’ve never worked in another creative arena other than music which is a whole different realm.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I make 100% of the items I offer. My husband is the “muscle” behind the Froggy Girl-he lugs boxes, show setup equipment, machines, etc. for me and he is my #1 cheerleader. I frequently ask for opinions and critiques from my family and friends-constructive criticism is the key to moving forward.

I like to say that my fabric speaks to me. I see a piece of fabric, and it tells me what it wants to be. I then build around that piece.

Finding a work/life balance is hard for anyone, but I think most especially work at home moms. I find myself all to frequently pulled in 100 directions, and making sure that my husband and children are the first direction I go to is definitely a challenge, and something I’m working on doing better in 2010.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

Right now you can find my work primarily at www.froggygirldesigns.etsy.com, although I also maintain a storefront at www.hyenacart.com/froggygirldesigns and I’m starting to explore Store Envy as well. From about March or April onward, I try to do at least one show or fair per month. The only brick and mortar store carrying my items so far is Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana. They carry a selection of my monogrammed badge reels.

What do you wish I had asked you?

I wish you had asked how you (I) overcome fears and get out of your comfort zone to get your work out there. I think that’s something that everyone faces starting out, and it’s something that I’m definitely tackling in 2010.

You have to take a deep breath, and go outside of your comfort zone. Submit your work to blogs to be reviewed, take your things to local stores and talk to the owners/buyers. Have faith in yourself and your product.

Fantastic advice, Mika, thank you! And if you would like to be interviewed next, just fill out the application.

Interview with Lotta of Mom-O-Matic

June 3, 2018 by Erika Jurney 4 Comments

Today’s interview is with former Try Handmade columnist and pal Lotta of Mom-O-Matic!

What is your craft / art / creative endeavor?

I am a jewelry maker that uses vintage beads, charms and buttons. I love a good story and try to find pieces with a unique history to incorporate into my work.

Shopping at Estate sales and hunting for the materials to work with is half the fun!

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

I was a Marketing Director for more than 10 years before I became a mom. I always found myself lingering at the creative’s desk, hanging around the graphic designers.

I got started in jewelry by making it for friends and family who urged me to start selling it. I signed up for Etsy and it all took off from there. Now I sell in several boutiques and do home parties as well.

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

I named my studio/shop the “Mom O Matic” in a cheeky nod to the Automats of the early 1900s. Where women sat behind vending machines and dispensed treats to patrons day and night.

As I was already dispensing goldfish crackers and sippy cups to my two smallest patrons. Adding jewelry, just became another treat to add to the mom machine.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I make the jewelry alone, but I hardly work alone. My awesome husband often puts the kids to bed so I can start my work at night. He also pulls morning duty when I’ve done a late or all nighter making jewelry.

And of course my kids help me too. They both like to sort buttons and suggest color combinations.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

I sell at www.momomatic.etsy.com. I’m at the Hammer Boutique in LaGrange, IL www.hammerboutique.com. And will soon be in a boutique in Western Springs that I can’t talk about just yet since I’m still working on their delivery!

I’ve done a few open houses at my house and that’s a blast. It’s hard to make the stock I need for everything so I’m looking into partnering up with another crafter for my next show.

You can usually keep up with me by becoming a Facebook Fan, I do my best to keep that updated.

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

Too many to list! I’m sure most of of my Etsy income goes back into supplies and other seller’s work. My top three would be…

For organic baby rattles and yummy work – www.etsy.com/shop/littlealouette

When I used handcrafted supplies I often turn to Metamorph as she has beautiful work.

I decorate all my Etsy packages with vintage papers, retro plastic charms or vintage paper bags. I’m often going to Hey Yo Yo for these.

If you are in the Chicagoland area you must check out Uncle Fun, that’s another great stop for vintage doo-dads to decorate packages with.

What inspires and motivates you?

Talking with other artists, finding new supplies and looking at vintage magazines. The colors in an old romance comic book might inspire a new necklace.

What do you wish I had asked you?

How do you do it all? Other moms ask how I do it and the honest answer is that I don’t sleep much. I’m up late, there are times when I should be playing a board game with the kids and instead I’m bending wire into earrings. You do your best to balance what you can and be kind to yourself the rest of the time.

Thanks Lotta! And if you want to be interviewed next, please go to DIY Interview.

Interview with Camilla of Stil Novo Design

May 30, 2018 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

What is your craft / art / creative endeavor?

We are a family business focused on the creation of eco-friendly home décor, ‘green’ gift ideas, custom made furniture and original specialty pieces. All of our products are made with reclaimed white oak that we recycle from French wine barrels. It’s a material that hasn’t stopped impressing us for its beauty, charm and distinctiveness

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

Our beginning was quite fortuitous; while visiting a local winery in the north of California, we noticed a bunch of unused barrels, piled up in a corner and ready to be discarded. We asked a few questions and learned about the chemical properties of oak itself and how it plays a significant role in winemaking, affecting the color, flavor, and texture of the wine.

Over time many of the oak properties get “leached” out of the barrel and after 3 to 5 vintages the barrel is ready to be discarded.

My husband is an experienced and passionate woodworker, so he could immediately recognize and appreciate the quality of the chosen oak the French barrels are made of, and felt that we could turn that unfortunate waste into a ‘green’ idea.

The more we worked with this wood, the more we could notice and appreciate the uniqueness of each barrel, the different grain, quality and character that every stave presents; for us every dent, discoloration and mark is a very valued and honored sign of age that we have a lot of respect for.

It makes us quite happy that we are able to give this wonderful material a new life in our customers’ hands.

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

In Italian ‘stil novo’ means ‘new style’ and it’s reminiscent of the ‘dolce stil novo’, which was a very important literary movement in Italy during the 13th century. Somehow it seemed to fit with our vision and stylistic choices.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

Every piece we make is the direct product of a ‘family effort’, from the conceptualization of the idea to its realization; we all have to ‘endorse’ it or it doesn’t make it to the catalog and we all take pride in putting our name on it.

Even our 10 years old twin girls often participate to the whole process, giving suggestions or sharing their personal preferences.

My beloved husband of 18 years, Stefano Capaccioli, is an accomplished woodworker/furniture maker; he possesses endless creativity, amazing abilities and meticulous skills that allow him to take on tricky challenges and to turn them into achievements.

I, Camilla, take care of orders, customer service, packaging and shipping. I hand paint our decorated items, which I enjoy doing a lot and create all of the listings. I also do the necessary ‘foot-work’, networking and marketing, in order to get Stil Novo Design noticed and appreciated. Last, but certainly not least, I am the one who does all the ‘nagging’ about every little detail, deadline and such, a very essential role in any family business!!!!

Our business has become for us another way to exchange our views, taste and choices with each other and to spend time together, sharing every moment of the creative process; We have a lot of fun doing it and we consider ourselves lucky to be able to make it into such a special family experience.

When either of us comes up with an idea, having an architectural background, my husband easily sketches it on paper, we discuss it further and define the details; after that he makes a prototype and we decide if the design needs more options or adjustments, and if it gets ‘promoted’ it’s added to our inventory.
Also, often our customers offer suggestions or request a custom piece that gives us the opportunity to explore our creative potential even further.

When the high season puts us under pressure we are often forced to involve some of our friends (and our girls!!) in any possible way: making labels, polishing the pieces, wrapping, boxing etc… and our home turns into a busy ‘beehive’.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

We have most of our inventory available at our fabulous Etsy store. We have opened other on-line stores, but Etsy is the one we favorite.

From time to time we participate to street fairs and art shows; although I enjoy selling and meeting in person with our customers, explaining the process involved and the history behind every piece, every show has become such a time and funds demanding enterprise, that we are becoming very cautious in choosing the ones to attend to. We’d love to expand our ‘FaceBook family’.

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

These are some fellow Etsians sellers that I truly admire for their awesome work, eco-creations and professionalism:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/innovationdesign
http://www.etsy.com/shop/happyhoundcreative
http://www.etsy.com/shop/wolfartglass

What inspires and motivates you?

Being a family business, our first and true source of motivation for us is to be and to work with each other, appreciating the commitment, the care and effort invested by each of us and sharing the joy of every achievement; I think that it’s somehow reflected in the harmony and warmth that all of our pieces seem to convey.

The recycled material that we use also offers endless inspiration; the natural arch of the wine barrel staves ‘spurs’ us to play with shapes and designs in a very imaginative way, while the singular grain of the French white oak bestows a quite unique quality on every piece we make. We believe that there is a lot left to explore, learn and discover.

People’s resourcefulness is quite inspiring as well; to witness what people are able to create and the resilience demonstrated by many of the true artists we had the fortune to meet along the way, have given us great encouragement and boosted our passion. We are very thankful for that.

What do you wish I had asked you?

I ask my self, almost every day: “Is it worth?”. The answer becomes clear every time we experience that moment of blissful gratification when, what we have created makes someone else happy, someone who seems to love it and appreciate it as much as we did while ‘giving birth’ to it… it’s quite an addicting feeling.

Thanks Camilla! And if you would like to be interviewed next, just head over to DIY Interview.

Follow me!

May 27, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield 3 Comments

When it comes to Twitter, either you “get it”, or you don’t. For those who haven’t joined the flock, Twitter seems like a colossal waste of time. To the uninitiated, the four-year-old micro-blogging site is full of people with nothing better to do talking about what they had for breakfast and other pointless minutia. Most users, however, see it as much more than that. Sure, there are plenty of tweets about “nothing”, but there’s plenty of good information and fun to be had, too; that just depends on who you choose to follow. Most of the people that I follow are using it to network, stay in touch with friends, promote their products (or themselves) and, in some cases, just to be cute, clever or funny. I like to say that I’m there for all of that, but really, let’s be honest…it’s all about the shopping.

In the world of DIY, the “I” stands for just about everything; from making to marketing. Social networking sites like Twitter give makers a cheap (read: free) platform for promoting their products, keeping up with the trends, and connecting directly with their customers. Savvy sellers can list a product in their shop and instantly promote it to their followers and, in some cases, their followers’ followers, too. That’s how I first found out about Jen Mullen’s shop Tiny Art by J Mullin. I was scrolling through tweets one day and came across a “retweet” about a sale on Jen’s fabulous chair collages. Two or three clicks later, and I was the proud owner of “In My Place”. (What can I say…they had me at “sale”.) Since then, I have been a huge fan of Jen’s work, like the piece above, and a loyal follower on Twitter. You can follow her, too: twitter.com/jennifermullin.

Reclaim, reuse, recycle…retweet? Thanks to Twitter, we have a fourth “R” in our vocabulary and Katherine of reiter8 does it all. Her shop is filled with a fun and eco-friendly collection of unique accessories upcycled from reclaimed sailboat sails. Her pillows, like the ones pictured above, are a fabulous way to add a touch of sporty, summery style to your home or cottage. And, if you have sails that you are looking to get rid of (don’t we all?), you can donate them to Katherine and she’ll send you a tote in return! Check out Katherine’s tweets and retweets at: twitter.com/reiter8.

Casey of IKC Designs has a shop full of some of the coolest, upcycled goods I’ve ever come across. Cleverly finding new uses for everything from valve knobs to vintage trophy figures, Casey makes pieces that all share a fresh, uncomplicated aesthetic and a modern appeal. Staying up-to-date with the latest from the IKC Designs shop is as easy as going to twitter.com/ikcdesign and clicking “follow”.

Tracy Melton’s tree ring paintings (above) are each a little slice of awesome. Tracy uses a chainsaw to cut each one from a dead elm tree, then carefully sands, clear-coats, paints and clear-coats again to produce her beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. The paintings are sold in sets of three, but Tracy encourages customers who visit the Focus Line Art shop to buy more than one set to create their own unique assemblage. I, for one, probably wouldn’t need much convincing; like Twitter, I think collecting Tracy’s paintings would quickly become addictive. Follow Tracy into the woods via her Twitter feed: twitter.com/tracymeltonart.

I love to read tweets by artists and artisans who are passionate about their work. Taryn of Talking Squid is no exception. Twitter gives you 140 characters to get your message across, but Taryn manages to create excitement in less than half of that. Of course, when you see her rugs, you see why! At first glance, you’ll want one for your home, but when you find out that each one is made up of strips of super-soft t-shirt fabric, you’ll want to sink your toes into one…stat! Follow Taryn to get the scoop on all of the exciting news (and deals!) from the Talking Squid studios: twitter.com/talkingsquid.

Shopping aside, the thing that I love most about following artisans on Twitter is getting a peek into the “behind the scenes” stuff. In addition to marketing their goods, my favourite tweeters keep it interesting by giving their followers little glimpses into their lives, too. I hope that you’ll get to know this week’s featured sellers by visiting their shops and following them on Twitter. And, while you’re at it, you can follow me, too: twitter.com/zenbecca.

Ok, back to shopping…are you dying to know where to get a handmade Twitter coffee mug, like the ones pictured above and at the top of this article? Look no further! They are available at Mug Revolution and can be customized with your very own Twitter name. How cool is that? For a peek into potter Owen’s world, you can follow the mug-maker himself at (not surprisingly): twitter.com/mugmkr.