It is important to show the world the charm of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Today I feature Carvel Country Soaps from Alberta, Canada. Below you can find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

I remember as a child, being no more than 6 or 7, helping my mom's friend sew doll clothes for my cabbage patch kids. I remember being thrilled to choose the materials for each outfit from her scraps and then see those scraps become something. It was very fascinating for me.

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

When I am not making soaps and things, I enjoy reading, golfing, curling, and scrapbooking.

3. What do you specialize in?


I specialize in handmade, paraben free bath and body products.

4. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

Let's face it, those of us with shops on Etsy are there to sell, I saw opening up my shop as a way to get my products more exposure. The friendships and daily chats are an added bonus, I've met so many fantastic people because of Etsy.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

Carvel Country Soapworks- I live in a rural setting near the hamlet of Carvel & I make soap and other goodies. I love my shop name, it really ties everything together.

6. What are your hopes for the future?

Over the past few years I have seen tremendous growth in Carvel Country Soapworks both locally and on Etsy & I hope this trend continues. I am hoping to expand my product lines as well as add additional wholesale accounts.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I love custom orders! I offer a number of fragrances and colors and will gladly put custom orders together. I have worked with a number of customers for various events such as baby showers, weddings, birthdays as well.

8. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

Bright, Spacious, my escape.

You can visit Carvel Country Soaps' Etsy Shop here:

http://www.carvelcountrysoaps.etsy.com

And you can send Krysta a message via the Etsy Convo system or an email to soapworks@cruzinternet.com

Krysta is also offering a 10% discount for my blog readers! Just enter the promotion code: "BLOG" in the comments to seller at checkout. Just in time for the upcoming holidays! It is not too early to buy your loved ones gifts - and you can't beat handmade either!

Featured Items:

JUMBO Crayon Soap Set
Coconut-Lemongrass Bath and Body Bar
JUMBO Goat Milk Soap Bar

All available at http://www.carvelcountrysoaps.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading!

-
Christina
__1337 Art

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items. Today I feature SouthernGirlFlorals from Victoria, Texas.

You can read her interview below:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

My first memory of crafting has to be helping my Mom and Grandma decorate Christmas wreaths at my Grandma's house when I was a little girl.

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

I love taking dance lessons with my husband. We first started right before our wedding, but now three years later, we have taken swing lessons and also two-step lessons. It is so much fun and also a great workout. We also go to a professional football game each year. We pick a different city each time.

3. What do you specialize in?

I specialize in front door wreaths mainly. I make them using a grapevine base and artificial flowers. I do occasionally make swags and floral arrangements though.

4. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I heard about Etsy from my sister-in-law. I was selling wreaths on Ebay before that, but I decided to check out Etsy. It just seems more like a family, not so impersonal.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

(Southern) because I'm from Texas and proud of it! I also wanted something that sounded youthful (Girl)(I am in my twenties). And then (Florals) because I wanted people to know what I sold by looking at my name - Southern Girl Florals.

6. What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to continue to sell my wreaths to very happy customers. And I just want to have fun doing it!

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I love custom orders! Those turn out to be some of my favorite wreaths. It is great because there is a part of the customer in those wreaths, whether it be the color choices or the theme, they get to put their own input into the creation.

8. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My living room! In our new house I will have my own craft room, but until then I have to make due.

9. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I want to thank all of my customers for all of their business and also their kind words. Without them, none of this would be possible.

You can contact SouthernGirlFlorals directly from her Etsy Shop:

http://southerngirlflorals.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.]

Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Today I feature TamarHammer from Eugene, Oregon.

Below you will find Tamar's interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

I remember my self painting from ever. My first “piece” that I was really proud of was a shoe from clay – it was pretty abstract but for me it looked amazing (I was 7……)

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

Playing and making art with my son, writing, reading

3. What do you specialize in?

Painting, illustration and graphic design.
All the cards and magnets in my store are based on my original designs, painting and illustrations.

4. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

Oh - try to find a better way to sell my stuff other than marketing myself to stores – which means being in competition with Hallmark …which is of course ridiculous……
I like Etsy – there is such a positive and kind environment for both customers and sellers. I also found it to be a very inspiring place.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

…Just after my name – it felt authentic to me…I still remember my disappointment when I found that there is no real Sarah lee beyond the corporation …

6. What are your hopes for the future?

To enlarge my store and get to know more people that do crafts.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I’m sure open to that.

8. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My interests are quite diverse. That’s why at times I create whimsical paintings, greeting cards and magnets that are suitable for every occasion – ancient mosaics, flowers and my original comics and collages, while in other times I find my self drawn to special events - birthdays, Valentine’s Day and Jewish holidays.

9. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’m having a lot of fun writing my blog. I write about issues connected to my designs and every day life thoughts and stories.

You can read there also my list about the mosaics and flowers card:
http://tamarhammer.blogspot.com/2009/01/locate-yourself-mentally.html

Featured Items:

Kites at the Coast, Fun Collage Painting Card

SO, WHAT, SAY IT'S POSSIBLE, THINK SUMMER, NOT AGAIN, I'M NOT SO SURE - Original Comics Magnets (Set of 6)

Owl Love ,one of a kind hand-painted owl magnets (Set of 2)

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:

Twitter / Myspace / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Today I feature Amy with ara133photography. She currently resides in State College, Pennsylvania, and her fine art photography is simply amazing! Her husband also contributes his photography, and he has a nice, stylish edge.

Below you can read the interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

I've been drawing since I was little... some of my earliest memories are of drawing horses and other animals - I used to draw unicorns a lot! I remember I would draw on my napkins during meals at home.

2. What do you specialize in?

Photography, but I also have a passion for painting and drawing still!

3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I saw a brief note about Etsy in Lucky Magazine one day, and checked it out - I loved all the awesome things and variety! I'd been considering selling my photography but didn't really have a venue (my grad student schedule doesn't allow me to do things like craft fairs, shows, etc.)... once I saw Etsy I knew it would be perfect!


4. What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to become a professor in Biology at a small college, and for my husband and I to get a house someday soon! :)

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

Photography - my husband and I share that creative passion, so we love to go on photography walks together! Also snowshoeing in winter; painting & drawing; reading; training my cats to do tricks (they know "sit", "footsie" (similar to 'give me your paw') and "lie down" but are stuck on "speak"!)...

6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

I'm a grad student so I have 2 workspaces - one at school and one at home for photography. My school office looks like a tornado hit it, but I know where everything is! My workspace at home is a desk with everything I need for packaging orders (it's lovely, we've just rearranged that area so I don't have to wander around the apartment looking for paper, ribbons, etc.!). I do a lot of my digital collages on the couch, so that is a fluffy brown microfiber workspace.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I enjoy custom orders - it's really a lovely feeling to be able to help people find exactly what they're looking for, something they'll enjoy looking at!

8. What can you tell us about the pictures you have selected to be apart of your feature? (in order that they appear.)

Bounce - 5x5 Fine Art Photography by MSM

This is one of my favorites by my husband - he took it in Boston when we were going to my cousin's wedding last year!

At Tara in this Fateful Hour - 5x7 Fine Art Photography Print


I like the way this one came out - It's actually exactly what was in my head! I enjoyed doing that digital collage from various photos I'd taken.

Through These Halls - 5x7 Matted to 8x10 Final Size

This is another digital collage I made with photos I'd taken of a doorway and hall on campus - I used mirroring, layers, black and white with color, and I like the way it came out!

Away - 8x10 Fine Art Photography Print

I took this image in Boston (on the same wedding trip as the Red Ball image) and it really brings back the memories of the moment I first saw this memorial. We were walking to the Old North Church (where the wedding was) and we walked through a little park area behind the Paul Revere statue... we heard a light chiming noise and saw lots of metal sparkling and moving in the breeze - and when we got closer we saw it was rows upon rows of dogtags.

 

How can people get in contact with you?

I can be reached through my Etsy shop http://ara133photography.etsy.com I have plans to develop my own website in conjunction with the shop but that is still in the works.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope that you enjoyed Amy's artwork, and please feel free to forward this feature on to your friends and family.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:

Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

It looks like the sun is supposed to say hello this next week, which will give me the opportunity to take and retake a lot of product images. It's not even close to Spring-cleaning and Shop cleaning time, but it feels like summer today - one of those cool evenings where the house is open to a subtle breeze, and all you need is a sheet to keep warm.

It make me wish I had a large covered deck where I could bring my lap top and a mug of coffee to enjoy the evening outdoors. I tend to like the sunlight when it isn't directly touching me.

There are two new item lines I will be working on and hopefully perfecting soon; collage-style earrings and collage-style glass pendants. Please check back often for their arrival!

__1337 Art has some more new items on the way, and I have been adding old Etsy listings to my Artfire Shop. I think I will also be listing some destash and supplies there as well fairly soon. I'm tempted to start a supplies shop; it would be free to list, and it would help me clear out some of my old beads and things.

I feel inspired to get to work. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:

Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE!!!

*Spend $10 get $2 off!
*Spend $20 get $4 off!
*Spend $30 get $10 off!
*Spend $60 or more save 35%!

Discounts will be refunded to your PayPal account after payment has cleared. Please note that discounts apply to merchandise only (before shipping and any applicable tax.)

Please feel free to visit our shops below to take advantage of these incredible deals!

http://1337art.etsy.com
http://1337art.artfire.com

Breast cancer is the third most common cause of death in the United States alone. Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing the disease, and a 1 in 33 chance of it causing their death.

I have donated my previous Breast Cancer Awareness Items to a fund raiser, and so I made these simple earrings for my shop. Not everyone likes chunky and/or elaborate jewelry, so I thought these earrings are perfect for just about anyone.

All profits from this piece will be donated towards finding the cure through further research and studies. Please follow the link below to the selected charity:

http://www.bcrcwa.org/

You can find these lovely Breast Cancer Awareness Earrings for sale at my Etsy shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com/

In the upcoming months I plan to add more modern-friendly awareness items to my shop. If you have any suggestions for designs and specific causes please feel free to contact me at 1337art@gmail.com.
Thank you for reading,
-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter?
http://elite-art.blogspot.com/2008/07/were-collecting-emails-for-our-mailing.html

1337art has an upcoming craft show this Saturday:

Harvest Fest in Home, WA
Community Services House Saturday, October 4th from 10am - 4pm

I'm looking forward to taking a nice month off from craft fairs so I can focus on adding a much larger inventory to my Etsy shop. My goal is to have at least 200 items before my next show in November. I'm hoping to expand my collage items; cards, ACEOs, pendants, and more. I also want to add a lot more to my Men's Jewelry, Brooches, and Hair Accessories categories.

I'll be drinking lots of coffee, reading the latest "Quit Your Day Job" articles from Etsy's blog, and finally putting my overload of supplies to use.

Thank you for reading this quick update,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

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