Featured Artist: Black Kitten Accessories

Today's featured artist is Black Kitten Accessories.
Read a little more about her. Then click on her links and show her some love.

What do you create?
Polymer clay jewelry, and random funky jewelry as well. I'm hoping to
get a line of handsewn plushies going soon.



What made you start?
Well, I've always loved making jewelry, ever since I was little. My
mom always used to buy me beads and string, and I would make necklaces
and rings for my family and friends. Then as I got older, it
progressed over the years, and one day I found Etsy. I was totally in
awe. I had no idea there was such a good environment for selling your
creations. I was really excited to open my own shop and see what
people thought of my items.

How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?
I've been crafting for many years, but I've only been selling for the
past year. I hope that I can continue this for many years to come.



Do you have any short/long term goals?
My short term goal, is to sell 100 items in 2008. My long term goal,
would to be continuing to do what I love. Creating pieces I can be
proud of, and selling them to people who will love them.



Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.
Messy!

Do you sell your product? If so, where do you sell? (online and offline)

www.marianblack83.etsy.com

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)

www.myspace.com/blackkittenaccessories

www.indiepublic.com/profile/BlackKittenAccessories

Is crafting your full time job?
No, it's just part time for me. I'd love to do it full time, maybe
someday. I have a severe love for animals, and I need to be surrounded
by them daily.

What inspires you?
Everything! Monsters, animals, mythology, and things that I see every day.

Any crafts you would like to learn or are currently learning?
I've only been working with polymer clay for about a month now, but I
absolutely love it! I can't stop creating! I also really want to start
handsewing little plushies. I'm really excited about it, and I'm
hoping to start by the end of this month.



What is your favorite material(s)?
Polymer clay!

Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?
I'm self-taught. I like trying new things, and if I try them and they
don't work out too well, I'd definitely be open to taking some
classes.

What is the best gift you have ever received and why?
My puppy. I had been wanting a dog for the longest time, but couldn't
have one because of where I lived. I'm absolutely in love with
animals, and every time I see one, my heart clenches up and I just
want to love them! My birthday rolled around this year, and my husband
surprised me with a puppy. I was so insanely happy, it's hard to
describe. I have such a bond with him now, and he's definitely a
momma's boy. I love him to death and I'm so happy to have him. He
brightens up my day!

Apples or oranges?
I'm going to have to go with oranges. They take more work, because you
have to peel them, but they are way worth it in the end. So good and
juicy!

What do you listen to when you are crafting?
It all depends on my mood. I usually listen to Evanescence when I
craft. It just really depends though, there are so many good songs in
my iTunes.

Are you a night owl?
I used to be, in every sense of the word. I would be up til 4 or 5am
and sleep til 12pm. I didn't like wasting my day away though, so now I
go to bed by 11pm and get up by 8am at the latest.



Do you have any other hobbies?
I like making photo albums! I'm new to scrapbooking, but it's alot of
fun and I like being creative with it. I also like drawing. I don't do
it as often as I'd like, but I'm trying to do it more now. I also
really love writing poetry.

How many people live in your home town/current town?
I have no idea. I don't really HAVE a hometown. I've moved around so much.

Read anything good lately?
Oh man! I read so many books it's INSANE! I am seriously in the middle
of three books right now. Yeah, seriously. I buy a new book, and then
I get so excited I start reading it before I finish the last one I was
reading. I'm horrible about that! I'm in the middle of reading the
Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and I love it. I'm also
reading the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, and the newest book
out by Patricia Briggs called "Iron Kissed".



Do you have kids? If so do you have any tips for other crafting moms/dads?
I don't currently have any kids, but I would love to! I absolutely
love them and I'm hoping to have my first child within the next 2-3
years.

New treasuries!

Here are the latest treasuries I've been featured in.
The first one is by Shutterkate.



Here is another one by Bellebaby.



And this one by Custompaperdesigns.


You ladies ROCK! Thanks for featuring my work.

Pants pants pants

Instead of staring at the computer for two hours while my daughter took her nap, I decided to finish the pants I was working on. I've always been a fan of wide leg jeans. These are quite simple and don't even have pockets. I think the next pair I make will probably have 50 pockets.

Update on the new fashion line

I took the first step in starting the fashion line. I prewashed a bunch of fabric. I have this bad habit of not washing my fabric when I make something for myself. I've never had anything shrink, but I don't want to risk it with someone else's item. Therefore, I washed a load of fabric.


I need to buy a lot more different kinds of fabric, but this is some of what I have on hand.

I found this awesome sheer fabric in the dollar bin at Wal-mart the other day.


Here is another.


I've been thinking about making a spring dress out of this fabric.


Here is some funkier fabrics. Not sure what I'll do with these.



But they were too fun to pass up.

Featured Artist: Dismantled Fashions

Time to check out another artist.
This week I'll be featuring Dismantledfashions. Read on to learn a little more about her. Then click on her links and show her some love.

What do you create?

Clothing and accessories. My main focus is clothing, all with a
rockabilly/psychobilly style.

How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?

Since 2004. Though, I've only recently gotten serious about it. It's taking off,
that's for sure.

Do you have any short/long term goals?

Short term, just to pay bills! Long term, I'd love to own a boutique one day,
it's always been a dream of mine.

Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.

Organized yet messy.

Do you sell your product? If so, where do you sell? (online and offline)

Yes! I mostly sell on my own website, dismantledfashions.com but also on Ebay and
Etsy.

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)

I think I'm everywhere! I'm on..

Myspace: myspace.com/dismantledfashions

Ebay: eburl.net/dismantledfashions

Etsy: dismantledfashions.etsy.com

Model Mayhem: dismantledfashions - member # 221947

Rockabilly Fever: rockabillyfever.com/dismantledfashions



Is crafting your full time job?

Yes, I'm lucky enough to devote all my time to making it big haha! Or at least
trying. Plus, I can't seem to hold a real job anyway..

What inspires you?

Classic old Hollywood glamour, 50's kitsch, juvenile rebellion of the 50's, rock
and roll, all things classy, even more things trashy, horror movies, b movies,
bad girls and those old pulp fiction books.

What is your favorite material(s)?

Cotton and twill. I have such of phobia of lycra or jersey, I love things with
stability. Lace, bows and ribbons, buttons.. pretty much, cute things.



Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?

Self taught in what I'm doing now. But, I did go to college for
business/marketing, fashion merchandising and general Art. I wasn't cut out for
it though.

What do you listen to when you are crafting?

Anything fast and rocking! Rockabilly, psychobilly, rock n roll, and synthpop are
what I'm rocking these days.

Are you a night owl?

Oh yeah. It's 2am right now!



Read anything good lately?

Yes, in fact! I just finished "Elvis: the Final Years". It's a bio on the real
deal truth about the last few years of Elvis Presley's life, and it was really
amazing. Even a die hard fanatic Elvis fan like myself learned something.

What's up in the land of Glitterstar Designs?

Well.. I'm branching off. I have been sewing for about 5 years, but never felt like I should actually try to sell anything until I got myself a serger. A month ago I did just that! I was super excited! I had finally gotten my serger!..

Anywho, I've decided to open up a second shop. I think I already have too many different items in this shop to add more too it. This other shop will be for clothing. I don't plan on actually opening it for a few months, because I want to have a good stock pile of items.
I also need to think of a name. If you have a suggestion, leave me a comment.
I would like for it to tie in with Glitterstar Designs. Maybe use the word Glitter or the word Star.. Something like "Glitterstorm." I could do something like, "Glitterstar Apparel" or "Glitterstar Fashions" Well, I have a lot of sewing to do. If you have any ideas leave me a comment.

Featured Artist: Poisoned Creations

Time to check out another artist.
This week I'll be featuring Poisoned Creations. Read on to learn a little more about her. Then click on her links and show her some love.

What do you create?

Baby items like blankets and bibs, clutches, aprons, sock monsters, etc. All with a twist!

What made you start?

My brother and his girlfriend were having twin boys. I made them bibs and blankets with skulls and such on them. Everyone liked them so I just started making them for sale. Turned out to be a great decision.

How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?

Crafting…I can’t even remember it’s been a while. Selling…a little under a year. Almost time for my 1st anniversary.



Do you have any short/long term goals?

I eventually would like to open up a boutique.

Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.

A fabric disaster

Do you sell your product? If so, where do you sell? (online and offline)

I sell online at PoisonedCreations.etsy.com

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)

http://PoisonedCreations.etsy.com

http://www.myspace.com/Poisoned_Creations

http://poisonedcreations.blogspot.com/

Is crafting your full time job?

No, not yet. I eventually would love it to be but right now I work full-time doing accounting.

What inspires you?

Culture, music, custom vehicles, tattoos and my friends

Any crafts you would like to learn or are currently learning?

I would love to learn to screen print

What is your favorite material(s)?

Definitely fabric!! Mod Podge would come in second.

Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?

I learned to sew in home economics but that was just the basics and everything else was self taught or by my mom and grandmother.

What is the best gift you have ever received and why?

Brooke from Crossbones Couture made me a thermal top for a craft swap. It was the first shirt she had made using her new serger and it was prefect!!!!

Apples or oranges?

Oranges but it has to be peeled not cut

What do you listen to when you are crafting?

A variety…just depends on what I am in the mood for. I’m a big 80’s fan so it’s usually on that haha

Do you have any other hobbies?

My husband is a photographer for custom vehicle magazines so usually our weekends consist of car shows or photo shoots.

Do you have kids? If so do you have any tips for other crafting moms/dads?

Yes! I have a 7 year old daughter who says she wants to grow up to be crafty like me. She always has to have the first thing I make if it’s something new. I do give it to her because it makes her feel special. One thing I would say is if your child expresses his/her creativity to let them do it. Don’t get mad when they spill a bottle of glue or make a mess in the process because really that’s a kid for you and you want them to feel proud of their accomplishment.

Eco-Etsy Scavenger Hunt

Today I participated in the Eco-Etsy scavenger hunt. You can read about it HERE. I was a dummy shop. Basically, I was on the list of shops that had to be hunted, but I wasn't giving away a prize. Having some shops that didn't give away prizes made the hunt a little more adventurous. All of my views increased greatly because of it. YaY! Hopefully next time I'll be one of the shops giving a prize away.

3 Columns? What the...

That's right! On my never ending journey of blog reading, I am across this post by KMCdesigns
I've wanted three columns for awhile now. It took awhile to get it to look normal again. I figured it out though. I'm still tweaking everything but YaY! I just had to share.

Did you guess?

Did you guess what I was making? It's a purse! I need to put on a better handle, but this is just a prototype.

A new adventure...

I like to make things with newspaper and magazine pages. I had this idea and I went with it. I'm not going to let anyone in on the secret of what it is until it's finished. Here is a picture of what I have done so far. I'll post the finished product when I'm done making it.

New treasuries!

I've been featured in a couple treasuries this week.

Thanks! Holmtherese

And the second..

Thanks! ThingsThatBling

Featured Artist week 3

It's Monday again and time to feature a new artist/crafter/diyer/what-have-you...

Today I'll be featuring Staticwhite. Please check out her shop and show her some love.

What do you create?

Scrap Bats™ (adorable bat dolls), ooak teddy bears (ex: pirate, fairy, angel...), fabric art pillows, fabric portraits, bloomers, mini tricorn hats, costuming and anything else that strikes my fancy!



What made you start?

My great grandmother and grandmother were both seamstress. My grandmother had a cutting table, patterns, forms, industrial Singers, etc all in her basement. Everything a forever curious young child might find fascinating. To keep me from sewing my hands together she gladly taught me the basics.

Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.

Semi-organized madness.



Do you sell your product? If so, where do you sell? (online and offline)

http://SWStitchery.Etsy.com

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)

Livejournal: http://swstitchery.livejournal.com

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/staticwhite

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/staticwhite

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Static-Whites-Stitchery/10366781836?ref=mf



Is crafting your full time job?

For now, yes. Let's hope it continues that way!

Any crafts you would like to learn or are currently learning?

I'd like to learn sashiko (a type of Japanese embroidery) and fabric folding techniques among many many other things.

What is your favorite material(s)?

Brocade, silk, striped cotton



Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?

I was an Art major in HS, took college jewelry and fashion design related courses but a large percentage of what I do now is self taught.

Apples or oranges?

Apples please! I'm allergic to oranges.

What do you listen to when you are crafting?

Depends on my mood. Anything from Fleming&John to Tricky to Dresden Dolls to Fear Factory. I have eclectic tastes and a huge music collection.

Are you a night owl?

Absolutely. I'm usually not tired until around when the sun is coming up.



How many people live in your home town/current town?

Hometown: 8+ mil. Current: 600+k.

Read anything good lately?

Night Watch, Day Watch and Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Featured Artist week 2

It's Monday again and time to feature a new artist/crafter/diyer/what-have-you...

Today I'll be featuring Deadthingsgrrl. Please check out her shop and show her some love.

What do you create?

I try to do a little bit of everything just to hone my skills
and because I like to learn new things, but right now I'm
working on the Snuff Stuffies, slightly twisted stuffed animals
with real animal skulls for heads. That's done me pretty well
since I started and I look forward to seeing where I take it.

What made you start?

I've been creating things through different mediums since I was
a child, my mother is very creative and encouraged my different
styles and projects. It was a way to spend my free time when I
wasn't reading, and expend energy without getting in trouble :)



How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?

Crafting and creating, probably since I was able to hold a
pencil. Selling started about 10 years ago when I began Custom
Cranium to sell my etched and painted skulls. It's been off and
on since then, but lately has gained a fairly good amount of
momentum.

Do you have any short/long term goals?

I would LOVE to get big enough with my artwork to supplement my
income comfortably. Really my goal is to have the Snuff Stuffies
and my bone jewelry well-known and create custom pieces for
people on a regular basis. I'm not looking for riches, just a
tiny bit of fame and extra play money.

Do you sell your product? If so, where do you sell? (online and offline)

I'm working on selling offline at specialty stores, but that
market is difficult to get into if everything you do is
one-of-a-kind and you can't really reproduce anything in mass
quantities. What I do can't be duplicated easily, and depends on
a supply that may or may not be available all the time.
Online, I've done really well on Etsy and MySpace, and even the
DIYscene boards. They are great contacts with great people that
are supportive and full of ideas for marketing and publicity.

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)

www.myspace.com/skullgrrl

www.deadthingsgrrl.etsy.com

skullgrrl@yahoo.com

What inspires you?

That's a heavily broad question. I pull inspiration from
anything, mostly nature and my darker side. They co-exist quite
nicely, and it seems to mesh well in my products. I've been
known to get inspiration from friends and music as well, but I
can mostly attribute my ideas to animals and the skeletal
structure of living things.



What is your favorite material(s)?

I love love love working with bones and leather. I would love to
have a metal-working studio and lapidary wheels, but those
require more space and money than I have available at this time.
So mostly skulls and animal-related things at the moment.

Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?

I've taken a few jewelry classes and the requisite generic art
classes in school, but most of my skills are self-taught or
learned by watching friends work. Studying people is a hobby of
mine, and learning is the reason for life!

What do you listen to when you are crafting?

I listen to such a wide variety of things, but mostly Australian
weirdness like Nick Cave, Foetus, Beasts of Bourbon, some Middle
Eastern and Celtic folk, and a ton of industrial and synthpop
like VNV Nation, Otto von Schirach, Apoptygma Berserk and L'Ame
Immortelle.

Are you a night owl?

Most decidedly yes. I wish daily for a 24 hr society so it would
be easier to find a good job with later hours.



Do you have any other hobbies?

I collect things related to death, anything cephalopod, read
anything I can get my hands on and LEARN things. Every day is a
new chance to do something I've never done before.

Read anything good lately?

I always do! If it's book recommendations you want, you are in
the right brain :) Check out anything by Matt Ruff, especially
Sewer, Gas and Electric: The Public Works Trilogy. Right now I'm
re-reading Ayn Rand and Harlan Ellison.

Front page!

I logged into Etsy the other day and discovered my recycled bracelet on the front page. I was super excited. I'm not sure how long it was up there but I got over 700 views and 31 hearts on the bracelet. My shop got 22 news hearts from being on the front page.