Etsyblogger of the month: Cozy

This months featured blogger is Cozy. She creates wonderful hand knitted items including kitchen clothes, headbands and lots of other items. Here are a few examples of her work.

Kitchen Cloth

Lipstick Red Headband

Toddler Bandana

Please check out more amazing items at Cozy.etsy.com
You can read her blog at www.cozyetsy.blogspot.com
Thank you for checking out this month's featured blogger.

Featured Artist: RSSDesignsInFiber

Check out our new featured artist RSSDesignsInFiber! Read a little bit more about her below. Then click on her links and show her some love. Thanks!!!

What do you create?
I crochet and knit with either thread or yarn - some of the designs are by other people, some are my own designs.



What made you start?
I have liked doing crafts since I was a little girl - I guess you could say it was my urge to make things and have fun at it that made me start - it also helped that my mother was an artist and was teaching me some things when I was just a toddler.

How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?
I've been crafting since I was a little girl - don't remember exactly when I started. I've been creating and selling since the fall of 2002. I started selling some photography in the 1980's, but I don't classify that as crafting.

Do you have any short/long term goals?
Short term goals are to get as many projects as I can done and sold - I have designs and patterns all over my home and there are many of them I want to do - I try to relate what I am doing to the current season. Long-term goals are very general -- just to continue doing crafts and create more of my own designs.


Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.
crowded, semi-organized

Where do you sell your product? (online and offline)
both - offline privately only

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)
Photobucket public albums user name RSSwebphotos, eBay - user ID sparrow618(noting currently listed on eBay, but still have eBay About Me page), etsy - RSSDesignsInFiber and RSSCrochetThreadPlus, blogspot-RSSDesignsInFiber

Is crafting your full time job?
No - I don't really do anything full time (not really working)

What inspires you?
Nature, graphic images, American Indian designs, other cultural designs, things that matter to me


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

What is your favorite material(s)?
DMC threads (all kinds), Yarn - Peaches & Creme Cotton Worsted/Acrylic, Wool and Wool Blends -various types and thicknesses


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

Apples or oranges?
Apples

What do you listen to when you are crafting?
nothing or music or a movie

Are you a night owl?
no


Do you have any other hobbies?
yes - photography - outdoor available light landscapes, environmental

How many people live in your home town/current town?
not sure - several thousand maybe


Read anything good lately?
the last really good things I finished reading was the Emma Harte series by Barbara Taylor Bradford, The Dead Sea Scrolls in English by Geza Vermes - and I regularly re-read "A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold - and I read and use regualrly two craft books: "How To Crochet" by Pauline Turner and "The Knitter's Bible" by Claire Crompton

Do you have kids? If so do you have any tips for other crafting moms/dads?
no

Look what I bought!

This year for my daughter's birthday I decided to go handmade. I had a hard time trying to decide what to buy her, but I had a lot of fun looking.
I came across this shop called Toys2Treasures.
I bought L a grass hopper pull toy. She has 3 other pull toys that she really loves So I figured this would be perfect.



I was right. She took it for a walk right away and was laughing the whole time.


I also bought her this stuffed monkey from Tiff705

She loves to carry it around with her.

Featured Artist: Mandy B

Time for another feature! (I'm actually a little late this week.. ) Check out our featured artist for the week. Click on her links and show her some love!

What do you create?
handbags, baby clothes, nursery decor, home goods

What made you start?
While getting to know my mother-in-law early in my marriage, she'd teach me how to sew. One time, I sewed a skirt and it had a matching handbag. People kept complimenting me on it so I made more...and more and more! Then I designed a website and started selling them. Now I have a professionally designed website and my Etsy shop. What makes me stand out is that I only use vintage or recycled fabric, saving thousands of beautiful textiles from being thrown into our landfills. People also seem to really like my Design Your Own feature where they get to pick out their favorite vintage fabrics from my stash, extra pockets, longer handles, etc.

How long have you been crafting/selling/creating?
I've been creating my handbags since 2000 but have been "crafty" all my life!

Do you have any short/long term goals?
I'm in the very beginning stages of combining my handbags, baby stuff, and home goods line into one entity, called One Cozy Nest. I'll be offering lots of vintage items, things inspired by vintage items, and hopefully making most of them myself.

Describe your craft room/area in three words or less.
Organized, Girly, Peaceful

Where do you sell your product? (online and offline)
I sell them on www.onecozynest.etsy.com, www.mandybbags.com, www.mandybbags.etsy.com, www.mandybbaby.etsy.com, and at an occasional craft show.

Where can we find you on the net? (myspace, blog, etc.)
My blog is at www.mandybbags.blogspot.com and the websites listed in No. 6

Is crafting your full time job?
No, I go back to work full time in June as an ecologist (working with wetlands, threatened and endangered species, and other nature related stuff)!

What inspires you?
Things I see in thrift stores, antique stores, flea markets, magazines, my sister (www.thevintagesister.etsy.com), and people on the street (I'm an insane people-watcher).

Any crafts you would like to learn or are currently learning?
I'd like to learn how to use a Gocco printer. I'm thinking about going in on one with my sister very soon.

What is your favorite material(s)?
I like any fabric that has great color and/or texture. It could be a dish towel, bedspread, or old house coat from the 60's. I can turn a sofa cushion into a darn cute handbag in the matter of minutes!

Are you a self taught crafter or have you taken some classes?
I'm self taught and mom & mother-in-law taught!

What is the best gift you have ever received and why?
Oh my gosh, I'd have to say my son Cooper, who was born on July 30, 2007. But if you're talking about material items, I'd have to say the hot air balloon ride & dinner my husband surprised me with on our 5 year anniversary. I didn't know it at the time but I had just become pregnant with my son after having some difficulty concieving plus a miscarriage. Now when I look at myself in pictures from that day, I think of that tiny little baby growing inside me and how truly lucky we both are to have him in our lives.

Apples or oranges?
Apples

What do you listen to when you are crafting?
Usually 80's music, anything on HGTV, or complete silence, haha!

Are you a night owl?
Unfortunately yes. I stay up way too late a lot of nights. My son gets me up around 7AM but good news is that he naps three times a day so I have plenty of chances to nap too!

Do you have any other hobbies?
I love to garden, decorate my home, and browse flea markets and antique stores. I'm not so much into antiques as I am just old junk!

How many people live in your home town/current town?
My current town is huge. As of 2000, population was over 40,000. It seems like it's growing by leaps and bounds lately though. Unfortunately we lack a quaint downtown area...you know the sort of place I'm talking about. The parts of town where they have outdoor cafe's and wonderful little shops. I have to drive to neighboring towns to get that!

Read anything good lately?
I am not a big reader unless I'm researching something I'm interested in (like babies). I have been reading a lot of blogs of fellow crafters lately though.

Do you have kids? If so do you have any tips for other crafting moms/dads?
Yes, I have one 8 month old son. One tip is to never accidentally leave a pair of scissors on the floor near a newly crawling baby. If he's not supposed to have it, he will find it! Let's just say that I could enter him in a sword swallowing contest. Good grief...I know who's not going to be nominated for best mom of the year!

DIYscene April swap

I participated in my first swap on Diyscene. Hopefully my partner gets theirs soon. I got mine a couple days ago and I love it! The theme for this month was "outside of your niche." We were suppose to make things we don't normally make. My swap partner was Daddysgirl or known on etsy as Grenade.etsy.com
I received this beautiful necklace, which was made from old necklaces.


This handmade hat


and this vintage hat.