I was featured in a treasury!!

My Witchy Woman Earrings were lucky enough to be featured in this lovely treasury titled Eagles Songlist!

Thanks so much cynmb!

Come See... What Art-Is-In {Artisan} Chat

Welcome to The Artisan Chat! Today we are chatting with Brenda from Split Rock Ranch. I stumbled upon her blog through entrecard and discovered a really wonderful lady. She is so friendly and talented and I'm thrilled she was so excited to be featured. I'm fascinated with her fiber work and the process involved - it seems so rewarding. And so...on with the chat!

Where can we find your work?

I sell on Etsy, I have an ArtFire store. We have our own website for the ranch where you can find our llamas and photos of fibers I’ve dyed in the past – basically most of my established colorways. My colorway page. I also have a blog. I am on Ravelry. I also have a Split Rock Ranch group on Ravelry! I have a Flickr account, where I post photos of my latest creations, Twitter and Facebook.

Can you share with us a little history about Split Rock Ranch?

We bought our first llamas in November 1996 – 2 males that we planned to keep as pets and use for packing. We boarded the llamas at the llama ranch where we bought them. We bought our place in May 1997 and brought our llamas home to live with us. There is a very large pine tree here on the ranch that has grown up between the cracks in a rock and it eventually split the rock – hence the name Split Rock Ranch. We bought our first female that summer and added a show quality male, too. We started showing our llamas and winning. We added more females and those females have produced crias (baby llamas) and our herd has grown to 35 llamas. Jim bought me my first spinning wheel in December of 1999 when I decided we needed to start doing something with all the beautiful fiber we were harvesting from our llamas. When Jim was laid off in December 2002 I started selling my fiber art on ebay and at llama shows. I retired from my “real job” as Office Manager for a home builder in June 2008 to work the ranch and my fiber business full time.

How did you get started as a fiber artist?

I learned to knit and crochet as a child but didn’t do much of either while I was working full time and raising my family. My husband bought me my very first gently used spinning wheel for Christmas in 1999. I made the mistake of trying to spin alpaca top for my first fibers, which was a mistake because those fibers are very slick and difficult to draft. Once I switched to easier to spin wool rovings, my spinning took off. Once I got the hang of it I started spinning llama, alpaca, cashmere, angora, and silk. When I started spinning and dyeing fibers I started knitting and crocheting again. Once I started using natural fibers rather than acrylic man-made fibers, I was hooked! It is such a joy to work with such soft natural fibers.

What type of environment do you create in?

I do all my work in our home here on the ranch. Our kitchen is quite large with tons of cabinets and counter space and there is a “breakfast room” in the northeast corner of the house where I have bins of fibers and a table set up with my drum carder on it. It is still a work in progress but I’m trying to get more organized! My views out the windows are of the mountains and the lake across the road behind us, along with the llamas and horses in their pastures, the soaring pine trees and the ultra-blue Colorado skies.

Your fibers have such rich and vivid colors - what inspires you?

I am inspired by Nature and the beauty I am surrounded with daily. Sunsets, sunrises, the intense blue of the Colorado skies, wildflowers, the mountains…

Can you tell us a little bit about the process? What is your favorite part?

There are so many things that I do it would be difficult to pick one thing and describe the process. It all starts with the animals – and the shearing process starts long before the actual shearing takes place! It is all about selecting animals that produce exceptional fiber, feeding them the right diet, preparing the fleece before it is sheared (blowing and brushing the animal out).
I dye fibers (rovings, yarns and fleeces) using either a ceramic crock pot (used exclusively for dyeing) or stainless steel stock pots in the oven. I use light-fast, color-fast professional acid dyes (the acid used to set the dye is white vinegar).
I card my custom fiber blend batts (perfect for spinning, felting or other fiber art) on my hand crank Ashford fine tooth drum carder. I love carding batts using a variety of fibers (wool locks or roving/top, mohair locks or top, alpaca, llama, cashmere, camel, yak, silk, bamboo, glitz, etc.) The colored fibers are my paints and the drum on the carder is my canvas.

Do you have a creative hero? Who is it?

No, I don’t have a creative hero. I pretty much blaze my own trail and let The Creative Muse work through me. So much of what I do has been self taught using books, videos I’ve found on-line and an occasional pointer or tip from someone experienced at whatever it is I’m in the process of learning.

Do you use social networking? How has it worked for you?

Yes, I use Twitter, Facebook, my blog and several ning sites: Creative Café, Café Handmade, Online Shopping Mall, Indiepublic & My Craft Corner
I have my Twitter, Facebook and my blog linked so when I post to Twitter or on my blog it goes to Facebook. I tweet when I list or relist an item in my store. I get a lot of views on my items when I tweet about them.
I blog about new colorways, projects and fiber blend batts. I post things on my personal blog and on the ning networking sites. I post photos of my new work in my Flickr account and on my Ravelry page as well as to my Facebook Fan page.
I have gotten more custom orders this year than I ever have before.

What do you look forward to?

I look forward to each and every day here on the ranch. It is always something new and different and I get to try out new colorways and fiber blends that popped into my head during the night. Yes, I dream in color! I look forward to meeting new customers, friends and other fiber artists who share my passion for all things fiber!
Some day perhaps I’ll have a brick and mortar store and studio where I can really spread out and devote everything to fiber!

If you weren’t a fiber artist what would you be doing instead?

I would probably still be working in the construction industry. I have worked as Office Manager for both commercial and residential construction and loved it. But fiber and the animals that provide that fiber are truly my passion.

What have you always wanted to try?

I have always wanted to try weaving but find warping the loom a daunting task so there my table top loom sits, patiently waiting. I bought a triangle loom, which I find much easier because the same strand of yarn becomes both warp and weft, but I haven’t finished the shawl I currently have on the loom (my first attempt) I am using some of my earliest handspun yarns in purples and greens to make myself a shawl on the triangle loom. One of these days it will become a finished object!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

My Motto: Where fiber is our passion, and it shows!

Thank you so much Brenda for joining us today! Take some time and browse her shop and treat your eyes to her gorgeous sense of color. Thanks for visiting and Happy New Year!!

Come See... What Art-Is-In {Artisan} Chat

Welcome to our Artisan Chat with Izile! I was lucky enough to run across Izile and her wonderful collection of oddities through my entrecard drops. We are regular visitors of each other's blogs and I find her unique work and constant exploration and evolution as an artist intriguing. So...on with the chat!

Where can we find your work?

http://izile.etsy.com is the online shop, I keep a gallery of all work at http://izile.deviantart.com and a shop blog at http://izile.blogspot.com

How did you get started?


Well, I'd always been interested in herbs and crystals and the symbolism and metaphysical aspects even when I was a kid. I think it was about 5 years ago or so that I thought of combining them together in a kind of bottled amulet.



What type of environment do you create in?



A chaotic one. I have two roommates and the best light is in the living room. Tada! Chaos!

It’s clear you are always exploring and willing to share your new work. What drives you to try something new?

I have no idea. Honestly, it's been with me since I was a twee-thing. When asked on places like DeviantArt "what are your media of choice?" my honest answer is normally, "anything that's not nailed down."

Your work is so eclectic… What inspires you?

Mostly nature inspires me. Especially when it comes to the Magic Vial Pendants, the seasons of the year have a lot to do with what I create. Gemstones can be gotten regardless of the whether, but certain flowers and plants are only there briefly. Two of my most popular vials can only be made in the spring, because they require cherry blossoms or lilac flowers.


Can you tell us a little bit about the process? What is your favorite part?

Well, probably my absolute favorite part is the gathering and research stage. That's the fun part. Getting to go out on long walks, trekking through the city and it's parks to look for different trees, plants, flowers, etc. Going to my gem shops to see if there's anything new or particularly eye-catching can also be a lot of fun. The gemstones come labeled, so it's just a matter of grabbing the right books to check their meanings. The flora material, however, can sometimes give me fits as I try and identify it and then uncover it's symbolism. That's mostly a spring problem though. Now that fall is fully here and winter is not long off, I mostly use herbs from my own garden, and some woods (like cedar) for the flora part of the mixtures.




Do you have a creative hero? Who is it?

Ow, I have lots of them, though oddly, none of them jewelers or crafters. I like some of the biggies, like Van Gogh, Debussy, Tolkien; and I like some of the more recent or obscure, like Edward Gorey, and Beth from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (who I had to give a nod too, because I have a crack-like obsession with her creations).

Do you use social networking? How has it worked for you?

I do, a bit. I have a shop blog on blogspot, the DeviantArt gallery. I am personally on Facebook, though Izile's Oddities does not have their own FB page. I cannot say I've seen much benefit from any of them except DeviantArt. I would estimate a MINIMUM of half of my sales come from DeviantArt subscribers who found me there then followed me back to etsy.

What do you look forward to?

Right now? Food. More long term? I have too many ideas of too many things I want to do. I want to take an aerialist class, I want to buy some PMC to play with, and a blow torch, and when's my next beer night?

If you weren’t an artist what would you be doing instead?

I consider myself much more than an artist. In fact, I often feel embarrassed to even list "artist" amongst my list, largely because I know many people consider jewelry making, especially such as mine, more a craft than an art, and while I do draw and paint, I have not kept up with it as I should. Other things that I do, currently, that I might invest even more time into if I had no artistic inclination, would probably be my music. I am first, and foremost, in my mind, a musician. My bachelors is in classical piano, and I'd probably be giving it even more of my time.




What have you always wanted to try?

PMC! Precious Metal Clay. I have some brilliant ideas (I think), but it's expensive and daunting to just dive into and play with, which is my favorite way of learning a new media. I've also wanted to play the erhu, and recently, the hang (meanwhile my accordion collects dust).

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I'm afraid I'm a bit scattered. It's not a lack of an ability to focus. I can focus on one thing for hours, even days at a time. It's just that I have never understood why people must choose between creative outlets, and so, I don't choose. Etsy buyers, unfortunately, only catch a very narrow window of my makings because it has to do with what will sell. In the past, I've listed herbs from my garden, homemade chocolate truffles (a specialty of mine), bath products (still have some in the shop, I believe), paintings, ACEOs, and sculptures as well as jewelry. It's why I originally named my shop "Izile's Oddities" because of the eclectic nature of my creating. And while we must be pragmatic, and what sells best gets the most time and effort, I do hope to keep listing my oddities as I have time for them.

Thank you Izile so much for chatting with us! As a special treat to you readers, Izile is offering 25% off anything in her shop that is not already on sale. This discount runs until 11:59 pm on Friday November 27th. Just make sure to mention her Artisan Chat in the message to seller at checkout to receive this awesome discount!

And the Winner is....

Thanks to everyone that entered and all the wonderful stories you shared. And a special thanks to Diane of Pixiebell Elfinwear for participating in our Artisan Chat and offering such a awesome giveaway!

Come See...What Art-Is-In {Artisan} Chat and Giveaway!

Welcome to the second installment of Come see...What Art-Is-In {Artisan} Chat and Giveaway! I discovered Diane from Pixiebell Elfinwear when I was lucky enough to win the April Flowers contest on byhand.me. When I opened the box of goodies, I put on that hat and wore it all night! And secretly...just a little bit of me looks forward the upcoming cool days so I can don it again!


So, without further adieu, on with the chat!



Where can we find your work?
You my find my work on etsy, artfire, 1000markets and in some select boutiques around the US.

{cloche hats on display in Bento Honesdale, Pennsylvania}

What inspired the name Pixiebell?
Several years ago I belonged to a chatroom and had wanted to use the name Pixie, but it was already taken. Elfin, Gnome, Faerie...all taken. Tinkerbell and even Stinkerbell were taken, so I tried on last ditch effort with pixiebell and got it. There really is no story behind the name, I just have always liked mythical type creatures. it is just sheer coincidence that I would, years later, come to knit pixie and elfin style hoods.



What type of environment do you create in?
I'd love to tell you about some vast and glorious studio that I create in, but I really do most of my work in my living room, on the couch with my family, watching movies. I even considered naming my hats in the same style that "Friends" episodes are named. "The Beret I Knit While Watching 'Practical Magic' " or "I Did My Best Not To Cry On This Hood While Watching 'The Notebook'." Some day there will be a studio, but I imagine I will still be sitting on the couch, watching movies.



What inspires you?

I grew up in Vermont, knitwear was essential! I remember discovering my mother's collection of scarves and hats on an upper shelf in a closet one year. I borrowed a long dark blue plaid scarf and a hat in the colours of cole slaw that winter. Keep in mind, I was 11 or something and proper colour combinations were an afterthought. It was nice having something different than what all the other kids were wearing. I felt special.


I grew up and we moved away, but I never lost that want for something cozy. I find my inspiration in the fantasy of still being a kid getting ready to go race down a hill on a toboggan. I still hope to look up in a closet and find big woolen hats, just a little oversized.

{photo credit: Cassidy Jean}

I live in Florida now and although we very rarely require warm knitted hats, I believe I have come to fulfill the comfort I seek, in making these hats. Perhaps I even live vicariously thru them. Parts of me are scattered all over the world, seeing the sights, squealing with delight over the first fallen snow of the season, breathing the crisp mountain air again. It's the next best thing to actually being there.




Do you use social networking? How has it worked for you?
I love to Tweet! I have found Twitter to be an amazing way to connect with other artisans and people of similar interests. I love being able to share funny little moments without much effort. I love reading and interacting with my friends and followers and getting instant reactions to new ideas and shop listings. I am http://twitter.com/elfinwear if you would like to follow along.

{photo credit: Cassidy Jean}

What do you look forward to?

I look forward to the hustle of the fall and winter seasons. I love that feeling that productivity brings. I look forward to being the hand behind creations that will turn into gifts at the holidays.


Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your thoughts Diane!


And now, on to the giveaway! As a special treat Diane is offering this adorable fuzzy blue beret! You can enter to win by visiting Diane at her Etsy, Artfire or 1000Markets Pixiebell shop and leave a comment here with a link to your favorite item. Want to enter again? Follow Diane or me on Twitter. One more time? Tell us about your favorite hat or scarf and why it was special to you. Make sure to leave your email or add it to your profile so I can contact you if you win! Giveaway will end on Friday, September 25th at 9:00 pm (EST) and the randomly chosen winner will be announced on the evening of Sunday, September 27.

Good Luck and Thanks for Joining us!

Simple Beauties Giveaway Winner Announced!

I was going to use Random.org, but there's just no ceremony in it. So I went with the old-fashioned way of writing down a name for each entry and had my husband draw from a hat...yes I really used a hat - a sunhat to be precise. :)

And the winner is....Tiffney!



Congratulations and thank you for sharing your wonderful story!


"The simple beauty that I find in my family is that they are always there for me and encourage me to do the things that inspire me..."


Thank you to everyone that entered!

Come see...what Art-Is-In {Artisan}

Welcome to the first artisan chat! It seems everyday I find another artisan whose work I admire (and covet). This particular artist, AwakenJournaling comes to you from the magical world of Etsy.

Personally, as an artist I own volumes of journals and sketchbooks as does my husband, a theatre professor. We both have a great love for these empty books that wait for our words and impressions.

Crafting remarkable leather journals, AwakenJournaling presents inspiring vessels for our dreams, art, poems, and those special, secret and random thoughts. And now...on with the chat!

{Fire's Essence }

Where can we find you and your work?

On Etsy for now. I do have a twitter but I'm still experimenting with it to see how I like it.

What type of environment do you create in?

My apartment; I have a craft table set up, along with bookshelves and boxes of crafting stuff. My livingroom is pretty much overrun with craft items when I'm working!

{Sunburst}

What inspires you?

Often, the materials themselves - finding an unusual antique button, a perfect piece of seaglass on the beach, or a thick, crinkled piece of leather that has character to it...often I'm inspired by the materials themselves. I love to find truly unique materials and then begin to imagine how they can be turned into a lovely book.

Who is your creative hero?

I don't know that I have one -- I'll say nature! Because you can find such beautiful designs in nature. Even a walk in the park can reveal textures, shapes, and designs that are completely inspiring.

{Simple Scarlet}

What is your favorite aspect of selling on Etsy?

I love that Etsy is very oriented towards unique products and good photos. The forums are also very friendly. So I'd say the whole atmosphere of promoting creativity and individuality.

Do you use social networking? How has it worked for you?

I don't use it much. I recently started on Twitter but I'm not sure I like it that much yet. I am thinking of trying facebook. For now though my Etsy shop is enough.

{Reptilian Steampunk}

What do you look forward to?

Sales of course! :)

I'm very much looking forward to Christmas time. I just opened my shop in January so I 'm excited to see what will happen around the holiday season! I'm also going to my first craft fair in September and I'm very excited for that!

{Aqua Pearl Necklace}

If you weren't creating these wonderful journals, what would you be doing instead?

I would always be creating something. I go to school full-time but I love to create in my spare time, it's very relaxing. I doodle all the time-- when I'm talking on the phone, when I'm taking notes in class... I love to draw and create things with my hands. So if I didn't make journals, I'm sure I'd be making something else!

{Undersea Garden}

What have you always wanted to try?

I want to try to make my own paper at some point, I just don't have the space now. I also love to try new techniques, and incorporate new materials!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

If you're looking for some inspiring books to read, I can recommend: 'The Richest Man in Babylon,' 'Think and Grow Rich,' and 'Light from Many Lamps.' Two are more about building wealth and success in business, and the last is more inspirational.

{Contemplation}

Thank you so much AwakenJournaling for being the featured Artist in our Come see...What Art-Is-In {Artisan} Chat!

To celebrate the first Artisan Chat, I am offering my readers free shipping on any order in my shop, K. Nice Artworks through August 10th. Just mention 'AwakenJournaling Rocks!' at checkout in message to seller.

Make sure to stop by AwakenJournaling's shop to see her newest creations! She also has an exciting new shop, ArtisanJourneys for other leather items such as rings, bags and cuffs!

Simple Beauties Giveaway

I've been a bit out of touch the past few days - my husband and I had some family come into town - including our young niece and nephew (4 and 5). They had an absolute blast - we live on the coast and they live in the Midwest. They loved the ocean and we spent hour after hour there looking for shells and feeling the waves crash against us. They were able experience things here they hadn't before and we were able to share that experience and create some family memories.

The magic simplicity of the family vacation.

I started thinking about the vacations my family took when I was a child. Every year we went to the UP to visit my grandparents - which was great! One year we took a camping trip with them to Copper Harbor. This was such a fun trip - I remember thinking it seemed so far away and how cool it was to travel with them - my parents and I had a "three man tent" (which we all know is really for one) and the grandparents were in a camper - which I thought was just the coolest thing! The trip was jam-packed - we toured lighthouses and mines, hunted for fossils and copper (found some too), when to tourist trap souvenir shops and bought postcards and tee shirts. It was a fun trip and definitely created some lasting memories. Thinking about this trip reminded me how exciting it was to find those glimmers of the copper we hunted - the simple beauty.

So now it's time for the giveaway! Leave me a comment with a few lines about your magic family vacation or share the simple beauty you find in your family and enter to win your choice of my new Simple Beauties line of jewelry.

Want to enter more than once?

1. Feel free to share as many stories as you like - You receive one entry for each tale you share.

2. Or for an additional entry, visit my shop and tell me what you like best or what you would like to see more of.

3. Follow me on Twitter.

Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Remember, you can always sign up to find out about giveaways and sales by joining my mailing list.

Giveaway will run until 9:00 pm (est) Saturday, August 8 and the winner randomly chosen and announced the evening of Sunday, August 9.

Have fun reminiscing!

Kudos Collection for the week July 5

Welcome to the Kudos Collection for the week!

Kudos to WHIMSYlove featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to ThePeachTree featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to PetitPoulailler featured on the Etsy front page!
As always, if you have a Kudos you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment with the link.
Thanks for visiting!

Celebrate!

Happy Fourth of July!!

To help celebrate, I am offering Free Shipping on everything in my Etsy store!

Enjoy and have a safe and fabulous holiday!

Kudos Collection for the week June 21

Welcome to the Kudos Collection for the Week! When we get featured, we want to shout it to the world! Here are a few artists I caught via tweets that deserve another round of Kudos!

Kudos to thevintageholicfrog featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to hilariagalleries featured on the Etsy front page!
Kudos to doodlebirdie featured on the Etsy front page!

If you have a kudos you would like to share, feel free to post it in a comment below. Thanks for joining me!

Kudos Collection for the week June 13

Welcome to the Kudos Collection for the week!

When we are featured, we want to shout it out to the world! Here are a few collected throughout the week, found via tweets.

Kudos to thelittlereddoor featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to moonthroughfog featured on the Etsy front page!
Kudos to RaspberryFairy featured on the Etsy front page!

Thanks for joining me! If you have a Kudos you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment with the link below.

Kudos Collection for the week June 6

Welcome to the Kudos Collection for the week! Here are a few of the artists that were featured this week found via tweets.

Kudos to polishedtwo featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to monkeyandsquirrel featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to AwakenJournaling featured on the Etsy front page!

And finally, my own tweet - I was featured on lillyella's blog! Thanks lillyella!

I hope you enjoyed the Kudos Collection for the week. Do you have a Kudos to share? Feel free to leave a comment with the link.

Enjoy!

Kudos Collection for the week May 30

Welcome to the Kudos Collection for the week! When we get featured, we want to shout it out to the world. As an active tweeter, I catch a few tweets a week sharing the good news. Here are a few from this week...

Kudos to thecraftpantry featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to snappyshop featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to metalology featured on the Etsy front page!

Thanks for joining me in shouting out Kudos to these wonderful artists! If you have a Kudos you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment with the link.

My Dad is so Cool!

We all know our dad is the coolest and here's a chance to share why! Leave me a few lines about why your dad is so cool and enter to win this brass wire wrapped, green aventurine pendant.

Here's mine: My dad is soooo cool...when I was a kid, we would do camp outs in the backyard (or in front of the fireplace if the weather was bad). We would set up the tent and get the sleeping bags, eat junk food, and here's the best part, we would listen to old radio plays all night. My favorite was always The Shadow.

Share your My dad is so Cool story and enter to win this pendant, which would look wonderful either on an simple chain or incorporated in a hemp necklace. Pendant measures 1" from the bottom of the bail and 1/2" across at the widest point (sorry chain is not included).

Have more than one story? You can enter once a day with a different story.

Want to enter again? Either tweet this giveaway or follow my blog and leave a comment with the tweet link or "follow."

One more time? Visit my etsy shop and tell me your favorite piece.

Giveaway will run until 9:00pm on Friday, June 19 and the randomly picked winner will be announced on the evening of Sunday, June 21. Please be sure to leave an email address so I may contact you if you win!

Have fun remembering and thank you for sharing!

Kudos Collection for the week

That's right - it's that time again...the Kudos Collection for the week! It's so great when we get featured, we want to shout it out to the world! I've starting collecting a few tweets each week of these happy moments - so here they are!

Kudos to tamaragarvey featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to oktak featured on the Etsy front page!

Kudos to lupin featured on the Etsy front page

Thanks for joining me and giving these special artists the Kudos they deserve! Do you have a Kudos tweet you would like to share?