Monday, June 27, 2011

bobrobomb

The shop I'm featuring this week is bobrobomb.
He makes original glass vases, pendents, glass flowers and more in flame-worked borosilicate glass.

Visit his great shop on etsy for more of his amazing creations!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/borobomb?ref=pr_shop_more








Here are some questions answered by bobrobomb.

1. What do you sell, in yorur own words?
Original designs in flame-worked borosilicate glass.


2. How would you define your craft?
Historic and traditional, in method; fresh, modern, and unique in design.


3. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
I had the rare opportunity to learn from someone with a studio I could use. Always loved glass, and jumped at the chance to add another medium to my set of disciplines.


4. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
That's a tough one, like What's your favorite song or food? I think the thing I like the most is opening the kiln after a great night of inspired work, especially after a breakthrough in design or technique that I've pursued for a long time. Those "AHAH!" moments where the dues are paid and the glass gods show you the way.


5. If you became a millionaire, what would you do, or say?
I would like to contribute money to the programs that give people hope. Not sure which. Also, I would tackle the project of putting together the shop in our back yard, and proceed to improvements in our home. Then, plant thousands of flowers around the shop and patio to make a place we can enjoy leisure time with friends. My wife's and my own 'Jardin De Joie', or Garden of Joy.


6. If you could only make one item like...(Vases, Jars, Pendents, Flowers) what would you make?
Flowers.

7. What is the hardest part of your craft?
Working at the edge of my ability, trying to push further into the world of skills. That, or marketing, but that is mostly time and some frustration. Probably the hardest thing would be the necessary things that I have no interest in.

8. Where do you get the materials for your craft?
Mostly from a glass supply house that I am fortunate enough to live near. It's like a candy store for glass artists! Winship Designs / Glasscraft in Eugene, Oregon.


9. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
Starting soon at jlais.com (website is coming together at this writing); Artfire.com, Zibbet.com, and about 25 shops and galleries in Oregon. Also, we sell from our booth at the Florence Oldtown Market on the boardwalk overlooking the beautiful Siuslaw River Bay, from June through September each year.

I'm feeling spread too thin, not enough hours in a day.... Thanks for your interest, gotta go blow glass!




Visit his profile on Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/people/borobomb

Saturday, June 18, 2011

uniquelyyours2010

The Shop featured this week is uniquelyyours2010!
She sells "unique" handmade jewelry on etsy.

Visit her shop on esty to view more of her unique creations!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/uniquelyyours2010?ref=pr_shop_more












1. What do you sell, in your own words?
My name is Lori Pentico and my Etsy shop's name is Uniquelyyours2010. I have been designing jewelry since August of 2010. My designed items include earrings, charm bracelets,cha cha bracelets, pins and beaded night light shades. I define my craft as UNIQUE...hence the name of my shop...Uniquelyyours2010.

2. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
I was first inspired to make jewelry to help a good friend who was struck with a medical problem that left her unable to take care of herself. I needed a way to raise money fast so I turned to making jewelry. I have become a self taught jewelry designer since then and I have never taken a class in jewelry designing.
 I have always been creative and determined so I think that this is what helped me alot....I never gave up!

3. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
I love working with colorful beads and charms from all over the world.

4. What is your favorite kind of jewelry to make like (earrings, bracelets, necklaces)?
My most favorite items to make are charm bracelets and cha cha bracelets. They are both deatailed and time consuming, but the final outcome makes it all worth while!

5. Where do you get the materials for your craft?
Most of my supplies come from a company in Oregon called FireMountain Gems and Beads. I have also purchased supplies from overseas.

7. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Eysy? Where?
Along with my Etsy shop, I do sell my jewelry in a Women's consignment shop near my home in Crystal Lake, IL. I also create special orders for family members and friends.

And ...here is some words of advice that uniquelyyours2010 wanted to add......

One bit of advice I could give to other fellow creative Etsy friends is to never give up and ALWAYS believe in yourself! The first year that you start out is rough and very demanding but eventually it all comes together and all the hard work starts to pay off. If you are waiting for opportunities to just drop in your lap...good luck! Only you can make things happen for yourself so get out there and try every avenue you can!

Visit her profile too!
http://www.etsy.com/people/uniquelyyours2010

Sunday, June 12, 2011

kissinglass

The shop featured this week is kissinglass

She makes recycled glass vases, candleholders, and lightcatchers.
She uses a technique of applying polymer clay to recycled glass to create her unique products.

Visit her etsy shop to see more of her recycled glass creations!
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/kissinglass?ref=pr_shop_more









Here are some questions anwsered by kissinglass
1. How would you define your craft?
I make functional art using anything glass destined for the trash can that cannot be recycled by usual methods, in most cities. I work with polymer clay, glass paint and the recycled glass as my mediums of choice. I call what I do Recycled Glass Art.

2. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
As a starving fine art student in my early twenties, I wanted to make Christmas gifts for friends and family using what I had at hand. I chose polymer clay because of its fabulous versatility and high light fastness and I have always had an affinity for glass. Trial and error finally gave me a result I was happy with. Looking back now, with the vast knowledge of how different products work (or don’t work with one another) I was actually quite lucky to come up with this recipe so fast. It has now been more than 16 years that I have been creating work using this technique.

3. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
I love working with things people have discarded. I also continue to learn new things from my chosen mediums and find new color combinations and inspiration from my outdoor surroundings.

4. What is the hardest part of your craft?
Without a doubt, selling it. Although, Etsy is turning out to be a lot of fun, art shows and markets are starting to be quite grueling and from time to time I get wicked neck aches from all the detail work I do. I am sure most artisans can identify.

5. What is your favorite item to make like (vases, light catchers, candleholders)?
Whatever my (canvas) happens to be, the work I like to do most, are the custom orders. I like getting together with a potential client and working out something that between us can be truly unique and special.

6. Where do you get the materials for your craft?
I scavenge the Goodwill, Salvation Army and garage sales, though most of the glass, like the light bulbs people save for me. I work in an art store part time, so I get all my paints and clay from them.

7. Are there any other crafts you enjoy doing?
Since I have a fine art background I have done everything there is to do with pencils, paint and modeling materials. Any chance I get at the art store to play with something new, I take it.

8. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
I've sold my work at many different arts and craft shows in Ontario and Canada over the years. I also have a many little shops that carry my work year round in Ontario. Groundwaves in Perth Ontario Canada has been a loyal customer of mine for over 10 years. Anytime I have to go in to Groundwaves to do business with them, it's hard to concentrate because of all the beautiful stuff they have in there!


Visit her profile on etsy here
http://www.etsy.com/people/kissinglass


Saturday, June 4, 2011

elisethomas

The shop featured this week is elisethomas.
She makes lampwork glass art. Her lovely beads and pendents would be wondeful given as gifts or used in your own handmade jewelry.

Check out her shop on etsy for more of her lampwork creations!











1. How would you define your craft?
I do lampwork glass art. ‘Lampworking’ is so named because the glass was originally melted and formed over oil lamps. Today we use gas and oxygen fueled dual mix torches to achieve temperatures required to melt colored rods of glass to form beads, pendants and small sculptures.

2. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
Actually, I was making chandeliers and other re-purposed vintage light fixtures at the time and selling them at galleries and doing local shows. At one of my shows, I met a jewelry artisan who did metal smithing and also used many types of beads in her creations. She inspired me to begin making jewelry as well. Ultimately, the jewelry became much easier to take to shows to sell, due to its portability. Someday, I do hope to get back to making lighting fixtures, but this time with my handmade glass components.)At first I began by making beaded and wire wrapped jewelry. Through this process, I discovered the wonderful tiny works of art being created by lampwork glass artisans and wanted to learn this fascinating craft myself.

3. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
My favorite part of creating lampwork beads is opening the kiln in the morning to see what the kiln gods have brought me!

4. If you could only make one kind of charm (heart, bird Pandora bead) what would you make?
If I were limited to one type of bead, I would likely choose to make hearts. The wonderful thing about hearts is that they can be made in endless colors and styles, with an enormous variety of decorations. Also, they have such special and personal meanings to the people who wear them.

5. What is the hardest part of your craft?
The hardest part of the craft is learning new skills. There is a saying in the lampwork world, which is PPP, meaning practice, practice, practice. New skills never come quickly and are easily lost if not used often.

6. Where od you get the materials for your craft?
There are many good glass suppliers online. Because I work mainly with borosilicate glass, I get most of my glass from Mountain Glass Arts, ABR Imagery, and Glasscraft.

7. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
In addition to Etsy, I sell my work at a gallery called Willow, in Littleton, CO, The Bead Lounge, in Longmont, CO and closest to my heart, The Orange Door, in Longmont, CO. (I am also the artist consignment manger for The Orange Door)


If the world is 72 percent ocean....how come it's so hard to get to the beach.
Here's a Treasury I put together featuring elisethomas.
I enjoyed putting it together....I've been watching the Little Mermaid too much. LOL!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Towels by Mouse

The shop featured this week is Mouse0403.
She sells machine embroidered towels on Esty. All her towels would make wonderful gifts. They are fun and colorful while also being practical (very useful indeed).  

Here's the link to her shop on etsy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mouse0403?ref=pr_shop_more





Here's a few questions answered by Mouse0403.

1. What inspired you to begin your craft?
I got inspired by a lady who I worked with. She got an embroidery machine and I thought it was so.... cool, so I went out and got one. At first I just made items for my family and friends. It's only been within the last couple of years that I started selling them at craft fairs and Etsy.

2. What is the hardest part of your craft?
The hardest part is cutting the threads after the design is finished been sewed out. My fingers start to hurt after doing a couple. I guess its old age.

3. Where do you get your embroidery designs from?
I got my designs from a web site on the internet.

4. If your products became popular worldwide and you became a millionaire, what would you do?
I enjoy doing this as a hobby, so I don't think I will let it get so.... popular that I could be a millionaire.

5. Is there a story behind your shop name? What is it?
My shop name came from my dad. He always called me Mouse when I was little and still calls me that today.

6. Where did you get the idea or design for you shop avatar and banner?
The design from my avatar, I bought off the internet. I didn't know how to make one myself so I had someone make one for me.

7. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
You can find my products on Etsy, Art Fire and at craft fairs in Kenosha.

You can also visit her profile on esty
http://www.etsy.com/people/Mouse0403

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