Featured Artist~ Lori Paximadis In Her Studio Loft

Lori Paximadis was struck by the creative bug early, eschewing dinner one night as a three-year-old to complete a stick-figure self-portrait (or so her mother wrote in her baby book). Over the years, she has explored a variety of media and spent many years of quality time with photography, ceramics, beads, and metalworking.

Check out Lori's creative work at...
www.virtuallori.etsy.com

Lori Paximadis (virtuallori on Etsy) works with beads and metals in her studio loft overlooking the woods in Fairview Park, Ohio. She is a big believer in storing beads in clear tubes and containers so she can instantly see what she has on hand.

Her plans for 2009 include replacing the open shelving and scattered containers behind the desk with a system of shallow drawers and cabinets from Ikea.

Lori blogs irregularly at http://virtuallori.com/ and hangs out on Twitter as http://twitter.com/virtuallori

A Cozy Cluttered Corner

I absolutely love oo0oSUGARo0oo 's name. I think it is a perfect fit to her sweet and
delectable creations. If you are looking for a burst of colour and happiness...be sure to visit her shop.

by oo0oSUGARo0oo

"I create in a really cluttered, but cozy room, a corner of my bedroom. It is not nicely decorated like many rooms of designers or artists but it works for me. My working table is always full of materials whether I am working on my fabric cutwork or making beaded jewellery. To be honest, I never grew up having my bedroom nice and tidy. I was never proud of it. But I do feel better when I went to art school and found out that many creative people are the same and that I am not just very lazy. (or maybe I am? Hahaha…)

Ilove to wear and make my own jewellery when I was in high school so I got into university for jewellery design. But during second year, I realized that I have no interest in making silversmith jewellery. I found out that I need to see more colours so I switched my major to fibre art and start working with paper and fabric in rainbow colours. I love to draw flowers, leaves, plants, fruits, anything organic.

I also like to do pattern design. The flower and bird patterns of my fabric cutworks all came from my line drawings.

Many of my inspiration come from wondering in the park, staring at plants, flowers, and tree, and more, daydreaming about colours, and much much more.Right now, my goal is to create things that would add a fresh, happy and bright colour whether at home on the wall, against a person’s skin, or on any wearable items."

the link of my personal site: http://www.willieyung.com/

link of my etsy shop: http://www.oo0osugaro0oo.etsy.com/

Let's Hear It For Busy Mums Everywhere!

Original Design UK
Busy mum Lou from Original Design UK has a beautiful little girl and a new little one on the way
and still finds time to create her many wonderful designs. She credits her organization and lots of storage to help keep her productive. Sit back, and enjoy a visit with Original Design UK.

www.originaldesignuk.etsy.com

My name is Lou and I live in Manchester, UK. I’m a full time mum to my 18mth old daughter and have a boy due in March so things are going to get a little more hectic! I studied

3-D Design at Uni and i’m a trained Art & Design lecturer. A couple of years ago I got sick of teaching and decided to try selling my own artwork, I also have a mail order plants business and website . I’m probably like most crafters in that I have to try everything that appeals (and my etsy shop reflect this!) so i’ve done Painting, Mosaic, Ceramics and now I do Jewellery i’ve done Resin and beaded work but i’ve recently started doing Sterling Silver and intend to keep doing this. I’m currently buying materials to start CP soap making and Screen printing too, I love to learn new techniques and I get bored only doing one thing.My inspiration comes mainly from the natural world and vintage prints and architecture.

I primarily hand pierce my own designs from Silver sheet which I often texture using vintage lace and papers, i’d be lost without my Rolling Mill and of course my trusty piercing saw. I don’t really have a great deal of large tools or equipment apart from lots of files and so on, I do it all by hand but I do use a drill with my polishing mops to give the Jewellery in either brushed or shiny finish. When Lex is up I tend to sort orders/emails do research and sort of my material orders and so on, i’ll also sketch my designs and transfer the images onto my silver ready to work on when she nods off at noon. As soon as she is in bed I crack on with making and periodically go on the pc to sort out whatever needs doing and take my photographs. I have a large home studio where I create my work, it’s currently pretty organised (it’s not normally this tidy)with a few desks and big cupboards and i’ve cleared away most of my tools ready for my new supplies.

I would recommend lots of storage, I find i’m far more productive when I have separate spaces for different things and don’t have to keep clearing away and setting up all the time. I try and list a good few items a week dependant on the complexity of the piece. I’ve got lots of new designs and finishes in mind including more oxidised silver and colourful patinas that i’m about to start making, I think i’ll have to book myself a day off to give birth!

Where There Is A Will, There Is A Place!

Creative spaces come in many shapes and sizes. Where we choose to create is not as important as what we enjoy creating. If there is a will, there is a way and a PLACE! I love to find out where others enjoy creating. Often we choose the places that we feel most comfortable. Cheezombie shared this with me when I asked her to send a picture of her creative space. I think she has the best workspace! It is one of my favourite places to create as well.

by Cheezombie

By creative space do you mean like a studio, or workroom? I pretty much sit on my couch and knit. Would you like a picture of my couch? I'm not sure what to do about that :)!

Hee-hee!

visit http://www.cheezombie.etsy.com/

My favorite things to knit are soft sculpture creatures of all kinds. After knitting everybody elses patterns, I got sick of stitching together the little pieces that they all seemed to be made from. So I started making my own patterns, streamlined and simplified in design in order to have as few seams to sew as possible.I'm heavily influenced by british animation, the ocean, George Romero, and Coca Cola.The blog is mostly a photo gallery, but I'm trying to add more.

http://www.knittinglateatnight.blogspot.com

I Can Do This! TikiBead Style!

Lampworking

Pam shares her love of lampworking and how it all began.

She also gives great tips on how to get started if you are interested.

I started lampworking about three years ago after seeing some glass beads in a bead magazine. They were so beautiful and unique, I just had to find out more about them. I did alot of research on the internet and thought, "I can do this!"

So I found a local glass store and took lessons.

Here are some of Pam's beautiful TikiBead pieces.

It isn't easy... Lampworking involves so much practice! But there is so much you can do. So many shapes, so many colors. You can make beads with silver, or gold, or sparkling dichroics. Bead presses come in so many shapes... hearts, squares, lentils, barrels.

Sometimes I spend 15 minutes before I start work just trying to decide what I want to do that day. Etsy is the perfect place to sell beads, because the buyers are so friendly and encouraging. I've made many friends through my etsy shop, and received and given help to other lampworkers. To anyone who has lots of time and even more patience, lampworking is so rewarding.

Visit her unique bead shop http://www.daisydog7.etsy.com/

Design In A Bottle

Zo-Be Designs and her wonderful organizational tips are fantastic. I love that she uses bottles and mason jars to store her items. They are neatly organized, look great and the clear see through bottles easily display what is inside. I will definately use this tip in my space.

Zo-Be Designs found at http://www.caelum.etsy.com/

shows us what amazing organization and imagination can look like. I am inspired by her creative space. I can imagine walking into this room and being so excited to create that I could hardly contain myself~like a child in a candy store.

Zo-Be Designs shares some of her tips and tricks with us:

As for my craft room, well I'm extremely lucky to have a whole room to myself. It wasn't always that way, I used to have everything stuffed in one cabinet and under the dining room table! The shelves in my room were already built in, they almost made me cry the first time I saw them.

I love using mason jars, as you can tell. It's great to be able to see all my embellishments and I think they look really pretty. I bought a case of them at Walmart and I've used them all. Baby food jars and spaghetti sauce jars are also great.

I keep all the things I use most often right on my table, like buttons and ribbon. I'm using a spice rack as storage for brads and other small embellishments. I find it really helps my creativity to be able to see what I have. I built my paper racks out of the wire cube racks you can buy at Target or Walmart. Up next is building some kind of ribbon rack on the back of the door. I have to recruit my hubby for that project!

Visit her blog at http://zobedesigns.blogspot.com/

Vintage Style Charm

I am thrilled to continue to feature fellow Etsians and their studios this exciting year of 2009.
My goal is to continue to share Etsy Shops and their creative spaces. I am always amazed at the creative talents of others as I discover new shops and re-visit my favourites! I wish all a successful year and lots of creating time in the spaces we love best!

I am always looking for new people to feature.
Please enter the Red Door and contact me if you would like to be featured!
Hope to hear from you soon.

I love to hear from you! I am convo friendly and enjoy reading the comments made.

Please meet MaruMaru!
The first of many talented featured Etsians for 2009!

MaruMaru features a variety of retro and vintage style charms.

I can't imagine living without color, so my pieces are photographed with bright and colorful Japanese origami papers. My inspiration comes from anywhere from childhood memories to listening to The Beatles and playing in my grandmother's garden in Japan. Resin is my favorite material to work with because it gives my pieces that glass-like finish. I'm also in love with Czech flower beads and rose cabochons. I usually start out my day by drinking green tea and playing around in my jewelry supply box, and trying to come up with some fun ideas while having Waikiki Beach as my backyard. There's so many things to
create and not enough time in a day!




Best Wishes Maru Maru!!!

Visit her charming shop at
www.marumaru.etsy.com