Handmade and Vintage Loveliness

Be sure to stop by and visit Kristine and Lily's etsy shop Vintage Whale http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageWhalewhere you will find *handmade and vintage loveliness*.

by Vintage Whale
Vintage Whale is a collaboration of two college students, Kristine and Lily. We're both from Oklahoma but go to colleges in different states. We’ve been creating and crafting for Etsy for about a month now and really enjoy it! Our shop consists of both vintage and handmade items. Before we started Etsy we always had thrifting adventures and were always on the hunt for vintage goodies for ourselves.

 Soon we decided we would like to share our lovely finds with others. We’re both really inspired by vintage and re-used items and it’s evident in our shop. Most of our items are made of scrap fabric or buttons we find lying about. We enjoy taking old things and giving them new life as necklaces, headbands, bobby pins or even cards. We’re always thinking up new ideas for items we can make for our shop and don’t usually create more than a few different versions of any one item.

Our creative process is pretty fluid and flexible because we create whatever we feel like making at that particular moment. We don’t have a designated work space but usually have movie nights that double as craft days where we watch old movies and work on our shop. Usually our crafting supplies are kept neatly in boxes or storage drawers we can roll out into the living room so we can craft and watch movies.

Once we finish our creations we love to go outside and take pictures of them on pretty paper or old books. Nothing goes into our shop that we wouldn’t buy ourselves, and we really hope people find something they love as much as we loved making it.

Don't Have to Break the Bank to Have Something Fun

Enjoy a visit to http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hannarr where you will find many little Kawaii treaures that are sure to make you smile. Kawaii means Cute in Japanese ♥

by Hannarr
In everything i do, i try to do to the best of my ability, and with every item i create goes all the determination, love and care, to give to someone some enjoyment out of. I really love art and crafts, it all started with my nan, she loved drawing and painting and so she taught me.

Using different paints, clay and fabrics has really inspired me to create every peice i create different from the last, which is what i love about Handmade items, everything is created with such enthusiasm and care.

My workspace is small compared to others workspaces, i'm a tidy person so i try to keep my workspace tidy,i love that i have my fish to keep me company during times when i'm busy painting or rolling out clay. Other needed objects such as paints, brushes, clay etc is all neatly put away in several boxes just waiting to be used.

I love everything i create, and i wear a few items myself that i've made especially for me. My Friends especially enjoy my hobby as they get free cute little gifts to wear. I try to provide real prices for everyone, you shouldn't have to break the bank to have something cute and fun.

I really hope i'll be continuing this for a long time.

Don't Be Afraid to Create

Enjoy a visit to Ageratum's lovely Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ageratum where "you never know what you might find".

by Ageratum

I just enjoy creating (crafting) beautiful things and I am into beading right now. I have always been attracted to colorful sparkly objects. I am totally 'self taught' and can only say to others starting out that you need to watch and observe every little detail. Taking a few classes would probably help tremendously! Also, be YOU and don't be afraid to create with new techniques and your own ideas. I create my OOAK designs wherever and whenever I can - usually on the dining room table. More than a few times I have created a design in my head after going to bed at night. That doesn't say much about my 'night life'! HA

Everyone wonders where I came up with my shop name. It was actually kind of accidental but it is the name of a wild flower which has always been my favorite and I use it a lot.

I especially like reading the scriptures from the KJV of the Holy Bible and have one of the many beautiful verses in my shop announcement.

We Are Truly A Global Community

Char's lovely etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/charstreasures has many wonderful

items to choose from. She loves what she does and gets "a real buzz out of creating useful items with vintage fabrics, doileys & trims".

by Char's Treasures

Hi there, my name is Charmaine, but my friends call me Char. I’m married to a very supportive husband and live at Tannum Sands which is a picturesque part of the Australian coast in Central Queensland.

I have been crafting my whole life whether it be knitting, crochet, cross stitch, decoupage, patchwork or my current passion of cardmarking. I love the creative process of card making and gain inspiration from all kinds of things, often I see in my minds eye a trim, button or a piece of jewellery on a card before I actually create it, sometimes it doesn’t always go to plan but the failures often generate more thoughts and off I go again on a different tangent. My main aim is make things that are functional and stylish and where possible use recycled items such as fabrics, trims, buttons and discarded or broken jewellery. Why buy a store bought card when you can buy a work of art.

My preferred studio environment is outside in the fresh air and sunlight, I have a dog and a cat to keep me company as well as 2 groups of native birds that come for a visit and a chat several times a day.

I've only been a member of Etsy since January this year but I just love the diversity of items and the talent of the crafters found on Etsy but most of all I love the way that fellow fellow Etsians extend the hand of friendship from all areas of the world. We truly are a global community.

Visit my blog - http://charstreasures.blogspot.com/

The Joy of Colour

Enjoy a visit to the colourful Etsy shop The Joy of Colour http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheJoyofColor

where you are sure to find one of a kind decorative home decor,gifts and accessories.

by The Joy of Colour
I worked as a textile designer for more then 20 years. I had my own design studio for funky printed T's for a couple of years. Then I worked for a leading company of socks and underwear for 16 years! .My work as a sock designer was great as I designed for mass, mid market and for brands like Nike,Hugo Boss, .... I traveled a lot to Europe and the USA, met some very nice people and got a lot of experience in design, styling, marketing...

2 years ago I felt I'm not as creative as I was and less happy with travelling, so I knew it was the time to make some changes in my life.I left the comfort and security of a big international company and took the time to think "What do I want to be when I'll grow up"? (at the age 50!) The answer was getting back to paint & brushes,to hand knitting and creating one of kind pieces. As friends saw my work they recommended me to start selling and then the way to Etsy was short.

In my Etsy Shop I express my love for colors in decorative objects (flowers, containers, napkin rings) I create. You'll find also fashion accessories that are based on my clay flowers. I've been selling on Etsy for about 8 months, and now I know it's going to be a long journey till I can say this is how I make my living, But it is such an interesting route, and I believe that selling online is a fantastic solution for crafters and artists to show and sell their creations.

"Balance Myself by Creating"

Check out Lilzo's lovely etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lilzo and her "Promotion Giveaway" - with a purchase of any two pairs of earrings from Lilzo, you'll get one felt item of your choice from the picture below!

Hi! My name is Jacqueline, but I go by Lilzo. I'm half Chinese and half white, and I live in California, although one day I'd like to live in either NYC or Shanghai, China.

If I'm not creating jewelry, I'm probably either studying, dancing, or training at the combat club. I have kind of a hectic schedule with everything I do, but I always make time to balance myself by creating, whether it's polymer clay, baking, or of course, jewelry. My designs aren't planned, but I keep a file of images that inspire me and that helps my ideas get flowing. A lot of my work is done late at night, when everything is quiet and I can relax.

I'm a friendly & outgoing person, and I run my shop as an efficient but lighthearted and inviting enterprise. Feel free to contact me anytime through Etsy's convo system, and I hope you enjoy my work. =)
x Lilzo x

Create Something Every Day

Be sure to visit the lovely etsy shop Taylor House http://taylorhouse.etsy.com/

 Chaucee finds it "essential to create something every day". In addition to her crafting hobbies she loves to visit vintage shops on the outskirts of town and post her finds right in her shop!

Have fun!

by Taylor House

Hello there! My name is Chaucee.I run an etsy shop called http://taylorhouse.etsy.com/  Taylor House where I sell warm handmade knits (including headbands, cowls, scarves and hats) as well as showcase all the lovely vintage finds I come across. 

It's something that started out as a fun way to share my knitting projects with people, but turned into a passion full time. As for my workspace, my knitting takes place anywhere. This includes on the couch watching a good movie, or just anywhere I can find a seat and good conversation! I love to make cozy items that will last through quite a few seasons.

When it comes for a shop update you can find me, a white wall, and my tripod setting up for a little "mini session" photo shoot to be uploaded later that day. In my spare time I write for a blog titled The Searched and Found where we talk all about the lovely finds on etsy. You can also visit my personal blog Lah Mode where I post pictures from my day to day life as well as talk about shop updates,discounts and giveaways!

Follow my blog @ http://thesearched.blogspot.com/
Follow my twitter @ http://twitter.com/chaucee
Become a Fan on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taylor-House/247108804861?ref=ts

Little Bit of Pretty

by littlebitofpretty 

Hi! I'm Kim from A little bit of pretty. I opened shop on Etsy in July of this year, and boy has it been a major learning experience! I think that no matter how much you research beforehand, you are never truly prepared for the time commitment running an online shop takes. I have found, and I'm sure many other shopkeepers on Etsy would agree with, that I spend most of my time promoting my business - not creating. But I also think that to be successful among all the fabulous shops you have to find your own formula.... I'm still developing mine :)

I grew up in a household where everything was handmade by my mom, including my entire wardrobe (until high school)! My mom taught my sister and I how to cook and to sew, and being a constant crafter and experimenter, it rubbed off on both of us. But I never really got hooked on anything crafty until I was an adult - probably because I spent 10 years in competitive swimming and there just wasn't the time to be creative. When my sister and I moved out, we started going out with friends to dinner, to clubs, to the Ballet and of course we had to have something fabulous to wear! So we started making our own. It was around this time that I picked up my first beading magazine and decided that I could make jewellery - it certainly would save me a lot of money and after all I was in university. But I discovered that I really loved to create jewellery and I kept up my hobby throughout my university career hoping someday that I could make it my job. When I graduated last year with my degree in Geology and went to work, I found out right away I didn't enjoy working in the "real world" very much. And so last April, when my contract wasn't renewed due to the recession I took it as a sign that I should go into business for myself :) And here I am, with a shop on Etsy.

My work space is far from organized although I don't like it like that! Until very recently I was making my jewellery at the kitchen table, so the fact that I have a room all to myself in our new house is definitely an improvement. I have grand plans for furniture and organization and of course I have my eye on some great artwork from various shops on Etsy to fancy it up. I have lots of great ideas for my shop floating around in my head right now too - I plan to develop a winter line of jewellery but still keep a small number of one-of-a-kind pieces in my shop for those people looking for a truly unique piece. I would like to expand my bridal line as well to offer a few more styles and then perhaps introduce them to some of the boutiques in town. Lots and lots of plans - you'll have to stay tuned to find out exactly what will happen!!! Thanks for reading about my shop you can visit here http://littlebitofpretty.etsy.com/  or you can follow my blog here http://littlebitofpretty.blogspot.com/.

Arion

Arion's Etsy shop is named after the Greek myth. Arion is mentioned in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, where the Captain reassures Viola that her brother may still be alive after the shipwreck, for "like Arion on the dolphin's back, I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves." Arion is said to be the first and best composer and citharist or lyer-player of his time. On his return from an artistic tour in Italy, he was kidnapped by pirates. Arion sang a praise to Apollo, the god of poetry, and his song attracted a number of dolphins around the ship. Arion threw himself into the sea, but one of the dolphins saved his life. After that, he lived happily ever after and was flourished by his artistic talent. Enjoy a visit to her wonderful shop http://www.arionjewelry.etsy.com/

by Arion Jewelry

Hello, my name is Jihee Kim. I was born and raised in Seoul, Korea. I am the mother of two adorable boys and the wife of a supportive husband. Currently I live in the romantic city, Seattle. I came to the United States for my masters degree in business and worked for an international financial organization for several years in Washington D. C.. I started creating one day when I took a whole day long class of “How to make your Earrings” at the community college with little expectation. After that class, I couldn’t stop making new earrings for my family, friends and myself. The rest is history. My favorite materials are pearls, garnet, ruby, amethyst, peridot, tanzanite and so on. A lot of my jewelry is made with these semi-precious or precious stones with sterling silver.

The best part of making jewelry is creativity. Creating makes me feel great and alive, especially seeing the final creation of one of kind beautiful jewelry with one of the most beautiful materials on earth. My Studio is located in a comfortable and convenient location: my living room. My husband made my studio in the corner of our living room facing the yard outside. In the morning, the sunlight comes deep inside and shines on my studio. It gives me a lot of sunlight, inspiration and energy. Morning is my most favorite time of the day.

There are two desks for my computer and my working area. On the right side of my working area, I put frequently-used tools and materials. There is a black storage box with many small drawers and a brown open basket. The see-through drawer for the findings and brown basket are for my tools. At the back side of my work place, there are two wooden cabinets for storage, one for all my beads and jewelry. The other is for my shipping materials.

On the top of the cabinet, I display some of my creations. Most of my jewelry is stored on the stackable organizer trays inside of the cabinet as shown on the picture.

I started only a short time ago to make my jewelry. Life is full of surprises. I never dreamed to be referred to as a “Jewelry designer”. Recently, I learned how to create jewelry with PMC (precious metal clay) as well as metal smith. I am going to introduce my new jewelry line for PMC hopefully soon. I keep learning and learning. Please watch me grow and evolve through my jewelry creations. Hope to see you at http://www.arionjewelry.etsy.com/ store.

My blog is www.arionjewelry.blogspot.com. Please stop by!

Thank you for viewing my story.

Thank you for all of your wonderful messages and words of encouragement!













You are going to go bananas for davenevanxaviour's absolutely adorable amigurumi !
Enjoy having a look through her shop www.davenevanxaviour.etsy.com and
her blog at http://geekycrochet.blogspot.com/.

I used to work for Ty Inc., the Beanie Baby company. It was my first job after I had graduated from The Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. After drawing and animating on a computer all day I wanted to just relax on the couch and make something. I had discovered amigurumi (a Japanese word meaning crocheted or knitted stuffed dolls) while browsing the internet, and I thought it would be cool if I could do that. So I asked my mom to teach me how to crochet. She knows how to do everything that involves crafts. She taught me the basics, but now I make up my own patterns and am getting more advanced as I try new things.Crocheted toys make up the majority of my shop, but I like to try new materials and mediums. I find old crafting supplies around the house, and make cute and geeky things. This is a hobby for me, so I make everything while I'm on the couch relaxing and watching tv.My words of wisdom:I believe that you should create art that you like and can be proud of instead of trying to make things that appeal to certain tastes, ages, or trends. If you believe in your work and are confident in what you are making people will like it. Listen to the positive and negative comments, but don't take them personally. Everyone has different tastes, and for every person who doesn't like your art there is someone who does. That is life, that is art.

Any Place Is A Great Place To Create!

Creating is creating no matter where you are!
Do you like to create indoors or outside? Do you prefer to create early in the morning after waking up feeling renewed and refreshed or in the evening when the kids are in bed? Maybe you are a night hawk and like to create in the middle of the night (I love the feeling of finishing my paintings ~sometimes in the wee hours of the night!) I have even found ways to bring some of my art tools with me when I go away on vacation (you never know when inspiration will hit!).
I agree with New Creationz that any where you can find a spot is a great place to create! Check out her fabulous creations http://www.newcreationz.etsy.com/.

When I take a look at the photos posted here, one word immediately springs to mind ‘HELP!’I am one of those people that dream of having their own studio, I wish for a space that I can call my own. That I don’t have to share with anyone else. That has all my equipment orderly arranged along spacious shelves and tucked away in neat little boxes. But, alas my life is not like that and though I peel through decor mags searching for the answer to my clutter problems, I have not let it hinder the flow of my creative juices.Sharing a small house with a family of five (including two teenagers!) has to have a few compromises. But my family is very accommodating. Most times, I am busy on more than one project so end up being rather spread out around the house. They put up with not eating at the dining table for days, due to it being covered in paints, canvases and with whatever project I am involved in at the time. It’s only once in a while that they tend to murmur when I am so engrossed in my art that I forget all about fixing dinner! I also work five days a week at my children’s school so am not normally able to sit down and complete a piece in one sitting.














For that reason I have adapted the way I work, to grabbing a moment here and there, so as to ensure that I progress with paintings or other projects. So I would like to encourage those that are not naturally “tidies“ or that don’t have a special studio to work in, or not much time to spare, to not be discouraged or feel they cannot produce anything worthwhile!I have learned to make the most of what I have got. Though my space and time is very limited, I am compelled to use the talents I have and won’t let my circumstances stop me. Having said all of that, I am still allowed to dream.....

(I am originally from South Africa and now live in New Zealand with my husband and three children. We love the life we have here and I am continually inspired to paint and photograph the beautiful green fields, blue sea and white beaches we are surrounded with.)