A Little Corner Space

Enjoy a visit to AvaGirlDesigns http://www.etsy.com/shop/AvaGirlDesigns where you are sure to find something adorable. You will find lovely baby photo props, knitted beanie and cocoon sets, designer changing pad clutches, diaper and wipe clutches, designer baby wipe cases, and highchair tray covers... and so much more.

by AvaGirlDesigns
I was reading some of the things that you would like to know and I guess I might be a little unconventional compared to some of the artists on Etsy. I do not have a studio or a special place to design my products or hardly a place to make them. I etched out a little corner space in my husbands office that completely annoys him with all my supplies and a very comfortable chair to do all my knitting, and for the Upsy Daisy line which I designed in line of keeping with mom's personal style which consists of Changing Pad Clutches, Diaper and Wipe Clutches, Designer Baby Wipe Cases, and Baby Tray Armor I have to use my dining room table.

 I lug out my supplies, equipment, and materials every time I need to make something. Which is very inconvenient but being a stay at home mom of a 2 and 4 year old in a 1200 sq ft house I do not have many options. I stay as organized as I can but probably like most people things start getting in disarray causing me to waste a lot of time looking for the scissors or my pack of needles.

Since I did open up shop on Etsy I have learned a lot this past 8 months from how to improve my listing from the description to the photos which is an ongoing process but also to make sure you are always thinking on how to improve your products. Could this use an extra pocket or I should learn how to knit a different kind of stitch to make my products more desirable. The key is to keep improving and never give up step back every once in a while and look at your products in different ways see what new and exciting ideas come to you.

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Something for Your Little One

If you have a little one, you will want to check out Hip Pad's shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/HIPpadBaby .

It all started for Hip Pad Baby "when I needed a handy under-the-butt pad and all of the products out there had some drawback, I started inventing my own, and that was the beginning of this journey. Before I knew it, I was making them for friends and baby showers, and everyone who tried them wanted to pass them on to their friends, too."

 

by HIPpadBaby

Hi, I’m the inventor and maker of HIP Pads, in innovative changing pads for newborns up to the potty training years. HIP Pads are a great little parent’s helper and problem solver, invented out of need and effectively replacing all those bulky, stain-prone, rough and scratchy or plastic-y other things you find out there.

I’m foremost an artist, designer and inventor. I’m a bit of a renaissance woman, as I do so many arts and crafts, and like to think I excel at most of them. I’ve worked professionally as a graphic designer for the past 16 years, and love that my work lets me experience the creative process every day. Design is more than a passion for me, it’s more of an innate drive; almost everything I see around me, I think of how I could make it, or make it better, and beautiful. I have designs for textiles, furniture, jewelry, art objects, housewares, utility items, you name it!

I learn how to do what I need to produce the designs that I create in my mind, which is really how HIP Pads began. I had just a little experience with sewing before my daughter was born. When I needed a handy under-the-butt pad and all of the products out there had some drawback, I started inventing my own, and that was the beginning of this journey. Before I knew it, I was making them for friends and baby showers, and everyone who tried them wanted to pass them on to their friends, too.

The thing I enjoy most about the creative process is probably working out a problem. Every design is a puzzle, to make something visually pleasing, or perfectly functional, and hopefully both. It’s the part where you sweat just a bit, wondering how you’re going to pull it off, if you have the expertise to create what you envisioned, if you can balance all the aspects of the given equation. For me it’s usually equally challenging, stimulating, frustrating and satisfying.

With HIP Pads, it wasn’t so much of a thought process than a natural conclusion; the challenge was solving all the problems with the other things out there: the soft flannel is double-sided, and has natural absorbency – there’s no need for the bulky layer of terry cloth that most of the things made for babies have – and the most innovative part of HIP Pads is the leak-proof inner layer. It’s the first product of it’s kind that’s both soft & comforting AND stops leaks. Those big changing table covers are too hard to remove from underneath the baby, and they just make too much laundry. In reality, you’re only going to have maybe two of those, and anyone with a new baby has learned you can go through at least double that in a day with a little “squirt.” HIP Pads are easy to put under and remove without moving the baby. And even if you go through a bunch, you create a minimal amount of laundry. Most of the baby things made are light pastel colors, and after one or two uses, they look gross. Most of the fabrics I select for HIP Pads are purposely dark/bright, camouflaging patterns. Not only are they cool and fun, but they conceal the stains, which means you spend less time scrubbing laundry; no chemical stain-removers near the baby!

I’m very lucky that I get to work at my home studio, and be with my daughter daily. My workroom has four large glass sliding doors, and I love the abundance of natural light and views of our cape honeysuckle trees, which attract a bevy of hummingbirds. I usually work with either music (love the itunes shuffle, no decision making!) or some interesting movie for company (later nights has been Weeds lately, I enjoy the dichotomy of ‘adult’ content and my kid product work!). I’m very excited about getting HIP Pads out to the world, and I’ll happily be introducing some more products to the line soon.

Stymiepie Studies

Have you always wanted to create art?! I can remember loving to create as a kid and it being my favourite subject in elementary school. I'm happiest when I am creating and was excited to be inspired to create again as an adult. Stymiepie Studios shares her creative start and inspirations. I love her little Fairies. Leave me a comment and share what inspires you!














Enjoy a visit to her shop http://www.stymiepiestudios.etsy.com/
and her wonderful blog http://stymiepiestudios.blogspot.com/

i've been an artist since i was about 3 years old. as my mom used to tell it, she would put some brown paper shopping bags on the kitchen floor with crayons to keep me quiet while she worked around the house. the rest is history. i've never been quiet, and i've never stopped drawing. i went to art & design high school in new york city, taking the train from brooklyn every morning, thinking i was the coolest kid alive: with a giant black beret, long black coat, black platform shoes , false eyelashes and my portfolio. looking back now , i guess it freaked out the businessmen on their way to work..but i was an ARTIST!!! i handpaint gifts for kids and create custom art based on whatever inspires me. i'm into a fairy/mermaid/baby animal thing right now..it amazes me that an idea or picture will come into my head and my hand puts down what i see on paper..most of the time, it's exactly the way i want it, but when you hit that "block" it's like being underwater..the harder you try , the worse it is. i've always worked in the art field and i'm grateful that i've been able to spend my work life doing what i love. although i have a mural business (www.pixiedustmurals.com) that's taken me all over the country, my etsy shop is one of my proudest achievements..i've never had a shop before, and learning how to run this business and meet the incredible artisans on this site has been so much fun.

The Big "O"... for Organization!

Organization...can be a saving grace or an albatross depending on the degree of organization you have and how you feel about being organized or unorganized. When my studio is clean and organized I feel happy to walk into my space and ready to create. I make such a mess when I am in my creating frenzy and often times I use whatever time I have to create, not to clean. Every once and awhile my space gets so crazy messy that I have to clean up before I can find a teeny bit of space to create. This part can be as much fun, especially when you find long lost treasures that inspire something new.

Is organization your saving grace or albatross?

Morgan offers some of her favourite organizational tips and tricks. Check out her blog for more great tips and her wonderful creations ... http://www.morganmelim.blogspot.com/.

Morgan Melimblab...Organization…ha!

Kidding, for the most part I try to keep things organized so I don’t loose my mind.

I work mostly with Felt and Cotton fabrics, so there is an endless supply of scraps and thread all over my art room. When we first moved to this place I promised my boyfriend we could split the spare room, well I lied and took over everything! I’m lucky that the room oddly enough had no door on the closet and a full set of wire shelves installed. This has helped me immensely what with the one million Rubbermaid storage totes I have. Yup, that’s my organization: Ziploc bags and a rubber bin for every teensy tiny scrap of fabric. I also love a wire basket for things like tape and glue and paint. My feeling is the more containers the better! One thing that has really helped is having two desks in my work space, one to sew and one to list, email, edit photos and things of that nature for my Etsy shop.

I read Domino Magazine religiously and drool over all of Martha Stewarts work spaces. Recently purchasing a ribbon organizer and a large floppy tote for fabric by the yard, I’m constantly on the look out for another bin to put things in. I feel if each thing has its own container your less likely to forget about some really cool fabric, or loose ANOTHER pair of good scissors. I also have tiny containers with handles that I take small amounts of product to work on the couch while watching TV. Its all about finding out what works for you, and accepting that it will probably always be kind of a mess, but hey at least you know your being productive!

Visit her etsy shop http://www.morganmelim.etsy.com/