Storque articles: This Handmade Life

Etsy Love Stories: WieberArt

2010-02-09T14:01:00-05:00

I have been lucky enough to meet many wonderful artists while selling on Etsy, but one person who I instantly connected with is Grace Wieber. Her personality is infectious, her humor is adorable and above all, her willingness to support and promote other artists' work on Twitter and her blog is truly inspiring. Grace and her husband Will, the duo behind WieberArt, answered some questions for the continuing swoon-worthy series, Etsy Love Stories.

Tell us about yourselves!
Will is a generous, patient man and in my honest opinion, an inspiring artist. I believe our sons, Gregory and Vincent, attest to this fact. They too have pursued careers in the arts. Will studied painting at the School of Visual Arts, and I taught Italian for five years while dancing with Andre Evglesky Ballet. Unfortunately, I had a terrible ski accident (a no-no for a dancer) and left teaching to regroup and raise our family. I continued to choreograph instead of perform and it was during this time that I decided to study fashion design. In the 1930s and 40s, my father and his brother owned Bellanca Embroidery, where they made embellished evening gowns and handbags for the high-end fashion houses and department stores. These influences weighed heavily upon me. We moved to the West Village in the 1980s, and I took the plunge, designing men's parachute nylon-ripstop jumpsuits and pants for boutiques on Fire Island. Will has exhibited at the Annual Art Festivals at the Pines, Huntington, Montauk and in showrooms and galleries from Chelsea to Soho.

How did you hear about Etsy?
Our son Gregory knew about Etsy; several of his girlfriends were participating. He had told me a few years ago to join but our heads were not in the right place. We were still raising our children and getting them through college and out the door.

How long have you been in business as a team?
It was a dream of mine from the very beginning of our relationship to be in business together. It took maturing on both of our parts to finally realize this vision. In 1996 while still living in New York we decided to open a decorative finish business. When our familial obligations were winding down, Billy took me to Florida where we continued the business and on April 19, 2009 we went live on Etsy.

What's the best part about working together?
Work is play and play is work. We're still like kids, we just like being together. Even if we are separated by a studio wall, it's just great. I have also opened a shop called CrazieGracie. It's a form of therapy for me until I dig deep again for those new ideas.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
Difficulties have been ironed out over our 30-year relationship. As it is for most people, everyone wants to be the boss. Well, we all know that to work as a team, there can only be one captain. Sometimes, I get to be the leader. Most times, I am fine with him heading up the team. I have his respect. He knows that he can trust my instincts and when I get out there, I let him reel me in.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
When you are self-employed, it all runs together. We try to be flexible and structure time for our personal
lives. We make sure to get out and take walks, play tennis, and stay fit and healthy. It's during these outings that we reminisce, vent and revitalize.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
This may sound cliché, however, every day is Valentine's Day around here.

What are your future Etsy goals?
We are enjoying our experience with Etsy and look forward to building relationships and having continued success. We wish we had heeded our boys' advice to get online sooner. Leaping from the stone age into the cyber age, Etsy has proven to be a viable avenue for all sorts of opportunities.

Thanks to Will and Gracie for sharing their story.
You can see some of their creations below.

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories | Art Category

Etsy Love Stories: Greenmandesigns

2010-02-05T15:00:00-05:00

'Tis the season for lovesick sighs and pining for the one whose aim is true. Join us for another sweet and spicy edition of Etsy love stories. Today's tender and artsy couple is Cynjon and Charlie of greenmandesigns.

Tell us about yourselves!
Well, our names are Cynjon and Charlie. We're a somewhat oddball couple (kind of queer, kind of redneck, kind of artsy-fartsy, kind of punk) of almost 15 years who live quite rurally in a wooded valley in Tennessee. There we conspire to take over the universe, but are frequently distracted by shiny things, art-making, and building our home entirely by hand ourselves (an undertaking which alternates between joyful and daunting on a regular basis). Thankfully, it always comes back to joyful...even if only until the next mis-measured board or smashed thumb!

How long have you both been crafting?
Well, the easy answer would be "as long as we can remember," since we've both been involved in the arts in one form or another for...well, as long as we can remember. On a more serious level, as in focusing on it and making it into a source of income, probably going on 20 years to one degree or another. There have been breaks and pauses along the way, as kooky job after kooky job would present itself to us...Valentine's/Easter in a chocolate factory, anyone? Trust me, you'll never want chocolate again!...but we've always returned to art eventually.

How did you hear about Etsy?
Honestly, I believe it was from kvetching about some of the policies and whatnot at another selling site that also starts with "E"! A friend let me know there was a site out there dedicated to handmade items and that sounded right up our alley. Both of us are fans of anything handmade and supporting other artists. We checked it out, liked what we saw and joined fairly soon after Etsy first opened its doors back in 2005.

Did you open your Etsy shop together?
Yup, it was a mutual decision. I will say that I get easily overwhelmed (read: "distracted") when it comes to doing things online — especially things like setting up accounts and the like — and Charlie was there to push it forward into reality.

How has Etsy played into your relationship?
In some ways, it's played into it in a very day-to-day way: it's allowed me the opportunity to stay home more often after being on the road constantly for the last five years and to re-focus on creating.

What's the best part about working together?
Being able to bounce ideas off of one another, give/get honest critiques and see where the various ideas go, creatively. We both have different styles that we like and come from different creative backgrounds, so seeing how those differing viewpoints mesh is fun. I tend toward more "organic" things. While he enjoys the organic aspect, Charlie tends toward linear and ordered styles, like stained glass. He's the one who will tackle some crazy knitting project just to figure out the stitches and patterns. I'm the one who wants to do "free form."

Anything difficult about working as a team?
Giving and receiving honest critiques! Don't tell anyone, but both of us can be a bit stubborn, and if one of us has an image in our mind of where something should end up, it can be hard to see the other's image as well — or to meld it with our own! We manage to make it work, though. No dishes have been broken because of it, no couches occupied overnight. Yet.

What are you doing this Valentine's Day?
Cleaning puppy poop and installing bead board! (Now that's romance, yes?) We're fostering ten puppies for a no-kill shelter and they're occupying most of our time these days, along with the home construction. (Remember to spay and neuter your pets, folks! And ADOPT, ADOPT, ADOPT!) We may make it out for Thai for dinner, or it may be a quiet evening, post poop-cleaning, in front of the fire with books in hand — we'll see!

Anything else you'd like to add?
Just a thank you to Etsy — both the site and those who use it! Thanks for this opportunity. It's proof of one of the things we like about Etsy that's frequently lacking elsewhere online: inclusiveness and community!

I'd also like folks to stop by the Queer Etsy Street Team's group store from now until February 14th. One hundred percent of all sales (minus Etsy and PayPal fees) will be donated to Madre.org to benefit their emergency fund for the survivors of the Haitian earthquake.

Be well all...
Cynjon and Charlie

Thanks to Cynjon and Charlie for sharing their story.
Check out their work below and in their shop, greenmandesigns!

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories | Queer Etsy Team

Etsy Love Stories: Filzfelt

2010-02-04T15:45:00-05:00

We're getting into the spirit of hand holding, salted chocolate truffles and declarations of undying affection with another round of Etsy love stories. Today's dynamic couple are besties, business buds and felt-loving ladies Kelly Smith and Traci Roloff of FilzFelt. Here's their friendship's origin story.

FilzFelt was founded by felt-loving designers, Kelly Smith and Traci Roloff. "FilzFelt" is a combination of the German (filz) and English words for felt. (Since we’re Americans importing German felt, it seemed like the right fit!) This female-run business prides itself on simplicity in design, beautiful photography, good packaging and jaw-dropping great customer service. Here's Kelly.

Kelly: I was working at a Boston architecture firm in 2005 when I became enamored with felt. I had seen some felt bowls and boxes at the Milan Furniture Fair a few years before, and when I came across a German company that sold high-quality felt I immediately ordered some samples. My coworkers actually gave me $50 to $70 each to sew laptop cases and bags for them, without knowing how they would turn out. Before long I had outfitted most of the office (and their friends and families) and even hired a friend to help me sew. I cut down to working part time in architecture and focused on building up my new company, Etcetera Media, eventually selling laptop bags, totes and housewares at local markets and wholesale to retailers and museum stores. It was tough selling wool felt at the summer markets so my husband and I taught ourselves how to screenprint on T-shirts.

We sold a lot of our little felt cases and T-shirts through Etsy and in the summer 2007 we got a T-shirt order from troloff. I had oversold the T-shirt at a market and didn't have the size printed for the design she ordered, so there were a few Convos and emails between us. I saw her Etsy profile —"I like objects that are thoughtful, modern, uncomplicated, inherently beautiful, a little odd, sustainable, artistic, humorous, thought-provoking, and functional "— that linked to her blog and I totally felt a connection. We had very similar tastes, were both from architecture backgrounds, were not quite working full time, etc. We eventually met up for coffee/tea and our friendship began.

Fast forward a year and we were signing papers for our business partnership.

During that time, my German felt supplier had asked if I'd like to distribute their felt in the U.S. I turned them down twice before they offered a deal (including an exclusivity agreement) that actually made financial sense as a business model. It involved having a partner. Since Traci was a felt-lover as well and seemed to be in the right place in her life, I decided to ask her first. She said yes. FilzFelt was born.

We opened our Etsy shop and our webstore in September 2008 and we are growing, growing, growing. We did an incredible 150K in sales in our first year and 2010 finds us exhibiting at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, launching a custom and collaboration side and pitching a book about...felt! We love seeing what people make with our felt and continue to update/upgrade the way we run our business. Throughout it all, we've had a simple mission of spreading the love of felt to like-minded designers. Go sheep!

Traci: In the spring of 2007, I was working in an architecture career that I absolutely hated and had decided to quit my job (of only 5 months — I guess I hit rock bottom). I had the idea of opening a modern design shop in Boston and in the interim I started writing a design blog to have a creative outlet. I had shopped on Etsy and cruised it regularly for material for my blog. I'm also somewhat of a printed tee fanatic and one day found a company called Etcetera Media. I had recently traveled to the UK and loved one of their tees that featured a building in Glasgow.

At that time, I was talking to anyone and everyone who owned their own business, trying to get inspiration and encouragement. Kelly responded to a "Hey, I live in Boston too!" message from me and we made a date to meet for coffee. I was impressed that Kelly had gone out on her own and ran her own business while staying true to being creative. We totally hit it off and I began joining her at meetings of a local women's design group in Boston. During this time, I worked part time in architecture and at a couple local design stores, which convinced me to abandon my plans to open a brick and mortar retail store!

I had kind of reconciled myself to the idea of staying in architecture (what else could I do?) when Kelly asked about going into business together. Though we hadn't known each other very long and had never worked together (two things that scared the daylights out of me), I loved the material and was excited at the idea of something totally new and unexpected. I've always been drawn to color and inherent beauty in materials (I worked as an architectural conservator for, like, two minutes in 2000) and the sustainability and natural content of the felt appealed to me big time! I've always enjoyed working with friends and have discovered that my left brain works well with Kelly's right brain! Plus, we both are always up for late afternoon breaks at a nearby bakery (coffee for me, chai tea for her). It's been a year and a half of a lot of learning, a lot of "I don't know what the hell I'm doing," a lot of surprises and (thankfully) a lot of success.

We're excited to expand our business to the point of supporting two people and I've learned that work can be satisfying, even fun at times, and that it doesn't have to feel like work!

Thanks to Kelly and Traci for sharing their story.
You can see more FilzFelt offerings below.

More Valentine's Day Posts | Etsy Love Stories

There's No Place Like Here: Mid-Century Modest With Pam Kueber

2010-02-03T17:30:00-05:00

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music by Bill Loose, Lineland, animation by JuliaPott)

Pam Kueber of blog Retro Renovation was originally looking for the Victorian farmhouse of her dreams in the Berkshires, but for various reasons (price, location, size) she and her husband ended up falling in love and purchasing a 1951 Colonial Ranch house instead. Although the house has aspects of a modern ranch house — the step down living room, the open dining room — a large portion of the house feels more Colonial or, as Kueber coined, "Mid-Century Modest." As opposed to Mid-Century Modern, Mid-Century Modest is less minimal in its decor, and instead incorporates collections of knickknacks that add touches of warmth and heart, such as Stangl pottery, Cleminson wall pockets, Bargello needlework, Vera Neumann linens, Stylebuilt vanity sets, crocheted afghans and cast iron eagles.

The one area of the house that needed a dramatic retro renovation overhaul was the kitchen. The dark wood cabinets from the house's 1971 renovation had since fallen into disrepair. Pam happened upon a few of the original steel cabinets left in the garage and knew that what her kitchen needed was a resurrection of the post-war fitted steel cabinets. She searched for five long years for the perfect cabinets to fit her extra large kitchen. It was at a non-profit center run by nuns where she ultimately found the cabinets of her dreams, 1963 aqua-blue Geneva steel cabinets. Everyone thought she was out of her mind installing grubby old steel cabinets into her newly renovated kitchen, but with a little elbow grease and some car wax she buffed those old cabinets to perfection and created a stunning post-war style kitchen.

Eames era lamp, From 51VC, $845.

Catherine Holm Lotus Pot, From HausProud, $80.

Teak Elgin Starburst Clock, From vintagebutterfly94, $135.

White Ceramic Onion Lamp, From LiseVintageLighting, $175.

Retro Renovation offers a wealth of wonderful articles about mid-century decor. You can read about Early American Design, 1950s interior design, as well as a history of steel kitchen cabinets.

Looking for more styles and interiors? Get involved and show us your amazing space in this Flickr pool.

What Etsy items would you add to your retro renovation? Leave a link in the comments!

Housewares Category | Vintage Housewares

More There's No Place Like Here Posts | Retro Renovation Blog

Etsy Love Stories: Paulandkatestudio

2010-02-02T10:22:00-05:00

There's a wealth of stories on Etsy, but the ones that truly epitomize the lifestyle of collaboration are the Etsy love stories. Paul Klassett and Kate Archie of paulandkatestudio answered a few questions for Justine of PlumeAdore as we prepare the rose petals and champagne this February.

Tell us about yourselves!
Paul and I have been together for 16 years and recently celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. We met in Washington, D.C., moved to Seattle, and now are living in Richmond, VA. We love to travel and try to leave the country once a year. We have two cats, four nieces, and one nephew.

How long have you both been crafting?
Paul and I have both been interested in art our whole lives. Paul studied photography at the Corcoran School in D.C. and I studied photography at American University. When we moved to Seattle, Paul became more interested in painting and ceramics while I stayed in the darkroom. In Richmond, Paul's enthusiasm for ceramics finally got me hooked as well. We enjoy doing our own thing in addition to producing collaborative works.

How did you hear about Etsy?
We heard about Etsy for the first time several years ago. A woman I work with opened an Etsy shop, beeskneesstudio, and has been very successful. We had been talking about selling our work and Etsy seemed like the perfect place to start.

Did you open your Etsy shop together?
We opened the shop together. The hardest part was figuring out a name. Really. I think we talked about it for three months but could not agree on anything that was catchy and captured the feel of our work. Finally, enough was enough, and we settled on Paul and Kate Studio. Not very imaginative, but I have a feeling we would still be talking about a name if we hadn’t just done it.

Does either person have a day job?
We both have day jobs — Paul is a picture framer and I am a graphic designer. We are lucky that they are regular 9-5 jobs. We work on ceramics in the evenings and on weekends. Some mornings I come downstairs to find Paul drinking his morning coffee, listening to the morning news, and pinching a pot.

What duties does each partner take with your shop?
As I am writing this you might be able to guess that I am more responsible for the marketing/business end of things. We both create for the shop, but Paul is much more productive than I am. Paul helps with the photography, pricing, and listings, but I handle most of the correspondence and shipping.

What's the best part about working together?
The best part is we work well as a team. We have different strengths and processes and often can give the other a new perspective. When one of us is stuck or in a rut the other’s enthusiasm and creativity pulls us through. It is also a plus that Paul enjoys starting projects and I enjoy finishing them.

Anything difficult about working as a team?
The pros far outweigh the cons, but we do occasionally have different opinions about how to price things, what we should be making, and what colors to use. Nothing arm wrestling can’t settle.

How do you keep your business and personal life separate?
We don’t. It is all one glorious mess.

What are your Valentine's Day plans?
We don’t have any Valentine's plans yet. We will probably go out for sushi. I pretend Valentine’s Day is not worth acknowledging, but Paul knows better than to ignore it.

What are your Etsy goals for the near future?
Paul has set his goal for the year to create at least 200 ceramic pieces. Our Etsy goals for the near future are to attract more views and increase sales. We still have much to learn about how to get the most out of Etsy — descriptions, tagging, pricing, marketing, pretty much everything, is a learning process at this point. We have had a lot of fun getting to this point and are looking forward to whatever is around the corner.

Thanks to Paul and Kate for sharing their story.
You can see more of Paul and Kate Studio creations below.

Celebrate Present Day

2010-01-25T15:13:00-05:00

Turns out you don’t need to be a politician, a Hallmark executive, or a cult leader to start a new holiday. My friends and I created one last year. On the first Sunday of every month, we celebrate Present Day by spending the day free of cell phones and computers. If you haven’t heard of Present Day, you’re not alone. But if the thought of a day without your phone and computer sounds impossible, impractical or just painful, then Present Day is perfect for you.

I don’t hate technology. I love my iPhone — perhaps too much. I carry it everywhere, safely stowed next to my money and the family jewels. It is my touchstone, my blankie, my compass. One click and I’m home. At night, my iPhone rests inches from head, charging up for another day and beaming wi-fi dreams into my head. My laptop rarely gets jealous. I take her on all the big trips. We work hard together, and if I need to procrastinate, she’s always game. Sometimes we spend romantic nights in, watching movies in bed. When I’m anxious, she lets me click away my stress: YouTube, RedTube, Etsy, she doesn’t judge.

My laptop and cell phone have been loyal companions. But a while back, I became worried that our relationship was becoming codependent. We were clingy, incessantly demanding each other’s attention. I allowed my phone and laptop to behave horribly: interrupting intimate moments with loved ones, waking me up in the middle of the night, demanding I work when I was trying to relax, or distracting me when I was trying to work. Finally I decided it would be healthy to spend a little time apart, even just one day a month. Present Day was born.

When I spend the day without my cell phone and computer, I can appreciate all the ways these technologies keep me connected but I also see how they undermine my connection to the present moment, pulling me out of the here and now. Present Day restores this connection. It feels good to actually be with the people around you, without taking calls, glancing at texts, or checking your email. The part of me that is always on guard, on call, always ready for the intrusion of the technology, can finally relax. Disconnected, I feel oddly closer to myself and to the people around me.

Present Day is challenging too. I’m not used to making plans with people in advance and actually having to stick to them, without the benefit of real time flaking technology. I feel vulnerable waiting for someone in a public place, without being able to hide behind my iPhone, thus assuring the rest of the world that while I’m alone, I have tons of friends emailing and texting me. Present Day makes me spend more time with myself, unable to DoodleJump out of my thoughts, and that’s always a mixed a bag.

Photo by Jack Simon (Brett's father)

Yes there are challenges, but overall, Present Day puts me in the moment, and that feels good. And part of that feeling stays with me for the rest of the month. I’m less clingy with my iPhone. I don’t let my laptop boss me around. I’m less likely to get stuck in the web.

Present Day is like camping. I never want to go, but once I’m there I’m glad I did. Like many of you, I was born after the invention of the roof. I’m grateful to have a house. But something special happens when I sleep outdoors. The food tastes better. The conversations are richer. I’m woken up from my routine, and everything is more vivid. In giving up the roof, I gain something else. Present Day works the same way. Give up your toys and you can have all the presence you want.

Photo by Brett Simon

If the idea of celebrating Present Day sounds appealing or repulsive, come join our group on Facebook. It’s worth it for the contradiction alone. Here you can share your Present Day experiences and gawk at the lurid pictures in the Rogue’s Gallery of people caught fondling their laptops and phones in public. The next Present Day is February 7. Your presence is requested.

Brett Simon, one of the judges for our recent Handmade Moment Video Contest, is a filmmaker living in Venice, California. He has directed music videos for The Killers, The Walkmen, and Queens of Stone Age. His first feature, Assassination of a High School President is now out on DVD. He is currently writing a screenplay based on the novel Nude Men on his laptop. His iPhone is quiet...for now.

Read More Posts Tagged "Creativity"

Working Overtime: RollingHillsVintage Tells Her Story

2010-01-15T10:15:00-05:00

Sometimes you'd like to quit your day job, but life gets in the way. Patti of Northernlodge wrote to us about her friend Anita of rollinghillsvintage. We asked her to share her story about her struggle to carve out creative time despite everyday setbacks.

I've always been a very busy person. When I was a little girl, I made all of my doll clothes and all my relatives received numerous woven potholders from me on any given occasion. I loved creating. I once made a skirt for myself out of paper. Of course, I didn't go out in the rain.

In 1969, I married the love of my life, the boy next door. I worked as a nurse and he as a financial analyst. We were blessed in 1976 with our son, James. Soon after my son's birth, our world came crashing down. My husband became totally and permanently disabled.

I suddenly had to balance my life with an infant, a very ill husband and a brand new house that came with mortgage payments.

I worked nights in my nursing profession, called for Amvet pick-ups during the day and delivered flowers on the weekend. It was tough, but I feel it has made me a very strong person and forced me to learn how to do twelve things at once.

In the fall of 2008, my daughter-in-law told me about Etsy. At this point in my life, I no longer had to hold down three jobs, and I still loved to create. I had also developed a passion for vintage. I can stare at a vintage item — an old quilt or a piece of kitchenware — and wonder where it has been, who owned it and what story it secretly held. I opened anitarae822 for paper goods, sold two Halloween cards immediately and became hooked! I expanded to rollinghillsvintage.

Soon after I opened my shops, the drop in the economy hit my place of work. We were going to start closing on Fridays — a big loss of pay for a solo wage earner. My husband and I used the Fridays to hunt for vintage at estate sales, thrift stores, flea markets. Saturdays are research and photo sessions and keeping up with my paper goods shop. I started making some wonderful friends on Etsy through the Forums, and sales were steady and affording us to continue living the lifestyle we were used to. And then, another bomb fell, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. The medical bills were mounting, his treatments were uncomfortable and side effects were not pleasant. Etsy again put balance in my life. I would sign in to Etsy, and all the bad things would go away, I would list and chat and lose myself in Etsyland. And thanks to Etsy, I kept up with the bills.

I work eight hours a day as a nurse in a surgery center. Once I'm home, I spend time with my husband, do chores and get our dinner. After dinner I work on Etsy for four or five hours. (Well, I must confess, a lot of that time is playing on Etsy, chatting with friends, looking through shops and working on my goal to become the Treasury queen! I'm addicted!) I work long days, but Etsy has made them rewarding days.
My sales are steady, and we are grateful for the Etsy income. I couldn't have made it through the past year without the encouragement I have received from Patti at northernlodge, Sarah at fenandneds and Karl at halfpintsalvage and of course my beautiful daughter-in-law Mary at thecareerscrapper. And all of the vintage sellers who regularly promote on the Who Loves Vintage thread, they have been most encouraging.

Tell us if you have a person like Anita in your life. Post in the comments!

More Posts About Disability | Quit Your Day Job Series

Clueless Crafter: Don't Do It Yourself

2010-01-08T13:35:00-05:00

Halt! Desist! Step away!

Potting wheels stop potting. Spirographs stop spiraling. Spinning wheels stop spinning. Rotary cutters stop rotating! The bedazzled ball has dropped; it is time to wrap up 2009. Etsians and Etsy fans, we’ve come to a new year!

For some, 2009 has been a year of great fortune. Cash registers have been crazy-clanking and the handmade has been flying out of storefronts. For others, the past year has been one of trial. Rather than praise coupled with the purchase of handmade, some have been getting a flick of the wrist and a dose of the hand. No sales, no love — ouch!

On the dawn of 2010, it is appropriate to take a moment to look back. Whether the angelic Vanna White turned every consonant you desired into gold, crowning you Wheel of Fortune’s top winner or Pat Sajak watched idly as you landed on the black, sparkling pennant “Bankrupt,” it’s time to self-reflect, to authentically investigate what the handmade will mean for you in 2010. While you take this opportunity to think about your craft, I’m going to talk a bit about mine.

My wheel of fortune spun like this.

2008: The Year of the Consummate Consumer

2008 was a busy year for my powder blue Rewards credit card. While at times I could see it was fatigued — heck, it even begged for mercy — I continued to bow to the spirits of commercialism. If something was shabby, dirty, dusty, ugly or seemingly imperfect, it was time to get my sexy lounge sweats and hop online for some retail therapy (usually, at one of those fancy Big Box stores). My credo was “If it ain’t broke, still fix it.” In many ways, I felt I was doing my patriotic duty, to support the economy by waving my plastic loud and proud.

2009: The Year of the Credit Collapse

And then I saw these people on the news carrying their personal and professional effects in boxes out of super important looking skyscrapers. I don’t want to sound like a downer here, but these images were not easy on the eyes. So, I decided that it was time for my hubby and me to get out of the city, to find happy people, shops, and restaurants in the country. A jaunty call to the bank returned jaw-dropping information: Credit closed. Hmm...perplexing.

2010: The Year of the Clueless Crafter

And so I spun around in circles for a few weeks, wondering what to make of this misfortune. Insecurity set in as I recognized that my particular skill set of thinking big about small things really served no function. Our home still needed tending: drape ties made, holiday wreaths fashioned, New Year’s cards designed. I still wanted the American dream, but this year I’d have to put my back into it.

I whipped out my stapler and paperclips, unearthed a paint-by-numbers kit and along with a few pieces of brittle construction paper from 3rd grade, I set out to craft. As you may imagine, the outcome was breathtakingly laughable. Yet, despite the failure, a lurking sense of pride and accomplishment welled from within.

You see, Etsians and Etsy fans, I may not make quality yarn candelabras or emboss with finesse (actually, I burnt my arm twice with a clothes iron and now sport a blemish that will probably require cosmetic surgery down the line), but I sure have crafted up a sense of self that is worth its weight in gold — and plastic.

My Clueless Credo for 2010: Craft with Confidence, Fun in Failure. What’s yours?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hot glue gun and a pile of pom-poms calling my name.

More This Handmade Life Posts

Etsy Video 2009: Year in Review

2009-12-31T15:12:00-05:00

Friend Etsy on Youtube & Blip.tv | Subscribe to Etsy's iTunes Podcast

As 2009 comes to a close, we here at the blog are taking time to reflect on an exciting year in video for Etsy. We met and collaborated with many incredibly talented Etsy artists and had a chance to delve deeper into who they are and what they make. We launched a new video series about home decor and collections called There's No Place Like Here. We look forward to 2010 as a year to explore more amazing spaces, discover new narratives and show how makers do what they do.

We compiled a playlist from our Handmade Portraits, Process and There's No Place Like Here video series to highlight some of the Etsy sellers who have worked with us over the past year. See our free iTunes podcast for all of our videos.

There's No Place Like Here
Artists and designers invite Etsy into their homes to reveal their collections, creations, and uniquely customized living spaces. Find out what captures these tastemakers' imaginations, where they unearth their treasures, and how they have fine-tuned their aesthetics. There's No Place Like Here! Take a peek at Made With Love By Hannah's German chalet, overflowing with vintage kitsch, in downtown Los Angeles. Design duo Something's Hiding In Here give us a tour of their renovated Philadelphia loft full of woodland vintage and an indoor porch swing. Tour the Santa Cruz grounds of Niki Silva's communal living paradise La Selva.

Handmade Portraits
What makes the creative mind tick? Discover the story behind the maker in this mini-documentary series. Handmade Portraits introduces viewers to the creative universe that is Etsy's community. Canadian artist Sarah Faber of Black-Eyed Suzie creates delicate, Gothic art dolls that evoke Victorian times. It took woodworker Fred Jakubiec from Birdhouseaccents 25 years before he made building birdhouses his full-time job. It was well worth the wait.

Process
Get into the creative flow with Etsy's Process series. These illuminating videos provide an intimate glimpse into the relationship between artist and material. Witness the techniques behind the design lifecycle. It's a truly transfixing experience to observe Kim Westad throw one of her signature Sweet Pea bowls on the wheel in her tranquil studio. BeyondthePicketFence is not just a soap maker; she's her own research and development lab — one might go as far as to call her a bathmatician.

[Clockwise from top: Recycled Cotton Tote Bag by forestbound, Maximum Fringe Necklace by iheartnorwegianwood, Vintage Paint-by-Number USA by somethingshidinghere, Ivory Tulle and Pearl Bridal Shrug by Holly Stalder, Girl with Band-Aids by mimikirchner, White Sea Glass Pendant by wildpen, Naked Twirly Vase by Kim Wested, Primitive Birdhouse by birdhouseaccents, Little Bunny Felted Mary Janes by prettylittle]

Thanks for a great year! Post your favorite Etsy video in the comments.

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Wham, Pow, It's Boxing Day!

2009-12-26T02:43:00-05:00

"In this corner, weighing in at 157 pounds...." Ok, so here in the U.S. we don't really know much about Boxing Day but we do realize that it doesn't have anything to do with pugilism! A little research on the topic unearths quite a bit of interesting — if not completely consistent — information about the origins and meaning of Boxing Day, which occurs on the day after Christmas.

One site states that Boxing Day started in England in the Middle Ages and that the holiday was created because servants were required to work on Christmas but had the following day off. As they prepared to return to their families, their employers would present them with gifts (presumably in boxes!).

Another source reports that Boxing Day is when people give gifts, bonuses, donations or items to others, often those less fortunate. For centuries, a Christmas box was an earthenware box, introduced by the Romans, used to collect donations, either as tips at a business or as donations for the poor. These "boxes" were smashed the day after Christmas and the funds were distributed, hence the name Boxing Day. Check out this painstakingly reproduced money box by UK ceramic artist — and I'm assuming history buff — MattGrimmitt.

"This one has a flowering plant of sorts along the lines of many I have looked at on old Devon Harvest jugs of the 17-19th century."

Today, Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many British commonwealths. In the holiday spirit of giving, many popular stores in these areas open early and offer big discounts on all the "boxes" that have not yet been sold. In the Western Church, December 26 is also recognized as St. Stephen's Day or the Feast of St. Stephen — a patron of widows and the poor.

No matter the historic origins, or the more recent incarnations, it seems like what's most important is a spirit of charity shared by all. Happy Boxing Day to everyone around the world!

Read another Boxing Day post or more Etsy International posts.