Happy New Year - Past Project Review

Merry Christmas and Blessings for a Happy New year!

- Kerry -

Dear Knitting, How I've Missed You!

I've been so busy this summer with school and a new job [not to mention Etsy, family, friends; but you know how that is] that I haven't had much time for making much of anything. Just whipping out a little bag here and there, and making a pair of feed bag shorts [inside joke; will clue you in later if your interested!]. But I have not had time to sit and enjoy the process of 'knit one purl one' and watch with wonder as 'something' emerges.

I recently bought a pattern for button down fingerless mitts from knitter, designer and fellow Etsyian, Lynette McPherson, of Fern Wood Wool Works. The pattern has been fun; not quite a beginners pattern, but no doubt easily understood and well explained. She also designs knit socks, leg warmers and even baby mitts and leg warmers!

All I have left to do for this right hand mitt is pick out some buttons to sew on, weave in the loose ends and ...

... finish the ribbing on the thumb.

Then, on the the left mitt! I can't wait to get started and have these this fall and winter to keep my hands cozy at the drafty feed store I work at. I'll post photos of the completed pair when I have had time to finish them. Thanks Lynette, for the beautiful design!

Have a terrific Tuesday.

Kerry

Oh Darling, Let's Be Adventurers...

  I always feel like an adventurer when I'm browsing the amazing Crafting 'Explorers' of Etsy!

Come Explore with me!

    

cutrag - Upcycled designs

  

ChaseLindberg - It's all in the details

Have you discovered any gems recently? Share about them! I can't wait to see what you've found...

Happy Thursday!

-Kerry

Grow Your Own Clothes

I really enjoyed this article posted on the Etsy Blog. You'll have to read the whole story but it's talking about this gal who (starting out), decided to make just one outfit, in one year, with materials sourced within 150 miles of her home. 

I think that is very cool. 

 What do you think?? 

____________

Have a great weekend,

Kerry

Dog Days of Summer

""Dog Days" (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer.  Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather."      -Wikipedia

Here are a couple items to cool off with as we enjoy the last few weeks of the lovely, 'dog days of summer'...

Be a square knot bracelet               ecoviva top  

 

 wooden umbrella magnets                Leaf Ring

Treasury: Cool Summer Favorites

Featured Seller : Lima Lu Art Studio

I'm excited to introduce the next featured Etsy seller!! She's very new to Etsy and I'm happy to share her new shop with you; but before I give away too much, I'll let her speak for her self...

....................................................................................................

Tell us about yourself and what you offer in your shop?

Hi, my name is Courtlyn Pearson and I sell baby animal hats in my shop. I grew up in the Alaskan interior and am currently a Linguistics major at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Exactly half of me is an artist, and the other half is a language nut. If I’m not drawing a new design, writing a novel, knitting something soft, or working towards finishing some project, I am studying.



Right now I offer knitted baby animal hats. I’m just starting my shop so I only have bunny and bear hats. I will eventually be expanding to offer knitted stuffed animals other animal types.

A cute close up of cozy critter caps!

How did you come up with your shop name?

Lu was the name of a bubble eye goldfish that was very dear to me. Bubble eye goldfish have no dorsal fin, so he always looked like he was dragging his fluid filled sacs around. I used to pretend he only spoke Portuguese (so I had an excuse to practice), and I teased him to not carry so many Lima, which means sweet limes. So it really just means Sweet Lime Lu.

How did you get started?



View from the train: Denali
(tallest mountain in North America)



Well I had a good friend who was expecting a baby, and I always want to give a present that will be remembered. I thought a bunny hat would be adorable, and set out to find a good pattern on Ravelry.com, but the ears I found were not what I wanted. I have been knitting for over ten years, and knew I could make the kind of ears I envisioned. My hat went over so well a lot of friends and coworkers wanted their own creation, and so I started to sell word-of-mouth. After awhile my friends convinced me to sell online, and here I am.

Where do you work?

Anywhere there isn’t a cat to chew on my yarn. During the summer I travel around because of my job. I work as a rail guide for Royal Celebrity Tours on the Alaska Railroad. A lot of the hats that are currently in my shop were made on the train as I  traveled around the Alaskan interior, but my work area is my lap. Wherever I am I knit. Planes, trains, and automobiles- although during the school year it’s limited to the library.

This is where I work,
and when there are no
passengers onboard I sit in the
first seat on the right just after the elevator.

Describe your style in as few words as possible:

Classic - Simple - Nostalgia

What do you do when you’re not on Etsy or creating?

Studying. I jumped around a few majors until I landed on Linguistics. Now, I am studying Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, and Japanese Sign Language. However, I can only attest to being fluent in Japanese. After I graduate I am going to jump from country to country studying the languages until I’ve mastered them. During the winter I tend to study and work on different creative projects, but during the past few summers I have been riding the Alaska Railroad as a Rail Guide.

What is your favorite feature on Etsy? Why?

I am in love with the simplicity of uploading a new product. I am not a high tech sort of person. I still own and love my tape deck. I know where everything is on Etsy, and when I finish a new hat I click a few times and it’s there for the internet to see.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

The yarn itself. The Sublime Organic Merino Wool line I have been using is so beautiful just on it’s own I don’t need a lot of fancy designs. These are winter hats, and being in Alaska I see a lot of alpine inspired sweaters and a few of my items mirror the patterns. I’m nervous because the yarn I am using was discontinued, so eventually I will have to find a new inspiration.

What is your best/most successful marketing strategy?

Word-of-mouth. I tend to have a piece of knitting in my lap wherever I go, and someone always asks about what I am making.

What handmade possession do you cherish?

My sister made a beaded dream catcher when she was young, and it has been hanging above my bed ever since.

Me with my cat Hilde Bee on my shoulder

Do you have any advice for those thinking of becoming Etsy sellers?

One of the biggest questions I get from potential customers is “where do you buy the hats from?” because people assume that I have just taken the [made in china] tag off. I think Americans are hungry for handmade, American made products. Now is the time to jump onboard, and Etsy knows this.

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards to running your own business?



A shot of one of my various work areas.



I suppose the hardest thing is taking that financial leap. It is always scary to invest without a guarantee that everyone is going to jump at the chance to get their very own baby animal hat. The greatest reward is the freedom of doing something you love. I will always work ten times harder so that I can enjoy every minute of my day.



What does handmade mean to you?



Thoughtful. Someone has thought about every inch of what you have purchased. Each creation is actually one of a kind. The word unique is thrown around so much it has lost all weight, but to find something handmade gives unique back it’s meaning.



Organic Naturally Dyed Blue Gray Baby Bunny Hat



Any last words?

Keep checking back for more hats, and eventually some stuffed animals!

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Be sure to check out Courtlyn's shop, LimaLuArtStudio, and take a look at all the cute hats she has to offer.

I hope you have enjoyed this article as much as I have!

Blessings - Kerry

Summer Finds

Whew! This summer is breezing by like a whirl-wind! I trust all is well with you and yours as you enjoy the blessings that summer offers.

Here are some neat things I've found on Etsy recently

Tissue Tape - by leboxboutique


Organic Hemp Yarn - by ThoughtfulGemsCrafts


Large Tea Tree Stump wall decal - by beepart


Here are a couple Treasuries to enchant:

 

Simplistic Summer

 

Grecian Charm

Have a great week~ Kerry

Handmade For Hope

The Joplin Fundraiser is afoot!! There are 31 baskets to choose from full of amazing and one-of-a-kind handmade items totaling over $4,800!!! Head over to Brittany's blog to read the Rules and enter to win. You can enter for as many baskets as you want, as often as you want until July 2nd.

Here is a sample of the baskets available:

#18 The Pamper Me Basket

#23 The Jewelry Lover's Basket (4)

Each of the two baskets above feature one of my upcycled bags. I used a vintage calico print fabric and gently used denim for durability. The one in the Jewelry basket has a drawstring closure, while the one in the Pamper basket zips closed.

Praise God for what we can accomplish when we come together to help each other like this!

Have a great weekend!

- Kerry -

Update on Joplin Relief Raffle

So here is some news about how the Relief Raffle is going as posted on Brittany's blog:

This "mega giveaway" I mentioned last week has turned into a HUGE fundraiser! It's so exciting (and almost overwhelming at times) to think about the impact that we could potentially make with this one event. So far, we have over 140 contributing crafters and artists who have collectively donated over $4000 in items to be raffled off! How amazing is that?!

For everyone who has been asking for more details and info...here it is:

• The event will begin next Wednesday, June 15, right here on the Display Your He{art} blog
• It will run through Wednesday, June 29
• Anyone and everyone is eligible to enter to win (including donating crafters)
• There will be multiple "baskets," each filled with several amazing items for you to win
• Each entry will be $1 (donated via a Paypal button) and you may enter as often as you like
• You may specify which "basket" you would like your entries to go toward
• I will keep track of each of your entries and winners will be selected at random once the giveaway has ended

You can head over to Brittany's blog to keep up dated on the progress of this fundraiser; or keep an eye on this blog as I will endeavor to post frequently when I hear new information on how YOU can get involved.

Thanks for reading!!
-Kerry

The Featured Seller - Christine's Jewelry

I've found another Etsy treasure! Her name is Christine and I'm so glad she was willing to share with you a glimpse into her work and passion...

 

 

Tell us about yourself and what you offer in your shop? 

How did you get started?

 I have a passion for making jewelry for other people! I have 3 beautiful children and I have been married to my wonderful husband Joel for 20 years. I am so blessed!

I have always loved art. I was always drawing, painting, sewing and making things as a girl. I love collecting pretty stones, beads and shells. I got started making jewelry over 10 years ago for gifts for people. It seemed like a more personal and appreciated gift to give, a wearable, handmade gift. It also cost me less than what I was able to buy. Recently people were asking the recipients where they got the jewelry and started requesting it.  I decided to open my shop on Etsy! I really love to make jewelry for other people. I love how it makes people feel special. Every time I get an idea and complete it and then see someone wearing it is such an awesome feeling!

 

How did you come up with your shop name?

Coming up with a shop name is a hard thing to do. I decided to just use my name so that when people ask others where they got their jewelry they can say, "It's Christine's Jewelry!"    

 

Describe your style in as few words as possible:

My style is romantic, elegant but also fun.  

 

What do you do when you’re not on Etsy or creating?

I am following my kids around on all of their many activities with music, school, sports, and encouraging them to follow their creative passions. We also take time to go on bike rides and walks with other friends and our chocolate lab. 

 

Red Long Glass Necklace

 

What is your favorite feature on Etsy? Why?

My Pink Blossom Rose Quartz Bracelet is one of my favorites because it is so sparkly and the pink is such a soft feminine color.

Pink Blossom Rose Quartz Bracelet

 

Where do you draw your inspiration?

I get my inspirations everywhere. I notice the colors in the sky, in sunsets, in nature, in art, architecture, books and magazines. I notice what kind of colors, clothes and jewelry people are wearing and I look at jewelry everywhere I go. 

 

What is your best/most successful marketing strategy?

  I think the best marketing strategy and way to promote yourself it to promote others because when people all work together, they can each get farther than if they work alone.  

 

Royal Purple Smokey and Black and Silver

 

What handmade possession do you cherish?

The handmade possession that I cherish the most is one of the many quilts that my mom so lovingly sewed for me.  She is always making things for us. 

 

Do you have any advice for those thinking of becoming Etsy sellers?

My advice to others who have their own business I found from http://studio11charms.blogspot.com/
1. Don't just talk about it, do it.
2. Be patient.
3. Have perseverance.
4. Be determined.
5. Be passionate about what you do.
6. Practice, practice, practice.
7. Put in the hours. Work hard.
8. Don't be lazy.
9. Market yourself like crazy.
10. NEVER GIVE UP.

 

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards to running your own business?

One of the greatest challenges to running the business is all of the many hours it takes to learn more about running a business. Another challenge is  trying to find the best ways to reach people that would be interested in my jewelry.  The greatest rewards are meeting all kinds of wonderful people who are creative and learning from them. Another reward is getting such wonderful comments from people who own some of my jewelry!

 

What does handmade mean to you?

To me handmade means a person is using one's own hands to create.

 

Double Clear Glass Crystal Drop Earrings

 

Any last words?

If a person can make money doing what they love, then they have found heaven on earth.  

 

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Don't forget to drop by and check out all of Christine's amazing hand-crafted pieces at her shop, ChristinesJewelry,  and go 'LIKE' her FB page.

 

I hope you have an amazing week!

 

Blessings - Kerry