Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Shop Feature

Lovems1
www.lovems1.etsy.com

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am the mother of three grown daughters and have one adorable five year old Granddaughter. I have been sewing since I was five when I cut up my dads new western shirt to make Barbie clothes out of it (boy did I get in trouble! 40 years later I am still hearing about it) In my everyday life I am an Accountant, but having a creative streak and knowing creative accounting leads to trouble, I choose to sew to be creative, so I do this with my free time.

2. What made you decide to open your shop and why Etsy?
When my Granddaughter was little she couldn't carry around her favorite stuffed animal and blankie, so I decided to make some for her. When all of my friends and family saw the Lovems they all wanted them, after making MANY of them for friends I just decided I should probably sell some and actually make some money instead of giving all of them away. My daughter had heard about the ETSY site, so after checking it out, I thought it would probably be the best venue for an online store.


3. Other than Etsy, where else do you sell your blankets?
I have a few of the blankets listed on Artfire, and I also have them in a boutique here in Missouri in wine country, plus I sell them at local craft shows.

4. How did you choose your shop name?
When we (my daughters and I) were trying to come up with a name for the Lovems, we just kept saying over and over how much we Lovem - so they almost named themselves once we listened! The 1 behind Lovems is because no matter how many people decide they should also create the Lovems - we will always be the first!


5. What are your other favourite things to do?
I read a lot when I have time. I also crochet, ride bikes and love to play Farm Town on Face Book! My favorite thing to do though is be with my girls - it's hard to get them all in the same place now that they are grown, so I never miss an opportunity to be with them.

6. What inspires you?
I LOVE children and the thought of making something that will become special to them just warms my heart!


7. Which blanket is your most popular?
The most popular blanket seems to be the giraffe, for as many people that are finding out what sex their baby is, there is an equal amount of people that are not, and the giraffe seems to be a popular gender neutral blanket. For people buying for a boy, the two toned brown puppy is sold the most and for a girl there isn't one that is more popular then another.

8. You have great fabric colour combinations, which is your favourite?
It's hard for me to have a favorite color combination - I am a lover of all colors, I don't even have a favorite color - I do like the color combinations to match, so once in a while someone will ask for something that I would NEVER put together (I had to get over that!), but they always look good in the end.


9. What handmade possession do you cherish?
My granddaughter Maddison made me a bead bracelet and necklace set for my Birthday this year, and I love it - it really tickles her when I pick her up from Pre-school and I am wearing it. From all the things that I have made though, I have a king sized duvet cover made out of 17 variegated shades of the rainbow and it's all done in 4 inch blocks. I hate it when it warms up and I have to switch the bed cover, I never get tired of looking at it.

10. Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.
I love the etsy store cutiekidsdolls, CC makes the most wonderful soft baby dolls.
I love the store happyquilts, she makes awesome quilts.
I love mikebtoys as well, his wooden toys are awesome!

I would like to thank Lovems1 for being my featured favourite Etsy shop this week. I stumbled across this shop about a couple of months ago and thought it was so cute. I see these blankets and they look so soft, I just want to reach through the screen and touch them all. What a great snuggling idea to have a toy you can cuddle at the same time. Check out this wonderful shop and the ever so soft blankets you wont regret it.

For those of you who like to pop in every now and then and read my blog, I apologize for not posting much lately. My sister and her family are visiting from Australia right now and I havent been posting like I usually do. I will try to have an update soon.

Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Shop Feature

SavageArtworks
www.SavageArtworks.etsy.com

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a self taught artist, married with three grown kids (that all still live at home), and pets. I work at an elementary school during the day, and paint at night. I love art, kids, and nature, and cannot live without humour.

2. What made you decide to open your shop and why Etsy?
I opened my Etsy shop because I am getting older, and am thinking a bit ahead to a way to express myself, keep myself occupied, and earn some money when I am retired (still a few years away.)I didn't expect to be as successful as I have been, so soon.

3. Other than Etsy, where else do you sell your artwork?
I have a shop on Artfire,and iCraft as well as having my artwork on items in my Cafe Press and Zazzle shops....all have the same SavageArtworks name.



4. How did you choose your shop name?
Shop name was chosen because it is my last name. I kind of wanted something really cute an catchy, but I wanted people to be able to find me and remember me by my name.
It's just ironic that my subjects are usually not so savage.

5. How long have you been painting for?
I have been painting for 20 years.

6. What are your other favourite things to do?
My other favourite things to do are watch movies, read, take walks in the forest trails and along the beach.



7. What inspires you?
Just about everything inspires me, nature, every little creature I see, artwork of other people always gives me a desire to create.

8. Which animal do you enjoy painting the most?
I used to love doing tigers and other big cats. Now I love the comfort and coziness of little furry animals like kittens and bunnies and puppies, I don't think I have a favourite......okay.... maybe golden retriever puppies if I have to choose.

9. Which is your most popular painting?
My Snow Bunny painting is the most popular, followed closely by Mr. B (bunny) and Cozy (kitten).

10. Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.
It's hard to pick just 3 shops, but I will go with :
www.gorjuss.etsy.com I just love the style of her drawings, and the sweetness of the girls remind me of my own daughters.
www.jennylovesbenny.etsy.com The items in this shop make me OD with cuteness.
www.sherrytruitt.etsy.com Her creativity and the quality of her items makes me love her shop. Just very professional and cool.



A big thank you to SavageArtworks for being a part of my Favourite Etsy Shop Feature. It is undeniable how adorable and brilliant her paintings are and to find out she is self taught just amazes me. I just know after seeing this you will have to stop by her shop and see the other works of art she has produced. You will fall in love with them all.

The Star Hat

During this week I listed a new item on Knitted For Ewe. I had made it a while ago and forgotten all about it. I had Victoria be my model. It is a little small for her but it helps to show how it looks when its on.


Dont you just love the flippy tassels. I made Megan one when she was little but hers was pink and purple. They always look so cute on everyone even adults. It would be fun to make all sorts of different colour combinations so if you would love to order one I would be more than happy to do that. You dont have to have the star on it if you dont want to. Actually there are all sorts of things you could do with this design. The possibilities are endless.

Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Shop Feature

Fabric Supplies
www.fabricsupplies.etsy.com

1.Tell us a bit about yourself.

We are a husband-and-wife team that runs the shop from our home in Upstate New York. Charlie and I are actually elementary school sweethearts and began “dating” two decades ago. We're now happily married with two toddlers and wall to wall fabric.

2.What made you decide to open your shop and why Etsy?

I had a handmade shop on Etsy, FabricationsbyLin.Etsy.com, and began buying fabric wholesale. It wasn't too long before my selection grew large enough to warrant a fabric shop on Etsy as well. After that, Charlie could barely build shelves quickly enough to keep up with my orders. Funny thing is, our house seems to be getting smaller...

3.Other than Etsy, where else do you sell your fabric?

We sell exclusively on Etsy at present, but we're looking to launch our own site, HawthorneThreads.com early this fall. By trade, Charlie is actually a software developer which certainly comes in handy. Sometimes I truly think this fabric business was meant to be as it marries both of our interests and skills so nicely.

Charlie & Lindsay

4.What do you love about the fabric business?

Well, it's certainly a treat to have all of the fabric at my fingertips. If only I had the time to make all the skirts I envision! We mostly love working together, and being at home with our “A Team,” Aidan and Annie. Traveling to quilt market and scoping out new fabric is always a treat for us as well. Charlie sticks out like a sore thumb of course; there aren't really too many guys under 30 there!

5.Your Etsy shop is doing very well in such a competitive market, what's your secret?

Charlie and I are very hard workers that take pride in our business. We're each others toughest critic and strictest boss, a dynamic that is probably typical when you work for yourself. That privilege is certainly never taken for granted. We are also very fortunate to have loyal customers that must be similarly afflicted with a fabric obsession!

6.What handmade possession do you cherish?

That would be a jumper my Mom made for Annie's birthday. One of the best things about our shop is that it's brought sewing back into my Mom's life, a passion she rarely got to indulge while taking care of four daughters. Yes, that's right – four girls. No one was more thrilled at the arrival of a grandson than my Dad!

7.Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.

Charlie oggles LemonBall.Etsy.com, and I cruise my friend Ellen's shop, ClassicHound.Etsy.com. Needless to say, our dog Molly is quite stylin'!

Amy Butler & Lindsay at Houston's Quilt Market

I would like to thank Fabric Supplies for taking part in my Favourite Etsy Shop Feature. I just love their shop. So many vibrant beautiful fabrics and alot to choose from. I have been wanting to get into quilting for a very long time and just havent got started, these fabrics just make we want to quilt even more. Check out this shop and Im sure you will catch the sewing bug.

Its Finally Finished

I finally finished the project that I have been working on and off for for about 4 years. Yep thats not a typo, 4 years. It is for my sister who will be here next week, YAY! I cant reveal in full what it is because its a surprise and she reads this blog.


I just took a few snippets of photos so you can see the colours and the lace. Its not completely finished yet because I have to weave in the ends and block it which will be an important part of making it look the way I want it to look.


This was not made from a pattern. I just found a lace design that I liked and kind of made it up from there. I will have to take a picture of Kylie with it when she receives it. Fingers crossed she will like it.


Megan and I went to a baby shower on the weekend for my hopefully one day sister in law. I made this blanket and these booties to go with the present. I bought a basket and I was trying to give her things that I found useful when I had my babies. We bought some Johnsons Lavender bath stuff and Johnsons Lavender bedtime lotion. These were magical in getting Victoria all ready for sleeping. We also got some Desitin. You cant get enough of that stuff.


We had a good time at the baby shower. I have never seen anyone get so many baby shower presents in my life. She was unwrapping for 1.5 hours. I hope they got it right when they said it was a girl because there was ALOT of pink going on. As of now the baby's name is going to be Lily May. This may change but we just cant wait to meet her. I get to look after her when the mum goes back to work next year so I will be Nanny Nicole. It should be fun.

While we were at the baby shower my husband was at home hard at work painting Victoria's wooden floor. Yes it seems like a crime to paint a wooden floor but the last people had splatter paint all over it anyway so I guess its ok. It is now all white and glossy. Of course we pick the most humid stormy weekend to do this and the floor is still drying. Victoria and all her belongings have been sleeping out in the dining room for the last couple of nights and it looks like it may be a couple more until its properly dried. Victoria is dying for it to be dried because when it is not only does she get her room back but we get to put together her brand new bed we picked up on the weekend. Her first big girl bed and she is overdue. She couldnt stretch her legs out in her old bed. It will be so exciting to put it all together and see how it looks and to get all this stuff out of the dining room. Yay for new beds.


I had to slip in a couple of pictures of our new toys. I picked these up the other day second hand. We love the old games. We had to sit down and play some pick up sticks that afternoon. Victoria was a little frustrated at first but once she saw that Megan and I had trouble to then it was fun. I tried to teach the girls dominoes but it has been many many years since I played. I think we are going to have to buy a new set with all the rules and stuff so we can play it right. I think this set it missing a few pieces. I have a general idea about the Jacks but that was really my sisters game. I think she will have to teach them when she comes. These ones are actually metal so that will last forever. The wooden yoyo is loved by Victoria. She does yoyo better than me and loves to practice. You've gotta love the old classic games. They've been around forever and they can still entertain each new generation even with all the gadgets they have these days. That just shows that sometimes the old stuff can be better than the new stuff.

Favourite Etsy Shop Friday

Favourite Etsy Shop Feature

Nature Is Art
www.NatureIsArt.etsy.com

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a full time photographer specializing in wildlife subjects. I live in the Detroit, Michigan area with my wife of 35 years…I’ll bet the average age of Etsy sellers isn’t 35 years! :<) Two weeks ago our 31 year old daughter presented us with our first grandchild who I can say without any bias is the most beautiful granddaughter ever born in the history of the world! We also have a 29 year old son who lives with his wife in Montana.

2. What made you decide to open your shop and why Etsy?

A couple of years ago I was doing an art fair in Pittsburgh, PA. The artist in the booth next to me told me that Etsy was a good outlet to earn extra income. That was in June of 2007. I looked at Etsy when I got home after that fair and thought it might be a good place to sell my photos but I didn’t actually open my shop until December after my art fair season was over.

3. Other than Etsy, where else do you sell your photographs?

I do 25 to 30 art fairs each year and that is my full time "job". I’ve also sold my photos to be used in books, magazines, calendars and as posters and greeting cards.

4. How did you choose your shop name?

My shop name is the same as my already existing website. I came up with the name because even though I’ve never really considered myself to be an artist I always thought that my subjects were works of art in themselves and it’s been my job to record those works of art as photographs.


5. What are your other favourite things to do?

My new favorite thing to do is spend time with my granddaughter. :<) Other than that my life revolves around my photographic subjects. I love reading about animals, watching TV shows about animals, watching the birds at my feeders, especially the hummingbirds, and going on hikes in local parks where I might see animals. I guess I need to get a life! :<)

6. What inspires you?

My subjects themselves inspire me of course. If I’m at an art fair and someone asks me for a photo of an animal I don’t have it inspires me to learn about and photograph that animal. And, there are certain photographers whose work inspires me and I enjoy looking through their books or the photos on their websites.



7. What animal do you enjoy photographing the most?

The first animals I photographed were songbirds like chickadees, cardinals, hummingbirds etc. They are still my favorite subject. They’re beautiful and challenging subjects.

8. Of all the photographs in your shop, which is the most popular?

I think I’ve sold more of my “Windblown - Wild Horse” on Etsy than any other photo.



9. Where have you traveled to to take such beautiful diverse animal photographs?

I have photos I’ve taken anywhere from Maine to Alaska and many states in between as well as Canada and Africa. I like to tell people that the best part of my “job” is traveling to where the animals live. I even will photograph in zoos to get subjects I’m not able to photograph in the wild.

10. Name 3 other Etsy shops you love to visit.

I’m a very typical male in that I really don’t like to shop except for “toys” such as camera equipment and tools, or books and music. Most shops on Etsy are geared towards women so I hate to admit that I don’t really have any favorites. As you might expect I like looking to see what other Etsy photographers are doing. A great way to do that is to do a search on “poe team” to see all of the wonderful photos of the Photographers of Etsy team of which I'm a member.


I would like to thank Nature Is Art for taking part in my Favourite Etsy Shop Feature. I am a big fan of nature photography and the photos in this Etsy shop are breathtaking. I have to say my favourites are the Winter Wildfire - Red Fox and the Nap Time - Panda Bear. Take a look at this wonderful photography and see which one is your favourite www.NatureIsArt.etsy.com

Tasty Tuesday A Day Late

Whoops! I was suppose to sit down and do Tasty Tuesday yesterday and I forgot so its a day late. This is a quick snack that we made the other day. Everyone has probably already done it and we are the last ones to ever give it a go. It is ANTS ON A LOG.
If you've never tried this before you should give it a go.
You will need some celery, some peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, your choice) and some raisins. Instead of raisins we just happen to have a mix called Salad Pizazz which contains raspberry flavoured dried cranberries and glazed walnuts. We found this in our fruit and veggie section. I think they have other mixes as well.


First you chop your celery into logs. They can be as long or as short as you want. Then spread your peanut butter into the curved part of you celery. Here's where Victoria walked in and caught me making this snack and asked if she could help.


So here she is adding the 'ants' to our logs, putting them on the peanut butter so they dont fall off. She had lots of fun doing that, notice the big cheesy grin :)



Now for the taste testing......


It was a big hit. She really liked them especially because she got to help. I thought they tasted pretty good and healthy too.
If you give this snack a go or you have made this in a different way that was really tasty, let me know. I'd love to hear about it.