Day 2 icraft Bootcamp What Happened?

[PillowThrowDecor]

Here is where you post today's assignment... the answers to your interview questions. In case you don't get it done before the day is over just post as much as you have done.

Cheers

Christine

[Thyme2dream]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words

I often refer to myself as a Daughter of the Southwind, which is my way of embracing the fact that I was born and raised in the heartland of the USA, Kansas. (People of the Southwind is the Native American meaning of the word Kansas). I spent much of my childhood wishing myself to far away places- real and imagined-and most of my heroes were fanciful characters from books like Lord of the Rings, Peter Pan, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

My husband Ian hails from Edinburgh Scotland and has recently joined me in my artistic ventures- he is the official Circlet Wizard at Thyme2dream. Ian and I also have a Celtic Folk-Rock band that plays local pubs and coffee houses.

Tell us about your shop.
Our main focus currently is creating “unusual jewelry for discerning fae and elven folk” . I am expanding my Elven Forest collection to include different themes and colours and have been focusing on adding more hair and headdress pieces to the groupings. Ear cuffs, ear vines and ear wraps continue to be a mainstay of my work, and I plan to continue adding new designs in those categories as well.  Medieval, Renaissance and Fantasy Wedding jewelry is also a specialty of ours and we love doing custom and bespoke jewelry for all occasions.

How did you get started?
I have always been surrounded by creative people, but until recently I was mostly just an onlooker. My mum was a fiber artist, and when I was a teenager I spent summers traveling with her to craft and music festivals selling her work. My first husband was an illustrator, and I often worked for an artisan t-shirt company selling his and other artists’ shirts at fairs and festivals. When my three sons were small, most of my creativity was focused on being the best mother I could be.

I believe that the root of my artistic career really came about as a result of a restless need to do something with all the creative energy I was no longer using as my kids became more independent. I just suddenly had this consuming passion to make things…I played with polymer clay for awhile, got into beading, and then I discovered wire working and was totally hooked! I first started making sun catchers and trying my hand at wind chimes, etc but then one day 89 year old gran asked me if I could make a pair of ear cuffs for her. This appealed to me as well, I had never had pierced ears and loved dangly earrings. Basically, I started making the sort of jewelry that I loved, but could never find anywhere else and the results of that effort have evolved into a full time jewelry business.

What is your favorite item in your shop
Oh my goodness- they are all my babies I cant have one favorite!!  


What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made
I love a challenge, and we have had some FUN with custom designs…last summer we were asked to create accessories for a costume to be used in  a minature horse show - including a unicorn horn for the horse!!  Blog post here:

http://thyme2dream.blogspot.com/2008/07/jadis-unicorn-another-fun-project-for.html

Around the same time a bunch of Wholigans- fans of The Who- asked us to create some special jewelry for them to wear to the VH1 concert taping  in LA:

http://thyme2dream.blogspot.com/2008/07/wholigan-ism.html

While I prefer some of my fairy and elven themed jewelry in terms of design,these were certainly two of the most memorable projects we have worked on!!

Whats your most memorable sale.
I love selling internationally and am always delighted to add a new country to the list of places my jewelry has traveled, its one of the things my dad loves to brag about when he talks to people about my shop too.  Most of my sales come from the US, Canada, UK and Australia, but I have lost count of the actual number of countries I have sold to.. this year I added some more remote places like Armenia and Slovenia to my list!

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
When I make jewelry I sometimes start with a story I want to tell, and other times the beads & wire just make themselves into something I love and the story comes later!  I delight in fanciful stories from literature, theater, music and I am fascinated by the process of trying to convey the enchantment from one genre (ie books or music) to another (jewelry). I am also fascinated by the ‘personalities’ that different cultures and traditions have given gemstones through the ages. In my more earthy pieces, I often create by combining crystals with specific meanings in mind. Sort of a blessing recipe for the person who will eventually wear them.

Artists who inspire me: Alphonse Mucha~ his artistic love affair with the actress Sarah Bernhardt, the jewelry he adorned his portrait models with, as well as the designs he actually had made into jewelry pieces in collaboration with French jeweler Georges Fouquet. I like to think I might be related to him somewhere back there- my maternal grandparents are from the same region of the Czech Republic where he was born.

I also love the work of Arthur Rackham (See blog post here: http://www.artfire.com/users/thyme2dream/blog/queen-mab-peter-pan-arthur-rackham-s-faery-world )  Maxfield Parrish, Rick Griffin and N C Wyeth.

Tell us about a favorite designer.
Alphonse Mucha was pure magic as an illustrator AND as a designer. On my first trip to Scotland I was delighted to find that there was a Mucha exhibit at the Edinburgh City Museum.  I spent an entire afternoon in heaven wandering around the exhibit seeing his work live and in person!  

What's your favorite color .
Rainbow

What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?
My studio, which used to be called the schoolroom when I was still home schooling my boys.  It is also known as the treehouse, since it is a second story sunroom- all windows with trees all around- I love being “outside” while Im inside working!

Do you have a tip you'd like to share with readers?
Just a very general tip that applies to everything- try to find something you love about everything you do and put your heart into it (basically Mary Poppins Spoonful of Sugar puts this philosophy in a musical nutshell ;-) )


What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s).
Step by Step Wire (mag)
Bead Unique (mag)
Exquisite Beaded Jewelry by Linda Musante
The Stars:A New Way to See Them by H.A.Rey (YES he is the Curious George guy;-)
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J M Barrie with Arthur Rackham’s illustrations

What do you do to relax and unwind?
Huh?  Lol, okay I suppose sometimes I do actually take a bit of time off work…I baby-sit my adorable 8 month old grandson 2-3 days a week and we hang out and have a great time.  I have a personal blog where I explore my spirituality, I play mandolin, guitar and Bouzouki (its like a big mandolin with a Celtic twist;-), I watch football (soccer) with my husband, I like to learn new things- I love all the earth sciences, astronomy, geology, weather, etc. There’s always something going on to pique my curiosity- Im definitely NEVER bored!!

[Thyme2dream]

Helpful Hint: whenever you fill one of these interviews out KEEP A COPY in your files somewhere- that makes new ones much quicker to do ;-)

[PillowThrowDecor]

Wow what a writeup!

Gulp.... I still have to do mine.  I'm not sure I will be able to answer the questions... and especially with amazing responses like you have.

Your writeup held my interest and of course I checked out your blog and links.  Good job. Just awesome.

So for the rest of us.  Don't get stuck to the point where you don't do this exersize... just do your best. A good writer, and we have several available to us, manages to take facts and bits of information about us and craft a really interesting read.

It is so fun to hear your husbands involvement in the business.... so keep it comeing.

Alrighty back to my pen and paper.

Cheers

Christine
PillowThrowDecor

[GalleriaLinda]

Good exercise! Well, I am kind of wordy.....  Thyme2Dream did a fabulous job!!

1) Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words
I am a long-time independent marketing communications consultant for small businesses, a self-representing jewelry designer, and entrepreneur! I also work with GIS mapping environments for real estate. GalleriaLinda is my jewelry business brand that includes contemporary handcrafted beaded and sterling wire jewelry. I also love to sell vintage jewelry and a special line of handmade imported gemstone and sterling jewelry. I love to help other online sellers to learn what I have learned over the last few years from the school of hard knocks and created a blog just for that called Indie CEO.

2) Tell us about your shop
A business was created around my jewelry design collections called GalleriaLinda. The GalleriaLinda brand is exclusive to my handmade contemporary beaded and silver wire jewelry and is featured on my web site and several handmade selling venues online.

3) How did you get started?
I have always created jewelry designs for myself. Several years ago I decided to take it up a notch and started making quite a few pieces for gifts and myself. Friends literally insisted that I offer my designs to the public, so I started a web site, then shops on handmade selling venues.

4) What is your favorite item in you shop (attach link please)
I love this eclectic pendant necklace - a little bit urban and a little bit vintage! https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/14252/handmade-necklace-hematite-crystal-pearl-and-vintage-pendant.phphandmade-necklace-hematite-crystal-pearl-and-vintage-pendant.php

5) What’s your favourite bracelet that you have ever made?
A simple memory wire bracelet with vintage buttons, metallic grey hematite, Czech glass metallic coppery leaves spiking out - kind of artsy. Here is photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gallerialinda/3490933437/

6) Whats you most memorable sale.
Early on, selling almost $200 dollars worth at one time to my cousin. I was shocked. I thought "She wants to spend money on the designs that I make? Is she crazy?"

6) Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
A lot of my inspiration goes back to my college studies of texture, color, shape, and juxtaposition. I studied minimalist, less is more, post modernism, and the whole "Bauhaus" philosophy! Now I love to incorporate some vintage elements into contemporary designs!

7) Tell us about a favorite designer.
Well, I have two favorite commercial designers and they are very different. Nicky Butler makes gorgeous semi-precious stone and sterling contemporary jewelry. And Heidi Daus designs gorgeous pave crystal jewelry in an art deco perspective.

8 )What's your favorite color .
My color preferences are clear jewel tones of deep blue, rich green, purple, teal, fuschia, with a touch of clear gold. I also am fond of different hues and textures of neutrals. You will find jewelry created in these two basic color palettes.

In general, my jewelry is very colorful. Sometimes I look at the group online and am amazed at the color. It is not deliberate but just bubbles up into the designs!

9) What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?
I don't have a dedicated craft room so I make do all over the house! I am pretty much an "every room of the house" gal.

10) Do you have a jewelry tip you'd like to share with readers?
I love to hook two similar necklaces together to get a great effect, especially if they have artisan hammered sterling hooks that I use a focal! I have even hooked several bracelets together to get a quirky look in a necklace. Very effective.

11) What are your (up to 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)?
I love artists' blogs that show the personality of the blogger and also a peek into their art world.

12) What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s)
I am pretty much an online reader of news, forums, blogs….it is a shame but true. I just don't read print anymore.

For marketing though, I love this book and have referred to it throughout the years. Recommended for anyone - easy peasy to understand.
It's Not Rocket Science: Using Marketing to Build a Sustainable Business http://bit.ly/23dTaH

13) What do you do to relax and unwind?
Design jewelry, of course! My day job is very structured and technical. Jewelry design helps me to loosen up the brain waves!

[storybeader]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words
My name is Deborah Baroff.  I was born and raised in New Jersey, lived in Florida, California and now Oklahoma, which has been my home for 29 years.  I grew up in a close family, with lots of relatives visiting.  My father was a sailor, for fun, so I grew up sailing.  I love the water.  

I received my BA in Humanities, and earned a Masters in Library Science.  Yes, I'm a librarian, with an emphasis in special libraries.  I've been working in a Museum in southwestern Oklahoma for the last 22 years.  Needless to say, I'm love my job.  I'm married, once divorced, with no children... except for my doggies.  I love books and writing, gardens, visiting historic places and museums, and being on the computer.  About three years ago, I decided I needed a creative outlet, so I started designing jewelry.  I write a haiku for each necklace.  My specialty is the treasure necklace.  After attending a bookmaking class, I started sewing journals and sketchbooks, and believe this is my new creative direction.

Tell us about your shop.
My shop here is the Storybeader's Workshop.  I've put a lot of thought into the name.  I am known as the storybeader on other sites, and didn't want to loose my name recognition, so I decided to add workshop when I started sewing books.  My blog, Stroll Through Storyland, fits both venues.

How did you get started?
Probably like a lot of other people, gift-giving.  

What is your favorite item in you shop (attach link please)
I think it's the first journal I made on my own.  That always happens... maybe because I'm so excited about starting:   https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/18750/handmade-bound-journal-with-japanese-washi-paper-covers.php

What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made
It has to be my Turtle Treasure Necklace.  I love turtles and fetishes and color.  This necklace has all of that, and more.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/storybeader/2247166448/in/set-72157604366499556/

What's you most memorable sale.
Think I spoke about this earlier in the week, or maybe it was somewhere else...  I had just posted a necklace on a different online selling venue.  A woman saw it, and said she couldn't live without it, in so many words.  The sale took about 30 minutes, from being put online to being sold!

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Nature and color.  The covers of my journals and sketchbooks have to be something I enjoy looking at, but I want them to be functional.  Then, I do have a book of haiku floating around in my head....
 
Tell us about a favorite designer.
I've met a lot of great jewelry designers.  One of my favorite, when I was just starting out, was Eni Oken.  She first taught me wire wrapping, and if there's anyone out there who wants to learn this technique, Eni has loads of lessons you can buy online and download.  Very thorough and easy to understand.

What's your favorite color.
Blue, no doubt about it.  The color of water, turquoise, and the sky on a nice day!

What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?
My living room, that really serves as my workshop and office.  Lots of windows, the front door (and back door) are close by, my computer and tool room, bathroom and kitchen....  yes, I have a small house!

Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?
There's a number of things I would tell a person sewing paper together;  act deliberately and carefully; never underestimate how much paper you need to wrap your book covers, and sew with waxed thread.  


What are your (upto 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)? -
wow!  that's a hard one.  I have so many. OK, I have a lot of etsyblogger teammates, so excuse me, my friends, but three favorites
1) Two Zany Zebras - Mama Z  has the cutest stories about her family's escapades.
2) Coffee Pot People - a sole sister, I love her sculpture and photographs
3) A Keeper's Jackpot - she takes me hiking with her into the mountains
I've met a number of bloggers through EC that I love to read:
First Door on the Left ( my current political fix)
The Photographic Aspect (absolutely Beautiful photography)

What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s).
My favorite book from childhood is Charlotte's Web.  
One of my all time favorite authors is James Michener - I think the first book of his I read was The Source.  I'm in a women's book club now, and some favorite recent books are The Dollmaker, A Midwife's Tale, and The Widow's War.
 
What do you do to relax and unwind?
Walk.  I'd rather walk in the woods with friends, or in a park.  But I walk at the YMCA too.

These questions may look a little daunting at first but answer as many as you can.

[Brilliant Beads]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words

Art, whether in my professional life as a dentist, or in my part-time life as a lampwork and jewelry artisan, occupies a good portion of my consciousness at any one time.   I have memberships to several local and regional art galleries, and I always make time when travelling to visit local art exhibits.
My family and my home are my “comfort ground”.  I have a wonderfully supportive husband, and four terrific children…27, 23, 18, and 15 years old.  My husband built my glass studio for me, and is a great source of insight and guidance when it comes to the “how can I accomplish that?” questions.
I live in London, Ontario, Canada, in a house with a big lot that sweeps down into a ravine.  Regular visitors to our yard are deer, fox, skunks, raccoons, and a great horned owl.  I call it my little slice of paradise.

Tell us about your shop.

My iCraft shop contains both lampwork beads for jewellery designers and finished jewelry pieces that I have made.  I love to see what other jewelry designers use my beads for and would love to use my iCraft shop as a platform to expand my business.

How did you get started?

I’ve been crafting since I can remember…I got my first “paint by number” black velvet oil painting kit when I was seven.  Crewelwork and knitting was next, beadwork and cross-stitch followed, sewing, and mosaic art.  I’ve always been fascinated by glass and took my first lampworking course three years ago….eureka, this is IT!!!

I was making jewelry for family and friends, and they suggested that I could sell it to others.  I learned the rudimentary part of website design, and obtained a small business license.  I like having an online business because the rest of my life is so busy and selling online allows me to tailor the amount of time I can spend.
 
What is your favorite item in you shop? (attach link please)

This lampwork bead, Swarovski crystal, and wooden bracelet is my favourite.  I love the different textures all combined in a neutral, organic-looking piece.

#page has been deleted#

What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made?

I made this necklace and was so tempted to keep it for myself, but happily it sold to a lady in California, and it has a good home.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillianbeads/2934567188/in/set-72157607953954568/

What’s your most memorable sale?

My most memorable sale was the necklace shown above, because the customer also bought 6 other pieces at the same time!  That was a great feeling that doesn’t come along too often.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I love nature and the natural world around me…colors, shapes, vistas.  My inspiration is often acquired from hiking in rugged countryside, the Rocky Mountains are my favorite.

Tell us about a favorite designer.

Nathalie Girard of Canadian Rockies Art is an amazing metalsmith…I love her designs!
 
What's your favorite colour?

I love blues and aquas and seem to gravitate to those when I’m working with glass.  I love to wear earth tones such as brown, rust, and olive green.
 
What's your favourite room at home? Why is it your favourite?

I love to sit in our sunroom, looking out into the forest and ravine in our backyard.  It provides me with inspiration and is a great place to unwind after a long day.

Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?

I find that as I get older it has become particularly important to work with good light.  I also broke down and bought a pair of magnifying glasses to help see the tiny beads I use…now I couldn’t do without them!
 
What are your (up to 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)? –

IndieNorth
FiveForty at Home
Coloraddiction
Artisan Beaders
Beadlust

What are your (up to 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s)?

Lapidary Journal
National Geographic
Atlas Shrugged
Wicked
Oryx & Crake
 
What do you do to relax and unwind?

I love to hike and cycle…I find getting my heart rate up a bit takes the stress away.  I’m not a sit on the beach kinda gal.

[Unicorn Creations]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words

My name is Rhonda Cooper and I am a full time office manager of a busy dental office in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  This job keeps me hopping 50+ hours a week and I try to use my destressing time crafting my heart out!

I have a wonderful husband and 2 great sons, ages 8 and 2, and a 50lb dog that i adore.  I try to have every waking moment with them and still keep up on my passion of crafts.  Fortunately they are both go to bed early and I can usually stay up to the wee hours crafting away.
 
Tell us about your shop.

I have been on icraft for several months and I woke up this morning with my FIRST sale!!!!  I love icraft due to the fact of being Canadian based.

My crafting passion is all sorts of jewelry and my newest design of recycled Christmas Ornaments this year that are a hit!  My mom has done craft sales with me for over 10 years and we have a blast together filling "our" shop with new and exciting pieces.

How did you get started?

My mom started me on crafts when I was very young and I never stopped.  I used to knit and cross-stitch like crazy, and then I got into the craft sales and needed something a bit faster and easier to sell.  That's when I started making jewelry.
 
What is your favorite item in you shop (attach link please)

My favorite item if I had to choose is:
#page has been deleted#
or any of my ornaments.
 
What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made

My favorite necklace set I ever made is my breast cancer set:
#page has been deleted#
I made this set in memory of my Grandma and donate $5 from each sale to Breast Cancer.

Whats you most memorable sale.

My most memorable sale is just recently when I was doing a craft sale and met a woman who bought 2 of my ornaments.  About 2 days after the sale she tracked me down and asked to buy some more.  I opened up my house for her and her friend for a private viewing and they ended up buying 28 ornaments and a neacklace set from me!  What an awesome feeling!

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

All of my jewelry comes from my head when I see the beautiful pendants that I can find.  My ornaments are a funny story.  I actually woke up in the middle of the night after Christmas last year and had the idea!
 
Tell us about a favorite designer.

Wow, I don't know if I have a favorite, I know so many talented people.

What's your favorite color .

My favorite color has always been yellow, very bright and happy!

What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

My favorite room has to be my older son's bed room.  The reason being when I'm down or I miss him, I just go into his room and I can remember the last time he asked me to sleep with him to keep him company.  It doesn't happen too often anymore beacuse he's older, so I have my memories.
 
Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?

The best tip I could give anyone is to use adequate light when working.  It's always better not to strain your eyes especially when working with small items.
 
What are your (upto 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)? -

Etsy, Ebay

What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s).

I love all types of crafting magazines and books.  All Stephen King books are my favorite, especially The Stand.

What do you do to relax and unwind?

Craft, craft and then craft some more.

[storybeader]

it's fun to see the different personalities and how everyone approached the questions.  We have a talented group in bootcamp!  Looks like there's a leaning towards nature.  Thanks for the links.  {:-Deb  

[Sirocco]

Hi gang. Well, I am already off to a slow start. Somehow I had Wednesday as the start day for this boot camp. So, this is going to be short.
My name is Paul, I live in Minnesota, and I make mens jewelry. I use beads, leather, sterling and a few other materials.
I have only five items in my Icraft shop. I could expand on that but just haven’t got around to that yet.
I have always enjoyed working with my hands. I have made rustic furniture and stained glass lamps. I got started making jewelry by helping my daughter. She makes beaded jewelry and I used to help her set up and sell at flea markets. In the process I began puttering with the beads myself. It is a fun low impact hobby for me to do in my old age. I am the old man.
My favorite item currently in my shop is this simple stretch bracelet.
https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/10135/mens-wide-stretch-bracelet-the-arizona.php? Take a look!
My most memorable sale was a woven sterling cuff bracelet that I had made. I once wore it to a Renaissance Fair. It went well with my costume. Someone there saw the bracelet, admired it and then offered me $150 for it. I ultimately sold it for a fair price. Here is a photo of a similar bracelet:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10335285@N08/3391444502/ Take a look!
I don’t know where I find inspirations for my designs. In fact, I usually don’t know what I am making until after I have made it. Some times it turns out good and sometimes not. I am not really much of an artist. I just have fun.
I don’t have a favorite designer.
I don’t know if I have a favorite color but I like dense opaque colors.
I spend a lot of time in my computer room. I wouldn’t say it is a favorite room; I just spend a lot of time there. It is right next to the attached garage and it is in the garage where I do the jewelry work. I do a lot of silver smith work so it has to be in the garage.

Well that is about as much as I am going to say for now. I feel like I am just rambling anyway.

Paul

[Big Tub Botanicals]

BIO
I’m from New Brunswick and still sometimes wonder how I ended up so far from the ocean.  At least I've managed to settle in the Kawartha Lakes (kawatha in ojibwe meaning “shining waters”) where I’m surrounded by freshwater and living on a river.  I consider myself a “sustainable hedonist”, which essentially means I think living green is more about abundance, and even indulgence, than it is about sacrifice or self restraint.

My partner and I have a neurotic, floppy-eared Bassett Hound.  We are sometimes foster parents, sometimes B&B for weary travelers, and often reclusive.  

We are avid outdoor’s people and for years spent our summers in one remote setting or another, paddling, portaging, foraging & sleeping under the stars.  We both attended college for natural resource sciences, and have done stints as canoe guides/ interpreters.  I have always had a deep connection to flora and over the years I’ve learned about native plants by living with them, watching them, propagating them, reading about them and using them.  

ICRAFT SHOP
I really started my icraft shop today.  Although I had registered before, I had simply copied & pasted my bio from my website and left it at that until today.  So, today I really niced it up and got 5 soaps up there.

HOW I GOT STARTED
My journey into hand-crafted skin care began with herbal salves, which I formulated from wild-crafted native plants & "weeds" we would gather.   It wasn’t long before the mad scientist in me insisted on experiencing this phenomenon called saponification.   After my first batch of soap I was hooked!  During a stint as the coordinator for a local native plant nursery/ nature centre, I began running workshops on medicinal/edible plants & wild-crafting, and I planted my medicinal herb garden there at the centre.
 
I began Big Tub Botanicals full time this year and remain closely partnered with the nature centre, where my husband is the projects coordinator & woodsman extraordinaire.  After full time hours there, he manages squeezing in part time hours for the Big Tub ;-)

I've always been a DIYer/ crafter.  Besides oils & herbs, wood, leather & food are my other primary mediums of expression.

FAV ITEM IN MY SHOP
Today, Tomato Basil soap, for a few dozen reasons, not the least of which is it’s sheer quantity of tomato puree and aloe gel, mango & avocado butters… and could that little grape tomato in the pic look any more plump?!
https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/18901/tomato-basil.php

FAV THING EVER
If I really really really have to choose just one, probably the Relief Ointment because it has been so effective for so many people… bringing relief to itchy skin everywhere.  Love, love, love the herbal combo of red clover, chamomile, chickweed & plantain.  http://www.bigtubbotanicals.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=32&=SID

MOST MEMORABLE SALE
My first ever return customer.  She had to track me down… and did (even with a changed business name).

INSPIRATION
Fruits, vegetables, milks, nuts, seeds, flowers, herbs & essences... the raw mats!

FAV SOAPMAKER
Overall, the best natural soaps & skin care I’ve ever seen: http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/products.htm Much here to be admired & appreciated… ingredients, technique, innovation & nice pics.

FAV COLOR
Blue

FAV ROOM
Dining room… I love slow food & home made wine & music on vinyl… all found in my dining room.  As well as the biggest window in our house facing the river & my bird feeders & west (sunsets!).  Oops, was I supposed to say my production studio… oh I love that room too.

TIP
Tip for soapy success: forget everything you thought you knew about soap and create your own recipes (with a lye calculator, of course!).

Tip for business & life from Sandy Maine in Creating an herbal bodycare business: “In order to learn how to do things, you need to be willing to make as many mistakes as it will take to learn how not to do things.” (p.69)

TOP 5 BLOGS/ SITES
Cosmetics Safety Database: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com The Environmental Working Group has assembled all of the latest toxicity rereplacement to create a replacementable database of ingredients.  WOW!

Miller Homemade Soap page: http://millersoap.com Kathy Miller has created an amazing (award-winning) resource for learning, sharing & fun.

Natural Beauty Workshop Blog: http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/living_green Maintained by FromNatureWithLove.com

TOP 5 MAGS/ BOOKS
Creating and herbal bodycare business, Sandy Maine (1999)

Witches heal, Billie Potts (1981)

Field Guides, any & all of ‘em: trees, wildflowers, weeds, lichens, fungi; never go for a walk without one; how do they pack so much info into those little books?!

Small Farm Canada (magazine)

Canadian Journal of Herbalism

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX
Food, wine music (see FAV ROOM).  We also love old movies… OLD movies.  Designing (me)/ making(hubby) new shelves, displays, molds, soap decks, etc... we love working with wood.

[Dancing Monkey Jewelry]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words:

I'm not going to tell you how old I am - I don't like admitting my age - I'm not ready for it. What I will tell you is that my name is Martha Hughes and I live in Tacoma, WA. I've been married for 12 years to one of the greatest guys I know (Amar) - he can still make me laugh and all my girlfriends like him. I was born in Richland, Washington (Eastern Washington) and lived there until I was seven years old when my parents packed all of us up (four kids and dog) in a station wagon and moved us to Anchorage, Alaska - where we lived for the next 8 years when we moved back to Washington State. I'm the only democrat in a family of republicans - but we still manage to get along. I love to travel but haven't done nearly enough of it and I need to go back to Paris (read NEED not want) - and I would love to live in London (I'm jealous of all those people who get to call London home). I try to live my life with gratitude and appreciation for all that I have and I strive each day to be the architect of my own future.

Tell us about your shop.

My shop is Dancing Monkey Jewelry. It's a funky little shop and I describe my jewelry as being organic and elegant. I create one of a kind and limited edition sterling silver jewelry with semi-precious stones, fresh water pearls and PMC.

How did you get started?

I would look at the jewelry in the Sundance catalog and drool over it. While I couldn't justify spending that much on jewelry I decided that I wanted to see if I could make my own earrings. I enrolled in a course at my local bead store and I discovered I could. I've also spent more making jewelry than I ever would have had I bought it from the Sundance Catalog. But I have now have a marketable skill and I get to do something I enjoy.

What is your favorite item in you shop?

https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/162/pretty-in-pink-pearl-earrings.php

What’s your favourite that you have ever made?
The pendant that goes with the earrings in the above link. I made a pendant out of PMC.

Whats you most memorable sale?

It was when my husband sold the most expensive necklace and earring set that I have ever created to a friend of his from his job.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I just sit at my bench and play with my beads - working out color combination. I know what style of jewelry that I like and I go from there.

Tell us about a favorite designer.

I have many. One of my favorites is Timothy Adams - his work is rustic but elegant. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33365894

What's your favorite color?

Orange

What's your favorite room at home? My work space at the top of the stairs.


Why is it your favorite?

It's where I'm the happiest and most content when I up there creating jewelry, processing my photography and playing on the computer. My husband has his desk up here and it's nice to share this space with him as long as he doesn't take control of my TV.

Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?
I don't do give-aways. I haven't found that they generate any sales or bring in more sustainable traffic to your shop.

What are your (upto 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)?

1. http://www.orangette.blogspot.com/
2. http://www.instructables.com/home
3. http://jewelry-business-blog.com/
4. http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/
5. http://www.photojojo.com

What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s)?

1. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (book)
2. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
3. The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver
4. Pigs in Heaven - Barbara Kingsolver
5. My Life in France - Julia Child

What do you do to relax and unwind?

I'm into photography and I love taking photographs - that would be my number one way to relax. I'd love it if you'd check out my portfolio:  http://www.jpgmag.com/people/MarthaHughes.  However...I have other favorite activities. Such as: watch trash tv, eat good food, take my dog for a walk, hike, cook, enjoy a glass of a good, cheap wine, and during the summer when it's too hot to stay in the house I like nothing more than watching movies in my garden - I call it "Cinema under the Stars) - it's heaven.

[Zs Knees]

This is a big assignment! I skipped quite a few questions... I'll mull them over and get back to them at some point. And hopefully get the time to read everyone else's thoroughly too...

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words
My name is Jeffie, I'm a happy single mom of a (er, usually) happy one-year-old. We moved to Oregon several months ago, where I'm the site manager of a low-income housing complex, you know, "Mr. Roper" (did they show 3's Company in Canada?) of the subsidized housing world, ha! At night, I tiptoe around, (literally, my daughter is a very light sleeper), sewing and doing my projects.
I need creativity in my life every day to feel sane. I like working with my hands and figuring out how to make things. I have never liked routines, and I rarely stay in the same line of work (or even in the same type of craft) for very long. I like to be stimulated and challenged by my environment. I love movement and change, and believe that "home is where you hang your hat"!
I have large issues with the ubiquity of Blah-Marts, and the sweat shops they use, and the price before quality/disposable product mentality, and just the amount of freakin plastic that goes on.  
If I could make everything I use in a day, I'd be one happy lady. Well, ok... not the car, or the fridge... oh you know what I mean.

Tell us about your shop.
Z's Knees began about 10 months ago, but it's still just developing. I thought it would be wonderful to be a single mama who gets to also stay at home, by having a fantabulously successful home business. Well, it may still happen, I haven't given up yet!
Right now I'm focusing on pillow and blanket sets and soft toys. I've got a million and one ideas for new listings, and only a short window of time to work every day. So I'm on the slow train, but after all it's the journey that counts most!
I hope to start a line of upcycled and otherwise eco-friendly products.  

How did you get started?
Before I had my daughter, my crafts of choice were drawing and painting, origami, and other crafts that were delicate, toxic, or required long periods of intense concentration. Now I tend to do things that I can pick up and put down all evening, like sewing, macrame, and knitting.

What is your favorite item in you shop (attach link please)
What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made
Whats you most memorable sale.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
A lot of my ideas for things to sew develop while I'm nursing my daughter, believe it or not!    Nursing is like mandatory meditation time. You're forced to put everything aside and be still for a while, and your mind wanders to some really interesting places!

Tell us about a favorite designer.

What's your favorite color .
Right now, watery blue & green mixtures.

What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?
Ok, did I mention I'm a SITE manager at a low-income housing project?

Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?

What are your favorite blogs or website?
I read this one every day. It's not craft related, but it's got a good DIY sensibility: http://fakeplasticfish.com/
For craft blogs, I visit this one pretty often: http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/index.aspx

What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s).
What do you do to relax and unwind?

[MadMavenCreations]

Tell us about yourself…bio 150-200 words
I'm a 37 year old crafter who works as a nurse/office manager for my day job.  I have a husband, a 14 yr old son, a 14 yr old stepdaughter and a 17 yr old stepson.  We also have 3 cats (that we just finished spraying for fleas).  My oldest cat, a 17 year old named Lulu, has barfed on my bead boards so I need to replace both of them.

Tell us about your shop.
I have a wide range of interests creatively.  I'm constantly trying new things, so I have a wide variation of items in my shop.  I have resin art pendants, chainmaille bracelet/earring sets, plenty of pretty, shiny, dangly, wire wrapped things, and a few Swarovski pieces.  I'm bipolar so my moods vary, sometimes greatly, and I enjoy the range of items that results from this.

How did you get started?
My mother, like her mother and her grandmother before her, is an incredibly crafty person.  I had plenty of handmade outfits growing up.  Even my Barbie dolls and my baby dolls had handmade clothes and knitted sweaters.  I'm a leftie, so mom was never really able to teach me to knit or crochet but I could sew a straight seam by age 10.  Later, I learned knitting & crocheting from a book.  The beading obsession started about 3 years ago; I was at Joann Fabrics and saw some beads on sale and I thought they'd make a nice bookmark for my husband.  That's all it took, and now I have online shops on iCraft, etsy, and DaWanda, as well as a shop at CafePress for my photography and related items.

What is your favorite item in you shop (attach link please)
It's difficult to choose, but I think I'd have to go with my copper and ceramic necklace and earrings set:  #page has been deleted#

What’s your favourite _____________ that you have ever made
I had a woman from Minnesota contact me through my website who asked me to design bracelet and earrings sets for her bridesmaids, in lime green and navy blue.  She wanted something a little "funky" so we ended up going with Swarovski crystals worked into my hex set design.  Here's a different set in black: #page has been deleted#

Whats you most memorable sale.
The bridesmaids set described above.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
I get inspired almost everywhere!  I love working with copper, so I will walk around Home Depot or Lowe's for ideas.  I do a lot of looking around the internet, on product websites (BeadFx, Lion brand Yarn, the Interweave site, etc) and have found many ideas that way.  Sometimes I will be inspired to try a new technique or color combination or design idea by seeing an item that another crafter has made.

Tell us about a favorite designer
I REALLY enjoy Dale 'Cougar' Armstrong's work with wire.  She uses a lot of square wire in her creations, which appeals to me.  Her site is: http://www.cougarscreations.com/.  I had commented once on the Beading Daily forum how happy I was to see one of her designs on the cover of Step By Step Wire, and she actually e-mailed me.  I still have the email.

What's your favorite color
My favorite color is purple, although I've worked more with blue.  I also adore turquoise and red coral together.
 
What's your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?
My bedroom is my favorite.  I have to take medicine every day because of the bipolar disorder, and it puts me to sleep although I can sometimes ward sleep off for a half hour if I'm in bed lying down.  It's an odd angle to knit from, but it happens.  I've always been particularly fond of getting a good night's sleep, so I have a very cozy bedroom.  It's also a no-cat zone which is nice to have one spot in the house where you aren't dealing with pet hair or Lulu's stomach issues.

Do you have a (your product) tip you'd like to share with readers?
I've learned that the old adage about try, trying again if you don't succeed at first REALLY applies to trying something new creatively.  Some of my favorite techniques like wrapped loops and knitting socks on 4 needles were ones I had struggled with initially but now am able to do with confidence.

What are your (upto 5) favorite blogs or website? (outside yours or icraft)?
I enjoy the Beading and Knitting Daily sites through Interweave Press.  I always look forward to getting the email from BeadFx in my in-box because it's another excuse to browse their online store.  I'm also on Facebook daily.

What are your (upto 5) favorite magazine(s), and or book(s)
I really enjoy Bead And Button because they have projects that stand out, in my opinion.  I LOVE Beads etc (from Australia).  The project styles are different than what I see in the US magazines.  Step By Step Wire is a consistent favorite of mine.  I also enjoy a variety of knitting magazines, including Interweave Knits.
 
What do you do to relax and unwind?
Lately, it's been knitting.  I find there is something hypnotic about manipulating the yarn with the needles.  I also read, and sometimes combine the two by listening to an audiobook while knitting (or beading).  Ahhhhhh!

[Callidora]

Callidora's is a shop for handcrafted women's clothing and accessories. I specialize in clothing for Plus Sizes, but create it in any size range. Currently, Callidora's features formal wear, business wear (with some casual), and handbags. Occasionally, I feature hats as well.

I've been sewing for 25 years (started as a young teenager!) and have had custom clothing and alterations work in the past. But that was only sporadic, either as side work or when I was between corporate jobs. Callidora's came to life 2 years in December of 2007. Many friends loved items I made for myself or my daughter and told me to sell them. When Callidora's started, I had never sold online before! I started with aprons and handbags only. You know,' one size fits all' items!

My current favorite item in the shop right now is the Gigi Dress. I've done a few of these in various colors and even in full length. I just think it's very "princess-y"!
https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/16220/gigi-strapless-wrap-gown.php

I don't really have a most favorite item that I've ever made. Everything I make has my blood, sweat, and tears in it. I wait on pins and needles for feedback. If I don't get any, I'm dejected! Every piece is a part of me and I love them all.

I believe that I am in the middle of negotiations for my most memorable sale! I'm currently speaking with a customer who's getting married in 2010. She has 8 bridesmaids and 2 hostesses and we are discussing gowns and cloaks. This would be my first huge order!

I find inspiration everywhere - design shows, from the fabric itself, I stare at everyone's clothes. In my mind, I put that collar together with those sleeves and remove that seam and dream up a whole piece just walking around with my eyes open. I don't have a favorite designer and I'm not limited to a style. I love creating vintage and historical wear, as well as modern clothing. I tend to lean toward the classic and elegant, but I'm attracted to edgy as well.

I can't pick a favorite color, I love them all! In various combinations, in prints and solids! Right now, since it's Autumn, I'm very attracted to rust, plum and pewter. But really, I love all colors!

I don't have a favorite room at home. I hate my house. It was a quick decision made to move my family cross-country. We wanted to move and finally had equity 2 years ago, but the economy tanked and we can't sell our house. The layout is awful and my sewing room is tiny and disorganized.

Some of my favorite blogs and resources:
Guessing All the Way http://www.guessingalltheway.com/
Craft Boom http://www.sparkplugging.com/craft-boom/
Threads Magazine
The Dressmaker's Technique Bible
Vogue Patterns Magazine

When it finally is time to relax, I love to watch Sci-fi with my teenage boys (I'm a Trekkie!) and knit. I also love to end each evening curled up in bed with a book. I love to read Jane Austen, sci-fi, and suspense novels. I know! I'm all over the place - my husband says I'm retro-futuristic and quite Austentatious Smile