Thursday, October 22, 2015

The SF Etsy Blog Has Moved!



Thanks for being a loyal blog reader. We've just launched our new blog, and we hope you'll bookmark and share it. Join us at http://www.etsysf.com for a brand-new look and content!


If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday Feature ~ Jackie's Plushies


This week we are featuring Jackie's Plushies. Jackie has been making felt plushies since 2008.





1. What is your Shop Name and URL ?
Jackie's Plushies, www.etsy.com/shop/rawien8706


2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
SF Etsy, For the love of plush, Etsy Worldwide, Deviant Art





3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?
I make hand sewn felt plushies that are fanart inspired. I usually create the characters that I like the most from things I'm into (IE: Kingdom Hearts, Disney, etc). I learned my craft through trial and error mostly...I made "monsters" back before 2008, but decided I would make some "personalized" ones as gifts for my friends and they've been a big hit ever since.




4. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.
I cosplay and am an amateur photographer.



5. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?
Tumblr: jackiesplushies.tumblr.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/jackiesplushies Storenvy: jackiesplushies.storenvy.com




6. What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite?
I like all my plushies equally, if I liked one more than the rest I would want to keep it for myself! Hah. Of the ones I had listed though, I would have to say my hand sewn Cosima from Orphan Black felt plushie. There aren't too many fanart inspired creations out there that I've noticed representing Orphan Black so I made one. =) https://www.etsy.com/transaction/242891224?


7. What's next for you?
Continuing making plushies just for fun, as well as keep an eye out for those craft fairs within my tiny budget.





If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday, October 9, 2015

Friday Feature ~ AvantGarde Studio

Happy Friday everyone !!! We are back this week and AvantGarde Studio is our feature this week.  Owner Elena makes some super cute clothes for kids and is currently offering 20% off . Use the code HAPPYSHOPPING to get 20% off  till October 16th at her Etsy store.




1. What is your Shop Name and URL ?
AvantGarde Studio
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AvantgardeStudio


2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
SF Etsy
Etsy Craft Party Team
Etsy Success





3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?
I am a new mom who started AvantGarde Studio after I couldn’t find dresses for my daughter that fit my minimalist aesthetic. I decided to make my own, and the response was so positive that I made few more =) In my Etsy shop you'll find kids fashion, home decor and other fabric gifts.
I shop for fabrics, wash, design, cut, sew, photograph...I handle marketing, correspondence, shipping...I make coffee and oil my sawing machine.


4. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.
Born and raised in Bulgaria, I moved to North America after I graduated university. Love to travel and some of the places I've called home include Hawaii, California, Vancouver (BC) and Toronto (ON).




5. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/avantstu/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avantgarde-Studio/311332799018884?ref=hl

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/AvantStu/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AvantStu










If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Yarn Tagging with the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles


Last weekend was full of yarn tagging fun as the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles celebrated Museum Day Live! We started on Friday, sorting through all the donated materials to see what we could use. Many volunteers helped with this process!
Donated afghans and other yarn creations. So much handmade goodness! In the background, serious plans being made by Jerome of Gridjunky and yours truly, Jen of Mama's Magic Studio.
The vision was to "yarn bomb" the awnings outside the museum, as well as to yarn tag as much as possible on the street and in the green area across from the museum. It took a lot of planning, piecing, measuring, and stitching to get everything lined up. Then, once the awning tops were put together, they needed to be hung up. Jerome from Gridjunky  was the engineer planning it out, and then up on the ladder getting it done.

Jerome of Gridjunky pauses and waves for the paparazzi.
The result was amazing! Custom-designed yarn bomb toppers for each of the five awnings. It really needs to be seen in person to appreciate the effect.

Yarn bomb awning toppers at the museum, each custom designed and created to fit.
 All up and down the street, we got going with the yarn tags. From pom-poms to more elaborate installations, no surface was safe from the yarn taggers.

Tagging with yarn pom poms!
I helped out a little bit on Friday, and my daughter joined me on Saturday for more yarn tagging fun. Together we created this whimsical tag on top of a bike parking tube, using donated machine knitted materials, some granny squares, and a plush crocheted cactus.

Our favorite yarn tag!
 We also placed a bunch of pom poms and tagged a parking meter with a scarf, flowers, and a mushroom.
Mother-daughter team, tagging a parking meter.
The museum staff was a big part of the action, of course. Joan, the executive director, took her turn up on the ladder to tag a big palm tree out front of the museum, assisted by Elizabeth, the Manager of Museum Education.
Museum staff, Joan and Elizabeth, hard at work.
It was so neat to think of how many hours of work had gone into the handmade yarn creations that people had donated. All those stacks and stacks of afghans, scarves, blankets, and more! I personally was delighted to find a new home for an old handmade item -- some time back, I hand crocheted a cover for an inflatable yoga ball. The ball popped, and I'd hung on to the cover because I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away. When I was there on Friday, I noticed the stone spheres in the garden across the street, and a lightbulb moment happened. Turn it into yarn art? That was a re-purposing I could absolutely agree to!


Handmade magic from Mama's Magic Studio becomes part of the yarn tagging fun! These used to be a cover for a yoga ball!
 By the time we were done, the entire green area had been bombed.
Yarn bombed garden by the museum.
 This project couldn't have happened without the creativity and help of another SF Etsy friend, Amy of Jumbo Jibbles! Her expertise and savvy ways with a strand of yarn were invaluable parts of this project.
Amy of Jumbo Jibbles working hard on a yarn tag in the garden by the museum.
Amy and I serve together on the museum's new Advisory Committee, a group helping the museum with some new ideas and approaches. Amy coined the hashtag #wtfiber for this and other textile goodness at the museum, and we even had little #wtfiber label to include with our yarn tagging. I had fun creating a little tag for a pipe outside the museum.

Ingredients for a yarn tag, including #wtfiber tag.

Finished tag. I call it "Pipe with Mushroom."
Yarn tagging will be happening at the museum as long as they have yarn materials to tag with, so if you'd like to join the fun, be sure to stop by soon! The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles is a true gem of a museum in the SoFA district of San Jose. Be sure to check out the fantastic exhibits while you're there!

Many thanks to the folks at the museum for permission to share photos of this event.


If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday, October 2, 2015

Friday Feature ~ Bhairaviart

This week we are featuring Bhairaviart. Owner Bhairavi  Kulkarni is a Visual Development Artist & Illustrator. She will be participating in Alternative Press Expo which is going to be held at the San Jose Convention Center on October 3rd and 4th. She is also offering 10% off on a minimum purchase of $25 to customers who use coupon code SALE10. The sale ends October 31st.




1. What is your Shop Name and URL ?
Bhairaviart, www.bhairaviart.etsy.com


2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
Favorites for Sales
Digital Prints
Increase Sales
SF Etsy
Increase your shops visibility
New Seller Tips
Illustrations (prints)





3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?
I sell Art Prints, Postcards, Bookmarks and Greeting cards in my shop. I love to tell stories through my Illustrations and Art.
Being born and brought up in a country as diverse as India, I was always surrounded by interesting stories and loved to draw them. I took various art courses throughout my childhood and did an Under graduation In applied Art and came to the United States to pursue my Masters in Visual Development. I studied at the Academy of Art University. Personal experiences and observation are the key to my Illustrations.




4. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.
I absolutely LOVE to cook and try new recipes. I get super excited at a Farmers Market when I see Fresh colorful ingredients. Lately, I have also been super obsessed with trying DIY projects for home. I gave myself a challenge to make things from everything I already had in stock!


5. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?
Blog : www.bhairavi-k.blogspot.com
Website : www.bhairaviart.com
Pintrest : https://www.pinterest.com/bhairavi2788/
Instagram : https://instagram.com/bhairavik/


6. What inspires your creations?
Stories and personal experiences. I love to illustrate stories that people can connect with. A painting they look at and feel an emotion.




7. What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite?
Couple Art Print
This is a very special illustration. This is how my husband and I look when watching television. Very special memories.


8. What crafting skill(s) do you wish you had or hope to learn someday?
I would love to learn wood working. I have a long list of DIY projects!

9. If you had a gift certificate to Etsy for any one item you wanted, what would you buy?
Whale Bookends
I fell in love with this shop! They make super cute stuff. I know this is for a kids room, but, I would proudly display these in my home office.


10. What has been your biggest success and/or proudest moment since opening your Etsy shop?
I had an order for 2 sets of postcards. I got a 5 star review and the customer sent a hand written note to tell me how much she loved the postcards and she would definitely be a return customer! It was a very special moment.



11. What's next for you?
I am working on creating some handmade stamps with my illustrations and make hand stamped Art Prints and Greeting Cards. I am also preparing for Alternative Press Expo that is going to be held in San Jose on October 3rd and 4th. Lot of new products and exciting news coming up.


Anything else you would like to add?


If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday, September 25, 2015

Dispatches From the Unique SF Show


Today's guest post comes from Amy Zierath of Lilibet Design.

Sunday mornings at the Farmers Market at Fort Mason are always a delightful way to spend the morning, and this past Sunday was enhanced by the Unique San Francisco Fall Market that was held at the Festival Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday.  Quite a number of local merchants participated in the show as well those from LA, Portland, and Albuquerque.

I never cease to be amazed by the ingenuity and creativity of the merchandise featured at these shows, and products are featured that you never thought you needed but after seeing can’t imagine how you would live without.

These were some of my favorite things:

Whiskers on kittens.

Just kidding.




The black Breton striped long sleeve shirt with flamingo from BlastoffBaby was one of the first items to catch my eye at the market.  Founded in 2012, Emily Bennett has created a line of children’s clothing that is gender neutral, bright and cheerful and breaks down the stereotypes for color and pattern for traditional children’s apparel.  Girls can rock t-shirts with construction equipment, and boys can wear pink.



Based in Palm Springs, LeslieShockley of Tea with Iris, is a strong proponent of up cycling and creating products inspired from her own garden.  Some of the highlights from her boutique featured all organic onsies with cutouts sewn in from vintage textiles and picnic blankets.  She has a rather terrific collection of tea towels that she has transformed into stylish Picnic Blankets.  A single tea towel takes the center of the blanket and is framed with coordinating panel of vintage fabric.  They are rather sturdy and long lasting with a waterproof tarp so they are easy to clean.



Another item that caught my eye are the cocktail greeting cards from UnderwoodLetterpress, which is based in Los Angeles.  Cara Underwood, the proprietor, makes stamp collecting really cool and turns the most basic envelope into a work of art.  However, she had me at Manhattan and I adore her line of greeting cards that features cocktail recipes and a snippet of cocktail art.  Definitely a great gift item and the perfect accompaniment to a hostess gift or a surprise card for a friend.



As someone who has juggled many a bottles of wine, casserole dishes, and flowers on the San Francisco cable cars enroute to a potluck or dinner party over the years, I don’t know how I survived without the creations of Shujan Bertrand, the San Francisco genius behind Ã¥plat.  Founded in 2014, Shujan has created a collection of sturdy and rather attractive carriers for baguettes, casseroles, baked dishes, flowers, etc. that are designed to withstand the urban commute whether it’s on foot, bicycle, taxi, or public transit.

 


L-R: Lovely ceramic hanging basket from Natacha NayCeramic jewels from Natacha Nay; Ceramic collection from San Francisco designer, Scott JenningsLumbar Lovelies from Portland's Scout & Whistle

Overall, the attendance was low for this show.  Perhaps it was the sunny hot weather that prolonged summer or that people weren’t familiar with the shops because most were from outside the Bay Area.  However, it drives home to me that there is a very real connection for success in these shows  with the relationship that local shops  have with the community, and we are very lucky to live in a community that supports and thrives on the entrepreneurial spirit.


Thanks for joining us, Amy! We appreciate your report from the craft show front-lines.


If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday Feature ~ Heinonen

Friday Feature is back after a long summer break, just in time for fall. Hopefully everyone had a fun and productive summer.  We are going to have a feature each week for the next few weeks and are starting off with Daisy Debelle's shop Heinonen. The shop name is her mother's family name and it is her way of staying in touch with her Finnish roots.

Happy Friday and do pop by to say hello to Daisy. She will have more products to add to her shop after mid October.


1. What is your Shop Name and URL ?
Heinonen, https://www.etsy.com/shop/heinonen

2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
San Francisco Bay Area



3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?
I am half French and half Finnish, having lived in Paris before moving to San Francisco in January. I am doing paintings and drawings but also ceramic and origami mobiles.

I studied painting in school and I also have a bachelor’s degree in history of art from the Sorbonne in Paris.

About my creative process, everything starts with a sketch. From there, it's draw, paint, cut, over and over again until I feel the art looks finished. I use some books and images to get inspirations, putting together memories and dreams that I see on the paper. Also traveling to different countries and see other cultures gives me a huge inspiration! I really love Asian art.



4. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.
I just finishing a PhD thesis in Geography which I will defend in September. I am working on architecture in China and urban planning. I love mapping, I really like how the design rivers, building and study the shape of cities. Maps appeal to our pride, our sense of belonging, and our aspirations and to do this, they employ artistic motifs, devices and meanings.



5. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?
My pinterest account:
https://www.pinterest.com/daisydebelle/my-work/

6. What inspires your creations?
My travels around San Francisco, I try to leave the city every week-end and go into the wood or the coast where I collect wood, feather, stones. I am also attending a baby boy for July and these last couple of months I am focusing more on baby nursery decorations, like paintings, mobiles.




7. What crafting skill(s) do you wish you had or hope to learn someday?
I just start working with naturals materials, I will love to perfom my woodworking techniques. I already working with ceramic for home design but I want to develop more skills on sculpture for a complete experimentation.



If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Monday, July 13, 2015

SF Etsy Team Member Kiva Endorsement: Mac Cutting Boards

Hello SF Etsy Teammates! 
Happy Monday! It was such a great way to wake up this morning and see that our team had successfully helped Josie and Bart from Mac Cutting Boards fund their small business loan through Kiva Zip!!!

Our Trusteeship with Kiva just began a few months ago and we are so very proud to already have two of our SF Etsy team members take advantage of this amazing micro-funding loan process to help them grow their businesses. 

Learn more about SF Etsy's Trusteeship by reading this blog post. 




I wanted to take this time for all of us to get better acquainted with Josie and Bart from Mac Cutting Boards. If you haven't met them in person, you should definitely introduce yourself when you see them at a show. They are truly some of the best humans you could ever meet. 

Enjoy this interview, along the way, we've included photos of their amazing and creative work :) 

1. Tell us a little bit about the people behind Mac Cutting Boards

Bart and Josie McHale are the owners of Mac Cutting Boards.  A family owned business since 2009.  We handcraft custom made wood cutting boards from repurposing and upcycling unused scrap hardwoods that we sourced from woodworkers such as cabinet makers, furniture makers, hardwood flooring companies and moulding companies.  



2. How did you first get started as a maker in the handmade community?

In 2009, we decided to include our whole family in making Christmas gifts for our friends and family. We decided on cutting boards and made 28 of them. They were so well received, we started getting orders for more and we never stopped making them. 



3. What do you find most exciting about being a maker and working with makers, entrepreneurs, and artisans?

Taking something like the scrap wood we use and turning it into something beautiful and useful is what keeps us going. We recently moved into a co-op shop with 5 other craftspeople. Being around them on a daily basis is so inspiring.  Not to mention the ability to learn from them on a daily basis is endless. 




4. What do you find most challenging about owning your own business? 

Owning your own business is a 24-7 commitment. At times it can be difficult to obtain funding when large orders come in and we need to purchase raw materials. 


5. Tell us about another special maker/artisan you've met while working on your business?

Brady & Liz from West Kept Secret http://westkeptsecret.com/.  They make and market metal calendars and to-do boards. You can personalize your calendar with numerous choices of magnets. There based in Phoenix Az and travel the west coast selling and promoting their products. In between shows there in their shop producing more inventory. 


6.  How did you learn about SFEtsy?

We met Marja Huhta from Glass Elements at a craft fair in Los Altos. She took the time to tell us about SF Etsy and she was instrumental in introducing us to SF Etsy members. 


7. What is one of your primary goals for your business in 2015?

We'd like to see continued growth of our company and an increase in our product line. We just hired a part time person to assist us in the shop and we'd like to add another person by the end of the year. 


8. What’s the one online tool you've discovered that can help makers propel their business?

Today there are many options for online growth. Are favorite is Instagram. It gives us the ability to market our business to a worldwide audience.  


9. Do you have any words of wisdom to help makers sell more in person at events?

Be engaged with potential customers. Tell them your story. We're always amazed by crafters who do not engage each and every person that passes by there booth. Remember that each person is an opportunity to practice your technique and perfect your performance.  
Use that few seconds to pitch your product and make a sale.  Ask for help.  You'll find that our community alone will come together to help each other out.



10. Where can we find you online?

Maccuttingboards.com



A HUGE Thank you to Josie and Bart! We are so very proud to have you on the team and we look forward to seeing you continue to grow and blossom!


If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!

Friday, June 19, 2015

Friday Feature ~ Pamela Baron Designs

It's Friday Feature time again and this time we are featuring Pamela Baron Designs. She makes some beautiful watercolors and also does custom house portraits.




1. What is your Shop Name and URL ?
Pamela Baron Designs, https://www.etsy.com/shop/PamelaBaronDesigns


2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?
SF Etsy, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)





3. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?
My shop houses my prints, paintings and hand-cut sticker packs. I make everything from my studio in Oakland and take pride in selecting high quality materials, locally whenever possible.

I got a degree in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, but it took me several years of working and collaborating with other artists in a variety of fields before I ventured out on my own. 


4. Tell us two (or more) interesting things about you.
In college, I worked as a glass blowing assistant and still continue to blow glass as a hobby. My boyfriend is a professional glassblower so sometimes we get to work on projects together although our styles are very different. My glass tends to looks like wonky children's drawings, and his are very elegant and complex.

If I am not painting, blowing glass, or hiking, I can be found fussing over the many plants. Many of them I have grown from tiny sprouts, or received from close friends. At this point, I kind of consider them my pets.





5. Do you have any other sites you would like featured?
https://instagram.com/pamelabaron/

My Instagram account is the best place to find new work and see what I am up to.


6. What inspires your creations?
I love getting out into nature and engaging with my environment. Almost all of my work starts from something that I have taken a picture of. Living in the Bay Area brings so much inspiration.


7. How did you get involved with Etsy?
I learned about Etsy in college but only seriously started using it after joining the SF Etsy Team. It's been so wonderful and inspiring to be a part of such an activate community.





8. What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite?
My favorite item in my shop is the custom house portrait!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/218375708/personalized-housewarming-gift-custom?ref=shop_home_feat_2

Architecture has always held a special place in my heart. There is so much rhythm and character in all the line work involved, it's almost musical. From painting a client's five cats peaking out of the windows (true story!), to obsessing over special plants in the front yard, my favorite part is adding the meaningful details that make a space personal.


9. What crafting skill(s) do you wish you had or hope to learn someday?
Embroidery! Someday I'll embroider mini portraits of all of my plants.




If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, visit Our Team Page about joining SFEtsy!
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