Holiday Boutique and Open House - This Weekend!

You are invited to join us this weekend for a Holiday Gift Boutique and Open House! Find one-of-a-kind handmade gifts like art, jewelry, books, ornaments, scarves, cards, and so much more! Unique gifts carefully crafted by local artists - come and see what we have to offer!

Support Art, not the Mall! :-)

December 5th 1-6pm

December 6th 1-5pm

704 Greenwood Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

720.329.8051 (Skyler)

Artists include:

Skyler McGee - visual art

Phaedra Taylor (Art Machine Studios)

Lisa Harrington - jewelry

Rachel Freyer (Paper and Pearls boutique)

Eleatta Diver - visual art

Andrew Stillwell - sculpture

Bead Show Bliss

I went to the Intergalactic Bead Show in Durham today. Wow. Love it - so much eye candy. Thought you all would enjoy a teaser. Coming soon - lots of new goodies at Paper and Pearls!

I Heart Fall

I love Fall. It's my FAVORITE season. The weather and gorgeous trees have inspired my composition of some golden, red, and brown jewelry over at Paper and Pearls on Etsy. Above are some eye candy shots for your enjoyment...

For some fantastic Fall Inspiration, check the issues of Real Simple and Martha Stewart this month. Really fanstastic and gorgeous spreads - lots of ideas to be had. For example, check out Real Simple's ideas for leftover turkey here.

Now go make some cider, hike through the forest, press some maple leaves, and savor this season!

Next up... bead shows... and lots of NEW goodies for the coming holiday season! Keep checking back for more news...

Fall Recipes

I love fall. It's my favorite season. A chill in the air just gives me so much energy - and kicks my nesting instinct into high gear! What better time for baking?

These two recipes are from a coworker - they are incredibly delicious and easy. Fill your home with the aroma of Fall.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar1 cup can pumpkin

½ cup butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 beaten egg (or 2 if you want cake-like cookies)

2 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup milk chocolate chips (semi-sweet not as good w/ pumpkin)

Optional:

½ cup raisins

½ cup walnuts

Combine sugar, pumpkin, butter, vanilla, and egg. Set aside. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and combine well. Stir in optional ingredients as desired.
Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375.

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 large egg1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze (recipe follows)
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease baking sheets.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.
Cooks Note: For a variation add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts to the recipe.
Estimated Times: Preparation - 10 minutes; Cooking - 18 minutes; Cooling Time - 2 minutes cooling.
Yields 36 cookies.
© 2009 and ®/™ Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland, used with permission.
Submitted by: LIBBY'S® Pumpkin

Paper and Pearls Picks: Skin Care and Cosmetics

I often feel very overwhelmed by skin care. There are so many lotions, cleansers, and creams out there. What do we really need??

I was recently at the dermatologist, so I asked him what he suggested for the ideal skin care. His answer surprised me: all he recommends is a good cleanser and a good lotion with SPF. What about eye cream? He smiled and said that doesn’t really make a difference. This is America and companies are always creating products that you “need.” He said to use a good cleaner, lotion, and be sure to use SPF every day. He says the brand Cetaphil really is the best – it’s a very simple formula and quite gentle. I couldn’t believe it! I’d been wandering Whole Foods looking at eye creams ($25-40!) and wondering if it’s worth it. Cetaphil is reasonably priced and widely available - you can get your whole skin care regimen for about the cost of a schmancy eye cream. Thanks, Doc! I started using the cleanser already, and it makes my skin so soft.

Here is what my dermatologist recommends:
Cetaphil cleanser
Cetaphil daily face SPF lotion
Cetaphil body lotion

(Bonus tip: If you order these on drugstore.com, you can get free shipping with an order of $25 or more. Very convenient and easy and one less errand to run! You can order a lot of beauty products and natural household items as well. I’m really enjoying Mrs. Meyer’s all-purpose cleaner as I explore natural cleaning products – it makes my house smell incredible (geraniums!)! )

I also asked about cosmetics. He said that the mineral brands do tend to be better for skin. I am a rather low-maintenance chic, and I like my Bare Minerals. It gives better coverage than other mineral brands. Get the starter kit for your skin tone and you're well on your way. I am ready to go in about 5 minutes each morning! I’ve been trying samples from Everyday Minerals lately – and really enjoying that brand as well. (Do try their samples – all you pay for is shipping!)

Simple is best. Straight from the doctor’s experience, no less!

First Feature on Craft Gawker!

I recently learned about Craft Gawker on some Etsy forums... So I gave it a whirl!!

My mini camellia journal is featured today! Check it out!

Where in the World Is... Paper and Pearls?

Where has Paper and Pearls gone to lately?

Well – for the last months we’ve been traveling (San Deigo) and moving… We are slowly emerging from the piles of boxes and enjoying our new historic home very much. I will be sharing some great decorating discoveries and photos soon. Do keep posted from some great ideas and new inventory in my shop. Better uncover all my supplies, eh?

In the meantime, let me share one of my favorite inspirational interior design books. I used to work at a high-end furniture showroom, and the style was very English. I loved it. Cheryl MacLachlan’s book “Bringing it Home: England” is a great resource I discovered during my time there. Doesn’t this product description just make you want to rush out and get the book?

“Cheryl examines England's comfortable interiors--the overstuffed sofas and chairs, rich, dark woods, classic patterns, and vibrant colors. She takes us on a room-by-room tour of the quintessential English home, providing insider tips, easy how-to's, and decorating hints, along with more than 250 gorgeous, full-color photographs. We get a close look at the furniture, fabrics, and decorative touches that make English style so appealing. We examine the English penchant for striking graphics, their celebration of flora and fauna, and their irrepressible knack for the eccentric touch. We are given a brief overview of the history of English style and explore various aspects of daily life in England, from entertaining to housekeeping, including, of course, the national pastime--taking tea. Cheryl MacLachlan also takes us for a stroll outdoors to study the key components of the lush English garden. The author closes her tour with an entertaining and enlightening discussion on the language differences between British English and American English. Bringing It Home--England explores the beauty and appeal of this fascinating country, revealing its many timeless charms. Learn what makes English life so welcoming--and then bring its best qualities back to your own home!”

For all you Anglophiles out there… this is a must-have for your coffee table or book shelf.

I love the classic English pattern Blue Willow. We've started collecting that in our new antique china cabinet. That's just one example of how we are incorporating the English style to our new old house. I'll post pics of our new house soon...

Much more to come...

Featured Etsy Artisan: FreshlyPressed

I am so excited about this next Featured Etsy Interview! Susan of the letterpress boutique Freshly Pressed is an incredibly gifted friend and an inspiration to me. She is that rare mix of organized and extremely creative. She launched her own shop on etsy awhile ago, so I asked her to share some of her insights from being in business for about a year now. If you're a paper and stationary fan - this boutique is for you.

Enjoy meeting Susan and be sure to visit her lovely shop!

I own a set of the mixed berry notecards (well - they're almost gone - I love them!) And check out her latest designs - the Kensington Note Set?? LOVE IT! Must have!

Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.

Nice to meet you all! I'm Susan Den Herder, owner/founder of Freshly Pressed. I both live and work in a cozy little apartment in Northern Virginia (just outside of Washington, DC) with my husband and son (age 2). In fact, my "office/studio" where I print is actually the hall closet.

Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.

My letterpress boutique on Etsy (www.freshlypressed.etsy.com) is slowly but surely filling up with "ready-to-wear" letterpress note sets. I have also done custom work but the shop is home to products I developed out of my own taste and style and are packaged and ready to enjoy or give as a gift. Letterpress is a 500-year old printing method where an inked plate is pressed into the paper leaving an impression you can see and feel. All of my products are hand pressed one at at time on an antique piece of equipment right here in my home. I like to use design elements that pay tribute to the "heyday" of letterpress and then add a fresh and modern twist. I also adore packaging, so each product has a special finishing touch.

How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.

I worked at a paper store for a year which had basically been my dream job for some time. I was exposed to--and fell in love with--letterpress. After I had my son and was home with him full-time, I found a letterpress printing class so I could learn the method. I was instantly hooked and started searching for my own press so I could start my business.

As for a favorite item, the Market Street Note Set will probably always have a special little place in my heart. It was the first "official" product I put out as a business and I agonized over every design decision that went into the final result. It was originally designed as a gift for someone, so I was trying to come up with an "old-meets-new" feel that would fit her style. I used the wood type lettering to achieve an old world look and then brought it up to date with fresh colors. The response from friends and family was overwhelming, and it was sweet to know that my note sets were given as Christmas, birthday and bridesmaids gifts that year.

What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?

Here are a few things I learned in the first year...

First, don't do it alone! While you may be the only one doing the actual

dreaming/creating/making of specific products, a small core of support is key. Of course, you don't want opinions from everyone you know, but choose people that really understand your vision and have a unique skill or gift that supports it.

Secondly, figure out what you are about. You have to find your style and voice and then work hard to stay there. I was surprised how quickly I lost track of that when people started requesting other things and I wanted to please them and say "yes" to everything. As I watch others who have been successful, it's because they have found their niche and stayed there.

Lastly, keep doing the things that inspire you. Once your passion becomes a business I think it's so important to go back to whatever really gets you excited about what you do...splurge on your favorite magazine, walk through a museum, browse your favorite shops, etc.

Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!

Just one?! I feel blessed to know and have worked with many talented and creative women and they all inspire me! I also have what I like to call professional "crushes" on many talented designers and shop owners that I only "know" thanks to the world wide web. My top two are probably fabric designer (and mother of six!) Anna Maria Horner and Urbanic Shop Owner Audrey Woollen. They both have impeccable taste and have reached a level of success that is really inspiring.

Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!

Anything that involves people making things. True confession: I love watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory mostly because I would like to be the candy shop owner who gets to organize and sell all those perfectly-packaged products all day. I also just read The Friday Night Knitting Club and loved it for the same reason.

What is your favorite handmade treasure?

I love quilts. We have quite a few in our home that were all made by my mother-in-law and given on special occasions. My favorite is not made yet, but I am planning to use some of my grandmother's old bed linens and maybe some of my old clothes to make a quilt for my baby girl, due to arrive in October. I will need the expertise of my mother-in-law to have it turn out well, but somehow I think that one will be a favorite of mine.

Do you have any suggestions for creatively weathering these tough economic times? How are you creatively making the best of it?

On a very practical note, reuse and repurpose! Some of my greatest finds and inspirationshave been from repurposing older materials. My newest product, to be released in the very near future, was totally inspired by some vintage sewing patterns I found on Ebay and the patterns themselves became part of the packaging.

On the larger scale, I try to stay encouraged by remembering that businesses who are forced to creatively succeed in tough times are likely to experience even more success in the future!

Creative Living Interview: Meet Cynthia

I am thrilled to introduce you to a dear friend for this latest Creative Living interview. I got to know Cynthia and her husband through my hubby, and we've all been fast friends ever since. Cynthia is a gracious and loving woman who has lots of creativity and gifts (she's an incredible hostess - we love staying with her). She's an inspiration to me - I hope you enjoy her interview.

Cynthia is also the owner of a Paper and Pearls original turquoise necklace - it looks stunning on her.

Thanks for sharing some of your creative insights with Paper and Pearls, Cynthia! :-)

Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.
My name is Cynthia Vukmer. I live in Fairfax, VA (suburb of DC) and am currently a homemaker.

What creative crafts or activities do you like to do? Tell us what you like to do and why it appeals to you.
I very much enjoy decorating--esp. working with pieces (furniture/accessories) someone already has to create an enjoyable, comfortable and aesthetically-appealing space. I also love creative writing, including poetry. And I enjoy photography quite a bit as well.

I love creating beautiful spaces because they can offer a sense of calm, rootedness that is so antithetical to the often frazzled, wayward world around us. Additionally, working with the space and pieces someone already has, allows a fun, interesting challenge for me. In writing, I often find sweet redemption when I am able to explore those deep, often untouched places of my soul with expressive words. And finally, I find pure enjoyment in showcasing the mundane as beautiful through the eye of a camera lens.

Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!
In the writing department, my aunt inspires me. She is so talented and devotes so much of her time and energy to perfecting her poetry and encouraging others, including me, to explore their own creative potential in this area as well. She is kind of a "Renaissance Woman" in that she's a loving wife and mother, a wonderful aunt, works full-time for a non-profit, writes books and poetry, and has a deep, tested faith in God. She is also a survivor in that she's overcome many obstacles in her personal life to accomplish so much. I am blessed to have her in my life and try to emulate her!

Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
The Lord of the Rings book series inspires me through the way Tolkien masterfully creates an enchanting, magical world parallel to ours. I love how he confronts the ultimate battle between good and evil and the struggles we face in choosing the right path.

What is the most beautiful place you've ever been?
I've been to many wonderful places and they all have their own beauty. However, I love places with both coastline and mountains. The contrast between mighty ocean and grand terrain appeal to me, including California's coast, England's western coast and Hong Kong's coast.

What creative things would you like to learn this year?
I would love to continue to work on the interests I already have in decorating, photography and writing. I already plan to take classes in the first two and practice my writing!

Etsy Treasury - Book It

My Secret Garden journal was featured in this lovely treasury, Book It! How delightful...

Featured Etsy Artisan: DesignPort

For today's Etsy Artisan Feature, we're traveling all the way to Instanbul to meet Şans of DesignPort. I stumbled across this lovely shop in my Etsy browsings, and was drawn to all the color and elegance of the shawls and shrugs and scarves- very very chic. Şans graciously agreed to be interviewed - I hope you enjoy meeting her and be sure to visit her lovely shop.

I especially want this red caged shrug - stunning!!

Thanks for telling us your story, DesignPort!

Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.

My name is Şans..It’s meaning in Turkish is’’Luck’’J.I m a designer for big fashion brand in Turkey..I love creating, especially hand made creations…I'm living in Istanbul. Istanbul is a amazing and big city ..

Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.

I met with Etsy a long time ago, my friend suggested it to me..And I began to think about it. I had to join it, I had to design to some hand made..And My Etsy shop began to occur.. and now my soft and loving products are with you…You are gonna find young, trendy, cool, quality, soft and really different products in my shop..Just tell me what you need and I'm gonna create it for you…It will be very exciting to sell my products to different cultures of the people at other end of the world…..

How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.

My favorite one is ‘’spring flower scarf’’..When I went to holiday to Bodrum , I saw a big ,colourful, beautiful garden.There was a a lot of rose with different flowers. I loved them and thought it would be so incredible on the women’s neck..This is the story of ‘’SPRING FLOWER SCARF’’ (see photo above - I LOVE IT!)

What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?

Just feel it, feel your power of design…

Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!

My boyfriend inspires me every timeJ

Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!

My favorite movie is Grease…I love the styling, I love colours, I love hairs, songs and also artistes.. It takes me a different world.

What is your favorite handmade treasure?

Click this link to see designport's idea.

Paper and Pearls on Birthstones

It's my birthday month... so one way I'm celebrating is by creating the June Necklace made of the birthstone (pearls) and the birthflower (rose). I think roses and pearls look lovely together - timelessly classic and romantic.

Are you curious about your birthflower and birthstone? Check out below for the full scoop...

January - carnation, garnet

February - iris, amethyst

March - daffodil, acquamarine

April - daisy, diamond

May - Lily of the Valley, emerald

June - rose, pearl

July - larkspur, ruby

August - gladiolus, peridot

September - aster, sapphire

October - pot marigold, opal

November - chrysanthemum, topaz

December - paperwhite narcissus, turquoise

Paper and Pearls Picks

And now... Paper and Pearls Picks... simple pleasures to make everyday beautiful.

Well... it's summer. I am one of those strange people who far prefers crisp autumnal weather.Down here in the South, the humidity is pretty intense at times.

But - Paper and Pearls has some picks for you! Some wonderful finds that will leave you refreshed and cool. Each month, I enjoy a special soap in the shower. Small, I know. But I do believe that small indulgences are what help make everday beautiful.

So - after a long hot day, or in the morning as you get ready for your day, why not try one of these lovely refreshing bars?

Sappo Hill soaps are low packaging, low price, and high luxury. Nice lather and wonderful aromas. How about almond?

I love this bar of Rosemary Mint from Aveda. It's gentle, not too scented, and has light exfoliation. And it will last a LONG time. Very refreshing.
This is one of my all time favorite things - I am a major Burt's Bees fan. This Peppermint and Rosemary Burt's Bees soap has a wonderfully refreshing scent, smooth lather, and great exfoliation. I really like.

Pick one of these up for easy refreshment. Then go sit near a fan and enjoy a sweet tea. :-)

Featured Etsy Artisan: LucindaChips

I found this lovely shop, LucindaChips, while I was browsing Etsy's gift guides. Being a lover of white china, these lucindachips plates caught my eye and I took a tour of her shop. Beautiful things!

Lucinda graciously agreed to be interview on my blog - I'm delighted to feature her. Enjoy meeting Lucinda, and be sure to visit LucindaChips on Etsy.

Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.
I'm Lucinda Mudge. I'm a photographer living in London with my husband, various house guests and unfortunately not one dog. We Live next to the Battersea Dogs home, and on the river and we are very happy.

• Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.
I have a lot of fun with my pottery and don't take it at all seriously. I enjoy making loads of different things, and they all seem to look similar. My brother gave me a set of pattern stamps from a brocante in France, they are 'stamp rollers' and you can see them stamped around the borders of my work. I love them and they are currently a huge inspiration in my pottery. I've been making a lot of press moulded work and enjoy it for its immediate results.

• Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.
I would have to say that my favourite is this dog. His name is Albert. He's a good sort of dog, and is a loving and considerate pet.


• What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?
I don't really go in for creative business. I think it can often sap the spirit out of your creativity. My advice is to make your money some other way, and preserve your creativity for non money making purposes.

• Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!
Since I moved to London I have suffered information overload. I like very much the work by the potters Grayson Perry and Hilton Nel.

• Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
I do. I have a wonderful book called 'French Design and Decoration' it is filled with colour plates and has lots of patterns in it.

• What is your favorite handmade treasure?
My husband made a small dog out of clay and the proportions are hilarious. I fired it and glazed it in white. I love it, it is so sweet.

Featured Etsy Artisan: StickerMeChic

I love trolling through Etsy, looking for unique handmade things. I found Jessalynn's shop, StickerMeChic, and got so excited about the work she's doing! I asked her to share a bit about her shop and herself, and she agreed! Yay!

I like these sophisticated monogram stickers... or how about these envelope seals?

Enjoy her interview below, and check out her lovely shop! Thanks for being featured on Paper and Pearls, Jessalyn!

• Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.

My name is Jessalynn Wasiel and I live on the West Coast of British Columbia in Canada and I work from home running my Etsy business and also work part time. I am also a busy mom to an even busier 14 month old toddler (he’s just learned to walk so he keeps me on my toes!).

• Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.

At Sticker Me Chic Boutique (stickermechic.etsy.com) I mainly sell stickers, although even though the name of my shop doesn’t say so, I also sell hang tags, and digital birth announcements. My stickers are my main seller and brides are my main buyers. The stickers can be used for favors, invitations seals, and address labels and can be personalized with their names and event colors. Not only do I get to design the stickers, but I also help to pull together the look of a wedding and I love weddings!

• How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story (and include a pic, if you like)!

When I was getting married, I enjoyed every minute of the planning and loved designing my invitation, which I got letterpress printed. I just loved designing all the other wedding things like my program and favors. In fact, one of my stickers uses the design I created for my invitation. From that point, I always thought how fun it would be to start a wedding related business.

• What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?

Go for it! Whatever reservations you have, leave it at the door! As cliché as it sounds, the only thing stopping you is yourself. For so many years I never had the confidence in my work to start my own business but when I came across Etsy, I realized how many people have their own businesses and are able to make their dreams a reality. When people started to buy my stickers, I thought to myself, why didn’t I ever start this before?

• Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!

The person that inspires me is without a doubt, my son. Watching him see things for the first time and be so appreciative of life inspires me. Knowing he has so much ahead of him makes me really think about my own life and I believe he’s the main reason why I decided to start my own business.

• Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!

I don’t have a particular book or movie that inspires me but what always gets my creative gears going are book stores, craft fairs, paper stores, design books, beautiful magazines, and travelling!

• What is your favorite handmade treasure?

A paper Valentine my husband gave me.

Do you know a creative person you think should be featured on Paper and Pearls? Let me know about them... paperandpearls[at]gmail.com!

Featured Etsy Artisan: TheJuneBride

I have been on a quest for fun floral pins and such lately - and when I found the TheJuneBride, I was so excited about all the lovelies! Karen makes an assortment of wonderful things, from gorgeous brooches (like this lovely cashmere true red primrose), to kid's goodies (like these cute animal ears hats). Karen graciously agreed to be interviewed here on Paper and Pearls Featured Etsy Artisan. Enjoy Karen's inspiring interview, and be sure to check out her lovely shop, The June Bride, on Etsy!

(ps part of Karen's proceeds benefit charities! We all need to be generous to help others in these tough times - what an inspiration Karen is!)

• Tell us a little about yourself – your name, where you live, your work.
Hello! My name is Karen Mitzel and I design, market and sell my own handmade products on Etsy in a shop called TheJuneBride. I live near Ann Arbor, Michigan, with my wonderful husband, Tim. We currently have 3 children under 5 years old (all still at home with me during the day!), and Etsy is my impossible dream come true. While my husband really brings home the bacon, I wanted to do something as a self-funding creative outlet. I’m in it for fun and, interestingly enough, that’s just what it is! I love creating and interfacing with other creative people, and I really feel that it has been a successful endeavor from the start.

• Tell us about your Etsy shop and products.

My shop can be found at http://www.thejunebride.etsy.com/, and it is an ever-evolving conglomeration of anything I feel like making at the moment. I use mainly reclaimed textiles, primarily wool, but I also use a lot of sustainably-sourced fleece for winter accessories. Right now I’m doing a lot of business with my Reclaimed Wool Sweater Brooches, each styled after a flower variety. Those are my current favorites to craft. I make cell phone and iPod cases from salvaged materials, and I also sell hats, mittens and baby booties seasonally and have begun selling my handmade patterns as well. It’s a real smorgasbord of eco-friendly materials and products, and what I decide to do next will surprise both of us, I’m sure!

• How did you get into your creating? Do you have a favorite item you’ve made? Tell us the story.
I am the sort of person who is always working on a project or two, so when I decided to open an Etsy shop last year, the groundwork was already in place for a working environment geared around the children’s needs. I think I’ve always been this way… crafting is in my genes (incidentally, both of my sisters have shops on Etsy as well, www.BasicIngredients.etsy.com and www.TheArtificer.etsy.com). I’ve made all sorts of things over the years (that makes me sound old! I just turned 28!), but one thing I made and love that I use everyday is my bed. I made a headboard out of an old panel door and some trim and stained it to my liking. I take pride in being well-rounded in the world of DIY skills, so I’m proficient with power tools as well as sewing machines and tax forms.

• What advice would you give a creative entrepreneur on starting a small artistic business?
Love what you do and work hard at it. Research troubles you’re experiencing. Ask for help. Be your own best resource. Keep experimenting with products and designs until you find your niche. Learn the tools of the trade; for Etsy that means photographing your products, writing to sell, listing often, managing your finances, and impeccable customer service.

“Neither borrower nor lender be.” – Lord Polonius, Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Start within your means and grow when you have the capital to invest in yourself. There were other resources I could have tapped, but I started with less than $100 and worked hard to discover creative and free ways to promote my shop. Blogging, Twitter, forums and Etsy treasuries are great and effective ways to increase item views and hearts, make mutually-supportive friends and, ultimately, to get more sales. At the same time, you need to cover your bases when it comes to shop policies, custom orders and consignment opportunities. Make mistakes, but be smart about it: keep them small and make sure to learn from them!

• Do you have a person that inspires you (living or historical)? Tell us about her or him!
My biggest inspiration has to be Mother Theresa. Regardless of one’s religious views, her life and work is a daily reminder to live to the fullest, to be satisfied with and enjoy what you have, and to enrich the lives of all those you encounter simply by caring for them as a whole person. What could be more inspiring? When I think about that, I can see beauty in the mundane and that inspires my work, artistic and otherwise.

• Do you have a book or movie that makes you feel creative? Tell us about it!
If time were no option (though it always is!), I generally prefer books to movies. I’m working my way through a long list of classics; Melville’s “Moby Dick” at the moment. Despite the reputation that they get in high school literature classes as being boring, familiarity with the classics gives you a real feeling for what is timeless, and I think that carries over into your creations. Whether your own goal is to be traditional or fashion forward, understanding the past certainly helps educate the future.

• What is your favorite handmade treasure?
My favorite handmade treasure is a family heirloom, the baptismal gown that all of my children, my husband, his father, grandfather, and great grandfather (and many, many other relatives) all used as an infant. It is a simple two-layered cotton shift gown with hand-tatted lace and pintucks, made by my husband’s great great grandmother. I cherish the idea that one handmade item can impact so many people’s lives over so many years.

• Do you have any suggestions for creatively weathering these tough economic times? How are you creatively making the best of it?
Times are certainly tough right now, especially in the Detroit area, and we are hearing of auto industry lay offs and business closings weekly. I feel very fortunate to be mostly unaffected by it personally, but my husband and I are doing our best to help those who need it. I rely on local charity thrift stores like Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army for the hundreds of wool sweaters I use in my shop. Additionally, at the beginning of 2009, I was able to donate $1000 purely from my Etsy shop profits to local charities that provide food, shelter and medical care to needy families. This would not be possible without people willing to patronize my business, and I’m grateful for the community of loyal Etsy shoppers that is supporting so many independent artists at a time when many truly need that extra income. Thank you!