Interview Series 2: Week 6.1 – Double Feature!

As promised, here is a Tuesday edition Feature!

Today is a feature of one wonderful artist who runs two shops: Phillip runs both Street Flower Art and Street Flower Poetry on Zibbet.  Each one is special in its own unique way, but both are equally beautiful in what they contain!

Without giving away too much in this, I’ll just let Phillip explain it all, shall I?

Name:
Phillip Kelley
Craft:
Handmade keychains, Poetry, Photography.
Favorite material (or medium, whatever you want to call it!):
My favorite medium would have to be nature.
Your Most Popular Seller (whether it be online or at shows you attend):
Well I have not sold a favorite item. But people have commented the most on a male and female cardinal photo card.

5x7 matted clouds spitting out clouds photogragh
Clouds are amazing things, and this formation captured forever in photography, is very uplifting.

What got you into your craft?

My desire to make sure people have hope and joy. That there is a world out there where beauty still is found in the midst of chaos.

 

How did you learn your craft?

Mainly through trial and error. I tried a few things to see if it would work and was sent to the drawing board numerous times.

Handmade key chain
Each keychain is so unique, it took me several moments to choose which one to post – they’re all awesome!

What about YOU? Who is the artist behind those wonderful items?

I am just a quiet thinking type who messes up all the time and finds comfort in the process. Through mistakes, great things come. I am always trying to make my work better and not be content with my normal way of doing things.

5x7 hopper on a thistle photo greeting card
This photo really captures the thistle beautifully, as well as the butterfly pausing for a snack!

What is a typical "working" day for you? How does it usually start and end? How many hours do you spend crafting? How many hours do you spend on other things? What about distractions? I know we all have them! Do you usually accomplish all you wanted to?

I wake up and check my zibbet and thinkin about how to promote it better. Then I get ready for my regular work and head to do that. It helps cover the finances of what I really enjoy.  It starts with my checking zibbet and ends the same way. The amount I spend varies on the item. Some take less time that others. But total time, usually 4-5 hours a day with the different items I create. Other things would be about 9 hours since I am working at a job to fund my artistic side. Yeah I do get distracted, but I usually get my focus back right away. All of this goes for the two zibbet shops I am running. Yeah I believe I do accomplish all that I have wanted to so far. But I always know it is not the end. Just because one thing is done, does not mean more will come for accomplishment sake. Does that make sense?

What happens when you Oops? Everyone gets one sometime or another! Do you get frustrated and destroy/start over, or do you go with the flow and see what comes out in the end?


Hahaha, it happened to me a few times and beads were all over the floor. It was frustrating at first and I even lost some of the beads. But I recovered fine and started over. The item I was experiment at the time with was a beaded necklace. What came out in the end was neat and different than what I normally make.

5x7 framed poem titled New Seed
Beautiful poem, embraced in a lovely aged-look frame for a stunning effect.

What is your design process like? How many tries does it take to be happy with the final product?

I suppose it depends on the item. Through all the editing of my poems before the public sees them takes a couple days to complete. And to put together the photo cards takes about the same time with the editing and assembling of the cards. The key chains are usually the quickest and they take an hour at the most, depending on how I want it to look. It takes maybe 2-5 tries to make the outcome successful.

6x8 framed Deuteronomy 6:5-8 bible passage
Classic words with a classical frame, once again for stunning effect!

What is your greatest roadblock, be it government regulation or that little frustrating thing that just likes to sneak up and stop you in your tracks? Broken needle? Jump ring jumping out of your pliers? Thread knots? Cats? Dogs? The family hedgehog rolled about in your yarn basket?

The family hedgehog is the culprit hahaha. My biggest hangup would actually be a lack of inspiration. If I do not see anything that motivates my to take a picture or write a poem, then I get stuck for a while. It tends to pass after a week at the longest.

All important pricing... Do you have a formula? Do you wing it? Do you feel your work justifies your prices?

Normally I try to gauge how other people does it and make it close to their pricings. I do believe my work easily justifies the prices I have set up.

8x10 Matted Poem titled Sea Captain
A lovely poem matted and waiting to be hung, framed or as it is.

And of course, is there anything else you'd like to say to our "viewers at home"?

Continue to use your giftings and talents to bring blessing to those around you.

 

I truly admire Phillip for his courage to put not just a craft out there, but for also putting words out that have come from his heart and soul.  Every artist has a gift, something they can do well that they can offer the world, but I know few who would offer words, poetry, stories, in this kind of format, rather than in a published book.  It takes far more courage to put them out into the world in this way, since each poem is framed and/or matted and open to view, rather than remaining a curiosity inside a book.  Each word, each photo is a brief glance into the heart, and each is just as beautiful as the others.

Make sure to visit Phillip in both of his shops, Street Flower Art and Street Flower Poetry!

Until Thursday! Thank you one and all for reading!

Interview Series 2: Week 5 – Oohlala Pretty

Sadly a day late, but things got very hectic and I completely lost track of time.  I should know better by now!
I've gotten so many replies that in order to get out as much exposure as I can before the Winter Holiday shopping season ends, I'm also going to start posting features on Tuesdays as well - so don't miss them!

Today features someone who does many different things, not at all related!  Sherry of Oohlala Pretty on Zibbet has a fantastic story to tell - so without furhter babbling from me, I will let her tell it!

Sherry Osgood
www.Zibbet.com/Oohlalapretty

 

Rosary Necklace - Painted Shell Chip Wooden Cross & Star Christian Prayer Beads - 38 inch
I never really imagined Rosaries to be so colorful, but this is pretty wild!

I work with a variety of craft products, Pet beds, Jewelry, Tutu’s, Pillows.  My favorite materials to work with are beads, any type of beads, there are so many types and colors to choose from and create something wonderful.  Fleece, crushed penne, felt and ribbon, you can do so much with fleece and ribbon and crushed penne is such a beautiful fabric to work with.

Bracelet - Swarvoski Elements Charm Bracelet - Flower Girl, Wedding, Birthday - 6 inch
I love the color combination in this, very happy, very Spring.

When my children were small and I was a stay at home mom I loved creating in my spare time, mostly sewing clothes for my children but also costumes for Halloween, Easter outfits, bunnies, teddy bears and quilting, I even dabbled in painting for a time.  After going to work full time and taking care of three children, I unfortunately didn’t have much time to craft for many years until due to the economy I lost my job about three years ago and wasn’t able to find another one, so I had to take an early retirement. In a way it was a blessing as my mom was in her 80’s, alone and needing help and companionship, so I moved in with her, took care of the cooking, cleaning, medications and getting her out of the house when she was able.

Necklace - Vintage Style Butterfly Necklace & Earring Set - Swarovski Elements and Crystals
I usually don’t like things that are this large, but I cannot resist the butterflies.  I could see a Faerie princess wearing this!

My mom passed away last June and it was devastating to say the least, I soon found I didn’t have much to do, no one to take care of and nothing to fill my days.  I slowly started back into sewing, last year I made three quilts for Christmas and was so excited to be doing something I loved again, I then decided I wanted to start creating again but this time I wanted to be able to sell my creations, I started with pet beds because of my mom’s cat, my little sidekick I brought with me, then I decided I wanted to try jewelry and then tutu’s for my granddaughter, It just all kind of kept going until here I am!  I never took any classes, I’ve always been a hands on type person, weather it was learning to work on a computer or a new task at work or crafting and creating, I have always just jumped in and if it works, it works, if not start over.  I absolutely love a challenge and will at least try and tackle just about anything and most of the time I will.  I really would like to take a course in jewelry making, but I am such a procrastinator at times I’m not sure I will actually do it.

Pet Bed - Plush Fleece Colorful Bird Cat or Dog Bed, Medium – 28x32
I could see many cats pouncing on the bows and the colorful birds on this bed!  Our kitten sure would!

I am the mother of three beautiful children and grandmother of three beautiful granddaughters that God has blessed me with, God, family, friends  my cat Tiger Lilly, crafting, sewing and gardening, those are the wonderful people and things that bring the most joy and inspiration to my life.

Ribbon Tutu & Headband - Flower Girl, Costume or Play - Made to Order
I wish I had one of these when I was young.  I’ve always been a faerie/dancer at heart, and while I detest pink, this combination of colors just makes me warm!

I absolutely love creating and sewing, I can spend hours in a craft shop and forget about everything, I get lost in the isles of fabrics, ribbon, beads, charms, that is until I remember I needed to eat lunch about two hours ago, I love it, that’s how my day may start at times, I will spend so much time in a craft store that my day is almost gone by the time I get home, but that usually won’t stop me, I get excited about creating something and then I’m up late into the night hours, it’s all good, just lots of coffee the next day!

Bookmark - Silver Spirit Feather & Flower Butterfly Charm & Crystals - Teacher, Student Gift - 16 inch
This is a beautifully balanced bookmark – whether draped artfully on a book or actually marking it!

I don’t have too many distractions, but what I hate the most is when I’m sewing and the thread gets all bunched up under the foot and I have to pry it out with a seam ripper, or that crimp bead cover I cannot seem to get apart because it’s stuck to another crimp bead cover and flying all over the floor, or trying to get ahold of small beads that I can hardly see the end of to insert on the wire and it seems to slip right out of my hand onto the floor of forever, I must be a little crazy, I cannot stand to lose a bead or bead cover and will crawl around until I find that little sucker (don’t ask me why)!  Then you look at what you created and ugh!  No way, this will not work, that’s when I just have to un-string all my work and start over, sometimes I don’t mind doing it over but other times I think, oh how I don’t want to re-bead all of this for the third time, but once I finally figure out my design and it’s finally finished, I am so excited to see that little ole me did this!  It really is a challenge I never want to give up and It’s with great excitement and joy that I create my products for you and I can only hope you will be as excited with them as I am creating them for you!

I couldn't have explained better how many artists, including myself, feel when a product is finished.  There are times we may look at it saying to ourselves "meh, I could do better", but most often it's a feeling of "I created this. This came from MY hands, my brain, my heart, my soul!" that really spurs us all on.
That feeling will never come from an item created en masse or from a machine, whether creating it, or seeing it pass into a new owner's hands, knowing THEY know the joy you felt in creating the item to begin with.

At live venues, buyers can see the light in your eyes as they see someone else appreciate the work they've done, or perhaps even a little sadness at letting go something they put their soul into creating, and hoping it goes to a home where it will be as loved and appreciated as it's worthy of.

Until next week, as always, thank you one and all for reading!

Interview Series 2: Week 4 – Cass Crafts

My apologies about not having a post on Tuesday – I somehow lost a day or two in the insanity of things going on; preparations for Thanksgiving, caring for our little girl kitten and her mother, and making sure Mom is comfortable, as now that cold has descended to Georgia, her back hurts her more with each degree that drops, not to mention the last days of my eye healing, among other things caused by very sudden dry heat, such as the fish tank suddenly losing nearly half its water, even with humidifiers running, and my face declaring war as it shrivels up.  Ahh, Winter…

Either way, I wasn’t about to let this post go late, as the things that Cassandra of Cass Crafts on Zibbet has to offer are things you won’t want to miss!
As always, I’ll let the artist take the stage!

Name:
Cassandra Weiner
Craft:
Various Home Décor and Gift Items
Favorite material (or medium, whatever you want to call it!):
Book pages, scrapbook paper, hemp twine, mason jars
Your Most Popular Seller (whether it be online or at shows you attend):
Mason jar crafts! My most popular items are definitely my mason jar soap dispensers and mason jar wine glasses.

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser
Simple, with a country elegance.  No wonder it’s a best seller!

What got you into your craft?

I’ve always loved crafting. I started just making items for my own home décor. I got TONS of compliments, so I started selling on Etsy and doing craft fairs! Now I sell on Zibbet too!

 

How did you learn your craft?

I’ve learned a lot by looking at other items to figure out how they are made. I then put my own twist on the items to make them mine to sell in my store.

Silver Gumball Machine Candy Jar Terra Cotta
I’ve never seen one of these, but it’s so cute, I wish I had seen one sooner!
 

What about YOU? Who is the artist behind those wonderful items?

I’m a 21 year old college student living in western NY. My major is psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience. I hope to eventually get my PhD and do research in the field of cognitive neuroscience. In my free time I run my business, read a TON, and I love crafting of course.

Key Holder Key Rack Pink Rose Print
Key racks aren’t “unique” per se, but I certainly have never seen any made like this.  With so many options, they’d be welcome in any home!

What is a typical "working" day for you? How does it usually start and end? How many hours do you spend crafting? How many hours do you spend on other things? What about distractions? I know we all have them! Do you usually accomplish all you wanted to?

My day usually starts when I get done school. I check to see if I have any sales, and if I do I get those ready to ship immediately. I usually spend about 1 to 2 hours a day promoting my shops. I spend an additional hour improving my shop by ways of pictures, key words, descriptions, etc. I usually craft a few days a week for a few hours at a time. I wish I had time for more! I definitely have distractions. TV is a big one. Especially because the new seasons of How I Met You Mother and Walking Dead are out!

What happens when you Oops? Everyone gets one sometime or another! Do you get frustrated and destroy/start over, or do you go with the flow and see what comes out in the end?

I guess it depends on the “oops”. Sometimes you have to start over. I try not to though. Actually, a lot of times when I think I’ve “oopsed” the things I do to cover the oops actually makes the item look even better! I’ve gotten a lot of great ideas this way!

Harry Potter Book Page Lampshade and Hemp Lamp
Oh now one of these would look wonderful on my bedside table, considering I’m listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as I write this post!

What is your design process like? How many tries does it take to be happy with the final product?

Unfortunately, I don’t usually have a plan before I start making a new item. I just go with the flow and if the finished product looks fabulous I post it in my shop, if it doesn’t I put it aside to possibly fix or give as a gift if it still looks okay. I would say it usually takes me one or two tries to get a product just right. Some take more, some take less. I guess it usually depends on how steady my hands are that day!

Redneck Wine Glass Set of Two
I can’t even express how awesome these are.  There are just no words!

What is your greatest roadblock, be it government regulation or that little frustrating thing that just likes to sneak up and stop you in your tracks? Broken needle? Jump ring jumping out of your pliers? Thread knots? Cats? Dogs? The family hedgehog rolled about in your yarn basket?

Hahaha I don’t have a hedgehog or any pet for that matter. I would have to say the biggest challenge I face is time. There’s never enough of it! My to do list is usually about a mile long and I’m lucky if I finish two inches of it!

 

All important pricing... Do you have a formula? Do you wing it? Do you feel your work justifies your prices?

I do not have a fancy algorithm When I price my items I take into account my supply costs, my time, packaging and shipping, advertising, and of course I take into account my competitor’s prices. I do feel my work justifies my prices. Some people don’t realize how much work goes into every item and make the mistake of considering handmade overpriced. My items are quality and are worth every penny.

Tile Coaster Brown Fleur De Lis Ceramic Coaster Set
A must for any sitting room, or computer desk, or wherever needs to be protected from a very hot, or very cold, drink.

And of course, is there anything else you'd like to say to our "viewers at home"?

As I mentioned above, many people consider handmade items to be overpriced. People need to remember that there is a real person behind that screen name who is giving everything they have to ensure that they are happy with their purchase. Handmade will always be better quality than something that is mass produced. Also, most of the time you will find that you get much better customer service from small independent shops.

I couldn’t have said that last better myself.  So few truly appreciate hand-crafted items, thinking them to be homemade junk that “anyone can make”.  Perhaps they are – but how many put the love, soul and time into a piece of art (as each one of a hand-crafter’s items are) that any seller found at shows or online do?  Very few; I’ve been gifted jewelry from those who feel their skill is masterful, and though I wore that jewelry and praised it, I knew it would fall apart quickly, or knew that it was not a precious metal, but craft-wire.  I’ve been shown woodwork that was tossed together quickly that was proclaimed to have taken weeks.  Perhaps it wasn’t as skillful, or perhaps it wasn’t done with care.
The sentiment was truly appreciated nonetheless, but such things pale in comparison with the things offered by those who brave craft fairs and shows and online marketplaces nine times out of ten.

Only when love, time, soul, skill and care combine with true love for the craft being practiced does the magical alchemy happen to produce amazing things – as  proved by every human artist I have featured, and will continue to feature.  It’s easy to tell which ones truly love what they do, and which ones don’t by way of the quality of the items, the customer service they offer, and the little look of sorrow as an artist parts with each and every thing they sell.

Thank you, as always, one and all for reading!
Until next week!