WEST Treasury from Etsy, Back to School in Style!

A collection of a few of the wonderful things offered by WEST on Etsy, just in time to add some panache to your back to school attitude for the first week of September!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAzMDI4Njd8MjcyMDYxNTQ2NQ/back-to-school-in-style?index=0

Out of the earth, and into the fire

This expression as I read it, was making a reference to the pottery process, but I think it applies to all those who feel the desire and compulsion to create something from raw materials and make it their own. Sometimes they are willing to take the risk to venture into the marketplace and face the slings of arrows of public critique which can be very harsh at times. 

It is endlessly rewarding when a person sees something we make and it resonates with them enough for them to  make a purchase for themselves or someone in their circle.  It is also equally painful when people look at our work, and say "my aunt took a class once" and "she made those".  That's fine, but you have no idea how many hours or revisions of each piece we have done before bringing it to market.  We are showing our expressions of creativity not to be measured against anyone else's.

I have a standard story that I tell about doing craft fairs where people come up to my booth of handmade pottery and say "did you make that yourself?".  I have come to tell that them that I do, I do not have "staff".  I think they sometimes just don't know what else to say.  I love watching when people have an appreciation for the time and devotion it takes to make handmade, so to all of you, thanks, You keep me doing this after more than 25 years.  Bravo to all those who are brave enough to venture into the marketplace, courage and determination as we go into the fall sale season.  We know why we do this, and what keeps us at it.  One piece at a time.

WEST Fall Handmade & Vintage Sale

WEST first Team Sale is 

Saturday Oct 13, 2012 

(the week-end after thanksgiving) from 

12 noon to 5 pm at 

Robert A. Steen Community Centre 

in Wolseley

Large parking lot available

Best Bus Option - No. 10 St. B/Wolseley - 

get off at Ruby and walk south to Palmerston, 

No. 10 goes through downtown and therefore connects with a lot of routes 

including 11, 16, 18, 20, 29, 58, 60, 66 . Run about every 30 minutes

see navigo to plan your trip 

more details about which lovely WEST members to coming September 

- but I can tell you it is going to be awesome.

Hope to see you there!!!!

New from WEST this August!

Hoshii Designs

KristasJewelry

BitchinKitschKitchen

waterleliejewellery

 Busyasabug

BirdieandDot

Follow the monthly new item thread on Etsy to stay on top of all the great handmade and vintage treasures we are creating and finding - here's August's or shop in the featured shops through the links on the left of this page.

Art in the ... Garden

Fun event planned for tonight - August 21
stop by and check out the following WESTies
Cloverleaf Fibre Arts
Birdie and Dot
Tawny Bee
Nancy Blokland Pottery

Check out their blog for full features on all of the above talented WESTies and other talent that will be in attendence!

Save the Date!

The venue has been booked, watch this space for details coming soon!

Your favorite Etsians from WEST will be vending their handmade and vintage wares at RA Steen Community Center, at 980 Palmerston Ave in Winnipeg, on October 13, 2012. We are busy making plans for this first all WEST, all Etsy event! So mark your calendars and we'll see you there.

Canada Day Weekend - WEST Handmade Village - Osborne Street Festival

10 WESTies banded together to create our own hand made village on Osborne Street in Winnipeg over the Canada Day week end. We set up 4 tents of awesome handmade Etsy artisan items!

Amidst a sea of mass produced items we stood out loud and proud!

Marie from YamasMaries table - sorry, I some how didn't get a picture of the lovely Marie! In the back ground is Louise of SoGaSoap, who was my next over neighbour and I somehow seemed to have also missed in my photo taking! Bad bad captain!

Here's some of her subject appropriate soap in lieu of apology!

Jennifer of ToxieDesigns,one or our fabulous leaders!

Sarah of FlatLandersSoapCo

Angie of ByBlackBirdDesigns and Steam Punk Trunk.

Deb of HoshiiDesigns 

Christa of SecretJewelry and Kat of AeliosDesign

Angie's sign - it sure drew a lot of attention!

Jackie of BranchesandFeathers 

And finally,my table Periwinkle Designs.

Many thanks to the group for all the great organization, support and just plain laughs we had all weekend--couldn't have survived it with out you! ~Ruth