Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Who's New Tuesday: Creations By Cindys
Today's new WESTie intro comes from Cindy Storozuk
Where are you from?
I am from Selkirk Manitoba
What is your Etsy shop called?
When did you start you Etsy shop?
I just started my shop a few months ago
What made you decide to open a shop on Etsy?
I decided to start an Etsy shop to try and get my jewelry more out there, I do have a website creationbycindys.weebly.com that I have had for about 2 years, but it's hard to get noticed other than word of mouth...
What do you sell?
I sell handmade jewelry
What is your favorite item to make?
My favorite item to make is my handmade leather warp bracelets.
What are your business goals for the future?
My goal is to have people love and enjoy wearing all of my handmade jewelry! Not much pleases me more than to see people wearing and loving my jewelry and bragging about how much they love it :)
Make sure you check out more of Cindy's Shop, and become a fan on her Facebook page!
Make sure you check out more of Cindy's Shop, and become a fan on her Facebook page!
Friday, March 22, 2013
WEST April Design Challenge: April Showers Bring May Flowers
I'll post the theme/inspiration on the blog and in our team discussion forum on Etsy. Your job is to take that inspiration in whatever direction your imagination leads. The goal is to challenge yourself, be inspired and enjoy the creative process!
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blue house 5 - 8x10 original painting and collage on canvas by heavensearth |
As you think about the theme, add comments to the discussion thread on Etsy about your process. Take pictures of your process and the finished item and post them in the discussion thread when you are done. It's interesting and inspiring to others to hear the story about how you arrived at your finished product, so please share at least a comment about your process! I will post the results of the challenge after the deadline. If we get enough items, I'll make a treasury including all the items!
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Handmade Lemongrass Felted Soap - Large, Hummingbird and Flower by FlatlandersSoapCo |
And now on to the current challenge! The theme for the next month is
"April Showers Bring May Flowers!"
There's so much you can do with this one...think raindrops, umbrellas, spring, flowers, colours of spring, anything goes! The deadline for this challenge is four weeks (one month) from yesterday, April 18, with the results being posted on Friday April 19.
A few notes:
Create something new, especially for the challenge. Entries for each challenge must be finished by the posted deadline. Vintage and supply sellers are welcome to participate too, with a focus on artful photography and careful choice of item.
Happy designing! I hope this inspires you, and I can't wait to see what you'll come up with, so come on, let's get creative!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Where Will WESTies Be - March 24, 2013
Canadinns Polo Park
Sunday, March 24th, 10am-4pm
1405 St. Matthews Avenue
admission is $5, under 12 is free
BitchinKitschnKitchen
Facebook event www.facebook.com/pages/Bitchin-Kitsch-n-Kitchen/138334536333112?ref...
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Who's New Tuesday: Stitch Buy Stitch
Got another new WESTie to introduce to you today, meet Wendy!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Winnipeg, MB
What is your Etsy shop name?
My Etsy shop name is Stitch Buy Stitch
When did you open your Etsy shop?
I opened my Etsy shop in the Fall of 2011
What made you decide to open an Etsy shop?
I decided to join the Etsy team as a means to share my love of crafts especially crochet. I inherited my passion for crocheting from my grandmother. She always said "your gifts should come from your heart" and this is what Stitch Buy Stitch is all about. I make each item as if I was making it for myself or my family.
What do you sell?
At Stitch Buy Stitch you will find high quality, stylish and unique crochet photo props, flower hats, caps, beanies, cowls, scarves and miscellaneous gifts for everyone on your lift from newborns to adults.
What is your favorite thing to make?
Although I enjoy creating all of the items in my Etsy, I especially enjoy working with customers on custom orders where we can work together to make their visions come to life.
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
My goal is to impress Etsy viewers with handmade crochet items that are of excellent quality and workmanship but at an affordable price.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Winnipeg, MB
What is your Etsy shop name?
My Etsy shop name is Stitch Buy Stitch
When did you open your Etsy shop?
I opened my Etsy shop in the Fall of 2011
What made you decide to open an Etsy shop?
I decided to join the Etsy team as a means to share my love of crafts especially crochet. I inherited my passion for crocheting from my grandmother. She always said "your gifts should come from your heart" and this is what Stitch Buy Stitch is all about. I make each item as if I was making it for myself or my family.
What do you sell?
At Stitch Buy Stitch you will find high quality, stylish and unique crochet photo props, flower hats, caps, beanies, cowls, scarves and miscellaneous gifts for everyone on your lift from newborns to adults.
What is your favorite thing to make?
Although I enjoy creating all of the items in my Etsy, I especially enjoy working with customers on custom orders where we can work together to make their visions come to life.
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
My goal is to impress Etsy viewers with handmade crochet items that are of excellent quality and workmanship but at an affordable price.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Where Will WESTies Be - March 23, 2013
Spring Craft Sale at Faith Temple
968 Notre Dame Avenue
Saturday March 23
10 am to 3 pm
aeliosdesign
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
What's New Wednesday
Click the photo to see the item!
What's your favourite piece? Let us know in the comments!
aeliodesign
| Bitchin' Kitsch 'n' Kitchen
| We Are Bound Together
| DragonNerd
| Lady With A Frog Tattoo
| Heartfelt Yarn Wreaths
| Heidi's Jewels
| Heidi-and-Seek Boutique
| Krista's Jewellery
| The Mad Fish Market
| M-agination
| Nancy Blokland Pottery
| Periwinkle Dzyns
| PrairieThreads
| Seaweed & Sage
| Real Swanky
| Tawny Bee
| Third Sister Vintage
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Who's New Tuesday: Monkey Business Card Company
It's time for another WESTie introduction! Today's intro comes fom Sharon Forzley
Where are you from?
I was born and raised right here in Winnipeg
What is your Etsy shop name?
Monkey Business Card Co.
When did you start your Etsy shop?
I started my Etsy shop on December 15, 2009
Why did you decide to start an Etsy shop?
I decided to start my Etsy shop to get into the online selling phenomenon. I also thought it would be a great outlet for supplementing my income from the craft sale circuit.
What do you sell?
I sell unique, mostly one of a kind sock monkeys made from not very run of the mill socks.
What is your favorite item to make?
My favorite item to make has to be my Evil Vampire Demon Bride monkey. I can really let my creativity go to town on this one!
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
My long term Etsy goals. That's a hard one to answer. I'd like to continue to use Etsy to get my creations out to places other than Winnipeg. I'd like to expand into more of the made to order, very unique projects (like the evil monkeys). Who knows, zombies, vampires, super heroes, ballerinas, the sky is the limit!!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised right here in Winnipeg
What is your Etsy shop name?
Monkey Business Card Co.
When did you start your Etsy shop?
I started my Etsy shop on December 15, 2009
Why did you decide to start an Etsy shop?
I decided to start my Etsy shop to get into the online selling phenomenon. I also thought it would be a great outlet for supplementing my income from the craft sale circuit.
What do you sell?
I sell unique, mostly one of a kind sock monkeys made from not very run of the mill socks.
What is your favorite item to make?
My favorite item to make has to be my Evil Vampire Demon Bride monkey. I can really let my creativity go to town on this one!
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
My long term Etsy goals. That's a hard one to answer. I'd like to continue to use Etsy to get my creations out to places other than Winnipeg. I'd like to expand into more of the made to order, very unique projects (like the evil monkeys). Who knows, zombies, vampires, super heroes, ballerinas, the sky is the limit!!
Friday, March 8, 2013
WEST February/March Design Challenge Results
The WEST Design Challenge for February/March was based on the Pantone colour of the year, Emerald Green. And did WEST members rise up to this challenge?
Yes they did! I think this was a new record, with 10 entries!
Here are all of this month's entries, in order of submission:
Caitlin of realswanky notes: In the spirit of Pantone's Colour of the Year, St Patrick's Day, AND a massive sale at the fabric store.. I put together this nightie with sheer spiderweb tulle yoking! I lucked out and came across this lovely green material perfect for this project. Black English cone studs finish the edges of the shoulders with a spooky bang.
Mike and Shaunna of DragonNerd absolutely love how this Emerald green pairs with copper wire, so I just knew it had to incorporate copper in some way. I have a couple of options for combining wires, and decided to do a trio of colours: Emerald, Copper and my new Apple Green to join together in a Sierpinski Triangle necklace. The colours feel fresh and warm to me.
PrairiePeasant was inspired by a small piece of paste paper made several years ago, and thought it would make good endpapers in a journal. (Paste paper is kind of like finger painting for adults!) From there, I looked through all my books for any green books that might go with the paper, and found this vintage dictionary.
PrairieThreads looked through all her green fabric and found some pieces of a men's cotton shirt. I like the way plaid fabrics look when they are made into coiled baskets, so that's what I decided to make. I wanted to try something different, so I made a ripply lace type edge at the top.
Christa from SecretJewelry notes: After looking at a few color combo's for the Pantone 17-5641 color of the year, I knew exactly what I was going to do...Emerald/Teal tones and white.. What a perfect combo!
For Alisia of AdorablesbyAlisia, this was a different direction in both design and crochet technique. It was fun to try something new!
We'd love to hear from you. Aren't these fabulous emerald items? Which is your favourite?
Thanks to each participant this month! Well done team!
Yes they did! I think this was a new record, with 10 entries!
Here are all of this month's entries, in order of submission:
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Lego Inspired Building Block Slippers for Children by Magination |
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Wall or Table Planters With Gold Metal Lyre Harp Holders Emerald Green Ceramic Pair Set of Two by BitchinKitschKitchen |
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Green Striped Malachite Earrings with Silver Wire by KristasJewellery |
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Pantone Emerald Green Nightie / Cami .studded . sheer spider web tulle yoke by realswanky |
Caitlin of realswanky notes: In the spirit of Pantone's Colour of the Year, St Patrick's Day, AND a massive sale at the fabric store.. I put together this nightie with sheer spiderweb tulle yoking! I lucked out and came across this lovely green material perfect for this project. Black English cone studs finish the edges of the shoulders with a spooky bang.
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Fractal Necklace - Sierpinski Triangle in Apple, Copper and Emerald Greenby DragonNerd |
Mike and Shaunna of DragonNerd absolutely love how this Emerald green pairs with copper wire, so I just knew it had to incorporate copper in some way. I have a couple of options for combining wires, and decided to do a trio of colours: Emerald, Copper and my new Apple Green to join together in a Sierpinski Triangle necklace. The colours feel fresh and warm to me.
 |
Highroads Dictionary Rebound Journal Recycled Book by PrairiePeasant |
PrairiePeasant was inspired by a small piece of paste paper made several years ago, and thought it would make good endpapers in a journal. (Paste paper is kind of like finger painting for adults!) From there, I looked through all my books for any green books that might go with the paper, and found this vintage dictionary.
 |
Emerald Pot of Gold Large Round Coiled Basket / Bowl / Potby PrairieThreads |
PrairieThreads looked through all her green fabric and found some pieces of a men's cotton shirt. I like the way plaid fabrics look when they are made into coiled baskets, so that's what I decided to make. I wanted to try something different, so I made a ripply lace type edge at the top.
 |
Ear Cuff Chain and Earrings - Emerald -Colour of the Year by SecretJewelry |
Christa from SecretJewelry notes: After looking at a few color combo's for the Pantone 17-5641 color of the year, I knew exactly what I was going to do...Emerald/Teal tones and white.. What a perfect combo!
 |
Black Leather Card Holder with Emerald Green Lining by WeAreBoundTogether |
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Emerald Green Textured Mug Cozy by AdorablesbyAlisia |
We'd love to hear from you. Aren't these fabulous emerald items? Which is your favourite?
Thanks to each participant this month! Well done team!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Where WESTies Create - Episode 9: emms gEM's and jake + cleo
Welcome to the jewelry studio portion of my home!
I'm Emily of emmsgems and I'm also the shorter half of jake + cleo and this is where jewelry is made. Last time we met, I took you on a tour of my sewing corner in the basement of my house, where I create my line of fabric bags, emmspocketshop. Now I'm giving you a peak at a room on the main floor of my home, where I design jewelry and my husband hunkers down in our home office.
I should mention that the room actually does triple duty. Under gEM's desk, and somewhat hidden by the rolling cart full of beads, is a cat litter box. I have an older cat who can't climb stairs so I had to find a space for her business on the main floor. This table holds bins, tins and towers of beads. There is always a piece of jewelry on the go in the work area, and is strategically hidden under a towel. It isn't that I fear the paparazzi peeking in the window and snapping pics of my work, but I have a second cat who loves to get her paws in to everything.
The closet in this room holds a number of things. gEM's necklaces hang on hangers, earrings and bracelets are in boxes. Other boxes hold shipping supplies, display pieces, and extra things. We have two cardboard light boxes and one nylon light cube for photographing product. This mess is an organized mess.
I mentioned that I help to create jake + cleo jewelry, and a portion of this room is reserved for this work. A great rolling set of drawers holds jake + cleo 's designing, creating, assembling and shipping needs. We can leave the drawers here, or roll it out to the light filled kitchen and spread out there.
Here are few other photos: a tackle box of beads, the gEM's layout board, and a kiln (hidden in the basement) for firing jake + cleo pieces.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Who's New Tuesday: Magination
Happy Tuesday! Our newest member intro is Marlene H.
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, MB though grew up on a farm in southern Manitoba.
What is your shop name?
Magination ( which stands for M-agination by Marlene)
When you start your etsy shop?
Feb 2008
Why did you decide to start an etsy shop?
Craft sales are too seasonal and I wanted to reach a larger audience and customer base.
What do you sell?
Knitted and crocheted items (I like to put a modern twist and not make the same stuff my grandmother made.)
What is your favorite item to make?
Probably some of my slippers - especially when creating a new design. I love it when a customer asks me for a new animal/design that I haven't done before. It gets my creative juices flowing!
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
Long term, I'd love to continue to make new designs and increase the number of products in my shop.
Where are you from?
Winnipeg, MB though grew up on a farm in southern Manitoba.
What is your shop name?
Magination ( which stands for M-agination by Marlene)
When you start your etsy shop?
Feb 2008
Why did you decide to start an etsy shop?
Craft sales are too seasonal and I wanted to reach a larger audience and customer base.
What do you sell?
Knitted and crocheted items (I like to put a modern twist and not make the same stuff my grandmother made.)
What is your favorite item to make?
Probably some of my slippers - especially when creating a new design. I love it when a customer asks me for a new animal/design that I haven't done before. It gets my creative juices flowing!
What are your long-term Etsy goals?
Long term, I'd love to continue to make new designs and increase the number of products in my shop.
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