artist spotlight: bricolage life and daisy chain vintage!

Today I want to introduce you to Sandra and her not one, but TWO amazing shops, Bricolage Life and Daisy Chain Vintage.

Bricolage Life if full of Sandra's creations....she's so talented she covers just about everything...necklaces, photographs, and pretty little things for your home.
Daisy Chain Vintage is loaded with vintage treasures...just my kind of place!

How long have you been making all your cute creations? How did you get started?

i have been making things and sometimes selling them ever since i was able to hold a crayon and work a scissors. my mother taught me to sew and by high school i was making some of my own clothes. later i made everything from one of a kind clothing and jewelry to handmade shoes and hats to silkscreened cards and sold them at street fairs, boutiques and museum stores. after working in retail for ages, i opened my etsy shops a few years ago to sell my vintage finds, photos and ever changing handmade goods. the shops keep me busy while leaving me with plenty of free time to make more stuff. i like that.

leaf collection embroidery

Have you always loved thrifting?

yes! i first encountered this love when i was still in grade school. one summer day i walked into an old farmhouse filled with depression glass, knick knacks and fabric for sale and felt like i had entered a magical time machine. my heart still races a little every time i begin a new treasure hunt.

hans and heidi vintage ceramic containers



What are your favorite things in your shops?

my favorites are always changing with my finds and art projects. it's not easy to choose just one thing, but currently in the bricolagelife shop it would be my embroidered portrait buttons. my favorite thing at daisy chain vintage is the metal frame stands.

hand embroidered portrait buttons


vintage chrome metal frame stands



What are your other hobbies?

i love to cook, read, go for walks and bike rides, visit museums, putter around at home, hang out with my friends and family and watch movies and documentaries. i take photos everyday and i make collages, sew, felt, embroider, print on paper and fabric, paint, draw, make jewelry and rearrange the furniture. believe it or not, i even love to grocery shop.

I LOVE children's books....how cute is this one....and love her displays:)

mystery of the auction trunk illustrated children's chapter book

What do you listen to while creating?

that is always changing, too. i love stories, so often i listen to npr or a podcast. if i'm in the mood for music i might play a mix cd (made by me or my brother). i never tire of sondre lerche, joao and bebel gilberto, pomplamoose, komeda, beirut, thao nguyen and cesaria evora.

vintage kitchen gadget set

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

dumplings. all kinds, sweet and savory. i am an equal-ethnicity dumpling lover.

raindrop tiny white porcelain pendant

Today Sandra is giving away a $25 gift certificate to EITHER of her shops!

Check out Bricolage Life and Daisy Chain Vintage and leave a comment with your favorite item for a chance to win! Make sure you look through everything--she really has something for everyone!

Also be sure to take a peek at Sandra's cute blog for pretty pictures and her very clever creations.

One winner will be chosen at random, and comments will be accepted until Sunday, 8/8 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.

Tell your friends--tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!
(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address)

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artist spotlight: liesl made!

Meet Liesl of Liesl Made!

She is adorable. Her blog is full of pretty things. And her shop is loaded with everything I love!

How long have you been sewing? How did you get started?

I’ve been sewing pretty nonstop for about ten years now. When I was very little, I wanted to make some doll clothes and my Mom showed me how to thread the sewing machine. Then it kind of lay dormant until I was about fifteen when I had the urge to make my Grandma a wall quilt. My Mom refreshed my memory with the machine and everything since then I learned from books, the internet and lots of trial and error.

foxy leaf watermelon newbeau bag

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

The skirts. Who doesn’t love skirts? Their a summer staple!
custom grey and lace camille skirt

What are your other hobbies?
Reading, finding new music, dabbling in photography, and hiking.

blue floral scarf

What do you listen to while creating?
I listen to a lot of music, especially when I’m sewing. All kinds of genres. It can range from Ani DiFranco to Florence + the Machine, Iron & Wine to the White Stripes. And I’ll even admit to listening to Lady Gaga on occasion.

slate posie make-up bag

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

I realize it's probably a boring answer, but I'd have to say Bread! My dad bakes it from scratch every Sunday.

Today Liesl is giving away one of her handmade aprons--you choose!
(see them all here)

Check out Liesl Made and leave a comment with your favorite item for a chance to win! Make sure you look through everything--she really has something for everyone, and I am in love with all of her fabric choices! (like these pjs made from vintage cotton!)

One winner will be chosen at random, and comments will be accepted until Sunday, 7/25 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.

Tell your friends--tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!
(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address)

go!

artist spotlight: the barbershop!

So excited for our artist spotlight today!

Meet Amie Barber from The Barbershop!

How long have you been painting? How did you get started?

I painted and dabbled in art when I was younger and growing up. I was always doodling and sketching when I should have been paying attention in class, but really didn't start painting until August 2009, when my boyfriend's brother & sis-in-law (who also happens to be one of my dearest friends) gave me a watercolor set for my birthday. The first thing I ever painted was the 'whale love' watercolor, and the rest is history. I haven't put the brush down since! Ironically, that first painting is still on of my favorites.

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

Right now, my favorite is actually the Whale Love print, and I'm also very fond of The Dahlias & The Mountain Goat. I'm working on finishing a few other paintings incorporating those bright dahlias in different colors and with different animals (I've got 3 more in the works) and I predict that this series will be my new favorite. They really speaks to what I love to create - they are the result of just sketching and creating without a goal or design in mind, and I like that.

What are your other hobbies?

I'm a huge outdoor person. I love hiking, backpacking, skiing and hanging at the beach. I'm training for my first 5K and plan on doing a race monthly to keep me on track. I love to exercise and stay fit - I played soccer for 13 years (all the way through high school) on both my school team and a club team. I enjoy cooking, baking, cleaning (yes! It's true. I love to clean) and spending time with my family & friends. I also love impromptu picnics, my kittie and my bf of nearly 6 years...we are one happy family. Oh, and also - I love to travel. If I could quit my day job and travel the world I would do it in a heartbeat. I want to see everywhere and climb every mountain!

my favorite....so cute:) rain catcher.

What do you listen to while creating?

Strangely enough, I am usually sketching while the TV is on, mostly sports (Grant usually controls the remote), but often it's silly shows like The Office or Seinfeld. When it's off, I find that I can get loads more done, and I enjoy listening to Bob Marley, The Beatles, Sade, and the like. I'm also a huge Frosty Heidi & Frank (talk radio on 790KABC) fan and listen to them via podcast while painting as well.

live what you love.

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

Well....I'm a food junkie. I eat practically everything in sight. I have an affinity for chocolate cake and sweets, but my favorite thing to eat would probably be Mexican food - cheese enchiladas, chile rellenos and refried beans. I could live on refried beans. I don't eat too much meat, but my parents make the most delicious tri-tip steak that I swoon for, and I'll lick a guacamole bowl clean if you give me the chance. Oh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about all of this!

clouds coming.

Amy is giving away a print of your choice!! Be sure to check out The Barbershop--and leave a comment with your favorite print for a chance to win!

One winner will be chosen at random, and comments will be accepted until Sunday, 7/18 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.

Tell your friends--tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!

(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address)

Also take a little peek at her adorable blog!

bonus: Because Amie is amazing, she is currently donating all of her proceeds (less etsy fees, etc) to The National Audubon Society & the National Wildlife Federation to help the gulf coast. So pick up a few cute prints, and help out a good cause at the same time!

double bonus: Amie is also offering all my favorite blog readers a special offer: buy any 8x10 print, she'll throw in a 5x7 of your choice! All YOU have to do is write "the little red house" and the print of your choice in the comments to seller and that 5x7 print is free! Offer available through July.

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artist spotlight: Linkel Designs

Suuuuper cute giveaway today from Kelly Roenicke of Linkel Designs!

Kelly is coming to us from Michigan with her handmade jewelry.....check out her shop! She has EVERYTHING I love--I really can't pick a favorite!

How long have you been making jewelry? How did you get started?

I started making jewelry in high school for fun, then stopped for awhile, then picked it up again here and there when I had time after grad school. It wasn't until I had my son and realized that I wanted to be at home with him and not driving all over the state doing gigs that my mom said I should sell my jewelry on Etsy. So I started a shop and slowly started filling it with inventory. Some of my mom's jewelry is in the shop as well, and she helps me with the packaging.

Coral Bloom Vintage Locket Necklace

What is your favorite piece in your shop?

I love the flower rings, because they are so colorful and cheerful, and I also love the little bicycle necklace - I have two myself, in silver and in brass.

I am a ring lover......and this one is so different....I am in love.

What are your other hobbies?

I'm a professional violinist, so I love to make music whenever I can - we play at church and I still do some gigs although I am a full-time mom to a two and a half year old. I love to cook, read, be outside and spend time with my family. I also recently started a blog: www.theprettybee.blogspot.com, and I'm really enjoying it.

my ears need these.

What do you listen to while creating?

I listen to my Pandora station, which includes songs by Ingrid Michaelson, Jack Johnson, Chris Tomlin and The Beatles.

ivory rose cameo necklace

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

I love dark chocolate, especially when a strawberry has been dipped in it. I also love Indian food - Chicken Koorma and Chicken Tikka Masala are my favorites.

Today Kelly is giving away this summery Bicicletta Necklace!

Leave a comment letting me know your favorite item in her shop and you will be entered to win!

(really though, how can you choose?)

One winner will be chosen at random, and comments will be accepted until Sunday, 7/4 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.

Tell your friends--tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!

(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address)

go!

artist spotlight: vibeke hoie

Today's artist spotlight comes to you all the way from Norway....NORWAY!! I was so happy when Vibeke contacted me--I am in love with her artwork! She is so talented, and her shop and blog are some of the cutest that I've seen!

You said you have been doing this for 6 years? How did you get started?

Well, I have been working as an illustrator/ graphic designer for over 10 years now, 6 of them freelance.

I finished my BA in illustration in Kent Institute of Art and Design (Kent, England) in 1999 (Woww..that sounded ages ago!)

And then I moved back to Norway, and started working in an adverticing agency called M&L in Stavanger. Working there was great - and it taught me a great deal

that you don`t learn while you studying. Like how to communicate with your clients, keeping them and yourself happy..and working under a thight deadline.

But when I had my first baby - it was time to pursue the dream of working freelance. Which was great to combine with beeing a stay at home mum. In Norway we get almost a year maturnety leave - so it gave me plenty of time to work on my own things while the little one was sleeping. Now that my second baby is almost 4 years it is time for me to get a studio of my own, so that I get to leave the house a bit more:) ( I am going crazy staying at home all the time!! ..he he ...eventhough there are wonderful podcast and webpages to keep me company e.g. www.escapefromillustrationisland.com has great podcasts with interviews of illustrators, designers etc.)

I have always loved to draw and paint, it has always been my favourite thing to do!

And I remember as a child I made stories and illustrated them. (quite funny to look back at).

During one of the first days at Kent institute, our main tutor gave us a lecture about what was expected of us..that we had to draw draw draw..where ever we went we had to bring a sketch book, and whatever we did, whatever we saw, we had to draw...and I could wait to get started. The 3 years at Kent was some of the most exciting years of my life....I learned soo much and had soo much fun!

Becoming a mum was also one of the most inspiering things that has happended to me, and the two little ones lead me into childrens book illustration.

Her children's prints are my fav..... Norwegian Alphabet anyone? (she can do english too:)

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

My favourite thing is the normally the most recent illustration, because that is freshest...and I havn`t had time to get tired of it yet...he he..

I need a baby boy....for this print

What are your other hobbies?

I dont think I have any other "hobbies"..my work include drawing, painting, sewing, gluing, photography, reading, it is diverse...so it keeps me busy and entertained.

Oh..by the way ..I sometimes knit ( I don`t know the right word for it...you know when you "knit" with one needle called Crochet..do you know what I mean??)

customizable welcome!

What do you listen to while creating?

Right now I am very into :

Angus & Julia Stone

Brandi Carlile

Catherine Feeny

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

I love anything with lots of vegetables....and anything at my favourite "local" restaurant "Ostehuset".

I love baking with my kids.....

loving all her bird prints too!

For our giveaway today, Vibeke is offering up a print of your choice (how will you choose?!!)

Please hurry over to her cute little shop and leave a comment with your favorite print.

One winner will be chosen at random and comments will be accepted until Sunday, 6/20 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.
Tell your friends about this one.....they will not want to miss out!

Tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry for each!

(if you don't have a blog, please leave an email address)

go!

artist spotlight: mommy holly

Today's artist spotlight is blogger and creative shop owner Holly Devlin of Poway, California, and her shop Mommy Holly!

How long have you been making all your cute creations? How did you get started?

I opened my Etsy shop close to two years ago, but at first it was more of a hobby for me. I have always loved to work with paper crafts, and wanted to share my creations with others. Then around a year ago, I decided to treat it more like a job, and it has consistently grown since then!! Now while I am waiting to begin nursing school, this is a fantastic opportunity to create things I love, and make a small business out of it in the process. :)

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

I adore the vintage dictionary bird cutouts... I am a sucker for anything having to do with birds, so I love to use these in any way possible. I also love to see what people use them for as well- I've had customers buy thousands of birds to decorate their entire wedding with and I am proud to be a part of something like that. :)

What are your other hobbies?

I spend a lot of time being creative in any way possible, and am perfectly content being in my craft room at all times of the day!! But I also love to bake (I love anything sweet!), read (I spend an inordinate amount of time in the library!), and spend time with my darling six-year old son. :)

What do you listen to while creating?

I have a playlist on my blog that is always changing, but that contains my favorite songs at any given moment. Right now I can't stop listening to Adam Lambert (love him!), and my all-time favorite singer is Ryan Star. (Even though not a huge amount of people even recognize his name haha! Google him now- you won't be sorry.)

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

I am always in the mood for pizza. Delicious, cheesy pizza. I could eat it every day. Oh yes, and cookies. :)

I LOVE these cute tags!

Holly's pirate birdie tags were recently featured in a wedding on Style Me Pretty.

For our giveaway today, Holly has put together a fun little package of goodies just for YOU!

One winner will receive a set of her thank you cards, a pack of happy blue flowers, a set of tiny tree tags, and a set of vintage dictionary bird cutouts.

To win this package of paper goodies, just leave a comment with your favorite item from the Mommy Holly shop! Super easy!

As per request by many of you, giveaways will now end on Sunday.

Comments will be accepted until Sunday, 6/13 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Monday.

Tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry!

go!!!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

artist spotlight: Birdcage Bohemia!

Oh I am excited for today's giveaway!!

Meet Beatrice Bachleda of Birdcage Bohemia! Beatrice uses vintage pieces mixed with modern to create her very own style of jewelry!

You HAVE to check out her shop!

How long have you been making jewelry? How did you get started?

As I was growing up, I hoarded tons and tons of vintage jewelry. Many of the pieces were either broken or out of style or simply something one wouldn't wear today and so they just sat there in my jewelry box. Now, I have always believed I was destined to work for myself. Meeting my self-made guitar playing boyfriend drove home my philosophy, and coupled with the lesson my parents taught me: "Use what you have to create what you need," I had everything I needed to make it happen. I looked upon my huge collection of vintage jewelry and realized, I had to transform them into new beautiful pieces. One and a half years later, this realization has created multitudes of gorgeous one-of-a-kind jewelry and my destiny, Birdcage Bohemia.

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

As I look through my shop trying to find my favorite, I realize I just love them all! The great thing about what I make is that the styles run the spectrum from urban glam to romantically vintage to sweet and tiny to large and in-your-face. If I absolutely had to choose; The Encircle the Crystal necklace would be one because it would go with practically anything and the Bundle of Pearls earrings because they are just stunning when you wear them, delicate clusters of vintage costume pearls dangling happily from your ears. Could you really ask for more out of life? :)

What are your other hobbies?

Cooking! I literally cannot go a day without cooking something. I love to read cooking blogs and I collect cookbooks as if each one was going to be the last one I can ever own. I actually have a secret dream to open up my own restaurant someday. Guess it's not so secret anymore.

What do you listen to while creating?

I wish I could name some really awesome, obscure band, but honestly, just whatever's on the radio. Most of the time, it's just the sounds from the outdoors when I have my window open. Oh, and my boyfriend's music- Neil Zaza. Go look him up!

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

I'm a pescatarian. At first, I was trying to decide whether I should just go all the way and be a vegetarian, but I had to admit to myself, life without fish and seafood would be a sad life, indeed. My ideal dish would be a lovely red snapper nestled in a bed of cut up mangos, pineapples, and corn, topped with a squeeze of lime, wrapped up in a foil bag, and grilled to perfection.

love this one:)

Want to know the BEST part about this giveaway.... Beatrice made this necklace just for us!!

"I had a lone clip-on earring studded with sparkling rhinestones in clear and light peridot-like green with two gold teardrop "leaves" stretching outwards, creating such a beautiful shape. To give it new life as a pendant, I removed the clip from the back, flipped it upside down, and attached it to a lovely gold-plate vintage chain. Clustered around the top, two dark green and mottled brown acrylic beads are strung on varying lengths of wire. The effect is simple, elegant, and wonderfully eye-catching."

To win this amazing necklace, just leave a comment with your favorite item from the Birdcage Bohemia shop! Super easy!

Be sure to check out her lovely website, and if you are in the northeast Ohio area, head in to one of the many boutiques carrying Beatrice's work!
Comments will be accepted until Thursday, 6/3 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Friday.
Tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry!

go!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

artist spotlight: Brooke Schmidt

I am so happy to introduce you to Brooke Schmidt of Wyndmoor, PA, and her fabulous shop!

How long have you been creating things for your shop?

I opened my Etsy shop in January 2009 primarily as a way to shuffle off some of a large pile of drawings from art school. It was winter, and I was decluttering. But as I got to know Etsy better, I realized what a gem it was: instant contact with the artists themselves, and amazing handmade works at affordable prices! Over time I expanded to add more collages, sewings & works on paper, handmade clay and vintage book magnets, altered books, and embroidered Mokeskine journals. I try whatever takes my fancy. My latest additions are prints of my Polaroids, which I am so excited about. I love Etsy for it's simplicity in getting my work out there with a minimum of fuss. I have sold pieces to people in Alaska, in England, in Brooklyn ~ it's fascinating! I also like it when someone writes me requesting something special and specific that I can make for them. I feel like I'm granting a wish.

Photographing? How did you get started?

Growing up in Florida, our family went canoeing a lot on the Myakka River, and I remember my mom would keep her Canon 35mm camera in a watertight Pizza Hut cooler, in case the canoe tipped. In high school I was also wrangling photos out of an old point-and-shoot knockabout camera: I remember a favorite photo in which my friend was holding the moon on a hilltop. I love using film because I'm never sure how things will turn out. I used my mom's Canon and soon found one of my own, and then a vintage Pentax 35mm camera, which I took on road trips and backpacking trips to Europe. My first real digital was a Lumix Panasonic pocket camera, bought about 3 years ago, which I still have and use. Now I own a Nikon D90 and mostly use a 50mm lens with that ~ it's a fantastic camera. But my real passion, the camera that makes my heart beat, the camera that I wake up for every morning, is my SX-70 Polaroid Land camera. An eBay find that I purchased after finding Susannah Conway's blog last year and seeing her amazing Polaroids. It produces the most magical shots. I would also say Flickr was and is invaluable to me in seeing what's possible and being inspired.

What is your favorite thing in your shop?

The Snail's Dream, an 8x8 inch print of a Polaroid I took with my SX-70 camera. It's a dreamy and soft polaroid of a snail, luminous and with those wonderful eyes on stalks, contemplating a world of wood sorrel. It completely knocked my socks off as to the true possibilities of an SX-70. I was, at the time, on a road trip in California and that photo made my week. I have the original framed over my bed. Oh, that snail!

What are your other hobbies?

Reading, a lot ~ Gardening ~ Walking ~ Hiking ~ Tea-drinking ~ Road trips with my husband, Tim ~ Travel and living out of a suitcase or a backpack ~ Baking chocolate chip scones once a week ~ Collecting rocks when I travel ~ Thrift shopping! ~ Requesting books and audiobooks from my local library ~ Scrabble ~ Loving my dogs, Donovan and Lucy ~ Yoga ~ Reading in the back garden in an adirondack chair with my cat, Mimi, on my lap ~ Sitting by a fire and chatting ~ Collecting Agatha Christie paperbacks, Pyrex bowls, Fiestaware, textiles, wool blankets and things cobalt.

What do you listen to while creating?

I have a DVD/VCR player in my studio and often half-listen to old Agatha Christie flicks with her famous characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. For some reason, those get me in the zone. I also have a collection of my favorite films like Gosford Park or Manon des Sources which I'll put on and listen to like most people listen to a cd. I never listen to music while working, sometimes listen to a book on tape (British readers only, please!) and often just work in silence, which really isn't silence at all but a flexible space for thoughts to grow and for the wind to fill. Hours disappear that way.

Because I am a food lover....what is your favorite thing to eat?

Warm chocolate chip scones with butter slathered on them, and a tall glass of cold milk! My recipe found HERE

Please make sure you go and thoroughly explore her shop....there are so many fun things to find! Polaroid prints, hand made clay magnets, these cute little embroidered journals and so much more!

For the giveaway today Brooke is giving away this hand picked set of her clay magnets

(my fav is the plant:).

Just go visit her shop, and leave a comment letting me know your very favorite item.

Also be sure to visit her on flickr and her cute blog....I am in love with her photos!

Comments will be accepted until Thursday, 5/27 at midnight, and the winner will be announced Friday.

Tweet/facebook/or blog and come back for an extra entry!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED