Monday, April 28, 2008

And the WINNER is....

Bunny B!

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone for playing and be sure to check back on Wednesday when we start a new Giveaway!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

6

Timestamp: 2008-04-28 18:25:12 UTC

Friday, April 25, 2008

Spotlight On....

StormeeJean!

1. Tell us a little bit about who you are and your life up to this point in time.
I am a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, auntie,grand-auntie, sister, niece, cousin, sister-friend, friend. I love being all that and that is what makes me who I am, these are the people in me, they have all made it possible for me to be the artist that I am, they have never seen me as anything else and have always encouraged me to keep doing it. They have love my artwork, even the things I messed up. What have I been doing up to this point? Sewing. I have always had jobs working in sewing factories and tailoring and alterations businesses.

2. Besides your fantasy creative life, what else are doing currently?
Praising God! This is not a fantasy for me, I am able to work on my art full time. I love participating in art fairs and exhibiting in galleries. I sometimes put my work on consignment in boutiques. I mainly stick to one-of-a-kind items because I am not into mass-producing my work. I love doing what I do. I put a price on it, if it sells, I am happy.

3. What do you offer in your Etsy Shop?
I offer one-of-a-kind items, that are not done on an assembly line. I also offer custom designs. You will see jackets, coats, fabric boxes, scarves, hats, cloth bags, pillows. But what I really like to do is the coats and jackets, so you will see a lot of those. I have always been intrigued by little boxes so you will also see some of the boxes that I love to make. As a matter of fact, everything in my shop is thing I love to make.

4. Where do you create?
I have turned our master bedroom into my studio, it is a big room and I love the light that comes in the window during the daytime. But really, the whole house is my studio.

5. Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from God, I meditate and pray and ask His guidance every time I start a new project. Sometimes I just dream the colors and then the piece becomes vivid when I start to put the different colors together. I love music, sometimes I’ll get into some good sounds like one of my coats I made was inspired by Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in The Key Of Life”. I also was inspired by the way that the slaves were transported in the slave ships, they laid side by side, chained together, all different tribes, when I see pictures of how they were transported, I see beautiful, wonderful colors all sewn together to make a beautiful garment.

6. How did you learn how to do your craft?
I learned from my mother and my grandmother, my grandmother was a quilter and I used to sit with her and learn how to make quilts. My mother always made our clothes and when I was about 10 I made my first pair of pants, I have been sewing since then. Growing up my mother’s motto was “if you learn something you can do with your hands (such as sewing, doing hair, gardening, etc), you will never be broke” I have found that statement to be very true. My mother sewed and she did hair.

7. How do you promote your wares?
I have been doing art fairs, jazz festivals, wearable art festivals, conferences, and I also had an exhibit in The Blandon Art Museum in Fort Dodge, IA. Lately I have been working more with my websites and my Etsy store. Whenever I update any of them, I send out a mass email. Promotion is not one of my strong points this is my year for more promotion. These are my websites:

http://www.stormeejean.etsy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stormeejean/
http://www.stormeeultimatedesigns.com
http://stormeesewgoods.blogspot.com/
And then of course my EAOC Team Blog
http://etsyaoc.ning.com/profile/stormee

8. What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
Not selling myself short. And saying no to jobs that I know is going to be a problem.

9. Is there any advice you can give others who are just starting out?
Don’t give up on your art. Even if it seems that it is not selling, there is a market for all our art or else God would not have put it in us to do. He has a plan for every piece we do, as long as we don’t give up. Don’t mark it down because it doesn’t sell right away, don’t think it won’t sell, if God put it in you to make, it is going to sell at the price you put on it you just have to be patient and make some other stuff. Don’t let anyone tell you that your prices are too high.

10.Do you have any favorite Etsy artists you'd like to promote here?
My list is long, but here are a couple:
Wsir Arts
Blue Chair
Marcia Palmer


Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Weekly Giveaway - Earrings and Necklace

Sponsored by Marcia Palmer! These are beautifully handcrafted and are surprisingly lightweight! They would make a lovely, unique addition to your own jewelry collection or perhaps would make a great Mother's Day gift (if you can part with them!).



How to Enter

No purchase is necessary to win. You simply have to go to Marcia's shop and take a look around. Then come back here and leave a comment. Your comment is your entry. Only one comment per person, duplicate entries will be discarded.

Your comment should include:
Your name and a way to reach you should you win (don't be Anonymous!)
The name of your favorite item in the shop or the URL to it

The contest ends on Saturday, April 26th at 11:59 pm. The winner will be chosen randomly by random.org.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

And the WINNER is.....

Mature Natural!

Thanks everyone for playing! Please check back Wednesday when we start a new giveaway!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

10

Timestamp: 2008-04-21 00:04:34 UTC

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Spotlight on .....

Roseline of African Fashions!

Tell us a little bit about who you are and your life up to this point in time?
Hi, my name is Roseline and I have been a custom seamstress since 1984. I own two professtional sewing machines, a Singer CG500C, which can do straight, decorative and flex stitching, and a Kenmore differental feed with 4 spools. I learned my trade in Nairobi, Kenya and now live in Charlotte, NC

Besides your fantasy creative life, what else are doing currently?
I work as a nurse in an old folks home, am married and have a daughter in Kenya. Trying to get her a visa to come here. So far no luck.

What do you offer in your Etsy Shop?
I can create any style of clothing, not just afrocentric. I am an expert seamstress. I can design and sew what ever you want, and not just women's clothing either, but also men's clothing and children's clothing. I craft my own designs or I can copy a design of your choosing. I am so adept that from the scantiest of information, like a picture or sketch, I can sew for you the fashions you desire. We are happy to quote you a price.
I also have a number of items already made. Kaftans (13) Dresses (8) Blouse and Pant Sets (14) Blouse and Skirt Sets (12) Elegance (2) Blouses (1) Skirts (1) Menswear (2) Childrens(2) Just look in my shop www.africanfashions.etsy.com

Where do you create?
I work at home in a smoke free and pet free enviroment.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Years of experience, custom orders, fashion magazines, TV shows.

How did you learn how to do your craft?
Trade school in Nairobi and practice.

How do you promote your wares?
Word of Mouth, this blog, business cards, referrals.

What has been the most important lesson you've learned since you started selling your own creations?
Be nice to others and they will be nice to you. Also, quality is always the cheapest.

Is there any advice you can give others who are just starting out?
You know how to get to Carnigie Hall?

Do you have any favorite Etsy artists you'd like to promote here?
All of the EAOCers, check out their shops, they all do wonderful work.

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