And the Day Continues

What's Up Stitches?!?!

2010-05-21T11:45:00.000-06:00

Well it seems like a good day to blog, in fact every day is a good day to blog, but not every day allows it.

What's on my mind today? Stitches!

It's amazing to me how important each stitch is to the crocheter (knitters too).
Many of us use patterns, so the "hard" part is done for us, choosing the proper stitch for whatever project. I however don't have the patience for patterns, so I just plow on forward creating with my projects, creating and making decisions as I go. Often times this results in a game of leap frog, "rip-it, rip-it" but in the rare occasions it turns out remarkably!
I have recently fallen in love with a certain stitch, just enough space to give movement and fluidity to the fabric, but not so much that it feels exposed and full of unsightly holes.
This stitch is the Extended Single Crochet.
I find that the fabric feels light and airy, and the draping of the fabric is perfect.
How often does someone use the wrong stitch and then at the end of the project it isn't doing what it is supposed to be doing?
Using a tight single crochet for a jacket, probably not the most comfortable thing in the world.
Granted, it isn't just the stitch choice by itself, but the stitch combined with the yarn-type.
Anywho, that's all I have for today as I hear the stitch calling me again....

Hurtling Through Space

2010-01-30T22:58:00.001-07:00

As January hit, I expected nothing more than another January. Boy have I never been more wrong!
I had made a resolution to work on my Etsy store more and really get in the views. I thought it would be a slow process; painful perhaps. Again, I was wrong! these last 4 weeks have never proven to be more amazing. With a goal I had set, of getting 200 fans on my Etsy, I am amazed that I already have over 140!
I am only a year from graduating with my bachelor's degree, and I am well on my way towards my associates degree from Sheffield School for Interior Design.

I have been blogging more often, but I hadn't had many followers, so it came as a shock to me when I was contacted by the marketing department from Sheffield asking if I would do a guest blog for their blog, Stylehound, so of course I said yes! I was so honored, and can't thank them enough for that opportunity! Check out my blog, and the other wonderful blogs there!

I was part of the creation of a new team, Indie Junction. The website http://myindiejunction.com has proven to be even more helpful than I could possibly imagine. AmbientGirlDesigns whispered to me in a chat room that I should check it out, I did and have been so pleased! The community is wonderful, and the support that I have been given has been incomparable!

My other team, CreateCrochet, has been just as amazing in the support and promotion! Mamta, our fearless team leader has done so much for not only the team, but for my shop in helping me optimize my shop. (Check out our website and our blog to see all of the dozens of other wonderful people in my team!)

Justine from PlumeAdore, has a feature called The Etsy Business Blog, which has great tips for getting your shop in gear for success. She asked me last year if she could do a feature on me for her blog, so I did the "interview" and she got busy so it has been a few months. She contacted me a couple of days ago and surprised me with the news that she proposed the article to Etsy's blog The Storque, and they accepted! I will keep all of you informed as to when it shows up! (here is the facebook page for her blog and business http://www.facebook.com/EtsyBusinessBlog?ref=mf#/EtsyBusinessBlog?v=info&ref=mf

Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better start to 2010, and I have a great excitement for the rest of the year! So thank you to all of you who have been such a great help, I couldn't have done much of this without you all!

Stylehound

2010-01-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

AH! My guest blog for Stylehound is up!
Here is the direct link for my piece! : http://blog.sheffield.edu/2010/01/guest-blog-color-shock/

look out for another feature in the coming days!

Featured Shop - Blingaling

2010-01-11T21:52:00.007-07:00

^^direct link to her shop above ^^

I was surfing around Etsy as I like to see what people are doing. I was in awe of what I saw! A blazing orange pendant with delicate wire-work on a background of cool blue. It was beautiful, it was unique, it was.... a broken tail-light?
This item led me to the shop Blingaling, run by Michele Rappoport. Her shop is filled with pieces that are created from "found" objects or recycled materials. I am floored by how creative her mind is and all the innovation that she has stuffed into a few pixels on etsy.com

I decided that I wanted to see what made her mind tick, and what she was all about!

From cold and chilly Colorado to Sunny Tuscon, Arizona the following (unedited) interview took place!

BK: Who are you and how is that shown in your art/items?

MR: I am a 57-year-old woman who never grew up. I think and play like a kid and am still very curious and experimental. I think that’s why my work looks the way it does.

BK: What is that you do and why do you do it?

MR: I'm an alchemist! I take what is basically junk, and turn it into something that is pretty or useful, or both. I do it because it’s a challenge. You work with diamonds and gold, you’re bound to come up with something attractive. But turning shattered bits of tail light reflectors into shimmery earrings that someone is proud to wear... that’s more exciting to me.

BK: Where are you from and where are you now?

MR: I grew up in southern New Jersey and spent most of my life there. I now live in Tucson, Arizona and love it.

BK: What do you do when you aren’t crafting?

MR: When I’m not crafting I’m thinking about it, scanning the pavement for discarded, unloved things I can make useful again. I also travel around the country in an RV with my husband and two cats. (Great way to find junk!) I love to dance with a partner. I like swing, waltz, zydeco, cajun, and Argentine tango. I also teach jewelry-making.

BK: Who or what is your inspiration?

MR: I love Jessica Drenk, (http://www.jessicadrenk.com/), a young artist whose work is completely fresh and mind-bending. I also admire the work of a fellow Tucsonan, Joan Davidson, who makes elaborate designs out of tiny fruit labels. Generally, I get a kick out of most artists who use recycled materials, because they force you to look at familiar things in new ways.

BK: Where do you find the items you use?

MR: I find a lot of the materials I use – smashed aluminum cans, shattered tail light reflectors -- on the street. I spend a lot of time looking down!

BK: What is your favorite piece in your shop?

MR: I think it’s the Blue Hand. I planned on having a whole line of these hand sculptures. I made only one other hand so far, but it got stolen from a shop. Can you imagine somebody stealing something like that?

BK: Do you listen to music while you craft? If so, what genre/artists?

MR: I generally don’t listen to music when I make things. I like quiet. But I do enjoy a lot of different types of music. My favorite singer-songwriter of all time is John Prine.

BK: If you have one dream/goal for this year, what is it?

MR: To surprise myself over and over again with good ideas. I really hope I can do that.

BK: What is your philosophy in life?

MR: Be true to yourself and do what you love. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t make a living at it! This is pretty basic advice but I wish I’d followed it sooner.

BK: What about Etsy do you love, and how does it help your business?

MR: I love how easy Etsy makes it to start an online business. You don’t need a lot of money or computer expertise. Just the willingness to work hard and stick with it.

BK: Do you have a favorite store on Etsy?

MR: I have too many “favorite” stores to list! But I remember practically stalking Jane Dean’s shop when I first started, because I found her work so much fun. I also have a special fondness for Purple Toes Jewelry, because the owner was so helpful to me when I was just getting started. She gave me my first sale just to show me how it worked!

If you are looking for that unique gift, check out her shop! She provides a shipping discount, so when at her shop take a look! This also supports re-purposing, and keeps more so-called trash out of the dumpster.

Featured Shop - RoseLullabyDolls

2009-12-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is my first installment of many featured shops to come.
I am so happy to use RoseLullabyDolls as my first feature! Here is a link to her shop on etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/RoseLullabyDolls

I first came across her shop when I was working on a critique forum on Etsy, and was immediately drawn to her shop. The whimsical nature and uniqueness of her dolls really grabbed my attention.
Located in London, she started her online store in March. After poking around her profile and shop for awhile, I decided, 'why not use her as a featured shop on my blog?'
A couple months later, swamped with school, I finally got an interview done over convo; here it is uncut!

BK: tell me a bit about yourself, and what you do when you aren't crafting

RLD: I'm Robyn, a mum; a set, costume and puppet designer for theatre and a Londoner

BK: what got you started crafting?

RLD: I've always made things, as long as I can remember. I've cut and stuck, knitted, crocheted, sewn, woven, drawn and painted forever and ever. I have an arty mum and it never crossed my mind that people could live without making things.

BK: How long have you been doing what you have been doing?

RLD: I've been making puppets and dolls for about 18 months, but the skills I use in making them - papier mache, model making, sculpting, dressmaking - these are all things I've been doing seriously since I trained as a theatre designer 8 years ago.

BK: what is the inspiration behind your dolls?

RLD: the materials I find around me, tall tales and people I see on the tube.

BK: What do you love most about your dolls?

RLD: I love seeing people fall in love with them. I love making miniature versions of strangers loved ones, I love finding the angle to photograph them at which they are looking straight down the lens of the camera, I love their personalities, I love playing with them.

BK: What do you want to accomplish in this next year? (whether it is in outside life or on etsy)

RLD: I want to work at putting on more exhibitions, I want to realise at least a small percentage of the ideas buzzing around my head, I want to make lots and lots and lots of puppet dolls and find them loving homes all around the world

BK: what do you love most about etsy?

RLD: The advice and support that is available. I hadn't a clue about photography when I started on etsy, now through nothing more than the advice I've found through the forums and the storque, I'm able to produce photographs I'm really proud of.

BK: Is there anything else you would like to say about yourself or your shop?

RLD: Just that I feel as though I've found the thing I'm meant to be doing and I'm so so grateful to etsy for giving me the confidence to pursue it, I've become involved in the real life art world recently, without the advice and support I've found on etsy I would never have had the confidence to do that.

Her story is truly a success in the power of Etsy and the worldwide community it presents to folks all over the world.

I plan on trying to get one featured shop every two weeks, so be on the lookout, you may be next!

Wow, so much going on.....

2009-12-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

Of course at the beginning of this blog I said that the postings would be more regular. Unfortunately life has decided to overwhelm me with being busier than I expected. This is the first week in a set of 2 and a half weeks that involve final exams and papers. If you can forgive me, I will try to work a little more on updating this.

Please expect more regular posts during the holiday season.

CreateCrochet Team SALE!!!

2009-11-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

You read that right!

take a look at our team blog to see all of the great deals!
http://createcrochet.blogspot.com/2009/11/friday-finds-team-sale-november-13-15.html

shop shop away!!!

Setting the Tone

2009-10-22T22:35:00.001-06:00

This week I have been doing shop critiques for some lovely people on etsy.com.
I have noticed that people aren't focusing on their photography as much as they could be or should be. I wondered, are they intimidated by editing? do they think they need fancy gear?
I want to dispel any fears! In the coming weeks, I will be discussing photography tips and tricks specifically for Etsy!
Tonight, I am going to start by talking about tone of the photograph.
You think "This is a great picture! I can't wait to list this new item!"
Hold there for a moment tiger! have you thought about what type of mood (tone) you want to set with this piece?
photo editing tools are everywhere nowadays, I personally use GIMP, it's an open source software, and I absolutely love it!
GIMP is available here http://gimp.org/

So now here we are, talking about tone and mood. Why? People see your store and the items, and they need to be persuaded into buying your item. They might not buy something if the mood of the picture isn't the same as the mood of the item. This disjunction will make them go to another shop.
I am going to stop chattering now, and actually show you what I mean.

here is an item I sold (I used a cropped "headshot" of this but needless to say this is the original photo)

By adjusting towards either blue or yellow in the color balance tool, I can change the mood this photo emotes

***Note***

DO NOT change the color balance so much that you mis-represent your work. This could lead to some serious issues when the buyer gets the item. If you are unsure about it, don't do it.

by adding more blue, I make it a cool tone, this helps set the "cold" and "icy" scene that I am trying to evoke.

by adding more yellow, I can heighten the "warm fuzzy" feeling of the pup seal.

***note***

This same tone is highly effective and used often in the baked goods market. Warm colors make people feel safe and happy.

by changing other colors along with the preliminary blue or yellow you can make the mood more complex

here, I added more cyan and a hint of green to the blue, I also lowered the brightness and slightly heightened the contrast, this darkens the mood a bit. This can be effective when selling "calming" items or stonework.

***note***

beware: some stonework should be used with a warm tone, it all depends on the hues present in the stone itself.

here we are with a yellow-green scheme. I also brightened this picture up along with lowering the contrast, this gives it a warm nostalgic feel, or maybe even a bright whimsical feel.

These are just a few examples, and this topic can get much deeper, which I hope to do next week if I can get the shop interview I want ;-)

I will be doing a full interview as well as a critique on the shop itself.

Hoping this helps, and feel free to comment with any questions you might have!

cheers!

FInished

2009-10-19T22:57:00.001-06:00

I finished this awhile ago, but hadn't had time to post it!
I had so much fun working on this!

Reinvention in the eyes of change.

2009-10-19T21:46:00.002-06:00

So as my life is continuing it's odd spiral around, it is getting ready to fling me into a new direction. I plan on updating this blog at least bi-weekly.
I will feature my projects, the process of working on them and the much awaited finished prodcuts of each one.
I also want to feature a shop from Etsy, both from my Team (woot CreateCrochet!) and a non-team shop just to see what goes through their mind as they continue their process of creating their dreams.

Buona fortuna amici, buona fortuna!

Crochet me somethin' good!

2009-05-22T22:53:00.003-06:00

As the summer continues, and my sister's wedding draws near, I have found time to work on the wedding blanket!
A lovely "friendship ring" block is being used as the main accents.

Here are a couple of the blocks:

If you would like to watch my progress, follow me at my ravelry account at ravelry.com username:Benjamin Krudwig

I have more projects lined up, so keep an eye on me!

2009-04-22T21:21:00.003-06:00

Howdy Howdy Howdy!

just got back from my small choir's concert!

Just wanted to update everyone on what I am up to.

With finals just around the corner I haven't had much time to do any crafting, but I am still working on a pair of finger-tip-less gloves, and I finished my Grandma's blanket last weekend! I will post a note on it later when I can take better photos of it!

Playing God

2009-04-16T11:48:00.003-06:00

Here I am, playing God.... with yarn!!!
Creating random animals is one of my favorite things to do in my spare time, So last night I created on of my favorite little creatures, the bat!

His wingspan is pretty nearly a foot wide and he is about 4.5 inches tall

I love him so much!!!

Why hello there!!

2009-04-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

So this is a start of a brand new blog and therefore a brand new era!
My first blog didn't take off, and yes that is for lack of self-promo, but those days are behind me!

This blog will not suffer the neglect and shall not gather dust!

I will post my newest creations and my rather un-amusing musings.