Team Treasury: Petals of PINK

CorkandCotton created this summery treasury for the team!

Team Treasury: few of my favorites

JoannasPhotography was proud to show of her favorites found in NCTriangle Etsy shops...

Featured Seller: OpalLight, TrashyBroad, & BeyondTheBook

Who are you?
Sherri Pekks. I have 3 stores on Etsy. OpalLight, TrashyBroad and BeyondTheBook

Where are you located?
South Raleigh

What do you create?
*Laughs* Which week? :) I wish I could stay with one thing but I am always getting into new mediums. I really love my salvaged plate pendants so I am always working on those on the side. Stained glass is also very satisfying but in today’s economy people can’t afford to buy the largerpieces I enjoy making and on that note, I sometimes can’t afford to buy the supplies. I see potential in odd things so when I get an idea I just go with it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I like knowing how to do a little of everything.

Why did you choose your shop names?
Opal Light Studio came about when I was really focusing on stained glass and my youngest daughter’s name is Opal. It just worked.
Trashy Broad happened when I decided to take a bunch of scrap metal we had in our backyard to a local recycling place. (Boy was that an experience.) I actually was paid pretty descent cash for it! I told a friend of mine we should get an old pick up truck and paint TrashyBroads on the sides and go around collecting scrap metal to recycle. Sadly, we never got that far but we did start having a trashy broad craft night which was really just an excuse to sit in mygarage, drink alcoholic beverages, cut, paint and glue. Also Trashy Broad focuses on only using recycled things that might otherwise be thrown away like tin cans, glass jar lids andold albums hence, Trash.... and I am a Broad.
I magically inherited 8000 books and I sell them on another online venue. Some of the more damaged or un-sellable so Beyond the Book was a way for me to them give a new life. I have found really great photos and illustrations and knew I had to do something with them.

What is your favorite place to visit in the "triangle"?
The Flea Market at the State Fairgrounds. I get so excited when I find a really unique plate on adollar table. My family and I can spend a whole day just browsing while filling up on Amish popcorn and candied nuts.

Where do you create?
I have set up my “studio” in my garage. It started out as one table and now has fourtables/stations and takes up over half the garage! My friends joke that it is like a mini Michael’s. The best part is that it is all mine!! Having two small kids, a husband and many animals I am constantly cleaning up after them. I like knowing that my studio is my mess.
The other half ofthe garage is filled up with bookshelves for another business of mine. Needless to say, my husband was forced to build a shed in our backyard and our automobiles will have to endure any weather Mother Nature puts upon them.

What is the most time consuming part of your craft?
Honestly, it is finding the time. I am not a good sleeper so I usually get up really early or go to be really late to “work”. My kids are still young so they are all over me, what feels like 24 hours a day. I do things in small spurts. “Mommy is going out to the car to get something reallyquick.”. ...as she sneaks out to spray a layer of varnish on her latest project. This fall both of my girls are going to a part time preschool a couple of days a week. I am so excited to have that time to really focus.

What is you most popular item that you create?
People tend to really like my Salvaged Plate Pendants. When I work craft shows people look atthem for a minute and then my line is, “Those are all made from broken plates.” and the response is always the same. “Oh Wow! Really?” I think people like the variety the plates offer and no one pendant is ever the same. Even if it came from the same plate it is different in someway or another whether it be the design or shape.

What are your goals?
My goal is to help bring in enough income withall of my unconventional venues to stay home with my two girls and take care of my home. I really like being my own boss and my mind is so restless that I do not do well in “the real career world”. I am constantly thinking up new things to make and feel a job in the outside world would just suck out my creative soul..sorry I went off a little there, didn’t I?

Team Treasury: Days of wine & roses

Scatterbox created team treasury...

Team Treasury: Can't Shake These Blues!

CinnamonSpice created this lovely BLUE treasury. Thanks for supporting the team!

Team Event: Day at The Scrap Exchange

This past Sunday, 9 Triangle Etsy Stores donated their time and crafting skills to a local non profit, creative re-use center, The Scrap Exchange. The crafters got together to create items that The Scrap Exchange could use as displays to give shoppers ideas of what could be made from things found at the store.


It turned out to be quite the challenge, as the crafters were given a list of items that needed to be used:

fabric (no sew projects)
plastic laminate
binders
file folders
vintage spindles
cd jewel cases

Luckily, the crafters were all used to using a variety of mediums and so coming up with ideas and crafting items came pretty easily. After three hours of work, over 20 items were made, complete with instructions and supply lists. Here are some of the items that were made and donated to the store:

"Queen for a day" children's crown

Cork composite (item used, cd jewel case)

A fabric shawl (item used: no-sew fabric)

A spectacular village including houses made from small gift boxes wrapped in office paper, streets made from cork strips , people made from film canasters, plants and even a dog (item used: binder)

Four-sided picture frame (item: cd jewel case)

Necklace or towel holder

Fabric Envelope (item: no-sew fabric)

Hanging Organizer (item: no-sew fabric)







Earring Gauze Organizer (item: no-sew fabric)

Clever Children's Number

Matching Game (item: file folder)

Placemat (item: Plastic laminate)

Holder for anything (item: no sew)

Wall organizer (item: no sew)

Faux stained glass hanging candle holder (or planter) made out of recycled parachute fabric and the glass part of a light fixture.

Thanks to The Scrap Exchange for donating the use of the Make and Take Room and all of the supplies. Thanks also to the following Etsy stores for donating their time to The Scrap Exchange:

Cork and Cotton, Karen's Soaps, Metamorphasis, Rippa's Custom Silver, Opal Light Studio, Earthboar Jewelry, BellaMia Designs, Vintage Scraps and MegRNC.

We hope you like our creations!

Smokin' Hot in North Carolina

CinnamonSpice created this fun summertime treasury for the team...

Team Treasury: OH BABY! It's hot outside...

LynnsCrafts had noticed the high temps in the triangle too...