Handmade Happenings - Oct. 11-13, 2013

Bottle cap magnets - Breast Cancer Awareness (5 magnets)
by Sprouts & Sprockets

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and our Triangle area artists & crafters have a wide variety of pink items to help you show your support! Check out our list of shop sales & specials below for great deals and items that support a great cause!

Saturday, October 12

Wake Forest Farmers Market

Fresh-off-the-farm produce; pasture-raised beef, poultry, and pork; free-range eggs; honey, jams, and preserves; delicious baked goods; knits & fiber, and more!

Where: 110 S. White Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587 

When: 8:00 am - Noon
Artists to visit: A Stitch Niche, Poppy & Purl 

More info: http://www.wakeforestfarmersmarket.org/

Autumn Fest & Antiques on the Street - Mebane
Antiques and Artisans on The Street, Gourmet Food Truck Rodeo, Live music by "Mason Lovette Band" & "C&J Bluegrass", Kids' Hands-on Activities & more!
Where: Downtown Mebane, NC
When: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Artist to visit: Piecefully Home
More info: https://www.facebook.com/mebaneautumnfest

Sunday, October 13

Trunk Show - Carrboro

Vespertine in Carrboro is kicking off Fall Trunk Show season this Sunday with lovely Sonya of metamorphosis metals from Raleigh and mini Mimosas or sparkling water with grenadine syrup-Yum!!

Where: Vespertine, 118 B East Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510

When: Noon - 3:00 pm

Artist to visit: metamorphosis metals

More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/236487979839476

Shop Local Online! Team Member Etsy Shop Sales!
- Sprouts & Sprockets - 10% of all proceeds on sales of Breast Cancer Awareness magnets will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation!
- jdfootloose -  15% off your order with Coupon Code: MOMMA
- Shelia Kempf ArtWorks -  BOGO (buy one, get one free) on select prints!


We hope you'll visit our NC Triangle Etsy Team members and say hello.  Check in each week for more handmade arts & crafts festivities throughout the fall! 

(Members, if you have an event or sale coming up, send your information to Orange Cat Art to be included on the calendar!)

Featured Local Seller: Bill Swindman Photography

Who am I? I'm Bill Swindaman of the not all that imaginatively named "Bill Swindaman Photography."

Where am I located? I live in Carrboro, NC.

What do I create? I do photography, mostly nature photography, primarily landscapes. I certainly, however, enjoy finding a beautiful bloom or an interesting animal to observe and photograph, and I'm working on getting better at pointing my camera at other people and other subjects. I print my own work too, a process I also find enjoyable.

What is my favorite place to visit in the Triangle? Photographically, I'd say Duke Gardens because of the variety of subjects. Also Jordan Lake, particularly on quiet, foggy fall or winter mornings. Otherwise, I guess my favorite spot is having drinks and dinner with friends at Jujube's restaurant in Chapel Hill.

When did I start creating? Though I've intermittently enjoyed taking photos since I was very young, mostly when traveling, I began to seriously pursue photography in the fall of 2006 with the purchase of my first digital SLR.

Why did I choose my medium? I guess I chose photography partly because I got a little good feedback on my initial efforts from friends and because it is an excellent excuse to travel to and go exploring in beautiful natural areas.

Who inspires me? The photographer John Shaw has been my inspiration for a long time, both for his wonderfully composed and executed work and for the excellent insights he has provided in his books and other writings.

What inspires me? Being outside in a natural area at 5:00 am, watching the colors of dawn appear and listening to the animal world gradually awakening. Making a few sales on Etsy from time to time is a great motivator too!

Where do I create? I do most of my actual photography in the Carolinas with occasion journeys to neighboring states. I'm particularly attracted to the low country, the swamps and wetlands of eastern North and South Carolina, though with the recent triple digit temperatures I'm starting to escape to the mountains more often. For photo editing and printing, I am fortunate to have one room of my townhouse dedicated primarily to the photography stuff.

What are my business goals? Initially my goal in opening an Etsy shop was simply to be able to share my photography with more people, not really to make money. Between Etsy, photo sharing sites, facebook and my website it has been satisfying to have more people see and react to my photos. I'm semi-retired now, but still need to work periodically at temporary or part-time jobs. My new goal is to be able to make this part-time work be exclusively photography.

After you've viewed Bill's exquisite prints and notecards on etsy, don't forget to take a peek at his photography website or follow his page on page on Facebook.

NCTriangle Team members who would like to be featured on the blog, please contact shoredebris.

Featured Local Seller: Bohemian Earth

Who are you? Jameela from Bohemian Earth

Where are you located? I live in Carrboro, NC

What do you create? I create earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

What is your favorite place to visit in the "triangle"? I'll have to give one outside and inside favorite triangle place. My favorite outside place in the Triangle is probably the Bolin Creek/Battle Branch Trail in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. I love being in nature and there is plenty to look at and enjoy in the forest along the trail. One of my favorite inside places is the Ackland Art Museum on UNC Chapel Hill's campus. There is always an amazing exhibit or three and I see something new and beautiful each time I visit.

When did you start creating? I've been making earrings and the occasional necklace since I was a young teen. I began making things for my Etsy shop this spring.

What is your most cherished handmade item? About six years ago, I made a pair of earrings with light green jade, rutilated quartz, and matte hematite stones. There is something about the way the colors combine that create an instant sense of calm. I still love wearing them!

What/who inspires you? I have been inspired by many artists and authors to create things of beauty through actions and words. Frida Kahlo, Gustav Klimt, Toni Morrison, Julia Kristeva, St. Hildegard von Bingen, and Tamara de Lempicka are a few of the people who have inspired me greatly.

Where do you create? I usually create things in the small space in front of my computer desk. I spread all my materials out on the floor and just start crafting! This always confuses my dog, as he tries to get as close to what I'm doing as he can without stepping on anything. The glint of pliers and the sounds of my tackle box opening (where I store many items) peak his interest.

Why did you choose your shop/company name? I chose my shop name, Bohemian Earth, for a few reasons. One, because I love the Earth and its gifts of minerals, metals, and other materials I use in jewelry making. Two, because I think the word, bohemian, captures my spirit and the feel of what I like to wear and create. I love a large variety of styles from many cultures near, far, eastern, and western. I love the extravagant as much as the minimal and everything in between. So the word, bohemian, and its many associations from Gypsies to artists to peoples of mixed heritages seemed perfect for what I set out to embrace and create.

What do you do when you are not creating? When I am not creating jewelry, I'm spending time with my husband and dog, I'm working out or in Yoga or Nia dance class, or I'm working towards my PhD in English by reading, writing, or lesson planning.

So after you've visited Jameela in her etsy shop, do take a peek at her blog, facebook page, and twitter!

Team members who want to be featured on the blog, please contact ShoreDebris.

Featured Seller: paperpearlsboutique

Who are you?
My name is Rachel Freyer of Paper and Pearls Boutique.

Where are you located?
I live in Carrboro with my wonderfully supportive husband and a very fluffy cat named Bianca.

What do you create?
I make handcrafted jewelry, books, and paper crafts.

What is your favorite place to visit in the "triangle"?
I love going to Maple View Farms. My husband and I go there year round. I find so much inspiration in the seasonal change of colors and the pastoral scene. It's hard to create when tired and stressed - this is a great place to go and relax. The fabulous ice cream doesn't hurt! :-) (I recommend chocolate orange.) I also love bookstores and window shopping to get ideas and inspiration.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by everyday things - I'm always paying attention to the colors and textures I see at the Farmer's Market, in movies and magazines, what friends are wearing, nature... I think each day has inspiration of some sort if we are paying attention. It can be a very ordinary thing that becomes a muse for a project. That's why my motto is: Make Everyday Beautiful!I am also inspired by places I've traveled and lived. I spent my college years in New England - the fall there is unbelievably bright and magnificent. New England Fall is the inspiration for my Wenham Collection of jewelry. I lived in Italy for a semester, and have the palette of cypress trees and old stone buildings burned into my imagination. My bookmaking is largely inspired by my time abroad, and the rich leathers and papers I used during my bookmaking class there. I may love pink because of DC's cherry blossoms. Where we spend our lives leave a mark!

Why did you choose your shop name?
I woke up one morning and the first thing that popped into my head was "Paper and Pearls"! I was trying to think of a name that would capture my two favorite types of handmade projects - jewelry and paper crafts. It just seemed to fit! And pearls are not only my birthstone, but a classic stone that be used in so many ways. It says something about my style - simple, classic, colorful.

What is your most popular item that you create?
My Kazuri Bead necklaces have been rather popular. I think people love the fact that the beads are all handcrafted and unique, and that by buying one of those necklaces they are supporting a micro-enterprise that gives women opportunity. My carnelian necklaces have also been hits - I am so inspired my experience with New England autumn. Capturing that gorgeous spectrum in carnelian jewelry was a fun process. I think what it comes down to is that people like to buy beautiful things that have a good story behind them - whether it's how the bead was crafted, or artist's process of creativity.

How do you envision your creations being used by your customers?
We express ourselves not only with words, but in the things we choose to surround us in our day-to-day life. There are certain days where a bright red cheery necklace can really lift one's mood. I think we all are naturally drawn to specific colors and shapes in the tangible objects we buy. It is my hope that customers will find something that is so THEM. I find it so rewarding to have a customer be drawn to one of my creations and have it become part of expressing their unique tastes.

How do you acquire new clients?
From my experience working with small family businesses, it seems like niche markets (including handcrafted goods) become successful primarily through a process of connections in relationships. I started out doing a market research survey of friends and family. I got some very helpful information. From that, I've tried to tailor my creations for what people want. I also have an email list and Facebook group of friends and family, so I regularly post photos and send updates. I am hoping in time that my friends and family will refer their friends and family to me. I am new to Etsy, and look forward to knowing other sellers and buyers through the wonderful connections in teams and groups.

--To learn more, check out the blog! If you're interested in joining her newsletter list, please email paperandpearls@gmail.com!