Handmade Spotlight - Mad About Halloween

The HAFAIR etsy team members are are "mad" about Halloween decorating.

CLICK HERE to get a better look at these items.

 

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Autumn Lovelies

Autumn is here!

  Time to break out the pumpkins, marvel at fiery fall leaves and wrap up in a cozy scarf!  It's also time to feather our nests with hot new autumn trends. These Etsy up-cycle artists get my vote for innovative (and affordable!) seasonal goods.

Pixel Art Prints creates home décor using vintage dictionary pages and whimsical images.

How cool are these?!  Bat earrings made from tire inner tubes!  Check out more eco friendly finds at Pearl Reef.

Vintage Dream Box has a way with pumpkins but her store's true focus is vintage clothing.  Her keen eye has collected a fabulous closet from every day wear to the sophisticated Halloween costume creations.

Everyone needs a new fall scarf! This up-cycle artist creates unique wraps from old shirts.  Colorful stripes mingle with vintage themed tees for ultimate soft warmth and fun.  Treat yourself today at Monkey Moon Creations.

Mon Amie Paperie has the power to make the party happen!  This Etsy store is your first stop for party favor shopping and all things party.  Up-cycled paper has never looked so good!

 

For more ideas on up-cycled autumn hand-mades be sure to search up-cycled fall on Etsy.

 

LOVE & UPCYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Pick Your Poison

 Old-timey poison labels add vintage pizazz to any Halloween décor!  But crafter beware!! These creepy cheapies are so easy to make you could easily get carried away!  (Oh who am I kidding!!? Crafters can never have TOO much of anything!)

 Using cast-off glass bottles, a standard printer and Mod-podge, these spooky pieces can be made in minutes from the recycle bin.

Finding awesome vintage labels on-line is half the fun! Popular graphics sites like The Graphics Fairy  offer copyright-free labels ready for download. Simply save the image to the computer and print out on everyday white copy paper.

After cutting out the labels use sepia toned stamping ink to add splotchy aging to the labels and darken the edges.

Apply Mod-podge to the back of the label and adhere to the glass bottle.  Once the Mod-podge has dried, brush another small amount of matte Mod-podge to the label surface for protection.

Larger bottles can be turned into candle lanterns using decorative grass, wire, and battery operated tea lights.  (I found these black tea lights in Target's $1 section.)

Wrap wire around bottle neck making at least 5 rounds for extra stability.  Use a smaller cut of wire to create a handle.   Drop in the decorative grass and tea light and ENJOY!  The poison bottles are now ready for all your creepy decorating plans! 

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!
Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Today's Featured Artist - The Primitive Outhouse

Today's Featured Artist is Janice from The Primitive Outhouse.

Tell us a little about you?
I am Janice and I am the shopkeeper of The Primitive Outhouse! I have lived my whole life in historic New England.  This is one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen.
On a given day I can drive to the mountains and feel on top of the world, in that same day I can drive to the ocean and feel like I am just a speck of sand in this world! I love the changing seasons and the drastic weather here. A saying we have here in New England is if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes!
Living in this area has provided so much inspiration for me! I am with a wonderful man who takes good care of me, and pushes me to push my self and obtain goals and to keep creating. I am currently a stay at home mother of three boys and on occasion I work for a friend doing construction clean up.
I am also a full time student in college for my Associates Degree in Business Management, I only have 2 semesters left.(Finally!!!!)!  I am looking forward to getting that degree and then I will continue on to obtain my Bachelors degree in Accounting. In the mean time I try to make some extra money doing my crafts to contribute to  the home when I can !

How long have you been in business?
I started selling my crafts at home to friends and family since about 2000. I did that for a while and then ventured out and rented a craft booth for a few years.  That was fun!
I then discovered eBay in 2006 and started selling there and created a website, these were great. In 2008 I shut down my website and went to eBay.
It was also in 2008 I started an Etsy site and have been there since! I do sales from anywhere really, some people message me from my blog and I have several old customers from my website whom I still sell to. 

How did you get started? 

I can't remember exactly when the crafting/creating bug started, but it was when I was just really young!  I remember designing and painting my Barbie's wooden furniture (ha-ha)!  I always have enjoyed painting and creating! We didn't have a lot of money growing up, my mother was always making gifts and clothes and costumes for us and family and friends. I always enjoyed the feeling I got when I made someone something they loved! That is my whole reason for doing what I do! 

What is involved in making your craft? 

I am involved in anything and everything crafts and handmade!! I am a very eclectic crafter, I enjoy painting and sewing and trash to treasure I also dabble in a little woodworking on occasion. I just go with the flow if I have an idea or see and idea I like I attempt it. I just love to create! 

What is your favorite thing to make? 
My favorite thing to make is anything painted! I love to paint, it is such a peaceful feeling when I grab that brush and completely get lost in the project!
I also love to try new things and the feeling I get from learning the method or technique and come out with a finished product.
I also love creating primitives and learning the history of the items they used back then. It brings me back to those days and how different things were then.

Do you have set hours to work?

  Not at the current time. I am a stay at home Mom, so there are no set hours lol. I do however try to take as much time as I can to craft and it is mostly after the kids go to bed! 

What are your future plans for your business? 

I hope to do this forever or for as long as my body and mind will let me! I would love to open a shop someday and actually get to meet my customers and build real friendships and relationships with them. I want to bring back that feeling from back in the day when you created friendships with the local shop owners.
I used to live next door to one of those Ma and Pa shops and it was my favorite place to be, they knew me and what I liked and always had a little something special for me under the counter. This is what I want for my business and I hope to someday achieve it! 

What does handcrafting mean to you?

Handcrafting, that word seems to have lost it's meaning over the years. Handcrafted means that it is totally handmade in every part of it,  in everyway. 
There are many shops in my area that claim to be handcrafted and they are not and it is disappointing. I enjoy seeing peoples creations and the hard work and time that goes into making them.
I do make hand made items and I also offer items that are not totally handmade, the latter is usually the case with any items in which I repurposed.

Where do you sell your crafts at?

I sell at:
http://www.primouthouse.etsy.com
http://www.primouthouse.blogspot.com
http://primouthousemercantile.blogspot.com/ 
http://myworld.ebay.com/the_primitive_outhouse 

I am also venturing into local craft shows this year for the first time!

Today's Featured Artist - Annie's Cupboard

Today's featured artist is Sherry Marrero of Annie's Cupboards.

Tell us a little about you?

My name is Sherry and I live in Sunny South Florida with my husband and 2 sons. I am a foodie. I love food. I also love fashion and adore crafting. I am a big time thrifty girl and will stalk my local thrift shops looking for vintage goods to decorate my house with or use in my crafts. I collect certain Pyrex dishes and handmade aprons.

How long have you been in business?

 I have been selling for almost 7 years.

How did you get started?

I started feeling really crafty in my early 20's and would spend hours bejeweling and working with sequins on shirts for my friends and to sell. After the 80's ended I started to make clothing for babies because I was a new mom. I took a sewing class to help me learn the workings of a sewing machine that was offered at my local high school. I then started making Halloween Costumes for my kids and my friends kids. I then moved to adult costumes. I then quit costumes and started making dolls in 2004. It was the best thing I have ever done. I was truly happy making rag dolls that looked as if they were vintage. I love vintage. I then just continued my sewing love and it takes me to new places of creativity every day.

What is involved in making your craft?

I sew a bunch on my sewing machine. I sew dolls, aprons, dresses, bags, purses. I also make doll houses out of crafty little things I can find. So I am painting. I also love to repurpose items. So I will take a vintage pillowcase and make it into a shirt or a bag. I am very crafty with a few baby jars. I love turning trash into treasure.

What is your favorite thing to make?

Currently? Oh dear. Doll Houses at the moment.

Do you have set hours to work?

I treat my crafting like a job. I start at 9am. I finish at 4pm. However I have been known to work the late shift and pull a few weekend shifts too. I can't shut it off sometimes. I  love to craft and seeing how there is just me making everything, I don't mind when I get a little overtime in.

What are your future plans for your business?

There are many goals and plans that I have for my business. I would love to write a book and actually get it published. I would love to have an Annies Cupboard's doll in every single state across America and then work my way around the country.

What does handcrafting mean to you?

 Handcrafted to me means someone who took the time to love something so much to make it with their hands and experience the process and put all of their focus and time and love into what they made.

Where do you sell your crafts at?

I am currently selling my crafts at local indie craft shows and online. 
My upcoming craft show is this Oct. 2, 2010 at Stitch Rock in Delray Beach, Fl. 
On Etsy:      http://www.etsy.com/shop/anniescupboards 
My Webstie:  http://www.anniescupboards.com.

Link Party Sunday ---- Halloween Crafting

Today's link party is for showing off your Halloween handmades.     Yes,   I know it is only August but in the crafting world it is time to start making fall items to sell.

So let's all show off our fall/Halloween handmades.   You are allowed to add 3 links to your shops and you don't have to be a selling crafter to show off your art.    Even if you only craft for your own pleasure we want to see it,  so don't hesitate to join in.

The rules are simple:

1. Follow our blog

2. Handmade items only.

3. You may list up to 3 items.

4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops, post about it on your blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.

Just click on the Add Your Link button below and add your items.

And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg" /></a>