Artist Spotlight-The Orange Windmill Handbound Leather Journals & Notebooks

Meet Shirley Lynne the artist and shop owner behind The Orange Windmill.  This talented creator of gorgeous leather journals, housewife and stay-at-home-mom, has graciously lent us some of her precious free time to tell us a little more about herself and her Etsy Shop-The Orange Windmill. Click on the link above to visit her gorgeous shop, drop by her Facebook Page & grab a coupon code or follow her on Twitter.



Lime Green Embossed Leather Journal Gift Set
















 Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Shirley, and I live in Hamilton, Ontario. I am a housewife and stay-at-home-mom to two extraordinary children. I started The Orange Windmill in August 2011 selling handmade leather journals. Before I became a mom, I worked in the administration field. My ideal job would be to work in an old library, full of classics and manuscripts, with the smell of the pages lingering all around... mmm...

How did you first get started making journals?
I wanted to buy a journal, since the journal I had been using was almost full. I started looking around, and then my husband said to me, "Why don't you make a journal, instead of buying it?" And that started it all! Although, I did take my time in researching the different styles of binding, covers, paper, etc. before I made my first journal. And after I made that journal, I knew I was going to open up shop, selling them - I LOVED it.


Shiny Black Embossed Leather Journal



Can you walk us through your creative process?
My creative process is pretty much the same for each journal, it doesn't matter what size it is. I play with what colour of leather I want to use, and which colour thread and closure I want to use, and how many pages. Then I cut the leather down to the size I need. The pages are then torn down to size. I measure and poke the holes in the leather and pages. Then the binding begins (my favourite part!). Then I make and "install" the closure. And, Voila! It really is sort of cut and dry.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
My inspiration really comes from the leather. Almost every day, you can find me looking at different colours and styles of leather, finding the pieces I want to work with. When I get the leather, I look at the piece I need to cut to form the cover, and it all blooms from there.


Small Mocha Leather Journal


 

What’s your favorite part about running your own business? What do you find most difficult?
My favourite part about running my own business is the enjoyment that my customers get out of the journals I make for them. There's nothing like that feeling of accomplishment, knowing that people will pay me their hard earned money for one of my journals!
The most difficult is finding time! My kids are 3 years old and 10 months old, and I don't have a lot of time for creating or networking or marketing, etc. So when I have that time, I have to be really careful not to let the time get away from me, and manage my time very well.




Blue Hardcover Coptic Stitch Journal


Do you have any advice or tips for artists wanting to start their own business?
I would tell anyone starting their own business (specifically a shop on Etsy) to get everything prepared first. Build up some inventory. Figure out your branding, your business cards, your shop banner and avatar, your policies, everything. Once that is all done, then open your shop.
Also, do what you LOVE to do. Don't create something just because it sells (even though that's tempting!). I could sell the items I paint. However, if they sell, I would have to make them over and over and over and over again, I would end up hating it! So do something you really enjoy doing, so that when you are doing it so often, it's not a chore.


Large Orange Handbound Leather Journal


Is there anything else that you would like people to know about you?
Here are a few things that I love: campfires (without the mosquitoes), burnt marshmallows, a good book, napping, classical music, and interior design.Thanks so much, Samantha, for giving me the chance to get to know you and your readers!



Turquoise Embossed Leather Journal Gift Set



Gemstone Shopping

Admittedly-it has been a little too long since I last ordered new gemstones for my jewelry. This is a problem-not only in a business sense-but also in the sense that I have a very serious gemstone habit that is beginning to rear it's gorgeous shiny head. At any rate this means that I will be obliged to make a rather large gemstone purchase very soon. It'll be nice to take a break from some of the darker winter colors and start using some pretty springtime pastels in my jewelry. Here are some of my favorites for Spring 2012♥

Faceted Puffed Prehnite Briolettes

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Gorgeous AAA Labradorite

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Faceted Pink Opal Briolettes

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Sky Blue Topaz

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Basket Cut Lemon Quartz Briolettes

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

And given it's been an exceptionally dreary winter-as much sunstone as I can get my hands on...

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Adorned Article Jewelry on Pinterest

Another Giveaway

I am hosting another giveaway this month-over at Indie Spotting it's running from November 1st until November 15th and the prize is a Sparkling Silver Laurel Leaf Necklace a pure silver dipped laurel leaf with a caramel colored fresh water pearl suspended from a delicate sterling silver chain. The chain is approximately 18 inches long and the leaf measures 1-1/4 inches-worth $75 Visit Indie Spotting for details on how to enter.

I'd also like to thank Karina over at Karina's Challenge for hosting my contribution to the 2011 Fall Fashionista Giveaway Event-thanks so much Karina for all your work on this. And Congratulations to the winner M. Breakfield-she received a pair of sterling silver amethyst hoops and a sterling silver custom leather charm bracelet - currently being featured on The Gift Insider.

Modern Handmade Goodness

Modern Handmade Goodness from Etsy.com
Click on the Shop Names Below to Visit these Awesome Etsians
or click on the descriptions below each photo to be taken directly
to that item! Enjoy Dolls...
ModPet
Elinart
MarianneLoMonaco


Love is All Around Fine Art Photograph by MarianneLoMonaco



Modern Pet Bed Chaise Lounge Chair in Avocado by ModPet

Linen Zipper Pouch w/Lichen by Elinart

Abstract Artist's Postcards by Elinart



Pet Bed Daybed and Lounger by ModPet



Needful Things Autumn Edition Part I

Hi Dolls! Autumn is here (Yay Autumn!) and Halloween is right on it's heels. So - I've curated a Halloween/Autumn inspired collection of handcrafted beauties & baubles for you to peruse.  As a matter of fact, I've found so many drool worthy bits that I'm posting a two part collection. Part I is more spooky and Part II is less spooky more autumn.You can click on each photo's caption to be linked back to the Etsy Shops selling these items. Take a gander...

Fallow Deer 3 Antique Old Growth Pine Blocks By PegandAwl on Etsy

Laudnum Tobacco and Black Tea Perfume by Scodioli on Etsy

White Cloud Sugar Skull Day of the Dead Ring by RXVrings on Etsy

Crow 8x8 Fine Art Photograph by aldari on Etsy

Living Succulent Wreath by SucculentDesigns on Etsy

Pumpkins Fine Art Photograph by aldari on Etsy

Turquoise Sugar Skull with Fire Opals Ring by RXVrings on Etsy

Smoke and Mirrors Soap Bar by scodioli on Etsy

Living Succulent Frog Topiary by Succulent Designs on Etsy

Autumn Brew Mulled Cider Apothecary Spice Rack by PegandAwl on Etsy

 

Artist Snapshot-Sacred Suds

Meet Andrea of Sacred Suds on Etsy. Andrea was kind enough to take time out of her busy soap making and momming schedule to sit down and answer some questions for us. I really enjoyed getting to know more about her and her soaps and I think you will too! Click on the link above to visit her delectable Etsy Shop and drop by her Blog to say hello and learn more about soap making!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm Andrea, the soap crafter behind Sacred Suds ~ Soaps with Soul and the author of Suds Blog - The soul behind the soaps. I grew up on the salt marshes of coastal Georgia, and have somehow ended up living in the frozen tundra of Minnesota with my biologist husband and my two hilarious children. I have a degree in ecology, I love to bake, and I rode my bicycle from North Carolina to Washington, DC to raise money for the DC AIDS Ride. Makes total sense that I'm a soap crafter, right?

How did you first get started making soap/what most appeals to you about it?

We were living in Maine one winter, and my skin was a scaly, papery wreck. A friend of ours gave us a bar of handmade soap, and when I tried it, and I was blown away. The soap was rich and creamy, and my skin soaked it up like milk. Standing in that hot, steaming shower, inhaling cinnamon essence, knowing someone had lovingly crafted this bar of soap, I could feel the soul in it. I began researching soap making as soon as we finished that bar. I don't think we've bought a commercial bar of soap since.

Isis Soap

Can you walk us through the soap making process?

As with baking, soap crafting is like magic to me. It is a transformational process – you pour and mix wholesome ingredients to make a batter, apply heat (or allow the soap reaction to make its own heat, as with the cold process method), and end up with a delectable, aromatic loaf of groan-inducing goodness. YUM. With soap making, you combine fatty acids (vegetable oils, nut butters) with a strong base (lye), blend them until they come to trace (a little bit of batter drizzled on itself will leave a bump before sinking back in), then pour the thickened batter into a mold. The oils and lye react with each other chemically to produce soap and the highly valuable byproduct glycerin. For a more detailed explanation of the soap making process (with pictures!), please see my blog entry about making my Gaia pumpkin spice soap.

Fire Cinnamon Cold Process Soap

What product or recipe are you most proud of?

I think I am most proud of my Lakshmi soap. I formulated both the soap recipe and the scent blend from scratch, and together they make a really luxurious, skin conditioning bar that smells light, fresh, and rich, all at the same time. The lather is fluffy, and my skin feels incredibly soft and supple after using it. It also happens to be very effective magically for me, too. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of prosperity and good fortune, and every time I use my Lakshmi soap, the soap orders roll in. I wrote more in depth about that soap on my blog.

How/when did you decide to start your own business?
I am a stay-at-home mom, and as a people person, making the transition from working out in the world to staying home with babies was very challenging for me. When I started making soap for our family, I had ideas for more soaps than we could ever use, and I knew I would have to start selling them in order to buy the supplies for all of my ideas. Through Etsy, I am able to fulfill my need to interact with people while still staying home with my kids, so it's pretty perfect. 

Asharah Milk and Honey Soap
















How did you come up with your shop/business name?
All of my soaps are crafted with intention and inspired by goddesses, gods, yoga, the natural elements, and earth-based spiritual paths. My hope is that they serve as tools for customers to enjoy the sacred in everyday life. Hence the name Sacred Suds.

Where would you like to be in five years?
My five year goal is to be available to my children, who will be nearing the end of their elementary school years by then, and also to be established in a second career as a manager in a book store (I recently started working part time at Barnes & Noble, and I love it.) My goal is not to make Sacred Suds my full time career -that would be too much work! Even though I work on my shop and my soaps 40 hours a week, I would have to quadruple production and sales to earn a real salary from it. I like the place Sacred Suds is in right now, and in five years I wouldn't mind if it were in the same place or bumped up just a notch or two (as long as I've figured out how to work efficiently to fit it all in to a smaller time commitment).

Rhiannon Lavender, Bergamot and Lemon Soap

Is there anything else that you want people to know about you?Just that I am so grateful to you and to other bloggers who take the time to interview and feature small sellers like myself. Thank you, Sam!

Artist Snapshot-Red Brick Glass

Wendy Jeavons of Red Brick Glass on Etsy was kind enough to answer a few questions for us. She makes absolutely gorgeous glass decorations and gifts. Visit her shop on Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/redbrickglass or check out her website at: www.redbrickglass.co.uk

 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

From my studio Red Brick Glass on the Dorset coast, I make rather gorgeous handmade kiln formed glass products such as bunting, fairy lights and lanterns. My studio is in a converted outbuilding at home where I live with my husband and three children.

What inspired you to start creating with glass/what appeals to you about this particular medium?

Glass is a magical material. It is unique in terms of colour and transparency and when lit it seems to come alive. I gained a 1st class honours degree in Glass and Architectural Glass from Edinburgh College of Art in 2000.




Blue Glass Bunting by Red Brick Glass



Can you walk us through your creative process?

To make my glass products I start my cutting glass sheets into my shapes. The glass is then fused together in my kiln. When the glass is cool I then apply my screen printed patterns to the glass. These are then put back into the kiln. All my glass is then finished by hand and can be engraved with personal messages.

How did you come up with your shop/business name? Is there a story behind it?

In 2002 I received funding from the Crafts Council's Setting Up Scheme. I set up my first studio in a tiny red brick building so it became The Red Brick Glass Studio, and my business Red Brick Glass.

What piece are you most proud of?

I love the glass products I make and am very proud to be running my own business and being a mummy to three small children.





Pink Petal Fairy Lights



Where do you want to be in 5 years?

In 5 years time I will still be making gorgeous glass goodies, and I hope people are still buying them. I have a little dream to have my own retail outlets, but there is plenty of time for that.



Is there anything else you want people to know about you?

Here are a few things that make me smile: Log fires, blossom, fish finger sandwiches, running, beach huts, my bell tent, polka dots, fresh eggs from her chickens, weeping willows, stripy deck-chairs, the aga, eating al fresco, family duvet days, the sound of seagulls, my pink radio, stars and Benny my Morris Minor.

Blossom Glass Fairy Lights in Blue by Red Brick Glass

Artist Snapshot-Ozetta Handmade Knits

Meet Hailey of Ozetta Handmade Knits on Etsy 

Hailey was kind enough to take time out of her busy designing/knitting/making schedule to sit down and answer some questions for us. I really enjoyed getting to know more about her and I am certain you will too! Click on the link above to visit her gorgeous Etsy Shop and drop by her Blog or swing by Tumblr to check out her 365 Project!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself

Hello! My name is Hailey, the proprietor behind Ozetta handmade knits. I grew up and currently live in a small town in Oklahoma. I married my high school/elementary school sweetheart and we were blessed by a little boy almost two years ago.

The Alaskan Infinity Scarf-Oatmeal

How did you first get started knitting…what appeals to you about this particular medium?

I started crocheting when I was ten years old, but took a long break from it and picked up knitting. However, I have found that both are equally important in this industry. So, I do both. This art form appeals to me because you start with yarn and needles. That's it. And with great care and process I begin to create something. It's amazing what you can create with so little and make something so extraordinary. When I work on an order, I like to look at it as something entirely different than just an order. It means so much more to me than that. Each piece I create is full of meaning, love, and high attention to detail. According to my father-in-law I am building a piece. And I guess in reality, I really am.

Can you walk us through your creative process? Every season is like a new beginning to me. I get to add to my previous collection and sometimes that proves to be a challenge. I sketch, decide what colors to use, create sample swatches of patterns, and build on the foundation of all things knit and crochet.

 

The Aztec Chevron Chunky Cowl-Cilantro

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I constantly draw inspiration from this beautiful world-Nature. Music. Fashion. Words. Photography. Family. I once lived in Alaska for a short year of my life and very few places have been close in comparison. You may notice a lot of the titles in my shop are named after places; it's my personal way of having a piece of Alaska with me. My handmade items are mostly named after cities, bodies of water, and small towns that make up Alaska. This cold and mountainous place made a huge mark on my life and I wanted a part of it to always belong in my shop.

How/when did you decide to start your own business?

Ozetta handmade knits is deeply inspired from my great grandmother. My grandmother taught me how to crochet, among many other things, and most importantly she showed me to lead by her example in life and that was to do what makes me happy. When she passed away a few years ago, I stepped back and took a look at my life and where I was heading. I was heading down the monotonous path and I wanted to become something greater than ordinary. I wanted to make something of my time and myself, just as she did.

The Montana Infinity Loop Scarf-Citron

How did you come up with your shop/business name? Is there a meaning or story behind it?

Ozetta is the middle name of my great grandmother. What's surprising is the name was never really an issue; I always knew my shop was going to be Ozetta. My Memaw was the brightest person in any room. She had the best advice, was so very patient, and dropped subtle hints of what she knew you could become. She would always say "little Hailey, you can do anything". I would sometimes stay for weeks with her in the summer months. We would wake up early to cook a huge breakfast for the two of us, watch movies, curl up in her handmade quilts while crocheting and talking talking talking. I think she always knew what I could become with my creative abilities. I wish she could see the skill that she alone taught me from just a chain stitch, has grown into something bigger than maybe even she imagined. Well, maybe she knew all along.

  

What’s your favorite part about running your own business? What do you find most difficult?

Being able to stay at home with my little boy has been the absolute best outcome I could have imagined. I love being my own boss, having time to be a wife and mama, and being able to make things full time. I am my best person when I create. The most difficult (and I should add, the most fun as well) is the holiday months. Being the sole person behind Ozetta can be exhausting but is rewarding at the same time. To be able to say that I alone have sent out every order in my shop, well, it’s quite amazing.

 

The Selawik Cowl Button Wrap-Pumpkin

How do you promote your work?

I promote on Etsy, my blog, and my 365 project. I also build relationships in the Etsy community and have found amazing friends through there.

Do you have any advice or tips for artists wanting to start their own business? If you fail, try try again. Do not give up. Take perfect pictures, have a unique shop name, and keep your shop organized and up to date.
Where do you want to be in five years?Exactly where I am now but even more successful every month.
Is there anything else that you want people to know about you?
A quote that has always stuck with me is “a dream deferred will hurt you over time”-Michael Emerson (most of you may know him as Ben on the TV show LOST). When I heard this quote I was even more determined to make my dream reality. What was I waiting for?

 

The Kobuk Chunky Scarf-Grey Marble



Artist Snapshot-Elegance Farm Homestead

Meet John and Jane, the husband and wife design team behind Elegance Farm Homestead on Etsy. Both have degrees in science (John in Chemistry and Jane in Biology and Environmental Science) and work full time in science fields...

Once the owner of a victorian home restoration company, John is now a research chemist, but still loves creating things with wood. Jane, a full-time children’s science book editor by trade, has always been crafty. She can’t walk away from a pile of great fabrics, and has been known to make her share of quilts, dresses, and drapes. She also has another Etsy shop where she sells her personalized beaded book thong bookmarks (that’s right, book thongs!). You can check it out at http://www.elegancefarm.etsy.com/

Tell Us a Little Bit About Yourselves…

We are John and Jane, husband and wife, living in a turn-of-the-century colonial farmhouse in NJ. We love to make things together! We both have degrees in science and work full time in science fields.
Being creative in our shop is a fun opportunity to use the other halves of our brains. We work really well together and are celebrating another wedding anniversary next weekend! We also love to grow lots of our own fruits and veggies – even corn on our front lawn; luckily the neighbors like it, especially at harvest time. That’s why we used the name “homestead” in our shop title.

When we are not banging wood together or working, we enjoy hanging out with our families, including our 12 nieces and nephews, whom we adore. The oldest just left this week to start studying at Harvard, and he'll be hanging a magnet board in his dorm room, the oldest building on campus!

How did you get started designing & making memo boards?

Our niece Mary Cate was actually the inspiration for this new business. She liked the idea of a magnet board because her teacher had one, but Mary Cate wanted a pretty one with bright colors for her bedroom . John got to work in the shop and I went shopping for fabric. Voila, our new business was born. We opened the shop in mid-February 2011

Would you walk us through your creative process?

We love the look of really simple design, letting the material speak for itself. Whenever we see great fabric, we make sure to grab it. We are inspired by elegant cottage style and think it is reflected in the selection of items in our shop.

We individually handcraft each memo board frame from hardwood using our original design. We are currently offering four different sizes of frames for our boards, and each one can come in the customer's choice of wood color and fabric. Customers can also order custom sizes for frames. We pick fabrics that are either really rich and neutral or crisp and vibrant in order to appeal to a range of tastes.

John does most of the woodworking with me as his assistant. We work in our basement shop or out in the yard and garage when the weather is nice. John does not use nails or screws and the pieces fit together like a glove. Together we cut and apply the decorative molding, paint or wax the frame, and assemble the final piece. I photograph each board and do the Etsy listings and customer service. I think what we are most proud of is the quality of John’s construction and the duality of the magnet boards. They are both functional and artistic, with the decorator’s fabric complementing a home’s décor. We love knowing that we are giving a really well-made product to every customer that will be a special addition to their home. We also love offering an unpainted frame option: natural beeswax and carnauba oil finish. We are glad that we can use natural products like these instead of solvent-based finishes.

What has been the most gratifying part of running your own business?

Happy customers! We have started selling to brides for their wedding escort card displays and knowing that the board will be used on their special day is an honor.

We love hearing the little back stories of how our boards are being used: for a Mum in the UK who is in a home and can't use a pin board due to shaky hands but still wants a place to display her postcards;

a young girl getting a bedroom makeover; an adoptive family bringing home 2 daughters from Africa, adding to their family of 5, who need a wall organizer for the paperwork and photos. These are the stories that we LOVE to hear. Each board is unique and special to us and we take lots of care in making each one.

What advice would you give small business owners who are just starting out?

LOVE LOVE LOVE what you make, and love what you do! Don't make something because you think it will sell. Make something that you feel passionate about. Tell your story in your product descriptions; people who buy handmade like to connect with the seller and feel like it is more than a manufactured product. Also, keep records of all expenses from day 1, and keep all your receipts.

Don't undercharge for your items, either. You must account for your time to photograph and list an item, package it (up to an hour for a deluxe board), shop for materials, and still make a profit if you want to do this as a business. When we started out we added up the cost of materials for each board, right down to the glue, dowels, magnets, and paint and followed a formula for what we wanted to earn per hour (each board takes about 4 hours to make, at least). Charging a fair price makes it easy for us to take our careful time with each board and to never rush a job.

What are your best marketing tips?

Great customer service. We treat each customer with our full attention to all the details of their order, from the time they place their order to the time it ships. We all love special attention, right? And people remember that. Since we really love what we do, it is a joy to interact with the customers and create something for their home, office, or wedding. Word of mouth is also great. It is not in our nature to talk about our business or hand out cards to everyone we know, but we are starting to do that more and more. Since we work full-time in addition to running this shop, we don't have much time for blog posts, giveaways, or social networking. We were featured in the Etsy Finds email, and that sure boosted sales and shop hits. It also seems like our product is selling well on Etsy since there are not many shops offering custom made boards. Because we hand make the frames, we can create them in any size a customer wants, to fill the exact wall space they have in their home. Filling a niche is a great way to succeed.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

Cork boards, magnetic chalkboards, wedding table numbers in frames, magnetic picture frames, and on and on!! There is just not enough time in the day. But we will slowly get these into the shop.

We daydream of being able to “quit our day jobs” and create things full time (while living on a farm next to the bay, of course. Hey, we can dream, right?!)