Tuesday, June 30, 2009

RecreationalArt Interview


Who are you?
RecreationalArt is Rose Fieldhouse. Simple.
I love crafting - anything. My love of creating has filled my home and given me much joy. I have always been a fan of all of the creative people that sell on Etsy and so I thought "Why not?!".
Since I love the thought of recycling through re-purposing I try to incorporate re-used pieces into my new creations. People who know me are aware of what I do and before they decide to "get rid" of something they offer their treasures to me. I repurpose them and most of these re-creations end up in my home or yard as decor because I have a hard time parting with them!
What do you create?
1) A response to creation through the expression of art
2) Art as a recreation
3) Recreating art into art)
4) Having too much fun!!!!!
How did you get started?
Growing up, my dad was often at sea in the Navy and my mom, who read and wrote very little english because she is Spanish, would make her extra spending monies by crafting and selling. She would do everything from macrame to sand art bottles and she would set up shop in the little office of the motel that we owned and lived in. She would sew for customers as well as sew all of our clothes.
I spent most of my time around mom and learned from her to make and create. When I lived in Italy I found myself suddenly living on my own paycheck and found that by making my own stuff for the house or to wear that I would have that extra money to go out and have fun!
What is unique about your products?
I started the Etsy shop by using coffee bean and burlap coffee bag products when I worked as a Barrista at a local coffee shop. I enjoyed being able to recycle unused coffee beans and upcycle the burlap bags into fun and unique pieces. I even had super fun creating an upcycled/recycled Tea Bag Lamp!



What has been your biggest challenge ?
Being shy! I really have a hard time convincing myself that I can go out there and sell my creations at a festival, or even advertising myself!

What is your favorite feature of Etsy?
I can sell from home, behind the computer screen - that shy thing again.

What other interests do you have?
My wonderful husband and I started a Boy Scout Troop when our son crossed over from Cub Scouts and now that he and his friends have earned Eagle we have started the Venture Crew, which is co-ed! We meet at our home every Saturday and go camping often. We have great, fun loving kids involved and I am very happy to be a part of that!
Where in Florida do you live?
I live in the most beautiful city ever! After I finished high school I was given the opportunity to move to Italy and live in Rome for 13 years. What a wonderful experience! But now I have moved home to St. Augustine, Florida and I really would not want to be anywhere else! I married the true love of my life and I am able to live near my family. I am home.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
My blog: http://recreationalart.blogspot.com/
What “super” power would you like to have ?
To Fly! I have dreamt about flying for as long as I can remember...maybe in a prior life I was a bird?!
What was an embarrassing moment in your life?
....um, I am too embarrassed to talk about that.

Where would you go if you had a time machine?
Back to that embarrassing moment and fix it before it happens.
Have you ever been fired from a job? Yes.
Do Tell…..well that would take me back to that embarrassing moment!

What makes you laugh?Just about anything! I love laughter XD! I laugh at myself way too often and my son and his friends keep me rolling!

Absolutely go check out RecreationalArt! An Amazing Variety of Art!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

May Team Challenge Winner - Full Blown Glass

Yea, one of my favorite FEST jobs... announcing the winner of the team challenge! Allow me to introduce you to Full Blown Glass!
Brent Earnest, the glass artist behind Full Blown Glass, is a self-taught Lampwork & Blown Glass artist who began working with glass in Asheville, NC in 2002, after being introduced to the medium by a friend. During this time he was working full-time as a chef (Brent is an alumni of Johnson & Walles University with 15 years of experience in the culinary arts). Initially his focus was on jewelry and during this time, he was successful in selling his unique creations to family, friends, and via consignment. In 2005, he moved to St. Petersburg, FL, met fiance Heather Fulp, who has a retail background with a focus on buying and design, and the two started FULL BLOWN GLASS.

I asked Brent to tell us what Full Blown Glass is all about - At Full Blown Glass we create colorful, affordable lampwork and blown glass home goods and wearable art. Each piece is handmade by glass artist Brent Earnest and jewelry designer/apprentice lampwork artist Heather Fulp.We love using glass as a medium!All of our items are made from borosilicate glass (aka...Pyrex) and we use Northstar® Borocolour® in 95% of our assortment. Also all items are kiln annealed up to 1,000 degrees to ensure strength and durability.

FBG continues to produce the quality handmade jewelry that sparked this interest, yet creatively they needed a challenge, so they have now expanded their assortment to include home goods and artwork. Due to Brent and Heather's eclectic nature, they have a plentiful collection of items to offer.

So what else does this dinamic duo keep busy with? When not in the FBG Studio, Brent works full-time as a chef. In their free time Team FBG are usually completing home renovations, camping, or relaxing at Ft. De Soto dog park with their 2 Weimaraners Colby & Jack.



Happy Shopping!

June Team Challenge

Each month FEST challenges its members to create and post an item fitting a specific theme. May's theme was a hard one, HURRICANE! FESTers will vote for their favorite item and the winner will be featured here on the blog in the coming month. To cast your vote, check out each item and make note of the number next to your favorite one. Log into the Yahoo Group account (there's a link to it on the left margin), click on "Polls", and select the number that corresponds with your favorite entry. Good luck!

1. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26300634
2. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25333497
3. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23859313
4. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26433557
5. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26455738

Thursday, June 4, 2009

The June Giveaway!

The June Giveaway is here!

I know all our FEST fans have been patiently waiting for the June giveaway! Without further ado,
our June giveaway is this beautiful bracelet from Dawn at Bead Creations by Dawn
A perfect bracelet for summer by the beach it is made with sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, and sweet pink branches of coral. Sparkling in light pink, fresh summer green, sky blue, and sandy brown.
Just a bit of bling for a summer cruise or just a lazy day by the pool.

HOW TO ENTER:
If you would like to enter to win this beautiful bracelet, just visit Bead Creations by Dawn in her Etsy shop, or any of the Fest team members listed to the left on this page and find a favorite item you want others to know about.
Tell us what you love about your favorite item in the comments section of this post. Remember to add your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner! Winner picked on 6/20/09!
Simple and Easy!

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