Saturday, March 19, 2011
March Challenge Entries!
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I present to you the March Team Challenge entries! OK...I'm on my second cup of coffee and I've received invaluable advice from our lovely Gail of Seaphemera on how to install the poll widget. So, without further ado, the voting is now officially open. NOTE: You may vote for MORE THAN 1 ENTRY!!!! Since my learning curve was rather steep for the first Monthly Challenge, I have decided to feature the winning entry on my blog! The exposure will be monumental since I have millions of followers (actually closer to 14 at last count but the other 999,986 have no idea what they're missing!) Take your time to enjoy all the beautiful, creative entries from our fabulously talented Team Members :D Good luck one and all!!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Drawing A Ring Design
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I have never tried drawing out my designs before I make them. I just picture what I like in my head, and then look for the proper supplies. This is so very neat, and I could see how you could lay out some beautiful designs before you make it. Do you draw out your jewelry pieces?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Captain Maricruz's How-To and Tips For Working With Vintage and New Watch Pieces
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Hello Fellow Team FESTers!
This will be a short post this week as I am will be catching up on a few things on board the Tesla. As such I am going to post a simple how-to for those of you are interested in working with vintage watch pieces and watch parts.
A few things to remember and to consider:
This will be a short post this week as I am will be catching up on a few things on board the Tesla. As such I am going to post a simple how-to for those of you are interested in working with vintage watch pieces and watch parts.
A few things to remember and to consider:
- Certain watch pieces are going to be antique and vintage. As with any and all crafting items, please treat them with love and care.
- If they are slightly grimy or dirty and are a bit on the cleanliness side of things, use a specialty watch cleaner that will be gentle on the pieces so that it doesn't break.
- Make sure that the pieces that you will not use for your project are stored away safely in a proper container so that you won't lose them or break apart.
Now that is all said and done, when working with watch pieces, remember to have some tweezers handy so that you pick up the pieces and know where you would like to place them. The trick is you have to know what you will use some of your pieces for. Are the pieces going to be used for a necklace, a bracelet, earrings, a ring, or any other crafting use?
The best thing to do is to map out what project you are going to do concerning these pieces. Chances are you may not enough for what you have planned, that's why there is always a plan B...or maybe C, D, or E.
Once you have figured out what you are going to do with your watch pieces, go ahead and add your own flair and aesthetic to them! That's part of the fun of working with watch pieces isn't it?
I shall sign off my computer and dock my Tesla for the night. I will sign off and leave a tutorial video for my fellow FESTers!
Goodnight and Godspeed!
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz
Polymer Clay Tutorial Colored Pencil and Artist Palette Set Tutorial brought to you by Kriquit:
Polymer Clay Tutorial Colored Pencil and Artist Palette Set Tutorial brought to you by Kriquit:
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Interview with SEAOATS
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Meet Malina of Seaoats:
Who are you, where do you live, and what do you create?
Hi, my name is Malina Lake and Seaoats is my shop. I construct and design eco-friendly bags and pouches. I live in Sarasota, Florida on Siesta Key. I moved down here last year with my husband and one and a half year old daughter from Brooklyn, New York. Before New York it was San Francisco. This is where my husband and I met and lived for ten years before we made the leap over to the East Coast. We moved to Florida to be closer to the beach and family. There are many things that we love and miss about living in the big Cities but right now there's nothing better than living by the beach with our little daughter.
-Where does your inspiration come from?
My new "beachy" surroundings inspired me to open this Etsy shop. My husband is a photographer and with his help, we have transformed his photos into screenprints for my bags. I have always been very eco-conscious (living in San Francisco will do that to you) and knew that I wanted to work with mostly repurposed materials. I find great pleasure in scouring through Thrift Shops and transforming hideous articles of clothing into new and useful little clutches.
- describe your creative process and how do you get out of your creative ruts?
My creative process is kind of all over the place. Since my daughter is top priority, much of my work gets done in the evenings after she's asleep. Sometimes this can be a challenge because on certain days I find myself pretty exhausted once the evening rolls around. On the other hand, I usually get a second wind and can work into the wee hours of the night. I usually separate each task into days. One day, I'll cut fabric, the next day iron, the third day print followed by sewing etc. I find this to have a more rhythmic flow to the whole process. And then there are days when I feel like making something completely unrelated to my shop. This actually works as a nice break and helps to keep things fresh and get me out of my creative ruts.
-Is there on online "tool" that you like to use?
I am a big fan of: craftcult.com
-What is your life outside of Etsy?
What life outside of Etsy? Haha, I am only halfway joking with that response! When I am not eating, breathing, and sleeping Etsy I am a full time mom which doesn't leave room for much of anything else.
-Could you recommend a fun activity near your Fl home that other members might enjoy?
Well, I am fairly new to Florida and I'm sure everyone already knows this, but Siesta Key beaches are BEAUTIFUL! I have traveled to many beaches all over the world and not much compares to the soft snowy white sandy beaches here on the Gulf. It is breathtaking.
-What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
I am on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seaoats
Twitter: twitter.com/seaoatsss
Cosaverde: cosaverde.com/store/seaoats
and occasionally papernstitch.com/shop/seaoats
-Where would you like to be in ten years?
In ten years I would like to be surrounded by the people that I love and crafting with my beautiful preteen daughter!
Hi, my name is Malina Lake and Seaoats is my shop. I construct and design eco-friendly bags and pouches. I live in Sarasota, Florida on Siesta Key. I moved down here last year with my husband and one and a half year old daughter from Brooklyn, New York. Before New York it was San Francisco. This is where my husband and I met and lived for ten years before we made the leap over to the East Coast. We moved to Florida to be closer to the beach and family. There are many things that we love and miss about living in the big Cities but right now there's nothing better than living by the beach with our little daughter.
My new "beachy" surroundings inspired me to open this Etsy shop. My husband is a photographer and with his help, we have transformed his photos into screenprints for my bags. I have always been very eco-conscious (living in San Francisco will do that to you) and knew that I wanted to work with mostly repurposed materials. I find great pleasure in scouring through Thrift Shops and transforming hideous articles of clothing into new and useful little clutches.
- describe your creative process and how do you get out of your creative ruts?
My creative process is kind of all over the place. Since my daughter is top priority, much of my work gets done in the evenings after she's asleep. Sometimes this can be a challenge because on certain days I find myself pretty exhausted once the evening rolls around. On the other hand, I usually get a second wind and can work into the wee hours of the night. I usually separate each task into days. One day, I'll cut fabric, the next day iron, the third day print followed by sewing etc. I find this to have a more rhythmic flow to the whole process. And then there are days when I feel like making something completely unrelated to my shop. This actually works as a nice break and helps to keep things fresh and get me out of my creative ruts.
-Is there on online "tool" that you like to use?
I am a big fan of: craftcult.com
-What is your life outside of Etsy?
What life outside of Etsy? Haha, I am only halfway joking with that response! When I am not eating, breathing, and sleeping Etsy I am a full time mom which doesn't leave room for much of anything else.
-Could you recommend a fun activity near your Fl home that other members might enjoy?
Well, I am fairly new to Florida and I'm sure everyone already knows this, but Siesta Key beaches are BEAUTIFUL! I have traveled to many beaches all over the world and not much compares to the soft snowy white sandy beaches here on the Gulf. It is breathtaking.
-What are some other sites to find out more about you and your art?
I am on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seaoats
Twitter: twitter.com/seaoatsss
Cosaverde: cosaverde.com/store/seaoats
and occasionally papernstitch.com/shop/seaoats
-Where would you like to be in ten years?
In ten years I would like to be surrounded by the people that I love and crafting with my beautiful preteen daughter!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My First FEST Post
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Hello Team FEST, this is Melissa. This is my first post on the team FEST blog. I thought I would say hello, and tell a little about myself. I live in Gilchrist County, but moved from upstate NY six years ago. I started collecting gemstones as a hobby about eight years ago. After I collected so many I decided I better learn how to make some jewelry. While I enjoy making traditional types of jewelry, I am beginning to learn beading, wire wrapping and other forms of jewelry making. I actually have three blogs, and one I moderate for my son. We homeschool, and I am a part time nurse, so my days are quite busy. I will be posting on Wednesdays, and I will try to pick topics that will be interesting to everyone, not just jewelry makers. I know one topic that is a thorn in my side, is getting good photos of my jewelry. If you have a hard time too, this video will hopefully be helpful to us all. If you have any tips or tricks that work for you, please share with all of us. Happy Wednesday to all!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A Pep Talk From Captain Maricruz
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An interesting resin tutorial for all of you resin artists out there brought to you by Rosa Murillo:
Greetings from on board the SS Tesla!
Hello my fellow FESTers! I am writing this post in regards to give all of you some words of encouragement. I understand that doing craft/art shows is pretty tough and it's not easy, but my best words of advice would be to hang in there.
I understand that times are tough and these times are certainly hard for artists, but don't fret! The more you appear in the Art/Craft show circuit, the more people will know your work. There will be shows that you do well and there will be ones that you won't do so well.
If you really love making crafts and this is what you're passionate about, hang in there. Things have an interesting way of working themselves out. If this is what you're not passionate about, then find something that makes you happy.
I have seen my shares of ups and downs and I'm sure all of you have as well. Just hang in there, everything will be okay. Don't worry if you haven't sold anything on Etsy or at the shows, things have a way of working themselves out.
Well that's it for me this evening. I need to get back to fixing the propeller the damn Red Baron shoot off in the last fire fight.
Keep fighting the good fight!
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz
Hello my fellow FESTers! I am writing this post in regards to give all of you some words of encouragement. I understand that doing craft/art shows is pretty tough and it's not easy, but my best words of advice would be to hang in there.
I understand that times are tough and these times are certainly hard for artists, but don't fret! The more you appear in the Art/Craft show circuit, the more people will know your work. There will be shows that you do well and there will be ones that you won't do so well.
If you really love making crafts and this is what you're passionate about, hang in there. Things have an interesting way of working themselves out. If this is what you're not passionate about, then find something that makes you happy.
I have seen my shares of ups and downs and I'm sure all of you have as well. Just hang in there, everything will be okay. Don't worry if you haven't sold anything on Etsy or at the shows, things have a way of working themselves out.
Well that's it for me this evening. I need to get back to fixing the propeller the damn Red Baron shoot off in the last fire fight.
Keep fighting the good fight!
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz
An interesting resin tutorial for all of you resin artists out there brought to you by Rosa Murillo:
Saturday, March 5, 2011
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March Team Challenge has officially opened! Our themes are: Aquamarine and Spring! Entries are due by March 18th at midnight! Please choose one of the themes and enter only one item. Happy crafting!!
Here is the link:
http://www.etsy.com/teams/5263/florida-etsy-street-team/discuss/6807283/
Here is the link:
http://www.etsy.com/teams/5263/florida-etsy-street-team/discuss/6807283/
The February Challenge Winner
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Birds on a Wire by KJ Grigoriadis has won our challenge with this stupendous pillow!
Congratulations KJ Grigoriadis - wins a choice of a blog interview or an etsy mini posted for the month!
Congratulations KJ Grigoriadis - wins a choice of a blog interview or an etsy mini posted for the month!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Vendor Etiquette and Tips From Captain Maricruz
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Hello Fellow Team FESTers!
It's Captain Maricruz reporting from the SS Tesla and I am here to give some pointers and advice on vendor etiquette.
I understand that some of you may have never done an Art/Craft Show before and it may be the first time that you are participating in one as a vendor. Well guess what, I am still learning the ins and outs of being a vendor and you know what, that's okay!
As your beloved Time Traveling Airship Captain, I've had my fair share of mishaps and misadventures and I am here to help you along the way with my experiences (I'm still learning too)!
So here are a few pointers:
On the day of the show, be sure to arrive on time and check your e-mails and phone even from the event organizers for any additional information and updates before the show. It's always good to be extra prepared and communication is key as well. If you cannot attend the festival as a vendor due to any difficulties, please let them know ahead of time and always be polite and courteous.
Before the show, at least have a good supply of your items ready to sell. If you want, you can make some new items too! For those of you who are doing a show for the first time, don't be afraid to show people what you have to sell. For the next shows, it's always a good idea to have a few new items on hand that way, people can have more to choose from.
Always, always, always have at least professional business cards handy with your information! This was one of the biggest mistakes I made when I was a first time vendor. I did not take the extra time to make some business cards for my little online shop on Etsy but thanks to that mistake, I learned to be wiser and made some cards with the address of my shop as well as my e-mail for custom orders.
On the day of the show have some food and water handy. This was another mistake I made and I almost passed out due to exhaustion and starvation. If you do not have any food or water nearby, ask the person that is next to you to keep an eye on your booth or a friend to go get some. Don't forget to thank your vendor mate/ friend for looking out for your items, which brings me to my next point...
Have a designated booth buddy(ies)! One of the most difficult things about being an airship captain is finding and keeping a reliable crew on board. This also applies to being a first time vendor. When I did my first festival, I did everything on my own. I had no one to help me and I wish I did, but as you do more shows, you learn that having friend help you is really beneficial. In my case, I still do everything on my own, but I would rather have extra assistance. What I am saying is weeks before the festival ask any and all of your friends to assist you with your show, hell, even offer something in return for their services. It's always the polite thing to do to offer your booth buddy something in return for their help since they are taking the time to help you and returning their kind gesture is always a must, at least in my experience!
Have a sturdy table! This is self-explanatory!
Promote, promote, promote! The event organizers will be promoting the event and you will be expected to do the same. It's not that hard these days since you have Facebook, Twitter, and all other social networking sites and pass flyers as well. The more effort you put into promoting events, the more attendance you get and the more people will see what you have to offer!
Make your space presentable. This was another mistake I made. Again, when I did my first show, I practically had nothing that made my space presentable and I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. Presentation is key and is very important. The more presentable your space is, the more people will want to see what you have to offer.
Expect the unexpected! For outside events, it might rain or it might be windy, so it's always good to have a plan B. Be prepared for the worst case scenario is what I always say whenever I travel back through time and different dimensions and with shows, it's always better to be prepared than not. For the rain, bring a plastic to cover your items, for windy events, have some paperweights handy to hold some of your items to keep them from blowing away. I wish I had some advice for snow, but I've never done any shows in snow, so I really can't help in that regard. Sorry! :(
Have enough change. This is one that I did not make a mistake on, happy to say! It's always good to have change because chances are, when people purchase your items, they will be likely to pay in $20 bills or $5 bills or what not. If they don't have cash but carry a credit card and you have an iPhone, no problem! There are card reader apps that you can purchase so that people can use their credit cards!
Count your blessings and your losses. In my experience, I've done a few shows where I have done well and I haven't done so well. Remember, there will be good days and bad days. The most important thing to remember is that you are getting exposure and so will be your shop. You will also meet new people as well and who knows, maybe fall in love ;) . All I'm saying is that it's not always about how much you make at the end of the day, but how much fun you had...which is a great transition into my last tip:
HAVE FUN! Art/Craft Shows are meant to be fun and exciting! I know it's scary the first time around, well okay I get a little nervous whenever I go into battle with the notorious Red Baron (don't get me started on him) and I also get a little nervous whenever I do a show. The most important thing to remember is that it's not about much you make at the end of the day, but how you experience the shows. For some, they are great and beneficial and for others, not so much. Also, don't forget to thank the event organizers for allowing you to participate in the show. Hey, you can even give them a little token of appreciation. I gave the event organizer one of my specialty made Kanzashi Flowers as a thank you gift! Kind gestures go a long way, and always be polite and courteous to everyone you work with. In the Art/Craft Show community, at least what I have seen and witnessed, if you act like a "diva" ( I am also including the men in this too, it's not to be taken in the wrong context), word will spread fast. As the old adage goes "Bad news travels fast."
That's all the advice I will offer for now and I will definitely be giving you some more in the coming weeks ahead along with other goodies as well! Aw crap! The Red Baron shot off one of my propellers again! He is so not getting a tip! Gotta go! Have fun at the shows and remember, don't sweat the small stuff!
Leather Tutorial brought to you by Expert Village:
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz of The SS Tesla
It's Captain Maricruz reporting from the SS Tesla and I am here to give some pointers and advice on vendor etiquette.
I understand that some of you may have never done an Art/Craft Show before and it may be the first time that you are participating in one as a vendor. Well guess what, I am still learning the ins and outs of being a vendor and you know what, that's okay!
As your beloved Time Traveling Airship Captain, I've had my fair share of mishaps and misadventures and I am here to help you along the way with my experiences (I'm still learning too)!
So here are a few pointers:
On the day of the show, be sure to arrive on time and check your e-mails and phone even from the event organizers for any additional information and updates before the show. It's always good to be extra prepared and communication is key as well. If you cannot attend the festival as a vendor due to any difficulties, please let them know ahead of time and always be polite and courteous.
Before the show, at least have a good supply of your items ready to sell. If you want, you can make some new items too! For those of you who are doing a show for the first time, don't be afraid to show people what you have to sell. For the next shows, it's always a good idea to have a few new items on hand that way, people can have more to choose from.
Always, always, always have at least professional business cards handy with your information! This was one of the biggest mistakes I made when I was a first time vendor. I did not take the extra time to make some business cards for my little online shop on Etsy but thanks to that mistake, I learned to be wiser and made some cards with the address of my shop as well as my e-mail for custom orders.
On the day of the show have some food and water handy. This was another mistake I made and I almost passed out due to exhaustion and starvation. If you do not have any food or water nearby, ask the person that is next to you to keep an eye on your booth or a friend to go get some. Don't forget to thank your vendor mate/ friend for looking out for your items, which brings me to my next point...
Have a designated booth buddy(ies)! One of the most difficult things about being an airship captain is finding and keeping a reliable crew on board. This also applies to being a first time vendor. When I did my first festival, I did everything on my own. I had no one to help me and I wish I did, but as you do more shows, you learn that having friend help you is really beneficial. In my case, I still do everything on my own, but I would rather have extra assistance. What I am saying is weeks before the festival ask any and all of your friends to assist you with your show, hell, even offer something in return for their services. It's always the polite thing to do to offer your booth buddy something in return for their help since they are taking the time to help you and returning their kind gesture is always a must, at least in my experience!
Have a sturdy table! This is self-explanatory!
Promote, promote, promote! The event organizers will be promoting the event and you will be expected to do the same. It's not that hard these days since you have Facebook, Twitter, and all other social networking sites and pass flyers as well. The more effort you put into promoting events, the more attendance you get and the more people will see what you have to offer!
Make your space presentable. This was another mistake I made. Again, when I did my first show, I practically had nothing that made my space presentable and I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. Presentation is key and is very important. The more presentable your space is, the more people will want to see what you have to offer.
Expect the unexpected! For outside events, it might rain or it might be windy, so it's always good to have a plan B. Be prepared for the worst case scenario is what I always say whenever I travel back through time and different dimensions and with shows, it's always better to be prepared than not. For the rain, bring a plastic to cover your items, for windy events, have some paperweights handy to hold some of your items to keep them from blowing away. I wish I had some advice for snow, but I've never done any shows in snow, so I really can't help in that regard. Sorry! :(
Have enough change. This is one that I did not make a mistake on, happy to say! It's always good to have change because chances are, when people purchase your items, they will be likely to pay in $20 bills or $5 bills or what not. If they don't have cash but carry a credit card and you have an iPhone, no problem! There are card reader apps that you can purchase so that people can use their credit cards!
Count your blessings and your losses. In my experience, I've done a few shows where I have done well and I haven't done so well. Remember, there will be good days and bad days. The most important thing to remember is that you are getting exposure and so will be your shop. You will also meet new people as well and who knows, maybe fall in love ;) . All I'm saying is that it's not always about how much you make at the end of the day, but how much fun you had...which is a great transition into my last tip:
HAVE FUN! Art/Craft Shows are meant to be fun and exciting! I know it's scary the first time around, well okay I get a little nervous whenever I go into battle with the notorious Red Baron (don't get me started on him) and I also get a little nervous whenever I do a show. The most important thing to remember is that it's not about much you make at the end of the day, but how you experience the shows. For some, they are great and beneficial and for others, not so much. Also, don't forget to thank the event organizers for allowing you to participate in the show. Hey, you can even give them a little token of appreciation. I gave the event organizer one of my specialty made Kanzashi Flowers as a thank you gift! Kind gestures go a long way, and always be polite and courteous to everyone you work with. In the Art/Craft Show community, at least what I have seen and witnessed, if you act like a "diva" ( I am also including the men in this too, it's not to be taken in the wrong context), word will spread fast. As the old adage goes "Bad news travels fast."
That's all the advice I will offer for now and I will definitely be giving you some more in the coming weeks ahead along with other goodies as well! Aw crap! The Red Baron shot off one of my propellers again! He is so not getting a tip! Gotta go! Have fun at the shows and remember, don't sweat the small stuff!
Leather Tutorial brought to you by Expert Village:
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz of The SS Tesla
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Greetings From On Board The SS Tesla!
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Hello Fellow Team FESTers!
My name is Maricruz and I will be one of (hopefully) several contributors to the Team FEST Blog! What we are aiming for, if I am conjecturing correctly, is to provide links and how to instructions for my fellow Team FEST crafters out there! I will also post articles on Festival/Craft/Art Show vendor etiquette, crafting, Etsy, etc. and even upcoming shows to sign up for, or just attend.
So I will start off this first post with an instrucitonal video and some events going on:
For those of you in the South Florida Region, like myself, here are some upcoming craft events:
Odd Duck Art/Craft Show April 9th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174341849255828
Vendor Applications are closed at this time.
Art Rock May 7th:
http://artrockrocks.com/artRockRocks/vendorform.asp
Vendor Submissions are open now at this time.
That's all for now, I will post more events as soon as I dig around some more.
And now, here's something completely different. Brought to you by Little Birdie Secrets:
Happy Crafting!
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz of The SS Tesla Airship
My name is Maricruz and I will be one of (hopefully) several contributors to the Team FEST Blog! What we are aiming for, if I am conjecturing correctly, is to provide links and how to instructions for my fellow Team FEST crafters out there! I will also post articles on Festival/Craft/Art Show vendor etiquette, crafting, Etsy, etc. and even upcoming shows to sign up for, or just attend.
So I will start off this first post with an instrucitonal video and some events going on:
For those of you in the South Florida Region, like myself, here are some upcoming craft events:
Odd Duck Art/Craft Show April 9th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174341849255828
Vendor Applications are closed at this time.
Art Rock May 7th:
http://artrockrocks.com/artRockRocks/vendorform.asp
Vendor Submissions are open now at this time.
That's all for now, I will post more events as soon as I dig around some more.
And now, here's something completely different. Brought to you by Little Birdie Secrets:
Happy Crafting!
xoxo,
Captain Maricruz of The SS Tesla Airship
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Fabulous February/March FEST Blog Giveaway
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Our featured Blog Giveaway Shop is RecreationalArt of St Augustine Florida. Rose makes wonderful and gorgeous "one of a kind" jewelry from repurposed beads and findings. She loves using broken and worn out jewelry pieces and giving them new life by taking them apart and remaking them into new goodies, and if need be she makes a trip to the store to fill in the blanks.
Every repurposed item has a story to tell and Rose is now repurposing accessories with men in mind at gentlemansemporium.
Rose is offering one pair of her "one of a kind" earrings for this Fabulous FEST Giveaway, examples of which are pictured here.
HOW TO ENTER: Enter to win a pair of Rose's unique and pretty earrings by visiting
RecreationalArt
or any of the FEST Team Members listed in the Members Section. Find your favorite item, share it with us and tell us why you love it. Remember to leave your email or contact info so we can reach you if you're the winner. Winner will be picked on April 1st. Simple and easy.
Every repurposed item has a story to tell and Rose is now repurposing accessories with men in mind at gentlemansemporium.
Rose is offering one pair of her "one of a kind" earrings for this Fabulous FEST Giveaway, examples of which are pictured here.
HOW TO ENTER: Enter to win a pair of Rose's unique and pretty earrings by visiting
RecreationalArt or any of the FEST Team Members listed in the Members Section. Find your favorite item, share it with us and tell us why you love it. Remember to leave your email or contact info so we can reach you if you're the winner. Winner will be picked on April 1st. Simple and easy.
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