An Interview with Davs, Handmade Art

Meet Sarah, the owner of Etsy shop, Davs. Davs creates ACEO (Art cards, Editions and Originals) and original oil paintings. I would like to invite you into this amazing artist's shop and see for yourself just how spectacular her pieces are.

Tell us about yourself, your shop, and what you make.

I'm an artist and mom to two little boys. Nap time and bedtime is my time to make art. My favorite thing to do is listen to a good audio book while I'm creating, something about someone reading me a story puts me in the perfect mood to paint or make ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) ACEO are miniature 2.5"x3.5" collectible art cards. 

I started my shop in 2010 after learning about etsy and feeling that I needed an outlet for all of my creativity. I started out selling wire wrapped jewelery, hand drawn greeting cards, artsy stuffed dolls and the occasional painting. After a while I honed in on painting and started painting everyday. I gave away and sold off everything else in my shop and focused on art.

Now I make abstract art. I sometimes have love/hate relationship with my paintings and fight with them until something strikes me and enables me to see the piece come together the way I want it to. It seems like the paintings that frustrate me the most become my favorites in the end. That's funny isn't it? :)


How did you get started crafting?

My dad is an artist, when he'd let me I'd paint in his studio (our garage) when I was 4 and 5. Throughout my life I've painted and created different things but not until I opened my shop has it become a daily habit. And something that I now realize that I want to keep doing for as long as I can.


Davs' shop is absolutely lovely! Here is a sneak peek into her extraordinary work!

Tell us about your favorite piece.

This one. I had a fight with this piece and was ready to give up on it after letting it dry. But then I decided to go in again and go over it with white, but I let a few spaces and shapes of the original piece stay. I like that you can still see remnants beneath the white of what was painted there before, and the texture and busyness. I don't know, I guess it's sort of complicated, how I feel about this piece, I'm attached to it, but ready to let it go at the same time. But it is my favorite.


What inspires you?

Bright colors, good drinks, good food, good books, my fiance who grows a brilliant summer vegetable and herb garden, and my sweet little boys.


Thank you Sarah! Your work is amazing!!!!

Visit Davs now! ~ www.etsy.com/shop/Davs

For updates, new paintings, ACEO, and discounts follow Davs on Facebook and Twitter:
 
www.facebook.com/DavsArt
 
twitter.com/#!/Davenportant   


If you have an Etsy shop and would like to be featured, please feel free to contact me.


 

Top 5 Reasons ~ A Candle's Purpose

What purpose does a candle serve? We all know that candles were once a necessity back in the days before the invention of electricity. There was once upon a time when most households actually made their own candles for their source of light.

Nowadays, candles serve different purposes.

5. Symbol of worship in church ~ Today, the use of candles for religious services is still much the same as it was before there was electricity in every household.

4. Decoration & celebration ~ Candles make beautiful centerpieces in the home and for parties. They are often given as house-warming gifts and do tend to give rooms a more "homey" feel. And what do we place on top of birthday cakes? Before the cake is served, a common tradition is to sing happy birthday to the guest of honor while they make a wish and blow out the candles. 

3. Relaxation ~ Imagine taking a nice relaxing soak in the tub at the end of a long, stressful day. You've got the warm water, bubbles, soft music, and maybe a glass of wine. What's missing? Candles! Candles add to the relaxing atmosphere and help you unwind with their soft glow. Choice of fragrance is an added bonus as there are fragrances such as lavender that help relieve stress.

2. Smelling good ~ I love to light a candle after I clean my house. It's the perfect finishing touch. I will often light one in every room as I finish up and move on to the next. Someone once told me that real estate agents often light candles during open houses. Like I said before, the ambiance of a burning candle gives a "homey" vibe.

1. Emergency ~ It is always a good idea to have candles and matches on hand in case of a power outage. We can never find our flashlights when we need them or the batteries are usually dead. 

What are your reasons for using a candle?

GIVEAWAY : "Sweet" Candle Gift Basket! ends 6/5

This giveaway ended on 6/5. And the winner is

Entry#458 Sheila Tf 

 Congrats Sheila!!

Watch for our next giveaway coming out next week!


Do you like candles? How about gift baskets? Here is my most popular handmade candle gift basket!

One lucky winner will receive the "sweet" basket from Clay's Craft & Candle Creations!! Full of handmade candles including a 16oz Passionate Kisses candle in a decorated tin container, 2 Passionate Kisses votive candles, 2 Whipped Cream votive candles, 2 Sweet Serenade votive candles, and a Vanilla Lip Gloss. Don't you want to win this basket??!!!!!!!

Description of fragrances
Passionate Kisses is a fruity Victoria Secret type fragrance.
Whipped Cream is a smooth vanilla whipped cream that is light and puffy!  
Sweet Serenade  ~ Fresh breezes and crisp citrus lead to a medley of garden greens and fresh floral tones to create this shimmering blend. Warm woods and a hint of orange blossom carry the scent to a soft finish.

Give the basket away as a thoughtful gift or keep it for yourself!!!!

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance to win.. Good luck!

Giveaway ends Tuesday (6/5) night at midnight  

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TODAY'S HANDMADE BLOG

Do you like to cook? Bake? Do you like to follow recipes? Or make up your own variations? 

Today's topic is about a handmade blog. And my recommendation is The Bewitchin' Kitchen!

Check out this blog for a bunch of awesome recipes you can make yourself! Such as..

Torta Rustica ~ Found under Breakfast

Mimosa Fruit Cups ~ Found under Sinful Sweets

Of course salad being my favorite food, my favorite section is Salads, including BLT Pasta Salad and Mediterranean Roasted Potato Salad. You can also look for recipes under Appetizers, Beverages, Breads Carbs & Crusts, Breakfast, Dinner, Sauces, Salads, Seasonings, Sides, Sinful Sweets, and Soups & Stews.

This is such a neat blog. It also offers product reviews, giveaways, and options for advertising. I will definitely be referring back to it often!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Angie

An Interview with a Crafter, Summer Crew!

I would like to introduce you to Summer Crew, the owner of the Etsy shop, Now In Color. Now In Color creates unique artwork. Please join me in welcoming Summer and be sure to explore her shop and show some love, as I am sure you will be amazed!

Tell us about yourself, your shop, and what you make.
 
So what do I want to be when I grow up,an artist! I have decided that life is too short. I could be in an office job in misery. I will not do that anymore. To add to that I have medical issues that disable (temporarily) from working. Recently I have made a choice to have a complete cutting off of all my lady parts inside. I have Endometreosis. I am in pain everyday. So my husband and I have made the decision to stop trying and adopt.
 
My shop will be all about color hence the name. Now In Color. I am starting off with some watercolors I have done. I sell prints from my originals I also have mandalas in my shop. I will continue with more series of mandalas. That is my sacred art. My therapy.
I will be putting originals for sale in my shop right around the corner. I just want people to see and feel me without a description of the pieces.
 
In the future I will be putting my mother's afghans in the shop. I also will be painting in other mediums,such as acrylics, pastels and charcoal. I also sew and I have some fun and "green"  products that will part of the shop. 

You are going to love everything Summer creates. Her work is beautiful and full of passion.

How did you get started crafting?

I started at a very young age about seven years of age. I love to draw. I love to paint. I love to create. My Papa started to guide me at a young age. I started with charcoal,then pencil. I took at least two art classes every year during my high school years. I love it! 

My heart goes into every piece I do.
 
I also love to sew and my mother taught me that at a very young age as well. I love to create period! 

Tell us about your favorite piece.

Ah my favorite piece is hanging up in my house. It is my angel. I painted in my senior year in high school. I would never be able to part with it. I have a huge emotional attachment to it. My guardian angel, my grandfather. 

What inspires you?

People do. Positive energy. Love. People who actually are interested in what I do for a living. Lake Superior is a ten minute walk from my house. Yoga. Tibetan Buddhism. Grace. Wisdom. My husband. I want to adopt a child one day, this is my greatest inspiration.

Be sure to check out Summer's Etsy shop, Now In Color! ~ www.etsy.com/shop/NowInColor

Summer can also be found on her blog ~ summercrew.wordpress.com 

Thank you to Summer! For sharing your amazing story and your wonderful work!


If you would like to be featured, please feel free to contact me :)





 

Midnight Pomegranate is the Fragrance of the Week

**Fragrance of the Week Customer Special**

MIDNIGHT POMEGRANATE is this week's Fragrance of the Week! 

Receive a FREE Midnight Pomegranate votive candle with any purchase! May 28 - June 2.

http://www.clayscraft.etsy.com/

My Square Arrived Today!

I am so excited and happy to announce that I now can accept credit cards!!

The square is a nifty little card reader that attaches to your iphone or smartphone and operates from a free app downloaded from your phone.

Pretty awesome, right!?

My Latest Creation ~ The Cupcake Candle

I love how these turned out!

These are Birthday Cake scented, but I am thinking of making more in blueberry, cherry, creamy cocoa, pumpkin spice, etc. Yum!
They look good enough to eat! They smell good enough to eat!
But alas! They are not edible.
I made these candles last night when I decided to use up some extra wax. I wanted to do something new and different. I was rummaging through my cupboards and came across my muffin pan. And I had some baking cups. So I thought, I wonder if I can make a candle that looks like a cupcake? Before they were completely cooled, there was a point when they actually did look like cake batter!

Let me know what you think! Show some love!

~Thanks for stopping by!~ angie

Mistakes Will Be Made

What kind of mistakes have you made recently?

I make mistakes every day and I will continue to do so daily for the rest of my life. It's part of life and not something that we like to discuss but it is my topic of discussion today just for something different. So here we go. Enjoy!

Dictionary.com defines mistake as an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong.

Last night, I made the mistake of locking my husband out of the house. Oops! 

“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”
― Marilyn Monroe

I love this quote from Marilyn Monroe. I think it offers a very good definition of love and just simply being human.

What have you learned from your mistakes?

As I consider my life and reflect on some big mistakes that I have made, I realize that I am very thankful for them. I would not be where I am today if not for the decisions I have made in the past, right or wrong.

I think some of us need to accept the fact that mistakes will be made. And learn from them. You will come away a stronger and more experienced person because of them. Just be sure to take that experience and learn not to make the big, bad, major mistakes ever again.

Here is a list of what I think are some of the most common mistakes we all make. Remember, if you've made any of these errors, WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT. 

*Eating a certain kind of food (knowing that you will pay for it later)

*Giving up too easily (this is one I am constantly learning from)


*Investing money unwisely (or being taken in by a scam)


*Pretending that you didn't make a mistake


*Dating or even marrying the wrong person


*Prototyping another person or assuming you know something they don't


*Losing faith in something you believe in or even in yourself

*Comparing yourself  to other people (remember: always be yourself!)


*Moving away too soon, waiting too long to move, or living in the wrong place


*Taking the wrong advice

What do you think? This is a very short list. Please feel free to leave a comment and share what is on your mind.

Top 10 List ~ Top Selling Candles Listed by Fragrance

Looking back over the last 30 days, I have compiled a top 10 list of my top selling fragrances :)

1. The number one best seller was Cool Water:

2. Jasmine Vanilla:

3. Midnight Pomegranate:

4. Sweet Serenade:

5. Passionate Kisses:

6. Endless Love:

7. Twilight:

8. Birthday Cake:

9. Whipped Cream:

10. And last but not least, the newest fragrance, Drakkar:

Which one of these is your favorite fragrance?

Upcoming Local Craft Shows

Here are a couple of upcoming local craft shows I plan to attend this year.

Hartville Marketplace Fall Arts & Craft Festival
10/6/12 All Day ~ Vendor cost is $30 ~ Deadline for application is 08/15/12 ~ For more information, visit Hartvillemarketplace.com

2012 Springfield Township Women's Club 31st Annual Autumn Arts & Craft Show
11/3/12 9am-4pm ~ Vendor cost is $50 ~ Deadline for application is ASAP ~ For more information, visit mystwc.com 

To find local craft shows in your area, visit fairsandfestivals.net | eventlister.com | craigslist.com (search for "craft shows" "craft fair"). 

Craft Show Fair ~ Tips & Ideas

Plan to attend a craft show or fair? Here are some very basic tips for you to plan your day for a smooth & successful event!

Inventory
The first and most important step in participating in a craft show is to bring plenty of inventory to sell. Have a plan in place as to what you want to bring with you keeping in mind the more variety you provide customers with, the more likely you will have a lot of sales. Place all similar items together to make unpacking easier. Carefully pack your items for safe transportation.

Set Up & Display
You will need to spend quite a bit of time before hand concentrating on what you want your area to look like. Consider this: You are attending a craft show as a customer only. What kinds of displays would draw your attention? Do you like bold & flashy with bright colors? Or small, quaint, & unique? Use your personal tastes and practice creating your display using your own flare. Practice on your kitchen table or your actual table you're taking with you. I would suggest using all of the inventory you plan to set out at the fair and then packing it up in an order that will make it easy for you to unpack & recreate on the day of the fair. 

Be creative! You don't have to use a plain old table cloth. Use a sheet, curtain, beach towel, or even a quilt. Anything that emphasizes your style and your products! Plan to give your products some height. You don't want everything sitting on your table flat & looking crowded. Put your table together neatly and give it a professional appearance. Make your products visible from a distance. So that maybe someone from across the room will catch a glance at your display and come over for a closer look! You can accomplish this simply by using shoe boxes set directly on your table and hidden from sight with whatever you're using as a table cover to drape over the boxes. 

Create a warm and inviting appearance. Always have a smile on your face. Don't make potential customers feel uncomfortable by giving them the stare down while they are shopping! Just make yourself available to answer questions at any given time. You want your products to be facing the crowd and easily accessible for examination. 

Also, keep your extra inventory hidden out of sight under the table. Be sure your table cover drapes down low enough so this does not show. Replenish stock as you sell your table items.

Banner
You can make your own banner or hire a professional to make it for you. I would suggest stringing your banner on the table over top of your products so it is easily visible from a distance. Or you can hang it from the front of your table. Either way, you need to have a banner or some kind of sign with your business name and/or logo on it.

Pricing
When you go to the store or a yard sale, is it a pain in the neck to have to ask what the price is because it's not marked? Consider how annoying this may be to a potential customer. I know there have been a few times when I may have purchased something if I had known the price. But because it wasn't labeled, I just left it there. When marking your items with the prices, keep in mind a professional appearance. You may be able to use manila labels with a hole punched in them. Just attach a string and loop it around your products. You may also be able to use stickers depending on what you are selling. Or, you may consider having a price sheet or a sign clearly visible detailing your prices.

Accepting Payments
I for one almost never carry cash. I pay for everything with my debit card. How about you? Are you set up to accept credit/debit card payments? This is definitely a convenience to your customers and it will most definitely increase your sales. 

I am going to recommend getting set up with Square.  The process takes less than 5 minutes and you'll receive the square for FREE. I love FREE! The square connects to your smart phone or iphone via the hole for headphones and enables you to slide credit or debit cards including Discover & American Express. Here is a wonderful article that tells all about the device and getting set up from Sunday Afternoon Housewife. This is a must read!!

After requesting your FREE Square Card Reader, you'll need to download the app onto your phone and you're ready to accept cards for payment! And oh yeah, the app is also FREE. You will only be charged 2.75% of each purchase plus 15 cents for each card swipe. And customers can choose to have their receipt emailed to them. That's it! So easy!!

Create a Mailing List!
This is so very important! Put your contact information on everything! A stack of business cards on your table is absolutely necessary & be sure to either hand a card to anyone who buys from you or stick one in their bag. A stack of brochures, fliers, or business post cards on your table would be great too.

Always create a mailing list!! One idea is to set out a list for interested parties to add their contact info to. This is a way to collect names, email addresses, and postal addresses. It would be great for you to follow up after the show by sending a quick email just to say thanks for stopping by my booth. Or mail them a brochure. Do you have a monthly or quarterly newsletter you could send to them?

Another idea is to conduct a giveaway at the show. Not only is this a great way to collect info but it also creates interest and may draw a crowd to your booth. You could use a fish bowl or a medium sized bowl for people to drop their business cards into or create your own cards for them to fill out with their info. Have a drawing & be sure to display the prize near the fish bowl so they will know what they could win.

Checklist
Stay organized! Pack up your items the day before the show. You will be less likely to forget something and you will be stress free the day of the show. Here is a printable checklist from funkyfinds to help you.

*Be sure to bring plenty of change ($1s & $5s)
*Drink plenty of water throughout the day
*Pack a lunch to save money
*Charge your cell phone the night before ~ Take your cell phone & Square card reader
*Advil or other pain reliever just in case (you will be on your feet all day)
*Don't forget business cards, brochures, fliers, etc.

Extras & Ideas
Wrapped candy, like suckers, is a great way to get potential customers to your booth!
Plan to spend lots of time brainstorming ideas for your display.
Each craft show you attend is a learning experience & you will get better from each one.
Stay organized & have fun.
Smile, smile, smile!
Chat up the other vendors, be friendly, and take note of any new ideas while you're there.
Don't forget to take a camera & take pics of your table. Please feel free to post your pics in the comments of this post!
Let me know if you have any tips or additional suggestions.

Bedtime Bath ~ Lavender & Chamomile

**Fragrance of the Week Customer Special**

BEDTIME BATH ~ LAVENDER & CHAMOMILE is this week's Fragrance of the Week! Here are the sale details:

Spend $20 & receive FREE 6 pack Bedtime Bath Tea Lights! May 21 - May 26.

Bedtime Bath is a wonderful babyish (best way to describe it) fragrance enriched with lavender, chamomile, and other natural
herbs - known for their relaxing and soothing properties.

Share Your Workspace!

It's "take your readers to work" day LOL

Here is a picture of my desk area.

Please feel free to share your workspace :)

A List of My Favorite Things

BEVERAGE: Pepsi

DAY OF THE WEEK: Monday

PASTIME: Reading

SONG: Who'll Stop the Rain

SEASON: Summer

MOVIE: Anne of Green Gables

BAND/SINGER: Creedence Clearwater Revival

ACTRESS: Natalie Portman

FOOD: Salad

ACTOR: Tom Hanks or Jack Nicholson

TV SHOW: Friends

COLOR: Purple

FLOWER: Tulip

HOLIDAY: Christmas

COLD CEREAL: Frosted Flakes

SHOES: Flip flops

What are your favorite things???

Studio Photo Tour of Clay's Craft & Candle Creations

Part of my work area. Where I keep most of my supplies and use the counter space to pour candles.

Supply drawer ~ Contains votive molds, fragrance oils, & skewers.

Supply drawer ~ Contains scale, dye chips, liquid dye, & color blocks.

Supply drawer ~ Contains wicks, wick dots, mold seal, hammer, screw driver, & chisels.

Pouring area.

This is where I do most of the pouring & I also use this space to measure my wax.

Melting area ~ Double Boiler Method

This is where I have been taking most of my photos for new products. It's just a sheet draped over the bookshelf right next to a window. The natural light helps take better pics.

My work table. This is where I label & wrap all of my products after they are photographed & posted on the computer.

Wrapped votive candles waiting to be sold.

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting :)))

Candle Making ~ Before and After

I thought it might be interesting to show before and after pics of a homemade candle. Before I taught myself to make candles, I had no idea what went into a candle.

Two 8oz jelly jars wicked. Creamy Cocoa fragrance oil & mahogany dye chip will be added to 1lb paraffin wax blend.

 

 

 

Here the wicks are tied to pencils. The pencils are held to the sides of the jars with mold sealer.

Melting the granulated wax.

The wax has been dyed, scented, poured, & cooled. Wicks trimmed.. and.. Ta da! Two completed 8oz creamy cocoa jar candles!!

 Let me know what you think :)

 

FRAGRANCE OF THE WEEK

BUTT NAKED is this week's Fragrance of the Week! Here are the sale details:

Buy any 2 16oz jar candles & receive a dozen Butt Naked tea lights FREE! May 14 - May 19.

Butt Naked is a green fruity bouquet with strawberry, banana, peach and melon topnotes with sweet lactony background.

Water Bottle Candles

clayscraft.etsy.com

I love love love these new candles! I used a water bottle for the mold. How awesome is that?

Let me know if you like the look!!