~* flurrsprite's nook *~

edible book event

2009-03-16T14:36:00.003-04:00

hey everyone! BEST is hosting an edible book event on april 1st as part of the international edible book festival!

we are inviting members and non-members alike to participate by making your very own edible book. the festival involves people making edible objects that are book-related and then sharing their creations. it's all about creativity and doesn't even really have to be about book binding!

we invite you all to post your pictures on the flickr gallery here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/best-edibles-2009/

we will also have an informal social gathering in the Etsy chat room in the
evening (april 1 at 9pm eastern) for anyone who wants to just meet and chat about
the edible books or chat about anything else!

feel free to make your book any time before april 1st! invite your friends and family to join in the fun!

after all the edible books have been submitted on april 1st, the books will be
considered by a small panel of impartial judges (who will remain anonymous until
after the event). special recognition will be awarded in each of these
categories:
BEST Edible Book
BEST Edible Bookbinding Technique
BEST Edible Book by a Child (age 10 years or less)

looking forward to seeing all of your creations :)

paypal shipping

2008-12-15T04:18:00.003-05:00

whee! i printed out my first shipping label via paypal today for an order i need to get out for christmas! hehe... just wanted to share ;) tis exciting! i bought a scale months ago but have just been too nervous that things would go wrong with the shipment that i haven't tried it until now! except for a glitch in the system that wouldn't let me send to the confirmed address because usps' recommended address didn't spell out "east" or "avenue" which forced me to have to call paypal's customer service, i think it's worked out just fine. :) hooray!

handmade confessional!

2008-12-04T01:38:00.004-05:00

tara aka weirdwolf filmed a bunch of people at the felt club event the other day, and is posting them on the etsy storque as a mini series of handmade confessionals! she just posted mine today :D you can check out the actual post here!

buy handmade! support artisans and crafters! shop locally! yay! :)

felt club

2008-11-30T18:07:00.002-05:00

checked out the felt club craft fair in downtown l.a. the other day, wanted to share a pic i took of it:

so many people gathered to share handmade goods makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! :)

hey ya'll

2008-11-18T15:23:00.006-05:00

it's been a while!

not a whole lot has been happening in terms of etsy, i've taken on a few commissions since the last post but haven't really made anything on my own for a while since i've been working 7 days a week for the most part :T i did make a couple books for halloween, which was fun :) even with tea staining and baking one book's papers, something i swore i'd never do again ;)

looks like i'll be missing the next book swap for best, but i've got a book to make for a friend and then i have some extra paper folded and punched, ready to bind! i'm excited about using some of my new japanese paper! and these next two weeks will be a little less busy production-wise, what with thanksgiving and all, so i should have time to work on books! hooray!

life-wise, i've been working at effinfunny for a couple months now and it's been great! they actually brought me to work on "the guild" with them, so i've been the art p.a. since almost the beginning of this season. they also teamed up with machinima.com to work on some projects and i've been helping with those. one of the videos they did on the election got on the carson daly show, so that was pretty neat! they also took me to blizzcon for a day, which was very nice of them :)

starbucks didn't quite work out, but i'm still workin at sushi! hoping that little production gigs here and there will cover the amount that i'm not making from a second job, but i don't think that's really going to happen so after i get back from my two week winter vacation in hawaii i'll be looking for another part time job. probably bad timing, doing it AFTER the holiday rush, but with the economy now i'm not really sure there's a good timing!

i was a moogle for halloween. what were you?

bookbinding etsy street team storque article!

2008-09-26T03:52:00.004-04:00

exactly what the title says.

hooray for best! :) very exciting for the team! and i'm personally excited about our upcoming team challenge... halloween is the bestest holiday evar!!!11!1! hahaha...

on a personal note, s-bucks hasn't quite worked out my schedule yet, but i just started interning at effinfunny, sandeep parikh and leah mann's production company. pretty awesome! :) i'll be working on my first shoot this weekend, woot!

no longer homeless and unemployed!

2008-09-08T02:13:00.004-04:00

as the title says hehe! have moved into the new apartment, and now just finishing up getting furniture and arranging the rooms and whatnot :) also been working that hostess job at the sushi restaurant, but starting this week i'll be working tuesdays, thursdays and fridays instead of mon-fri, so that i'll have more time to possibly work production gigs. next week i'll be starting a job at starbucks working those mornings, hooray for health insurance! but the pay is very low, and i found out that unlike missouri, where i worked as a waitress for $2/hr + tips, restaurants here pay minimum wage ($8) + tips, so i'm probably going to need to look at getting a waitressing job in a couple/few months because that's much more than i had thought, hence the hostessing job! for now though, i'm doing well and will at least be making rent + utilities, huzzah!

i will probably look at getting into working on my etsy shop some time this week or next week! i need to run out to the paper source store in pasadena to pick up some pva to make books (although i do still have leather to make non-glue books!), but i've already made some jewelry since i got here. a friend of mine is a photographer, and was going to be taking headshots for my roomie and her bf, so he offered to take pics of me wearing my jewelry to use in my listings! here's a preview :D

things coming together...

2008-08-22T04:02:00.003-04:00

today was a fruitful day:

1. went with friends to a photo/techie store out in burbank. there was a loooooong shelf full of gaff tape and paper tape and painter's tape and everything! i didn't spot any glow tape when i walked by, but the beautiful colors of gaff tape made me swoon ;)

2. mailed off my third custom scroll order this summer! considering i really haven't been updating my shop, i am happy that i'm getting these requests :) they've all been for weddings, so i figure that means they'll drop off now, but you never know!

3. i signed a lease with my roomie for an apartment in encino (which will forever give me a mental face-palm every time i think of it due to watching "encino man" before i came out here, but it's actually a nice area). rent is pretty decent, and it comes with a fridge and side-by-side parking, score! the rooms are equal enough that we're having a hard time deciding who gets what room, which is actually nice.

4. interviewed with a little sushi restaurant in encino that i happened across yesterday, and was hired as a hostess/cashier. will be making enough to pay for rent and such, hurray! work starts monday, have the night shift 5-10pm mon-fri. i did have a phone interview yesterday for a teller position with a local bank, which would be nice to get because it'd pay about the same as the hostess job but i'd only work 3 days a week (which would leave time for side production gigs) and since it's a bank i could possibly get benefits on top of that. i think i'm lucky either way!

5. and the coolest of the coolest: was added to the set crew volunteer list for "the guild", which starts production in september, i do believe! ecstatic!

all of this helps me sort of shrug off getting a parking ticket when i stopped by my bank for 5 min and had no idea that i was in a no parking zone. may try to see if i can contest it or something.. man, couldn't i have gotten my first ever ticket when i was doing something illegally on purpose? ;) alas, i know ignorance is no excuse, so i don't imagine i'll argue too much... besides, the rest of the day was just wonderful! :D

and tomorrow, i'm running out to santa monica to eat lunch with friends (was going to do it anyway, but now it's kind of a celebration hah!), and pick up my very own pair of climbing shoes! i'll be paying more for those shoes than i've ever paid before, but i'm considering them an investment for much needed exercise and good times. afterwards, i'll be off to los feliz to help out with the "team smithereen" show painting props!

now, back to watching the last couple "dead like me" episodes! i heart mason!

craft magazine august edition

2008-08-11T19:58:00.002-04:00

i was rather excited to see this. i received a couple custom scroll orders shortly after this, though i don't think the ad was how they found my shop... i honestly didn't care if i got any traffic from "craft" or not, i just liked the idea that something of mine (even a 1" pic) was published hahaha! ahh vanity!

settling into l.a.!

2008-08-08T03:12:00.002-04:00

drove from missouri to los angeles, and have been busy hunting for apartments and jobs. went out today to rock climb for the first time! had a lot of fun :) must return to the apartment hunt tomorrow though, and hope for work to come soon!

"arte y pico" blog award!

2008-07-28T21:41:00.006-04:00

rhonda, from my handbound books has awarded me the "arte ye pico" blog award! thanks rhonda :) the rules for the award are as follows:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributing to the blogger community, no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award-winner, has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4) Award-winners and the one who has given the prize should to show the link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules.

and so, to pass the award on, i present these five blogs:

danca, from wear it like you mean it
jaye, from thirteenth story
guylaine and isabelle, from tomate d'epingles
anh, from my closet diary
carol, from quirky'nberkeley

temporary

2008-07-27T02:40:00.007-04:00

been a while, been a while.. my life seems to be all sorts of "temporary" right now, and i'm not sure if it's going to ever really become "permanent"... so! charging forward, and on to a summary!

haven't worked on too many new things in hawaii, but did come up with things like these silly bumblebee earrings:

i'll be hoping to make more earrings soon, especially with the new little charms i bought in japan, they're adorable and whimsical, in my opinion :D hmm.. maybe i'll just keep them for myself, muahaha!

and finally made a "real" leather book, using a longstitch binding tutorial online, for my dad's friend:

used the suede side up, because the familia liked it better, although i thought the other side looked neat, all spotted and stuff, so much character! but they decided it wasn't "girly" enough for my dad's friend :P at least i got to test out my stamp, as you can see! :D

got a hair cut yesterday, i think i'm gonna need to actually learn how to use a curling iron so that i might make myself a little more presentable for interviews and the like in l.a.! ...what a terrifying notion.

i'm considering mailing all of my stuff from hawaii to l.a. via parcel post, since i won't be needing anything for the one day that i'm in missouri and i'm fairly sure the extra space in my car would be fantastic, but that would probably cost a fortune... plus, i'll just be worried about my pretty supplies sinking into the ocean or something! like my new paper and fabric that i bought in japan!

well, i'll be flying out tuesday, and driving to l.a. over the course of a few days. and then i'll be absolutely engrossed in "breaking dawn" when i snag it at midnight on friday-saturday... although only for about 6 hours probably, that's how long it took for each of the other books. too short! i blame my sister for my will crumbling and new twilight addiction, i refused for so long, boo... haha. ahh well, no more harry potter right? ;)

employment!

2008-06-17T03:49:00.002-04:00

so, an update on life!

i'm currently considering moving to l.a. to pursue theatre and maybe get into film/tv. i swore i hated socal and would avoid it like the plague, but after talking to a friend who's planning on moving out there, i figure i don't really have anything to lose, so why not at least try? at least this way i'll have a roomie (and actually possibly 3, her bf's going and a friend of his might too), and i have some friends out there who may be able to help me out a little.

i figure i can try this out for a year and see how i feel afterwards. as much as i'd like to go "full time" with my etsy shop, realistically speaking that's not going to happen anytime soon. i'm nowhere near committed enough, i figure i should be churning out something new at least more than my current average of what, once a month? :P i'd need to sell enough to get out of the red first, and i've still got a while to go yet! i've gotta have something to pay the rent for now, so i'm going to see how this works out :) i've never had to start from scratch before, so this'll be interesting!

Virtual Labs Trunk Show!

2008-05-31T17:54:00.002-04:00

The Bookbinding Team will be hosting an online trunk show at the Etsy Virtual Labs on June 2nd at 9PM EST.

We will be showcasing some handpicked creations through images and even via webcam so you can get a more up close and personal look at our books on Etsy. The creators will also be presenting why their shop (and themselves!) are unique, and you will have the opportunity to meet with them and ask questions in a session after the showcasing. There will also be some sales and giveaways, so this is definitely an event you don't want to miss!

A list of participating members:

yellowcraftychick
usefulbooks
thecraftykitten
kupokiley
myhandboundbooks
ladyartisan
flurrsprite
kristincrane
yatsu
thisisbexx

We hope to see you there!

new logo, promos, and pretties!

2008-05-28T21:39:00.005-04:00

i recently updated my shop with a fabulous new logo, banner and avatar from the fabulous erin of designsquid and then i ordered some promos and such with it! my buttons are in the mail, but i've got my rubber stamp and stickers!

and here's a random sampling of things that i've ordered recently on etsy:

a super comfy custom dress from cherrypievintage that i ordered using alchemy. random picture with my wellies and the dress hehe.

i got a pretty mini mobile to hang above my laptop fromleahpellegrini, and ilusoria made me custom sock slippers!

i also ordered a custom pen from beetnik505! i love the little polka dots!

and an update on life: i will be moving away from missouri, staying with my parents in hawaii for a while until i can figure out what i want to do next! my shop will be closed while i'm in transit but hopefully i can still work on some things while i'm in hawaii, depending on what i can or can't cram into my suitcases and how expensive it'll be to ship my supplies over haha!

around the home

2008-05-12T16:28:00.005-04:00

yep, that's my giant collection of handmade soap! it's sitting in the corner of "the dungeon", otherwise known as the boiler room/walk-in closet/laundry room/the space in between the bathroom and our room (the basement). ;) good stuff. i think i'm set for the year. just felt like sharing!

we completely flipped around the room last night, and now our desks are in a corner together! my shelves, work table, and desk are kind of taking over the corner while the poor boy is stuck over there with his desk hahaha. if you can't tell, i'm a bit of a slob. but an organized slob! really!

maybe? i think i just have too much crap XD

playing with bindings!

2008-05-12T16:14:00.004-04:00

i recently joined the firefly-based big damn crafters street team on etsy, and for may's team challenge about unification day i created this book:

i used a stab binding method (which was a problem because i used my screw punch for the leather cover but not the pages, i used my awl for those and i probably had way too many because it was a pain in the ass to get the damn needle and thread through. i actually ended up breaking a needle, eesh!) as a way to bind (har) the old western and asian styles together into one book. i like it, but i don't know that i'll do it again ;) my first leather book, and also my first binding style other than the hardbound kettle stitch method! i haven't listed it on etsy, because the plan is to give it to my dad for father's day. :D

i did list this book on etsy, however:

i used a coptic binding method (ish... i think the first and last rows weren't done quite right because after i was done i compared it to eva's book that i received in the first best book swap and it looks like i should've looped the stitches a little more) based off of a tutorial i found online (did the same for the stab binding). i rather like this one, i don't think i could've done much different in terms of tension on the stitches because it does sort of pop open when standing up but it lies flat and i believe it's the paper itself that's doing the opening, not the stitching! so that makes me happy :) plus i've been wanting to use my papyrus for quite a while and i'm really glad it looks so awesome with the marbled paper (yep, same paper as used in the background for the leather book hahaha)!

two new creations

2008-04-24T16:50:00.004-04:00

my friend pat commissioned me to make him a photo album for his recent trip to spain, so i finally ordered some stuff from hollanders (very happy with their products, i will definitely be ordering from them again!) including an unbound block for the biggest book i've made yet! he gave me a newspaper he got in spain, and together we designed and created this:

i'm rather proud of it, although i wish i had gotten better pictures before i gave it to him :) it was the second book i used methyl cellulose / pva mix with, and i think it helped me figure out its properties a little better! i ended up adding an end sheet to the back and pasted a map onto the inside front cover... a couple bubbles but not too bad i think! the front cover sports "spain" cut out in black library buckram (crazy thick bookcloth, a lil difficult to work with but cool cuz it's waterproof!) with cut outs of spanish newspaper text peeping through! i used red satin bookcloth on the spine, and i think it feels matador-ish haha.

and just so you know i'm a huge nerd, i also made myself a lightsaber. it doesn't work... yet!

don't forget to check out the best team sale going on right now! it ends saturday, april 26th! i'm offering 15% off all items in my own shop.

world book day team sale!

2008-04-23T10:46:00.003-04:00

As part of the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team's World Book Day celebration, some of the members are participating in a sale from Wednesday, April 23rd to Saturday, April 26th. Check out the list of shops below and the discounts they are having!

ladyartisan: 15% off
lapaperie: 10% off
bluevalentinepress: free s&h + gift
subu: 10% off paper items
yellowcraftychick: 10% off
yatsu: free s&h
usefulbooks: 10% off
thisibexx: 10% off
myhandboundbooks: bogo 25% off
scodioli: free s&h
kristincrane: 10% off
kupokiley: 10% off
thecraftykitten: 10% off
flurrsprite: 15% off
uniquelycovered: 10% off
repaper: 10% off
moonbindery: 10% off selected items
artkitten: 20% off books + free s&h
bibliophile: 20% off

world book day challenge!

2008-04-11T19:29:00.002-04:00

here is my entry for the bookbinding etsy street team's world book day challenge :) it's based off of shakespeare's romeo and juliet... i call it "story of woe" (har so clever!). i bound it with pretty italian paper and bookcloth, and then gold leafed the letters "j" and "r" on each side, so you can write in it from either direction (or both!). it's got black paper, which is always fun. for some reason it feels really awesome to hold in my hands, and i was tempted to keep it but i've been needing to post something up on etsy and it was kind of a relief to finally update *something* haha!

making a dress form!

2008-03-31T01:17:00.006-04:00

i handed my boy a roll of duct tape and asked if he would help me make a ghetto dress form.

i tried to stuff it with old tshirts and socks afterwards, but it's a tad lumpy, so i may need to go get some polyfill or pillows or something.

i also need to get some new pins to use specifically for sticking into the goo-tastic tape :P

present from the boy

2008-03-21T23:42:00.002-04:00

oh yes.

obsessed with clothing, oh noes

2008-03-19T02:11:00.006-04:00

so a couple weeks ago, i may have purchased a funky little hood from pixiebell and awesome fingerless gloves from kitmit on etsy, as shown here:

oh yes. so much fun, and toasty warm ♥ love em!

i also decided to make some earrings for myself since i haven't actually made any to keep, and a sister pair to sell in my shop.

i like em! they tinkle when i move XD and i've been in a green kick, so hurray!

i'm also waiting for a pretty black and white circle skirt from tallgiraffe. i don't really wear skirts (i prefer dresses -- i is lazy) so this'll be fun!

AND! through alchemy (which i think i am going to abandon for the time being, due to the disorganization and craziness ensuing there at the moment) i have enlisted the aid of two fantastical seamstresses to make me a winter dress (by neurasthenia) and a rockabilly dress (by cherrypievintage). EXCITED.

naturally, i am now considering buying myself a sewing machine and experimenting at home! i've been dabbling and done a bit of work in school, so i'm kind of excited at the prospect :D i may also get a serger, because i'm not really sure how to finish edges without one! darn costume class, spoiling me rotten.

but never fear, i have not abandoned bookbinding! i have one book (black pages, whee!) in the works, and i plan on picking up supplies next week in st. louis and kansas city and teach myself how to do exposed bindings and such! hurray!

yes, my bank account hates me. damn you, crafting addiction!

charity, 1/3 the way through!

2008-03-11T13:48:00.003-04:00

the charity drive for h.e.l.p. international is about a third of the way through! hurray!

we've made $146.50 so far, which is fantastic! but there are still lovely books out there that need homes, including my natural leaf book :)

check out this search for more books that are being donated to charity!

for more information, check out the bookbinding team's blog.

slow slow times!

2008-03-01T22:19:00.003-05:00

in the past couple months, i believe i've made a grand total of 2 books and 2 sets of earrings for my shop. that makes me sad. :(

so today, i went to michael's and got myself (with a gift card, woot... hooray for free!) a pretty little screw punch!

i'm hoping to use this to make exposed binding books and the like :) part of my experimentation for the year! i'd like to start with the secret belgian binding, following this tutorial. it doesn't look too awful difficult! :D

i'd also like a better awl and a larger self-healing mat, but those may need to wait for the moment. same for my jewelry tools, they're lookin a little shabby, so i think i need to upgrade my cutters at least. i've heard lindstrom is the best, but they're a tad pricey... not too bad, but i'll think about it for a bit! ;)

Seller of the Month: purposedesign

2008-03-01T03:59:00.005-05:00

Julie - Montreal - Canada

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Julie Pedersen, I am the brains (and brawn) behind purpose design. I run things out of my design lab in Montreal, Quebec. I have been designing homewares for about 4 years now.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

The products I sell are mostly kitchen-related, magnetic spice racks, spice kits and the like. I am kind of a foodie, so designing food-related things is very satisfying for my inner chef.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

Well, I really wanted to start selling my work online. I painstakingly designed a web site in the summer of 2006 that no one ever visited (but me) and I thought, there's got to be a better way to get my stuff out there! Then I saw an article about Etsy in one of my fave magazines, Dwell. The rest is history, baby.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I started making handmade items when I was becoming very tired of being an art director in advertising. It was an outlet for me to create what I thought was cool.

As for the type of products I make, that goes back to a downtown apartment I lived in with a VERY small kitchen (read closet). I had to be creative with storage, so I made a magnetized spice rack for myself because I was tired of spices raining down on me when I opened my overflowing kitchen cabinets. Friends suggested that I try to sell them to other space-challenged individuals, so I gave it a try.

I've had a great experience on Etsy and a good reaction to my products I think because they are very different from a lot of what is being sold there. I think that having an interesting product that sets you apart is a common theme to many other seller's success on Etsy. So I guess my advice is to create something fresh and interesting and people will find you and love you for it. And always try to be a nice person.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

I am currently designing a line of blackboard homewares, an area that I have experimented with before. I have magnetic blackboard coasters up in my Etsy shop now that are getting a great response. (you should go take a look, wink, wink)
I am REALLY excited to get the rest of my new line up for sale on Etsy soon.

I am also dreaming of designing a kids line sometime later this year, or maybe next year, I'm a busy girl.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I love indie design and support it with all my heart because design is SO important in my life. All big, fantastic, life-altering design starts with one person with an idea. It's humbling when you think about it.

I still find it amazing that I can create things and put them out there in the world and other people want to hold them and look at them and own them. That's one of the best parts of my creative process. I find that totally cool and gratifying.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you could have a wild animal for a pet, what kind would you have?

Um, something that would scare away the squirrels and pigeons that are living in my roof. A cougar? An elephant? Of course, then I would have a cougar or elephant to deal with...

Featured Items

best charity event

2008-02-19T17:17:00.004-05:00

the bookbinding etsy street team is hosting a charity event, with proceeds from donated books being sent to the h.e.l.p. international foundation to support the cause of global literacy!

here is the book i have chosen:

i felt the adventurous nature of this book somehow fit :)

you can read more about the charity event and check out the other books that have been donated on the best blog.

Seller of the Month: Ottoman

2008-02-05T17:50:00.000-05:00

Summer - Oregon - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Summer (yet, I usually go by Ottoman) and I have a BFA in Sculpture and Printmaking. Crafting has been my way to be creative, yet be a mom.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

I opened my shop with the Moss Collection, items that have been needle felted to look like moss. I really tried to push the moss idea in as many ways possible, which includes: pincushions, sachets (most of which can be used as pincushions), accessories, jewelery, and housewares. I will also be debuting my new Cork Collection this week which is very exciting!

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

What attracted me to Etsy is that it is visually stunning and clean-lined, I opened my own shop as a creative outlet and to start my own business without overhead. It's also wonderful to be associated with a website that promotes handmade items.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I started making handmade items as a child, but in regard to crafting, I just recently started this adventure; prior to crafting, I concentrated on fine art. I started selling on Etsy in October of 2007. I'm pretty new to Etsy, but my tip for current/future sellers is to make what you love!

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I have so many favorites on Etsy! I tend to be drawn toward work that has a lot of thought behind it, similar to conceptual art; I also love things with clean lines, and work that has been made with sensitivity to the environment...oh, and I do like kitcsh.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! Would you rather live in Antarctica or the Sahara?

I guess the Sahara; I think I would have a better chance at survival.

Featured Items

quirky n berkeley feature

2008-01-26T02:31:00.000-05:00

flurrsprite's nook was featured today on quirky n berkeley's blog! hurray! go check out the fabulousness :D

scarf!

2008-01-20T21:50:00.000-05:00

i promised i would make sure to write up a post about stircrazycrafts's lovely scarf that she donated as a prize for the canada contest that i won recently, because i left it in missouri and was unable to include it in my post :)

so here it is, folks! all fluffy and sparkly and super warm! love it!

i are nerd

2008-01-13T18:47:00.000-05:00

sort of finished my cloak! but my parents don't have a full length mirror, so i didn't really get to see what it looked like until i had my mom take pictures... which led to my decision about it not being quite finished yet, because the capelet is shorter than i had intended (it was long when i first sewed it together, but my mom suggested i chop it a little and i got a bit carried away) so i'm going to need to add some more felt onto it! i'll use this as an excuse to embellish it, because it's rather plain ;) sadly, i'm not completely happy with my hood (that's what i get for making everything up), so i may need to do it over... we'll see!

i'm leaving hawaii tonight... i'm actually pretty sad about it, which isn't normally the case! but it'll be good to go back to missouri. for example: this is what my "work space" looked like here:

okay, that may have been on a bad day, but still! it'll be nice to have say, a table to work on instead of the floor! ;)

alas, i had to mail back a bunch of my bookbinding supplies, and parcel post takes 3-5 weeks (AUGH) so it may be a while before i post up any new books! but that's okay, i have all of my jewelry stuff with me so i can play around with that for a bit, if job hunting goes well anyway!

split!

2008-01-10T04:39:00.000-05:00

there are two pairs of etsy pretties that i am trying to decide between.

the first pair is more of a "i've wanted one these for a while but now i have a practical need for them"... i have my lovely new bag, but it only has one pocket so i'd like to organize it a bit more with a cute little pouch by sidneyann!

options a & b:

the second pair is more of a "let me earn a little bit more money and then splurge on clothes" (it's pretty sad, i'm far more willing to splurge on some sushi than i am for buying some decent clothes for myself) from papaya!

options a & b:

any thoughts? ;)

new new year year

2008-01-08T18:37:00.000-05:00

finally got around to playing with my hammer and baby anvil! made some new earrings, which i rather like :)

what did you all get for christmas from etsy? i got (myself) a pretty leather journal (that i actually plan on using!) from my handbound books, a super-cute clay book from lady artisan for best's first book swap, and my sister got me some mango lotion from spa therapy! ...actually, i also got some awesome dead sea mud soap too, but i used it already ;)

i finally sold my puffin book! it was possibly my favorite book.. i've made others that are better quality and probably cuter, but i've had a special attachment to my puffin book. i'm a little sad (as you can see in my goofy picture below), but for some reason it makes me feel like i'm moving forward. huzzah!

on a completely random not-craftsy note, it appears that we have a wild pua'a living nearby that likes to eat our front yard.

if you see one you're supposed to report it and the peoples will come out and kill it for you. i wonder if we can convince em to build a pit and make kalua pig if that happens.... heeeeere piggy piggy piggy...

15% off sale

2008-01-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

yep, i'm having a sale until friday night at midnight because i am addicted to handmade etsy soaps. everything is 15% off in my shop, prices are original and you can either wait to receive your revised invoice or i can just send you a refund.

help me remain addicted.

new year's resolutions for etsy

2008-01-05T16:50:00.000-05:00

1. start editing pictures in photoshop...✓
2. clean up shop profile and announcement...✓
3. organize money spreadsheet (eg separate tabs)...✓
4. adjust item prices according to calculator...✓
5. fiddle with blog...in progress
6. update shop avatar, maybe banner
7. make at least 3 things a week

seller of the month - GoBuggy

2008-01-01T00:26:00.000-05:00

Machiko Munakata - Illinois - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Machiko Munakata and I am a mom, wife, in my 30s, hooked on toys, who couldn't train her dog.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

I make felt foods. I started to make them so my daughter and I could play with them.
I pick foods that are familiar from my upbringing, and foods that I liked the aesthetics of.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

I was introduced to Etsy from a friend also a seller (kristinpavelka). I love the fact that I do come across a shop far away from my town. I also like the conveniece since I have a baby girl and it was easy to set up. The customers have been very nice and supportive. I think that is why I want to stick with Etsy.

I also like finding quirky wonderful people who can share my weird interests.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

My background is in Ceramic/Sculpture so I have been making things with my hands for a while. I started Etsy in Sept of 2007 and the store is especially inspired by the birth of my daughter. I am a newbie so i don't have good tips but I have learned from others that making something that I like is the most important thing-- And I agree. I think you can see that in other shops and I hope that comes through in mine.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

This is always a difficult question to answer. Well, if I can promote Etsy in general, that might be easier for me. I always think that buying handmade things are not just buying a product, but also sharing and supporting the maker's vision and piece of their world.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I have not had the pleasure to cruise through many shops yet--- I hear there are close to 100,000 shops? But few I have found are lovely prints (Deardodo and yellowmonday) and potteries (kristinpavelka--- okay, she is my friend but she is quite the potter). I also love shops that have toys, characters that the seller has made up. I probably cruise through Geekery more often more than other categories. Geekery moves the world go around!!!

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! What is your mostest favorite kind of sandwich?

As of now, it is French Dip. The sandwich can be swimming in that dip.

Featured Items

post-christmas update

2007-12-29T00:19:00.000-05:00

so what's new? well, let's see...

1. i had a day after christmas sale where everything was 15% off, but never fear! i am holding a general end of the year sale now, with 10% off everything in my shop!

2. i bought jmacc's falling leaf hobo bag. it's mine. you can't have it. i ♥ it fohevah!!!1!11one!1!

3. made a couple of earrings, want to make more! i've got some ideas for my silver wire :) i brought my hammer and baby anvil all the way to hawaii, gotta put em to good use eh?
my forest angel earrings
my epimeliad earrings

4. made a mushroom book! hee hee. badger badger badger badger...

i have four more book blocks that i've put together, so i just need to get my lazy bum up and make the covers for them!

5. i bought 4 yards of gray felt, and i am going to be making a cloak! ordered this cute cloak clasp because i am a hugenerdomg. i'm a little skeptical about the felt (no wool fabric at the FABRIC store --sure, i'm in hawaii, but really? no wool? really?-- and no gray fleece, which i think would've hung better) but that's okay, it's all for fun! maybe it'll turn out fantabulous and i'll sell some online! ...hyeah, right. maybe if someone buys me a sewing machine first. ;)

s'all for now! i'm going to curl up on the couch with some tea and read me a book!

etsy texas crafters contest

2007-12-18T13:44:00.000-05:00

phew, i'm on a roll! the other day i participated in one of the texas street team's treasure hunt contests, and won! out of the list of possible prizes, i chose from the team's shop and got the taste of texas grab bag, a promo box filled with goodies from the team's members!

hurray for street teams! i can't wait to finish looking through all of the shops, and check out all of the promos and coupons from everybody!

my dad = my spokesman

2007-12-17T22:34:00.000-05:00

my dad was chatting to a friend of his at work about how i bind books, and she requested i make one for her friend, who had just had a baby.

unfortunately, my dad didn't ask for any specifics, like if the baby was a boy or a girl, so i decided to make two books for her to choose from:

she ended up buying both!

(the one that says "eva" on it originally didn't, i was going to put "baby" on it in felt but my dad snagged it before i had gotten to that point and brought it to her. luckily he called and asked me about it so i told him that if she liked that book that i could cut out whatever words she wanted, so she asked for "eva 2007".)

and then she requested one more, for her "not-girly" friend. so i made this out of some new fuzzy paper i had just gotten:

my dad also showed her my asian inspired book ("just in case"); it had been sitting in my closet because i had taken it off of etsy after my grandpa's pecans exploded in my suitcase and gotten oil on its cover... you couldn't really tell after i wiped it a few times with water, but i knew it was damaged and just couldn't sell it in good conscience.

she bought both.

go daddy! XD

on a side note, look at my books together:

i do not seem to have my own "style". i'm still trying to decide if this is a good or bad thing haha!

BEST Holiday Books! Treasury

2007-12-14T17:54:00.000-05:00

check out my very first treasury, featuring lovely (holiday style) books from the best team! :)

experiment: bag

2007-12-12T17:25:00.001-05:00

my sister gave me some fabric and little bag handles from japan (she visited during the summer), so i decided to experiment and make a bag! ...and also because i was having bag indecision (although i ended up buying jmacc's bag from my little bag feature that i posted a short while ago as a christmas present to myself hehe).

so! here is what i came up with:

i sort of just made it up as i went along... i didn't use a pattern, and i got lazy and didn't make any sort of lining haha! i figured the canvas was sturdy enough ;) but i think it turned out pretty cute! well, so long as you don't look at the stitching on the inside (i didn't feel like hunting for my mom's sewing machine, so i hand-stitched the whole thing) XD

see? back-stitching is never really pretty on the other side haha! but for my first bag, i like :3

oh pooh, i just found another bag on etsy that i like! woe is me!

the best holiday sale!

2007-12-07T03:08:00.001-05:00

seller of the month - fringe

2007-12-04T21:03:00.000-05:00

Dennice Mankarious - California - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

Dennice Mankarious, wife, mother, sister, daughter. fiber fanatic. perfectionist.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

i design scarves, cowls, shrugs, capelets, shawls, lariats and many other items. i have a wide range of fashion styles from high drama to urban prairie to appeal to everyone, i hope. i feel that accessories make the outfit, and are a perfect form of personal expression. i make my creations in hopes that whoever wears one of my items will feel self-confident and divine.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

i sell on etsy because it's the perfect venue for my life style. it gives me a lot of freedom and the site is designed in such a fabulous way that you can give your shop your own personal style very easily. it has been an excellent learning experience for me and i have been very successful on etsy. plus, i'm my own boss. yippee!

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

i started selling my creations several years ago, but not seriously. i didn't become focused and serious until i joined etsy back in January of this year. my humble advice to sellers is to do your research, take pride in your work, take good photos and list frequently. etsy's wikki has wonderful articles to help everyone who wants to take their shop on etsy seriously. it's how i did it. i didn't have a mentor, i just read everything i could lay my hands on that etsy had to offer me.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

i have many shops and sellers that i adore here. i will say that leavesofglass, talula, boringsidney and bayousalvage are my top four. and they are all run by exceptional businesswomen.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you could live in any shaped house (a round house, a hexagonal house...), what would you like to live in?

i think of all the shapes out there in this big, beautiful world i would choose a u-shaped house with squared corners. the inside of the "u" would be floor to ceiling windows overlooking the center of the "u" which would have a swanky pool and lounge area. yep. a girl can dream can't she?

Featured Items

trans-canada etsy team contest prize

2007-12-03T22:51:00.000-05:00

as mentioned in a previous post, i won the trans-canada etsy team contest! i would like to show off their fabulous prizes here! i received...

...a pair of adorable catnip mice from 4paws

alas, i have no kitties, but i'm going to use them as christmas tree ornaments until i see my uncle's kitty again! ...i hope catnip lasts that long!

...a fluffy coffee condom (i think it looks like a corset... and want to wear it as a bracelet!) from caffeinatedcrafts

starbucks beware!

...pretty little earrings from mieldesigns

i love the lapis lazuli stones on them!

...a whimsical bird hanging art piece by tanisalexis and a precious stuffed bunny by her sister shop, mwahcreations

the bunny smells like lavendar! hee!

...an eco-chic vintage leather necklace by tomatedepingles

the clasp has a little leather piece attached... what a cute detail!

...awesome feather deploy earrings by neawear

they're delicate, but super sleek! can't wait to wear them out!

...a butter soft leather book and fun leather cuff (which i am totally going to wear on my ankle instead!) by myhandboundbooks

unfortunately, i forgot my wonderfully beautiful fluffy scarf by stircrazycrafts back in missouri :( i had already integrated it into my wardrobe, so when it came time to pack for hawaii, i put it aside... boooo! i promise i'll post a special entry just for the scarf :D it's very warm, and will definitely be put to good use when it's blustery outside! hurray for handmade scarves!

happy holidays everybody!

tagged

2007-11-30T03:36:00.000-05:00

the other day i was tagged by the lovely danca to do a survey, which i have no problem doing because they're fun :) however, seeing how i just did one a handful of posts back (and i don't have many!) i figure i'll skip the tagging forward and just say that if anybody wants to do it, then go on ahead! :D

the rules are:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. 7 things about me:
ignore the rules ♥

1. each week this past month was spent living in a different state
2. lately i have been far more interested in green things than blue, which is my favorite color... but out of loyalty to blue i refuse to make green my fave
3. the only thing i actually want to do here in hawaii is eat
4. i have "deformed" feet: my big toes are shorter than the ones next to them
5. i just bought munchkin, a fabulous card game. everyone should play it!
6. i am completely, compleeeetely addicted to the internet. i mean, i would much rather have my laptop than my car.
7. i've decided that only a fun obstacle course will motivate me to work out

lately...!

2007-11-16T00:02:00.000-05:00

i haven't completely died these past couple of months, i swear! :) i've been...

...experimenting with chocolate and candy molds! (mostly because i really want to make pirate ship chocolates... how awesome would that be??)

{duckyyyyyyyyy!}

...made a halloween costume for etsy's contest

{kaylee from firefly!}

...made a couple of book commissions for some friends. interestingly enough, both named sarah and both were for their siblings!

{a leather book with hindi writings on it. the cover says 'brother'}

{a cafe book for a sister who likes coffee!}

...and hopefully more will be coming soon~!

hooray for etsy teams!

2007-11-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

i was just awarded first prize for my treasury entry to the trans-canada etsy team contest: best collection of canadian handmade goods! check out the details here.

an' i get lots of pretties, muahahahahaaaaa... okay, enough bragging. this actually leads me to:

the bookbinding etsy street team!

etsy has lots of awesome street teams, and i have not yet mentioned that there is now a bookbinding one as well! we have a lovely blog, a shop, an official profile on team.etsy, and a bazillion members forrealzyo!!!1!1one!

...okay, maybe not that last part, but hey, we're perfectly willing to take on that many! ;) the 60-ish members that we do have are pretty fantastic! check out this screenshot of one of our etsy treasuries to see some samples from our shop:

if anybody might be interested in joining, please contact er, well.. me, or go straight to our membership coordinator rhonda (myhandboundbooks). the main requirement is just that you are interested in bookbinding, whether as a bookbinder selling on etsy or simply as an appreciator of bookbinding arts on etsy! if you'd like more details, feel free to ask!

/end shpiel

seller of the month: WeeFolkOutfitters

2007-10-31T18:00:00.000-04:00

Sean Fulkerson - Youngstown - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

I'm a furry little gnome of guy who goes by the name Sean Fulkerson and makes fairy doors for a living.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

I offer a variety of fairy doors that I handcraft from solid knotty pine. I have about ten standard designs I came up with, but each door I make takes on a personality of its own -- it's all up to the wood. I also have a gnome outhouse I make (which I really need to list on Etsy), and I've been planning on making windows but just haven't had the time.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

Etsy was mentioned to me by an acquaintance a few months ago. I really liked the idea of a "handmade only" website, but wasn't sure my doors would sell there. So I lurked on the site for a while, reading the forums and trying to get a feel for "how things work". I sell almost exclusively on Etsy now.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I've been making stuff from wood since I was a wee gnome living in the hills of Western Pennsylvania. Even though I've never been a stranger to sawdust or hammers, my first real attempt at making money from woodworking was only about four years ago. I made up some grapevine wreaths with a wooden character in the center -- Santas, snowmen, angels -- and ended up selling quite a few of them. After that, I went into furniture making -- Mission and Shaker style tables. That didn't go so well (small shop, big stuff). This past summer was when I was first introduced to fairy doors. An online friend who knew I made stuff asked if I could make her some fairy doors. At first, I thought she was nuts. But then I started researching them and ultimately found my true calling. I love making the things.

The only real tips I have for anyone thinking of selling their crafts on Etsy is that you *have* to participate in the community. Get on the chat rooms. Participate in the forums. Sell yourself without selling yourself out (or short). I've made some great friends on Etsy in just a short while.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

Why buy fairy doors from me? I've been told mine are the finest fairy doors on the web -- and not just by Etsy buyers. If you're looking for something really unique that can't be had for any money at Walmart, check out my doors. They're fun for kids of all ages and look as good in the garden or next to a tree as they do on a bookshelf or against a baseboard. The trick is to put them in non-obvious spaces -- let them be discovered instead of shown off.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

One of my favorite shops on Etsy is Spidercamp's. We've bought two of her goofy bunnies so far. My daughter has taken possession of "crap" bunny and won't give it back until "yippee!" bunny gets here.

Otherwise, I think everyone should watch where they step so as not to squish any wee folk.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you could invent a new flavored chocolate, what kind would you pick?

Bacon. Bacon smothered in chocolate would be killer (or chocolate smothered in bacon).

Featured Items

want an etsy bag?

2007-10-28T18:47:00.000-04:00

i know i do! maybe because my current bag died :P it's rigged to work fine, but i still can't help drooling over these cute bags!

Brown Unisex Messenger by P8Accessories

Robot Love Large Vinyl Messenger by SugarLust

Falling Leaf Hobo by Jmacc

New Sprout Messenger Bag by cipolla

Green Faux Leather/White Octopus Applique Purse by SAYSIBEAU

i'm a big bag person XD and i prefer em over the shoulder (although the falling leaves one is just too cute to ignore!)

huzzah for handmade, and for etsy!

2007-10-24T22:33:00.001-04:00

seller of the month: kimwestad

2007-10-10T23:56:00.000-04:00

Kim Westad - New York City - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Kim Westad and I'm a ceramic artist currently working out of my studio in the Bronx.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

I'm currently focusing on functional ceramics using porcelain- bowls, cups, vases and my favorite, Whirls. 2007 has been an amazing year for my work. I've designed and produced three new collections and have been very happy to have my work recognized by several media outlets including House Beautiful and Las Vegas Home and Design Magazines.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

I'm currently selling in boutiques and galleries throughout the U.S., as well as online through Etsy. Etsy has been a wonderful resource, allowing me to present my work to a huge online community. I've sold pieces to clients in Singapore, Australia, Canada and the U.S.. It's allowed me to reach a much broader retail audience as well as introduce my work to galleries and wholesale buyers.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I've been making handmade items for as long as I can remember, though I only started my ceramics business in 2004. On a whim, I started selling on Etsy in January 2007. It turned out to be one of the best business decisions I've made.

I think that presentation is everything and I make sure to present my work and myself in a professional manner. I take pride in offering quality pieces as well as concentrating on customer service. I do my best to make sure that the descriptions of my work are clear and my photographs accurately represent the work. Good communication is a must.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

I know that my quality of life is definitely dependent upon my surroundings. It's probably true for most people, but I am certainly more comfortable and happy when I am surrounded by the people, animals and things that I love. That thought goes into each piece that I make. I work very hard to design and produce unique, quality pieces that I hope my customers will be happy to use and have in their homes. My work is very much about the process, working with each piece from inception to completion. I live with each piece throughout that process (which sometimes lasts several weeks), though I know that the work ultimately doesn't belong to me. Each Whirl, bowl, cup or vase is created with the hope that it will enhance the surroundings of its new owner.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should look at, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

It's October and I'm still waiting for Fall in New York.....

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you had a tree house, what would you put in it?:

Indoor plumbing.

Featured Items

phew

2007-09-30T20:43:00.000-04:00

it's been a long while since i've last posted, yes it has!

here's a couple of commissions from friends o' mine that i did this past month :)

yay never ending story look-alike!

sibling books with pictures chosen by said friend!

i also went on vacation for a few days, and this puffin totally looked at me:

the bookbinding etsy street team is well underway! check out the BEST (harhar) blog for more details and let me know if you'd like to join! (--we're still busy getting everything together, pardon the dust)

last, luchicreations tagged me to tell you six things about myself, and to tag six others. sooooo...

1. i just discovered the cheesy beefy melt at taco bell today, and it is fabulous.
2. i'm a sports racer (actually dubbed "sparkle beauty" by ze) and i'm proud of it! ...and really miss the show! *tear*
3. i could never live in pennsylvania again, because the mere thought of the non-existant merge lanes on the highways sparks road rage in me.
4. i spend way too much on pretties, hoping they'll find their way into my etsy shop XD
5. i want to learn to make soap and to screen print and letter press, but for tomorrow i think i might make some cute chocolate molds if i can find something at michaels.
6. i want to own a shaggy moo.

well, so far there are only a handful people that i know of who have read this blog, so i'll tag the 4 left! haha

my handbound books
fuzzy izmit
krazy kates krazy days
paper girl productions

hell yes

2007-09-04T16:20:00.000-04:00

seller of the month: sudlow

2007-08-31T23:16:00.000-04:00

Rachael Sudlow - Kansas - USA

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

My name is Rachael Sudlow, I'm a mid 20's full time artist. I live in the heart of the midwest in Kansas & and I'm slightly OCD about making my work...at least I love it, because i'm constantly creating. You can always find new designs in my shop at least weekly.

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

http://sudlow.etsy.com is my main selling outlet & I peddle my jewelry. For the most part, I make what I think I'd like to wear & then post it on etsy & see how the reactions are. Pieces like my Peapods & Monet's Waterlilies series have been bestsellers. I'm always on the hunt for new colors & beads & trying to learn new techniques.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

Because it's the best full time job I've ever had. I quit my dull office job & haven't looked back. It's really fulfilling to work with customers directly & to create new pieces based on their preferences.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items? When did you start selling on Etsy? Any tips for current/future sellers?):

I started making art & jewelry ages ago, back in highschool. I went to the Rhode Island School of Design & that further pushed me. After leaving school I worked a regular job for awhile + just making items for myself. when I discovered etsy in November 2005, I was hooked. Things have gotten better & better from there & I've learned a lot. I always put 100% into my shop & my work, & I think it reflects that. I tell people the key to selling is quality pieces & good photography. Fast, good customer service is always a plus & doing custom work doesnt hurt as well.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

Because you're getting an original work of art. Most of my pieces start from the basics...a plain sheet of metal, a few beads & some chain...I hand saw, form & solder all my pieces, including small components like clasps. I have amazing customer service & often get custom special orders done within HOURS rather than days. I'm willing to alter & customize my pieces to suit your needs, whether it be a different color, a special stamped message or the length or size.

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should check out, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

I'm heavily involved with my street team, EtsyMetals. They are my creative muses & a great sounding board for my work. Our group site is http://www.etsymetal.com & it has a listing of all the members & showcases some incredible talent that's worth checking out.

Also, if anyone is in the NE Kansas region, I teach at the Lawrence Arts Center in Lawrence, KS...I'm happy to get new people in to hammer, saw & create.

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! If you could design your own wellies, what would you want on them?::

Bumblebees...I'm really into bugs right now.

Featured Items

commission

2007-08-22T08:22:00.001-04:00

a friend of mine just commissioned me to make him a book like the one in the never ending story. FUN!

showcase!

2007-08-17T21:44:00.000-04:00

i have a showcase reserved for tomorrow! i believe it will start at midnight...? :D i'm pretty excited, and am in the process of listing a few new items so my inventory will be a little more full! i didn't get a chance to make some new books like i had hoped, but new jewelry is always fun! i also have another showcase reserved for sept. 1st, so i'll have more books up by then ;)

if you get the chance, check out my items on etsy tomorrow! :)

experimenting with necklaces

2007-08-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

so i decided to try my hand at beading necklaces :) i honestly think i have much more fun with earrings (twirling wire, yay!) but it was still fun doing this! alas, i cannot get my pictures to show the true colors of the blue beads for the life of me ;_; i tried taking pictures outside, inside, in sunlight, blue light, yellow light, shade, during daytime, nighttime... argh! :( i am doomed. i have no idea why it shows up so light! ahh well... i included a link in the description that i found on google of a more accurately colored bead, which someone in the forums said would hurt me more than help but i think that i would rather let the customer see what it would really look like than get the necklace and be like "schwaaaa~t??" :P

i also decided to try making necklaces with the whole burning leather thing! custom initial leather necklaces, with practically all aspects made to your specifics! we'll see if anyone will want one of these :)

new books!

2007-08-06T22:36:00.001-04:00

i've finally made a couple new books. the first will be put up for sale on etsy, and the second is a custom order from my boss at the theatre XD

i had to put in the last picture because... it looks like it's glowing! hee!

i've added a few new items to etsy, including twins of the ear threaders i made for my friend :) i liked em so much i made another pair!

and i discovered a fun new site called etsytools on the forums! it puts on stats and all of that good stuff from etsy for everybody to see! check it out!

couple o' fun projects

2007-08-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

i decided to try to play with leather last night, and here is the result of testing out all of the different points on my toy~
haha i know, it's just a mishmash of blah, but i had fun and that's all that matters XD

and today was my roomie alex and her twin sister's birthday, so i made them some earrings! the ear threader one is for alex because she thought the leaf earrings i just (half) made were cute and that they were cool because she had never seen ear threaders before :)

seller of the month: MyHandboundBooks

2007-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

each month i will be supporting an etsy seller who i believe creates unique and interesting items. the first seller of the month is myhandboundbooks! :D

WHO (Your name, general description, any random bit of info about yourself, a vague sentence):

Rhonda Miller - Nova Scotia - Canada

I am a bookbinder - unemployed librarian & web developer - mommy & spouse.

shop MyHandboundBooks.Etsy.com
blog MyHandboundBooks.Blogspot.com
email pertelote [!at] ns.sympatico.ca

WHAT (Tell us about your shop, the items you make):

MyHandboundBooks.etsy.com is my shop. I make books. Lately I have been doing most of my books with limp leather covers, but I also enjoy making hardcover books using as much Japanese paper as possible. I especially like to learn about really old bookbinding traditions, and then try to replicate them.

WHERE (Why do you sell on Etsy?):

When I first decided to sell online, I went to Ebay because I thought it was the easiest option. Since then a number of people recommended Etsy and when I finally took the time to check it out, I loved it instantly. So I switched to Etsy as my main outlet.

WHEN (When did you start making handmade items?

I started bookbinding about six years ago when I took my first bookbinding course. In an previous life I tried making and selling jewlery. And even before that, my mother and I did a lot of crafts using dried flowers and wicker, very trendy at the time, and people bought the stuff...but that was a long time ago.

When did you start selling on Etsy?

I joined Etsy in March 2007. At that time, I was working full time at an office job and seemed to have a lot of downtime so I was able to do a lot of the early work setting up the shop and preparing listings on company time.

Any tips for current/future sellers?):

Make your photographs as good as you possibly can. Of course we are not all photographers, but it is really important to have nice pictures. If you take some photos and they are blurry, then start again and take new ones! Don't ever use blurry photos.

WHY (Go on, free self-promotion time! Why should people buy from your shop?):

I want to make books that people will like, and so far, people seem to like them. I want to make books that are functional, durable, beautiful, and unique, and they are. I try to make each of my books unique so if you have one of my books, you can be pretty sure that nobody else has one quite like it!

FUN (Whatever you feel like talking about. A favorite shop or item on Etsy, a website you think others should check out, why butterflies and toe socks should rule the world):

Everyone needs to see this video on YouTube, especially if you are a book person in any capacity. Even better if you are a book person who has worked in the IT industry.

The Medieval Helpdesk - A monk is learning to use a new technology (the book) and has to contact the help desk for user support.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ

Aaaand…RANDOM QUESTION! What is your favorite constellation?:

I like The Hunter, mainly because I can always find him and be sure that it is him. Most constellations elude me and I am never sure if I'm looking at ursa major or ursa minor :\

Featured Items

crystal of the night necklace

2007-07-31T19:06:00.000-04:00

okay, so i am attempting to start naming my items, because listing this as "antique skeleton key and vintage crystal necklace" was going to be ridiculous XD we'll see how this goes!

nice -literally- treasury

2007-07-31T00:22:00.000-04:00

bagladymomma has created a neat little treasury called A treasury for YOU!

what a cute idea! :)

vintage gold skeleton leaf earrings

2007-07-30T18:57:00.001-04:00

i put up a new jewelry listing today! found some wonderful things at the antique shop yesterday, so now i have more pretties to play with! this is the first:

bought more fabric and the like today for new books, but i'm a little tuckered out so i think i shall experiment with the scrap leather i bought! :D if i do well with burning designs into them, hopefully i can make some neat leather jewelry!

first treasury listing!

2007-07-29T22:23:00.000-04:00

i've been listed in shoot me i'm a newbie, a treasury dedicated to sellers with five and under sales, by tackybackintime!

LOVE

natural leaf book

2007-07-29T19:39:00.001-04:00

here's my newest book, to be posted today! i absolutely heart it, but i got a little glue happy so there's a line of glue along the spine on the front and back ;______; but it doesn't look super weird or anything, so i'm trying to decide if i should just put glue along the rest so the line is from top to bottom and call it a "design choice" haha, or if i should just leave it as it is and stop messing with it. decisions decisions!

i took that picture in my new photo light box that i made with this tutorial. it's not bad, but i definitely need more powerful light bulbs!

in other news, i was browsing through my fave antique mall and found a bazillion different pieces of vintage jewelry! hurrah! so i'll be putting those up on etsy as well :3

aaaand last but not least, i am going to be doing an etsy "seller of the month", starting with rhonda miller, aka "myhandboundbooks"! be sure to check that out this wednesday!

.............and now there is a power outage and i no longer have internet connection. thank you, pennsylvania storms! XD...............

clue pool ball book

2007-07-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

and here's today's book!

i made it out of green and black felt and a painted wooden pool ball from the set of "clue! the musical" :D i'm still waiting for it to dry... hopefully it'll turn out all right, because i sort of forgot about the bookmark and headbands until i was halfway done gluing the book block to the cover! whoooops... hahaha but i don't think it'll affect it at all. if anything, i'll probably need to do something to strengthen the bonds between the felt and the paper! we'll see :)

to hell with it...

2007-07-27T14:39:00.001-04:00

...all of my books will be on sale for a limited time! :)

book press, puffin book, and sale!

2007-07-27T11:21:00.001-04:00

yesterday i bought some carriage bolts and wing nuts from lowe's and made me a book press! this definitely helps with the sewing and gluing process :3

i also made the puffin book! i heart it... it's so fluffy and cute! i also think it's my best book so far, in terms of the book press helping me out :) check it out in the shop!

and now that i'm going to be adding a few more books, i thought i might put my orion's belt book up for sale :) find it here!

current/future projects

2007-07-25T23:51:00.000-04:00

at the moment, i am making some business cards for the shop! i don't have a printer, so i really thought about using an online business card shop or someone from etsy, but in the end i decided to continue with the whole "homemade" thing and make my own cards! i like how they look so far, all embossed and tea stained! :)
today i used my new book cradle that i made to punch out holes in a few book blocks that i folded over. works fairly well! though the awl i have is kind of broken so i may need a new one :T
current cover ideas in the making, for which i bought my fabric and materials for include: a puffin book using some really soft and fluffy gray wool i found and am going to sew a puffin cut out of felt onto, a baby scrapbook using this adorable ducky fleece, a wedding album out of pretty and swirly light blue suede-like material with stitching on it, a pool ball book using green felt and wood painted to look like a pool ball recycled from "clue" the musical, and reusing an antique book cover to make a brand new book!

i also found a book block made out of the tea stained paper from a while back, and i think i'm going to use it for the country western book i'm going to make out of black leather and used blank bullet shells! i'm hoping that i'll be able to stamp leather by then (i'm going to practice using some leather i bought -- and might make necklaces and other accessories out of!) so that i can make some designs on the cover too :)

and that's all for now! lots of stuff to keep me busy, yay!

the name

2007-07-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

soooooo! i thought that if anybody wanted to know why "flurrsprite's nook", then they can read about it here :) "flurr sprite" is a character i made up and has since become my screen name. here is a picture of her, drawn by the fabulous peet cooper:

and "nook" because i am currently residing in a place best described as a nook... it is basically a hole in the wall with my bed in it:

that is where i attempt to make all of my items! i do sit on the floor in the hallway, and occasionally steal the dining table downstairs, but yep! this is my home for the next few months :D

setting up a shop blog

2007-07-23T15:57:00.000-04:00

well, i decided that it might be neat to set up a "shop blog" for any customers who might be interested in what i'm doing and how i'm doing it! i will try to update this as much as possible with current projects and future plans, though entries will probably be sporadic. i blame my 14 hour a day, 6 days a week theatre internship ;)

huzzah for etsy!