thelittleredsuitcase

Winner!

2010-03-09T08:05:00.001-08:00

Well its about that time  that I pick a winner from Michelle Sander's post.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2010-03-09 16:04:50 UTC

Dana, please email me at Thelittlestredsuitcase@hotmail.com so we can get that bangle set sent your way and thank you for reading The Little red suitcase!!

Life Love Paper

2010-03-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

Tina of Life Love Paper creates beauty through paper and through the eye of a camera lens. Her blog is one of my daily go to for inspiration and posts about life in general.

1. When did you start having an interest for photography and why is it that you have such a passion for it? What does it add to your life?

I guess it all started pretty early on. I'd always be the one with the little 35mm camera at school functions or sleepovers with friends. It was always about freezing that moment so I could remember it whether good or bad. After purchasing my first digital, composition and lighting seemed to become more of a factor. It was all about teaching myself and it's the great satisfaction I feel when I do get that great shot. I don't feel complete when I don't take at least a few photos a day. It's the constant desire to learn and grow as a photographer. I believe no matter how good or how professional one is, there's always something new to learn or experience. It never gets boring.

2. What inspires you, what sparks your creative process in both photography and scrap booking.

Flickr, light, my niece, traveling, my will to try anything at least once...these things are what inspire me most in my photography. Photography is what inspires my scrap booking. I always base my layout on the photo. I also find a ton of inspiration through some of my favorite magazines. I'm a sucker for skater mags as well as design and digital mags.

3. Describe what makes a great photo, what kind of imagery or objects tend to call to you.

I like to focus on detail, expression and feeling no matter what the subject. I love a nice DOF, sunflare, and bokeh. My current muse is my 3 year old niece who rarely stands and smiles for me. I'm always getting goofy shots that, to me show the true essence of her character and that is what makes a great photograph for me.

4. Do you think over the years you have acquired a certain look in your scrap booking, is there a certain color or style you gravitate towards?

I'm not sure how to describe my look when it comes to scrapping. I'm told I have a simple style with lot's of details. I lean towards smaller pieces of paper rather than using a whole sheet, and I have this thing were I need to group things in multiples of 3. I find that I like to start with very neutral card stock then from there it's always blue, green, white, pink, yellow and/or woodgrain.

5. When it comes to photo editing, which photo editing software if you go to? Which one would you recommend.

I started with PSE7 but later upgraded to CS4 after downloading the free trial. I find it very user friendly although I still have a lot to learn on that particular program. PSE7 is great though, especially for the price. I would recommend that for the everyday scrapper. CS4 is great investment if you plan on doing some professional work.

6. When did scrap booking come into your life? Do you re-call the first layout or project you ever did?

My first scrapbook was a not so great one. I did it the year I graduated high school back in 96 when supplies were very limited in Alaska. I ruined a lot of old photographs by cutting them up with deco scissors. oh, the horror. I sort of put scrapping away and started rubber stamping, then later became involved in altered arts and collage. I started to get bored of using just stamps and ephemera and wanting to make my paper art more personal. I picked up scrapping again when worked for a magazine distribution center. I noticed all these newer scrap booking publications. I think it was Ali Edwards simple and graphic style that sparked the scrapbooker in me again.

7. How do you choose a photo for a layout: Are there times when you photograph something and have an idea in mind for that particular image? Do you choose a story first or pick an image first and move forward with that?

Well, with the Studio Calico kit, I'll pick and choose photos that coordinate some what with the theme. If I really want to use the photo but the colors are off, I'll change the photo to b&w and I always start with a photo. That's where the story begins.

8. What is your space that you use for creating like? What is one of your good organizing techniques, especially for someone with multiple art mediums.

I have a tiny square room which I shouldn't complain about being that a lot of scrapbookers don't have a designated area. I'm also the wrong person to give advice on organization. That's a constant battle for me. My room is a mess for the most part but I'm also in the process of purging A LOT. I'm working to just have my beloved huge solid wood desk I scored at a garage sale and everything else stacked neatly in the closet. I only keep the items that i use the most close to me. Everything else gets placed in a huge pile. I do like use these old relish trays my grandmother passed down to me to hold little bits of paper or chipboard.

9. For those out there that are just looking to get into photography, is there an entry level SLR you would recommend? Which camera was your first?

First SLR camera was a Canon XTi. I loved it, still do. I would highly recommend this one and although I have not used anything else such as a Nikon, the XTi is super reliable and affordable. I do have to ad that it will never be the camera who makes the photographer. Never.

10. You create for a few design teams, one of them is Studio Calico. How do you get the creative juices going for a layout when you have a dead line especially when you are feeling unmotivated?

Deadlines are actually motivating for me especially when it comes to the professionalism of Studio Calico. I don't ever want to let anyone there down by turning in work late. I do admit to have a few uninspired months where I've turned in work that does not make me happy but I'm sure we all have times where we don't like what we produce. My mind is usually cluttered with nonsense during those creative lows. I would definitely walk away if I'm feeling frustrated.

11. Last one, film or digital and why??

Both. I just can't choose one. Digital is forgiving and cheaper when it comes to film and processing being so darn expensive but film will always have a special place in my heart. No matter how many actions there are out there to produce the look of film, it will never truly give one the satisfaction and excitement of the unexpected results. I'm very fond of my Polaroid SX70 Land camera and I hope to work more with some of my other film cameras this summer.

Thank you Tina! You can find Tina at her blog Life Love Paper, The Dares, as well as The Studio Calico Design Team. Also you can purchase her photographs on her Etsy shop also entitles Life Love Paper.

Thrifted Finds!

2010-02-28T18:24:00.000-08:00

Well first of all I just want to say welcome back to The Little Red suitcase, I hope for this to be one of many more interviews and share entries of inspiration to come.
Enjoy!

Michelle Sanders is one creative lady. I met her last year at a scrap booking event. Aside from her scrap booking skills, Michelle creates one of a kind, beautiful, vintage inspired jewelry pieces. I thought it would be fun to dig a little into the mind that conjures up all of these designs, so here it goes!

1. Aside from many other creative things you do, how did you start making jewelry?

Ok, funny story…I was about 13 or so and my parents had drug me along with them to a craft show (which they did often). I found a pair of earrings made out of wire wrapped marbles and asked my mom if she would get them for me. Knowing how kids are she told me if I didn’t ask for anything else the whole day she would come back and get them for me. At the end of the day that is the only thing I wanted. My mom asked why that? Why did I want THOSE earrings so badly? I told her because I thought I could make some like it. So she shelled out the $12 for them. I took them home and immediately dug through my brother’s old marbles and started making jewelry. Wow that was a LONG time ago!

2. Describe the process that goes into you deciding on a design, what goes with what and if its a keeper or a re-do.

Well I have sort of a strange process and I haven’t decided if having a touch of ADD is a good thing or a bad thing. I normally have any number of pieces going at the same time because I can’t focus on one thing at a time. My brain won’t let me. As I’m tying this right now I have a million ideas running through my head. It’s exhausting really! Normally I start with a pendant or a vintage item and I build from there. I like to go through my stuff and make little Ziploc bags of things that I want to go together in a piece and then I go back later and work on the piece. That helps keep me focused and helps make the most of my creative outbursts! LOL! As for it being a keeper or not, I don’t think about it too much…I just let it flow and if I make something that doesn’t sell or I don’t wanna keep it for myself, then I’ll rework it.

3. So your business is called Thrifted finds, do you have a favorite thrift shop in your area that you go to? What do you always keep an eye out for? What sort of pieces call out to you?

I have a couple thrift places that I go to locally but the south is not the best place to find good thrifted items. There are a few that I frequent for items for myself, like a groovy little vintage clothing place called “Time Warp” and it’s sister store “Honeymoon Bungalow” has great house wares. Normally my best thrifted finds come from estate sales and little old ladies cleaning out their jewelry boxes. My parents deal in antiques so I often go “shopping” at her house! It’s really a win, win…we get to spend time together and I get some great finds.

4. Now we all pretty much have spaces that we love to sit down and create at, whether it is in a corner in a huge room or even at your kitchen table. Describe your creative space and what you surround yourself with to help inspire you.

I’m embarrassed to say that I have a craft room and I don’t even use it. We live in a tiny house so it’s our only storage so it tends to get out of control. Plus it isolates me from my family so I prefer to work where I can be close to them. Normally I scrapbook at the coffee table in the living room and I make my jewelry pieces at the kitchen table. Yes…my house is a mess. But you would be crazy inspired if you sat down at my kitchen table! LOL!

5. Any other crafty hobbies peak your interest, and why?

Well I scrapbook and do paper crafts. I have ever since I was in grade school. I love paper crafts in general really. I’ve always collected stickers and loved making cards and putting pictures in a memory book. I just evolved with the industry I guess. I had some of the very first scrapbooking magazines ever printed. I also like to sew but I don’t sew very well! LOL! I just do little projects for myself. Actually I only bought my sewing machine to sew on my scrapbook pages but being the thrifty person I am I had to find other things to do with it to justify the purchase!

6. When you're in a creative rut, what sort of things do you do to pull yourself out of it to get back into creating again?

I look through my inspiration folder on my computer for pictures I’ve gathered while surfing the net. But I get most of my inspiration just by digging in my stash of vintage pretties. For me that is the best way to get the juices flowing again.

7. Ok, last one.............and it’s just a random fun one. Silver or gold?? And why? :)

Hmmmm…If it’s something I’m purchasing I get silver normally but lately I’ve been loving working with antique gold in my jewelry pieces. I think it’s because it’s very vintage…It wasn’t until the 90s that we all trended towards silver so I guess when you embrace vintage you sort of develop a love for gold again.

Be sure to check out Michelle's shop and enter "The Little Red Suitcase" in the comment section when checking out and you will receive 15% from your purchase!

Also leave a comment in the comment section of this post for your chance to win this beautiful bangle set from Michelle. You have until Monday, March 8th 12pm eastern time.

Thank you Michelle!

FYI

2010-02-24T21:24:00.000-08:00

This time The little red suitcase is really coming back!  Look for an all new interview this weekend as well as tutorials starting in March.  Cynthia will be bringing you weekly tutorials right here on The little red suitcase.  See you all soon.

Taking a break

2009-02-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

The little red suitcase will be back in March. So dont forget to keep a lookout for upcoming interviews and tutorials!!!

Patty

Some of interest for all of you handmade people!

2009-02-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

There is not much time left to get yourself a Product Showcase ad in our April/May issue, featuring the stunning Lily Allen on the cover!

This is our music issue, with juicy interviews, trend reports and fresh fashion so you can start the Spring in style! It would be a crying shame not to let almost half a million BUST readers know about you in print!
The Product Showcase is the least expensive form of print advertising out there. You get to submit an image of YOUR special product, as well as your website, your product name and the price. It’s like catalog shopping edited down to it’s best form! Our BUST readers love to peruse the showcase to find out where to get the most unique ring, or that special pair of earrings, or tote that no other gal has.

So don’t delay, there literally are only a few spaces left, and at only $150 bucks, they’re going fast!

Click here to get more info and sign up for this unique opportunity: http://www.bust.com/Info/BUST-Product-Showcase.html

Your product could be featured in the showcase just like the ones below!

The Freckled Nest

2009-02-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

My next interview is a fairly fun one. I came across Leigh-Ann's blog via the internet about a year or so ago. At the time I was just getting into the art of preserving memories, whether it be through scrap booking, or journaling, and Leah-Ann and her work were very inspiring to me. She has a wonderful personality, an awesome eye for album design, and she shares her life in wonderful images and great stories including inside jokes that she and her boyfriend exchange. I thought it only perfect to ask her to allow me to interview her for the little red suitcase, with so much going on in her life creatively, its just perfect timing. Be prepared to smile, giggle, and find out some more behind this Canadian chick and her wonderful part of the Internet called The Freckled Nest!

1.First lets get down and dirty, the nitty gritty. Who is Leigh-Ann? Give us a peek into your life!

Hiiii! :] I'm 27 (and can't remember my age off the bat), people call me LA a lot, my sister is my best friend and my brother sends me hilarious texts through out the week. Keith is my super cute boyfriend and I love him so so much. Freckled Nest is my full time job and my dream come true. I used to live for the weekend... now I can't wait for Monday :]

Here's where I work..................

I collect buttons ,

old library cards and rocks shaped like hearts. I don't wear pants when I'm home alone. I love hoodies, old sour soothers candies, and tickle fights. I'm giggly, quiet in groups, full of energy and ideas, and lately, I looove yellow. Garage Sailing is my all time favorite hobby. Our family has an awesome cabin that we built together. It's an hour out of town and its the perfect getaway :) Lola loves running away to go swimming while we're there...and I'm guessing our new puppy Tom will probably copy her this summer ;)
My favorite shows are Project Runway, silly MTV reality shows and lately, reruns of 90210 :] My fave band ever is Tegan and Sara , second favorite, Metric/Emily Haines and I also I love listening to my dad Whistle. He sounds just like the songs and I can tell he's happy when he's whistling :] My Mom and Dad are awesome parents and the cutest grandparents to Olivia and Kennedy (my 2 year old twin nieces) . Keith's parents are really special too, and they treat me like a daughter :] Oh and last thing...I had my first cup of coffee a few weeks ago...and now I'm soooo hooked on Starbucks ;)

2. I am sure you have explained this next one plenty of times, but for those who do not know the answer already, what is behind the name Freckled Nest? Why did you decide that this name represents you and what you do perfectly?

haha, ok!---This is how it happened... I was thinking of a name to represent me and not contain/categorize what I make (so I could expand in any direction and use the same name for everything). I took out my little green dictionary and looked up words that started with 'f' (because I like how the letter f looks in my handwriting). I found the word Freckle and knew that was a perfect start (i looooove when people have freckles; they're like human polka dots!). Then I was talking to my friend, and she was helping me expand on the name... and she was asking me what I like. I started listing things off... paper, books, sea glass, swimming, trees, turtles, birds... and then i told her "I like birds so much, I've let them nest in my roof for the last 3 years"...and it clicked together and I yelled out "FRECKLED NEST"! We were both like... "EEEEEEEEEE"... it was perfect! Nests totally feel like the way I create my art; I take found pieces from around my community, work them together and let my stories live there :)

3. When I first started visiting your blog about a year ago, I noticed you had quite the knack for album and mini book making. How did you get started in that whole craft? Did you take a class? Where you self taught? And possibly describe to us the first one you made, maybe even a little story of the making of that particular one!

I saw a picture in a book one time of a women's mini albums lined up in a shelf...and I thought it was the most beautiful thing. And I knew I only wanted to make little albums (rather than traditional scrap booking). I took one class at a local paper storeccordion album. Other than that, I'm self taught and I just like trying different things and having fun thru the journey of each album. This was my first original design .

These are some of my albums....................... And this is my very favorite mini album... ... because so much of my heart went into it. I made it after my Grandpa passed away, and it was how I "healed". I made the cover out of 2 corn cans my grandpa flattened (he was big into recycling & scrap metal). I was in his shop with him one day, and they caught my eye. He always teased me... "You make your can album yet Sweetpea?"....lol, he couldn't picture how they would be useful to me :) Wish he coulda saw this album.

4. For those who want to give it a go and make their own mini book, I see that you have some kits in your Etsy. How do you come up with these kits? If someone were to order one, what would they receive and on a scale of 1-10 what sort of experience would you need?

*Note: The Above "One hour kit" is a kit offered in the past from Freckled Nest, it is not the one that will be released next week
Most of my kits are an album I originally just made for myself. If I love my album like crazy, I make it into a Kit for my shop :) I recently decided to make a Mini Album Kit Club (New Kit will be released next week at FreckledNest.com, everyone welcome).
Hard to say the level of experience needed on a scale of 1-10... I do write very good instructions (literally step by step) and include example photos along the way. So as long as you can follow instructions and know how to use the tools needed for the project (ex. bone folder, paper cutter, glue, needle&thread, etc), you can make one of my kits. The kits include all the fun supplies to make the album plus great instructions. And once you've made the mini-album, you can use your instructions (which include the supply sizes & quantities) to make the same album again and again in your own style :]

5. Aside from your album making, your Etsy store has some other handmade items and supplies. Describe to us some of the other things you like to make and sell. What has been your favorite item? And what has been the most popular seller?

My Etsy Shop holds lots of different things...but lately, I've had a lot of success with Custom Mini Albums, Photobooth Albums (i think I'm the only store that sells an album perfect for Photobooth Strips, so a lot of photobooth addicts get sent my way by their friends) and Custom Blog Banner Designs (see a selection of my designs here). I'm also well known for Custom Stitching, but I'm kinda enjoying a little break from that right now ;) Other things in my shop include Vintage Things, Button Dog Collars (Lola and Tom both have one and they're strong and adorable), a variety of small photo albums, and my favorite, B utton Button ;)

6. I like to always try and ask a handmade seller the pros and cons of selling stuff you make. It gives others a little glimpse into the world of running a small cottage industry of sorts. Please do share!

I started selling the stuff I make because I like to play store and I love 'the journey of making'...but I don't need a million blank journals. So I thought by selling things I make, I can use the money to restock my supplies and keep doing it :) Sometimes I feel a bit sad sending off the things I create because I get a bit attached (so I always take pictures so I can enjoy it still).
I think it's important to create things that 1) you love 2) are polished (people wonder if it came from "a store") 3) are different than whats out there. It's hard to sell what other people know how to make... so look for a niche that isn't tapped into, and try that out in your style :)
Running a small business full time (or any amount of time) takes a lot of work, time, drive and personal strength. If that's what you want, set goals, work really hard and don't give up!
I did Freckled Nest 4 years before I was ready to go Full Time. I tried a lot of different products along the way; some succeeded, some failed, and some still remain :) I worked a full time day job thru those 4 years, and did Freckled Nest full time evenings and weekends. (But I am not recommending that schedule...I should not have done so much work...a lot of my relationships suffered because of it). But I persisted thru, motivated myself most of the time, and developed a personal style, business plan, good reputation and strong customer base. I jumped the gun on doing it full time (with no other job), I think I should have waited about 6months more or went down to part time, but it worked out in the end. Now that I am doing it full time, I finally feel like I'm in a good grove. I've built structure into my days, the orders keep coming, I've started putting more attention to advertising, and I'm creating beautiful things that I'm in love with :) Nothing beats that!

7. Freckled Nest has truly evolved, and I'm sure this has been a very unique experience. What is in store for Freckled Nest and also in store for you personally especially when it comes to your creative life.

hmmm. Good question :) I have a lot of ideas, and a lot of great things coming! I am very excited to start the Mini Album Kit Club and see what other women build with Freckled Nest kits. I'm working on designing some clothing and "merch". My Advertizing Girl, Six Gun Annie and I are going to do cross promotions with different bands... thru fun T-Shirts I design (with FreckledNest.com on the backs). I can't wait to show you my first one, it's super cute and a bit naughty ;) These t-shirts will eventually be available in my store too :)
We're also going to be growing a Freckled Nest Street Team (FNST icon)...there will be special perks for Street Team Members who help advertise Freckled Nest around their world (we will provide advertizing tools) :) Starting in March, I'll be selling Photobooth Albums and Notebooks at Lune Vintage in Osborne Village, Winnipeg...and I'll be teaching some classes there too :) I'm also collaborating with Red Velvet Art and will be selling exclusive Freckled Nest items thru RVA, starting in May. I'm excited to be traveling to Missouri in April/May to help Elsie and Rachel at their store & RVA Convention and meeting some of my blog friends at the convention! :)
In my creative life, lots of things are on fire! I'm so amped and don't want to go to sleep at night! But the thing I most want to create these days...is a baby! Keith and I talk about it a lot...and we want to wait a bit longer.... but I'm ready to be a Mommy soon :) Shhhh ;)

8. I have to ask about Tom. I am in love with your dog, such a cutie. Mind telling us about him and throwing in a cute story:)

Tom and Lola are my LP and BP (Little Partner and Big Partner) and I love spending my days working with them :) They keep me laughing :) I saved this story just for you Patty:) Lately, Tom is jealous of me being on the computer and not paying allll my attention to him, lol. So he keeps laying in front of my face, and popping up in weird places to get my attention. Here he is,... my new web cam, between my legs under the laptop, and just one for extra cute measure :)

9. Tell us about your perfect work space, what you surround yourself with, what music you like to have playing in the background while creating.

already have my perfect workspace...I just like these things: Good light (love natural light), tv or ipod in the background and I love when Keith crafts with me (he builds models). The only thing missing...I really need a maid! lol! But really, I guess if someone wanted to give me a real dream studio, it would be this one in some part of my home :)

I love the idea of multiple tables (so I could have different projects ongoing and left out)...tons of shelving for display and supplies, tall ceilings, great lighting, cement floors, and a long wall of windows. (I took this photo at Brush Fire Studios where I go pottery painting sometimes.)
While I create, I usually have a tv show or Point Break or music on in the background. I like to listen to Tegan and Sara, The Brunettes, She & Him, Jeremy Larson, Metric, Emily Haines, Andrew Bird, Lisa Loeb (old school), soundtracks to movies I love, The Weakerthans, Feist, Coconut Records, City and Color. But then the funny thing is, I also really like this..................

10. 5 things that you Leigh-Ann, could not live without.

My family. My hands. Buttons. Tampons. Cheddar Cheese. Annnd Keith would add, My Laptop. lol.

Little Brown Pen

2009-02-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

How would you like to have designer stationary at your fingertips?? Well that's what our next featured artist has to offer over on her very unique Etsy shop,
The Little Brown Pen. One can order whichever designs they like, choose from cards, calenders, even recipe cards and within 24 hours have them delivered to your email box where they will become available for your printing pleasure. You can print as many as you want and as she puts it, whenever you want. So if your in a bind and need some one of a kind cards, then her shop and this interview are for you!

Nichole of Little Brown Pen

1. Tell us a little about your self and the meaning behind the name "Little Brown Pen"

I am a writer, and I always have a petite brown Sharpie (my favorite pen) in my purse. We were in a restaurant, and my then 3yo wanted to send a note to his grandma. My husband used my pen to "design" some stationery and that led to the discussion of how cool it would be to design stationery specifically for my son. The idea for Little Brown Pen was born, and the name was fitting because everyone knows about (and knows not to mess with) my "little brown pen."

2. What made you decide to sell PDF templates on your Etsy instead of selling your designs already printed?

We made some for our son, and thought that others would enjoy them as well. I liked the ease of delivery, and I have no idea what it takes to sell actual stationery, so it seemed like a good idea. I had no idea we'd have the reception we did!

3. Since you create one of a kind stationary in the days of internet and emailing, why do you feel its so important for people to stay connected through the long lost art of writing each other?

I always hand-write thank you notes, send cards to my mom, etc. I love to write (both via the computer and handwriting), and I hope the art doesn't die. That said, I view our cards more as the kind you would use as a part of a gift or as an emergency card. I still buy traditional cards, and have a special place in my heart for letterpress.

4. Do you have a special space in your home in which you brainstorm and design your items? What do you tend to surround yourself with that may inspire you?

I think it's more what I am not surrounded by. I absolutely have to work in a clutter-free, zen space. Dishes must be done, beds made, toys picked up, etc. Usually I light a candle. I hate clutter or loose ends of any kind, and I literally can't function if either are plaguing me.

5. Besides creating very lovely paper goods, are there any other artistic/crafty projects you like to really get involved in? Are there any you would love to learn and possible get involved in further?

I am a huge fan of photography. I search flickr and "we heart it" almost daily, and drool over the many amazing photographs I discover. I recently bought a Nikon D40 SLR camera and hope to carve out more time to take my own photos.

6. Being an Etsy store front owner yourself, what would be the pros and cons of selling your handmade goods?

The pros are that it's easy to set up shop, easy to run and etsy garners a lot of traffic you otherwise wouldn't drive to your own site. The cons are that there is a lot of replication of entire brands and ideas and I fear it may be seen as a quick way to make cash. That will definitely tarnish its reputation. What I like about etsy is the ability to buy completely unique things. I hope that doesn't change.

7. So one of the ways I came across your blog as well as your Etsy was through your holiday video. How did this come about? How was it made?

The video was a way for my husband to try his hand at stop-motion video. He loves the genre, and had a blast putting it together. Once we started talking about tying it to the shop, it became a cool exercise in non-traditional PR (of which I am a huge fan). The video was fairly successful and it was a lot of fun to put together!

8. Any future plans for Little Brown pen? New designs? Ideas? products?

Many! There are quite a few shops that sell printable stationery now, so we have a few completely out of the box ideas we're planning to implement in the Spring.

9. On your own personal blog you promote the handmade community throughout your posts. In your own words why do you feel handmade is important and that the people who create their own goods should be recognized?

I am a copywriter and I write for a lot of beauty and fashion brands. It's easy to be noticed when you have marketing budgets and ad campaigns. Not so easy when you are on your own. I promote handmade because I love what I find, and because I hope it helps the business owner reach new customers.

10. Ok, so tell us 5 things you just cannot live without:

Coffee, books, my husband, my kids, and my cat.

The art of Geninne

2009-02-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Whether your a painter yourself or just admire those who partake in art making, this next interview is so inspiring. I love all of the details Geninne puts into her paintings, as well as each and everything she creates. From her bird paintings and collages to her various nature studies and hand carved stamp tutorial. Be prepared to add a new artistic blog to your daily viewing list!

1. The best way to start an interview is with an introduction. And
in the tradition of The Little Red Suitcase, may you give us one?

My name is Geninne D. Zlatkis. I was born in NY, but have stretched my
wings all over Latin America & the US before building a nest atop a
mountain near Mexico City where I live with my talented husband Manolo and two sons while working in a variety of media, including
watercolor, ink, and pencil. I sew, embroider, and recently learned to needle felt.

2. Was painting and drawing and basically creating, something that came to you? Or did you study it?

I think it was both. My love for arts and craft s began at a very early age, my mom tells me that I started drawing when I was two years old
and that it continued to be my favorite activity through my childhood
and teenage years. By the time I had to decide what to study in
college I was 100% sure it had to be in the visual arts. I studied
architecture for two years before I switched to graphic design.
There's never been a time in my life where I've stopped creating some
kind of art, I think it's just part of my DNA.

3. As I looked back on your blog, I have noticed you evolved alot in your paintings. It seems to me, details started to pop, and you

really started to paint more realistic birds and other wild life. What brought about this change?? Was it just you stumbling upon a
style that you found fitted you best? Dont get me wrong, all of your artwork is just great!

Well, they say practice makes perfect. I just think that the more you do art, the better you get at it. I've never tried to have a style, it's just a reflection of me.

4. Not only does your artwork live on canvas and paper, you have taken it to fabric in forms of applique and little sewn birds. When did you first start sewing? How does it feel t o be able to create art in all different mediums??

I inherited my grandma's love for sewing since I was a kid, she worked
professionally in New York embroidering fancy cocktail dresses. I
started sewing in school when I was about 11 years old. I was in a
British all girls school in Chile at the time . My classmates and I
were very much into sewing and knitting our own sweaters for the
winter. We had a wonderful teacher that showed us how to make lots of
things for our dolls. I wish I still had all the beautiful things we embroidered at school .

5. Some of your paintings are pretty much studies of wildlife, i.e the Mushroom painting. Where do you collect all the objects that you paint? Do you research in books? Take nature walks??

I am an extremely curious person, I am constantly looking at books,

surfing the internet and observing nature. I live in a wonderful
wooded area and I love to go out for walks and collect little natural treasures.

6. The Tiny Book Of Birds is such a gorgeous piece. Its no wonder it sold out in your Etsy shop. How long did it take you to create the

mini book? And will it be something you will be creating more of?
possibly another subject other then birds?

I loved making that tiny book and I do have plans to make more. I
really like book binding and working on a really small scale was so
much fun! It is very time consuming, you need to have an organized assembly line or else it can take for ever.

7. One of my favorite paintings you did was the "Fishing" collage
piece. Its just wonderful. Where do you get all your vintage
postcards, book pages, collage pieces from?

I buy a lot of vintage ephemera and digital collage sheets from many wonderful Etsy sellers.

8. How has it felt to see people buy your artwork? What are the pros
and cons of selling what you create? Any advice for people thinking
about getting their art out there?

It is very rewarding to see that people really enjoy what I do and
amazing to be able to manage a little business from home. The only con I can think of is that it is a lot of work! I think having a blog is fundamental to getting your work out there. It was key for me to
participate in Illustration Friday
for a couple of years. It exposed my work to a huge community of fellow artists.

9. You must have a very inspiring place that you work in. Tell us all about your studio, whether it be a corner or a huge room!! What sort of things do you like to surround yourself with in this room.

I share my studio with my two beautiful boys, age 11 and 12. In the
morning they do their homeschool work while I supervise them and in
the afternoon I take over to make art. It is a very well lit room, I can see the sun set right from my desk every afternoon. It's
definitely my favorite room in the house. We love to surround

ourselves with pretty and inspiring things we collect.

10. And as we always close our interviews, five things you just couldnt live without!

My watercolors, brushes, my journal, my beloved micron pens and my trusty Xacto knife :)

Well there you have it, be sure to check out her blog, shop and her great Flickr sets!!

Before I go, I just wanted to share with everyone one of our readers Altered "Love Story" Books from our Christina Clouse tutorial.
Ruby Claire did an amazing job!! If you made one, be sure to let us know! We love to see who is creating along with our tutorials!!

"Love Story" altered book Tutorail by Christina Clouse

2009-02-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

Well with Valentines day about a week and half away, now is the time to get started on those special handmade gifts for the loved ones in your life. This altered book project is that special something to make and customize to your liking. Its not only good for Valentines day, but perhaps a special Anniversary or even just a birthday. The very talented Christina Clouse(Be sure to check out her blog, its full of amazing work she creates)has put together this beautiful tutorial using an old recycled hard cover book, so its somewhat Eco friendly as well and inexpensive :) Thank you Christina!

*Click on Images to make larger*

Supplies Needed:

Optional Supplies:

Vintage book

Craft knife

Wet glue (pva or similar)

Paint

Foam brush(es)

A brayer

A ruler

A pencil

A photo (or photos) that you love

A sense of adventure

Papers and other pretty ephemera

Rubons (use up that stash!)

Ribbons, lace, fabric...

Chipboard pieces

Transparencies

Spray inks or watercolors

A Nail file or sanding block

A heat gun

Flutter By Daisy.

2009-01-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

In the world of handmade, one can find many wonderful items. So how about some beautiful garment pieces??? Dresses, skirts, tops and even the accessories to go with them?? Our next interview is that of a one of a kind fashion designer Natanya Bryant, who makes the most interesting, gorgeous pieces I have come across over on Etsy. Her dresses are feminine with a bit of an edge, and affordable. Even her photography is amazing, the way she showcases her clothes, like a dark, pretty dream! I am very happy to bring you our first ever fashion designer interview here at The Little Red Suitcase, she will fit perfectly with all the other handmade loveliness!!!

*Natanya Bryant*

1. Hello there, so you will be our first clothing designer to be interviewed here on The Little Red Suitcase. Tell us more about the girl behind all the lovely dresses!

She writes in her sleep, loves chiffon and ballerinas, wants to lock herself in a little hut on a hill one day with lots of pencils and write a book by hand like Rold Dahl did, wants to meet Rolf Harris, David Attenborough, loves to read Plath and Poe, goes to university sometimes, wants to live in a daydream where news papers and 'mean' doesn't exist, thinks that fairies are real, wants to have a giant bunny farm... with chickens too, loves cheese sandwiches and summertime, checked picnic blankets and her sewing machine who's name is Mo.

2. Flutter By Daisy is the name of your clothing line/shop. What is behind the name?

I was thinking of lots of names but this one stuck, and I'm happy it did because I like it now more than my own name : it's about butterflies and secret gardens...

3. Your pieces are amazing, so flowing ,feminine and of course very unique. How does a dress start for you? Do you carry a sketch book with you and jot down ideas? Are there patterns involved? Basically run us through the process of putting together one of your pieces.

I should carry a sketchbook! but I don't .. sometimes I end up scribbling on receipts from my pocket ... but most of the time I think I dream up dresses that I would love to wear myself, or could see butterfly people wearing so when I wake up it's already in my head. I don't tend to work from patterns I just go straight to dummy but sometimes I will take inspiration from vintage patterns.

4. When did you first fall in love with fashion design? Can you recall the first thing you might have sewn.

I think I have loved fabric and dressing up since I can remember. My Nana used to sew and she taught me lots of things, she used to keep a big cardboard box with pretty scraps inside that she would let me have... I loved to wrap myself up inside and pretend to be a princess, mermaid or fairy. After my draping stage I started to sew them together, and make sequin butterflies with her. When I started ballet lessons I discovered a love for stage costume (just the pretty ones) and later at school I started making dress up clothes for parties and Halloween for me and my friends. A teacher at school asked me to dance in one of her plays and to make my own costume and the leading ladies that was the first time my clothes were on stage and It kind of went from there...

5. Who would you say is a huge inspiration to you, especially when it comes to your craft?

It wouldn't have started without my Nan... but also, pretty things people and stuff in general like gardens, bunnies, Katie Jane Garside, sparkles, stones, Edgar, fairy tales, vogue, dreams, keys, a painting of mermaids I remember from childhood at Ferrens Art Gallery in Hull, drift wood, petals, Picnic at Hanging Rock, butterflies, 'Planet Earth', ballerinas, old piano sounds, clouds and birds. The designers I think I most adore are Betsey Johnson, Alexander McQueen and Jared Gold.

6. Well since you sew up all these wonderful garments, you must wear some. Can you recall a time when someone stopped you and asked you where you got that dress or skirt?? And what did it feel like to have someone be interested in your work?

It's lovely, but ... I'm most proud when I see my pretties on my flutterbydaisies and they look happy... *

7. Is their a certain design period that you are interested in, i.e the roaring 1920's or perhaps the 50Ty's, and why?

I think the mainstream dresses of the 50's were pretty - the big poofy ones with lace and frills in pastels. I also love the Victorian style, especially the petticoats and corsets ... but I think at the moment I'm most inspired by the 'Lolita movement' that started from a book, grew up in Japan and came back again... there's something lovely about feeling like a little girl again in lovely frilly dresses and patent Mary Jane shoes.

8. With running a shop and selling your own handmade pieces, there are alot of pros and cons. What would you say have been the pros as well as the cons for you? Would you change anything?

Because I'm based in UK and my online shop is based in America and I have customers all over the world sometimes there's a bit of confusion with money conversion, especially because it changes everyday ...
but that's it ... I love what I do!

9. So, describe your workspace to us. What do you surround yourself with while your sewing or designing?

I have a sewing / writing room filled with pretty things that inspire me... lot's of clippings pinned to my walls and fabric piled high on top of boxes of ribbons and buttons... I keep all my old books and my own clothes in there too. The clipping on my wall are mostly of fairytales, illustrations, models dressed as broken dolls and fairies, I pin up my little receipt sketches and notes to myself too. I also have a little section saved for special pretties, like old bunny stamps, stones, dried flowers, vintage keys, my taxidermy butterfly, cat statue, and my ghost doll my friend made for me

10. Now for the finally question: Five things you just could not live without!

eek! eeeerrrrm .........
1. Needle and cotton
2. Pencil and paper
3. My best dress
4. coffee
5. Day-dreams I think I cheated a little with the 'ands' but you can't have one without the other :)

Love and Bunnies, Natanya*

Asking for Trouble.

2009-01-24T17:40:00.000-08:00

If your looking for that gift for someone who is a Kawaii fan or all things Japanese, then this ones for you. She may live in Scotland, but she has an eye for Japanese design, which she incorporates into stationary, pins, tags, bags........ and well the list is limitless. Her work has been featured in Brick and Mortar shops as well as the National Museum of Scotland! With her own Etsy shop and several websites, her work is just within reach of becoming your very own.

*Marceline Smith*

1. Lets start off with who is Marceline? What makes her tick?

I'm 33 and live in Glasgow, Scotland. I'm originally from a small fishing village in the North East of Scotland but I've been in Glasgow for almost ten years and love it here. I currently work as a freelance web designer and make art, stationery and gifts as Asking For Trouble. I also run a music website , a blog of cute things called Super Cute Kawaii and spend a lot of time thinking about pie and bunnies (but not together).

2. So you are pretty much have your toes dipped in alot of artistic things. Have you always been a creative person? What are some of your favorite mediums to work in?

My parents are both creative so me and my sister have been doing creative things since we were small. I ended up going to art school where I specialised in Printmaking so discovering the Print Gocco was amazing for me. I love to print by hand - it's a great mix of the creative and the technical. Basically, I love print in all its forms whether it's hand-printing on paper or textiles, photocopying zines or digitally printing my artwork on to cards and badges. I also love to sew but only in small doses.

3. Whats behind the name "Asking for trouble"? I see that is your Etsy store name as well as your website!

Asking For Trouble was the name of my little record label. I released a double 7" vinyl box set and putting the packaging together kind of reinvigorated my love of hand-making stuff. My plans for further releases all fell through but when I started making accessories and things I decided to keep the name, not least because I already had the domain and website. As for why, I am often asking for trouble - I'm very impulsive and often end up doing things that maybe aren't too sensible.

4. Your biggest inspiration seems to be Japanese patterns and objects. What is it about this design style that really intrigues you and catches your eye?

I love the mix of the super cute and the traditional. The traditional kimono fabrics and chiyogami papers have amazingly intricate designs and then on the other hand you have the kawaii characters that are everywhere in Japan. I've been to Japan twice and everything is inspiring - even the manhole covers have lovely floral patterns and you can't walk two steps without seeing something so cute it will make you cry.

5. I have read that your art can be seen in some museums in Glasgow, Scotland. How does it feel to have your artwork recognized by others in such a big way?? What sort of pieces do you have on show there??

It's always extremely flattering to be asked to take part in an exhibition, especially when the curators come to you. The biggest thrill was being part of the Gifted exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland - the museum also owns some amazing historical pieces (like Dolly the first cloned sheep!) so it was very strange seeing my name up there. So far they've all been exhibitions of crafts, though I hope my artwork will also be displayed some day. My Japanese fabric purses have been the most popular requests - I think the patterns coupled with my perfectionist tiny hand-stitching is a mix they've not seen before.

6. Out of all the things your create, which would be your favorite items to work on??

I love creating the images for my artwork best but getting them printed successfully is sometimes a trial. So, probably my brooches. Although everyone makes felt flower brooches, I love picking the colours and matching the buttons and seeing them all together.

7. When first starting off on a new craft or technique, what would be some things you do when you first start learning them? DO you take classes? Are you self taught? Read books on certain topics, etc.?

Having gone to art school, I've had a lot of basic skills knocked into me that provide a great foundation for any new creative projects. Often, I'll just figure out a way to do something and get going, and then later I'll be reading some website or book and discover there's a much easier way to do it! Hopefully that's what makes my work a little bit different though.

8. What does your work space look like? What sort of things do you surround yourself with??

"Work space", hah. Despite co-owning a fairly large flat and working from home full-time, I don't have one. I'm very envious of all these bloggers with their fancy work rooms. I mostly work in my bedroom, sitting on my bed. I have a very small desk with my sewing machine, a laptop and then a bunch of IKEA trays that I use for keeping all the bits of a current project together. I have RSI in my arm so this actually works out well - sitting at a desk can get painful very quickly.

My room is full of books, vinyl records and several million cute Japanese things with happy faces. I also have lots of artwork on the walls by people like Deth P Sun, Jay Rya n and Argyle Whale, as well as gig posters from the band I'm in.

9. What advice would you give to those just starting to put themselves out there and sell their work? What have been some pros and cons you have encountered when it comes to creating and selling your work?

The main one I think, is not to get caught up in what other people are doing - whether they're selling more or copying your design or whatever. Everyone puts on their best face as a business so they may not be as successful as you think. Just concentrate on doing what you love and making it the best you can. Get involved with other crafty folks, share ideas on a blog and work hard!

I can't think of any bad things about creating and selling my work - it's hard to pay the bills every month but I'm happy just to be able to work at home and create things I love. The good things are way too many to mention. Every order I get is still a thrill, that someone likes my work enough to pay for it.

10. Five things you just could not live without:

1. My laptop - would just be impossible (ditto the internet)
2. Books - I read constantly and get a ton of inspiration from them
3. Sketchbook and pen - to record all the ideas I have every day
4. My friends and family - they're always so helpful and supportive.
5. At the moment, Picross for my Nintendo DS. I am totally obsessed.

Well be sure to visit Marceline's Etsy shop now and mention The Little Red Suitcase when ordering to recieve a free gift with your order!

Thank you Marceline:)

Craft Tutorial #1: "Framed Snowflake Mobile" by Amanda Johnson

2009-01-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

Mixed in with interviews here on The Little Red suitcase, I will also be bringing you some highly crafty tutorials by some very creative individuals. Each tutorial will include full instructions as well as images. Plus, they will all be archived and at your disposal for whenever it is you would like to possibly take one on.

I am starting off my very first tutorial with a very chic, classy, inspiring, unique girl. Every time I visit her blog I find the most wonderful eye candy, whether it be the vintage clothes she comes across or the way she decorates a corner of her room, she has an eye for design. Mandi runs her own Vintage clothing shop on Etsy entitled HalfCaf, is a designer for Hambly, and is a TAIF(The Art is Found) chick. So of course I knew that I had to ask if she would put together a craft tutorial for us, and well here it is!

"My heart belongs to the beautiful things in life, but the kind of beauty one has to search for. I love fashion and one of my favorite things to do is troll the thrift stores to find interesting pieces for my wardrobe. That's what I do for my home too- always looking in odd places and fun things. A favorite thing of mine is crafting. Random crazy stuff, scrap booking, photography, and drawing. I'm an interior design student and draw quite a lot for class, so it's nice to have a creative outlet that uses paper and glue instead of graphite and T-squares. :)"

"Framed Snowflake Mobile"

"Mobiles! They're swell to make. And even more so to look at! I have just decided that mobiles should become a season decoration in my home. Does anyone else think it is just absolutely depressing to take down Christmas decorations? The house always looks so bare around January. This year, I decided to keep up some wintery decorations, and even make a few just for fun! This mobile I made was for the latest prompt at The Art is Found. I'll share with you an easy little tutorial on how to make your own snowflake mobile in a frame."

1. All you need to complete this project is an empty frame, some colorful magazine clippings (which I always have on hand, stored in a manila envelope), twine (or ribbon, string, or fishing wire), tape (any kind will do!), and scissors.

2. I picked out some of the most graphic and colorful pieces from my magazine clippings stash, and cut them into circular shapes. If I didn't like the back of a page, I glued it together with a page I did like. Then, I simply folded the circular cut-out a few times so that I could cut designs into it, just like when I was a kid and made paper snowflakes at school.

3. I cut each snowflake into different sizes and patterns, to add some variety. I gotta admit, it's kind of thrilling unfolding the paper to see what shape you will find! :)

4. After making several paper snowflakes (the number depending on the size of the snowflakes and your frame) I tied them onto strings of twine, sometimes two snowflakes to a string.

5. Next, I flipped over my frame and began to decide where to put each string of snowflakes, and how long each one should hang. There's definitely no science to this, just pick something and go with it! Then I taped the strings to the top of the back of the frame, so that when winter is over, I can use the frame for something else.

I love the simplicity of this project, how easy it is to use scraps that you can find around the house, and the limitless possibilities. I placed my frame by a window, because I like the way the light filters through the snowflakes. To bad the breeze is so cold this time of year, or it might be nice to see them flutter around! :)

Feel free to share your own framed mobiles here in our comment section, and also be sure to check out The Art is Found prompt site for some more creative challenges!!!

Thank you Mandi.

Handmade Nation.

2009-01-17T06:51:00.001-08:00

You can imagine how I acted when I came across a wonderful book this past Fall entitled "Handmade Nation : The rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design."

There it was sitting on a shelf at a local New York City bookshop, calling to me with its Stitched United States image and its pink lettering on a black background. I was intrigued, I was inspired, and still am. Within its pages lies the story of 24 creative people and work from 5 essayists all on the subject of handmade. And if that's not enough for you, there is a documentary in which this book is a companion to and which will be released this Spring.

*Image from Readymade Issue 38*

I feel very lucky to be able to bring you this interview with Faythe, and I thank her for taking time out from her busy schedule to fit us in.

With her movie premiering all across the United States I can just start to imagine how hectic things will be with planning and traveling, its really awesome that she agreed to share some tid bits of how this project all started and also a little introduction into who she is.

There is just so much I can say about this project and how wonderful I think it is, and how important it is for it to be out there, in the big ole world being introduced to people who may not know what goes into all things DIY especially the people and their stories behind it. But I am going to stop myself and allow you to read more about it

from the women who started it all, and contributes in big ways to the handmade community itself.

*Faythe Levine*

1. One of the reasons I do this blog is to get an inside scoop of the masterminds behind all things handmade. So following along in that tradition, why not tell us a little about yourself, especially your creative beginnings. How did you settle upon the indie craft community?

I came across the indie craft community in early 2002 through a few very specific craft websites including Craftster.org, Cutxpaste.com and Getcrafty.com It was through these sites that I began connecting with other makers who were doing similar things as I was. It was also around this time that I started up my business Flying Fish Design. In 2003 I heard about the first Renegade Craft Fair taking place in Chicago, only a few hours away from my home base of Milwaukee, WI and I applied. This was my first experience selling my work in a market environment. It was also my first time meeting a lot of the people I had become Internet friends with. That first Renegade was my "gateway drug" into the indie craft community. From there I continued to run my business Flying Fish Design full time for 3 more years, start Art vs. Craft Milwaukee’s indie craft fair, open my brick and mortar shop Paper Boat Boutique and Gallery that I co-own with Kim Kisiolek and begin work on Handmade Nation.

2. When I came across this book as well as your site, I finally felt like I found a topic that I could totally relate to. I pretty much grew up crafting and I felt like it was a topic that wasn’t really spoken about a lot or at least brought to others attention through film and book. What started this whole project, what pushed you to explore the subject of DIY across America?

From 2003-2006 my experiences traveling around the country to indeed craft fairs as a vendor, running my shop and coordinating Art vs. Craft I was exposed to an immense amount of incredible people and work and I felt compelled to document what was going on around me. I was concerned that the community wouldn’t be captured in the proper light. And I was also worried someone from the "outside" would come in and create some crappy craft expose reality type show and not show the important aspects of the community, for example, the bonds people had formed with one another, the counter economy we are creating, and the empowerment that makers feel when they create.

*Jenine Bressner being filmed*

3. The book is amazing and I cannot wait for the movie to come out. I know that the film was the beginning of it all and the book followed in its footsteps while the documentary is still in production. Usually its the book first and then the film. Why did the book come second? Why did you find it important to be able to place such a great book in people's hands as well as giving them a movie?

Initially I wanted to make a book, I am a photographer and it seemed to make sense to go that route. However, the idea of putting together a book and getting it published was really overwhelming and the reality of shooting a documentary was actually much easier to wrap my brain around because my best friend happens to be a filmmaker. I approached Micaela O’Herlihy in early 2006 with the idea of shooting the film for a year and she signed on. The two of us traveled around for what ended up being a year and a half gathering the footage for the final movie. The book came about after my editor Cris Siquiera cut an 8-minute teaser that we released on Youtube.com in April of 2007. The response to that clip was huge and three publishers approached me at that time. Princeton Architectural Press was the publisher I was most interested in and at that time I approached my friend and now co-author Cortney Heimerl to put together a formal proposal for Princeton that is now Handmade Nation the book. Having Princeton behind the project has given the documentary a lot of validity. There support has been invaluable to the soon to be released film.

4. So I have to say that I am a bit jealous that you got to meet so many wonderful, creative people along the way. What was the process like when it came to choosing the people that would be featured in your film as well as the book? What was it like to be able to sit and talk with them, see where they create? And also I have read that you traveled 19,000 miles during this whole process, share some pros and cons about that whole aspect!

Basically my process for choosing whom to interview was very simple. A lot of the featured interviewed makers I had worked with at Paper Boat or had some sort of online friendship with already established. However there were people that I was really excited about what they were doing and the documentary gave me an excuse to call them up and hope for an interview. Getting to do studio visits was by far the most exciting part of production. Having one-on-one time with people you respect creatively was an experience I will never forget and hope to get to continue with future projects. The entire process was very casual and friendly which was great so there were never any awkward moments of wishing I were somewhere else or anything like that.
The travel part of the project was pretty insane. During production Micaela was a single mom and a full time working artist so we scheduled our shoots over the weekends when she had child-care. We would cram in 3-4 full days of interviews when we were in a city. It was pretty insane and awesome.

*Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, in studio filming*

*Clip of Handmade Nation, courtesy of Youtube.com*

5. Aside from the Handmade nation project, I see that you are involved in other crafty endeavours. You co- own a brick and mortar shop that supports numerous crafters/ artists and designers alike and you also help run a bi-annual indie craft market. Basically, how do you do it? How does it feel to be so active in something you feel so passionate about?

People ask me how I balance my life all the time and to be honest I can’t image it any other way. I work all the time but I also take time to spend with my friends and relax. The thing is that there is all this stuff happening around the world, all these people who should know about each other and I feel like it is my responsibility to try and promote and connect everyone. I think this is just the beginning of a lot of our creative careers and I hope that the connections and work that we are doing now will establish life long relationships for all of us within the movement.

6. Ok, since you love to document all of the wonderful things being made by people all across the country, do you have any craft or art interests that you tend to get to work at in your down time (if you have any down time that is)

My time to work on my own creative projects is pretty minimal these days. Often if I have time I will work on promo items for Handmade Nation or Paper Boat by making flyers by hand or sewing a new banner for a show. I am a big fan of hand-drawn typography, which is something I have done for years. I do some embroidery. I am always photographing everything and everywhere I go- so I have a catalog of photos that spans the past 20 years of my life that is pretty intense. At some point I’d like to go back to painting and working on wall-based work, but I don’t see that happening any time in 2009.

7. DIY never really goes away as we all know, it just sometimes seems to take a backseat, get pushed under the rug for a bit. Why do you think there has been a sudden re-emergence this past few years of the whole handmade community? What would you say would be some key factors in this happening?

I believe there are a few key reasons that handmade has made resurgence in the past 5 years. The fact that most of us spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer, the fact that we as a society are going through economic struggles pushes people to make things by hand for gifts, the recent green trend and the appreciation for handmade- including supporting artists, buying local, and consumer conscientiousness. Also, historically during times of war handcraft resurfaces. All of these reasons have combined into the current climate of the handmade frenzy.

8. One thing I shutter to think about is that handmade will possibly take that back seat again for a bit, to me it’s such a big part of my life and something that I could not personally live without. Do you feel that it is here to stay for good this time? And what would be some advice you would give to those out there who would want to help handmade thrive.

Something that I find interesting is the number of people who approach me at my events who are in there 40’s 50’s and 60’s telling me "they never stopped making things by hand". I think that it is important to remember that just because our generation has had a recent revelation that handmade makes us feel good people never stopped making. With that said, I’m sure some folks our age will set their knitting down after a bit, but for a lot of us D.I.Y. is a lifestyle not a trend.

9. Well our interview is coming to an end and soon Handmade Nation will be wrapping up, although it will all now live on through its film and book. Do you have any future plans for new projects? What next?

I will be touring with the film over the next year and hopefully working on a new book surrounding crafts, creativity, community and politics. I also hope to continue to do freelance curatorial work, putting together art shows is something I really enjoy.

10. And of course our usual 10th question to wrap up each interview..................five things you just cant live without:)

Laptop
iphone
Bourbon on the rocks
Delicious food (top 3: sushi, salads and pizza!)
My BFF’s who keep me sane during the overbooked times

Be sure to visit The Handmade Nation Etsy shop and pick up a shirt or Sublime Stitch special embroidery pattern to show your support of The Handmade Nation project!! To find out more about premiere dates and other related news, head on over to the official website of Handmade Nation. A big thank you once again to Faythe, and best wishes!!!

All photos that were used in this interview are from The Handmade Nation Flickr, Myspace, and blog.

Skunk Boy Creatures.

2009-01-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

The world of plush has really popped over the past few years and many a fabulous plush artists have emerged. The possibilities of this art form are endless and some of the creations have really taken my breath away and have left me in awe. Crafters of plush are really pushing the envelope and bringing us one of a kind pieces over and over again and leaving me with a need to try and whip up some of my own.
I am super delighted to bring you the following interview of one highly creative girl who sews up some very unique plush that I just admire oh so much and I am sure you will as well!

1. So Katie, lets start off with a little intro, the girl behind all of the plush creations:

Well, my name is Katie, I love music on vinyl, I take pictures in my off time, I play in two bands, and I'm totally enamored with my six year-old daughter.

2. Skunk Boy Creatures is a rather interesting name. How in the world did this name come into play?

When I was just beginning, my best friend Amy was moving across the country and I wanted to make her something special. I really wanted it to be a hedgehog, but I really wasn't all that good at the time, so I quickly changed directions and created a cute little skunk. She named him "Skunkboy" and the rest is history. I felt like I was paying a bit of homage to her, since she is the one who really pushed me to get my stuff out there.

3. Tell us the story of how you started sewing, particularly, sewing up all of these unique hand sewn creatures:

When I started sewing a little over a year ago, it was only because I was looking for a creative outlet. I was making a lot of clothing, but I have a very old sewing machine that kept breaking so I switched to hand stitching. My first creature was a little brown owl that I carried around for weeks. I soon began making different animals, mostly as gifts for friends and family.

4. How do you come up with so many designs? Is there anything out there that really helps to inspire you and lead you down the path of new ideas?

These two questions really have the same answers. Sometimes an animal will pop into my mind and I automatically have an idea of the way it should look. Alchemy is a bit more challenging, but an awesome way to create something new. It's so great to have a different perspective coming in, since (obviously) I can't escape my own. It can be difficult when I can't see the finished product in my head, or I'm unsure of a color palette that I've used, but all of my alchemy animals have turned out to be pretty satisfying. Monkey, the sweetheart owls, Karl the Koala, sleepy Lamb, Betty the Giraffe... all of these were other people's visions.

5. If you have a work space or studio, share with us what might be surrounding you to help get you into that creative mode.

I'm in the process of putting my studio together, so right now it's in pieces, but lovely pieces. I have a lot of things from other plush artists that I really respect, such as: a swan from Lapomme, a woodland creature from Astulabee, a sleepy Sam from the Black Apple, and my latest addition which is a little white lion with antlers and a bow tie from Fern. I also love vintage furniture and I've acquired some GREAT

 6. Your creatures are made up of so many different elements. So much thought and detail go into all of them. What sort of fabrics and embellishments do you usually use when sewing these up? Where would you typically go and get all of the bits and pieces that bring your owls, bears and even Narwhal's to life?

I do tend to use a lot of felt as a base. I don't always, but a lot of my owls and such are started with felt. I love to accent with vintage fabric, or, if I think the fabric is strong enough and I have enough of it, I'll use it for the whole thing. My favorite places to get my supplies are flea markets. I adore buttons and unique fabrics, so it's perfect for me.

7. What other things keep you interested besides sewing such amazing plush? Do you have any other interests that tend to keep you busy and creating?

I always answer the "what else are you interested in" question the same way. It's music. I keep very busy playing in bands and searching out new (to me) music on vinyl. I also take pictures, but I'm less inspired by that these days, at least as a profession. I still love photography as a recreation, though. We just got a LOAD of Polaroid film from this elderly couple on Craig's List, so of course I'm very excited about that.

9. It appears that you have quite a response to your creatures. How does it feel? What has it been like running your own Etsy shop? What would be some advice you would give others looking to get into the world of promoting their art form online?

If you could see me right now, you'd see that I can't even begin to contain my grin. It's amazing that people love my creatures. Really. It's wonderful. I never would've imagined in my wildest dreams running my own shop and having my own blog. It's surreal. On, the other hand, having my own shop has been a bit stressful at times. The fear of shipping to the wrong person accidentally, or slow times... or busy times. This holiday season was INSANE. It was my first, and I wasn't the slightest bit prepared for the volume of animals I'd be sewing. I just barely made my deadline, which was super stressful and really didn't give me proper time to do enough family things before Christmas. I'm a really terrible person to give promotion advice. I've traded with some other sellers and bought two showcases, but the best thing that can happen is to have a popular blogger feature you. I'm too ashamed to push my stuff on people, I've just gotten really lucky to get a bit of attention. Also, a blog of your own never hurt anyone.

10.  Five things you just couldn't, not one bit, live without:

My Wurlitzer, Vox Jaguar, CP-70, VK-1, and Rhodes. Hee, hee... no, those are all pianos... really: flea markets, tea, records, a piano, and my family (cheesy, I know, but if you met my daughter Hope...).

Michelle Christina Wall graphics.

2009-01-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

Well I don't know about you, but I have lived in many a shabby houses and colorless apartments over the years. I believe only one time did we really find a gem of a house to rent that was full of color and character. All the other ones were quite a sight. I mean I tried my best and painted my room yellow one time to add some life, but if only there had been wall graphics back then that were as cool as the ones my next artist creates. If there had been then that one dump of a place I once resided in would have been at least somewhat funky and fun. But anyway, if you have a bare wall somewhere in your home and just don't know what to do with it, well maybe by the end of this interview you may just have an idea that involves fun changeable wall graphics. And also lets not forget about your blank laptops, she has something to cover that as well!

1. Lets begin with an introduction all about you, who is Michelle?

I'm a twenty something full time crafty person currently living in Southern New Hampshire. I spend nearly all of my time making, creating, drawing, sewing, painting, etc.

2. What does your artistic/crafty background look like? Did you study art in school? And if so what as your major?

Well, I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Graphic Design, but I've also taken an excessive amount of fine art courses throughout my schooling. I've been actively involved in art related activities for as long as I can remember. I also have a bit of web design experience, (self taught) I skinned my own website, which was a huge project.

3. Your wall graphics and laptop decals are pretty darn awesome, a very cool concept if I do say so myself. How did this all come about? How did the idea grow?

One of the first jobs I had right out of college was designing for a large sign production company. It was there that I learned about different types of vinyl, application techniques and the many different machines available to die cut and print on vinyl. I was living in my first apartment during this time and the landlord was not so receptive to the idea of painting or poking holes in the wall to hang artwork. The wall decal idea just grew from there!

4. When did you first start selling your designs? What was the outcome? Did you hit any bumps in the road along the way?

2008 was my first full year in business! I feel very fortunate that my product line has been so well received. I'm currently working full time on my website: michellechristina.com! Jumping into business has definitely been a learning experience! My biggest hurdle thus far has been learning to effectively manage my time. A self employed person really has to be a Jack (or Jill) of all trades - marketer, customer service, artist, accountant, shipping assistant, etc.

5. So for those out there who are thinking that they might like to purchase some

wall graphics, perhaps you can give us a little information on them. What sets them aside from say wallpaper or painting? How durable

are they?

All of my wall graphics are die cut from very thin self adhesive vinyl that has a matte surface finish - they actually look as if they have been painted right on your walls. Wall graphics are super flexible (they will conform to corners & curves) and very durable - you can even apply them to your shower (they are waterproof once applied). The great thing is that they are removable when you are ready for a change. I use a special type of vinyl with a low tack adhesive, so they won't leave sticky residue or damage paint once removed. It's a super easy peel and stick products.

6. I have read on your site that you are pretty much a one woman show. In a little side note it states that all products and orders are put together by you solely. How much time is usually spent in say putting together an order? What are the pros and cons of doing it all yourself?

Well, it really depends on the size of the order. Generally speaking it usually

doesn't take too terribly long to have a small set of decals cut, prepped and packaged. All of the artwork is ready to go on my computer, so it's just a matter of setting up the vinyl and cutting it on a machine. I don't mind doing all of the work, as I like to be able to see the final product, but an extra pair of hands to do the boring stuff (i.e. printing shipping labels, packaging, etc.) would be nice to have around occasionally.

7. As for the artwork that goes into your product, how is that process from start to finish?? Are you constantly thinking up ideas for new designs?

carry around a sketchbook to catch all the latest ideas that may come about?

I actually can't really use a sketchbook, I've never been able to keep one. I'm a random scrap paper drawing sort of artist. I have a binder to keep ideas semi organized. Some designs I create digitally, others start on paper and are then scanned in to the computer. All artwork ends up in vector form. I'm constantly thinking about new designs. I'm pretty sure at this point I have more sketches than I'll ever be able to actually use.

8. Aside from your own personal website,

are there any other places we can find your work? Any future

plans for your products?

I actually started out on michellechristina.etsy.com and then came my own website michellechristina.com shortly after. My products are also sold in a few different stores in the USA & Canada. I'm actively looking for other places that might be interested in carrying my product! I'm also working on expanding my product line to include

prints & original artwork - which I am super excited about!

9. Describe your work space to us. What do you usually surround yourself with, i.e music, artwork, movies.

My studio space is full of gadgets, many rolls of vinyl and lots of paints & art papers! I have wall space behind my desk that I use to test out my wall graphics, it's sort of a rotating art space. I always have music on when I'm working. My current band to listen to excessively is Tegan and Sara. Last month it was Mindless Self Indulgence. I also have a fuzzy grey cat named Mojo and he likes to supervise the goings on in the studio.

10. Tell us 5 things that you could not live without!

Music, friends & family, my cat, and everything in my studio (that counts as 1 thing, right?)

The Dainty Squid.

2008-12-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

Last year when I was doing little interview pieces on my own personal blog, I came across a very unique and creative girl names Kaylah. She was creating jewelry, sewn items such as zip pouches, and plush creatures. Recently I came across her shop once again and had realized that within all a years time she has sold 2000 and something items on Etsy and her newest masterpiece is one super cool sewing motif chest piece that she recently had done. Colorful, fun, inspiring, this is the next interview I bring to you before the New year!!!

1. An introduction is in order. Lets begin with one about you!

Where to begin, I'm Kaylah, a sewing obsessed, cat lady who lives in the middle of nowhere Ohio.

2. Usually when one has an interesting name for their Shop, others have to know what its all about. So tell us, where does the name "The Dainty Squid" come from?

Haha, well, um, Squid is my cat (which came from my love of squids) and she's a dainty little princess.

3. Sewing seems to be your thing. Lots and lots of lovely zip pouches for all your carry along needs. When did you first start sewing? Do you remember the first thing you ever sewed up??

The first time I sewed was about 5 or 6 years ago, it was in Home Ec, I made a pillow ..or ten. They were really fun! Then I didn't touch a sewing machine for a while until about 2 years ago when I found one in my closet.

4. Aside from sewing, what other creative endeavours you enjoy participating in??

I don't really do much other than sew although I enjoy helping my boyfriend screen print. But I would really like to start making soap, but it's all about finding the time!

5. I think besides all of the great stuff you make, I was interested in your newest tattoo that I have seen of the sewing motif. I need to know, where did this idea come up and how long has it taken to work on?? Its just brilliant!

Thank you! I've always been interested in tattoos, and one day it just hit me...A SEWING MACHINE! So I looked high and low until I found the perfect tattoo artist for the job. I let him know what I wanted included and he took it from there. It's not quite done yet, but we started in August of 2008 so we're making good time as I only have 1 or 2 sessions left.

6. Ok, back to crafting! When your out shopping(or ordering online) what sort of fabric really catches your interest? What has seemed to sell more for you??

Um, fabrics that are really cute, like something you'd expect a child to like are what catch my eye, I love cute little animals, cupcakes and cactus. I think my best sellers are things with cameras on them, like this pouch

7. Since the last time we spoke a year ago, you have had well over 1,000 sales. You really have done well. What are some pros and cons of owning your own Etsy shop?

Yeah! My business has really blossomed! It's pretty crazy. Pros: I get to work when I want and do whatever I want. It's the best thing ever. Cons: I work really long hours trying to fill orders. I rarely have a day off. Those are really the only cons. I absolutely love what I do!

8. What, who inspires you? What kind of stuff do you like to surround yourself with, whether it be music, books, movies, etc.

I love Japanese culture, all the cute stuff! so I suppose that's where I get my inspiration.

9. So I have seen some pictures of your work space. Care to share where it is exactly that you create most of your items at.

As of right now I'm work in a small room my dad built for me in their home. Hopefully this year my boyfriend and I will be able to get a house so I can have a nice roomy craft space to create in!

10. Five things you just cant live without:

1. my cats! 2. fabric! 3. family! 4. mint chocolate chip milkshakes! 5. my sewing machine. In no apparent order, they're all pretty much equal. ;)

An artist like no other.

2008-12-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well so far I have made it through Christmas . It came and went so fast, and it leaves me bitter sweet, as always. I have been holding out on bringing you this next interview because I know amidst all the holiday celebrating, she might have gotten lost. Now that we are winding down a bit, maybe, just possibly you have the chance to just relax for a few minutes and read all about our next artist. Her work is so fun, so interesting, so stunning. I am going to allow her to speak for herself because her interview is in deed an interesting and inspiring read!!!

*Shannon Mclaughlin*

1. Lets start off with a little story about the girl behind all of the fabulous art work, an introduction of sorts!

I'm a 24-year-old gal who lives in Philadelphia, PA with my music-obsessed husband and our six pets (one dog named Betty White, two chinchillas named Ethel Funk and Maude and three rabbits named Cadbury, Willie Nelson and Applesauce). I am a fairly recent graduate from Kutztown University, where I majored in Communication Design, with a concentration in Illustration. Currently, I am the Editor-in-Chief of a local monthly publication called Bucks Living Magazine. I get to work from home, so any free time I have goes toward drawing critters, doodlingng and obsessing over blogs.

2. "Youwannatalkjive" is the name of your blog as well as your Etsy shop. Interesting name, whats the story behind that?

There's a scene in The Royal Tenenbaums where Gene Hackman's character goes off on Danny Glover and says, "You wanna talk some jive? I'll talk some jive. I'll talk some jive like you've never heard!" My husband and I always thought that line was hilarious, so I made it my AIM screen name and it just sort of stuck. I decided to use it for my Etsy shop and my blog because I feel like it captures the sense of humor I'm trying to portray with my silly illustrations.

3. As far as you can think back, when did you start forming an interest for painting and drawing? What sort of stuff did you find yourself most interested in drawing?

Since I can remember, I've always been surrounded by art. My brother, who is nine years older than me, was (and still is) a huge influence in my life. He took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew about drawing and painting. From teaching me how to sketch characters from "The Little Mermaid" to touring me around art museums in New York and making sure I read Artforum every month, he always supported my interest in making people smirk by exploring odd subject matter. I grew up taking weekly art classes from grade school through high school, and then went on to college where I absorbed myself in as many artistic endeavors as possible. In college I was mostly interested in drawing figures and referencing pop culture, but now I am becoming more and more intrigued by animals.

4. How would you describe your artwork? I noticed that you incorporate a lot of wildlife and then again you have some famous people mixed into your pieces here and there as well. What would you say is your style? What inspires you?

I think my artwork is quirky and playful, but I also hope that my attention to detail and unique compositions allow people to take my work somewhat seriously. I was always interested in drawing celebrities in high school and college, but now I have put people aside in favor of drawing animals. (Although, occasionally a celebrity will work it's way into a piece, like Snoop Dogg in "Shizzle My Chizzle.") I especially like playing around with words and puns and coming up with phrases that might not necessarily make a lot of sense to most people, but hopefully will amuse them anyway. Usually my process consists of me coming up with an idea of what I'd like to draw and bouncing ideas back and forth with my husband.

One night we were talking about what my next illustration should be and he just blurted out, "What if you did a painting of a walrus and it just said 'Walruses Can't Skateboard'?" It was so ridiculously random, that I decided I must do it and it actually appears to be one of the favorites in my Etsy shop! I'm always inspired by conversations I have with my friends and family, as well as vintage board games and other intriguing surfaces, such as wood or serving trays.

5. Aside from your blog, website and your Etsy, where else might one see your work? Any shows in the works?

I have a solo show called "menagerie" coming up in April at Cafe Estelle in Philadelphia (www.cafeestelle.com), which will be opening on the First Friday in April and will be on display all month. I am in the midst of creating new works for the show, in which I will be exhibiting exotic animals drawn on wood in colored pencils. I also have several original pieces for sale at UGallery, which sells hand-selected original pieces by emerging artists (shannon.ugallery.com).

6. I read that you are a member of Crafting in Color Street Team, I for one am a lover of all things colorful. Please explain what exactly this is?

I was just accepted as a member of Crafting in Color , which is an awesome online community that is dedicated to keeping Etsy bright and colorful. I've been trying to stay involved within the Etsy community, so this was a perfect way for me to communicate with fellow crafters and artists. I have always been a fan of bright colors--my husband even admits that the first thing about me that caught his eye were my bright orange corduroy pants that I wore the first day we met at college (yes, I wear corduroys in the summer). Even our apartment is painted in several Willy Wonka-esque colors because the white walls were driving me nuts (let's just hope our landlord doesn't pay us a surprise visit).

7. When did you take that first big step into selling your artwork? Any words of wisdom you can send out to our readers who are thinking of selling their work?

I sold some artwork in galleries during high school, but I never thought about selling my artwork online until January 2008, when I decided to open my own Etsy shop. The process seemed easy enough and I was certain that it would be a great opportunity to network with other artists. I'm absolutely addicted to Etsy and whenever I need to get a friend or family member a gift, that's where I always find myself turning. I think it's important that new sellers don't get discouraged if you don't sell work right away. It takes a while to get your name out there, so be patient and soon enough people will discover your store. Detailed photos and interesting descriptions always keep my attention while I'm browsing a shop, and tags are also very important in helping people find your work. Galleries and boutiques are also great for selling artwork. Right now I have prints, home accessories, revamped furniture and some other goodies for sale at the Mew Gallery and Bohema Artisan and Vintage Boutique in Philadelphia.

8. Almost every artist has someone that really inspires them. Who would be yours and why?

I'm pretty lucky to have a lot of people who inspire me. My husband always knows how to make me smile and has always been supportive of my art. My brother, who I mentioned earlier, is also an inspiration to me because he has made his dream a reality by going from having a small experimental theater company to now having sold-out international shows, while still making a name for himself in NYC. I also have a lot of artistic friends who are always there to bounce ideas off of, like Laura Kicey , who is incredibly ambitious and Hilarious (with a capital "H" fo sho!).

9. Do you happen to have your very own work space where you create? And if so, what might we find in there? What do you surround yourself with to keep the ideas flowing?

I prefer working in our family room, sometimes on our coffee table, but most of the time I like to work on the floor and create a bit of a catastrophe with all of my materials. In college, my painting professor always laughed at me because I always used the same decrepit palette, which was usually at least an inch thick with different colors of oil paints. I like using strange materials and will paint with anything I can find as long as it creates an interesting texture--I've never been one to just stick with what the Crayola box gives you. I like to surround myself with artwork, brightly-painted walls and tons of kitschy knick knacks from thrift stores, not to mention lots of adorable pets.

10. Five things you just could not live without:

1.) My family & friends. They are all insane and I love them to death for it.
2.) Music. Especially The Flaming Lips and Rufus Wainwright.
3.) My pets (all six of them)!
4.) I know that water is one of those obvious answers like "shelter," but I am an absolute h20holic and always have water with me wherever I go.
5.) Cheese. Seriously. I could have a block of cheese for every meal and be a happy lady, although I'm not sure my bowels would approve.

Add some sparkle to your holidays.

2008-12-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to start off this next interview with a big thank you for all the support and wonderful comments I have received so far. It means alot to me. I really enjoy putting these together to share with all of you, because I know that as for myself, I enjoy reading and getting to know all of the fabulous creative people out there. I look forward to bringing you many more interviews and soon craft tutorials as well. What do you get when you put together a self taught graphic design artist and some very cute characters that lend themselves to her designs on paper and other various cute items??? You get SparklePaw, our next guest here on The Little Red Suitcase!

1.  Introductions are in order. Tell us a little about yourself!

My name is Leslie and I'm a graphic designer in San Diego. SparklePaw is a new adventure for me, but I've always loved design, art, crafting, and cute things.

2.  You have a very vibrant fun shop on Etsy called SparklePaw.  Where did you come up with this name? Is their a story behind it?

The name actually comes from a nickname I called my boyfriend at one time. I'm not really sure where it came from, but we thought it was hilarious. It's just one of those goofy things that starts from nothing and sticks.

3.  I have read that you are a self taught graphic designer.  When did you first stumble upon designing?  When did that love for it first develop?  And how did you go about learning certain techniques and applications?

I first happened upon graphic design when I took a free Photoshop class here in San Diego in 2001. I loved it immediately and started taking as many classes as possible. I landed a job in the marketing department at a publishing company where I cut my teeth. It was a super demanding job, but I learned a ton. I also come from a very creative family - my mom, dad and two brothers all express some form of creativity. Computers and design have just always been around, so it seemed a pretty natural route to take. It's funny though; I never took a design class in college - I have my degree in psychology. I guess you just never know where you'll end up!

4. You tend to use colorful, sweet imagery.  What would you say is one of your biggest inspiration for your designs?  Is there a certain style that you tend to be drawn to?

I lived in Japan for five years as a young girl and I am definitely influenced by the sweet, funny characters you see on toys/stationary/candy there. I remember wandering around the little stationary shops for hours trying to find THE perfect pencil case to house my adorable pencils, erasers and pens.

5. How long  have you been selling your items?  What has been the response to your products?

I've been selling my products since early November of this year. The response has been great so far. It's so hard to be objective at first, because friends and family are telling you nice things; but they're supposed to, right? But I have gotten a positive response from people I don't know, too, so I'm delighted.

6.  Aside from creating such fun graphic design pieces, are there any other art or craft projects you enjoy doing?

I love arts and crafts in general! You name it: sewing, paper crafts, painting, decoupage. My friend and I have a running "craft day" where we make something, drink wine and eat fattening food. It doesn't get any better than that!

7.  So with most cards come saying or greeting. How do you go about choose the perfect saying or greeting?  Does anyone ever ask for one in particular?

The sayings/greetings often just come to me. But I do get input from friends and my boyfriend - he's really good at it and I know if I run something by him, he'll be honest if it doesn't work. I want the greetings to be positive and sassy, just like the animals and creatures. The world of SparklePaw is a happy one!

8.  Any new designs or products in the making that your excited about?  What do you see for SparklePaw designs in the future?

I have several ideas in my arsenal - I want to keep things fresh. My next product will be a little owl mirror, and I've got some more cards/mirrors in the works. Eventually, I'd like to expand to other products - little buttons and magnets at first, and then possibly some prints.

9.  Describe your work space to us.  Any must haves that you surround yourself with to really get those ideas flowing?

My workspace is actually very, well, work-like. I do most of my designs during my free time at work because I have a really nice, speedy Mac there. But I am surrounded by adorable things: postcards by my favorite artist - Yoshitomo Nara, pictures of unicorns - which I find very amusing, drawings created by friends/co-workers, and my rubber chicken squeeze toy for stress relief! Oh, and my cup of coffee.

10.  Five things you could not live without:

candy, my iMac, my iPod, delicious food (of all kinds), all the SparklePaws in my life!

You can find many more adorable designs over on the
SparklePaw etsy shop.

Thank you Leslie!

Follow us on twitter.

2008-12-21T09:08:00.001-08:00

Head on over to Twitter and add us to your follow list. With upcoming interviews as well as craft tutorials, you will be able to know when our next update is and see whats going on in the world of The Little Red Suitcase!

Coming up: some great interviews with some of my favorite inspiring people. I also have lined up three tutorials, one including a Valentines day how to!!

We are also looking for the following: Sponsors who would love to do a link trade, readers who would like to submit in projects, product reviews, and also if you know someone who you feel should be featured on our blog or would love to learn more about, give us a shout at: thelittlestredsuitcase@hotmail.com.

Have a wonderful holiday!!!

Oh My Cavalier

2008-12-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

I came across Oh My Cavalier through a much loved blog I visit every week. Right away Julianna Swaney caught my attention. Her style is so nostalgic and charming, a breath of fresh air one might say. When I look at her artwork, it feels like I am visiting my favorite book as a child again but the illustrations have a bit more of an eclectic spin on them this time around. Take for instance a sketch of a very Victorian women with antlers. One may find that strange, but in all of its strangeness is that beauty that draws you in and leaves you admiring it over and over again. That is the world of Oh My Cavalier and all of its wonderful artwork that lives in it, oh and lets not forget the most intriguing embroidery that I at least have ever seen! As I dove deeper into the work of Julianna, I in fact became a fan of all the characters that she creates. From wolves reading books to very interesting bearded men, you have to wonder who is the girl behind Oh My Cavalier?

So, Julianna, lets start off with an introduction of the girl behind the fabulous art work! What is your artistic background like? Give us the scoop.

Well I guess I've always been drawing and making things. I had kind of hippy parents and I didn't go to real school until 9^th grade so I was free to pursue whatever I wanted and, just as important I feel, free to daydream and play. I was always obsessed with animals, fairy tales, and art, actually I guess I still am but now I'm trying to make a career out of it! I went to Art school in Portland Maine and I that's where I feel like I was able to really focus all those things and get the technical skill to be able to make the type of work I really wanted to.

What is behind the name "Oh My Cavalier"?

It's a phrase from a poem I read in class in High School, The Windhover by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Long after I forgot the rest of that poem that phrase stayed in my mind. I not really sure why but I like how triumphant and hopeful it sounds. Whey I write the name I always use and exclamation mark.

Your drawings are full of whimsy and bring to mind vintage Fairy Tale images. What would you say inspires most of your drawings? Where do you get a lot of your ideas for?

Yes I get a lot of inspiration from fairy tales, not necessarily specific ones but more from the feel of them. I also get it from old folksongs, antique postcards and other ephemera, and of course from some of my favorite children's book illustrators like Beatrix Potter. I also get ideas from interestingg or odd little things I read or hear about.

4. Aside from drawing I see you have quite a list of other interests that you enjoy doing. Please share.

I've really got into crochet recently, it's very gratifying to be able to keep your hands busy while you watch a movie, and then to have something useful that you can hold in your hands afterwards. I also like to get outside as much as possible, I just moved to the city from the country but I live near a large park that I walk in almost every day.

Gocco printing has been a technique that a lot of artists are getting into. It seems to be a an easy answer for those who are limited to space when it comes to screen printing. What got you into using a Gocco printer? What are some pros and cons behind this printing technique?

I had a teacher in college that was really into it and she helped introduce a lot of students and other teachers into using it. Gocco is great for the reasons you just said, it's small, mobile, it's easy to keep it and the space around you clean, and the quality of the images can be great with a little practice. I feel like many people do much cooler things with Gocco than I do but I like it for hand printed editions and cards. The downside of it is it's getting harder and harder to find the screens, bulbs and some of my favorite colors of ink.

6. Aside from Etsy and your very interesting blogs, where else can we find your art work? And do you have any big plans to come for your drawings?

I have work at littlepaperplanes.com and theshinysquirrel.com, also at Together GalleryPortland OR in and AG Gallery in Brooklyn NY

The biggest thing that is happening right now as far as my work is that I got into nest years Portland Museum of Art Biennial in Portland Maine. It's huge for me, I went to school there like I said and it's a pretty important show in that state.

7. So, lets step outside of the whole art conversation and lets take a peek into your worldly travels. Where is one place that you have visited that you just fell in love with? Where would you love to go

back to?

Well, I went to Paris a few years ago and I'd love to go back someday, but everyone loves Paris! I think some of my very favorite places are a little closer to home. Last year I went on a trip though the Rocky Mountains to see glaciers, everything was breathtaking b

ut also very peaceful.

8. Most artists have their very own work space, even if it's just a corner in your home. Where do you create? What do you surround yourself with? What helps to keep the new ideas flowing?

Right now I just have a corner in my bedroom. I had a studio outside my home for a long time, eventually I had to give that up but I think I actually prefer having my studio so close now. I just have an antique table that has these leave that I can pull out if want to make it bigger. I keep some supplies on it but I also keep boxes with vintage ephemera like postcards and little things that I can pull out when I need to get some inspiration. I have my bookshelf near by for the same reason. Then I have some ferns around, because I love them and artwork on the walls by my friends and other artists I admire. There are acorns and pinecones everywhere too because I tend to pick them up wherever I go.

9. What has been the positive side of selling your art? What doors has it opened for you?

It's wonderful to be able to be able to make a living from doing something I enjoy. I was always miserable whatever other job I had, I like to do things in my own time and in my own way and selling on Etsy has allowed me to do that with some security. It's also connected me with tons of lovely people and galleries and stores that give me another way to show my work. Selling online is great but nothing beats real live artwork and shows.

10. Five things you could not live with out:

my parents (ever-loving and supportive)

my cat (always a comfort)

toast (my favorite food)

BBC period dramas (the best way to escape the world after a hard day)

Photoshop (I use it so much, I'd really be lost without it)

Be Sure to visit Julianna at her blog where you can find many a drawings, her website, and then dont forget to swing on by her etsy where you can purchase one of her prints!

Some food for thought? perhaps felt food?

2008-12-12T18:03:00.000-08:00

I currently take care of three children ranging in age from 6 months to 7 years old.  The 4 year old has a little wooden kitchen where she whips up all kinds of imaginary meals, especially pasta.  However, she uses mom's real pasta from the pantry to throw in the pot and boil(all pretend of course).  So you can imagine how they get on the floor, stepped on and broken and just messy.  While browsing the Internet for a little something to give this one child in particular, I came across some wonderful felt food on Etsy.  And of all things, some felt Penne as well as felt bow tie pasta!!!  Of course I purchased the felt Penne as well as some really adorable pancakes that have a topping of felt strawberries and a splash of sewn on syrup.

The women behind the felt food extravaganza is Becky Morello, and she doesn't just stop at pasta and pancakes.  At her shop one can find tons of colorful vegetables, even delectable looking deserts, all made of felt of course so that makes them fat free.  Oh and lets not forget my personal favorite, pop tarts.  Whether you purchase them to add some fun to your home decor or your stocking up that little ones play kitchen, just know that your buying an incredible handmade item, something I doubt you will find in any store.

Becky told us the following:

" I'm a stay at home mom of my 2.5 year old daughter Sydney. My husband's in the military so we are out here in the northwest part of Florida. I really don't sit still very well. I love to craft, bake, clean, and exercise. Even though, I do enjoy napping! : ) I am so blessed to be able to do what I am doing right now - meaning to stay at home and craft on a daily basis. I also have a personal blog: www.matt-and-becky.blogspot.com"

Now its that time to read more about the lady who creates in felt!

1.Tell us a little about yourself including your creative background. Any formal art/craft training or all self taught?

I have been crafting my whole life. My mom was a quilter and taught me to sew. My dad's hobby is woodworking and creating beautiful furniture. Together they remodeled many old homes and did everything themselves. My motto, which comes from my dad," I can make that!"

2. What veered you
into the direction of creating with felt? When was it that you first picked up this craft? 

I started making felt food during all the recalls of toys coming from China. I wanted to make something safe for my daughter and my niece. I don't really know how all the food came about. I think it just was a "I can make that" moment. Felt was great choice because it comes in a lot of colors, doesn't fray and is pretty easy to use. So I made a set of fruits and veggies for them and decided to make one to see if I could sell it. They sold very quickly and the rest is history.

3. Are you inspired by anything in particular? How do you keep things fresh and come up with new ideas?

I usually think of new foods as I lay in bed about to fall asleep. I guess my mind starts winding down and I'm able to think more clearly! : ) My new ideas comes from customers asking for specific requests (ie: sandwich, apricot, spaghetti & meatballs), things I eat on a regular basis, or things I see at grocery stores or restaurants. With all the delicious real food out there, it's endless possibilities.

4. Your attention to detail is amazing, I especially love the pasta you sell, its gonna be perfect for the little kid that steals mom's pasta to fake cook with. How long does it take to complete a piece, for instance the pancakes and strawberries?

It's hard to say for each piece because I usually make them in big batches. For example, make 10 pancake & strawberry sets at a time. It's a lot quicker that way. If I'm left to work, I can get a lot done in afternoon or night.

5. Describe your work space, where do you create, and when usually sew. 

I have a room in the back of the house that's my craft room. I'm so fortunate to have a whole space for me and I totally take advantage of it. Everything in that room I just love, to the color of the walls, my tables, decorations. I have to admit during the holiday season, my busiest time, it takes over all tables in the house! I usually sew during my daughter's nap time, Saturday mornings, and from 9 to 11 pm at night.

6. Besides sewing felt goods, are there any other crafts that you love to get involved in? Are there any that you would love to learn?

I would love to be able to do all sorts of crafts like knit or make jewelry but I've come the realization that I can't do everything! Even though, I have been doing some needle felting (which is very addicting). But really I say I sew and scrapbook and for the rest - I'll support other great crafters out there!

7. Seeing that the world of handmade is growing bigger and bigger everyday and lots of people are looking to list on Etsy, what advice would you give to would be Etsy sellers? And the pros and cons of selling your work.

My big piece of advice to Etsy sellers is to take great pictures. If you take great pictures, other sellers are more apt to put you in treasuries or Etsy will pick you for various promos and this is huge - it's free promotion and it works! The pros of Etsy is I'm able to be at home with my daughter but still craft on a daily basis and make money doing it. The cons is sometimes I can't separate down time from work time since it all happens at home. I always feel like I could be doing something.

8. Every crafter/artist has their favorite tools/supplies...................if you had to choose three of your very favorite, which ones would you pick?

A serger (I don't use this for my food but I absolutely love it for all other sewing), polka dot fabric or paper (it's all just so cute), glitter (everything looks better with a little sparkle).

9. I tend to get have a few people that really inspire me. Do you have any? Perhaps a famous artist? author?

I love Ali Edwards scrap booking stuff - it's all so clean and well put together. What really got me back into sewing was Amy Butler fabric. It's just so fresh and new with the larger prints and big colors.

10. Any resources you might share as well as advice to someone who is looking interested in sewing up some felt pieces of their own?

I've noticed there is a couple sellers on Etsy that sell patterns for felt food or if your confident in your sewing abilities there looks to be some fantastic Japanese felt food books around. And remember to tell yourself "I can make that!" but if you really don't want to you know you can always visit my shop! : )

If your in the market for some hand sewn felt goodness, be sure to visit Becky's Etsy shop!

Vampire clouds and more.

2008-12-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

With the holidays upon us I am trying to tie all loose ends together with my gift list. I stayed along the lines of handmade, because really, how can you go wrong? I spent a huge amount of time on Etsy, browsing so many different store fronts, and I have spoken with quite a few talented people. To me, Etsy is like going to coolest arts/craft fair you can ever find. You can get cozy in your favorite chair with a cup of tea and not have to step out into the cold(or rainy like here in NY) weather. Where else can you go and find everything from handmade soaps and bath salts, all the way up to one of a kind created patterns to use to make your own gifts??

Well, if your not up for sewing, or knitting together a last minute gem of a present, be sure to stroll on over to our next creative girlies Etsy and maybe pick yourself up one of her very appealing hand painted tote bags among other things!

Amy comes to us from England where she is currently studying Art and Design. She also has a masters in Sociology to boot. From scrapping to photography, she brings to the table some fun designs.

1. Hello Amy!! So who is the girl behind "Tuesday afternoon Tea" Etsy shop and the "Tea and Toast" blog?

Hello there! Well, my name is Amy Elizabeth Knowles, I’m 24 years old and I live in Yorkshire, England. I love to draw, paint, sew, knit, take photographs, bake cupcakes and cookies, and drink lots of tea! I also enjoy scrap booking and have been published in UK magazine Scrapbook Inspirations. I like second-hand books, vintage locks and keys, swallows, anchors, hot buttered toast, geeky glasses, paint, Polaroid cameras, guerrilla art, deer, long car drives, pugs, making lists and train journeys. I’ve always been a big worrier and care far too much about what other people think of me, but just lately I’ve been trying to do things that make me happy and really enjoy life a bit more.

2. I read that you have received your Masters degree in Sociology and now you are studying Art and design, why the big switch? What is it about art that really made you decide to go and study it?

I’ve always been a creative soul but I never chose to study art at school or college because the little devil on my shoulder convinced me that I probably wouldn’t be able to earn a living out of it. Instead I chose to do an undergraduate degree and then a masters degree in Sociology, with the intention of doing my PhD and maybe being a social researcher. When I graduated from university I looked around for almost a year, half-heartedly applying for jobs but not really getting anywhere. I spent a lot of time battling with myself about what I thought was the ‘right’ thing to do (get a full time job using my degrees) and what I wanted to do (study art). I gradually came to the realisation that what I truly wanted to do was give myself the chance to pursue my artistic side, so I decided that I would take a year to do a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and see what happened.

3. "Tuesday Afternoon Tea" is the name of your Etsy shop. Why the name? And what kind of stuff can one find when browsing your shop?

I always carry a notebook around with me to jot down ideas for projects, to-do lists, things I want to remember. I also have a habit of writing down song lyrics that move me, quotes that inspire me, words that I find cute or interesting – things like that. I had in the back of my mind that I wanted to start an Etsy shop, so I’d gradually built up a list of possible shop names – Tuesday Afternoon Tea just happened to be the one I was most drawn to. I’m not sure if it properly represents the items you’ll find in the shop, but it definitely represents me - I think a good cup of tea can solve many a problem! If you pop over and have a look in the shop you’ll find a variety of hand painted bags and purses, delicate jewellery featuring locks and keys, embroidered art, the occasional painting, and a couple of very sweet plushies that are waiting for a loving new home!

4. If you had to choose one hobby, which one would you say is your favorite one to really focus on and possibly learn more about?

Well, studying for the diploma has so far given me the opportunity to try out lots of new areas such as ceramics, textiles, metalwork, printing, and darkroom photography, but I would say that most of all I want to work on my painting. I really want to develop my own style and become a skillful painter. I’m inspired by the work of Etsy sellers Elsie Flannigan, Ashley G and the Black Apple, and would love to be as talented as these lovely ladies!

5. I think one of my favorite items that you have throughout your shop and your flickr images, are those of the vampire clouds (and also a Vampire Ice cream cone). Where did this idea come from and what has been the response to them on your Etsy especially?

I honestly cannot say where the idea for the vampire clouds came from! I was doodling one day when they just appeared and it went from there. As well as the clouds I knew I also wanted to make some plushies and cuddly characters, and I thought it would be cute if they had similar facial expressions. Because I’m still relatively new to Etsy I get super excited whenever I get a sale, and I especially like it when I get chance to have little chats with the buyers! I sent one of my creatures, Gus, to cheer up one buyer’s sick friend, and one of my necklaces went to a lady who planned to wear it to her wedding rehearsal. Stories like that give me such a buzz! I love to package up each and every item as if I were sending a present to a friend, and include extras such as badges and a personal note to the buyer to try and bring a little sunshine to their day. One day I would love to be able to make a living from selling items I’ve made on Etsy, but right now I’m just enjoying putting things out there and (hopefully!) getting positive feedback.

6. Some people listen to music, have an inspiration wall, or even browse the Internet to get inspiration. What’s your source that you usually go to, something or somebody that may inspire you?

I listen to music a lot of the time – especially when I’m travelling to and from college – and this is where I get inspiration for things like the badges, which feature quotes or snippets of text. I usually have music on when I’m making or painting, as I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate on what I’m doing. I also spend some time every day on the Internet – probably too much if I’m honest! I get a lot of inspiration from Flickr and love to browse photos on there – I always enjoy adding new contacts and am constantly amazed by the talents of people who share on there. As I said before, I always try to carry a little notebook around with me in case creativity strikes, but it usually takes me a long time to make any ideas I have a reality. They tend to join the bottom of a long list that just keeps on getting longer, but the ones that I am really passionate about will make it into the shop eventually! At the moment I seem to work in big bursts of time, spending whole weekends on making, photographing and uploading things to the shop, whilst weekdays are devoted to class projects.

7. Is there any certain thing you see yourself doing after you get your degree in Art and Design? Do you think you will continue to sell your handmade goods?

Unfortunately I’m not currently studying at degree level – the diploma is one step down from degree – but I’d still love to be able to put it to good use and work in some kind of creative field. It would be my dream to own my own studio space and be able to make a living selling my own creations. Having the Etsy shop makes me really happy and I’d love for it to be successful. When I’m having new ideas, making things or even just going to the post office to send parcels on their way, it’s like I’m in my own little world and I don’t want to give that up!

8. OK, so this is going to be a re-occurring question here on The Little Red Suitcase, what are 5 things you just couldn't’t live with out:

1. Cups of tea 2. A notebook and pen 3. My bed 4. Cuddles 5. Toast

9. What’s next for you in your Etsy endeavors? Any new projects that you are working on that will be incorporated into your storefront?

In the New Year I’d like to redesign the Etsy shop banner and make some new badges to include in my orders. I have a couple of new bag designs that I’m finishing up right now, and after Christmas I’m hoping to play around some more with my new Gocco friend Yoshi! An idea for a postcard set popped into my mind as I was half asleep a couple of nights ago, so I’m also planning on working on that! So many things!

10. To end our little interview, how about you leave us with a quote that inspires you!!!

Oo – can I have two please? I like this one from Henry David Thoreau:

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

And this one from Frank Lloyd Wright:

“The thing always happens that you really believe in, and the belief in a thing makes it happen.”

Be sure to visit Amy at her blog as well as her flickr pages!! Thank you Amy for sharing a piece of your world with us.