Learning new skills

Wow, it's been a whole year since my last post, and of course lot has happened during that year and I will not make you all yawning while I tell you about everything. So I'll skip last year and just tell you about two great weekends in February this year and about VKnO learning new skills.

The first weekend-course I went to was to learn how to transfer digital photos on to fabric. I was looking for a new technique to use on my bags, and I was amazed when I learned how "easy" this was. My head has been producing lot of new products in the weeks after this course - I'm just waiting for the perfect time to get my hands and sewing machine to start producing what my head's already completed ;)

Here's what I made at the course:

- a handbag with photo of my two girls on one side, and on the other side there is a photo of the local nature.

The second weekend-course was held already the weekend after the first one - and the theme for this one was "Sterling silver jewellery with soldering". 20 hours with sawing, forming, soldering, polishing.......wow, it was fun! I really loved to work with silver, and I'm really looking forward to start to make my own jewellery using the newly learned silversmith skills. But, I reccon it will take a while before I can list any of my own silver products in my shop at Etsy of Epla.......I need to practice a lot first ;)

I made myself 3 rings during the course:

I've already started to work on a few projects involving sterling silver - practicing on the techniques and having fun!

....stay tuned for more news from VKnO and my products.....

Ingermaaike

I'm back with a new etsy-shopowner-interview, after a few weeks break.

Today I'm presenting Inger, the creative shopowner of

• ingermaaike - Felt it all: http://www.ingermaaike.etsy.com/
• ingersworld - The world according to IngerMaaike: http://www.ingersworld.etsy.com/

For those of you that don't know the work of Inger, remember to take a good look at her two shops once you've read this interview - I promise you it is time well worth spending :)

1. Tell me about your store (name, products, etc)?
My store is called after myself as that is what it is about, me and the things I make. I make felted toys and scarves, some flowers and jewelry too. Whenever I see something that may be felted I will try, so my range of products is ever expanding. Tha main seller are the scarves though.

2. What made you start selling your products and show your designs to the rest of the world?
I started felting about 2 years ago and having innundated all my friends and family with felted presents I needed to have somewhere else for my felt to go. And while looking for wool I stumbled across this etsy site. After a while I thought I may as well try and sell from there as well as the pile of felt was reaching the ceiling.

3. How do you let the world know about your products?
First I opened a shop on etsy and just hoped for the best, then I forgot all about it till I actually sold something. Suddenly my interest was piqued. I roamed the fora and chatrooms for hints tips and suggestions. One day I discovered there were teams, I applied for membership to the EST and was added to the list. I lurked around there for some weeks and then finally introduced myself. This team has been paramount in further developing my skill as a shopowner. Constantly egged on to improve my photographing skills and descriptions. Together we make treasuries that often end up on front pages further promoting the shops. In the mean time I have started blogging as well and have a flickr page (http://www.ingermaaike.nl/ and http://www.ingermaaike2.flickr.com/ on twitter i am called ingermaaike too)

4. Do you adjust you crafting to the different seasons? And how?
My crafting and color schemes are strongly influenced by what I see around me so automatically it changes with the seasons, but this is not something that happens on a cocious level.

5. How do you get inspired?
My inspiration is found around me, in nature and from feedback and requests. Every bit that goes in gets stirred in the brain and eventually comes out in a shape or form of felt. Sometimes directly and sometimes it may take months.

6. Do you ever get a creative block?
If I am a bit stuck I just make some scarves and inspiration for something new will come again. The making of a scarf is very meditative occupation, so then the ideas start brewing as I am laying out my scarf.

7. What is a normal day like for you?
I get up at 7.15 take a shower and wake the boys. They fix their breakfast and lunch stuff and we walk to school. A 20 minute walk through the woods. Once I get back home I do some house work if I feel like it. Usually I will mess around on the net for a while, time flies as we all know once you start surfing. Having done that I will felt or dye or felt and dye. Maybe take the dogs for a walk and gone is the day, time to pick up the boys from school again. On coming home they do homework and I help as they are still learning the language and need help with translation. By then it is time to cook and after dinner I will felt some more or hang out behind my computer. All in all a very exciting life..

8. Do you do this for fun or for serious business?
It is a business, and we need the income from it as supplementary income.

9. How do you see yourself down the road?
We will have remolded our barn into a workspace for me where I can create and teach workshops, maybe even sell to passing tourists.

10. What else interests you besides your craft?
I love all kind of science and read a lot about it, reading is my water and food.

11. Is there something you would like to say as the end of the talk?
Make fun every day, not just when you have time :0D

......I'll be back with another interview next week, unless the holidays hits me first ;)

VIKING CHALLENGE - THE WINNER!!!

In the weekly challenge of the European Street Team on Etsy we had 'Vikings with a hint of upcycling' as the theme.

Nine creative europeans delivered an entry to the challenge, and here is the winner:

Please welcome.........


Chichiboulie with 'Dalla':

CONGRATULATION!

The Vikings are back!

This week I won the weekly challenge of the European Street Team on Etsy with my "Aqua et ignis". As the winner I got to choose the new theme, and I ended up with 'Vikings with a hint of upcycling'.




The European Street Team has, as usual, accepted the challenge and I will, in this blogpost, present the entries as they are presented to me.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Please welcome the Vikings of EST:

Chichiboulie with 'Dalla':
Kreativlink with 'The Vikings, Suede Journal':

BonnieBoon with Baby Viking HAT:

GiftsandStars with Feeling Like a Viking Key/ Bag Ring:AleciaV with Return of the Vikings:
kraplap with Erik the Discoverer Brooch:

toosis with Silver Cuff Viking Bracelet: dinafragola with Viking Shield Pendant:

paperfection with The Harald the Viking Journal:

The challenge started this monday and will end a week later (monday 24th Nov. 21:00). If you would like to be a part of this challenge, please convo me once you have completed your entry. http://www.vkno.etsy.com/

The challenge: Vikings

Thank you, AmandaYuDesign for choosing me as this weeks winner, my "Aqua et ignis" Pop Art on display won the last theme "Aqua". So I am the boss, or the queen as I may be called, for this Weekly Challenge for the European Street Team on Etsy which originated from Kreaktivlink.

I was thinking of a challenge that has a connetion to my corner of the world. Ok, I'm from Norway where we have a lot of water, some snow and ice, semi-high mountains and a 'ugly' history. Water (Aqua) has been used, snow/ice is just too cold and mountains have to wait till next time.......... cause I have choosen a part of our 'ugly' history for this weeks challenge: the VIKINGS!

I would like to see items that are somehow related to Vikings or to the time when vikings raided and colonized parts of Europe.

In addition to a Viking-connection, there has to be some recycling or upcycling involved when creating the item. It's up to you to decide how much recycling/upcycling as long as it is involved somehow.

Once you have done your entry please send the link to http://www.vkno.etsy.com/

Here is something for you inspiration:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking
Link to Osebergskipet, a famous viking ship

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling
http://www.regia.org/vikings.htm


I have not been able to copy any photos of viking ships - so please take a look at one of the links for more details - some of the ships had the most amazing carvings.

Monday special: Upcycling finds Europe part II

Last monday I made my monday special based on upcycling finds from the European Street Team, and I found so many lovely items made by upcycling or recycling so I decided to follow up with a part II from Europe.

So here we go:

Trashion Baroque Japan Jacket by yasminbochi:

eggyolk-yellow summer top from recycled fabric, size x-small by katsai:

One of a kind sunny yellow tote with vintage applique by Ravenhill:
My Little Gem 3 - Warm Brown with Rosette by karuski:
Magicien de la nuit - my first handsewn plushie ever by ArtMind:

Have a wonderful week, and remember to think twice before you trow anything away - it may be turned into something loveable!

Taking it a bit further....

Those of you that have seen my Etsy-shop, may remember my Pop Art Pendants made of soda pop cans and newspapers, maps and magazines. So far I have had 3 different lines of Pop Art Pendants:

* Windows of the Past, Pop Art Pendant (with vintage newspaper/magazine)

* Windows of the Sea, Pop Art Pendant (with lighthouses or other items related to the sea)

* Windows of the World, Pop Art Pendant (with a piece of a map)

This week I've been working on a way to improve my Pop Arts, and I've ended up with 3 changes to the product:

1. Making a mini-stand so the Pop Art can be displayed as any other piece of art
2. Stamping the frame, this makes me able to add a title or a statement directly on to the Pop Art.
3. Using a piece of fabric as the motife.

This is the first one I've made involving all three changes:

This item 'Aqua et Ignis' is inspired by the weekly challenge of the European Street Team. This week the theme is aqua (Take a look Amandas blog for more info and all the other entries).

I've have not added the little 'loop' on top of this item, so this can not be used as a pendant. It is ment to be on display, and I will call this line of product for 'Framed Fabrications, Pop Art on Display'

The three next photos shows the different shapes I've used on the mini-stands and how the backside looks:




The mini-stands can also be used with my pendants, and will look really great on any shelf. The mini-stand will soon be available as a separate product in my shop.



While I was shooting a lot of photos of my new product today, my two little girls (Marthe and Lilly) were having a great time climbing. Looks fun!

Monday special: Upcycling finds Europe part I

Today I've made a search for upcycled products made by members of "European Street Team", and here are some of the gorgeous items I found:

Hand Printed Recycled Map Paper Envelopes - Mixed Prints - Pack of 10 by annarubyking:

Upcycled handbag made from mens shirt by Babongo:

Lost Girls No. 2. framed collage by lapomme:

PETALS - Bobbypin set of 2 in Recycled Cherry red satin bobby pins by MGMart:

Vizsla - Set of 5 Calendar Gift Bags - for animal charity by makemesmile:

Levis 501 upcycled black denim boho indie bag green lining double entrance by Lazyfish:

I'll be back next week with Upcycling finds Europe part II.