September 9th Stellar Seller---KnitAndPearl

KnitAndPearl, a.k.a. Kristen, is the treasurer of the Etsy Owls & winner of the Wedding Challenge, which part of her prize includes being featured as this week's stellar seller. Read her interview & check her out at http://knitandpearl.etsy.com/

Tell us all about you, as much or as little as you'd love to share with the Etsy world. :)

Well... I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with my parents and two younger sisters. I was one of those kids who was involved with everything. From girl scouts to choir to basketball to figure skating to drama to rock 'n' roll drumming... I'm exhausted now... :) But I've always been interested in the arts. I love to create and share what I've created with others.I've met the love of my life and I married him in January of 2005. No babies yet... but hopefully soon! I've been managing a restaurant for almost 5 years now. It's the second love of my life. Most of the time I complain about it, but I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world. I have an amazing staff who I am proud to consider my friends. Every day going to work is enjoyable for me. What's more enjoyable is coming home and sitting down to create a new necklace or knit up a scarf! I've been making jewelry for about 3 years and knitting for about 1 year. I also enjoy pulling out the Ol' Singer and seeing what turns out! Anything craft related - I've either tried or is next on my list to try. I am happiest when I'm putting the finishing touches on a project.

Let us hear all about your shop & how you got started...

I opened my shop at the beginning of July. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and a friend of mine told me about Etsy. I've been in love ever since.I've tried for years to come up with a good name for a shop. I've had several prototypes that I always felt embarrassed to say. As soon as knitandpearl came to me, I knew it was the one! (For those of you who don't know... a PURL is a backwards knit stitch. When you are making a "rib" stitch you knit 1 and purl 1) So that's where I am :) Hopefully, I will have a fruitful year on Etsy! SO far it's been GREAT!

What inspires you to create?

I am most inspired by wild color palettes. I like my jewelry to feel like a work of art. I like to use big bold colors in my knitting and crocheting. I make the best stuff when I'm listening to good music!

Describe yourself in 1 word: Abnormal

What's your favorite:

Book: Eke... I love books... OK it's a three-way tie between "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand, "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving and "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk although, I'm sure more "favorites" will come later

Movie: "The Goonies" YES! BabyRuth!

Song: This is hard too because I love music... "The Entertainer" by Billy Joel, "I'm Waking Up to Us" by Belle and Sebastian and "Chance Dance" by Ulele (Check them out BTW - super cool)

Stellar Seller of the Week - knotartwa

http://www.knotartwa.etsy.com/

This week we are featuring one of our own OWLS, Rita. She's better known on Etsy as knotartwa! Here's what Rita says about herself and her art.

I started macrame when I was 5 yrs old in Russia and made curtains and traditional items into my 20's. I moved to America 2005 and with the support of my husband we started a small stay at home business, this has allowed me the chance to explore my art and I am bringing it to you. I am most inspired by my new life, my wonderful daughter, and my husbands designs for me have really got my creative juices going. So far my favorite items are the matching stone and hemp necklace and bracelet sets, I really like the natural look and simplicity.

I am 27 and live north of Seattle Washington, I am a young homemaker and love being mom. I left my family and friends to pursue a life with my American man in 2005, it was scary and exciting all wrapped into one big adventure that unfolds every day. I aspire to make enough as an artist to bring a good life to my 15 month old daughter, who is everything to me.

My favorite color is blue.
My favorite song is "wind of change" by the Scorpions
My favorite movie is "Dragonfly" with Kevin Cosner
My favorite food is Sushi
My favorite book is "Hard Boiled" by Frank Miller

Wedding Challenge

Such is the theme of this weeks creative challenge for the OWL members. This challenge is in honor of our Wendy, who will be getting married on Monday, September 3!

Our challenge was simple: create a wedding-inspired item to put in our shops. There was no price limit and no limit to our creative boundaries either. I think you'll be excited to see what we've all created!

The entries in the order they were received in are:

Southwest Blues by Nick (corgicreations)


*something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue*
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6925518


Chillax Bridezilla by Sharon (morganstreet)


*a pampering set fit for even the pickiest of brides*
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6929408

I Do by Lora (lorastudio)

*a classy and contemporary piece for today's bride*
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6944831

Ringing Bells by Erin (cagedbirdsings)

*a card to celebrate the marriage of someone you love*
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6948397

The Wandering Girl by Kristen (KnitANDPearl)

*named in honor of our bride*

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6943229

Please help us decide the winner of this challenge by voting at http://cagedbirdsingsstudio.blogspot.com
YOU choose which of these fabulous creations wins!!

Stellar Seller of the Week: jujuw

This week's Stellar Seller is a friend of the OWLs...Judee, or jujuw.

http://www.jujuw.etsy.com



Judee lives in Madison, a small town on the Connecticut coastline. She's a born and raised Connecticut gal. She lived in Atlanta for about 10 yrs and returned home 7 yrs. ago.

Judee has 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl. Then there's her pup of 14 yrs. who is her best friend, and most of the time, best kid.

Judee is a hypnotherapist and a reiki practioner but loves painting the most...ALL kinds of painting...houses, walls, furniture, clothes, it doesn't matter. She developed a neurological illness and fibromyalgia 7 yrs. ago which doesn't allow her to be 'reliable' enough for hypno or reiki clients nor to work out the house. She is confined to the house a good part of the time but can get out on good days. She can paint in bed which is great because (as she says:) I NEED MONEY!

Here's what Judee says about her work and how she got started:

I started painting kid's clothes almost 30 yrs. ago when the kids were little. My husband was out of work at the time and I began sewing aprons and painting on them. I entered myself into a local craft fair and made a whole $40...which was not bad considering my things weren't that good at the time. With that money I bought some good paints and few sample things and began painting away. A few of the neighbors asked me to paint over the stains in their child's shirts, and hence, a business was born. I then got ballsy and cold called my first store and was given 3 dozen of her unsold shirts to paint on for a good price, I might add. From there it mushroomed and developed a life of its own until I was selling to 10's of stores in the NYC metro area and doing very large juried craft areas in NY and CT. After several years of working 18/7, my husband's new job offered him a transer to Atlanta, which we accepted. At that time, since we no longer needed the money from the business we decided it was more important for me to spend my time with the kids rather than a business so I shut it down. I dabbled in painting off and on over the years. About 2 mo. I suddenly, and I mean suddenly, had the thought to start up my business again so I got some paints and some stock and began to get ready a small sampling so I could put out emails flyers to friends and friends of friends. I've been doing well with it and now I sell what I paint, as I paint it. While this is not a hobby to me, and IS a business...long gone are the days of keeping to deadlines and the pressure of meeting them. I discovered Etsy through a friend of a friend who was sent my email mailer. She suggested I look into Etsy, thinking I would fit well with the site. I looked into it and agreed so I began the beginning of May to list some of my items. I've found the people, for the most part, really nice and in just a month's time have met many that I email privately with, which has been great...you can ALWAYS use new friends. I've even come in contact with a gal right here in my town, if ya can believe it.

Judee, what inspires you to create?
hmmmmmm...I hate to sound like a moron, but I don't know. I like funny...humorous things...sweet, when it comes to kids...and above above all, simplicity, in all things. I LOVE primary colors, especially on kids. I don't know what inspires me...

Describe yourself in 1 word:
That's a toughie....hmmmmm....unique! I guess it would have to be unique. And true! Unique...and true....that's 2 words I guess, but that's me.

Favorite...
Book: My favorite book is "God Calling", altho I don't imagine many people know of it, or would care to, but it's THE BEST book!
Movie: "What About Bob" with Bill Murray
Song: "Someone Like You" by Van Morrison.

Describe your shop
I'd like to think it to be 'sweet.' I like to think of kids being 'sweet'...wearing 'sweet'....but then maybe I'm showing my age...hahaha. I think kids grow up TOO fast today, and wear clothing WAY too old for them, even in infant sizes. I don't like to see monsters and adult colors on kids, I think they have more than enough time to wear that kind of stuff, I like sweet on young kids. ALSO...I wholeheartedly believe in affordability. I believe EVERYONE should be able to buy unique, hand done clothing at AFFORDABLE prices....they should not be for the chosen few only. I try to offer unique, well made clothes at affordable prices so everyone can affordable to have at least 1 thing for their child that is different and special...I've always that and that's been my mission statement for 30 yrs.

Our Shops

Please be sure to check out each and every one of our shops to see what we've all been up to!

Official OWL shop

http://www.offthewall.etsy.com/

Clarissa

http://www.cladesigns.etsy.com/

Erin

http://www.cagedbirdsings.etsy.com/

http://www.knitforneighbors.etsy.com/

Iris

http://www.crowandiris.etsy.com/

Jamie

http://www.suenosdejmi.etsy.com/

Kristen

http://www.knitandpearl.etsy.com/

Lora

http://www.lorastudio.etsy.com/

Maria

http://www.executeme.etsy.com/

MorganStreet

http://www.morganstreet.etsy.com/

Nick

http://www.corgicreations.etsy.com/

Rita

http://www.knotartwa.etsy.com/

UnStrung

http://www.unstrungsisters.etsy.com/

Wendy

http://www.wanderinggirl.etsy.com/

Zee

http://www.zeezeeryder.etsy.com/

Our First OWLS (and friends) treasury

Our first treasury was snagged by Wendy, WanderingGirl and is a wonderful summer to fall transitional collection. Be sure to check it out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=6682

Here's a little tempting preview...