Olive - feature #33

Name: Christina Willows from Olive
Website links: Olive

What do you make?
Olive Bath and body care! My primary focus is on cold process soap. We only use plant based ingredients and never anything synthetic. All natural, made with my own hands.

What or who inspires you?
I’m definitely inspired by my parents. They are both entrepreneurs and they have always loved and encouraged creative pursuits. My father loves to build so I learned a little carpentry here and there. He also has a workshop where he creates stained glass and, in general, he has always helped me to find ways to get to the result I’m looking for.

Growing up, my mother did a lot of sewing and was part of a weaver’s guild. My appreciation for textiles came from her. Now my husband plays a big role as an artist himself and we feed off one another which is really helpful -- especially when you need encouragement!



How did you get started?
November of 2006 I was in University and, as all students can probably relate, I felt broke and short on time with all my projects being due. I ended up going to a craft fair where I saw some beautiful soaps and was inspired to try to make some myself. Thankfully at a young age I learned about soap making from my mother who tried it a few times with one of our neighbors so I was well equipped with some knowledge about safety and what kind of moulds I could use.

With a fair amount of research and a few different concoctions, I came out with some good results. To my surprise everyone loved it. Friends were asking me to make their Christmas gifts too so I opened up my Etsy shop to share the wealth! Turns out it’s a great escape from school stresses too!



What are your favourite materials to work with?
When I comes to Olive I definitely like to work with Essential oils. They are fabulous – they smell great too. To think they come from plants amazes me every time!

Essential oils have been used in medicine for thousands of years. While the soap does smell great, our Lavender Lane soap is also calming. You don't get those benefits from synthetic scents.

Clay has also been a recent favourite of mine especially Moroccan Lava clay which pulls impurities out of your skin and replaces them with minerals! I'm hooked!



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
Being your own boss! I love that I make my own hours, my own product for something I believe. It’s easy to be really tough on yourself and feel that you have to know everything about business and what the next steps are. Occasionally I just need to stop, breathe and let myself learn rather than be scared of it all. I find that it’s a love hate relationship…

List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Thekitchn.com: inspiring colours, textures and presentations of food. You can’t work without food!

Designspongeoneline.com: it satisfies my love of flowers, home décor and design, a little DIY and beautiful products. I always leave this site wanting to make, make, make!

Theweddingchicks.com: I love weddings, from the colors of the flowers to the table settings and all the details in between

Flickr.com: I love doing random word searches, you never know what kind of inspiration you’ll find

wemakeone.com: My husband's graphic design business. Get something designed so we can eat!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Pick a niche and stick with it. I find wherever I go people want to tell me the latest thing to jump on board. I like to hear what people are excited about, but it’s easy to lose your vision and get off course and in the end – more stuff is just more stuff… if it doesn’t fit your niche, get rid of it!

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Well I went to school for Fine Arts so this is a hot debate that I usually try and keep out of and I think it gets overly complicated very quickly. I like to think of myself somewhere in between. When it comes down to it I feel like its not very important. What’s important is that I’m enjoying the ride and learning a lot about myself and about life along the way!

(photo images courtesy of Christina Willows)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

Hapu'u Fern

If you read my other blog over at lotusevents.blogspot.com, you may have noticed that we are currently in Hawaii. I wanted to pop in here briefly and show you the Hawaiian Hapu'u Fern that we discovered in the Hawaii National Volcano Park this afternoon.


The Hapu'u Fern can grow up to 40ft and is found all over the east side of the Big Island from sea level to 6000 ft. A fern frond begins as a curled up shoot. As it matures it unfurls - with each of the leafy fingers also unfurling in a true fractal form. As the young shoots uncurl, they have a fine golden hair that is very soft, almost like velvet. This hair is called pulu and it was collected in the 1800's and used commercially as stuffing for pillows, mattresses and as an alternative to what we crafters know as fiber-fill. Apparently there is still remenants of an old pulu factory that can still be seen on the Napau Center trail in the Park.

things to do :: blim & portobello west

Looking for something to do? Two Vancouver markets are kicking off the Spring this weekend.

Portobello West Fashion and Art Market
Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th, 2010
Noon to 6:00pm
Rocky Mountaineer Station - 1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver
Admission: $2.00

Featuring over 100 local artists and designers, it is the perfect place to pick out some new items for Spring! Shop from independent artists and designers for original works of art, clothing and accessories.

Blim
Sunday, March 29th, 2010
11:00am to 4:00pm
Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
Admission: FREE

Blim will be presenting a monthly Main Street Community Market this month to take place at Heritage Hall. This months' market will include 48 vendors, music, hot food, beverages, and entertainment. Vendors will include food, fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records, and not be limited to crafts, and there will be a focus on nurturing and promoting creative production in our community.

Save your pennies! Open Sesame will be at the Blim market with * the * best Japanese fusion cuisine that your tastebuds will ever enjoy!

handmade nation vancouver round 2

The Museum of Vancouver hosted a screening of Handmade Nation last Friday to a diverse crowd consisting of DIY crafters and members of the Museum. The event had a fantastic turn out and many people left the evening feeling inspired and with a new appreciation for handmade. Following the screening, the MOV held a guest panel to speak about the DIY movement in Vancouver and answer questions raised by the audience. The panel consisted of Robert from Got Craft?, Kim Werker from CrochetMe.com and Erin Bonniferro from Collage Collage and facilitated by Amanda Gibbs from the MOV. Topics covered included the growth of DIY and craft fairs in Vancouver through the last couple of years and how they have changed, the difference (if any) between the DIY movement in the US vs. Canada, the difference in crafting for a hobby and crafting for a living, DIY vs. fine art, gender in the craft movement, to name a few.


I’ve known Kim and Erin for quite a while and to hear them speak, along with Robert, up on that panel was both amazing and inspiring. They are all well spoken and the MOV could not have picked a better group to speak. I hope that everybody that attended had as much as fun as I did.


We also held a mini Got Craft during the evening reception including Locomotive Clothing, telly designs, Sassy Contessa and roxypop.

Were you not able to attend? The MOV is hosting another DIY event – A night of Social Crafting on Friday, April 9th. Check out their website for ticket and event information!

Uncle Phil / Flipside- feature #32

Name: Kim McMullen
Website links: Flipside Creative, Uncle Phil

What do you make?
I make quirky, fun, nostalgic, light-herated, simple, and fresh greeting cards and wedding invitations. My greeting card line -- Uncle Phil -- is a charitable endeavour. The proceeds benefit the Starlight Foundation of Canada. So i get to do what I love and do good at the same time. Which is pretty much the best job ever. My custom wedding invitations are a part of my graphic design business - Flipside Creative. I meet with couples and design invitations that truly encapsulate who they are as a pair and that leave froo-froo tradition in the dust!

What or who inspires you?
Is it cheesy to say everyone? I'm a people-watcher by heart and nature. I draw inspiration from the girl outside the window who chose to couple a fuscia scarf with a green shiny vest, from the guy at the movie theatre who throws popcorn up in the air and tries to catch it in his mouth, from the little boy who splashes in mud puddles, from the 60-year-old grandmother with a slammin' tattoo sleeve. All of that. Every day people provide a garden of ideas just waiting to blossom.



I am also inspired by graphic designers like Stephan Sagmeister, by do-gooders like my Uncle Phil, by my creative friends and cohorts -- Courtney Johnston of Telly, Bernadette Giet of Wealthy Wilma, Chris MacDonald of CMAC Photography, Bryan Stuart of Sprout Creative -- by my family, by my clients. I draw inspiration from the world, from graphic design, crafters, friends, arts, family, writers, entrepreneurs, moms, mavens, cool people, not so cool people --– and I mix it all together in a beautiful smorgasbord of awesomeness in print.

How did you get started?
I was a writer and an artist. And I wanted to teach myself how to design so I could marry my two favourite things. So I just started. Scribbling, sketchbooking, sharing ideas, and trying to bring them to life online. It was really something I couldn't avoid. My passion was pushing me in that direction. I just had to leap.
If I could make greeting cards for the rest of my life that truly touch people in various ways, then I will be content. It would be my Eden.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
It's funny, although my final product is technology-based, my favourite materials are in the idea process. I love sketchbooks with thick paper, graphite, pens with ink that bleeds a little, whiteboards and whiteboard erasers, folded paper, etc. All of the hands on stuff happens up front. Then I love my mac. It helps me bring my ideas to life. So as much as I loathe technology from a crafters point of view, I also love how it can take my idea and transform it into something tangible and lovely all the same.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
Hardest: finding the time to do it among the monotony of everyday things. I put it on the sidelines more often than not. Which is unfortunate because I love it so.
Favourite: doing it. Coming up with ideas, sketching out card ideas, and making them come to fruition is the best therapy a girl could have. Just sitting, thinking, drawing, laughing to myself, furrowed brow, intensely sketching, folding, cutting, writing. Man, it's bliss.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Etsy.com: I did all of my holiday shopping on Etsy. I do all of my birthday shopping on Etsy. I buy myself stuff on Etsy. It is an amazing forum for hugely talented people and it makes me happy just to peruse through to see what's new. I am constantly amazed by the talent out there. And I've met so many neat people and friends through sharing our talents. It's the coolest site around.

whitehottruth.com: Danielle Laporte is my hero. She may not be a "crafter", but she crafts her own success and fantasticness without shame or apology. She is a wealth of positivity, a self-promotion wizard, and a business woman with heart and brain so tightly intertwined she's bascially an enigma. Of course, i don't even know her. But I learn from her daily. I listen to her advice. Sometimes I take it. Sometimes I don't. But I always leave her blog with a fresh perspective and a moment of pause where I say "hmmmm..." It's intensely valuable to me.

ilovetypography.com: I am a sucker for great typography. Every time I make a dollar I spend it on fonts. Fonts fonts fonts. They are so beautiful and telling. Each has a story. Each is a personality. They make me drool a little. This blog is written and managed by someone with a love as deep and fond as mine. They always give me good stuff. The content always brings me back to the basics, to finding something whimsical or beautiful or strong in the cursive bowl of a lowercase g or the tail of an uppercase serif N. It's really cool.

poppytalk.blogspot.com: How can you not love a blog with categories like ceramics, fonts, affordable arts, felt, grafitti, hand-lettering, polaroids, and "the beautiful". This blog features everything and anything crafty, arty, beautiful, radical, wacky, and wonderful. It is the source for all things "the beautiful". This blog features everything and anything crafty, arty, beautiful, radical, wacky, and wonderful. It is the source for all things awesome.

cococakecupcakes.blogspot.com: This is Coco Cupcake's blog. I seriously read this twice a week. I always check back for new cupcakes. Lyndsay Sung, the owner and master of all things cupcake, is seriously among the most talented people I have ever met. Her blog is not only mouth-wateringly delicious but it is also an inspiration. The cupcakes and cakes are all art projects that Lyndsay takes on with fervour and nails, hands down, every time. When I see her success with her art, I get hungry to achieve the same with mine.
Oh, and it makes me hungry for cupcakes too. So I order custom cupcakes from her at every chance.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I think the best advice is to follow your passion. I remember telling a boss once that I was going to go out on my own, open a boutique design studio, design greeting cards for charity, and work with nice people all day long. He laughed in my face. "You can't run a business like that," he said matter of factly, still snickering a little. I quit three days later, started my own company, and never looked back. If you believe that you can do whatever it is that you do, you can. Just show up, believe in you, stay passionate, and the success will come. The best asset in crafting is passion. If you have it, you're going places, baby. Big time.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I think art and crafting are best when considered together. Crafting is an art. Art is a craft. I think the two come hand in hand. I think "craft" garnered a bad name in the past. It was associated with cheap/homemade. And "art" was snooty and refined. Now, I think people are starting to really appreciate crafts and the talents of people like you and me and our crafting friends working out of our studios or basements or kitchens or living rooms creating beautiful, brilliant things that amaze others. I am an arty crafter. I make things with my hands and with technology for the purpose of fulfilling a passion that runs deep. There is a movement out there that is really creating an uprising and tearing down the walls between art and craft. I am so happy for it. It is showing how the two are really quite synonymous. There is no difference in quality, idea, creativity. Art is craft. Craft is art. Artists are wicked talented. Crafters are wicked talented. I would be delighted to be considered in either lot. I'd love it even more to be considered in both.

(photo images courtesy of Kim McMullen)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

tutorial :: Smeeta’s Easy Peasy Coffee Sleevy

Ever shrink a wool sweater in the wash? What do you do with it after? Give it to a really tiny friend? Well, I guess you could, but let’s be realistic, it would probably be really ill fitting – so let’s save a tiny friend from a fashion faux pas and do something else cool with that sweater. I’m going to show you a really simple way to make a re-usable coffee sleeve from an old sweater that will incite 'oohs' and 'aahs' from your local barista and coffee-drinking cohorts.

When wool is washed in hot water and dried, it becomes “felted”. Felted wool has some really great characteristics- it’s dense, insulating, and my personal favourite, it doesn’t fray when you cut it! So that means crafting with felt is generally non-fussy.

Materials:
• shrunken wool sweater
• paper coffee sleeve
• 1 piece of paper
• Something to decorate your sleeve (buttons, trim, felt)
• Thread
• Needle
• Scissors


First, you’ll need a shrunken wool sweater. If you haven’t already ruined your favourite sweater in the wash, you can take an 80-100% wool sweater, stick it in the wash on hot and machine dry. The sweater I’m using as an example was purchased at a thrift store.


Step 1 – make a pattern for your sleeve. I’ve used a paper sleeve I got with my coffee and traced it onto paper and then cut it out.


Step 2 – pin the cut out pattern to your sweater and cut along the edge. It might not come out very straight but that’s OK – you can trim it afterwards.

Step 3 – if you want to decorate your sleeve, do it now! I’m a big fan of buttons, so that’s an easy way to snazzy it up.


Step 4 – figure out how you want to connect the two ends together. Again, I love buttons! This was so simple, I pinned my sleeve together so that the ends overlapped, then I sewed the buttons on through both layers. Make sure that you’ve made it the proper size- if your felt is a bit stretchy you might want to make the sleeve smaller.

There you have it – an eco-friendly, re-usable sleeve that you can just pop in your purse and protect your hands from your hot cup, but keep them warm in winter.

So what are you going to do with the rest of the sweater? Why not make some coffee sleeves for your friends as a sweet gift? Or save the rest of the material for another great project like a stuffed toy, a bag, or a pair of fingerless gloves – the possibilities are endless!

Note: for those who are in a hurry, you could even just cut the cuff of the sweater sleeve and use that around your coffee cup! And of course, you don’t have to use a sweater to make one of these puppies, go ahead and re-use any type of material you have around the house (a lovely dinner napkin with a stain in the corner for example).

Smeeta, aka Rita Leung is an avid crafter based in Vancouver. She loves to find creative inspiration from around the world and of course from the West Coast. You can find her goods at smeeta.etsy.com.

contest :: Yarn Bombing

Hey! Have you made your way over to Granville Online to enter the Yarn Bombing giveaway? That's right. You can enter to win a copy of your very own Yarn Bombing - The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by Vancouver locals Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore. All you need to do is follow this link and post a comment about the DIY project you're currently working on (or want to start). A lucky winner will be chosen on March 31st, 2010.

Yay! Free stuff!

Kim Werker - feature #31

Name: Kim Werker
Website links: kimwerker.com

What do you make?
I *start* making lots of things: crocheted and knit scarves, sweaters, toques; crocheted dolls; I’ve taken to dreaming lots about embroidery. The things I end up finishing are dolls, scarves, and mostly writing about this sort of stuff (and other sorts of stuff). I finish writing things more often than not; I don’t often finish crafting things.



What or who inspires you?
Craftswise, the projects I get most excited about are the ones that come out of a desire to go against what’s generally considered “normal”. It’s why I like making dolls – the uglier the better. Why? Because cute is expected! It’s very liberating to create ugly stuff. Also, there’s very little pressure. When success is ugly, what do you get if you fail? Cute? Beautiful? The horror!

I also develop an itch to make stuff when I’m stressed out. That’s when the double-crochet scarves in chunky yarns proliferate. The repetitive stitching and feel of the yarn relax me and making something useful makes me feel productive when otherwise I’m overwhelmed by teh suck.

When it comes to writing, there are just some days when I can’t keep my mouth shut. I love those days. The words come fast and sometimes furious. Other times, I enjoy writing just to work out some thoughts that have been swimming around in my head. And then there are the things I write on assignment. I love those, too.



How did you get started?
Forgetting about the times I learned how to crochet when I was in high school and then in college, I really got into yarn crafts in my mid-twenties. I started CrochetMe.com in 2004, and that’s when I sort of dove heart and soul into the crafts world.

I’ve always enjoyed writing. It was the thing in school I found easy and throughout my life whenever I’ve felt I needed to accomplish something, I’ve turned to words to do it.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Alpaca is simply the most wonderful yarn around. It’s soft and warm and makes me feel special. Addi Turbo hooks are my favourites, and I’m partial to their knitting needles, too, though I also love bamboo needles.

I have a fairly ample yarn stash I’ve built over the years, and I enjoy digging into it for odd balls to do quick projects with.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part for me is to let go of the pressure. It was a very big deal for me to admit to myself, and then to everyone else, that I rarely finish a project. And you know what? People didn’t gasp aloud, “Good gods! The crochet author is a charlatan!” They said, “Oh, yeah. Ok. Me too.” So now my favourite thing is starting a project (my favourite thing has *always* been to start a project), and I’ve forced myself not to find it hard to let that project languish eventually. Every couple of years I dig up half-finished projects and go on a frenzy finishing some of them, and then I feel extraordinary. Really, I can’t understand why the universe doesn’t shower me in cookies when I do that. It’s a very big deal.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
GoodReads: I read a lot and I love keeping track of my books here. Plus, it’s social.
xkcd: This comic regularly cracks me up.
Twitter: Of course. It’s like a direct line to the entire world. I love it. (I’m @kpwerker. You should follow me.)
Letters of Note: It’s amazing to see how people express themselves. And also to grab a snapshot from history.
Make & Meaning blog: Sister Diane of Craftypod and Paul of Dudecraft recently launched this multi-contributor blog, and I was really excited to be invited to participate. We collectively write about crafts and making and DIY with a decidedly thoughtful approach.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Don’t shy away from tough decisions, don’t fail to prioritize making a living and remember to have fun with your customers/clients. Also, stop complaining about the changing marketplace and start taking advantage of it.

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
They are different, but one isn’t any better than the other. My favourite take on the distinction is from TV/movie writer/director Joss Whedon. He said, “[It’s] that little chaos factor. It's when the thing starts talking back to you. When you come up with something that is a little bit more than just a good reproduction of what was in the book, and somehow reflects you in a way that you didn't understand yourself: that's art.” Both art and craft take skill, but art has that extra something. The voice in your head that won’t shut up and forces its way out through creating. (I almost wrote, “that forces its way out through your hands,” but that would be a little too close to what a psychotic killer might do.)

I consider myself a crafter. There are some voices in my head, but so far they haven’t been ready to force their way out.

(photo images courtesy of Kim Werker)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

cardboard cafe

photo credit: PSFK snapshot

Based in Taichung, Taiwan, this restaurant takes eco-friendly to a new level! All the furniture including chairs, tables, sofas and shelving is made of recycled cardboard. I'm not sure how they keep this dry, but located outside the restaurant are two art installations - the Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower, of course, made of paper as well.



Check out more images on amusing planet.

the * i want * list

A necklace made from broken tea saucers by Silver Trumpet

These are a few of the things I want to buy from Got Craft on Sunday, May 2nd! Start marking your calendars and making your own shopping list by checking out the works of over 50 local and handmade artists here.


Loving the knit accessories by kove!


Abeego - reusable food storage product made from a hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts



Some wood pennents by Bliss in a teacup or a guitar pick for a dad-to-be.


A too cute for words hunting jacket by Escargot for a mom-to-be.


Need to add to my current collection by heyday design


A show isn't a show when I don't stop by Olive for my annual fill up of soap.

* photo credit goes to the respective shops listed

got craft :: 2010 :: spring edition

photo credit: Roberta Grove

Instead of a featured artist this Monday, I decided to feature all 49 Got Craft Spring show vendors. * Smile * It's like a big class picture !

2-Faced
3H Craftworks Society
a Cagey Bee
A Farmers Daughter
Sam Made
Abeego Designs
Billy Would Designs
Bliss in a Teacup
BuenoStyle
cabin + cub
catalyst reaction
Citizen Craft
Divesin
Chanda Stallman
Escargot
Firefly Notes
GroovyGlassGirl
heyday design
Him Creations
hold handmade
hudsonny
irit sorokin designs
Its Your Life Handmade
Jennifer Conway
joanie gyoza's Tasty Treats
K.K. Creations for a cozy world
kove handmade
Laura Bucci Handmade
Lockette {Paper + Fabric}
Locomotive Clothing Co.
love bobbie
Olive
Owl + Pussycat
Peach de Liss Headbands
Penelope Brown
Phaulet
Plush Off
pomo mama design
Queen Bee
roxypop
Sassy Contessa
Silver Trumpet
Smeeta
telly designs
The Beautiful Project
Thistle Town Studio
Track and Field
Uncle Phil
Wikkerink Design
Post Creative
Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge

shop tour :: Button Button

I visited sewing stores in Portland, Seattle and San Francisco and Button Button is the best button store on the West Coast hands down! Read about our next crafty shop stop over at Granville Online.

HAIIKU - feature #30

Name: HAIIKU by Iris Taborsky-Tasa
Website links: HAIIKU

What do you make?
I make clothing for women who appreciate comfort and subtle details. I have a modern aesthetic, with an ode to the past. I want to create pieces that people feel good in.



What or who inspires you?
What inspires me can be quite random...Anything from cut fruit to cracks in a rock face can spark an idea. I am an avid lover of vintage and I'm very inspired by styles of the past. What I find most interesting in vintage are the patterns that can be found on the fabrics of the garments. The color combinations are amazing! In the past, one vintage fabric inspired me to design a whole collection. I tend to let the fabrics inspire me when I find them. It's what makes the design process so interesting.

How did you get started?
At a very young age I would rifle through my mother's bins of stuff from her travels. I would play around with it, make outfits...accidentally chop embroideries up...eep! This was the first time I put scissors to cloth. I started sewing when I was ten, using old clothing and making them new again. I've been sewing ever since. Five years ago I took a leap, and started up HAIIKU.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I love natural fabrics. I try to use them as much as possible. My favourites include all cottons, linens, wools, silks, bamboo, etc...

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
PRODUCTION. By far, the number one hardest thing to keep up with! I have to be my own toughest boss to get the job done.

My favourite part of crafting is when someone trys on one of my pieces. Seeing their face light up when they fall in love with it truly is gratifying.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
design*sponge: It is such a great resource and wonderful for inspiration.
Modish: They compile such cute stuff!
Refinery 29: Very good style site. I also enjoy their travel guides.
fantastic-dl: I love the art she finds.
101 Cookbooks : One word: YUM.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
The best advice I can give is to get organized and stay that way! Easier said than done, but it really does help in keeping things moving. Read as many posts online from other indie artists who have already hurtled the hardships of starting up a small business. I find the etsy business posts helpful and modish is too.

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I think that Art and Craft are different, although they both have the same foundation. Art isn't necessarily tangible, while Craft is. Craft is more of a practical, functional art. I come from Art and Craft background, though now I consider myself more of a designer. It's exciting to see the change and growth that has happened in the last 10 years with the DIY movement. There's been a big shift in peoples perceptions of what Art & Craft are, breathing new life into them and making it alot more accessible to people. It's an exciting time!

(photo images courtesy of HAIIKU / Iris Taborsky-Tasa)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1