buy handmade :: rosie music

When I was running my Japanese supply store over on Etsy, I was contacted by this fine lady asking if I was interested in a trade. To be honest, I am always a little hesitant with trades. What if you don't see anything that you like? Do we trade dollar by dollar? What if I want the money and not more stuff? You know, concerns like that.


Of course, when I visited Rosie Music, she took all of my concerns, packaged them into a bag and slapped me in the face with it, because her work was that amazing. All of her prints are fantastic especially the ones which she prints on a paperbacked natural wood veneer which uses less renewable and unrenewable resources to manufacture than the material required to make ordinary paper. That, teamed up with the $1.00 wood frames I picked up in Portland from a random shop, just makes them the perfect wall piece. As a matter of fact, I just sent her a message to see if she is interested in doing another swap. Loving this and this.

Track and Field Designs - feature #39

Name: Track and Field Designs
Website links: Etsy, Blog

What do you make?
I make a variety of items, currently sewn & screen printed accessories - laptop bags, messenger bags, pouches and brooches. Sometimes purses and mittens. I have a very short attention span, making a lot of different things keeps things interesting for me.

What or who inspires you?
I find inspiration everywhere! I get inspired by fabric. I adore fabric. I even get inspired on my daily walk through my neighbourhood - all the heritage houses! I totally want one!



How did you get started?
I have always been a maker-of-things. I grew up sewing and knitting thanks to my Mom who is an expert sewer/knitter/crocheter.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I have a serious fabric addiction. I can't get enough of the stuff! My favourite fabric is linen. It's just the best.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part for me is marketing. I am shy and awkward and not at all comfortable with promoting myself. My favourite part is the creative & creating part! The whole making-something-out-of-nothing thing. I find the process of building something from a heap of fabric pretty satisfying.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
I check these websites obsessively:
Etsy: Obviously
FaceBook: Because I am nosey.
Twitter: I still don't "get" Twitter, but I find it facsinating
Typepad: Home of my blog
Modcloth.com: It is very dangerous. You've been warned.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I don't even know what I am doing half of the time! But I think it's important to make items that you love. Continually improving your line and creating a strong "brand" will make your line stand out.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I will say....designer. All my patterns are my own..dreamt up and made by me.

(photo images courtesy of Track and Field Designs)

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

Check out our past features...
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
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

buy me :: one gocco print kit

Thank you to everybody that has responded. The item has been sold.

Jumping in for a little self promotion! After some careful thought, I decided to put my gocco up for sale. It's definitely come in handy... printing swag bags, handmade nation tickets, t-shirts for a friend's volleyball team.. you know. As much as I love it, lately, we just haven't been using it that much and with the upcoming move, we decided to put it up for sale.

You can read all about gocco machine's here or just google the word 'gocco' (pronounced go-ko). Check out these sites for some ideas on what to do with a gocco: Felt Cafe, Etsy, The Small Object and whip up.

My print kit includes everything listed below. Like new condition. Only used a few times. Asking price $175.00 Cdn. Interested? Drop me an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com. Pick up only from Vancouver.



RISO HImesh INK (for paper)
Yellow full
Red full
Blue full
Fluorescent Pink partially used
Fluorescent Purple partially used
Green partially used
Black partially used
White partially used
Gold 25% remaining

RISO HImesh INK (for cloth)
Red, Blue, Black & White all partially used



8 Gocco bulbs

1 tube of cleaning gel

4 B6 screens

Card Rack

Artwork Pen-1 (0.3mm)



1 Gocco PG-5

1 squeegee

Instruction Booklet and How-to Video

Batteries x2 AA

buy handmade :: focal length designs

photo credit: focal length designs

As part of the Summit of Awesome, the gals of Crafty Wonderland held a Show of Awesome featuring 40 handmade vendors.


I met Isaac during the session 'Craft Fair Applications' and somehow started yakking on about Vancouver, handmade titles, craft fairs, etc. I didn't realize that I had actually seen his work at past Crafty Wonderland shows and had pinned his name on my blog board for later posts. Isaac runs Focal Length Designs which uses old, broken camera lenses and makes one-of-a-kind bracelets out of them. Being in the wedding industry, we know tons of photographers and we knew one especially that always goes above and beyond for us. I had thought of getting one for her at the Christmas show when I first saw Isaac's work, but never ended up making it back through the crowds to his booth. After meeting him in person, I realized that it was the world telling me that I need to buy a bracelet which I indeed did!

buy local :: Plein Air

photo credit: Steidlewave

I was strolling through Main Street on Car Free day when I discovered these beautiful, handmade laptop cases. Locally made at Momentum Millworks in Vancouver, each case is constructed out of high quality marine plywood and clear fir which is bonded with wood glue. The lid is held in place by two high quality Southco marine draw latches and is lined with 3mm neoprene. The finish is from a handmade shellac which is waterproof and food safe.


Each case is amazingly light weight and comes in two sizes - standard macbook and aluminum macbook. Custom sizing is available. You can check out Plein Air's etsy shop for more details.

etsy craft party round up

Hey! Did you make it out to the Etsy craft party in Vancouver last month hosted by Got Craft?, Collage Collage, Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge and RubyDog's Art House? Hope so! We, unfortunately, were not able to attend, but it sounded like good times were had by all.

Here are some long overdue pictures from Erin at Collage Collage. Collage Collage is a workshop space and retail shop that focuses on children, so Erin whipped up some kid friendly projects including using ceramic friendly markers provided by Etsy to paint their own teacup!


I am proud to announce that the Vancouver Etsy meet up had a whopping 81 RSVP's. Out of a total of 602 meet ups around the world, we ranked 11th and no other Canadian city even came close to us. Goooo... crafty Vancouver! The top 50 cities with the most RSVP's received a box of goodies from Etsy (pictured above).


Thank you to everybody that made it out and a BIG thank you Rita for bringing lemon cupcakes and Stace for the raspberry shortcake cookies. Happy belated birthday Etsy!

check out :: cargoh

There's a new kid in the handmade community. CARGOH is the name. Tagged as a single destination where artists of all trades can be seen, heard and collected in one community driven marketplace. It's kind of like Etsy, but instead of listing fees, you choose a plan that best suits the kind of online shop you wish to run. For example, if you choose the free account, you can list up to 5 items, but your features are limited. For $20.00 a month, you can list an unlimited number of items and so on. You can check out the full chart here.

What can you sell?
Anything independently created and not represented by a major label.

What can't you sell?
Anything that you didn’t make, or put your unique stamp on.

Check out their CARGOH.com for more information.

** update ** Hmmm.... I decided to see what it was all about. No sales yet, but I'm still setting up. You can check out my store here and fist bump me!

Divesin - feature #36

Name: Divesin by Jackie Dives
Website links: Etsy, Blog, Myspace

contest alert at the end of the blog post!

What do you make?
I mostly make collages and take photographs. I have been collaging and taking photographs since I was in elementary school. Right now my collages are taking a couple different personalities.



There is an ongoing series that I work on for craft fairs and for sale on my Etsy site. These are made on wood panels that are hollow in the back so they can be hung easily. I use images from books that would otherwise be sent to the dump. I rescue them and make something new from them.

I am also working on a series of 20 collages that each have a Chinese proverb in them. These are fun and made from all kinds of different papers.

Lastly, I have a show at Libby's Kitchen in September, and for that I am making a series of collages that involve animals.

I take photographs every day of the things I see around town. My favourite thing to photograph is people.

I also make love. I make nutritious meals from scratch, my blog, and a garden.

What or who inspires you?
Like most creative people I get inspiration from things I see when I am out and about. People, places, nature, conversations overheard on the bus. I get very inspired to create when I am grocery shopping at a market, thrifting, and drinking tea with friends. I am currently greatly inspired by these specific artists: Andy Dixon, Ronan Boyle, Jesse Reno, Chanda Stallman, Randy Laybourne.

How did you get started?
Slowly. A few years ago I pulled my hardly ever used sewing machine out of the closet in my bedroom and began making bags. My grandfather died around the same time and I was given a box of family photographs, which I used to make a series of greeting cards. I made magnets, notebooks, brooches, and other cute things. I held a craft show in my little apartment, which turned into a full time store on Main Street. Now, I'm happy to be working from home, taking my time to explore the different forms of creativity that interest me.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I keep a glue stick and my camera with me wherever I go. I also love very old things from wood to ceramics to books to fabrics, to jars and more.

List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Art house Coop: This is a wonderful website that invites people to take part in their art project ideas. The keep new ideas posted on their website all the time and people can participate in any that they choose.

Society 6: I have a studio on this website where I sell prints (http://www.society6.com/studio/divesin). Anyone can join for free and sign up to sell their prints. There is no cost to the artist, all the printing is done by Society 6, and they give you your desired commission. It is also a great place to discover artists.

Craigs List: An incredible resource for finding things for cheap or free.

West Coast Seeds: Where I get lots of my gardening info.

Amazon: I read a lot. I like that I can keep a wish list on Amazon so that I don't lose track of all the books I want.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Don't give up. Being an artist is hard. Keep at it.

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
This is a hard question for me to answer. At a different point in time it might have been easier to define and separate the two words, but presently, I think they overlap and are merging into one meaning. At times I might be an artist, other times a crafter. But ultimately I am a creator. I passionately and consistently create things.

WIN an original collage (pictured above) by Jackie Dives by leaving a comment below and telling us where you would display this wooden panel.

Each collage is coated with a non toxic sealer and is light weight and durable, making it perfect for hanging anywhere! Contest closes Friday, May 14th, 2010, so get your comments in!

(photo images courtesy of Jackie Dives)

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

Check out our past features...
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
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

Smidgebox Designs - feature #29

Name: Lesley Stenning from Smidgebox Designs
Website links: Etsy Shop, Blog

What do you make?
I sew handmade this + that. I know that sounds like a pretty broad term, but that's the best way for me to sum up what I make!!

I make fun tote bags and fabric buckets for adults and for children. I make many different accessories for babies + tots, including cloth play blocks, wee chef apron sets, and cozy blankets. Many of my items can be personalized with a child's name or initials. I am also planning a line of housewares which I hope to introduce fairly early in the new year.



What or who inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things. We're pretty lucky to be surrounded by some amazing scenery here in Vancouver, and I find the colours of the seasons very inspiring. My family is a great source of inspiration. My two kids are super fun and energetic, and watching them learn and grow inspires me to make new, fun things for children. My husband is an incredible artist, and i love seeing the new art that he produces, kind of keeps me on my toes! Finally, I'm inspired by the amazing fabrics that I choose. The vast array of colours + designs are amazing, and I love mixing patterns in different and unexpected ways.

How did you get started?
Well, I've always been a creative person. I've loved drawing for as long as I can remember, and my mom taught me to sew when I was quite young. I always took art class in school, and also loved woodwork and pottery. Working with my hands is essential. After a few false starts in my post secondary education, I ended up taking an architectural drafting program at BCIT, and fell in love with the detailed and technical side of art. I worked in the industry for a couple years before I had children. When my son was born almost 5 years ago, I stopped working for others and turned my creativity back to myself. I started off making greeting cards and tags out of cut paper, combining collage and paper quilling. i loved doing that, but it was rather time intensive. I bought my first sewing machine when my son was about 1, and I haven't looked back. Someday I hope to introduce a stationery + paper goods division to smidgebox designs, but for now, sewing is keeping me very busy!!



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I am a self-professed fabric addict. I can still remember when I first discovered the world of designer cottons online, and I was instantly hooked. I have a pretty healthy stash going on, and it's all I can do not to buy more and more. I love mixing fun designer cottons + japanese import fabrics with denim + wool felt.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part for me at the moment is that I have way too many ideas and designs floating in my head, and yet I haven't even got a fraction of the time I'd need to pump it all out. I love being able to be at home with my kids, and am trying to enjoy every moment of that before they are both off to school. Time sure flies. My favourite part of the crafting process is seeing a final product realized in my hands. But the best feeling has got to be getting wonderful feedback from a super happy customer, or seeing people's faces light up when they receive one of my items as a gift for their baby or for themselves. That is pretty great.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Etsy: for obvious reasons. It is a total treasure trove of goodies just waiting to be found.

Sew, Mama, Sew: great source of sewing inspiration, also lots of tutorials. oh, and a fabric shop, of course!

Room 6: one of the best shops in vancouver. it's the first place I go when i need a gift [other than etsy!]

Poppytalk: who doesn't love to read poppytalk? design, art, handmade. all good stuff! and i love love that jan is from vancouver, writing one of the most popular blogs in the 'sphere.

PaperNStitch: another fun curated online marketplace, and a great blog too with lovely finds and great tips. I like Brittni's sense of style, and enjoy her posts.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I am a total newbie, as I just opened my Etsy shop in May this year, so I'm not sure that I'm in a great position to give advice :) However, I have found that it's important to have a presence online other than just your shop. If you had a brick + mortar shop, you would spend lots of time and energy promoting yourself and your business in person, so the same applies online. What you have to decide is how far you want to go. Start a blog, a facebook fan page, a flickr account, or join twitter. You could choose all or one of these, but I do think it's important to be out there and get seen, and meet some peers. Not to mention, there is a fantastic community of people just waiting to welcome you. The handmade community is incredibly supportive, and if you're looking for more advice, or a sounding board for ideas, you don't need to look too far.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I think there is a lot of overlap with those terms these days. We're not talking about grandma's craft corner here, although there is such a resurgence of this type of crafting [crochet, knitting, sewing, quilting, etc.] that it's hard to say even that. I guess what I feel is that in the past several years, craft and handmade has become so hip and current. And the quality of work that is being produced is absolutely incredible. So I definitely think that craft and art should be somewhat interchangeable. That being said, I'm not sure I'd consider myself an artist in the traditional sense. If you could see me paint a picture you'd know what I'm saying, it's definitely not my forte. But I do consider myself an artist in the sense that I am creating works with my textiles, and I hope that they are appreciated as being beautiful and functional, both.

(photo images courtesy of Lesley Stenning / Smidgebox Designs)

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

Check out our past features...

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

mini gift guide :: valentine's day

photo credit: dashing etc.

It's Valentine's Day coming up on February 14th! Here what caught my eye over on Etsy ...


photo credit: alexandra ferguson

... because you know ... sometimes you need a pillow to express how you feel.


photo credit: b. children's wear

A whimsical shirt that comes with a felt envelope and letter inside. Perfect for the little one in your life.


photo credit: earmark invitations

Remember on the Simpsons when Ralph Wiggum gives Lisa a Valentine's? He said it best!


photo credit: Art Mind

Perhaps a key to your heart for your one true love?

Smeeta - feature #27

Name: Rita Leung from Smeeta
Website links: Smeeta on Etsy, Noticle blog

What do you make?
I make lots of different things... but as for what I make to sell that would be mostly felt brooches, toys, and bags/purses. I was encouraged to be creative with what I had when I was a kid (read: no money for fancy toys! Oh wait... that's now too! haha) so I've always that "well, if I can't buy it, can I make it?" mentality.



What or who inspires you?
What doesn't inspire me should be the question here I think! Whether I see something that is so fabulous that I want to try making it myself, or whether it's something so horribly designed that I know that I can make a better version, I find that I'm constantly inspired by the things around me. I think particularly in the spring and fall I'm influenced by the natural environment and I love all things Japanese so that definitely plays a part in my style and design.

Also, when I go shopping for supplies, rarely do I have an extensive list of things I need to purchase. A lot of the time the things I make come from being attracted to a particular material. When I go to the fabric store, if I see something I like and really want to use, I think, what can I make with this?



How did you get started?
I guess I've had a bit of an entrepreneurial streak ever since I was a kid. When I was 12 one of my best friends and I started "R & B Odd Jobs". We went around the neighbourhood stuffing mailboxes with our photocopied fliers offering services such as babysitting, garden work, dog walking etc. We ended up with only ONE gig all summer which was cutting grass for my friend's dad's friend. Hah!

As for the craft selling, when I was fourteen I learned how to make my own little weaving loom out of cardboard and wove a bunch of purses. My mom sold all 6 of them for me at $15 bucks a pop. I was hooked! First off, I really enjoyed the process of creating, and then secondly, I realised how satisfying it was for other people to like my work enough to pay for it. Mind you, they probably only bought them because they were my mom's friends... but hey, it was that little bit of encouragement that planted the seed for my crafty future!

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Currently that would be oil cloth. I do have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it though. I love the way it feels and looks but I hate the way it sews! I also really enjoy working with felt. It comes in such pretty colours, is soft, and is non-fussy to work with.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
Hardest: Not being able to figure out what you're doing wrong while making the same mistake over and over again. For example, I was not a happy camper when I first tried sewing in zippers.

Favourite: Holding the finished product in your hand and just feeling proud because you created something (you think) is awesome.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

flickr: In addition to the crafty stuff, I also love taking photographs. This is a great wealth of inspiration not to mention a great site to find really cute pictures of cats. meow. p.s. my flickr is here: http://flickr.com/photos/smeeta

keyofgrey: did I also mention that I'm into music? Key of Grey is run by my boyfriend and is a daily blog with music gear reviews, questions and answers about producing music, and general music banter.

facebook: I was hesitant to join at first, but am so glad that I did! It's really helped me connect with so many people and made organizing my 10 year high school reunion soooo much easier.

etsy: I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. It's a place I get to sell my wares, and sometimes, more importantly, a place I get to *buy* goodies! It's so easy to get lost in browsing all the incredible things that people make.

icanhascheezburger: no explanation required. hehe.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Two words: TIME MANAGEMENT. Learn it. Do it. Or else get sucked into spending 6 hours too many surfing the net and only 1 hour being productive. Lesson learned. :P

And a few more words: spend some time to really think about pricing. In general, things always cost more than we think they do to make and sell them. It's not only the cost of the materials and the time you put in creating - there's so much more involved. For example, are you going to charge for the time it takes to design your product, purchase supplies, photograph, list, promote, package, and ship your items? Also, there are the cost of packaging materials, your tools, electricity, internet bills, camera, and so on. Eeps! I'm still not sure if my prices are what I want them to be or what they should be, but for now, they will suffice!



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Yes, these are different. What I am at any given point depends on what I'm doing... I consider myself both an artist and a crafter. However, for the business side of things, I would say that I spend most of my time as a crafter.

Craft for me is something that is generally done with your eyes and your hands. You can craft without designing your own product and you can also make several of the same item. To be a skilled crafter is to be able to produce something of high physical (and preferably aesthetic) quality. Art, on the other hand is emotional and very subjective. It might be difficult to quantify the quality of a piece of art whereas you could simply say a craft is either well made or it isn't. I would say a lot of the people in this business are both artists and crafters. It's a very good combination. :)

(photo images courtesy of Rita Leung / Smeeta)

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

Check out our past features...

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

a cagey bee - feature #26

Name: Kris G. Brownlee from A Cagey Bee
Website links: Etsy, blog

What do you make?
I'm a painter inspired by people, so I like to create character portraits with a storybook feel. I tend to paint girls and cute companion critters, though some of my paintings have a bit of a darker edge to them. I also really enjoy making tiny art pendants. Not everyone can afford an original painting, of course, so this is a fun alternative to a print. Plus I really love the idea of my characters being taken out and about in the real world.



What or who inspires you?
Oh goodness...so many things! I love to people watch. Vancouver is great city for that. I walk my dogs every day and literally *every* day I see someone who would make a great painting.

I'm also really inspired by my fellow artists. It's amazing to see so many people, especially women, representing themselves via the web and doing what they love. Whether it's painting or sewing or making jewelry, it's fantastic to be part of this shift towards more personal, handmade businesses.



How did you get started?
I've always been creative and enjoyed creating images in one way or another - photography, graphic design etc. But it never occurred to me that becoming a full time artist was even an option until a few years ago. I thought you had to live in a loft in NYC and have a trust fund to have any chance of making a living as an artist; it just wasn't on the menu for a girl like me. It wasn't until I started seeing self-represented artists selling their own work via eBay and Etsy that I allowed myself to consider it. I began taking classes at Emily Carr and never looked back. As cheesy as it sounds, it felt like I had finally stepped into who I was supposed to be. Now I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I'm very impatient so I like to use acrylic paint. It dries quickly, so I can add lots of layers & go over a piece again & again. With oils, you have to let it dry in between and I just don't have the patience for that! I've been painting on wood a lot lately too which has been fun. When I make prints, I love seeing the texture of the wood show up in the detail.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part is probably letting go of my favorite paintings. I do tend to hang onto them for a bit before I'll list the original for sale, but you can never tell if it's going to be available for months or be snapped up right away. It helps when I have time to paint a few new ones in between because the newest one is always my favorite. I'm fickle like that. :)

My favorite part of crafting is the community. I've met so many wonderful people both online and in person at local craft shows and markets. There's just something about the community that appreciates handmade, from my fellow crafters to my customers, that is helpful and welcoming and just plain awesome! Seriously. I had someone buy couple of prints from my website and she liked them so much that she sent me a thank you gift in the mail. I'm unbelievably lucky.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

Etsy: This is an obvious one. Between updating my shop, reading the forums & shopping for supplies, I'm on here daily.

This Life: I'll often spend 7 or 8 hours straight working on a painting, so I need lots of podcasts to keep my ADHD-addled brain occupied. This American Life is one of my favorites.

Bad At Sports: Another podcast focused on the art world, specifically in Chicago, that keeps me entertained. The hosts are so casual that it feels like hanging out with your friends rather than stuffy contemporary art critics.

Twitter: I post on Twitter regularly & check in dozens of times a day. I love it because I can stay in touch with people & share things about my day to day life that I wouldn't necessarily write an entire blog post about. I know a lot of people don't get it, but it's been great for me. I follow lots of other artists and local Vancouver folks, so I've been able to find out about all sorts of things that I would have normally missed.

Vancouver is Awesome: Speaking of local Vancouver folks, I love this site. From the best noodle bowl in the city to my new favorite off leash dog park, I have discovered a wealth of local Vancouver awesomeness via this site.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Make what you love. This is not to be confused with doing what you love because I don't think that's always true. Just because you like to bake pies doesn't mean you want to make 100 pies a day and market a pie business and deal with customers and overhead and taxes. Sometimes turning a passion into a business can drive the passion right out of it. This is why I say make what you love to make.

And, of course, promote yourself! It still feels awkward for me, but one of the best things I've done was to join an artist group. We meet every other week to share resources, do goal-setting and practice talking about our own work. It's been really helpful to get feedback in that kind of friendly environment.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I do think they're different, but the crafters have definitely upped their game in recent years. I think traditionally art would be
something that had a statement or point of view whereas craft was more about function. I think that gap is closing as crafters become more interested in expressing themselves and experimenting rather than doing it "right". I consider myself both an artist and a crafter. I love to paint, but I really want my work to be accessible to everyone; I'm thrilled to see my girls on magnets or pendants, and not just hung on the wall.

(photo images courtesy of A Cagey Bee)

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

Check out our past features...

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