Etsy's Got Craft?

I have a confession. I don’t always buy organic. I’m not a vegetarian. And yes, I have even set foot in the dreaded big box store that Shall Not Be Named (hint: it starts with a “W”).

I’ve been working on this guest blog post introducing Got Craft’s newest sponsor, the fabulous handmade marketplace, Etsy, for days now and I think the guilt of not living 100% by Etsy’s credo of “buy, sell, live handmade” is getting to me.

Etsy, for the uninitiated, is an online marketplace devoted to helping people make a living by making things. Etsy was launched in 2005 and since then has grown to over 7 million registered users with more than $300 million in annual sales. While there have been plenty of internet success stories (and failures), what sets Etsy apart is their commitment to community, advocating the handmade lifestyle.

“The main tenet of this lifestyle is choosing handmade over mass-produced objects whenever possible. We feel that this creates a more sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible alternative to the current economy.” ~ Adam Brown, Etsy Marketing & Press Team

As if that weren’t awesome enough, they also promote community by connecting artists & crafters from all over the world. I started my own Etsy shop in 2008 and it literally changed my life. I’m continually learning new tricks & techniques, meeting new friends and have been able to sell my work to buyers all over the world (um, Estonia? Hope you’re enjoying the prints!).

When you buy something from a seller on Etsy or from a local market like Got Craft, there will forever be a story attached to that item. Just looking around my house right now, I see the bicycle earrings that I bought from fused glass artist Groovy Glass Girl. When I wear them, I’m reminded of Poppy and that makes me smile.

My desk has a stack of greeting cards handmade by Sandy of Firefly Notes:

My pencils, pens and erasers are stored in a Kukubee pouch:

My fridge is decorated with bottlecap magnets from Raven’s Rest:

I look at those things and think about the person behind them, lovingly creating them. There’s something different about knowing who the person *is* who made that particular trinket with their own two hands.

Apparently “legally” I’m not allowed to tell you that shopping at Etsy will make you a better person, but I will say that it feels really good to support the people in my community and to support creativity in general.

I may not be 100% there yet, but I am striving to live handmade. And thoroughly enjoying the journey!

****************

aCageyBee.com is the internet stomping grounds of painter kgb (or Kris G. Brownlee, if you're not into the whole brevity thing).

An artist, crafter and all around Maker of Stuff, I finally realized that spending my life doing something I don't love is a lot crazier than following my dreams. I hope you'll join me for the journey! 

things to do :: craft round up

The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual 3-day November event that involves artists who live in Vancouver's Eastside in an area bounded by Main St., 1st Ave., Victoria Drive, and the Waterfront. A wonderful opportunity to meet painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, writers, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers in their studios.

Don't forget to check out past and present Got Craft vendors such as heyday design, Aja Billas Ceramics, Jacqueline Robins Ceramics, Laura Bucci Handmade, Simpsonelli Designs and Flightpath Designs.

Event: Eastside Culture Crawl
Date / Time: Friday, November 26th - 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 27th & Sunday, November 28th - 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Various

Gear up for the holiday season and stock up on Roxypop goods at Portobello West this weekend. Robert and I will be manning the table, so pop in and say hi! Other vendors to check out... Irit Sorokin Designs, Olive, Smidgebox Designs, BuenoStyle, Note + Emote and Him Creations.

Event: Portobello West
Date: Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Time: Noon to 6:00 p.m.

Location: Rocky Mountaineer Station - 1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver

Features an excellent collection of fine craft and arts including A Cagey Bee, GroovyGlassGirl and Sam Bradd.

Event: Roundhouse Artisan Fair
Date: Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Roundhouse Community Center - 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver

This Months market will include 60 vendors, music, hot food, beverages, and entertainment. Vendors will include food, fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records. Make sure to check out Baby Elephant Designs, The Gluten Free Epicurean and It's Your Life.

Event: Blim
Date: Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Chinese Cultural Centre - 50 Pender Street, Vancouver

GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3

Company: GroovyGlassGirl
Name: Poppy
Website links: www.groovyglassgirl.etsy.com, www.groovyglassgirl.blogspot.com



What do you make?
I make jewellery (I know...everybody does) but mine is unique in that I use a combination of fused glass, stained glass & metal work techniques to achieve the end product.

What or who inspires you?
I love this question because inspiration is found in the most unusual places sometimes. Of course I’m inspired by the organic lines in nature, the silhouettes of Asian architecture or quite often products found in home decor magazines.....but sometimes it’s strange things like the colour of a beverage, a picture in a children’s book while I’m reading to my daughter or the shape of a vintage car.



How did you get started?
I started making jewellery years ago while working in a bead shop and somehow developed a fascination for glass. I then learned stained glass, lampworking, silversmithing & finally glass fusing over the course of several years.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I guess the most obvious is glass. I also love copper, silver, paper and beads.....I just can’t seem to stop buying beads, it’s an addiction that manycrafty people have I think. I’m also really liking the fusible decal paper that I can use with my laser printer....technology is an amazing tool for crafters/artists.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
Definitely the most difficult part of crafting for me is marketing my craft. I am just so lame at sales. The hardest part of actually assembling the products is waiting for the kiln to cool down so I can open it and see the surprise inside! Hot glass is tricky to work with and sometimes the colors don’tcome out the way I thought they were going to come out....this is not always a bad thing! This is probably one of my favourite things about crafting....finding a new color combination by accident is awesome. It’s almost as good as executing a new design perfectly. Crafting for me is also very cathartic, I NEED to do it or my mind feels like it will explode.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Bakerella: I love to bake, and although my purple Kitchen Aid mixer is lovely to look at...it’s even better for making cupcakes!

Design Sponge: “sneak peek” is awesome....I love seeing inside other people’s homes

Etsy: of course I love shopping for handmade stuff...so how great is it to be able to buy supplies at the same time, yay!

The Nourishing Gourmet: again....more cooking only this one is healthy & delicious recipes

Flickr: photos of everything and anything....I could spend hours on Flickr

Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Make what you love to make. It’s so much easier to sell yourself when you are truly proud of your accomplishments. Not making what you think people want to buy....but focusing on creating piece’s that you are in love with is the only way to succeed and be happy about it.



Art vs. Craft - Are these terms different? Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?

Good question....will you let me know when you find the answer to this one? I feel like I am somewhere in between. Every time I learn a new technique I feel like I’m a step closer to being an “artist” and one day with the wisdom of old age I hope to find the answer to this question..... I still get the feeling that when the words “craft fair” come out of my mouth the people around me that aren’t familiar with modern day fairs are thinking “toilet paper cosies & crocheted baby booties”. I think we need a new term for the modern day crafter....maybe that’s what an artisan is....who knows. What I do know is that the crafters I am surrounded by when I am at local events like “Got Craft” are definitely exceedingly artistic in their craft’s of choice and there is a camaraderie between us thatbrings good vibes....and that is all that matters right now.

(photo images courtesy of Poppy / GroovyGlassGirl)

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