inspire :: daisy lew

(found via Eclectica)

Check out these New York City mixed-media, pop-up books by designer Daisy Lew. Pop-Up NYC is a series of books inspired by New York City icons (the Big Apple, the Chrysler Building). From one angle (top view), the image represents an icon while another icon, represents the cityscape (side view).


Check out Daisy's full portfolio on her website by clicking here. I highly recommend it.

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.

inspire :: miniature masterpieces

found via Tanis Alexis Laird and telegraph.co.uk

Dalton Ghetti is a Brazilian born, Connecticut based artist that carves miniature masterpieces from the tips of pencils. Using a razor blade, sewing needle and a sculpting knife, each piece takes anywhere between a few months to a few years. You can see more of his work here.



You can read more over at craftgossip.com. Simply amazing!

buy handmade :: Huiyi Tan

found via cargoh

Loving these colour pencil earrings by Huiyi Tan. Her new collection, Pencil Lover, is inspired by one of her childhood hobbbies, collecting colour pencil sets.

An accredited jewellery professional (GIA), Huiyi uses the best quality of colouring pencils she can find and applies a special treatment to them to make them suitable for jewelry making.

Next time you are left with pencil stubs, think twice before throwing them in the garbage!

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 handmade :: Nora Aoyagi

Nora Aoyagi is a California (Berkeley to be exact!) based artist and illustrator. She draws inspiration from common folklore and fairy tales, Japanese wood block prints and children's book illustrations to draw, print and paint her work. I spent much of our trip to Renegade last December oohing and ahhing over her work. If it wasn't for the fact that we are paring down for our big move to the UK next year, our walls would be plastered with many of her prints such as this and this.


I must not forget this one to. You know how much I love my silhouettes!

Thanks to poppytalk and guest contributor Eva Jorgensen of Sycamore Street Press for reminding me about her wonderful work on your Renegade Spring 2011 post.

things to do :: Handmade Market

Astrosatchel Accessories and friends will be heading up the Handmade Market @ Artful Sundays coming up this Sunday, August 22nd on Commercial Drive.

Vendors include Cul de Sac Ceramics, Bliss in a Teacup, Laura Bucci Handmade and Sumiya Clothing.

Here are the details:

When:
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where:
Britannia Community Centre 1001 Cotton Drive - Napier and Commercial Drive, Vancouver

For more information, visit astrosatchel.com

inspire :: post-it installation

(found via Ads of the World and Apartment Therapy)

The world's largest artistic billboard made of post-it notes was made using 112, 640 post-it super sticky notes to celebrate the 30th Anniversary Student Design Contest hosted by Post-it Brand from 3M. The installation, designed by Allison Hilgert, 17, and Ysanne Taylor, 16, from Lecanto High School in Florida, was open to the public for 5 days in the Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall.

buy handmade :: Blue Diamond Stamp Company

The Blue Diamond Stamp Company was one of the vendors at Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle. Even though, I hadn't done any stamp projects since I was a teenager, their booth set up caught my eye as I have never seen anybody hand make stamps before. Liz Rosino, owner of the Blue Diamond Stamp company, creates clear art stamps from photo-polymer using a mixture of her own drawings and unique, found imagery. There are over 120 designs to choose from including Victorian ladies, tattoo themes, nature themes and robots!

For you stamp lovers out there, Liz explains the benefits of clear polymer stamps versus red rubber mounted stamps on her website as well as tips for stamp placement, storage and cleaning. Visit her Etsy shop here to purchase one of her stunning designs. Happy stamping!

image from Blue Diamond Stamp Company

things to do :: Market at Eugene Choo V.3

vendors clockwise:Banquet, heyday design, daughters of dawn, Solis Jewelry

The Market at Eugene Choo number 3 will include the local vendors pictured above as well as the return of the Rumble Fish Taco Truck, homemade pies and the Eugene Choo refreshment stand. Flower Factory will also be on-site doing what they do best, so come hungry and ready to shop!

Here are the details:

When:
Saturday, August 14th, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Parking lot behind Eugene Choo, 3683 Main Street, Vancouver

For more information, contact market(at)eugenechoo(dot)com