Featured Chicago Style Crafter: Auviana

Posted on October 24, 2011 by QuvQiv

Valerie William interviews Dionne, owner of Auviana. Dionne’s addiction to broken vintage pocket watches has inspired her collection of unique jewelry. She believes the mechanical working of the watch should be displayed and not hidden, and loves the challenge of taking something broken and making it useful again.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you create.
Hi, my name is Dionne! I’m a mom, a wife, and a correctional officer who loves to create! I live in the south suburbs and have been recovering from five knee surgeries in the past two years. That’s why I haven’t made any appearances around town. Auviana.com is my love, and there you will find all of my handmade jewelry creations.

I’ve picked up a new addiction to vintage pocket watches. I adore everything about them. Most of my jewelry in my shop is dedicated to my love of pocket watches. But I do stray and create other one-of-a-kind pieces as well.

When and why did you decide to turn your creative talent into a business?
I’ve always been into some sort of craft or creating. Two years ago I injured myself at work and I needed to keep my brain and hands busy, so I dragged my sister into this adventure with me. We thought why not take our creativity and see how everyone likes it. My sister has since moved on from creating jewelry, but I haven’t. I hope to grow and can’t wait to see where this takes me next.

What do you enjoy most about your online Etsy shop?
First, I enjoy the fantastic friends I’ve made through my Etsy shop and through the teams. There are some very talented people out there! And secondly I love the freedom that my shop gives me. Etsy gives the exposure and traffic to my shop without the commitment of having to physically be somewhere to try to sell my items. Since I’m injured and a mom, it’s almost impossible.

What inspires you and your creative process?
You find inspiration anywhere if you look hard enough. At the moment, my inspiration comes from the pocket watches. The workings of these pocket watches are amazing to me. I’ve come across some very interesting pocket watches that just amaze me. Hunting for these forgotten treasures is also a big part. I’ve found some fantastic items on my treasure hunting ventures.

What do you find most rewarding about creating?
I would be lying if I didn’t say that selling my items was most rewarding. It’s not about the money, but it’s a confirmation that my work is loved and that my passion has become something. I am just thrilled when someone takes interest in what I’m doing.

 

How did you come up with the name Auviana for your shop?
Since Auviana was originally started by my sister and me, we came up with the name Auviana by using our kid’s names: Austin, Vivian (my daughter), and Gianna = Auviana

Find Dionne selling her Auviana wares at the following upcoming show:
Urban Folk Circuit November Market at Double Door (Nov. 26, 12-5p.m.; 1572 N Milwaukee; Free)

Auviana:
Etsy
Facebook
Twitter
Blog

Valerie William is the owner of Additions Style.

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Featured Treasury: Autumn Spice

Posted on October 21, 2011 by QuvQiv

Ashley Ray of One in the Hand gives us a pinch of crafty goodness to heat up our chilly October eves.

Autumn Spice treasury by Ashley: “When looking for handmade items that fit the theme ‘Autumn Spice,’ I looked for things that fit a spicy color scheme but also had some ‘sass,’ some ‘notice me!’ to them. That’s what ‘spice’ says to me. I hope you’ll enjoy this collection of work – each piece is guaranteed to add some OOMPH to your life!”

Click here to view the treasury in its entirety.

Right Mum Cards (set of six) by Kinaloon

Chunky Knit Scarf in Tangerine by MasiDesigns

Copper Penny Quilted Bucket Hat by City Girl Hats

Personalized Flat Notes Stylish Back to School From Mom Fall Flowers (set of eight) by The Pigeon Paperie

Ecofriendly scarf made from recycled t-shirts by rags by sock monkey

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Craft Workshop: Fall Felt Flowers

Posted on October 20, 2011 by QuvQiv

Debra Vaccaro of Jackthemanabouttown shows us how to beautify our autumnal centerpieces, even if we lack a green thumb.

Materials:
Felt or similar material -  8” x 2 ½” (flower)
Green felt – 3” x 3” scrap (leaves)
Scissors
Fabric glue
Floral wire
Floral tape
Ruler
Needle and thread

 

Step One: Fold the felt you are using for your flower in half. Cut along the entire fold, as shown in photo. The closer the cuts, the fuller the flower will be.  Make sure not to cut through to the edge.

 

 

 

 

Step Two: Roll the flower along the edge and stitch together with needle and thread.

 

 

 

 

 

Step Three: Push floral wire up through the bottom of the flower and back down to form a loop. Pull through to create a stem.

 

 

 

 

Step Four: Place glue on top of a green felt circle (leaf) and push it up the wire, gluing it to the bottom of the flower.  Wrap the stem with floral wire, stopping  2 inches down to place the second leaf on the stem in the same manner as the bottom of the flower.  Finish wrapping the stem with floral wire.

 

 

Enjoy your fall flowers!

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This Week in Chicago Craft

Posted on October 19, 2011 by QuvQiv

We have not quite entered into the holiday craft show season, but this week does mark Chicago Fashion Week, and there are many fashion-related events happening around town. It is also Chicago Artists’ Month, so be sure to check up on all of the lectures and exhibitions at the Chicago Artists Month website.

Featured Event:

ArtView in Lakeview
Friday, October 21 (5-9p.m.)
The Leigh Gallery – 3306 N Halsted
Free
Take a free trolley between 11 neighborhood art galleries and alternative spaces and browse artwork for sale. Includes food and drinks at each gallery.

Other Events:
Wednesday, October 19
Dress Code (6-8:30p.m.; Chicago History Museum; $25, $15 for students)

Thursday, October 20
Vert Couture Eco-Fashion Show (7:30p.m.; Millennium Park; $35)

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CSC Giveaway: Spoonier

Posted on October 18, 2011 by QuvQiv

Win it. CSC team member Spoonier is offering its Spoon Ring Vintage Paye & Baker Wild Poppy Sterling Silver Spoon Ring (a $52 value, pictured above) for our very first CSC giveaway! Note: Current size fits 8.25-8.5; this ring can be sized from 5-11.

This giveaway is open to anyone, with free shipping within the U.S. Winners outside of the U.S. will be responsible for paying shipping (Canada $10, everywhere else $15).

How to enter. Visit Spoonier’s Etsy shop and then tell us what your favorite Spoonier item in is. (Comment below on this blog post.)

**You must use a unique name (e.g., first and last name, Etsy shop name) for your comment so we can distinguish you from other entrants. No anonymous posts. Leave your correct email address, as this is how we will contact the winner.**

Extra Entries. Once you have indicated your favorite Spoonier item in the comments below, you can earn more entries by completing the following tasks. Each time you complete a task, comment on this blog post indicating that you have done so.

1. Follow the CSC blog (1 entry)
2. Follow the Spoonier blog (1 entry)
3. “Like” CSC on Facebook (1 entry)
4. “Like” Spoonier on Facebook (1 entry)
5. Tag CSC and Spoonier in a Facebook post about this giveaway (1 entry)
6. Follow @CSCrafters on Twitter (1 entry)
7. Follow @spoonier on Twitter (1 entry)

Extra Extra Entries. You really want to win, don’t you?

8. Heart Spoonier’s Store on Etsy (add as favorite)  (1 entry)
9. Share Spoonier’s “How to Make a Spoon Ring Video” on Facebook (1 entry) (Leave a comment on the Youtube video about your entry)
10. Share Spoonier’s “How to Make a Spoon Ring Video” on Twitter (1 entry) (Leave a comment on the youtube video about  your entry.)
11. Add Spoonier to your circle on Etsy! (5 entries)

The giveaway runs October 18-October 31. Entries received after midnight on October 31 will not count. The winner will be picked on November 1 and notified shortly thereafter.

Good luck!

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Featured Chicago Style Crafter: Hanna Kinsey

Posted on October 17, 2011 by QuvQiv

Valerie William interviews Hanna McArdle, owner of Hanna Kinsey. Hanna’s fond memories of family craftiness and her passion for vintage items inspire her lovely collections of handcrafted jewelry. The mix of antique and modern details make her eclectic collection a standout.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you create.
I suppose my shop began because my grandmother gave me a bunch of really neat old buttons that I wanted to figure out how to use. I ended up creating a necklace for myself, but in the process bought a lot of different tools and supplies that were then leftover. Though that was the first jewelry making I had really ever done, I loved how relaxing and creative it was because anything could inspire a new idea; I could change my focus and my current obsession (from buttons to monocles to mercury glass beads to lockets to tiny whistles and harmonicas to, well, you get the idea) and it still fit within my shop’s inspiration.

I dabble in pretty much any and every area of crafting. The women in my family have a bit of a fabric fetish, so we are all “collectors” with shelves of fabric just waiting to be put into use. In the past year, my crafting has ranged over a ton of different sewing projects to painting to party planning. I even made all the jewelry for my sister’s wedding this past weekend. I definitely look to crafts to be my stress relief, though it’s often a tough choice between working on my latest craft project or reading a good book. It’s a good thing that I have an outdoorsy husband to encourage me to look up from my lap and get out and enjoy the good weather!

When and why did you decide to turn your creative talent for designing jewelry into a business?
I’ve always been a creative person, usually inspired to try a new craft by something fabulous I see that just isn’t quite right for me. I find myself thinking what I would do differently to make it more useful or versatile or just more “me.” And then I’m hooked. I head out to gather up or buy supplies and tackle the project. That’s pretty much what happened with jewelry making. In this case it was an image of a button necklace that got into my head that I just couldn’t find anywhere. So I made it myself and decided to open up a shop on Etsy as a way to pay for what was quickly becoming my vintage bits habit.

What do you enjoy most about your online Etsy shop?
I love the flexibility. In the past two years, I’ve been crazy busy with my wedding almost exactly a year ago, and my sister’s wedding this year, so I haven’t really had the time to dedicate to creating the unique pieces I add to my shop, but Etsy is what you make it. Right now it’s a hobby for me, but if I want to dedicate more time and energy to it, I can. Since I am in charge of my shop in all ways, I can change my marketing, pricing, or even style at the drop of a hat. I love that!

What inspires you and your creative process?
To find a unique feature like the monocle, I do a lot of searching on Etsy Supplies, eBay, and in vintage shops here in Chicago. When I come across something that inspires me, like antique buttons, vintage lockets, whistles, monocles, old earrings, etc., I spend a lot of time thinking about the particular piece and how to design something with it at the center. I usually do a lot of reworking, mulling it over, and trying it a new way. In fact, I kept the monocle in my mind for about 4 months before coming up with the design of the Woodward Necklace. Every single thing I sell includes some part that is absolutely vintage, whether it’s the beads, the chain, or the focal piece.

How do you keep your creative space inspiring?
Mainly I keep my creative space inspiring by moving it around a lot. I have an old wooden tackle box where I store most of my supplies, so it’s easy to drag it anywhere. Living in Chicago, we don’t have a place that’s large enough for me to have my own craft room, so I spread out all over the dining room table when I’m working on something new. Sometimes I take my supplies outside onto our deck to enjoy the great weather or haul my stuff out into our living room so I can watch a movie while I work.

How did you decide on the name Hanna Kinsey for your Etsy shop?
I included my middle name, Kinsey, in my shop’s name because it is a last name from way back in our family tree. My sisters and I were all given middle names from distant ancestors, which have given us all an appreciation for family and history. Since vintage and antique bits are what inspire my jewelry (and my personal and home style too), I thought my middle name was a perfect tie to that concept in my shop. In addition, many of my pieces are named using a name from one of my family members.

Hanna Kinsey:
Etsy
Blog

Valerie William is the owner of Additions Style.

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In Pictures: The Craft Fairy

Posted on September 28, 2011 by QuvQiv

CSC team member Darlene Ostrowski gives us an overview of The Craft Fairy, the monthly gathering of choice for gothic crafters and artists, and the people who love them.

Tucked away behind a Belmont Avenue antique shop, the Nineteen Hundred and one Gallery/Theatre isn’t your everyday craft fair venue. The converted garage space at 1901 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, is home to gothic art gallery shows, bellydance and burlesque performances, movie nights, and the Craft Fairy, where a rotating cast of darkly inclined artisans gather each month to sell their gothic and alternative works of art.

While skulls, bats, spiders, and other things that go bump in the night are in vogue at this time of year, these crafters believe that every day is Halloween and exhibit their dark arts and crafts all year ’round. At any given show, you might find jewelry, chainmaille, parasols, hair goodies, burlesque and bellydance costuming, art and photography, or gothic home decor.

The small, intimate show, run by artist and crafter Eliza Stockfisch, takes place on the first Sunday of each month, except holiday weekends.

Tamie Yost of Wooden Nickel Digital Image Studio creates creepy digital art and dark portraits for your inner vampire.

Leyla Lunasol creates one-of-a-kind headpieces, hair accessories, and jewelry.

Eliza Stockfisch embellishes masks with paint, textures created with hot glue, and found objects to create wearable works of art.

These pillows from Tara Schile of Sincere cater to zombie-lovers.

These creepy little clips by Megan Salyer-Morris of Kreative Kali add a spooky touch to your hair.

Remaining 2011 dates for the Craft Fairy are Sunday, Oct. 2; Sunday, Nov. 6; and Sunday, Dec. 4. The show always runs from 3 to 8 p.m. to accommodate the nocturnal, and coffee, baked goods, and vegan chili are always available for purchase. Despite its Belmont address, the entrance is around the corner on Wolcott Ave. Just follow the signs.

New darkly inclined crafters are always welcome; contact Eliza at eis4artist@gmail.com for more information. For early warning of performances and other events, visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

Darlene Ostrowski is the owner of Do Bats Eat Cats.

Posted in Craft Shows, Events, Reviews | 1 Comment

Featured Chicago Style Crafter: Everlasting Light

Posted on September 26, 2011 by QuvQiv

Valerie William interviews Cheryl App, owner of Everlasting Light. Cheryl creates her own eco-friendly plant dyes from plants she harvests from her property. Using and ancient dying technique, she creates unique ties and scarves.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you create.
The shop I have on Etsy is a side line, and absolutely a creative outlet. I work full time at a construction company. Out of 50 employees there are 1.5 women. (I am the 1.) I am a manager and estimator, and I only occasionally go to the construction sites. How did I end up dying silks? Well, I have always painted, and always gardened, and I have a pretty good eye for color. Two summers ago I learned the basics for what I am doing, and have experimented like crazy ever since.

When and why did you decide to turn your creative talent into a business?
Once I felt like I had something unique and interesting I thought about selling. I sell plants from my garden every year, and was thinking along those lines until I heard about Etsy. Forming a business was a logical progression; I was a business major in college.

What do you enjoy most about your online Etsy shop?
The most interesting aspect of Etsy is the people involved, both the ones that sell and the ones that buy. We all have a common bond in that beauty, uniqueness, quality, and creativity are valuable.

What inspires you and your creative process?
What inspires me? First, the surprises I get when I try something new, second the reactions of other people when they look at what I have done. You have to like random pattern to like my silks.

What do you find most rewarding about creating?
The reward is figuring out special colors and patterns I have not seen anywhere, and when somebody buys from me, it is a great feeling, every time.

How did you come up with the name Everlasting Light for your shop?
Everlasting Light is a reference to God from the Bible. The words remind me of who is in control. The words also suggest something of beauty and endurance.

Everlasting Light:
Etsy

 

Valerie William is the owner of Additions Style.

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In Pictures: Renegade Chicago 2011

Posted on September 22, 2011 by QuvQiv

Another Renegade has come and gone, and the CSC crew has fond memories of what was and what will be. Several of our crafters were out selling their wares and share with us below their thoughts on this year’s event.

Barbara (Kinaloon): “Had a great time at the Renegade! Saw a lot of friends, met new customers, and had a lot of laughs. It’s my favorite fair of the season. I’m glad the weather cooperated and tons of people were there!”

Mandy (Madcanvases): “My first year at the RCF and I was completely underprepared for the crowds. They started early on Saturday and never stopped coming! Mayor Emanuel stopped by my booth to buy coasters, which was definitely a giddy moment. Overall, it was so refreshing to sell to people who were genuinely excited about really creative, unique items.”

Betsy (Foxglove Accessories): “Renegade is the original DIY craft fair, and it shows. Always my best show of the year, always my favorite customers and friends stopping by.”

Marcie and Matt (Something Beautiful): ”We love Renegade Craft Fair! This was our fourth year and the show gets better and better every year! The customers appreciate the process and quality of work from the vendors. We can’t ask for anything more!”

Emily (soapily ever after): “This was my first year doing Renegade and it was a blast! Time went by so fast, I met a lot of new friends, and everyone, both young and old, loved the robot soap! I am looking forward to doing it again!”

Posted in Craft Shows, Reviews | 2 Comments

This Week in Chicago Craft

Posted on September 21, 2011 by QuvQiv

Kpoene’ Kofi-Bruce tells us what’s what in this week’s upcoming events.

Featured Event:

Humboldt Park Art Fair
Saturday, September 24 (12-10p.m.)
1400 N Sacramento Boat House
Free
Enjoy the last warm days of the year at the Humboldt Park Art Fair! This not-to-be-missed festival will benefit Graffiti Zone’s after school arts program.

 

 

 

Other Events:
Saturday, September 24-Sunday, September 25
Hyde Park Arts and Crafts Adventure (10-6 Sat, 10-5 Sun; 1526 E 55th; Free)
Randolph Street Market (10-5 Sat, 10-4 Sun; 1340 W. Washington; $10)

Kpoene Kofi-Bruce is the owner of Mignonette Designs.

Hosting an upcoming craft-related event you’d like featured in “This Week in Chicago Craft”? Email the details to content@chicagostylecrafters.com.


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