I like things that are different, and this Cletus Under Glass candle ($5) is definitely a must-have for the collector of the not-so-ordinary houseware. Made by Rachel of Fetopia, this candle shows a side profile of the very cute Cletus, a feto, Rachel’s signature product. Here’s an explanation of what a Feto is, taken from Fetopia.net’s FAQ:
The actual ratio of Sculpey/Fimo is a strictly guarded family secret…a time-honored tradition, dating back to Mama Feto, who came from the old country with only a nickel in her pocket and a dream: to make tiny clay fetuses you could string around your neck.
Fetos are meant to represent neither living nor dead fetos. They are clay.”
I found this candle at Sweet Candy Distro, where you can stock up on all sorts of zines & other handmade goods like clothing, DIY menstrual pads, & jewelry! I like one-stop shopping, don’t you?
-Jennifer Darling
An awesome bag, that’s hoooo!
Sorry, I got a little carried away. But I really love this adorable brown vinyl & felt bag from Rosie Ro., which you can purchase from her online shop for $45. The bag has plenty of room for all your essentials plus some & a snap closure. The red lining is decorated with white flowers & is made from cotton.
Drawing on nature for inspiration, Rosie Ro. offers bags featuring not only owl designs, but also several with cute fish and birds. Be sure to check out her wrist cuffs as well!
Have you ever had the urge to be crafty and make your own necklace but couldn’t find something snazzy enough at the craft store for a centerpiece? Well now you’re in luck with Lucky Accessories’ Orange Soda Pendant!
This one-of-a-kind pendant sells for $6.00 is made from a sliver of vintage kimono silk, shell, & sparkles with Swarovski crystals. Have fun designing your own necklace, making it as simple or as funky as you want!
If you’re not a fan of orange, Kiona offers several other unique pendants in her Etsy shop, but since there’s only one in each style you should get one (or two) today!
-Jennifer Darling
The indie business community is a diverse one, filled with men and women who use their talents to create handcrafted goods that reflect their own distinctive personal styles and creative interests.
Many indie businesses find their home on the internet, where window shopping is as easy as surfing from one site to the next with a click of the mouse. With so many businesses finding their niche on the net, we thought it would be interesting to ask some of the owners of our favorite businesses just how they decided to start their business ventures.
We found that their reasons are just as diverse as the types of goods they make.
For some, the inspiration to open a business comes from a combination of desires - a desire to create, and a desire to earn an income from their creations.
Lindsay Landis of Lindsay Designs, said it best when she told us that “I opened my business as a way to express myself, pursue my passions, and make a little extra cash on the side. I’ve always had a thing for creating and selling things, since I was in elementary school. So I guess it was logical that I’d end up with my own indie business one day. I enjoy every minute of what I do, as it allows me to do everything I love all at once: sewing, graphic design, photography, and making money.”
Rachael Maddux, who owns Madeye Designs, stumbled happily into a role as a business owner.
“I started Madeye Designs because I finally realized that I could only keep giving away all of my finished projects to friends and family for so long. I’d never sold a thing for actual money when I started– just love and free yarn! Not the most well-planned or inspired endeavor in the beginning, but it has somehow worked out.”
Erika Rier from Mellifluous Couture is another happy stumbler.
“I was laid off right after 9/11 and found myself at a crossroads, and my husband (then boyfriend) encouraged me to try making money from my skills rather than finding a new day job.
I actually thought I would end up as a writer/painter and started Mellifluous to supplement those pursuits. When I started Mellifluous it was also as a handweaver, not as a fashion designer! I made a few skirts to bring along to shops with my purses and textiles and the clothing started selling like crazy! Now all I do is the clothing and some purses.”
As in Erika’s case, many indie businesses are launched when their owners find themselves at a crossroads. A job is lost, a child is born, or another life changing event occurs. Sometimes when priorites are re-evaluated, the opportunity to start something new presents itself.
This is true for Leila of Eliza Bean Apparel. She says, “I started [Eliza Bean] because I [wanted to] stay home with my 4.5 month old daughter, but still wanted to contribute something financially to the household.
Having a parent home with Eliza at all times is the most important thing for us. The thought of someone else raising her just makes my stomach hurt. I think the job of a mother is severely underrated, but no matter what, it’s my full-time job. Anything else is just icing. Being able to work for myself lets me stay home to do my main job and still do something for myself and our bank account!
Mallory of Dismantled Designs also was inspired to start her business after a life changing event, but of a different kind. She found the motivation to start selling her reconstructed clothing in local boutiqes after traveling to England.
“Last summer I spent a month in London. I fell absolutely in love with Portobello Market; there was a huge section where people were selling used clothing and some independent designers were fitting people and working on their garments right there in their booths. It was so inspiring! I decided while I was still there that I wanted to get serious about selling what I make and about turning my passion into a business.”{mospagebreak}
Jennifer Aaron of The Pretty Things explains that crafting and creating often can help to soothe troubles and make life seem easier when life gets tough.
“I’ve always had the urge to create things. Last summer I was going through some rough times, so I picked up beading as a way to maintain focus and feed the creative urge. Shortly after, I decided to try my hand at soapcrafting, and in order to make a few extra dollars while doing something I loved, I set up a web shop.
I started my indie business because it seemed to be a therapeutic way to express myself, and hopefully one day lead to the means to be my own business-lady and retire from the 9-5 grind.”
For Jenn of Midnight Sky Fibers, the motivation to open a business came from a desire to fill a void in the market that was being overlooked and that she felt was important.
“I opened my business because I couldn’t find the type of yarn and fibers I wanted, and neither could other people. Being able to provide people with yarns, fibers, and kits that are environmentally friendly and vegetarian takes more time and money, but it is worth it for me since I know how hard it is to find craft suppplies to fit ethics.
It is very important to me that I keep my business very small since I am not a fan of big business, and that I keep my environmental and vegetarian goals in place.”
Jenn’s comment explains a common feeling among indie business owners. Many create their small businesses as a way to provide an alternative to mass consumerism and corporate culture.
Having worked 9-5 jobs and set up offices in cramped cubicles, many welcome the chance to personalize their work experience by interacting one-on-one with their customers, and are thrilled with the idea of being solely responsible for their products and creations.
Says Kyle Ruth of Button Arcade, “When you work for yourself, you get to directly see your hard work paying off. When you work for someone else, they give you a 10 cent raise, and double the responsibility for your hard work! I also loooove hearing feedback from my customers, knowing I am competely responsible for the joy my products bring them.”
Starting a business also can be a fun way to make friends and to join in the thriving indie business community, a close knit group artists, designers, and crafters, most of whom are women.
Forums such as Craftster, Get Crafty, and The Switchboards foster a strong community feeling where sharing resources and ideas is encouraged, and members of the community are quick to lend support and encouragement.
Sophie from Knitting Panda tells us, “I have so much fun crafting and running my website–it’s cool to make some extra money from it too. I do it because I love being part of a community that is very women-oriented and super supportive of each other…”
For others like Simone Alpen, who is one of the co-owners of Magpie in Boston, opening a store is the result of a chain of events that unfolded naturally over time.
“My friends and I had been working on the Bazaar Bizarre. Each year it was getting bigger and bigger with more demand from shoppers wanting to buy DIY and more vendors wanting to show off their wares.
We took the leap last fall and started Magpie, a brick and mortar store that carries consigned handcrafted goods and vintage collectables. It was (and still is, at times!) scary, but little by little we’re realizing how much people appreciate what we’re trying to do.
There are so many people out there that don’t know much about the DIY/indie crafting movement that’s sweeping the world, but get excited the minute they realize they’re in a store where most of the goods are handmade.
For me, I’ve always been excited to work on projects where I really valued the larger purpose, and working on Magpie and Bazaar Bizarre etc. is all so rewarding because it feels good to be able to contribute to the creativity and [innovation] of fellow crafters.”
Warm your art-loving heart without setting your credit card alight with this gorgeous collage matchbox created by Jennifer Gordon, who is based in Columbus, OH.
Titled “A Wedding in Red”, this sure-fire conversation starter incorporates vintage text, photos, paint and oil pastels - for only $2.50. Oh, and it contains 24 matches.
Jennifer, a writer and mixed media artist, sells full-size art, journals, cards and ephemera via her online shop http://stilettoheights.etsy.com .
Posted by Victoria from www.OriginalJewels.com.
“Fiesta Senorita Rainstick Necklace” is one of artist Pippit Carlington’s “contemporary tribal” series.
Pippit, from Stone Mountain, GA, spent a full working week plus overtime in making it - which explains the $265 pricetag.
However earrings for sale via her website http://giftbearer.etsy.com start at just $10.
As a fellow jewelry creator I’ve got to admire her skills, which were honed in formal training at Callenwolde Center for the Arts, The Atlanta College of ARt and Atlanta Jeweler’s School and Studios.
Posted by Victoria from www.OriginalJewels.com.
Want a unique piece for your wrist that you won’t find in a mall? Then look no further than Richmond artist Mary Andrews’ Etsy shop, Contrary.
This antique bracelet is fashioned from a vintage fork into Mary’s unique design and then polished for maximum shine factor.
This bracelet is also adjustable and can be worn by children or adults, male or female. The fork bracelet retails at $14.00 and Mary offers free shipping!
At Contrary you can also find adorable earrings, necklaces, blank journals, and more. And it’s all handmade!
-Jennifer Darling
The textures of Tasha McKelvey’s Three Piece Green Pottery Sushi Set ($38.00) are inspired by fabrics and textiles. After getting the basic clay rolled out she has her own process for giving her pieces a signature feel.
This set is made from dishwasher-safe stoneware clay and comes with a pair of chopsticks to get you started on your way to sushi salvation. Tasha also offers a brown 3-piece sushi set at her Etsy shop, as well as other fine pottery like soy sauce serving sets, intricately designed teapots, flasks, earrings, mugs, and more!
You can find out more about Tasha and her pottery at her website.
-Jennifer
I never know when I’ll meet a potential customer on the street so I always carry business cards. The problem is, I usually keep a stack in one of the pockets in my purse - along with my cell phone, lip gloss, etc. Some of you may even have the same dilemma. With Never Felt Better’s Card Holder ($6.50), you’ll never have to dig through all your things to grab a card again! Made of vintage fabric, the card holder is lined with felt and has a button closure. Looks like there’s a limited supply so get yours now!
Jen, who hails from Portland, is also planning to donate 10% of her total 2006 sales to a no-kill animal rescue! Hooray!
-Jennifer
