Saturday Artisan: Faded Leaves Naturals

Meet Shannon, our Saturday Artisan! She is the artist and owner of Faded Leaves Naturals.

I simply love Shannon's shop! It fills with products that you need on a day to day basis. And the plus is, they are all naturals! It's one of the shops I have on my list to go to.

Let's get to know her more, shall we? 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I am a cloth diapering, breastfeeding, babywearing, earth mama. The birth of my daughter awakened a person inside of me that I was always meant to be. I became more natural minded and interested in holistic health. I started creating salves and balms for use on my daughter and family and soon had family and friends asking why I wasn't selling them. My products expanded as my knowledge of natural living expanded. I am now pursuing my certified herbalist degree as well as practicing as a postpartum doula in my community. I am passionate about a more natural way of living and love spreading my knowledge and love to others. Peace, love, and happiness.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

I wanted something that sounded earthy but wasnt so far fetched that it would ostracize anyone. After months of searching, Faded Leaves Naturals just came to and stuck.  

Who is your target market?

My target market is natural minded women, men, and families, or people interested in pursuing or starting a more natural lifestyle for their families. The first mentioned group are sometimes known as the "crunchy" families or the hippies. ;)  

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

The education that goes into each item I make, esp the salves and balms. Learning the function of each herb and plant that I use and how to combine them to make a product that helps with many issues. Watching all that hard work come together and form a great product that helps people is just the best.

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

My products are organized by their main function: salves/balms, sugar scrubs, lip balms, sprays, etc. Once in their respective category I typically organize them by color or function. sometime alphabetically if i am feeling in the mood. ;)

Once made, any extras that were made but not needed for the order, go into a tub I have and are stored in my pantry as my items need set temperatures and dark environments. 

What is your best seller?

My nursing necklaces, my calendula salve, and hand sanitizer.

How does your day go in general?

M, W, F- i spend 2 hours in the mornings marketing/listing/creating/accounting for the business. The afternoons are reserved for my daughter. After she goes to bed at night, I typically list some more, work on blog articles, more marketing, or creating items for orders. I try to ship all orders in the morning, but if that doesnt happen I package them that night and ship the next day.

T, Thu- I work outside of the home at my other, unfortunately necessary, day job until my soul business takes off.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I hired a mothers helper to come in on M, W, F to watch my daughter for those 2 hours so I can devote those hours exclusively to my business. But once those 2 hours are done and the helper is gone, I put work aside and focus on my daughter. Some days I get very little done after the helper has left and other days more, but I dont regret the time spent with her and not on my business. One day she will be gone, but this business will still be here. I do enough to keep my name out there and the orders coming in and realize that the success I want will come in time, not necessarily my timing.  

What inspires you?

Nature, my daughter.

What is your goal for 2014?  And are you on the right track?

My goal is to get my name out there and to turn a profit. So far I am on the right track. I keep a notebook with all my goals in it and read over it often to make sure i am staying on track.

What is the key to success?

Determination.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Never give up on your worst day. Tomorrow is a new day and a new start. And tomorrow might just be the day you hit it big, but you would never know if you gave up too soon. 

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade is a way of life. I make all of our own condiments, food, snacks, detergents, napkins, etc. Handmade means being creative and using that creativity to bring happiness to others. Handmade is something, that once started, is impossible to stop. And once you start shopping handmade, you will never go back.

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

Never let success go to your head or failure go to your heart.

Faded Leaves Naturals can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

Fun-Zine and A Little Bit Nautical

Here we are in the mid week already. Hope your week is going well.

I'm so pleased that Adore By Nat is included in this fun 2014 Summer Fun-zine From Our Hands to Yours, compiled and published by Julie and Blu of bluemorningexpressions.

This Fun-Zine is a must to check out! It fulls of beautiful handmade products from talented artists. It also contains Safety guidance and summer recipes. You'll find BBQ safety, food safety, sun safety, pet safety etc. You will also find some fruits recipes, salad recipes, etc. In addition, some gift ideas on Father's Day gifts and handmade gifts in general.

It's a fun and informative!

Just the other day, I was pleasantly surprised that my Nautical Tags are included in Artfire Shout Outs by On Fire For Handmade.


Such an honor to be picked and featured among gorgeous shops! Don't you just love that beautiful Tile Pendant and fantastic Sailboat Puzzle!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Giveaway from Down With Plumes: Satin Flower Hair Clip

Win this beautiful purple singed satin flower hair clip with a small resin flower center from  Down With Plumes.

Learn more about Down With Plumes, the artists behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on June 11, 2014. Contest opens to Worldwide, Free shipping to US only). Open to Legal Residents (18years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on June 12th. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 

Don't forget to check out other current giveaway. here.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

 

Saturday Artisan: Down With Plumes

Meet Bethany, our Saturday Artisan. She is the artist and proud owner of Down With Plumes. So many gorgeous accessories to choose from. I love her style, the Victorian and lacey with a modern twist kind of neat accessories. 

Let's get to know her a little bit more, shall we?

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I am a work-at-home-mommy to a three-year-old boy named Odin. He is a fantastic kid and lets his mommy work on Down with Plumes making tiny top hats, hair accessories, jewelry and much more!

The hats are 100% handmade from the bottom up. No hat bases are ever used, therefore every hat is totally unique. I really enjoy working on new crafts, running my blog and spending time with my husband and kiddo.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

Down with Plumes was born out of the desire for a fun, play-on-words style name. It was originally Plumes and Blooms, but I never felt right calling it that. Over a few days, I thought about it constantly and obsessed over how to get the name right. In talking to a couple of friends, using "down" (as feathers) was suggested, and BOOM! It hit me. 

Who is your target market?

My target market is women, ages 15-35, who love to have fun and accessorize!

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I really enjoy watching a few cut out pieces turn into a tiny top hat. It's a couple of steps, but the transformation from what most people would consider "recyclables" into wearable art is so fun!

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I would have to say Seattle, WA. I grew up there, and it is stunning. It gets a bad rep with all the rain, but in my years living there, it was worth it.

I grew up on a 44' boat with my dad, so to me, Seattle is all about the lakes and waterfronts. I had a blast running lines through the lock system and crabbing in the Sound.

For visitors, there is so much to do and see. It's not only gorgeous, but also culturally diverse with lots of interesting activities. It's a great city to visit!

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

I have a very small craft space, so I've found it's best to move upwards. I have shelves on top of my desk and up the wall holding less essential supplies. Under those shelves, I have plastic storage containers.

I also have collapsible drawers for my fabric and plastic storage tubs for my flowers.

What is your best seller?

The tiny top hats are my most popular item, specifically hats with pins. They aren't as big of a seller online because the detail is lost in the photos (even with DSLR quality photos), but at craft fairs and farmers markets, the ladies go nuts for tiny top hats!

How does your day go in general?

On most days, I wake up with my little boy hovering over my face, saying "Eat? Eat? Food? Mama. Food?" Lol! Once he's taken care of for the morning, I start my coffee and hop on the computer to check on my sites.

Once that is accomplished, I take care of my house and animals and make lunch for my little boy. After lunch, Odin and I have time together to do lots of fun things, like play with trains and practice the ABCs.

Once we have dinner, Odin gets time to play with toys and watch Curious George, Daniel Tiger or something similar while I check on all my computer stuff again. Then he gets a bath and waits for his Daddy to get home, which generally isn't until about midnight.

Once the little guy is off to sleep, I get time to work and my husband works on homework. It's busy, but worth every moment :)

How do you balance your personal and work life?

This is a category I do not excel at. I'm working on teaching my son that I have to do work and he needs to occupy his own time, but it's a process. As it stands now, I squeeze things into free moments. Lol!

What inspires you?

Everything! Other people's creations, things I see in stores, and other people in general!

What is your goal for 2014?  And are you on the right track?

My goal for 2014 is to be more organized and better at advertising my own products. I am currently ahead of schedule for my goals this year (Ya-hoo!!).

What is the key to success? 

Never fear failure. 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

It's all about patience. Whether it be with your page, items, or customers... Patience is your key. Some shops do well right from the get-go and other's don't. Both are perfectly okay as long as you are happy and doing your best!

What does handmade mean to you?

To me, handmade is creating something that wasn't before. This includes re-making items (for me). I think the line is how much the original item was altered. If, for example, I'm making a dress out of another dress, I would have to severely alter the shape of the dress to consider it "handmade" and not "altered". 

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

When I'm 64- The Beatles

How to be in touch with Down with Plumes?

Twitter
Instagram

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

 

Giveaway from Jajejems: Gauthier Necklace

Win this beautiful handmade necklace from JaJeJems! One lucky winner will be chosen randomly.

Jessica made this piece and called it Gauthier because it reminded her of the perfume of the same name!  She was inspired in the colour scheme by 3 of my handmade glass beads in blue and pink.  She used blue aluminum wire to wrap a piece of white sea glass for the pendant which also includes a handmade glass bead. The chain is made with pink and blue wire and each section of the chain is a zigzag pattern with alternating colours.  The necklace fastens with a complimentary handmade hook and measures 18" with the pendant measuring 2". The finished piece is light weight and  would be a fun to wear for casual or dress-up.  It is valued at $35.

Learn more about JaJeJems, the artists behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post. 



a Rafflecopter giveaway


NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on June 3, 2014. Contest opens to US and Canada). Open to Legal Residents (18years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on June 4th. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: JaJeJems

It's my pleasure to feature fellow Canadian artists. Meet Janis and Jessica, our Saturday Artisans! They are the two ladies are mother and daughter, the artists behind JaJeJems.  It is my dream to visit Newfoundland and Labrador one day. Let's get to know them more, shall we?

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

Before I retired in 2009, I worked as a dietitian, managing the food service department in a large residential facility. During these years my husband Roy and our two children, Kiah and Jessica lived on a hobby farm where we raised pigs, sheep, cows, horses and chickens. In addition to raising animals, weaving, spinning, quilting and needlework were a part of everyday life. To prepare for the idle hours of retirement I took a water colour course, on a whim. Not only did I enjoy this new creative outlet but also I made friends with a woman who operated a framing shop and sold jewellery findings. That is when I started taking apart old jewellery to make new pieces for my friends and family. The response was positive! At about the same time my daughter Jessica moved to the east coast and started collecting and wire-wrapping sea glass. From that point we started making jewellery together and soon added new techniques to the mix, like making handmade glass beads.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

When Jessica and I decided to open our online store we had to come up with a name for it. JaJeJems was our choice, combining the first two letters of our first names with the word Jems which we felt could describe not only our jewellery pieces but other pieces of creative work that we might want to add in the future.

Who is your target market?

At first I would say that we just make jewellery that was fun with everyone in mind. Now we are more focused on appealing to people who love glass in all it's forms, from frosty sea glass to uniquely individual handmade beads.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

For me the most enjoyable part of the creative process is the planning. I love to look at what materials I have at hand and dream of a possible finished piece. Part of the plan of course means selecting other components and deciding on what techniques to use. Sometimes new techniques need to be learned. Often the plan changes as the project progresses but keeping the dream alive can be the biggest challenge and the most fun!

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

For several years my husband and I have had a cottage on the west coast of Newfoundland, his home province. It has been our dream to retire to the same area. In March 2013 we purchased a former convenience store in York Harbour and moved there last September. York Harbour is a small quiet village which livens up in the summer with tourists and cottagers. The scenery is breath taking and we feel like we have arrived in paradise!

What is your best seller?

At the present time we find that our best sellers are our sea glass jewellery and sculptures.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Balancing personal life and work is always a challenge. I have found that the best system for me is to devote a designated number of hours a day, five days a week to the business. However, working at home means interruptions and distractions and the plan doesn't always work. I often find myself popping in to the online store in the evening hours to do a little "work". Having said that I remain happy with both my personal and work life.

What inspires you?

I am inspired mostly by the everyday things around me. One thing that painting has taught me is to appreciate the subtlety of the world whether it be colour, contrast, shadows or even the simplest objects that I see daily.
 

 

What is your goal for 2014?  And are you on the right track?

When we purchased the store here in York Harbour our goal was to open it this year as a gallery/cafe to become the "bricks and mortar" home for JaJeJems and to offer bakery items and homemade pizza to the local people and tourists. Well we are still on track with those plans with the opening of our gallery/gift shop on May 8, 2014 and the bakery and cafe to follow later in the year. Exciting times for sure!

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Three things that I think are very important in running an online shop:
Have very good quality pictures of your work and more than one, write detailed descriptions of each piece, learn as much as you can about social media marketing

What does handmade mean to you?

For me handmade has a special meaning. When I think of an artist or craftsman designing and making a work I always feel that they are pouring a bit of themselves into it. If I receive an handmade gift I appreciate the work that has gone into making it unique. Whether the artist made it with me in mind or it was purchased by someone who knows my taste, it becomes a treasure. No factory produced piece could measure up!
 

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with the big dreams has more power than the one with all the facts (anonymous)
 

Where can we find JaJeJems?

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Google+
Blog
Websites: www.jajejems.com and www.theroostatyorkharbour.com

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

 

Giveaway from Kiser Krafts: Howie the Owl

Kelly of  Kiser Krafts is giving away HOWIE, the Owl!  I'm pretty sure that most of us love owls, right?

Learn more about Kelly, the artist behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on May 20, 2014. Contest opens to Worldwide (Free shipping to US Only, Canadian and winner from other countries will pay for shipping, mailed via USPS). Open to Legal Residents (18years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on May 21st. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Kiser Krafts

Meet Kelly, our Saturday Artisan! She is the artist behind Kiser Krafts. She loves socks and she makes them into fun stuffed toys. They are just too cute! Let's get to know her, shall we?

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

Hi, my name is Kelly, a wife and mother of two little monsters, and I am addicted to socks. I am so addicted that I can hear them speak. Okay, not really but I turn cute socks into EPIC cute stuffed toys. I have been crafting my whole life, even amnesia(huge story bout that), could not remove it from me. I sew, crochet, paint, knit, and generally craft. I love creating fun things for those around me. 

What is the story behind your shop name?  

My shop name came to be due to my name, Kelly Kiser. I have 'K' in both first and last and I love to craft. So, we just changed the spelling of 'craft' to suit my name. Kiser Krafts. While, I married into the name, the 'Kiser' does 'kraft' and loves every minute of it! ☺

Who is your target market?

Parents...children...people of all ages...eco-minded people...children. 

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

The end result...hee hee. I think my favorite is adding the details to an item and watching the personality show. I love adding the face onto Penny's Pets. It makes them more real.

What is the key to success?

coffee

What is your best seller?

Penny's Pet bunny

How does your day go in general?

I have two toddlers...how does it go? Fast, flurries of diaper explosions, sock parts flying, crayon fights, Popsicle stick art, sticker fingered kisses, hair pulling, and more love then one women could ever ask for.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I don't. I'll be honest. I am still figuring this one out. The main thing is the kids are clothed and fed and happy...the rest can sort itself out.

What inspires you?

My children are always my main inspiration. Their giggles and laughter make the long nights worth it, that I can drink extra coffee.

What does handmade mean to you?

That is a hard question to honest. Every one has a different line they draw. For me, homemade is handmade, and it gets redefined often as my own crafty community grows. 

 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Do not compare your beginning to someone else's middle or end, it will only discourage you. Make sure that what you are doing you love. If not, when it gets hard, you are more likely to give up. Doing what you love will push you through the tough spots. And remember, complaining generally does not solve the problem but work and attitude does.

 

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.