Saturday Artisan: Sweet Pea Designs by Dee

Meet Denise of Sweet Pea Designs by Dee, she is our Saturday Artisan this week. I adore her creations. Her dresses are so cute, oh how I wish I have a little girl to dress up.

Denise and I belong to a couple (or more) FB groups and she is such a nice lady to interact with. I'm sure you'll get a top notch customer service if you shop with her.

Visit her FB page, order a custom dress, I'm sure she'll be happy to help. 

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

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

Hello! My name is Denise. I am the owner and designer of Sweet Pea Designs by Dee. I design and make handmade children's clothing. Little girls dresses, aprons and skirts. Also bow ties, suspenders, shorts and rompers for little boys.
From a very young age I have always enjoyed crafting, and sewing. I loved to draw and paint, winning several awards for some of my drawings and paintings. I always thought I'd be an artist! But life got in the way. I got married, had two beautiful babies and there just didn't seem time to follow that dream. Years passed. After retiring in 2013, I needed something to keep me busy. So I decided to turn my passion for sewing into a business. Sweet Pea Designs by Dee was born.
There are many historic homes and Businesses in and around Alburtis. One that we visit often is The Inn of Maple a Grove. A wonderful local restaurant with great food. Legend has it there is a ghost named Charlie. It is said that when the fireplace is lite Charlie will appear!
My home is on 10 beautiful acres, where wildlife is always present. From deer, fox, and even an occasion coyote! Built in 1787 we too have a friendly ghost!

What is the story behind your shop name?  

Sweet Pea Designs by Dee got its name from my beautiful granddaughter. The day she was born I gave her nick name was Sweet Pea.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I love to create with fabrics and colors. Nothing is more rewarding than having a design come together just as you imagine it in your head.

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

I live in Alburtis, a small town in northeast Pennsylvania. Local tradition holds that the town was named after Edward Alburtis, a civil engineer involved in the construction of the East Pennsylvania Rail Road.

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

My studio is where I spend most of my day. I have all my fabric arranged in a shelving unit arrange by color. All my threads are arranged by color in an antique spool case. I try to keep my workspace neat and tidy. I can't seem to sew in a messy workspace.

What is your best seller?

My best seller are my peasant dresses.

How does your day go in general?

I treat my Buisness as a full time job. I work Monday through Friday taking off the weekends. Weekends are spent doing chores and spending time with family.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I treat my Buisness as a full time job. I work Monday through Friday taking off the weekends. Weekends are spent doing chores and spending time with family.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by my granddaughter and also by all the beautiful little girls out there.

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

I think what sets my shop apart from other is the fabrics I use and colors.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Stitches by Ashley Nicole

Meet Ashley our Saturday Artisan!


If you are looking for great quality coasters along with great customer service, her shop, Stitches by Ashley Nicole, is one to visit for sure.

Without further a due, let's get to know her a little bit, shall we?

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

Hi! I'm Ashley Nicole, the Work at Home Mom (WAHM) behind Stitches by Ashley Nicole. I am married to my best friend and have two boys - a 3 year old and a six month old.
I make handmade items for the home. My items serve both a functional and a décor need. My main items are coasters; placemats; and pot holders. All of my items are machine washable and handmade by me. However, my older son is a big fan of the fabric store and helping to pick out new prints to add to my shop.

How does your workspace look like? 

I'd say organized chaos. I know where almost everything is, but to someone else it probably looks like a huge mess because I have works in progress spread out all over.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

Choosing what to pair together. I love find complementary fabrics and prints to pair together.

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

I live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio and honestly, there isn't much about the scenery that I find attractive. It's pretty flat and mostly farmland where there aren't shops and office buildings or hospitals. However, there is a lot to do here because it's both the state capital and the home of The Ohio State University.

What is your best seller?

My best seller is the coaster sets. They're sets of four square, machine washable, fabric coasters that are approximately 4" wide. Due to the nature of being handmade, there is some variation in size, but usually only millimeters in difference.

Find Ashley in these social medias:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StitchesbyAshleyNicole
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StitchByAshNic
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stitchbyashnic/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stitchesbyashleynicole
Instagram: http://instagram.com/stitchesbyashleynicole

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Birthday Blocks

Meet Megan, our Saturday Artisan. 

I adore her shop, Birthday Blocks. There are a lot of cuteness going around and if you are looking for a baby shower gift, her shop maybe one of the places you want to stop by.

Without further adue, let's get to know Megan.

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

I'm a full-time working wife and mother of two beautiful boys, ages 4 and 3 months. When I'm not working my at 40hr job or on Birthday Blocks, I also write a crafting blog, C'mon Get Crafty. I like to be busy!


I started my Birthday Blocks business after being inspired by so many post of friends showing their little ones' monthly growth photos. I love the custom orders I get, since I get to create new designs all the time! 

What is the story behind your shop name?  

Haha, I suppose it isn't that brilliant of a name; Birthday Blocks. I designed my block sets since I saw mostly stickers being used to capture baby monthly growth photos. The name just made sense! :)

Who is your target market?

My blocks are very popular with the baby shower crowds! :) I've gotten many referral orders from other soon to be mothers or their friends seeing Birthday Blocks given to another at a shower. 

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

Designing! Trying to come up with that new element that will grab the customer's attention and make them fall in love with the piece. 

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

I started my business while living in Las Vegas, and I must say I fell in love with the city during our five years there. However, I'm back in Illinois with my own true love, Chicago. If you've never been, you must visit! Try for May. Best weather is in May. :) 

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

I am fortunate to have a beautiful office/craft room with built in cabinets in our new home. I've had a lot of fun organizing my supplies, and plan to blog about it soon!

What is your best seller?

I would guess my Puppy Sports Birthday Blocks, which were designed to complement the Lambs & Ivy Bow Wow Nursery Collection. 

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

I don't know of anyone who does what I do; my creations are unique (as far as I am aware!)

What does handmade mean to you?

There are so many artisans out there, people who put so much time and effort into creating new products for others to enjoy. Mostly, handmade to me means to love; if you didn't love what you were doing, you probably wouldn't do it. It isn't easy to make money off of handmade items, so there's no motive there. You just have a love of creating, and you want to share it!

If you could invent a machine, what would it be?     

A teleportation device!


Please check and like her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/BirthdayBlocks

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Ovella Wool

Happy New Year!

Welcome to our first Saturday Artisan post of 2015. 

Say hello to Justen, the owner and artist of Ovella Wool. Natural is always better. Saving energy is even more fantastic. 

Get to know Justen and her amazing wool dryer balls, shall we?

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

I am a mom, first and foremost, to three, Aiden 8, Carly 4, and Parker 2. I have been married for over 10 years to my high school sweetheart, and while it has been a rough going, we always come out on top. We live in Midland Michigan, not far from the small town we grew up in. I work full time at the post office delivering mail. Ovella wool is relatively new, while I have been working with wool for a few years, the company was basically formed on a whim! I currently make wool dryer balls and am working on adding felted soaps to my store. My specialty is hand dyeing with natural dyes. It has become an addiction!

What is the story behind your shop name?  

Ovella is Galician for sheep. I am a huge Outlander fan and had originally wanted to incorporate Gaelic words in the shop, but "Caora" wasn't what I was going for. I believe my finger slipped to Galician and before I knew it, I had a name. I also use Galician words for the dryer ball collections. 

Who is your target market?

My targeted market is anyone who is looking reduce their carbon footprint on the plant, wants to save money, wants to reduce chemicals in their home, and who is just looking for natural products.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

My favorite part is packaging the dryer balls up and sending them out! I hope that people are happy with their purchases and enjoy using my product!

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

The organization of Ovella is evolving. All of my supplies are currently located in the closet in our bedroom! They tend to take up a lot of space, and even more so when I return home from the wool processor! 12 pounds of wool tends to take up half the closet! 

What is your best seller?

The Crema Collection is my best seller. It is a natural ivory color and requires the least amount of overall time so they are the cheapest collection for Ovella.

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

My dryer balls are soft! From my understanding, most of the name-brand balls are small and dense, mine are soft and light!

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I am currently in the process of learning this one! I tend to work six days a week at the post office, so my evenings include helping the kids with homework, getting dinner around, cleaning up the house, laundry, and finally getting the kids in bed so I can work with my wool! 

What inspires you?

Working with my hands. I have always enjoyed the hands on approach to everything in life, and have always wanted to own my own business. This is the best of both worlds to me, and I get to make money by doing it! 

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

My goal is to get my name out there! I believe that is happening. I have held fundraisers for a local charity, and have had multiple giveaways. Most customers are impressed with the quality and performance of my dryer balls. I also have had the pleasure of supplying wool dryer balls to two stores here in Michigan. Also, to work even more with natural dyes. The colors are amazing and am happy that I have been able to create them without any extra chemicals!

What is the key to success?

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?
Be patient. Sales are still slow for me, but I believe that just like anything else, good things come to those who wait.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade means taking pride in your work. You want you work to be a reflection of you, and that is what I try to do. From the packaging to the quality control, I inspect each and every dryer ball to make sure that it is perfect.

Please check and like her FB page: www.facebook.com/ovellawool

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Bownanza Utah

Meet Jeanette, our Saturday Artisan!
Jeanette is the artist and shop owner of Bownanza Utah.

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

I am a SAHM of 4 kids 8 and under. I started making hair clips for my daughter when she was 2 and love it! I like making creative clips called ribbon sculpture the best! I also have flowers, and headbands, and just started making bottlecap necklaces! I love to craft, and I love that I can help earn vacation money for my family while I am home taking care of the kids.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

I liked the spin on Bownanza, and when I googled it, it came up with a bow hunting website, so to set my shop name apart, I added the Utah, since I was living there at the time. Meanwhile I moved back to Arizona where I grew up, and now i am not sure what to do with the Utah part, but at least it can help me be found!

Who is your target market?

Most of my items are for baby to about age 10. But I do have some things targeted at women (amazing feather clips) and a few boy items (neckties and shoes)

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I like making new things.  there is something exciting about making it for the first time, and getting it right. I also like taking pictures of them, I think my kids make pretty cute models!

What is your best seller?

Everyone loves flower hair clips, and everyone loves Minnie mouse and princesses!

How does your day go in general?

I actually have a huge inventory and don't craft too often, usually only when I get an order, or have a show. I always make two of whatever i am making, so that I have extra! I spend most of my day taking care of my kiddos! (cleaning, shopping, playing, feeding, taxi etc)

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

Unique products! And great prices

What does handmade mean to you?

I make the majority of my items, particularly the ribbon sculpture items. Alot of care goes into making these, and I consider it art - it takes time, skill, sometimes burned fingers or redoes, and hopefully the customer will appreciate the care that goes into each product!

Don't forget to check out Bownanza Utah's Facebook Page!

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: W(e)il'd Hair & Accessories!

Meet Jodi, our Saturday Artisan. Browsing her shop, W(e)il'd Hair & Accessories!, is like coming in to a candy shop. :-)

I love her creations, so bright and cheerful. She is so good in putting colors together. Each creation is eye candy. 

  

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

Hello!  I'm Jodi, the designer behind W(e)il'd Hair & Accessories!  I'm a north Florida native, have been married to my husband for 6 years and am mom to a five-year-old girl and two-year-old boy.  I've been making jewelry for almost a year and a half.  I'm a DIY junkie and on more than one occasion have thought to myself "I can do that".  My creative spark is ignited when the projects that I've challenged myself to make come to fruition.


W(e)il'd Hair & Accessories specializes in fun and colorful chunky jewelry for children and adults. Chunky beaded necklaces and bracelets are great statement pieces. They can be designed to complement any outfit or theme. So versatile, they can be worn on holidays, for photo shoots, for playing dress up, or as an every day accessory.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

In 2012, I was invited to join a hair bow swap group, and got hooked on making hand-sewn yo yo flower hair clips and fabric-covered button ponytail holders.  When an opportunity came up to participate in a holiday craft fair, my new “business” needed a name.  W(e)il'd Hair originated as a play on my last name, Weil.


I really enjoyed making hair clips, except for the necessity of the hot glue gun.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist and found the glue gun frustrating. I constantly anticipated burned fingertips and big globs of glue everywhere.  However, I still had the desire to create and knew I needed to find something else to fuel my passion.  Enter chunky necklaces!  In 2013, with the shift in focus from hair to jewelry, W(e)il'd Hair became W(e)il'd Hair & Accessories. 

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I'm truly passionate about the design process - arranging and rearranging beads until they are each in the perfect place - I step back and say to myself "Yes, that's IT!"  

How do you balance your personal and work life?

No two days are alike.  I have two young children, a kindergartener and a preschooler, who attend two different schools and have two different drop off and pick up times!  Driving to school and picking up, lunchtime, naptime, household tasks - work time gets fit in among all these things!  It's definitely hard to balance and I'm still trying to figure out the most efficient way to get it all done.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Be sure to take beautiful pictures and describe your items as though YOU are the one who is looking to buy them.  When you're posting tags, use 2-3 word phrases and think about how you would search for your product as though you were the consumer.  Don't be discouraged if you get your shop loaded up with your awesome items and don't get views right away.  It takes a lot of time and effort to market your products, but it's well worth it when you start seeing sales!

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade means I'm sourcing all my supplies, coming up with unique and original designs, assembling my products, photographing, editing, marketing and listing them all on my own.  Handmade is often one of a kind. 

If you could invent a machine, what would it be?   

Robot housecleaner and chef

Find Jodi at many different social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WeildHair
Instagram: http://instagram.com/weildhairandaccessories
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/WeildHair/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeildHair
Website: http://weildhair.weebly.com/

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Curlitude

Meet Najeema Iman of Curlitude, our Saturday Artisan.

Curlitude is a handcrafted jewelry and accessories company that strives to create one of kind wearable art to accent natural beauty and style and made in the USA.

I love the tribal and ethnic look of her creations. The fun colors and shapes draw me to keep clicking each link to see them more in details.

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 stay-at-home mother of two who has always loved all things art. The majority of my work is uniquely created from multiple layers of paper.  My inspiration comes from all around, but I absolutely love all types of tribal prints.  

What is the story behind your shop name?  

Curlitude is an expression of loving your authentic self, it was created to encourage people to embrace their natural beauty and style.

Who is your target market?

My customers range from as young as 10 to as old as 70, everybody can rock a little curlitude.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

Coming up with new designs, patterns, the feel of the materials in my hands.

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

I am native Detroiter, though I was born in Queens, New York I lived in Detroit all of my life. I am city girl by nature, currently living in Lansing, the capital of Michigan.  I may live in Lansing but my heart will always be in Metro Detroit, where I do the majority of my shows.

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

I like to keep it simple. Pop Classics are my earrings that are inspired by vintage pop culture icons, Necklaces, Rings, Bangles, Bracelets, and Hair Accessories coming soon.

What is your best seller?

Pop Classic Icon Earrings

How does your day go in general?

Drop the kids off at school, clean up around the house, and create.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I don't balance well, but I am working on it.

What inspires you?

Everything.

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

I have a little something for everyone. I love color no matter what time of year it is.

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

To become more organized, create new products using recycled and vintage materials. I would also like to continue to connect with my previous customers.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Promote, Promote, Promote. Have great pictures and a wide range of products.

What does handmade mean to you?

Not mass produced unique one of a kind wearable arts and crafts.

If you could invent a machine, what would it be?

A machine that could connect to my brain and create all my designs in an instant.

You can find Najeema here:

www.instagram.com/curlitude

www.twitter.com/curlitude

www.facebook.com/curlitude

www.curlitude.tumblr.com 

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Pepper Skye

Meet Angela, the artist and owner of Pepper Skye. She is our Saturday Artisan.

If you have a little one or are looking for baby gifts, look no further. She carries many cute baby items from blankets, bandana bibs, burb clothes, and diaper wallets.

I love the story of her house, it's something that you don't hear everyday. 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 SAHM. I have 3 kids - 2 boys and a girl, ages 8.5, almost 7 and 2.5. We live in central NH. I make Bandana baby bibs and other baby items.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

The business was created when my daughter Pepper was about 8 months old and drooling up a storm. Our bibs are backed in fleece which is a moisture barrier. The cut of these bibs is slimmer and cover the area that always gets soaked. Because they are cut slimmer you child can crawl and play w/o the bibs interfering. They are stylish yet functional.

Who is your target market?

Parents and grandmas that have children from 3 months to 18 months in age. Or anyone who has a child who is teething.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

Picking out the material I'm going to use or sitting down and sewing up something I thought up(most times there's no pattern used).

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

Our town would be considered rural. I think this may have been a big farming community in the past with all the big old houses on large parcels of land. The land is being divided up and new homes are being built all the time. My children are the 6th generation to live in our house - lots of history in this town.  It draws tourist with the lake, the climbing rocks, and hiking trails. Here's a photo of our house before it was moved - it used to be a store -

Here's a current photo of it 

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

We got this awesome shelf from our neighbor who used to have a yarn store. It works perfect for our bibs. This was when we first started, we have more bibs than what's shown.

What is your best seller?

I think the neutral prints have sold the best, but it's hard to find ones I think people would like. A lot of people don't find out what the baby is(we didn't with 2 of our 3) so it's nice to be able to offer something that works for either.

How does your day go in general?

Now that school has started it's trying to get the boys ready for school and out the door on time. Then I come back home and have my coffee, check on Pepper Skye stuff and try to plan my day. Most days it doesn't go as planned due to Pepper having her own agenda. If I'm lucky I get some things sewn up or maybe get the house tidied(w/3 kids I always seem to be behind on it).

How do you balance your personal and work life?

It's tough especially with a toddler. Lately I haven't had much time to sew, but I've had a slew of ideas I want to work on. the boys have only been in school a week so I'm hoping to figure out a schedule where I can sew while they're gone.

What inspires you?

My kids. My oldest is very creative, probably more so than me. If I can create & sell bibs then it helps me be able to stay home with Pepper and the boys when they have days off of school.

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

Our goal was to get our name out to more people and have more sales. I think we've done that but not as much as we'd hoped. Advertising costs a lot of money. Also, re-doing the website was a goal and that has pretty much been completed.

What is the key to success?

Believing in yourself and your product.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Make sure your pictures are done well. Neutral backgrounds that don't take away from the product and proper lighting is absolutely essential. Make sure you have an email, phone number, etc so people can contact you. Keep the site updated.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade is something made/sewn by a person, not mass produced. It requires time, talent and love.

You can also find Angela on Facebook.

EDITED:
Angela is offering 10% off the entire order for any order placed before Oct 1st at Pepper Skye. Use code: PEPPER10.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Ribbit Gifts

Meet Cristina, our Saturday Artisan. She is the owner and artist behind Ribbit Gifts. Cristina specializes in everyday jewelry. She also support and giving back to her local community. 

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

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

I make cute stud earrings and everyday jewelry. A necklace, bracelet and earrings the can be worn any day and for any occasion.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

I've been a lover of frogs since birth. So, Ribbit Gifts just seemed fitting :)

Who is your target market?

My jewelry is not geared toward any one specific person. I have jewelry for kids, teens, 20 somethings, moms and grandmothers :)

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I enjoy shopping for the charms I use.

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 
I live in Arlington, TX. Home of the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Six Flags. There's so much to do here.

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

I have bins and bins full of organized charms. I keep all shipping supplies together in a box with easy access to each part that I need.

What is your best seller?

My best sellers are my Starbucks Necklace and all of my animal themed bracelets.

How does your day go in general?

I check for orders in the morning. Get all of the supplies necessary. Get each piece done in the order I received them. Package them and mail them out. I have scheduled times where I do marketing through social media throughout the day.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I schedule all of my marketing through social media which allows me to not be tied down to the computer. After my orders are prepared and sent out in the morning I spend quality time with my toddler. We go to the park, the library, swim in the backyard and just play.

What inspires you?

My daughter inspires me. I strive to show her how important creativity is and to do what you love.

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

My goal is to continue to profit and donate 15% of my sales each month to charities and organizations near and dear to my heart. So far, I'm on track and hope it continues.

What is the key to success?

dedication and being unique

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Be patient. Success does not happen overnight for most. I barely made sales online my first year. Now, I have almost 300 sales in year 2. It just takes time and dedication.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade means unique, one of a kind items made with love.

You can find Ribbit Gifts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Vinyl Graphics Creations

Meet Becki of Vinyl Graphics Creations, our Saturday Artisan.

Looking for useful Vinyl products, whether applied or ready for you to apply? Check out Becki's shop! Contact her if you have a custom request just like this one below.

Let's get to know her, shall we?

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

We love working with vinyl! We have found that almost everything can look better with vinyl!! We do Ready to apply vinyl as well as finished products. Thank You so much for taking a peek.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

We love to create using vinyl and have learned that it is more than just signage.

Who is your target market?

Everyone!

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I really love the creation part but I also love to hold the project that began as a concept.

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

I live in a beautiful little Swedish town! (I am having no luck sharing pictures).

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

I could absolutely use some tips.

What is your best seller?

Love Dashboard Graphics.

How does your day go in general?

My day job requires lots of travel and federal regulations, So when I get home from work I can relax, be creative and not worry about regulations.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

I am not so good at this. My work life overwhelms my personal life regularly.

What inspires you?

Color and style.

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

To begin working my day job half time and my vinyl designs half time. Yes there are lots of changes coming in the next few months :)

What is the key to success?

Persistence and dedication

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Persistence and Dedication are very necessary

What does handmade mean to you?

Anything created on a small scale with love

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

Life is not about the number of breaths that you take. It is about the number of moments that take your breath away.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Angel Crafts Shop

Meet Sandra, the artist behind Angel Crafts Shop. She is our Saturday Artisan for this week. It's an honor to know Sandra and to feature her shop. I admire her dedication in helping special need orphans. Check out Sandra's shop and you will see that her products are beautifully made. 

Without further a due, let's get to know her, shall we?

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

I'm a WAHM (Work-At-Home-Mum), living in Switzerland with my sweet 10-year-old boy and my loving husband. We moved here for my husband's work and love living in this picture-postcard-beautiful country. 

I make Kanzashi-inspired Hairclips as well as Suffolk-Puff Flower Hairclips. I also make Hairbow Holders which help keep all those pretty hairclips organised and available at a quick glance. I have recently added Fimo Keyrings to my craft items.

I decided to combine my love for crafting and my love for these kiddos. So this store was born. 50% of the sale price of every item goes back to the orphans. The other half goes to buying more supplies and keeping the store running.
Every month i will select a couple of special needs orphans who are listed on Reece's Rainbow to benefit from the sale of my crafts.

You can read more about the orphans I advocate for on my blog - trippingdifferently.com.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

AngelCraftsShop started out as a project for a Sunday School class to help a couple of special needs orphans, initially called Angels for Orphans. After that one project, I felt the need to do more and have been advocating for special needs orphans since 2012, mainly working with Reece's Rainbow, a Christian advocate ministry. After a year, I wanted to have a constant way of giving to these precious children.

Who is your target market?

Anyone who supports handmade and orphans really. Of course, with my current range of items, mostly women and people who have little girls to dote on. I hope to expand my range of products to include some things for boys in the near future.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

The actual making of the item, cutting up the material and putting it all together.

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

What you see in postcards about Switzerland is indeed what you get to see when you come here. It is a beautiful country, with stunning scenery and lovely old towns to explore. Of course, it also produces some of the world's best chocolate!

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

I use Ikea's inexpensive yet durable self-assemble cardboard boxes to store all my materials. Divided into different categories such as Knitting, Fimo, Cloth, Beads/Buttons, Ribbons etc. I find having boxes of the same size allows for easy stacking and moving them around is also a breeze.

What is your best seller?

It's a tie at the moment. The Classy White and Turquoise Kanzashi Flower Hairclips and the Sweetie Blue and Orange Kanzashi Hairpins.

How does your day go in general?

Different days of the week vary, depending on the activities the family has on. On production days, when i'm working on making items, I generally start after I had a quick look at my emails, about 9 am. Then I work till about lunchtime. Usually I try and make production days when my boy gets to stay in school for lunch. That way I can have a quick lunch and can get back to work for a couple more hours before he gets home from school. Other things, such as updating the website and social media etc, I usually do after my boy is asleep.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Family comes first so if there is a need to, I will shorten production days or move things around to fit the family schedule.

What inspires you?

Nature! I love how pretty and intricate flowers are. And I keep on making because I want to help the special needs orphans I advocate for.

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

To do my first fair and have at least 100 items listed. I think I'm more or less on track ;)

What is the key to success?

Perseverance and Patience

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?
I just started myself so my advice would be to just start and learn on the job cos that is how I'm doing it.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade means something which someone has used their very unique set of skills and put their heart into creating. It means one of a kind, it means intentionally and lovingly made.

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music

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