Do you have your green yet???

The Owls are getting ready for Saint Patrick's Day by stocking up on plenty of green beer, shamrocks, and more! Erin of dreambirdphotos has made this green-themed Etsy Treasury to showcase our wide variety of green!

We're excited to launch our March Challenge this coming week highlighting some of the finest elements of Saint Patricks Day. Two of our members have already listed their items, and both are pictured in the treasury above. But, to get a better look, click on the item names to check out CagedBirdSings' Green Style Glasses and headband and Squarejane's Drunken Potato Hat.

We should have several more entrants when our contest starts here in a few days. You will be able to see all the entrants by searching Etsyowlsteam & stpatricksday Also, watch for a blog entry so you can vote for your favorite!

Owl Spotlight, lalala08: Adventures in Consignment

Last year I decided to take my crafting business one step farther -- I was leaving my comfort zone of outdoor festivals, craft shows, and private jewelry parties and entering the world of consignment. Dun dun dunnnnnn!

When a friend of a friend got the opportunity to open her dream store, it was mentioned to me that she was looking for local crafters and artists to sell their work on consignment. I resisted at first, hesitated to call her…I even panicked and got all of my vintage clothing together in a bag to sell to her instead. But eventually, with the unfaltering encouragement of my fiancé, friends, and family, I mustered up the courage to set up a meeting with the owner to show her some of my work. I went through all of my pieces with my mother and fiancé, and fought with myself over what was the best, what I was most proud of, and above all – what I thought would sell. And on a sunny afternoon, I packed my new pretty little jewelry display case and grabbed my plastic garbage bag of vintage clothing, and headed to my meeting.

My heart was racing, I was so nervous! But I figured hey, worse case scenario -- at least I cleaned my closet out, right? Well I don’t know what on earth I was so worried about, because every piece I pulled out she loved and wanted for the store, and couldn’t wait to see what else I would bring!

I felt so proud on opening day to see my pieces displayed in an actual store, and even prouder the first day I saw a stranger wearing one of my pieces! Now that was a first for me – typically I was always the one making the sales, meeting each customer face-to-face, but then…there I was…waiting in line to order coffee…and the woman behind the counter was wearing something I had made! It was REALLY awesome!

And my positive experience with doing consignment with the store led me to consider doing consignment with the gallery above it. In November of 2008, for the first time in my life, I saw my own paintings in a gallery, next to other artists, and I got to see them sell with great enthusiasm! What a rush! It’s been so much fun and so rewarding that I plan on setting out to do more local consignment (and maybe outside of the area too, any takers?!).

If you are ever in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, be sure to check out my goods and the rest of the awesome store that is UnderWired! Tell Lisa that la la la sent you!

Some of my little owl paintings at UnderWired

My handmade earring display at UnderWired.

Some of my jewelry on display at UnderWired

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The artist behind lalala is Janessa, and other than in her Etsy shop and at Underwired, you can also find her online at her blog and also follow her on Twitter @lalalajanessa

Owl Spotlight, Zemphira: Zemphira In March

I got an exciting order to make 200 market totes - this meant I got to order TONS of beautiful fabric (I LOVE fabric). So I decided to start listing some market totes in my Etsy shop. Then it kind of sparked a "go - green" theme in my shop. I started making my coffee cuffs with bamboo fiber and natural batting. I also plan on sewing up some new napkin sets.

March 18th will mark my one-year anniversary on Etsy. It has been a lot of fun for me create for other people. I have learned a lot, my creativity has been challenged, and my crafting skills honed. Who knew I would be sewing owls of all kinds to ship around the globe?!?

To "celebrate" my etsy-versary I am have created 3 "Polkie the Owl" potholders to list in my shop. Polkie is my avatar and the theme for a few of my first Etsy-creations. Polkie has gone to a craft show, gone postal, and gone out for coffee.

I also plan on participating in the OWLS challenge this March. Hoot hoot!

A few things about me

My shop name comes from one of my favorite paintings by Marc Chagall.
I seriously studied ballet and dance.
In college I worked at a rubber-stamp company - so sweet!
In Alaska I got seriously addicted to beading - my crafting soul mate taught me how to bead (with the tiny seed beads) and skin-sew.
I could eat asparagus all day - and chocolate-chip cookies (homemade).
I married my high school sweetheart and we have 3 kids - soon to be 4!

Get to know Zemphira by following her on Twitter @zemphira

Some Owls getting featured (and a bit of cross teams promotion)

One of our members, PiratesDreamofPearls is also a member of the Etsy Supply Street Team and was featured Friday on their blog!

Woo, Click this to check out the article!

Their blog articles include highlights of team shops, a series of shop advice columns where they blog about useful tools and info for Etsy sellers, Etsy events, team sales, and other info. It's a very useful resource, check it out!

Also, as a bit of a side note, the Etsy Supply Street Team is like Etsy supply heaven... they have so many great things. If you're looking for some craft supplies, throw in their team tag with your search to get some great shops!


(By the way, PiratesDreamofPearls is a co-op destash shop made up of PresentsforPirates, suenosdejmi, and KnitandPearl )

Owl Spotlight, Tabmade

There are a variety of media that get me excited. Mainly it is clay, but since I've graduated I no longer have a studio to work in or a kiln to fire in, and I live too far from the university to keep working there. So until I can get a kiln of my own (which I am saving for through Etsy alone if ya'd like to help me reach my goals *cough* tabmade.etsy.com *cough* haha) I'm delving into one of my other loved mediums, fibers! I've crocheted for several years now, but just a few months ago discovered the awesomeness that is needle felting, and not too long before that, began seeing incredibly inspiring jewelry made from either felt, crochet, or other fiber related techniques. Check out some of these great pieces found on flickr!

1. #391, 2. Midsummer Collar flower close up 1000, 3. Chimerical Flowers ... Freeform Crochet Necklace, 4. Untitled, 5. WIP necklace #2a, 6. Felt Owl Necklace, 7. Psych Sixties - A Fiber Art Pendant 02, 8. wool necklace, 9. felt necklace no. 004

Many of those artists have Etsy shops as well so you may want to check out their Flickr profiles for the link!

I've recently purchased my first batch of roving from Copperpot on Etsy. It's this same batch of merino right here and the picture doesn't do justice for how lovely it is. It feels like heaven, I just want to moosh my face in it all day! I got it to do some felting onto one of my chiffon silk scarves which I will be listing as soon as it's finished. It's coming along slowly but surely. But since 4 oz is far more than enough for my scarf, (and at the best price I could find on Etsy!) I am inspired by all that fantastic fiber art jewelry to make a piece of my own. I've used fibers in my pieces before ( I love mixing media) but not as the main component, and I can't wait to get started. When I am finished I'll be posting about it on my blog, Tabmade, so stayed tuned!

XOXO,
Lori "Tab"

Tab can be found and followed in a variety of places. Other than her main shop, Tabmade, she's also recently opened up TheUnderstory, which features some of her gorgeous photography! She also has a blog (click the link above in her article) and can be found on Twitter @Tabmade

Owl Spotlight, Raynae

I picked up crafting a long time ago when I was a wee girl because I get horrible cases of the wiggles. Seriously, I'm super fidgety. I can't even just watch TV. I'm either working on a blanket, some knitting, some paper crafting, doing impromptu yoga in the living room or bouncing constantly on my pilates ball. I think that's why I'm not 300 lbs because I also eat crap. Junk food crap, that is. My diet usually consists of chocolate, some form of fruit-type candy and lots of bread. Anywho, my Mom started buying me those crafting kits when I was really little. I made ornaments out of felt, leather jewelry, characters that were supposed to stand somewhere in your house, tons of stuff. I used to make those braiding keychains out of the plastic string... I can't remember what they were called, but I know everyone who was a kid in the 90s made them. They were cool. Every time I pass that section in the kids' stuff in Michael's, I still want to get some of it. :)

Now it's developed into something of a habit. I take my crafting traveling with me, I take it to work so I can craft during my lunch break, and, of course, I'm always crafting at home. And I'm always working on several things at once because, of course, I get bored very easily, and I have to have other projects to work on so I actually finish something. Right now, I'm working on binding a book, crocheting an afghan for my hubby, knitting socks for my hubby, making random things with my Cricut and I'm testing out some ideas for expanding my shop. That way there's always something I can be working on. The socks for my hubby were supposed to be a Christmas present, but I underestimated the time it took to make them. I have one done!

So that's really the way I run in every day. I have tons of stuff going on at one time and I'm super fidgety. It works for me. :) My husband is incredibly supportive about my habit, and he'll even go with me on trips to Michael's/Joann's. I think he knows me better than I know myself sometimes because he'll suggest things to me in the store, and it's usually like, "Wow. That is absolutely perfect. Why didn't I think of that?" He's the one who suggested I get a Cricut. That was the most amazing decision of my crafting life, so far. :) Oh, and in my free time, I also like dressing up my dog and cat. I love being an Owl!

Rayna's various crafting adventures can be found in her Etsy shop. She was the winner of our February Valentine's challenge Recently, she caved into peer pressure and launched a (quite awesome) blog. Check it out, she's really funny!

Owl Spotlight, PresentsforPirates: brought to you by the letter "m"

yo ho. man from presents for pirates here.

i was initially thinking i would share a photo of my studio and why sometimes it's hard for me to get projects done, but then i remembered how embarrassed my sweet little husband gets when people see what a hellish sty we live in. packrat? no. i just really love stuff. did any of you see that special on TLC about hoarders? john almost couldn't watch it because i'm pretty sure he's certain i'm about 10 years and 37 umbrellas away from that.

quick! five things you didn't know you didn't know about me:
i am a gocco virgin.
i loathe closed toe shoes.
i was the editor of my high school literary magazine.
i own three old typewriters, two digital cameras, six polaroid cameras, four 35mm cameras. and a camera phone. (i told you, i love stuff!)
my favorite food is green chile.


five things you might know about me:
i am a leo.
i want babies. soon.
i eat peanut butter like it's going out of style.
i would never want to be a pilot.
i collect blank notebooks.

five things you should know about me:
i am the messiest control freak you know.
i will tell you why the way you're driving is wrong and bothering me.
i love and collect all things piratey.
i discriminate against no paper.
i am ridiculously sensitive sometimes.



i work as a loan coordinator during the day and even then i constantly find myself writing sticky notes to myself about ideas for craft projects. i love the idea of trying to do something creative everyday, but sometimes by the time i come home from work, i'm just tired. i did make this in an attempt to not a) lose all my sticky notes and 2) lose all my ideas.



my new goal for this year is to be craftier more often and get involved more with the etsy community. here's hopefully the first step in the right direction!

happy crafting!
xoxo,
man